Category Archives: Cell Medicine

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] Dr. MartinA.Weinstock, a professor of dermatology and epidemiology at Brown University, will lead a six-year clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a topical medication as a way to prevent the most common type of cancer in the United States.

Backed by a $34 million award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program, the study will investigate the potential of imiquimod, a topical medication with minimal side effects, as a preventive measure against basal cell carcinoma. Weinstock who is the chief of dermatology research for the V.A. Providence Healthcare System will lead the trial with co-chair Dr. Robert Dellavalle, chief of dermatology for the V.A. Eastern Colorado Health Care System and a University of Colorado School of Medicine professor.

Basal cell carcinoma usually occurs on the face and requires surgery to avoid serious complications. An effective preventive medication could help many patients avoid or at least postpone the risks of surgery, and decrease the need for medical visits and their resulting costs, Weinstock said.

These lesions are typically treated with what I call a cut and wait approach, he said, noting that skin damage and scarring are undesirable side effects. Unfortunately, we dont have anything better right now.

More than 1,600 participants, including U.S. military veterans at high risk for basal cell carcinoma, will be recruited from 17 V.A. medical centers for the trial. They will apply the cream to their faces daily for up to 12 weeks and be followed actively for three years to see if their skin cancer risk is reduced, with an additional year of passive follow-up. In addition to evaluating effectiveness of the treatment, researchers will collect genetic material from some participants to determine factors that may indicate greater risk reduction and better tolerance of imiquimod therapy. This will help target therapy to those who will benefit from it the most.

Weinstock said that developing ways to actively prevent basal and squamous cell carcinoma has been a goal since he joined the Brown faculty in 1988. He has been involved with two other national studies directed at skin cancer therapies one of these clinical trials found that topical application of a cream containing 5-fluorouracil 5% reduced the risk of squamous cell carcinoma by 75% for a year.

Theres good reason to believe that well see in this upcoming trial that imiquimod has similar preventative effects on BCC, Weinstock said. And if that turns out to be the case, he said, it would fundamentally transform our approach to the disease we need to proactively prevent this cancer that afflicts millions each year."

Continued here:
Clinical trial to evaluate whether topical medication can prevent common skin cancer - Brown University

Mario Gutierrez consults Prof. Lola Eniola while using fluorescent microscopy to study the effect of red blood rigidification on the thermodynamics of blood flow. Graduate students and post-docs work at Prof. Lola Eniolas Cell Adhesion & Drug Delivery Lab in North Campus Research Complex. Image credit: Marcin Szczepanski/Multimedia Director and Senior Producer, University of Michigan, College of Engineering

White researchers are nearly twice as likely to be awarded a grant than Black scientists of similar academic achievement, studies of National Institutes of Health funding programs showand a group of 19 biomedical engineering leaders is calling on NIH and other funding agencies to address the stark disparity.

Lola Eniola-Adefeso

In 2019 alone, the gap amounted to $32 million.

The authors of the commentary paper, published this week in the journal Cell, are representatives of a network of women deans, chairs and distinguished faculty.

Black scientists in biomedicine are not getting funding, which means theyre not getting tenure, and theyre not getting promoted, said Omolola Eniola-Adefeso, the University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan and senior author of the paper.

When they leave the profession, we lose these individuals in the classroomand research shows that women and minorities persist in science and engineering when they see people who look like them.

It also means that many research questions vital to the Black community and society at large are not being asked because the perspectives, creativity and knowledge of a diverse population of scientists are not being tapped, she says.

In addition, the public does not see the faces or hear the voices of Black scientific experts speaking on important issues, she says. This contributes to distrust of medicine and medical technology in the Black communityincluding the COVID-19 vaccines.

If science doesnt represent all these communities, if health care doesnt represent them, how can we expect to serve them equally? asked lead author Kelly Stevens, assistant professor of bioengineering and of laboratory medicine and pathology at the University of Washingtons School of Medicine and College of Engineering.

The authors recommend several steps that funding agencies can take to eliminate disparities, including:

The authors also suggested ways individual researchers and universities, colleges and institutes can address discriminatory trends in academic processes. And they charted out a role for the private sector, including foundations, professional societies and philanthropists, as well as to industry leaders whose companies depend on scientific innovation, to help offset racial disparities in research funding.

The authors heralded biotech company Genentech as a leader, as the firm recently created a research funding program for Black scientists. If funding agencies and academic institutions wont address the gap, the remaining $31.5 million is well within range for the biomedical industry.

Eniola-Adefeso is also a member of the U-M Biointerfaces Institute. Stevens is also an investigator at the UW Medicine Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.

Other engineering faculty researchers co-authoring the paper are: Kristyn Masters, University of Wisconsin; Princess Imoukhuede and Lori Setton, Washington University St. Louis; Karmella Haynes, Emory University; Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez and Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert, University of Texas; Muyinatu Lediju Bell, Johns Hopkins University; Padmini Rangamani and Karen Christman, University of California San Diego; Stacey Finley, University of Southern California; Rebecca Willits and Abigail Koppes, Northeastern University; Naomi Chesler, University of California Irvine; Josephine Allen, University of Florida in Gainesville; Joyce Wong, Boston University; and Hana El-Samad and Tejal Desai, University of California San Francisco.

More information:

Original post:
How to end discrimination in health research funding - University of Michigan News

Human vasculature model created using Print to Perfusion process

Human vasculature model created using Print to Perfusion process (Image courtesy of United Therapeutics)

ROCK HILL, S.C., Jan. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) today announced its decision to significantly expand its development efforts focused on regenerative medicine and bioprinting solutions. This decision was driven by the tremendous progress made in collaboration with United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR) and its organ manufacturing and transplantation-focused subsidiary, Lung Biotechnology PBC, on the development of 3D printing systems for solid-organ scaffolds. Leveraging this work as well as accomplishments with additional partners, 3D Systems intends to invest, further develop, and commercialize solutions for the diverse application opportunities in regenerative medicine, including the development of non-solid organ applications requiring biologically sustainable vasculature.

In 2020, 3D Systems and United Therapeutics achieved significant progress in the development of a next-generation additive manufacturing platform solution for lung scaffolds that is capable of full size, vascularized, rapid, micron-level printing. 3D Systems capabilities as a technology innovator, spanning hardware, software, and materials science, combined with United Therapeutics renowned expertise in regenerative medicine has enabled advances in lung modeling, 3D printing, as well as material formulation using a unique rhCollagen, and material handling to yield significant capabilities in bioprinters and biomaterials for lung manufacturing. As a result, 3D Systems has built a portfolio of unique capabilities specifically designed to address the requirements of regenerative medicine applications. The newly developed Print to Perfusion process enables 3D printing of high-resolution scaffolds which can be perfused with living cells to create tissues. The ability to print large, vascularized, highly detailed hydrogel scaffolds at rapid speeds is now opening new opportunities for a range of tissue applications. To advance these efforts, 3D Systems is expanding its high-speed Figure 4 technology through innovation tailored to bioprinting and regenerative medicine. Building upon these capabilities, the company in collaboration with its partners will be able to advance innovation into numerous applications within the human body. The company also believes these capabilities have the potential to enable novel laboratory testing methods to accelerate the development of new drug therapies while reducing the need for animal testing.

