StemCell Therapy

This international conference will gather more than two hundred participants.

Professor Albert Bosch, from the Faculty of Biology of the UB, and the expert Eric O. Freed from the National Cancer Institute (United States).

The Long Road to a Universal Influenza Virus Vaccine is the title of the master conference to be given by the expert Peter Palese, from the School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (United States), in the opening ceremony for the conference Viruses2020 to take place on Wednesday, February 5, at 9 a.m. This international conference will gather more than two hundred participants and is promoted by a committee presided by Professor Albert Bosch, from the Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics of the Faculty of Biology of the UB, and the expert Eric O. Freed from the National Cancer Institute (United States).

During his speech, Peter Palese will talk about the most recent studies on a protein from the surface of influenza hemagglutinin which could lead to the development of a vaccine against influenza, a viral infection that can create annual epidemics with about five million affected people and more than 600,000 deaths worldwide.

As part of this forum, which will take place from February 5 to 7 in the headquarters of Axa auditorium, the experts will show the latest advances in viral pathogenesis, innate immunity, viral replication and the evolution of viruses, among other content. In the 21st Century world, the challenge is to be always ready for the challenges that can come up regarding globalization and climate change, which contribute to the emergence of viral infections, notes Alfred Bosch, president of the Spanish Society of Virology (SEV).

Globalization, public health and viral epidemics

This work can only be based on solid knowledge on the molecular biology of the different viruses, continues Bosch. Regarding coronavirus, it is a fascinating group of viruses from the molecular perspective, which were not thought to be related to any important public health problem. When the SARS, MERS and 2019-nCoV (Wuhan) infectious episodes of coronavirus appeared, the basic knowledge of the scientific community have been determining to enable fast progress in the research on this coronavirus, as relevant as human pathogens.

Regarding the emerging viral infection episodes we should avoid panic and develop tools for diagnosis like in the coronavirus case- in order to establish control systems. Afterwards, we need knowledge on their transmission, reservoirs, etc. and this is the current phase we are in. The next step would be, therefore, to work on therapies, prophylactic therapies like vaccines, or antiviral ones.

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Viral epidemics, public health and universal vaccine against influenza, in international conference Viruses2020 - Mirage News

David Hogness

courtesy stanford medicine

David Hogness, a biochemist, geneticist, and developmental biologist at Stanford University, died at his home on December 24. He was 94 years old.

Hogness is well known for a series of experiments during the 1970s and 1980s that were instrumental in launching both molecular genetics and genomics, according to a university statement.

His lab brought molecular biology to Drosophila, discovered the first core promotor element in eukaryotes, cloned the Hox genes, studied the basis of steroid hormone signaling, the list goes on and on. He was a giant, says biologist Mark Peifer of the University of North Carolina in a tweet.

Hogness was born in Oakland, California, on November 17, 1925, and grew up in Chicago. In 1949, he received his bachelors degree in chemistry from Caltech, where he also earned his PhD in biology and chemistry in 1952.

While a faculty member at Washington University in St. Louis, Hogness studied bacteriophage lambda and created the first physical maps of genes along DNA, according to the statement. He joined Stanfords newly formed biochemistry department in 1959, and during a sabbatical in 1968, shifted his focus to Drosophila.

In a 1972 grant proposal, Hogness described the concept of chromosomal walkingnow known as positional cloninga technological breakthrough that many consider to be the founding of genomics, according to Stanfords statement.Hognesss 1975 paper published in PNAS detailed colony hybridization, a novel method of isolating cloned DNA. Three years later, Hogness discovered the Goldberg-Hogness box, now called the TATA box, a non-coding promoter sequence where transcription is initiated in archaea and eukaryotes (prokaryotes have a homolog called the Pribnow box). Another landmark study published in the early 1980s demonstrated the ability to clone the gene underlying any genetic trait, and simultaneously proved there were genes specifically devoted to regulating normal development, says Richard Lifton, the president of Rockefeller University and a former student of Hogness, in the press release. Its one of the great papers in the history of biology.

Daves genius was to realize that the recombinant DNA technologies newly developed at Stanford, which allowed researchers to isolate and replicate to very high copy numbers distinct segments of DNA, could be used to map the locations of the DNA segments to specific bands on the polytene chromosomes, developmental biologist Philip Beachy says in the statement.

Hognesss awards include the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology in 1997, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Society for Developmental Biology in 2002, the Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal in 2003, and the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize in 2013.

Hogness is survived by his sons.

Amy Schleunes is an intern atThe Scientist. Email her ataschleunes@the-scientist.com.

Read more:
David Hogness, Revolutionary of 20th Century Genetics, Dies - The Scientist

Over the years, the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) has made contributions to selected Gordon Research Conferences (GRCs) with the aim of helping to defray the travel and/or conference costs for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, trainees and other scientists attending these conferences.

As part of SFARIs efforts to encourage diversity and inclusion at scientific meetings and in autism research, SFARI will now require that GRCs organizers allocate all SFARI-donated funds to support attendance specifically of early career (pre-tenure) women, early career trainees from historically underrepresented groups, and scientists from the following ethnic and racial groups: Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

We hope that, by lowering barriers to conferences attendance, SFARI support will promote opportunities for scientific growth and collaborations that can help build a more inclusive research community and advance the field, says SFARI director Louis Reichardt.

SFARI supports GRCs that are focused on topics of relevance to the study of autism spectrum disorder. These may include but are not limited to genetics, molecular mechanisms, brain circuits, systems and behavior, as well as novel technological advances in neuroscience. GRCs may be organized and/or attended by SFARI Investigators and provide unique opportunities to network with leaders in autism research and learn more about the latest findings in the field.

Eligible researchers who are planning to attend SFARI-supported GRCs this year are encouraged to contact the conference chairs to inquire about funding availability.

In 2020, GRCs for which SFARI funds may be available include:

Thalamic circuits for perception, cognition and actionVentura, California, United StatesFebruary 1621, 2020

Functions of the basal ganglia from thought to actionVentura, California, United StatesMarch 813, 2020

Systems neuroscience and genetic approaches to study sleep regulation and functionLucca (Barga), ItalyMarch 813, 2020

Novel technologies to advance discovery of disease mechanisms and therapeutics for fragile X and autismLucca (Barga), ItalyMay 31June 5, 2020

Context-specific synaptic functionLucca (Barga), ItalyJune 2126, 2020

Emerging technologies to study nervous system development, function and neurological diseaseHong Kong, ChinaJuly 510, 2020

Circuits and specializations for behavioral interactions in acoustic communicationNewry, Maine, United StatesJuly 1924, 2020

Linking brain circuits to behavior: Novel methods and biological insights derived from optogenetic approachesNewry, Maine, United StatesJuly 1924, 2020

Neural circuits, dynamics and computations of cognition and behaviorNewry, Maine, United StatesJuly 2631, 2020

Building the nervous system: Insights from development, evolution and diseaseNewport, Rhode Island, United StatesAugust 914, 2020

Molecular and network complexity in the epileptic brainCastelldefels, SpainAugust 1621, 2020

See the article here:
SFARI funds to support diversity at Gordon Research Conferences - SFARI News

Each week, The Dailys Science & Tech section produces a roundup of the most exciting and influential research happening on campus or otherwise related to Stanford. Heres our digest for the week of Jan. 12 Jan. 18.

The Human Screenome Project collects 30 million data points

The Human Screenome Project, a multidimensional map of peoples digital lives, collects data and records which websites users browse online, a Jan. 15 commentary article in Nature reports.

Previous screen studies have relied on people self-reporting their screen time, which can lead to inaccuracies. Although studies have been using software to log total screen time and time between mobile applications, there is no method used to monitor digital interactions of how people use mobile applications.

The Stanford Screenomics Lab currently has 600 participants in the study and over 30 million data points.

No matter what you study, whether its politics, addiction, health, relationships or climate action, if you really want to understand peoples beliefs and behaviors, you really need to look at their screenome, because so much of our lives is now filtered through our digital devices, pediatrics and medicine professor Thomas Robinson told Stanford News.

Many of the things we once did face-to-face are now reflected and recorded on our screens, whether it is banking or deciding what to eat or making friends or playing games or dating or exercising or discussing politics, and so on. Robinson added.