Over the last years as bioprinting and regenerative medicine have evolved, weve seen a growing need to place cells at high-resolution in a nurturing matrix to produce complex tissues, said Chuck Hull, co-founder, executive vice president and chief technology officer, 3D Systems. Precise 3D printing with hydrogels, followed by perfusion of cells into the printed scaffold is the best way to achieve this, and we are thankful our work with United Therapeutics has given us the opportunity to advance and perfect this technology.

Our collaboration with 3D Systems has allowed us to take a first-principles approach to regenerative medicine, said Derek Morris, associate director of engineering, Lung Biotechnology PBC. The full size, vascularized lung scaffolds produced by 3D Systems printers allow our cellularization teams to focus on our mission to build an unlimited supply of transplantable organs.

Building on the progress the company has made to date, 3D Systems is infusing additional resources into its regenerative medicine R&D efforts to accelerate development programs that expand on the scope of potential applications. The company intends to add additional regenerative medicine domain expertise to its team, complementing the deep technology experience and expertise focused on these advanced applications. Additionally, the company is growing its roster of partners to broaden the portfolio of solutions the company offers. 3D Systems previously announced collaborations with CollPlant Biotechnologies (NASDAQ:CLGN) and Antleron that expanded its capabilities in regenerative medicine.

CollPlant is the developer of proprietary recombinant human collagen (rhCollagen) BioInk technology, which is also being used in collaboration with United Therapeutics. Bringing together 3D Systems expertise in 3D printing and healthcare and CollPlants expertise in rhCollagen-based BioInks will enable joint development of tissue and scaffold bioprinting processes for thirdparty collaborators. As a result, the companies are jointly addressing an unmet market need for a comprehensive solution to produce tissues and scaffolds for regenerative medicine applications.

Antleron co-creates, as an innovation pioneer in the field of regenerative medicine, personalized manufacturing solutions for advanced therapy applications. Antleron integrates core technologies such as 3D printing, bioreactors, and artificial intelligence with bioprocess know-how to enable disruptive manufacturing workflows that convert cells into living therapies. The 3D Systems/Antleron partnership wants to make 3D printing an integrated part of modular and digital factory-of-the-future solutions to enable sustainable and personalized manufacturing of cell & gene therapies, vaccines, tissues, and organs.

3D Systems has delivered additive manufacturing solutions to the healthcare industry for more than 25 years. The company is renowned for its VSP surgical planning solutions which have enabled the planning of more than 140,000 patient-specific surgical cases, as well as the production of more than two million medical devices from its operations in Littleton, Colorado, and Leuven, Belgium. 3D Systems NextDent 5100 digital dentistry solution is recognized as the industry leader in transforming prosthodontic and orthodontic production at dental laboratories and clinics. The company also has a long-standing relationship with Align Technology, Inc., the makers of Invisalign clear aligners, iTero scanners, and exocad CAD/CAM services, for which it has co-developed proprietary solutions comprised of customized hardware, software, and non-aligner materials that are used to mass-produce more than 500,000 unique patient-specific aligners per day.

Commenting on the future of regenerative medicine at 3D Systems, Dr. Jeffrey Graves, president and CEO, said, The progress that Chuck Hull and his team have made over the last three years, in collaboration with the Team from United Therapeutics, has been absolutely remarkable. Through unique developments in new printer hardware, software, and biomaterials technology, they have laid the foundation needed for accelerated commercialization of bioprinting at 3D Systems. Taking a strong application focus we will now expand our commercialization efforts in this nascent industry, which we believe will experience significant growth over the next decade. We expect these efforts to bring substantial benefits to the healthcare patients in critical need, both through direct applications within the human body, as well as in accelerating the development of drug therapies in the pharmaceutical industry. We anticipate regenerative medicine to be an exciting growth driver for our healthcare business over the next decade.

Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "may," "will," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon managements beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the companys beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business, including with respect to the development, expansion and commercialization of new technology, and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the company. The factors described under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the companys periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise.

About 3D Systems More than 30 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction - empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods. More information on the company is available at http://www.3dsystems.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/638523c6-d22a-4f35-8cd8-4c4783a32e48

Originally posted here:
3D Systems Announces Breakthrough in Bioprinting Technology and Expansion of Regenerative Medicine Initiative - GlobeNewswire

Over the next 10 years, gene therapies are expected come into their own as a treatment option for a variety of diseases. So far, two such therapies have snagged regulatory approval, Novartis Zolgensma for spinal muscular atrophy, and Sparks Luxturna for a rare form of genetic blindness. More are waiting their turn.

Multiple companies are delving into gene therapy research with hopes of developing a one-time treatment for devastating genetic diseases. Gene therapies offer great reward in the form of treating various devastating diseases, but there are also significant risks. Over the past year, several clinical studies have been halted or scrapped due to safety concerns.

Bay Area-based Audentes Therapeutics had a temporary hold placed on the gene therapy under development for X-linked myotubular myopathy following reports of several patient deaths. That hold has since been lifted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Uniqure also saw a hold placed on its hemophilia B trial after a patient in the study developed liver cancer. The hold was placed weeks after the company announced promising Phase III results at a conference in December.

Despite those risks, hundreds of millions of dollars in research dollars are being invested in gene therapies because of the potential near-curative capabilities the technology could offer. In December, life sciences giant Bayer launched a cell and gene therapy platform within its pharmaceutical division in order to become a leading company within a rapidly emerging and evolving field that offers the potential of life-saving therapies. Eli Lilly also dove into the field in December with the acquisition of Prevail Therapeutics. That deal was expected to extend Eli Lillys research efforts through the creation of a gene therapy program that will be anchored by Prevail's portfolio of clinical-stage and preclinical neuroscience assets.

This week, German scientists reported they were able to use gene therapy to help paralyzed mice run again. The researchers were able to genetically engineer a unique protein dubbed hyper-interleukin-6, which was then able to stimulate the regeneration of nerve cells in the visual system. A few weeks after the treatment, the injured animals were able to walk again.

Scientists in China announced the development of a gene therapy that could potentially reverse the effects of ageing. Initial research was conducted with mice, but if it is proven to be safe, human testing could begin. As Reuters reported, the method involved inactivating a gene called kat7 which the scientists found to be a key contributor to cellular ageing. Researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 to screen thousands of genes for those which were particularly strong drivers of cellular senescence, the term used to describe cellular ageing, Reuters said.

Earlier this month, a public-private partnership in Boston formed to open a new facility to boost advances in cell and gene therapies. This creation of this new facility is being helmed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Those prestigious universities are partnering with industry members such as Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Cytivia and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, as well as multiple research hospitals. Part of the goal of this new institute, which is still unnamed at this point, is to boost the supply of materials for research and early clinical studies, provide space for some research and also offer training in equipment used for gene therapies, The Harvard Gazette reported this week.

On Monday, Curadigm, a subsidiary of France-based Nanobiotix, forged a collaboration with Sanofi to assess if that companys Nanoprimer technology is a promising option to significantly improve gene therapy development. The goal of the project is to establish proof-of-concept for the Nanoprimer as a combination product that could improve treatment outcomes for gene therapy product candidates.

Many promising nucleic acid-based therapeutics administered intravenously are limited in their efficacy due to rapid clearance in the liver, which prevents these therapies from reaching the necessary accumulation in target tissues to generate their intended outcomes. Additionally, accumulation in the liver, rather than in the target tissues, can lead to dose-limiting hepatic toxicity, Nanobiotix said in its announcement. The Nanoprimer is designed to precisely and temporarily occupy therapeutic clearance pathways in the liver. Delivered intravenously, immediately prior to the recommended therapy, the technology acts to prevent rapid clearancethereby increasing bioavailability and subsequent accumulation of therapeutics in the targeted tissues.

The Nanoprimer is a combination product candidate that does not alter or modify the therapies it is paired with, which means if the research with Sanofi is successful, Curadigm could seek out other opportunities for its technology.

Most Read Today

Visit link:
Are Gene Therapies the Medicine of the Future? - BioSpace

Visit the News Hub

Study finds site of immune surveillance of the brain, points to new ways to target brain inflammation

Immune cells (yellow and purple) fill a sinus (teal) in the outer layer of the meninges, the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that immune cells stationed in such sinuses monitor the brain and initiate an immune response if they detect a problem.

Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, autism, schizophrenia and many other neurological and psychiatric conditions have been linked to inflammation in the brain. Theres growing evidence that immune cells and molecules play a key role in normal brain development and function as well. But at the core of the burgeoning field of neuroimmunology lies a mystery: How does the immune system even know whats happening in the brain? Generations of students have been taught that the brain is immunoprivileged, meaning the immune system largely steers clear of it.

Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis believe they have figured out how the immune system keeps tabs on whats going on in the brain. Immune cells are stationed in the meninges the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord where they sample fluid as it washes out of the brain. If the cells detect signs of infection, disease or injury, they are prepared to initiate an immune response to confront the problem, the researchers said.

The findings, published Jan. 27 in the journal Cell, open up the possibility of targeting immune cells at such surveillance sites as a means of treating conditions driven by brain inflammation.

Every organ in the body is being surveilled by the immune system, said senior authorJonathan Kipnis, PhD, the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor of Pathology & Immunology. If theres a tumor, an injury, an infection anywhere in the body, the immune system has to know about it. But people say the exception is the brain; if you have a problem in the brain, the immune system just lets it happen. That never made sense to me. What weve found is that there is indeed immune surveillance of the brain its just happening outside the brain. Now that we know where its happening, that opens up lots of new possibilities for modulating the immune system.

In 2015, Kipnis and colleagues found a network of vessels that drains fluid and small molecules from the brain into the lymph nodes, where immune responses are initiated. The discovery demonstrated a direct physical connection between the brain and the immune system. But the network of vessels represented an exit from the brain. It remained unclear where immune cells entered or surveilled the brain.

Kipnis and Justin Rustenhoven, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher and the first author on the new paper, set out to find the immune systems gateway to the brain. They saw a clue in the fact that the vessels containing fluid leaving the brain run alongside sinuses in the dura mater, the tough outer layer of the meninges just underneath the skull. Dural sinuses, which contain blood that carries immune cells, lack the tight barrier that elsewhere keeps blood separate from the brain.

Experiments showed that the dural sinuses were packed with molecules from the brain and immune cells that had been carried in with blood. Multiple kinds of immune cells were represented, including some that pick up and display suspect molecules from the blood and others that scan the suspect molecules and respond to them by mounting a defense.

Imagine if your neighbors went through your trash every day, said Kipnis, also a professor of neurosurgery, of neurology and of neuroscience. If they start finding blood-stained towels in your trash, they know something is wrong. Its the same thing with the immune system. If patrolling immune cells see tumor antigens or signs of infection from the brain, the cells know theres a problem. They will take that evidence to immune headquarters, which is the lymph nodes, and initiate an immune response.

The findings suggest that the immune system surveils the brain from a distance and only enters when it finds a problem. This could explain why the brain was thought for so long to be immunoprivileged.

Immune activity in the brain can be highly detrimental, Rustenhoven said. It can kill neurons and cause swelling. The brain cant tolerate much swelling because the cranium is a fixed volume. So immune surveillance is pushed to the borders, where the cells can still monitor the brain but dont risk damaging it.

Multiple sclerosis is a degenerative condition in which the immune system attacks the protective sheath on nerves, causing communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. The cause is unknown. Using a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, the researchers showed that initiation of disease triggered a massive accumulation of activated immune cells in the dural sinuses, suggesting that harmful immune responses may begin in the dura mater and spread to the brain.

Further work is needed to verify the role of dural sinuses in neuroinflammatory conditions. But the location of the sinuses just on the inside of skull on the accessible side of the blood-brain barrier suggests possibilities for targeting the immune system in that area.

If this is a gateway to the brain, we can attempt to manipulate the area with therapies aimed at preventing over-activated immune cells from entering the brain, Kipnis said. The dura is close to the surface, so we may even be able to deliver drugs through the skull. In theory, you could come up with an ointment that diffuses through the skull bone and reaches the dura. We might have found where inflammatory responses for many neuroimmunological conditions start, and theres so much we can do with that.

Rustenhoven J, Drieu A, Mamuladze T, Alves de Lima K, Dykstra T, Wall M, Papadopoulos Z, Kamamori M, Salcador A, Baker W, Lemieux M, Da Mesquita S, Cugurra A, Fitzpatrick J, Sviben S, Kossina R, Bayguinov P, Townsend R, Zhang Q, Gilmore PE, Smirnov I, Lopes MB, Herz J, Kipnis J. Functional characterization of the dural sinuses as a neuroimmune interface. Cell. Jan. 27, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.12.040

This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant numbers AG034113, AG057496 and AT010416; and the BEE Consortium from Cure Alzheimers Fund.