Four aging metabolic pathways identified in humans

To better understand the biological mechanisms behind aging, a Jan. 13 Nature Medicine study defined four ageotypes that indicate how an individuals molecular makeup changes as one ages.

Our study captures a much more comprehensive view of how we age by studying a broad range of molecules and taking multiple samples across years from each participant, genetics professor and chair Michael Snyder told Stanford Medicine News. Were able to see clear patterns of how individuals experience aging on a molecular level, and theres quite a bit of difference.

The researchers used 43 men and women between 34 and 68 years old to identify four ageotypes in which aging biomarkers are commonly observed in metabolic, immune, hepatic and nephrotic pathways. For example, people who are metabolic agers may be at a higher risk for developing diabetes or have elevated blood sugar levels as they become older.

The ageotype is more than a label; it can help individuals zero in on health-risk factors and find the areas in which theyre most likely to encounter problems down the line, Snyder told Stanford Medicine News. Most importantly, our study shows that its possible to change the way you age for the better. Were starting to understand how that happens with behavior, but well need more participants and more measurements over time to fully flesh it out.

Analyzing DNA in soil samples to track animals

Analyzing DNA left behind by animals in soil samples may be more effective in tracking animals than the traditional camera traps currently used, a study published on Jan. 14 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B found.

Led by environmental biology professor Elizabeth Hadly, the team is studying how to better monitor biodiversity, which is crucial to conservation efforts. The researchers studied environmental DNA (eDNA) found in soil samples derived from animal hair, feces, skin and saliva.

The findings suggest that studying eDNA provides certain advantages over the traditional camera traps, hidden recording devices used to track animal activity. eDNA can detect genetic traces of animals that were too small for the camera trap to visually capture an image. Additionally, eDNA is useful in distinguishing similar-looking species compared to using cameras.

Its overall accuracy, combined with decreasing costs of genetic sequencing and new portable sequencers, makes eDNA a likely candidate to become the standard for biodiversity surveys in the next decade, Kevin Leempoel, a postdoctoral research fellow in biology, told Stanford News.

Contact Derek Chen at derekc8 at stanford.edu.

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Research Roundup: Human Screenome Project, four pathways in aging and a new DNA-based method to track animals - The Stanford Daily

FRANTZ PNC Bank

AARON NIVERT Howard Gardner AARON NIVERT Howard Gardner AARON NIVERT Howard Gardner

Allied Services Integrated Health System

The health system recently welcomed four new board members.

The health system welcomed two new members to its board of directors. Christina Mueller and Jill Murray, Ph.D., will serve on the Allied Services Foundation board of directors.

Mueller, a native of Clarks Summit, earned her undergraduate degree from St. Marys College in Notre Dame, Indiana. The early years of her career were spent in Chicago, where she earned her Master of Business of Administration at Loyola University. While studying at Loyola, Mueller began her career with McDonalds. After graduating, she returned to Northeast Pennsylvania, where she trained and became a McDonalds operator. Today, she assists her family in operating 16 local McDonalds stores. Mueller is actively involved in supporting the work of the Ronald McDonald House of Scranton and in supporting local schools through the McTeacher nights at local McDonalds restaurants.

Murray is incoming president of Lackawanna College. Before accepting this position, Murray served as executive vice president and chief innovation officer for Lackawanna College. Murray earned her Ph.D. in human development from Marywood University and has held teaching positions at Walden University, Kaplan University, Marywood University and the University of Phoenix. She is currently on the board of Maternal and Family Health Services and received the 2018 Non-Profit Board Member of the Year award from the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce.

The health system welcomed two new members to its board of directors. Jay Brislin, MSPT, and Dr. Sandra Krokos-Kislan will serve on the hospital board of directors responsible for oversight of Allied Services Scranton Rehab Hospital and Heinz Rehab Hospital.

Brislin, vice president of Quantum Rehab, a division of Pride Mobility Products, brings an unrivaled depth of knowledge of complex rehab needs to his role on the rehabilitation hospital boards. Brislin began with Quantum Rehab in 2000 as a rehab specialist, quickly becoming a leader and educator in the arena of complex rehab needs. Brislin was part of the team instrumental in launching some of Quantum Rehabs most innovative products. Today, he oversees a clinically based team dedicated to the most innovative products and inspiring client outcomes. As an industry leader, Brislin is a RESNA member, Friend of NRRTS and NCART participant.

Krokos-Kislan, of Hazleton, is a graduate of Coughlin High School. She received her Bachelor of Science from Wilkes College before earning her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Sandra and her husband, Dr. Thomas Kislan, own and manage Stroudsburg Eye Specialists and Hazleton Eye Specialists. Kroskos-Kislan is a member of the board of directors of Burnley Employment and Rehab Services, a division of Allied Services providing employment services for individuals with disabilities in the Poconos.

American Society of Public

Administration

David Allen Hines was recently reelected to the board of directors for the Keystone State (Pennsylvania state) chapter. Hines holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Marywood University in Scranton, and for many years was the deputy director for budget administration for the government of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. After returning to the area, for the past several years he has been director of operations for the city of Pittston. A 40-year resident of Kingston, Hines also serves on the national budget and financial policy committee for the Government Finance Officers Association and the board of directors for the Greater Pittston Historical Society.

Healthy Steps Podiatry Center

Dr. Diane Stchur Bray has recently opened the center on Chocolate Avenue in Hershey. Bray, a graduate of Hanover Area High School, received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology and molecular genetics from Kings College, and her doctorate in podiatric medicine from Temple University.

After doing a three-year intensive surgical residency at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, New York, Bray then joined a group practice where she provided podiatric care and served as a wound care specialist for the patients of upstate New York for 16 years.

Howard Gardner Multiple

Intelligence

Charter School

The school welcomed four new trustees to its board. New trustees are Laurie Cadden, owner, Laurie Cadden LLC; Sam Ceccacci, former executive director, Scranton-Lackawanna Human Development Agency; Susan Hennemuth, development director, Childrens Service Center; and Aaron Nivert, executive vice president, Nivert Metal Supply.

PNC Bank

The bank recently announced that Judith Frantz, branch manager, has been promoted to vice president.

Frantz is a graduate of Misericordia University with a bachelors degree in business administration. She is also a graduate of Wilkes University, where she went to earn her MBA. She resides in Luzerne.

Carly Caroselli has joined PNC Wealth Management as a vice president and investment adviser.

Caroselli is a graduate of Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science degree in behavioral health. She resides in Scranton.

University

of Scranton

The university has named Julie Schumacher Cohen assistant vice president for community engagement and government affairs. In this position, she will report to the vice president for enrollment management and external affairs and will also work closely with the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

In her new role, Schumacher Cohen will work to deepen the universitys community engagement efforts and government affairs activities and strengthen the mission of the university as an anchor institution in our city and region.

Since 2010, she has served as the universitys director of community and government relations.

SUBMIT PEOPLE ON THE MOVE items to business@timesshamrock.com or The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

Link:
People on the Move - News - Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice

LabXchange by Amgen Foundation and Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences Reimagines the Science Experience for Students around the Globe

Purpose-Built to Address Educational Barriers With Personalized Instruction

Virtual Lab Simulations Help Students Develop the Science Skills Needed to Solve Tomorrow's Challenges

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The Amgen Foundation and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University (Harvard FAS)today announced the global launch of LabXchange, a free online science education platform that provides users with access to personalized instruction, virtual lab experiences and networking opportunities across the global scientific community. LabXchange is purpose-built to drive more inclusion in the scientific process and spark collaboration to build creative, team-based approaches to real-world problems.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8490258-amgen-foundation-harvard-labxchange/

"Too many high school and college students lack the opportunity to directly explore the scientific process where you build a hypothesis, understand a method, and determine how to apply it to an appropriate experimental problem," said Robert Lue, Ph.D., principal investigator of LabXchange and professor of the Practice of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard. "For many students, science can feel like a collection of facts to memorize which is contrary to what the scientific process is it's a journey that requires bold thinking and deep imagination. With LabXchange, more students can come together and experience the joy of discovery."

Featuring virtual lab experiments developed at LabXchange along with other world-class assets created by validated partners, LabXchange brings the scientific process to life. By simulating key techniques in molecular and cellular biology, like using CRISPR to correct genetic defects, students can explore a wide range of scientific methods and build their acumen in harnessing science to solve real-life problems.

"Everyone needs science, and science needs everyone," said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen. "At a time of remarkable scientific progress, we're excited by the potential of LabXchange to educate and inspire both students and lifelong learners of all ages."

LabXchange is designed to level the playing field for students and to promote science literacy for all. Key features of LabXchange include:

LabXchange builds upon other Amgen Foundation programs that support science education, such as the Amgen Biotech Experience and Amgen Scholars that are also at Harvard FAS and institutions around the world. To date, the Foundation has contributed more than $150 million to advancing science education programming globally as part of its mission to facilitate global collaboration on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG #4 on Quality Education, but also SDG #3 on Good Health and Well-Being.

For more information, please visit http://www.LabXchange.org, and engage with us via @LabXchange on Twitter using #ScienceMadePossible.

About the Amgen Foundation The Amgen Foundation seeks to advance excellence in science education to inspire the next generation of innovators, and invest in strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Foundation has donated over $300 million to local, regional, and international non-profit organizations that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. The Amgen Foundation brings the excitement of discovery to the scientists of tomorrow through several signature programs, including Amgen Scholars and the Amgen Biotech Experience. For more information, visit AmgenInspires.com and follow us on Twitter @AmgenFoundation.

About Amgen Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980,Amgenhas grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

Story continues

For more information, visitwww.amgen.comand follow us onTwitter @Amgen.

About the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University The Faculty of Arts and Sciences is the largest of the seven faculties that constitute Harvard University and is the only division of the university responsible for both undergraduate and graduate education. FAS advances knowledge, improves learning, and shapes leaders.

For more information, visit http://www.fas.harvard.edu/

CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand OaksJessica Akopyan, 805-447-0974(Media) TrishHawkins, 805-447-5631 (Media)

Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, CambridgeRachael Dane, 617-456-0106 (Media)

With LabXchange's interactive lab experiments, students have access to one of the most central aspects of being a scientist: working in a laboratory.

LabXchange gives students access to a library of world-class educational videos, interactive simulations and personalized instruction to aid them in their scientific discovery.

Every student deserves an equal opportunity to prepare for and be successful in science, regardless of income, race gender or geography. LabXchange ensures this opportunity by providing students access to free online science education and inspiring lifelong learning.

LabXchange brings the experience of working and learning science in a lab straight to students. Through virtual lab experiments, high-quality videos and online collaboration with others in the global science community, students can experience the scientific process for themselves.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/free-labxchange-science-education-accelerator-launched-by-amgen-foundation-and-harvards-faculty-of-arts-and-sciences-300990930.html

SOURCE Amgen

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Free "LabXchange" Science Education Accelerator Launched By Amgen Foundation And Harvard's Faculty Of Arts And Sciences - Yahoo Finance

This unique report provides UK sales and market share estimates for major suppliers of molecular diagnostic products. The report also presents strategic assessments of major suppliers and emerging market entrants, including their product portfolios, marketing tactics, technological know-how, new products in RandD, collaborative arrangements, and business strategies.

New York, Jan. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "2020 U.K. Molecular Diagnostics Market: Sales and Market Shares of Major Suppliers, and Profiles of Current and Emerging Companies" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05838907/?utm_source=GNW

Competitive Assessments

- Abbott - Affymetrix - Agilent Technologies - Applied Gene Technologies - Arca Biopharma - Beckman Coulter/Danaher - Becton Dickinson - Biokit - bioMerieux - Bio-Rad - Biotest - Cepheid - Decode Genetics - Diadexus - Eiken Chemical - Elitech Group - Enzo Biochem - Exact Sciences - Fujirebio - Grifols - Hologic - Illumina - LabCorp - Leica Biosystems - Li-Cor Biosciences - Myriad Genetics - Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics - PerkinElmer - Proteome Sciences - Qiagen - Roche - Scienion - Sequenom - Shimadzu - Siemens Healthineers - Sierra Molecular - Takara Bio - Tecan Group - Thermo Fisher

List of Tables

UK Molecular Diagnostics Market by Major Supplier UK HIV/Hepatitis NAT Market Reagent Sales by Major Supplier

Contains 121 pages and 2 tables

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05838907/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Clare: clare@reportlinker.comUS: (339)-368-6001Intl: +1 339-368-6001

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2020 U.K. Molecular Diagnostics Market: Sales and Market Shares of Major Suppliers, and Profiles of Current and Emerging Companies - Yahoo Finance

There is an entire cinematic subculture devoted to sharks that find ingenious ways to travel on land, be it via sharknado, genetic hybridization, or occult forces. Meanwhile, in the real world, there actually is a family of sharks that have evolved to walk on land, though they are much smaller, cuter, and less ravenous for human flesh than their counterparts on film.

These walking sharks belong to the Hemiscyllium family, which is the newest lineage of sharks on Earth, according to a study published on Monday in the journal Marine and Freshwater Research. Using specially adapted fins, the sharks are able to pull themselves across reefs in their tropical Indo-Australian habitat, even when they are not submerged by water.

Theyre incredibly cute little animals and are really more like a gecko walking around than a shark, said co-author Mark Erdmann, a coral reef ecologist at the California Academy of Sciences, in a call.

They are not big swimmers, added Erdmann, who also serves as vice president of the Asia-Pacific Field Division of Conservation International, an American nonprofit environmental organization. They stay on the same reef where they are born. They are very much homebodies.

While these ambulatory skills have been documented in previous studies, Erdmann and his colleagues shed new light on the familys evolutionary origins by analyzing DNA from the nine currently recognized species of Hemiscyllium. The team conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the sharks, which means they used DNA sequencing to figure out the sharks genetic relationships to each other, and the wider shark lineage.

The results revealed that walking sharks are the youngest branch of the shark family tree, which dates back about 450 million years.

With our molecular clock, weve been able to show that this group really only branched off from their nearest ancestor about nine million years ago and theyve been actively radiating ever since, Erdmann said. Obviously in human terms, that still seems like a long time ago, but for sharks, and for speciation in general, thats actually very recent.

This timeline of speciation coincides with major geological changes that were occurring as the Australian continental plate slammed into landforms north of it. These tectonic processes, accompanied by volcanic eruptions, have repeatedly scrambled the region over millions of years like a giant island disco, as Erdmann described it.

Walking sharks weathered these geological storms by flourishing in newly created shallow reefs, where they gained the ability to wriggle overland to remote tidal pools. The sharks, which typically measure a foot or two in length, have also adapted to endure the oxygen depletion that occurs in these isolated pools at low tide.

But despite these amazing adaptations, walking sharks are vulnerable to natural disasters, such as tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. The fact that they have such tiny little distributionseach one has a small pocket like a bay or an archipelagomakes them just intrinsically susceptible to large perturbations and extinction events, Erdmann said.

The sharks are also increasingly facing anthropogenic pressures, including rising popularity as an aquarium attraction and potential habitat loss due to coastal development. For that reason, conservationists have been working to secure more protections for walking sharks, and have succeeded in adding three of the nine species to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Erdmann and his colleagues plan to conduct many more expeditions to the Indo-Pacific reefs where these animals thrive, in order to learn more about their conservation requirements and the extent of their range and varieties.

The genetics very much confirm that these are a very young radiation and they seem to still be actively speciating, so we reckon that theres probably a good chance of a few more species of walking shark out there, he said. This shows to us that they very much are still an active part of our evolving planet, and thats really good news.

Read the original:
Walking Sharks Are the Newest Branch of the Shark Family Tree - VICE

Just over a week ago, 13-year-old Ryan Pourjam's father, Mansour Pourjam, died in a plane crash after Iran's government shot down the jet just outside Tehran. All 176 passengers were killed.

Iran initially blamed the Jan. 8 crash on engine failure but later admitted it was shot down in a "human error" amid heightened tensions with the US military.