Washington University School of Medicines 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

See more here:
How does the immune system keep tabs on the brain? - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Jan. 26, 2021 10:00 UTC

NEW YORK & AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Neogene Therapeutics, Inc., a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering a new class of fully personalized neo-antigen T cell therapies to treat cancer, today announced that the companys co-founder, Board member and Chairman of its Scientific Advisory Board, Ton Schumacher, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2021 Jeantet-Collen Prize for Translational Medicine. Awarded each year by the Louis-Jeantet Foundation to leading-edge researchers who are active in the member states of the Council of Europe, the prize is intended to foster scientific excellence and encourage the continuation of innovative research projects.

Throughout his distinguished career, Ton has taken a technology-based approach to analyze and engineer the activity of immune cells in cancer, which has inspired the development of different novel neoantigen-directed cancer therapies. We are delighted that he has been selected for the prestigious Jeantet-Collen prize based on his groundbreaking research and considerable contributions to scientific innovation in cancer treatment, said Carsten Linnemann, Ph.D., President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Neogene Therapeutics. Tons seminal research laid the groundwork for Neogenes proprietary platform, which our team is using to pioneer a new class of fully personalized T cell therapies to treat patients with solid tumors.

Dr. Schumacher was awarded the 2021 Jeantet-Collen Prize for Translational Medicine for his work in developing technologies to study the role of the immune system in cancer progression and improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. As a recipient of this prize, he will receive funds to continue his research to further understand the immune microenvironment during tumor transition and predict which tumor antigens are recognized by T cells, potentially leading to the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics.

Dr. Schumacher currently serves as Principal Investigator at The Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam; a member of the Oncode Institute, a virtual Dutch cancer research institute; and Professor of Immunotechnology at Leiden University Medical Center. Previously, he co-founded AIMM Therapeutics, Neon Therapeutics and T Cell Factory, and served as Chief Scientific Officer of Kite Pharma EU. Dr. Schumacher is an internationally renowned immunologist and researcher in the areas of cancer neo-antigens and T cell receptor (TCR) therapies. In recognition of his work in these areas, he has received, among others, the Amsterdam Inventor Award, the Queen Wilhelmina Cancer Research Award, the Meyenburg Cancer Research Award, the William B. Coley Award, and the Stevin Award of the Dutch Research Council.

About Neogene Therapeutics

Neogene Therapeutics, Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of next-generation, fully personalized engineered T cells therapies for a broad spectrum of cancers. The companys engineered T cells target mutated proteins found in cancer cells due to cancer-associated DNA mutations, or neo-antigens, that render tumor cells vulnerable to detection by T cells. Neogenes proprietary technology platform aims to identify TCR genes with specificity for neo-antigens from tumor biopsies. Neogenes novel approach intends to deliver a tailored set of TCR genes for each individual patient, which will be engineered into patient-derived T cells directing them towards neo-antigens in tumor cells, with the goal of providing a fully personalized engineered T cell therapy for cancer.

For more information, please visit http://www.neogene.com, and follow Neogene Therapeutics on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210126005251/en/

Read the original post:
Neogene Therapeutics Announces Ton Schumacher, Ph.D., Company Co-Founder, Awarded 2021 Jeantet-Collen Prize for Translational Medicine - BioSpace

What do we currently know about the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the brain? In this feature, we round up the emerging evidence.

How does SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, affect the human brain? Recent studies have given us clues, shedding light on why COVID-19 can be so severe for some people and why the symptoms can last a long time.

There is a long history of similar viruses affecting the brain, researchers have pointed out, so many expect the new coronavirus to have this effect.

For example, Dr. Gabriel A. de Erausquin, a professor of neurology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, notes that Since the flu pandemic of 1917 and 1918, many of the flu-like diseases have been associated with brain disorders.

Those respiratory viruses included H1N1 and SARS-CoV. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is also known to impact the brain and nervous system, adds the researcher. The question is how, and to what extent?

Article highlights:

Dr. de Erausquin recently published a paper along with colleagues, including senior author Dr. Sudha Seshadri, a professor of neurology at the same institution and director of the universitys Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimers and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The basic idea of our study is that some of the respiratory viruses have affinity for nervous system cells, Prof. Seshadri explains. She adds, Olfactory cells are very susceptible to viral invasion and are particularly targeted by SARS-CoV-2, and thats why one of the prominent symptoms of COVID-19 is loss of smell.

Olfactory cells are concentrated in the nose. Through them, the virus reaches the olfactory bulb in the brain, which is located near the hippocampus, a brain area involved in short-term memory.

The trail of the virus, when it invades the brain, leads almost straight to the hippocampus, explains Dr. de Erausquin. That is believed to be one of the sources of the cognitive impairment observed in COVID-19 patients. We suspect it may also be part of the reason why there will be an accelerated cognitive decline over time in susceptible individuals.

In their paper, the scientists refer to existing evidence that makes them particularly wary of SARS-CoV-2s impact on the brain. For example, researchers have found that:

By 2022, the authors plan to have learned more about how COVID-19 affects the brain. A consortium of researchers from over 30 countries funded by the Alzheimers Association will conduct concerted research into the neurological effects of the novel coronavirus.

Study participants will be recruited from a pool of millions of people with COVID-19, in addition to some already enrolled in international studies. The researchers will take key measures of brain health using MRI scans and assessments of brain volume, cognition, and behavior initially and at 6, 9, and 18 months of the study.

The aim is to understand how having COVID-19 increases the risk, severity, and progression of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimers, or psychiatric conditions, such as depression.

Other research adds to the concerns expressed by Dr. de Erausquin, Dr. Seshadri, and their colleagues specifically regarding the risk of delirium and coma.

A new study appearing in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine found a much higher rate of these outcomes among COVID-19 patients than what is usual among patients with acute respiratory failure.

The authors of this study looked at 2,088 COVID-19 patients admitted to 69 adult ICUs across 14 countries. They found that about 82% of the patients were in a coma for an average of 10 days, and 55% had delirium for an average of 3 days. On average, acute brain dysfunction, manifested as a coma or delirium, lasted for 12 days.

This is double what is seen in non-COVID ICU patients, explains co-first study author Brenda Pun, an advanced care nurse at the Vanderbilt University Medical Centers Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, in Nashville, TN. Pun is also the director of data quality at the Vanderbilt Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center.

The study was observational, so it could not draw conclusions about the causes of these rates of acute brain dysfunction. However, the authors speculate that strong sedatives and reduced family visitations may both play a role.