On Wednesday, Ryan gave an emotional speech at a memorial service at Carleton University. His father earned his degree in biology there in 2001 and went on to become a dental technician in Ottawa, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

Ryan said his dad was an incredibly positive person who would have wanted his loved ones to remain optimistic through such a painful time.

"Hed always tell me to stay positive through the dark times and through the good, when we'd get stuck in traffic or when I couldn't get the coffee that I wanted," he said.

"I dont want to talk about the bad things," he continued. "Because I know that if my dad was alive and if someone else died in the crash and that he was right here giving a speech, he wouldn't talk about the bad stuff. I wont."

Ryan said he would describe his dad in one word as "strong."

"Hes been through tragedy after tragedy, wall after wall, wrong turn after wrong turn, and he stood strong," he said. "He was amazing, and we loved each other."

More than 200 people came to the Wednesday vigil, which was held jointly for Mansour Pourjam and another victim, Fareed Arasteh. Arasteh was a PhD student studying molecular genetics at the university, according to CBC.

Ryan said he was comforted by how many people came together to "celebrate Mansour and Fareeds amazing lives."

"I stand up here a week after this horrible tragedy, and I still cant believe it," Ryan said. "I feel like Im dreaming."

"But I know that if I was dreaming, and that if he woke me up, he'd tell me that it's going to be OK," he said. "And it will be."

Read the original:
A 13-Year-Old Gave An Emotional Speech About His Dad Who Died In The Iran Plane Crash - BuzzFeed News

Charles Boone first set foot in Japan fresh out of undergrad in 1983 when he lived and worked with a local family on a rice farm in Chiba prefecture, just outside Tokyo. There, he fell in love with many things Japanese not least its cuisine, which owes much of its flavourto fermenting microorganisms.

Now, years later, the microbes would lure Boone back to Japan, albeit for a different reason.

So many of the drugs we use today have come from microorganisms, says Boone. And theres still an enormous untapped potential out there.

Over the last decade, Boone has been working with Minoru Yoshida and Hiroyuki Osada, both professors at the RIKEN Centre for Sustainable Resource Science, to identify new compounds from microbes with the potential to be research tools and pharmaceuticals.

Another Donnelly investigator and U of T professor, Andrew Fraser, is also collaborating with the RIKEN teams to find new drugs that target parasites.

Surrounded by cherry trees on a research campus just outside Tokyo, the RIKEN Centre houses the worlds largest collection of natural compounds some 40,000 chemicals and other derivatives produced mainly by soil microbes and plants, as well as some synthetic compounds.

The RIKEN collection is exceptional because it contains so many pure natural products says Boone. This makes it easier to investigate how those molecules might be acting on living cells.

Collected by Osadas team over the last 15 years, the medical potential of the vast majority of compounds remains unexplored.

We still dont know why the microbes are producing these compounds, says Yoshida.

It could be that microbes are using these chemicals as weapons against other microbes or as communications tools, as most of them seem to be non-toxic. Whatever the reason behind their making, the researchers hope to tap into this chemistry for new molecular tools and drugs.

Its no coincidencethat Japan has such a rich resource of natural compounds. The country has a long tradition of microbial exploits in the production of food and drink. Take the rice wine sake, for example. It involves the sophisticated use of a filamentous fungus to transform pure rice into a suitable carbon source for fermentation by yeast cells.

The microbial know-how allowed Japanese scientists to discover, in the second half of the 20th century, more than 100 new antibiotics, as well as the anti-parasite blockbuster drug ivermectin, a finding that was recognized by a Nobel Prize in 2015.

Drug applications came naturally out of using microbes for food fermentation, says Yoshida, whose 1990 discovery of trichostatin A, a drug that interferes with how the DNA is packaged inside the cells, from a Streptomyces bacteriumtransformed the study of epigenetics and led to similar compounds that are being trialed on patients as a treatment for cancer and inflammation.

According to a recent study, the majority of approved medications come from nature, or are synthetic molecules inspired by the natural products. Infection-fighting antibiotics and cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant that has made transplant medicine possible, are prominentexamples.

Natural products make good drugs because they were honed by evolution to act on living cells, says Yoshida. They tend to be large and structurally diverse molecules that engage with their cellular receptors more specifically than the purely synthetic drugs, meaning they can be used at low doses and elicit fewer unwanted side effects.

Despite their clear potential, the pharmaceutical industry has shifted its focus from the natural compounds, which are also difficult to purify and synthesize on an industrial scale, to searching for drug candidates among large pools of synthetic chemicals.

But Boone thinks this may be a mistake.

It seems ridiculous to be shunning natural products given that the majority of drugs we use today have come from nature, says Boone. And our work suggests that there are a lot of compounds out there that could be useful for research and also medicine.

A 2017 study by Boone, Yoshida and Osadas teams found that the RIKEN collection holds more medically promising compounds than several stockpiles of synthetic chemicals widely used in research. They did this by identifying the molecular mechanism of action for thousands of compounds, using a large-scale application of the yeast cell-based chemical genomics platform, developed by Boones lab in the Donnelly Centre. Many of these housekeeping processes in yeast cells are also found in human cells and have been implicated in a variety of diseases, from cancer to Alzheimers.

But, there are many more compounds left to test.

More recently, Sheena Li, a post-doctoral researcher who worked in Boones lab at RIKEN, where he holds a joint appointment, and has since moved to the Donnelly Centre, found that one compound from the RIKEN collection acts as a powerful antifungal by blocking an important enzyme in yeast cells. As such, the compound holds promise for the treatment of drug-resistant fungal infections, which are becoming a serious global health threat.

Taking all their data into account, Li says they have identified about 50 products with medical potential. The next step is to check if these chemicals act in the same way in human cells.

Its a great step forward to be able to take something that you invested so much time studying in yeast into the human system, Li says.

Unlike Boone and Li, Fraser is not interested in compounds that work in human cells quite the opposite.

We want to find new drugs against intestinal parasites, he says . But we do not want to harm the humans infected with these parasites.

Gut worm parasites affect around one billion people globally, 880 million of them children, according to the World Health Organization. As the parasites are becoming resistant to frontline treatments, including ivermectin, new drugs are urgently needed.

Since ivermectin was discovered in a soil microbe, Fraser thinks theres a good chance more future treatments are to be found at RIKEN.

His team recently developed a method to screen for drugs that target an unusual type of metabolism that only exists in parasites. This type of metabolism does not require oxygen for energy production and allows parasites to survive inside the hosts body for long periods of time.

Because parasites are difficult to cultivate in the lab, Frasers team found a way to trick the harmless worm and staple research tool, C. elegans, into using the oxygen-independent metabolism and look for drugs that affect it.

Any drug candidates will only target the worms without causing harm to humans, who do not have the ability to make energy the same way as the parasites.

The next step for Fraser is to see if there any compounds in RIKENs trove that act on those targets.

The RIKEN natural product collection is like an incredible collection of intricate tools the challenge is to figure out which targets each compound affects, and how we can use them to kill pathogens and enhance our health, he says.

Read the original:
Drugs from nature: Researchers from U of T, Japan mine microbial compound library for new therapeutics - News@UofT

By Caitlin O'Hara for UCSB Arts & Lectures | January 15, 2020 | 9:00 a.m.

UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara co-present Understanding Genetics and Cancer, a free community event featuring Mary-Claire King, the scientist who discovered the BRCA1 gene,7:30 p.m. Thurs., Feb. 6, at UCSB Campbell Hall.

King's lecture will be followed by a panel of experts discussing genetics, cancer and you, providing resources and answering pertinent questions

UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Santa Barbara Cancer Foundation will present a free community event Understanding Genetics and Cancer, featuring a lecture by human geneticist Mary-Claire King, the scientist who discovered the BRCA1 gene.

Her talk, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at UCSB Campbell Hall, will be followed by a panel of experts discussing genetics, cancer and you.

King discovered the genetic mutation responsible for breast cancer, a finding that has revolutionized the course of cancer research and transformed the way patients are diagnosed and treated.

A recipient of the National Medal of Science for her bold, imaginative and diverse contributions to medical science and human rights, Dr. King will discuss the genetics of inherited cancers.

Following the talk, a panel of experts will address genetics, cancer and you, including the following topics:

Lifestyle and cancer risk reductionFamily history and ethnicity risk factorsGenetic testing as cancer preventionPrivacy of genetic testing resultsBenefits and perils of ancestry testingLocal resources for cancer risk assessment and counseling

King is American Cancer Society professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. She was the first to show that breast cancer is inherited in some families, as the result of mutations in the gene that she named BRCA1.

In addition to inherited breast and ovarian cancer, her research interests include the genetic bases of schizophrenia, the genetic causes of congenital disorders in children, and human genetic diversity and evolution.

King pioneered the use of DNA sequencing for human rights investigations, developing the approach of sequencing mitochondrial DNA preserved in human remains, then applying this method to the identification of kidnapped children in Argentina and subsequently to cases of human rights violations on six continents.

King grew up in Chicago. She received her bachelor's degree cum laude in mathematics from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn.; her doctorate in genetics from the University of California at Berkeley; and her postdoctoral training at UC San Francisco.

Her Ph.D. dissertation with Allan Wilson was the demonstration that protein-coding sequences of humans and chimpanzees are 99 percent identical. She was professor at UC Berkeley from 1976-95 and at the University of Washington in Seattle since 1995.

King has served on multiple councils and study sections of the N.I.H. and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. She was consultant to the Commission on the Disappearance of Persons of the Republic of Argentina and carried out DNA identifications for the United Nations War Crimes Tribunals.

She is past president of the American Society of Human Genetics and a past member of the Council of the National Academy of Sciences. King has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, American Philosophical Society, and as a foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences.

Understanding Genetics and Cancer is co-presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara in association with Breast Cancer Resource Center, Ridley-Tree Cancer Center at Sansum Clinic, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics and UCSB Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.

Sponsored by the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, supporter of the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center and its Genetic Counseling Program.

For more, call UCSB Arts & Lectures, 805-893-3535 or visit http://www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.

UCSB Arts & Lectures acknowledges Community Partners the Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli and Corporate Season Sponsor SAGE Publishing for their support of the 2019-20 season.

Caitlin O'Hara for UCSB Arts & Lectures.

Here is the original post:
Scientist Who Discovered BRCA1 Gene to Give Free Talk on Cancer And Genetics - Noozhawk

The Medium recently had the chance to sit down with Dr. EstebanParra, a molecular anthropologist and anthropology professor at the Universityof Toronto Mississauga (UTM).

Parra has hada long and far-reaching journey in science which began in one of the oldestuniversities in Spain, the University of Santiago de Compostela. He began hisstudies in biology and like many students everywhere [he] discovered what [hewas] really passionate about while completing his undergraduate degree.

For Parra, thediscovered passion was anthropology and genetics. After completing his Ph.D.degree, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at a molecular anthropology labin Spain. He was also a post-doctoral fellow in Rome, Italy, and Pittsburgh,USA, before joining UTM in 2002. Parra advises those interested in graduatestudies to be willing to follow the opportunities that arise. For him, it hasbeen incredibly exciting to see how the UTM campus has changed and grown inthe past seventeen years. We have been attracting incredible new faculty, notonly to anthropology but to many other programs, which has been nice to see,he says.

Parra hascontinued his research at UTM. One of the focuses of his research is toidentify some of the genetic risk markers of traits and diseases such asobesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This is doneusing a genome wide association study to identify variants that are associatedwith these traits. Parra uses a consortiaa large group of samplesto haveaccess to as much data as possible. The more samples there are, the higherchance there is of finding a common link between the genetics of an individualand the ailments they suffer from.

Parra doesmention that genetics are often not the only cause. For diseases such as cysticfibrosis, ones genes are the primary factor in causing the condition. Thesediseases are termed Mendelian disorders. However, for complex conditions likeobesity and diabetes, ones environment and lifestyle play a huge role.Modifications in your lifestyle, your diet, and physical activity, are thebest way to combat conditions such as obesity and diabetes, said Parra.

An excitingdevelopment Parra is looking forward to is the advancement of precisionmedicine. Precision medicineor personalized medicine as it is sometimesreferred tois when an individuals genetic profile can be used to develop atailor-made treatment program for the individual. Precision medicine is a newfield because it has only recently been made possible by technologicaladvancements, which have also lowered the cost of genetic studies dramatically,and, in turn, opened many doors in the field of genetics.

Parraemphasizes the importance of collecting as much data as possible. The best wayto approach this is to collaborate with other scientists [] there are somestudies that are done with many participating research groups, and they havebeen able to use samples of up to a million individuals.

One of theadvantages of collecting a large number of samples is balanced representationof diverse ethnic groups, which for Parra is very important. He explains thatgenetic studies in the past have primarily been conducted in European countrieswhich is problematic for the future of precision medicine. When you primarilywork in just one population group, it may not be as helpful for the rest of theworld, he says.

In fact, foralmost all non-European groups, underrepresentation is a significant issuewhich is only improving slowly. Underrepresentation can be attributed to avariety of factors such as biasness and the location of the research groups whogenerally choose to perform their research in their own areas. Parra encouragesthose conducting research to overcome these factors since it is absolutelycritical to do more studies and represent these groups.

Parra hascontributed in his own right to the growth of the sample pool. One of thestudies he participated in was part of a large collaboration with researchersfrom around the world. Together, the researchers collected samples from overeighteen thousand individuals of various ethnicities. Since very few studieshad been previously conducted on non-European populations, they focused onlooking for genetic markers of obesity in children. Ultimately, they discovereda new locusa fixed position on a chromosome where a genetic marker is located.The locus they had discovered had not been found in significant numbers inpurely European groups, but appeared consistently in the diverse sample pool,exemplifying the need for more diverse sources.

Despite theshortcomings, Parra is hopeful about the future of the field and its growth. Heencourages greater awareness of the disparity of samples and urges efforts torectify the misrepresentation. He is immensely passionate about anthropologyand genetics and finishes off by stating, DNA is an open bookyou just need toknow how to read it.

More:
Genetic risk markers and misrepresentation - The Medium

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Haining Zhu, PhDDepartment of Molecular and Cellular BiochemistryUniversity of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Frontotemporal dementia is the most common type of early onset dementia impacting people between ages 40 and 65. It affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which leads to behavior and personality changes, difficulty speaking and writing, and eventual memory deterioration.

A subgroup of patients with frontotemporal dementia have a specific genetic mutation that prevents brain cells from making a protein called progranulin. Although progranulin is not wellunderstood, its absence is linked to the disease.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: Our research team discovered that after aminoglycoside antibiotics (Gentamicin and G418) were added to neuronal cells with this mutation, the cells started making the full-length progranulin protein by skipping the mutation.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: These results could be promising to drug development. Currently, there are no effective therapies for any type of dementia.This is an early stage of the study, but it provides an important proof of concept that these aminoglycoside antibiotics or their derivatives can be a therapeutic avenue for frontotemporal dementia.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: After this preclinical proof of concept study, the next step is to study the antibiotics effects on mice with the mutation that causes frontotemporal dementia.If we can get the right resources and physician to work with, we could potentially repurpose the FDA-approved drug gentamicin. However, theclinical usageof Gentamicinis limited as it is associated with a number of adverse side effects. Another focus is to possibly develop new compounds from Gentamicin and G418 that could be safer and more effective.

Disclosure: A patent application based on the above results has been filed.

Citation:

Lisha Kuang, Kei Hashimoto, Eric J Huang, Matthew S Gentry, Haining Zhu.Frontotemporal dementia nonsense mutation of progranulin rescued by aminoglycosides.Human Molecular Genetics, 2020; DOI:10.1093/hmg/ddz280

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Last Modified: Jan 15, 2020 @ 4:36 pm

The information on MedicalResearch.com is provided for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In addition to all other limitations and disclaimers in this agreement, service provider and its third party providers disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the content provided on this website.

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Early Research Suggests Antibiotics May Be Effective in One Form of Dementia - MedicalResearch.com

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have shown that cells from children with NGLY1 deficiency--a rare disorder first described in 2012--lack sufficient water channel proteins called aquaporins. The discovery was published in Cell Reports and may help explain the disorder's wide-ranging symptoms--including the inability to produce tears, seizures and developmental delays--and opens new avenues to find therapies to treat the disorder.