The research showed that patients who had received benzodiazepine sedative infusions which act as a depressant for the nervous system were 59% more likely to develop delirium. The study also found that patients who had received in-person or virtual family visitations were 30% less likely to develop delirium.

The authors caution that because of the pressures of the pandemic, many healthcare professionals have reverted to older practices, while newer protocols have clear provisions in place for avoiding acute brain dysfunction.

It is clear in our findings that many ICUs reverted to sedation practices that are not in line with best practice guidelines, says Pun, and were left to speculate on the causes. Many of the hospitals in our sample reported shortages of ICU providers informed about best practices.

There were concerns about sedative shortages, and early reports of COVID-19 suggested that the lung dysfunction seen required unique management techniques including deep sedation. In the process, key preventive measures against acute brain dysfunction went somewhat by the boards.

These prolonged periods of acute brain dysfunction are largely avoidable. Our study sounds an alarm: As we enter the second and third waves of COVID-19, ICU teams need, above all, to return to lighter levels of sedation for these patients, frequent awakening and breathing trials, mobilization, and safe in-person or virtual visitation.

senior study author Dr. Pratik Pandharipande, a professor of anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Other researchers have focused on how the new coronavirus infects neurons and damages brain tissue.

For example, a team led by Akiko Iwasaki, the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the Yale School of Medicine, in New Haven, CT, used lab-grown, miniature 3D organ reproductions to analyze how SARS-CoV-2 invades the brain.

The study, which appears in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, showed that the new coronavirus was able to infect neurons in these lab-grown organoids and replicate itself by boosting the metabolism of infected cells. Simultaneously, healthy, uninfected neurons in the vicinity died as their oxygen supply was cut off.

The researchers also determined that blocking the ACE2 receptors prevented the virus from infecting the human brain organoids.

The scientists also analyzed the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the brains of mice genetically modified to produce human ACE2 receptors. Here, the virus altered the brains vasculature, or blood vessels. This could, in turn, cut off the brains oxygen supply.

Furthermore, the mice with an infection that had spread to the brain had much more severe illness than those with an infection limited to the lungs.

Lastly, Prof. Iwasaki and her team examined the postmortem brains of three patients who died from COVID-19. They found SARS-CoV-2 in the cortical neurons of one of the three. The infected areas were associated with ischemic infarcts, wherein a limited blood supply caused tissue damage and cell death. All three patients had microinfarcts in their brains.

Our study clearly demonstrates that neurons can become a target of SARS-CoV-2 infection, with devastating consequences of localized ischemia in the brain and cell death. [] Our results suggest that neurologic symptoms associated with COVID-19 may be related to these consequences and may help guide rational approaches to the treatment of COVID-19 patients with neuronal disorders.

co-corresponding author Dr. Kaya Bilguvar, director of the Yale Center for Genome Analysis

Another study supports the idea that COVID-19s attack on the brain is what makes the disease very severe.

A team of researchers, including senior study author Mukesh Kumar, a virologist specializing in emerging infectious diseases and assistant professor at Georgia State University, in Atlanta, infected the nasal passages of mice with the new coronavirus. This caused severe illness in the rodents, even after the infection had cleared from their lungs.

The scientists then analyzed levels of the virus in several organs, comparing the intervention group of mice with a control group, which had received a dose of saline solution instead of the virus.

The results published in the journal Viruses revealed that viral levels in the lungs peaked around day 3 after the infection, but levels in the brain persisted on days 5 and 6, coinciding with the symptoms being most severe and debilitating.

The scientists also found that the brain contained 1,000 times higher levels of the virus than other parts of the body.

This may explain, the senior researcher says, why some people seem to recover after a few days and have improved lung function, only to then relapse and have more severe symptoms, some of which can prove lethal.

Our thinking that [COVID-19 is] more of a respiratory disease is not necessarily true, Kumar says. Once it infects the brain, it can affect anything because the brain is controlling your lungs, the heart, everything. The brain is a very sensitive organ. Its the central processor for everything.

The brain is one of the regions where viruses like to hide, he continues, because unlike the lungs, the brain is not as equipped, from an immunological perspective, to clear viruses.

Thats why were seeing severe disease and all these multiple symptoms like heart disease, stroke, and all these long-haulers with loss of smell, loss of taste, explains the senior researcher. All of this has to do with the brain, rather than with the lungs.

Kumar cautions that the brain damage may mean that many people with COVID-19 continue to be at high risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinsons, multiple sclerosis, or general cognitive decline, after recovering.

Its scary. [] A lot of people think they got COVID, and they recovered, and now theyre out of the woods. Now I feel like thats never going to be true. You may never be out of the woods.

Excerpt from:
COVID-19 and the brain: What do we know so far? - Medical News Today

Newswise Seventeen academics, researchers, and scientists are being recognized for their significant contributions to the anatomical sciences and the future of anatomy education and research by the U.S.-based international society representing 2,300 members in anatomy and anatomy-related disciplines. Through these awards, grants, and scholarships, the American Association for Anatomy (AAA) continues to elevate, celebrate, and advanceeven in a pandemicthe foundational science of anatomy and its application in healthcare, allied health, and beyond.

Although AAAs awards program culminates in celebrating these 17 honorees, awards, grants, and scholarships are available year-round. AAA is currentlythrough February 1accepting submissions for the Early-Career Anatomist Publication Awards, which recognize excellence in scientific research manuscripts by early-career researchers published in AAAs three peer-reviewed journals: The Anatomical Record, Anatomical Sciences Education, and Developmental Dynamics. Eligible applicants can find details and apply at anatomy.org/awards.

In the major categories already awarded, this years esteemed honorees are:

A.J. Ladman Exemplary Service Award

Lynne Opperman, PhD, FAAA, of Texas A&M University College of Dentistry in Dallas is Regents Professor, Head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Director of Technology Development.

Dr. Opperman is Past President of AAA and current President of the Association of Anatomy, Cell and Biology and Neurobiology Chairpersons. An AAA member since 1998, she has served on numerous committees and task forces including, among others, 125th Anniversary, Program, and Advisory Committee for Young Anatomists (now CECA). An AAA Fellow since 2010, Dr. Opperman was pivotal in creating the Fellows Grant Award Program in 2016, which aims to advance federal funding of anatomical research.

With more than 5,700 research citations, Dr. Opperman is an oft-invited speaker on topics related to mentorship and her research, which includes craniofacial suture development and bone development growth and repair. She was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2019 in recognition of her research accomplishments, mentorship, and service.

Having mentored more than 140 students, Dr. Opperman trains not just academics, but academics who understand industry and the patent process notable because her company holds five US patents for devices related to bone reconstruction.