"Our findings uncover a new and completely unexpected 'job' for NGLY1, which was originally thought to only cleave sugars from proteins," says Hudson Freeze, Ph.D., director and professor of the Human Genetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys and senior author of the study. "This new information, which includes the molecular signals NGLY1 uses to drive aquaporin production, fundamentally shifts how we approach drug development. Most immediately, we can begin to screen for existing FDA-approved drugs that may increase aquaporin levels."

The first patient with NGLY1 deficiency, then-four-year-old Bertrand Might, was diagnosed in 2012. The condition occurs when both copies of the NGLY1 gene contain mutations. As a result, children with NGLY1 deficiency produce little or no N-glycanase1--a protein that removes sugars from proteins during the cell's regular recycling process. Today, approximately 60 people in the world have been identified with NGLY1 deficiency. There is no cure, and existing treatments only address a few of the disorder's symptoms.

"This discovery is a giant leap forward in our understanding of NGLY1 deficiency and our ability to find a drug for the condition," says Matt Might, Ph.D., Bertrand Might's father and chief scientific officer of NGLY1.org, which funded the research. "In addition to exploring new treatment avenues, we can immediately start to test currently available drugs to see if they may help Bertrand and other children living with NGLY1 deficiency."

A surprise discovery unlocks new insights into NGLY1

Because of NGLY1's established role in helping recycle proteins, scientists predicted that cells that lack NGLY1 would fill with unrecycled proteins. However, despite numerous experiments by Freeze and others, this has not been observed.

Mitali Tambe, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate in the Freeze lab and the first author of the study, set out to shed light on this mystery when she made an unexpected discovery. While normal cells burst open when placed in distilled water, cells from children with an NGLY1 mutation refused to pop open.

"At first I thought what every scientist initially thinks: I made a mistake," says Tambe. "But this observation actually revealed a previously unknown role for NGLY1 protein."

The unexpected finding prompted the scientists to dig in deeper. In addition to studying skin cells from three children with NGLY1 deficiency, the researchers created human and obtained mouse cells that either lacked NGLY1 or produced excess amounts of the protein. In these studies, they found that cells that lacked the NGLY1 protein had fewer aquaporins--proteins that connect the inside and outside of a cell and control water movement--and were resistant to bursting open when placed in water. These results were reversed in cells that were given excess levels of NGLY1. The researchers also identified the molecular signals NGLY1 uses to instruct cells to produce aquaporins, proteins called Atf1 and Creb1, which may lead to useful drug targets.

"In addition to regulating tear and saliva production, aquaporins are involved in many brain functions, such as cerebrospinal fluid production," explains Tambe. "Lack of aquaporins may explain many of the symptoms seen in children who are NGLY1-deficient."

The scientists devised a clever experiment to determine if NGLY1 is regulating aquaporin levels through its expected sugar-removal function or in another manner. They created two cell types that either produced a normal NGLY1 protein or NGLY1 with the sugar-cleaving area disabled. The altered protein successfully altered aquaporin levels--indicating that NGLY1 has a second function in addition to its sugar-removing (enzymatic) activities.

"Our study shows there is more to NGLY1 than its well-known function of removing sugars from proteins," says Freeze. "Together, our findings open important new paths to understanding the pathogenesis of NGLY1 deficiency and ultimately finding treatments."

Reference:Tambe, M. A., Ng, B. G., & Freeze, H. H. (2019). N-Glycanase 1 Transcriptionally Regulates Aquaporins Independent of Its Enzymatic Activity. Cell Reports, 29(13), 4620-4631.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.097

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

More:
Why Cant Bertrand Might Cry? Missing Water Channels Could Be the Answer - Technology Networks

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Lung Cancer Diagnostics - Market Analysis, Trends, and Forecasts" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Lung Cancer Diagnostics market worldwide is projected to grow by US$1.3 Billion, driven by a compounded growth of 8%. Imaging Tests, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 7.5%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over US$1.6 Billion by the year 2025, Imaging Tests will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth.

Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 6.6% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$45.5 Million to the region's size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$39.5 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Imaging Tests will reach a market size of US$85.6 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the world's second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 11.4% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$354.6 Million in terms of addressable opportunity for the picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders.

Presented in visually rich graphics are these and many more need-to-know quantitative data important in ensuring quality of strategy decisions, be it entry into new markets or allocation of resources within a portfolio. Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.

Competitors identified in this market include among others:

Key Topics Covered:

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

III. MARKET ANALYSIS

IV. COMPETITION

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9bt1jt

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

See original here:
Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market - Poised to Reach Over US$1.6 Billion by 2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

MansourPourjam's son Ryan says his father always strived to be positive.

"I can't remember a single moment in my life where Mansour, my dad, had any trace of negativity in his voice or actions," the 13-year-old boy told a crowd of mourners Wednesday at Carleton University.

"He'd always tell me to stay positive, through the dark times and through the good, when we'd get stuck in traffic or when I couldn't get the coffee that I wanted."

More than200 people came out on Wednesday toa vigil at the university to remember bothPourjam, an Ottawa dental technician who graduated from the school,and PhD student Fareed Arasteh both victims in last week's crashof Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 outside Tehran.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down the aircraft on Jan. 8,killingall 176 passengers and crew members including 57 Canadian citizens.

Mansour Pourjam had been working at the Ottawa Denture andImplant Centrein Bells Corners at the time of his death.

"If I could describe [my father] in one word, it would be strong. He's been through tragedy after tragedy, wall after wall, wrong turn after wrong turn and he's stood strong," his son said, as people in the audience wiped their eyes.

"He was amazing. We loved each other."

Arasteh, meanwhile, was performingPhDresearch atthe university's biology department, where he was studying molecular genetics. He'dreturned to Iran for the holidays to marry his long-time girlfriend.

His close friend and roommate Reza Sananfartold the crowd Arastehwas a "dreamer" who worked hard to achieve his goals and would also help his friends fulfil their own dreams.

"Although Fareed didn't get to spend much time here at Carleton, I can see that he touched so many lives while he was walking among us here," Sananfar said.

"I thought talking about him would help me to accept the fact that he is not coming back. But there are no words that can ease the pain, or fill the void that many of us are feeling inside us."

Carleton University president Benoit-Antoine Bacon saidit was important to have this gathering to help the community grieve and begin to heal.

Universities across the country paused to honourthe victims Wednesday,as many of the passengers on the flightwerestudents, faculty members and researchers.

The University of Ottawa has said that threeof the victims were students there, while Queen's University has confirmed one of its undergraduate students died in the crash.

See more here:
Son of Iran crash victim says father 'stood strong' - CBC.ca

Youre reading this with a cup of coffee in your hand, arent you? Coffee is the most popular drink in the world. Americans drink more coffee than soda, juice and tea combined.

How popular is coffee? When news first broke that Prince Harry and Meghan were considering Canada as their new home, Canadian coffee giant Tim Hortons offered free coffee for life as an extra enticement.

Given coffees popularity, its surprising how much confusion surrounds how this hot, dark, nectar of the gods affects our biology.

Coffees ingredients

The main biologically active ingredients in coffee are caffeine (a stimulant) and a suite of antioxidants. What do we know about how caffeine and antioxidants affect our bodies? The fundamentals are pretty simple, but the devil is in the details and the speculation around how coffee could either help or harm us runs a bit wild.

The stimulant properties of caffeine mean that you can count on a cup of coffee to wake you up. In fact, coffee, or at least the caffeine it contains, is the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world. It seems to work as a stimulant, at least in part, by blocking adenosine, which promotes sleep, from binding to its receptor.

Caffeine and adenosine have similar ring structures. Caffeine acts as a molecular mimic, filling and blocking the adenosine receptor, preventing the bodys natural ability to be able a rest when its tired.

This blocking is also the reason why too much coffee can leave you feeling jittery or sleepless. You can only postpone fatigue for so long before the bodys regulatory systems begin to fail, leading to simple things like the jitters, but also more serious effects like anxiety or insomnia. Complications may be common; a possible link between coffee drinking and insomnia was identified more than 100 years ago.

The National Film Board of Canada produced a documentary on the cultural history of coffee called Black Coffee: Part One, The Irresistible Bean

Unique responses

Different people respond to caffeine differently. At least some of this variation is from having different forms of that adenosine receptor, the molecule that caffeine binds to and blocks. There are likely other sites of genetic variation as well.

There are individuals who dont process caffeine and to whom drinks like coffee could pose medical danger. Even away from those extremes, however, there is variation in how we respond to that cup of coffee. And, like much of biology, that variation is a function of environment, our past coffee consumption, genetics and, honestly, just random chance.

We may be interested in coffee because of the oh-so-joyous caffeine buzz, but that doesnt mean that caffeine is the most biologically interesting aspect of a good cup of coffee.

In one study using rats, caffeine triggered smooth muscle contraction, so it is possible that caffeine directly promotes bowel activity. Other studies, though, have shown that decaffeinated coffee can have as strong an effect on bowel activity as regular coffee, suggesting a more complex mechanism involving some of the other molecules in coffee.

Antioxidant benefits

What about the antioxidants in coffee and the buzz that surrounds them? Things actually start out pretty straightforward. Metabolic processes produce the energy necessary for life, but they also create waste, often in the form of oxidized molecules that can be harmful in themselves or in damaging other molecules.

Antioxidants are a broad group of molecules that can scrub up dangerous waste; all organisms produce antioxidants as part of their metabolic balance. It is unclear if supplementing our diet with additional antioxidants can augment these natural defences, but that hasnt stopped speculation.

Antioxidants have been linked to almost everything, including premature ejaculation.

Are any of the claims of positive effects substantiated? Surprisingly, the answer is again a resounding maybe.

Coffee and cancer

Coffee wont cure cancer, but it may help to prevent it and possibly other diseases as well. Part of answering the question of coffees connection to cancer lies in asking another: what is cancer? At its simplest, cancer is uncontrolled cell growth, which is fundamentally about regulating when genes are, or are not, actively expressed.

My research group studies gene regulation and I can tell you that even a good cup of coffee, or boost of caffeine, wont cause genes that are turned off or on at the wrong time to suddenly start playing by the rules.

The antioxidants in coffee may actually have a cancer-fighting effect. Remember that antioxidants fight cellular damage. One type of damage that they may help reduce is mutations to DNA, and cancer is caused by mutations that lead to the misregulation of genes.

Studies have shown that consuming coffee fights cancer in rats. Other studies in humans have shown that coffee consumption is associated with lower rates of some cancers.

Interestingly, coffee consumption has also been linked to reduced rates of other diseases as well. Higher coffee consumption is linked to lower rates of Parkinsons disease and some other forms of dementia. Strikingly, at least one experimental study in mice and cell culture shows that protection is a function of a combination of caffeine and antioxidants in coffee.

Higher coffee consumption has also been linked to lower rates of Type 2 diabetes. Complexity, combined effects and variation between individuals seems to be the theme across all the diseases.

At the end of the day, where does all this leave us on the biology of coffee? Well, as I tell my students, its complicated. But as most reading this already know, coffee will definitely wake you up in the morning.

Go here to read the rest:
The biology of coffee, the world's most popular drink - EconoTimes

11-year-old Bertrand Might (center) surrounded by his family, including his father, Matt Might (second from right), and his mother, Cristina Might (second from left). Credit: The Might family

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have shown that cells from children with NGLY1 deficiency a rare disorder first described in 2012 lack sufficient water channel proteins called aquaporins. The discovery was published in Cell Reports and may help explain the disorders wide-ranging symptoms including the inability to produce tears, seizures and developmental delays and opens new avenues to find therapies to treat the disorder.

Our findings uncover a new and completely unexpected job for NGLY1, which was originally thought to only cleave sugars from proteins, says Hudson Freeze, Ph.D., director, and professor of the Human Genetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys and senior author of the study. This new information, which includes the molecular signals NGLY1 uses to drive aquaporin production, fundamentally shifts how we approach drug development. Most immediately, we can begin to screen for existing FDA-approved drugs that may increase aquaporin levels.

Burst cells are shown in orange, and intact cells are shown in blue (the dye used stains the DNA in a nucleus). Unlike normal cells (left), cells missing the NGLY1 protein (right) refused to split open when placed in distilled water. The cells pictured are from mice. Credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys

The first patient with NGLY1 deficiency, then-four-year-old Bertrand Might, was diagnosed in 2012. The condition occurs when both copies of the NGLY1 gene contain mutations. As a result, children with NGLY1 deficiency produce little or no N-glycanase1 a protein that removes sugars from proteins during the cells regular recycling process. Today, approximately 60 people in the world have been identified with NGLY1 deficiency. There is no cure, and existing treatments only address a few of the disorders symptoms.

This discovery is a giant leap forward in our understanding of NGLY1 deficiency and our ability to find a drug for the condition, says Matt Might, Ph.D., Bertrand Mights father and chief scientific officer of NGLY1.org, which funded the research. In addition to exploring new treatment avenues, we can immediately start to test currently available drugs to see if they may help Bertrand and other children living with NGLY1 deficiency.

Because of NGLY1s established role in helping recycle proteins, scientists predicted that cells that lack NGLY1 would fill with unrecycled proteins. However, despite numerous experiments by Freeze and others, this has not been observed.

Hudson Freeze, Ph.D., director and professor of the Human Genetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys and senior author of the study. Credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys

Mitali Tambe, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate in the Freeze lab and the first author of the study, set out to shed light on this mystery when she made an unexpected discovery. While normal cells burst open when placed in distilled water, cells from children with an NGLY1 mutation refused to pop open.

At first I thought what every scientist initially thinks: I made a mistake, says Tambe. But this observation actually revealed a previously unknown role for NGLY1 protein.

The unexpected finding prompted the scientists to dig in deeper. In addition to studying skin cells from three children with NGLY1 deficiency, the researchers created human and obtained mouse cells that either lacked NGLY1 or produced excess amounts of the protein. In these studies, they found that cells that lacked the NGLY1 protein had fewer aquaporins proteins that connect the inside and outside of a cell and control water movement and were resistant to bursting open when placed in water. These results were reversed in cells that were given excess levels of NGLY1. The researchers also identified the molecular signals NGLY1 uses to instruct cells to produce aquaporins, proteins called Atf1 and Creb1, which may lead to useful drug targets.

In addition to regulating tear and saliva production, aquaporins are involved in many brain functions, such as cerebrospinal fluid production, explains Tambe. Lack of aquaporins may explain many of the symptoms seen in children who are NGLY1-deficient.

The scientists devised a clever experiment to determine if NGLY1 is regulating aquaporin levels through its expected sugar-removal function or in another manner. They created two cell types that either produced a normal NGLY1 protein or NGLY1 with the sugar-cleaving area disabled. The altered protein successfully altered aquaporin levels indicating that NGLY1 has a second function in addition to its sugar-removing (enzymatic) activities.

Our study shows there is more to NGLY1 than its well-known function of removing sugars from proteins, says Freeze. Together, our findings open important new paths to understanding the pathogenesis of NGLY1 deficiency and ultimately finding treatments.

Reference: N-Glycanase 1 Transcriptionally Regulates Aquaporins Independent of Its Enzymatic Activity by Mitali A. Tambe, Bobby G. Ng and Hudson H. Freeze, 24 December 2019, Cell Reports.DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.097

Research reported in this article was supported by the Bertrand Might Research Fund and NGLY1.org. Additional study authors include Bobby Ng.

Here is the original post:
11 Year-Old Bertrand Might Cant Cry Scientists Have Now Discovered Why - SciTechDaily

Image: Chromosomes and their telomeres (visualised in red). Credit: Thomas Ried, NCI Center for Cancer Research

You might not have heard of telomeres but theyre incredibly important they are the caps that protect the end of chromosomes. They work like the plastic tips that stop your shoelaces from fraying.

All cancers alter telomeres in order to survive, so by doing basic research to try to understand how telomere replication and processing works, Max and his team hope to identify possible new ways to target and treat cancer.