Dr. Opperman was born and raised in South Africa, where she completed her PhD before coming to the United States as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Her success in the United States provides an example for trainees and young faculty throughout the world for what is possible with hard work and a mind open to opportunity.

Henry Gray Distinguished Educator Award

Robert M. Klein, PhD, FAAA, of the University of Kansas School of Medicine is Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and Chancellors Club Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology.

For 45 years, Dr. Kleins students have recognized his passionate, student-oriented approach to preclinical curriculum. Said a colleague, For me, his enthusiasm and skill in linking the science and art of medicine was instrumental in sparking my interest in academic medicine as a career.

Dr. Kleins leadership was essential in changing KUs curriculum and in successful accreditation visits. In addition to administration, he remains an active educator and facilitator for small-group, case-based, collaborative learning sessions. Remarked Klein, I work to guide students to become life-long learners a requirement of future physicians.

Dr. Klein is a leader in the use of virtual microscopy for medical education, as well as in organizing national and international events advancing the teaching of anatomy, histology. and embryology. He co-authored two books and published numerous papers on advances in medical education.

An AAA member since 1977, Dr. Klein served on the Educational Affairs Committee and, in 2015, was recognized as a Fellow. He has been named a Charter Member of the Academy of Medical Educators and an Honorary Alumnus of the KU School of Medicine, and he has been recognized with numerous teaching awards including the Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award and the International Association of Medical Science Educators Master Teacher Award.

Henry Gray Scientific Achievement Award

Wayne Vogl, PhD, FAAA, of The Life Sciences Institute at The University of British Columbia is Professor in the Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences and recipient of AAAs highest scientific honor for his countless contributions to the anatomical sciences.

Dr. Vogl is internationally recognized for his work using fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy to explore the relationship between the three major cytoskeletal elements (actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments) in Sertoli cells and intercellular junctions in the seminiferous epithelium of the mammalian testis, and how the two systems together function to generate morphogenic events (translocation of developing sperm cells, sperm release) in the testis. Dr. Vogls work has led to a critical understanding of the role of the cytoskeleton in Sertoli cells during spermatogenesis and in male fertility.

Dr. Vogl has been cited more than 10,000 times, invited to participate in 55 lectures, and received numerous teaching awards, as well as the Basmajian Award. Consistently funded for more than 40 years, Dr. Vogl has been awarded more than $6 million to advance his work, from which he has published more than 130 peer-reviewed articles, 13 invited reviews and book chapters, and 150 abstracts.

In 2005, Dr. Vogl co-authored Grays Anatomy for Students with Richard L. Drake and Adam W.M. Mitchell. Now in its fourth edition, the text won first prize in Basic and Clinical Sciences at the 2009 British Medical Associations Medial Book Competition and has been translated into 13 languages.

Dr. Vogl joined AAA in 1984 and was named a Fellow in 2009.

Fellows

The rank of Fellow of the American Association for Anatomy (FAAA) honors distinguished members who have demonstrated excellence in science and in their overall contributions to the anatomical sciences. Since 2008, 100 members have been recognized as Fellows. This year, we add five including three Canadians and the first Latina. Below, meet this years esteemed Class of Fellows.

A member since 1999, Rebecca Fisher, PhD, is Professor & Interim Co-Chair of Basic Medical Sciences and Director of the Gross Anatomy Laboratory at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. Dr. Fisher has served as a research mentor for undergraduate, graduate, medical, and postdoctoral students, encouraging diverse trainees to pursue careers in science. Dr. Fisher studies the functional anatomy of mammals and cephalopods. Her current work on octopus-inspired robotics is funded by a grant from the Office of Naval Research. A former Basmajian Award recipient and Board Member, Dr. Fisher is the first Latina to be named an AAA Fellow. She has served in a number of volunteer leadership roles, and currently serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. (photo by Chris Richards)

A member since 1999, Julian Guttman, PhD, is Professor of Cellular Microbiology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. He previously received the Young Investigator Award for Morphological Sciences and a Young Anatomist Publication Award, and served two terms on the Board of Directors. Dr. Guttman has been an Associate Editor of The Anatomical Record since 2015 and is on the Editorial Boards of Cytoskeleton and Tissue and Cell. Dr. Guttmans research examines the molecular and morphological alterations that occur during bacterial infections of epithelial cells. He has published more than 60 articles and has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on research projects awarded in excess of $3 million.

Claudia Krebs, MD, PhD, is Professor of Teaching in the Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences at The University of British Columbia. An AAA member since 2006, Dr. Krebs was elected to the Board in 2020, having previously served on the Educational Affairs Committee. Dr. Krebs continuously advances instruction of neuroscience while combatting neurophobia and innovating teaching modalities. For The HIVE (Hackspace for Innovation and Visualization in Education), she assembled an interdisciplinary team to create digital media for anatomy education, partnering with the Universitys Emerging Media Lab and industry partners like Microsoft. The initiative has developed 18 projects, with more in the pipeline. Additionally, she is the first author of Lippincotts Illustrated Review of Neuroscience, now in its second edition.

At the University of Utah School of Medicine, David Morton, PhD, is Professor of Neurobiology and serves as Vice-Chair of Medical and Dental Education. He directs multiple courses and the gross anatomy lab, and teaches medical, dental, PA, PT, and OT students. He is an Academy of Health Science Educators Fellow and has received numerous teaching awards, including the UU Distinguished Teaching Award. Research interests include creation and incorporation of active learning activities and cadavers in medicine. Dr. Morton authored or co-authored multiple textbooks, including The Big Picture: Gross Anatomy. His video tutorials have received more than 8.5 million views on YouTube. Dr. Morton serves as visiting professor at three medical schools in Ghana. A 20-year member of AAA, he served on the Board of Directors 2014-2017.

A member since 2008, Bruce Wainman, PhD, fills many roles at McMaster University: Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine; Director of Anatomy, Education Program in Anatomy, and Surgical Skills Laboratory; and Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Surgery. Dr. Wainman has received numerous teaching awards and in 2016 was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow. He has mentored dozens of undergraduates, published 60 articles, and served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on research projects awarded more than $5.2 million. He chaired the 2018 Regional Meeting (the most-attended to date), and is a member of the 2020 Nominating Committee. Research interests include interprofessional education, cognitive psychology, and use of augmented and virtual reality in education.

Basmajian Award

Haley OBrien, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, where she uses digital rendering techniques to study the function, physiology, development, and evolution of craniocervical systems. As course director of the Neurology block, she reformatted the nervous system course, resulting in average student improvement of one full letter grade. Since joining the Curriculum Oversight Committee, she developed the first Course Directors Handbook. Just five years post-doctorate, Dr. OBrien has already mentored nine PhD and MS students in research and teaching of human gross anatomy, along with 15 neuroanatomy research medical students. She recently won Oklahoma State University's App Competition for development of a nervous system educational app with a team of medical student researchers. Dr. OBrien has been recognized in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and AAA Annual BioArt Scientific Image Competition. She previously received two Education Outreach Grants and an Early-Career Publication Award for The Anatomical Record. The Basmajian Award acknowledges her many outstanding accomplishments early in her teaching career.

Early-Career Investigators

These awards recognize investigators in the early stages of their careers who have made important contributions to biomedical science through their research.

C.J. Herrick Award in Neuroanatomy

Andrea M. Gomez, PhD, of the University of California, Berkeley, is Assistant Professor of Neurobiology in the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology. Dr. Gomezs lab opened in 2020, studying how genetic programs balance order and variability in the brain, using electrophysiology, functional imaging, and molecular biology to decode the instructive cues that organize neural networks to discover how synaptic dysfunction manifests in conditions like autism, intellectual disability, and neurodegenerative disorders. In support of this groundbreaking neurological research, she was awarded a 2020 Young Investigator Grant from The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. An advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM, Dr. Gomez is Laguna Pueblo and Chicana.

H.W. Mossman Award in Developmental Biology

Eric Van Otterloo, PhD, of The University of Iowa is Assistant Professor in the Iowa Institute of Oral Health Research in the College of Dentistry. He researches craniofacial and neural crest cell development, and related pathologies, using both animal genetics and modern molecular biology approaches. Dr. Van Otterloo is the first author on seven publications and collaborated on nine others. He was among the first to receive an AAA Postdoctoral Fellowship, exploring the critical role of MEMO1 in the development of the facial skeleton. A member since 2010, he is also a member of the Society for Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology, an AAA affiliate. Dr. Van Otterloos research is currently supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

R.R. Bensley Award in Cell Biology

Pulin Li, PhD, is a Member of the Whitehead Institute and, in 2020, was named the Eugene Bell Career Development Professor of Tissue Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Li uses quantitative approaches to gain new insights into tissue biology. Demonstrating abilities across the disciplines of developmental biology, chemical biology, synthetic biology, and imaging technology, Dr. Li studies cell communication circuits that enable multicellular functions. Her lab examines how communication provides positional information to cells within a tissue, how feedback circuits coordinate cell communication in space and time, and how communication systems adapt during evolution. Her contributions include developing tools for discovering novel signaling pathways in tissue development and repair from the top down, and reconstituting and rewiring communication circuits from the bottom up to decipher their design principles. (photo: Whitehead Institute)

Fellows Grant Award Program (FGAP)

This Program supports research proposals submitted to major funding agencies that, although well reviewed, did not receive funding. FGAP aims to help researchers revise grant applications in anticipation of resubmission for approval. This year, FGAP will fund two projects:

Martine Dunnwald, PharmD, PhD, of The University of Iowa is Research Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology. Her project, Arhgap29 in orofacial development, examines the role of Rho GTPase activating protein 29 (Arhgap29) in orofacial clefts (OFCs). NIH R01 reviewers noted, successful completion of the proposed studies would fill knowledge gaps in understanding the role of periderm [lining of the oral cavity] in pathogenesis of OFC, having significant impact in the field. Despite scientific rigor with inclusion of power analysis and sample size estimates, reviewers requested more data to differentiate between wild type and mutant cells. FGAP funding will support hiring a trainee from an underrepresented minority to generate Arhgap29 cell lines with patient-derived mutations and preliminary mechanistic data using those cell lines.

Heather Szabo-Rogers, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine is Assistant Professor in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences. Dr. Szabo-Rogers project is Prickle1 protein-protein interactions are required for craniofacial chondrocyte signaling and polarity. The FGAP award will expand an NIH R03 application to a competitive R01. The new application will focus on the development of the nasal capsule cartilages, in addition to determining the role of Prickle1 in primary ciliopathies and Robinow Syndrome (RS). FGAP funding will support hiring a trainee to analyze existing cutting-edge images and generate data from RS-patient cells and a mouse model. Once collected, the new data generated with FGAP funding will strengthen Dr. Szabo-Rogers strong preliminary data.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

This award provides salary support to postdoctoral trainees working in any aspect of biology relevant to the anatomical sciences, including both basic science research and education research.

Gary J. Farkas, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His research, Exercise and Nutrition to Reduce Obesity-Induced Inflammation and Improve Cardiometabolic Health in Spinal Cord Injury (ENRIICH-SCI), adds to more than two dozen publications on spinal cord injury and rehabilitation. This research aims to define the impact of functional electrical stimulation leg cycle exercise and diet, versus diet alone, on epicardial and abdominal visceral adipose tissue and proinflammatory adipokines in persons with chronic motor complete C4-T4 spinal cord injury. A member since 2010, Dr. Farkas serves on the Educational Affairs Committee, co-created the educational abstract scoring rubric, and initiated the LGBTQ+ in Anatomy community.

Soma Dash, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Trainor Lab at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Dash joined Stowers and AAA in 2018. The focus of her research is to determine a role for ribosome biogenesis, via RNA polymerase I subunits, Polr1a and Polr1c, and associated factor, Tcof1, in neural crest cells in enteric nervous system formation and gastrointestinal birth defects. Building upon previous studies published by the Trainor Lab related to cranial neural crest cells function and Treacher Collins syndrome, this new research has a high potential impact for therapeutic studies of Hirschsprung disease. I am driven to identify the nature and molecular mechanism of regulatory factors like ribosome biogenesis and their relation to developmental defects, said Dr. Dash.

Education Research Scholarship

Hei Ching Kristy Cheung is a graduate student at Western University in Ontario, Canada, where she is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Clinical Anatomy, as well as a Learning Design Certificate in Educational/Instructional Media Design. She has been a teaching assistant for half a dozen courses in gross and clinical anatomy, histology, and dentistry, and assisted with the development of e-learning modules for the medical program using articulate storyline software to revise and improve e-modules in gross anatomy and histology. Cheungs education research, Meaningful Motion: Development of a functional anatomy online resource for allied health professionals, will evaluate such modules in the wake of the dramatic shift to virtual learning. Cheung joined AAA in 2020.

See original here:
American Association for Anatomy Honors 17 Scientists Advancing Education and Discovery in Anatomical Sciences, Healthcare, and Related Fields -...

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognate BioServices, Inc., the premier commercial-ready global CDMO in the Cell and Gene Therapy industry, and Nucleus Biologics, LLC, The Cell Performance Company, announced today a partnership for custom and commercial medias and delivery systems for Cell and Gene Therapy clients.