Having joined the Division of Cancer Biology in October 2019, Dr Max Douglasis now one of the newest Team Leaders at the ICR. I met him at our Chester Beatty Laboratories in Chelsea, where he told me more about his work.

Max studied for his PhD in biochemistry and cell biology at the University of Cambridge. He then joined Dr John Diffleys team in Londons Clare Hall Laboratories which later became part of the Francis Crick Institute where he focused on studying the early stages of DNA replication.

At the Crick, he helped establish in detail how a protein complex called the CMG replicative helicase that helps unwind DNA during replication, is assembled and activated.

Now at the ICR, Max leads his own research team studying DNA replication but in the context of telomeres and cancer.

My main project is to rebuild telomeres in the lab and then unpick how they work how they are replicated and how they are processed. This knowledge is generally useful, but we will focus on studying it in the context of cancer, explained Max.

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When a cell becomes cancerous, it divides more often and every time it divides, its telomeres become shorter and shorter. Once there is no telomere left, the DNA unravels, like a shoelace fraying, and the cell dies. This eventually happens in most healthy cells telomeres shorten over time until cell division is no longer possible, leading to cell death.

While this loss of telomere protection can cause cancer cells and healthy cells to die, it can also lead to a state of genome instability that helps cancer survive and spread.

We also know that cancer cells can escape death by making telomerase, an enzyme that prevents telomeres from getting short. Certain cells in our body, such as stem cells, are able to divide over and over again thanks to telomerase. Cancer cells take advantage of this enzyme and hijack it to maintain telomere length which enables them to continue to divide and spread.

In other words, telomeres seem to play a role in the death of cancer cells but theyre also crucial for their survival. However, the molecular steps that guide telomere replication and processing remain poorly understood.

By using genetics and replicating cellular processes in a test tube, through a technique known as reconstitution biochemistry, Max and his team hope to better understand how telomeres are processed, and how they are inherited from one generation of cells to the next.

If Max and his team can dissect how telomeres work and clarify their link to cancer, maybe well figure out new ways to treat it.

His research might seem quite distant from the clinic, but Max knows he belongs at the ICR, which has an exemplary track record in making discoveries that ultimately benefit people with cancer.

I really value the ICRs commitment to doing basic, laboratory science. Good basic science is necessary to understand cancer, and the ICR values that. Here, I can figure out how to use my findings to benefit people, and that, in turn, will also hugely benefit my work, Max said.

I feel very lucky to work at an institution with a mission, being able to do what I love while getting opportunities to make discoveries that could help people.

As a new Team Leader, Max is currently the only member of his team but a higher scientific officer will be joining this month, as well as a post-doctoral training fellow, who will be joining in March. They will also start recruiting for a PhD student. As he told me, he cant wait for the new team members to join him in January.

Im excited to supervise other people for the first time. I want to build a strong team and a good environment for them to thrive in.

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Science Talk - Tell me more about telomeres: how 'basic' science can help us treat cancer - The Institute of Cancer Research

They spent their middle school and high school years with a firsthand view of the development of the burgeoning Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, including the sparkling new downtown building that houses the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Now, amazingly, six graduates of City Honors School find themselves in the Class of 2023 at the Jacobs School.

These first-year students Hani Al-Jabi-Lopez, Lillian Dixon, James Ghosen, Fiona Hennig, Aleena Jafri and Joseph Nathanson are all alumni of the prestigious Buffalo school adjacent to the BNMC that routinely shows up in rankings of the best public schools in the state and even the country.

Hennig graduated from City Honors in 2012 and Dixon in 2015, while the others graduated in 2014. All six were enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, a program that prepares students in high school for the rigors of college.

City Honors is one of our stronger inner city schools, so its not a surprise that they are preparing students that eventually end up in medical school, says Dori R. Marshall, associate dean and director of admissions. Our hope is that we can help foster relationships with other high schools through our pipeline programs so the other Buffalo public schools also see that success with students.

The Jacobs School does not break out official statistics for the high schools its medical classes attended. However, James J. Rosso, admissions adviser in the Office of Medical Admissions, says that in the past 25 years, there have not been that many graduates of one high school in a single medical class at the Jacobs School.

The six are adjusting well, and have been impressed with the faculty and staff, and the new building that houses the medical school.

The professors and the deans really care about you doing well, and really try to help us out if were struggling, says Al-Jabi-Lopez, who earned bachelors degrees in behavioral biology and Spanish from Johns Hopkins University in 2018.

The facilities are also very impressive, adds Al-Jabi-Lopez, who plans to work in a clinical setting after residency and is also interested in academic medicine.

After graduating from Cornell University in 2016 with a bachelors degree in biology, Hennig moved to Oakland, Calif., and spent three years working and enjoying some time off before applying to medical school.

Therefore, all my fellow Centaurs (the schools mascot) were two or three grades below me in high school, she says. We knew of each other but now, being in the same medical school class, I have gotten to know each of them a little bit more.

I think it is no surprise that City Honors graduates excel in whatever they choose to pursue, she adds. I personally am very fortunate to have had many resources throughout my high school and undergraduate career, including a loving, supportive family.

The Jacobs School is also given high marks.

I really like the environment that the deans and faculty have created. I feel lucky to be in this high-tech facility, says Hennig, who has been especially impressed with the anatomy lab, which is not uncommon for current and prospective students.

After medical school, she hopes to pursue a surgical residency.

My goal is to become a surgeon specializing in gender-affirming surgeries for the LGBTQ+ community, she says. I hope to make an impact on the future of medical education and curriculum, and bring more awareness to LGBTQ+ health care wherever I end up.

Dixon, who earned bachelors degrees in molecular genetics and psychology from SUNY Fredonia in 2019, also finds the Jacobs School a nice fit.

The environment here is supportive and a lot more relaxed than other medical schools that Ive seen, she says. Its more focused on our health and happiness.

Ghosen and Nathanson have been good friends since they arrived at City Honors in fifth grade.

More than anything, City Honors prepares its students for the rigors of undergraduate life, and this in turn enables us to pursuecompetitive fields of study, Ghosen says. Many of the premedical students I met in college had never been exposed to such a large and difficult workload, and coming from City Honors, the transition wasnt as difficult.

Ghosen, who earned a bachelors degree in biology from SUNY Geneseo in 2018, enjoys the collaborative atmosphere at the Jacobs School.

The workload is definitely an adjustment from undergrad, but everybody in the class has been really great, he says. Its not cutthroat everybody kind of works together and that helps.

And he can think of nothing better than staying in his hometown after he gets his degree and completes his residency.

I definitely plan to practice in the Buffalo area, and could one day see myself teaching medical students from the Jacobs School, Ghosen says.

Thats music to Marshalls ears.

Whether they do their residency here or somewhere else, our hope is that they will come back here and make this their home because there is a physician shortage here, says Marshall, whos also an associate professor of psychiatry. We need our graduates to stay here and work.

Nathanson, who earned bachelors degrees in biological sciences and psychology from UB in 2018, appreciates the solid academic foundation that has prepared him for medical school.

I think that City Honors is second to none when it comes to preparing their students for furthering their education in an advanced setting, says Nathanson, who hopes to one day run his own medical practice. I was lucky enough to already know how to study before getting to college, and have carried some of those same techniques that I used in high school all the way to medical school.

Jafri, who earned a bachelors degree in biology from Cornell University in 2018, also likes being back in her hometown.

I chose the Jacobs School because of family and friends living in the city, because Buffalo is home, and also because this school offers a truly high-quality medical education with programs and opportunities in areas that are of interest to me, she says. The tremendous developmentof the surrounding medical complex and the many hospitals affiliated with the university were also a big plus.

They are continually making adjustments to the curriculum to improve the quality of our education and to cultivate a good environment that doesnt lead to burnout, Jafri adds.

William Kresse, principal at City Honors, says there has been an upswing in students from the school headed into STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields over the past decade, and notes that City Honors has also expanded its intensive four-year science research program at the BNMC.

We are excited that so many of our alums are making their way to the Jacobs School, Kresse says.

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Six City Honors grads in Jacobs School Class of 2023 - UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff - University at Buffalo Reporter