"We're quite excited to be moving forward with Nucleus," said J. Kelly Ganjei, Cognate's Chief Executive Officer. "I am particularly pleased with this collaboration that has come to us from the front lines of product development. Seeing an opportunity to simplify the supply chain, our sales and business development team seized this opportunity. I applaud my team and Nucleus for their creativity and vision in getting this partnership off the ground."

Nucleus' AI formulation platform creates an optimized media offering that will allow Cognate's clients to reduce time in development and towards large scale production. The partnership between Cognate and Nucleus will improve stability, reproducibility and supply-chain integrity for clients by enabling an on-demand supply of proprietary media from clinical to commercial scale. "Nucleus' approach is a game changer in Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing," added Mr. Ganjei.

This partnership will focus on both clinical and commercial clients, especially as Cognate expands its business with both allogeneic and autologous on-demand cell and gene therapies. The Nucleus platform is unique within the cell and gene therapy supply chain and provides a scalable solution to rapidly formulate optimized media and receive custom media lots. This remarkably robust platform will enable Cognate to rapidly implement this technology across its global capacity network.

"We're eager to get our partnership with Nucleus out to the market," said Mike Stella, Cognate's Chief Business Officer. "Nucleus' product pipeline will improve stability, reproducibility, and reduce time to large-scale production. Critical components like media have been front and center for a while in our industry, but the constraints have been further amplified with COVID. We believe this will become another key differentiator for our business."

Story continues

"We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Kelly and his team at Cognate," said David Sheehan, Founder, President and CEO of Nucleus Biologics. "Cognate understands the industry, the clients' needs, as well as the urgency with which the industry must create a new paradigm for media. Our approach promotes therapies getting into the clinic quicker, safer and more reliably, with less supply chain risk, and ultimately results in patients getting product more timely. We are laser focused on building disruptive products, especially as it pertains to the supply chain of advanced therapy developers, and we are excited to have Cognate as a partner."

About Cognate BioServices, Inc.

Cognate BioServices is the leading CDMO for the development and manufacturing of autologous and allogeneic cell and gene therapy products. We are a dynamic, results-driven, organization focused on providing the broadest range of commercialization services to regenerative medicine, cellular immunotherapy and advance cell therapy companies. Cognate provides a unique combination of custom services to companies across all points of clinical and commercial development specializing in mid to late stage clinical trials and supporting our clients through product scale-up into commercial manufacturing. Cognate applies the knowledge and expertise of its business, scientific and technical teams to successfully develop autologous and allogeneic products across multiple cell-based technology platforms from start to finish.

Cognate's business and expansion activities are supported by leading shareholder EW Healthcare Partners, as well as Medivate Partners, Blackrock, and a Middle East Sovereign Wealth Fund.

http://www.cognatebioservices.com

About Nucleus Biologics, LLC. Nucleus Biologics, The Cell Performance Company, is the leading provider of custom cell-growth media, tools and technologies for cell and gene therapy. Their mission is to speed the time from scientific discovery to cure by delivering innovative, transparent and cGMP products and services with the goal of disrupting the market and eliminating antiquated practices and products. Ultimately, Nucleus Biologics strives to create a new paradigm that serves both scientists and clinicians, while reducing the environmental footprint of cell culture. http://www.nucleusbiologics.com

For more information, please contact James Wilkerson at jwilkerson@cognatebioservices.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cognate-bioservices-and-nucleus-biologics-announce-partnership-in-cell-and-gene-therapies-301216405.html

SOURCE Cognate BioServices

Go here to see the original:
Cognate BioServices and Nucleus Biologics announce partnership in Cell and Gene Therapies - Yahoo Finance

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic cell therapies to address unmet medical needs, recently highlighted to members of the investment community its clinical and operational progress through a series of webinars hosted by FORCE Wealth with presentations by Brian M. Culley, Chief Executive Officer. The seminars covered all three of the companys clinical-stage product development programs: OpRegen, a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell transplant for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell transplant for the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries, and VAC2, a dendritic cell transplant for the treatment of cancer. Interested investors can now access all three presentations on the Media section of Lineages website.

Lineage Cell Therapeutics: The Eyes of the World A fireside chat hosted by Robert Rothman, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Norwell and Principal, InFocus Capital Partners, an ophthalmology-focused venture capital firm, on January 14, 2021, discussing Lineages OpRegen program and the dry AMD therapeutic landscape and commercial opportunity.

Lineage Cell Therapeutics: A Fireside Chat on Regenerative Medicine A fireside chat hosted by Joseph Pantginis, Ph.D., Director of Research and Managing Director, Equity Research at H.C. Wainwright & Co. Inc., on December 8, 2020, discussing Lineages pipeline and the regenerative medicine landscape.

Lineage Cell Therapeutics: From Paralysis to Pitching Improving Mobility After a Severe Spinal Cord Injury A presentation and Q&A session on October 22, 2020, discussing Lineages OPC1 program and the spinal cord injury disease landscape, treatment approaches, and the commercial opportunity of restoring mobility to individuals who have been paralyzed by a cervical spinal cord injury.

Lineage and some more recently established competitors in the field of allogeneic cell therapy are helping to demonstrate the viability and commercial potential of using allogeneic cell transplants to treat or cure serious diseases or conditions that represent major unmet medical needs and large market opportunities, stated Brian M. Culley, Lineage CEO. As the tools and methods used to manufacture and test these therapies in patients are reaching maturity, public policy and investor support for cell therapy has moved in a positive direction. As we prepare to advance our product candidates into later-stage clinical trials, we are working to position Lineage to benefit from this convergence of positive factors and help to accelerate the development and commercialization of this novel branch of medicine.

About Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc.

Lineage Cell Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel cell therapies for unmet medical needs. Lineages programs are based on its robust proprietary cell-based therapy platform and associated in-house development and manufacturing capabilities. With this platform Lineage develops and manufactures specialized, terminally differentiated human cells from its pluripotent and progenitor cell starting materials. These differentiated cells are developed to either replace or support cells that are dysfunctional or absent due to degenerative disease or traumatic injury or administered as a means of helping the body mount an effective immune response to cancer. Lineages clinical programs are in markets with billion dollar opportunities and include three allogeneic (off-the-shelf) product candidates: (i) OpRegen, a retinal pigment epithelium transplant therapy in Phase 1/2a development for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the developed world; (ii) OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell therapy in Phase 1/2a development for the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries; and (iii) VAC, an allogeneic dendritic cell therapy platform for immuno-oncology and infectious disease, currently in clinical development for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.lineagecell.com or follow the Company on Twitter @LineageCell.

See more here:
Lineage Posts Series of Webinars Highlighting Recent Progress With its Three Clinical-Stage Allogeneic Cell Transplant Programs - Business Wire