header logo image


Page 30«..1020..29303132..»

Archive for the ‘Molecular Genetics’ Category

Caught in the Act – Harvard Medical School

Monday, October 28th, 2019

Its like the parable about the blindfolded men and the elephantonly instead of an elephant, its an enzyme.

For decades, researchers have groped at a family of proteins called Rafs. These proteinsincluding A-Raf, B-Raf and C-Raftransmit signals that control proliferation, differentiation and survival in every cell in the body.

Get more HMS news here

Raf proteins, especially B-Raf, are also well-known cancer drivers. Hence Rafs full name: rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma. Faulty control of their activity can cause melanoma; thyroid, colorectal, non-small cell lung and pediatric brain cancers; and other malignancies. Two FDA-approved drugs treat cancer by inhibiting B-Raf.

Given B-Rafs critical roles in health and disease, scientists have been keen to understand its structure. Theyve used genetics, chemistry, biology and other scientific approaches, but they havent been able to piece together a complete picture of Raf.

People had poked and prodded Raf for more than 30 years, but we could only see parts of it, saidMichael J. Eck, professor of biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Now, thanks to work by Eck and colleagues, researchers can see the whole enzyme.

As reported online this month inNature, Ecks team at last captured high-resolution images of B-Raf in its inactive or off state and in several active or on positions.

The findings clarify how B-Raf functions normally in the body as well as what happens when mutations alter its shape and lead to cancer.

The work should help researchers seeking to develop safer, more effective cancer drugs that lock onto particular forms of the enzyme like custom-made puzzle pieces.

Illuminating the huge, unsolved problem of B-Rafs structure could have major importance for understanding its biology and for drug discovery, said Eck.

Its exciting to see something no one has seen before, he added. Now that we can look at the thing, we can tell a coherent story that integrates many previous studies.

Protein whisperer

Several factors made the discovery possible.

First, Ecks team didnt try to study B-Raf alone but instead prepared it as a complex with two additional proteins: a known regulator of Raf with the catchy name of 14-3-3, plus MEK, the next link in the Raf signaling chain.

MEK was the crucial missing piece for solving the structure, said Eck, who is co-senior author of the study along withHyesung Jeon, research associate at HMS and a senior scientist at Dana-Farber. MEK is not just the next step in the signaling cascade, its also key for keeping Raf turned off.

Second, HMS research associateEunyoung Park, a senior scientist in the Eck Lab and first author of the study, served as a protein whisperer who tamed B-Raf, coaxing it into those well-behaved complexes with 14-3-3 and MEK, said Eck.

Third, researchers hadnt been able to determine B-Rafs structure using traditional methods such as X-ray crystallography. Advances incryo-electron microscopy, which visualizes molecules at near-atomic resolution, finally opened the door.

The Raf that rocks the cradle

At long last, the structures revealed themselves.

Like a snowman with a rocker base, the complex in its inactive or off state includes MEK on top, B-Raf in the middle and 14-3-3 on the bottom, cradle-shaped.

The team showed how 14-3-3 normally blocks B-Raf from binding with other B-Rafs, keeping it shut off as a default. When an incoming cell signal calls B-Raf to action, however, 14-3-3 swings aside and allows two B-Raf/MEK complexes to form a pair.

In doing so, 14-3-3 exposes a region of B-Raf that draws the complex to the cell membrane. There, B-Raf gets activated and in turn activates and releases MEK to send its growth-promoting signal.

The structural snapshots also revealed how mutations subvert this normal activation process by causing the B-Raf switch to get stuck in the on position.

The discovery isnt without precedent in the cancer biology world.

Weve seen this in other cancer-causing enzymes weve studied, said Eck.

The results could lead to improved treatments for people with cancers driven by dysfunctional B-Raf.

Current drugs that target mutated B-Raf are used to treat malignant melanoma, but they sometimes also stimulate the growth of new skin cancers by paradoxically activating the normal form of the enzyme. Patients then need to take a second drug, which can cause serious side effects.

The structure gives us ideas about new approaches for drug discovery, said Eck.

His group also plans to uncover more details about B-Raf activation in both healthy cells and cancers.

Funding and authorship

Additional coauthors are Shaun Rawson, Kunhua Li, Byeong-Won Kim, Scott Ficarro, Gonzalo Gonzalez-Del Pino, Humayun Sharif and Jarrod Marto.

This work was supported in part by the PLGA fund at the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research and the National Institutes of Health (grants P50CA165962, P01CA154303 and R50CA221830). Cryo-EM imaging was carried out at the University of Massachusetts Medical School Cryo-EM Core Facility and theHarvard Cryo-EM Center for Structural Biology.

View original post here:
Caught in the Act - Harvard Medical School

Read More...

Interpace to Present at the American College of Gastroenterology Conference – GlobeNewswire

Monday, October 28th, 2019

Interpace hosts 2nd Annual Fellow Programs

PARSIPPANY, NJ, Oct. 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Interpace (IDXG) announced today that it will be presenting new data on the performance of its molecular thyroid and GI products at an industry known scientific international meeting. The American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting is held on October 27-30 in San Antonio, Texas and is one of the largest gatherings of gastroenterologists and endoscopists. These are two key targets for Interpaces PancraGEN test for early detection of cancer in indeterminate pancreatic cysts, solid lesions, and biliary structures. The PancraGEN publication entitled Serial molecular testing of pancreatic cyst fluid over time: progression and regression highlights the Companys unique clinical and molecular database of patient results, examining 2,167 patients with pancreatic cysts that underwent multiple PancraGEN tests over time. The results support the high negative predictive value of PancraGEN, showing that the majority of cases (92%) initially found to have low risk PancraGEN results remained low risk at follow-up. The small portion of patients that did progress only progressed to moderate risk levels, where risk most often regressed to low risk over time.

In addition to the poster, Interpace will host its second annual Fellows program. The keynote speakers will be Dr. Tamas Gonda, Columbia University, and Dr. James Farrell, Yale University. Dr.s Gonda and Farrell are going to be discussing their peer-reviewed published work on the utility of DNA analysis in managing patients with pancreatic cysts, describing molecular results of patients who have undergone PancraGEN testing and how those results can be used to impact patient management decisions.

About Interpace

Interpace is a leader in enabling personalized medicine, offering specialized services along the therapeutic value chain from early diagnosis and prognostic planning to targeted therapeutic applications.

Interpaces Diagnostic Business is a fully integrated commercial and bioinformatics business unit that provides clinically useful molecular diagnostic tests, bioinformatics and pathology services for evaluating risk of cancer by leveraging the latest technology in personalized medicine for improved patient diagnosis and management. Interpace has four commercialized molecular tests and one test in a clinical evaluation process (CEP): PancraGEN for the diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer from pancreatic cysts; ThyGeNEXT for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer from thyroid nodules utilizing a next generation sequencing assay; ThyraMIR for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer from thyroid nodules utilizing a proprietary gene expression assay; and RespriDX that differentiates lung cancer of primary vs. metastatic origin. In addition, BarreGEN for Barretts Esophagus, is currently in a clinical evaluation program whereby we gather information from physicians using BarreGEN to assist us in positioning the product for full launch, partnering and potentially supporting reimbursement with payers.

Interpaces Biopharma Business provides pharmacogenomics testing, genotyping, biorepository and other customized services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. The Biopharma Business also advances personalized medicine by partnering with pharmaceutical, academic, and technology leaders to effectively integrate pharmacogenomics into their drug development and clinical trial programs with the goals of delivering safer, more effective drugs to market more quickly, and improving patient care.

For more information, please visit Interpaces website at http://www.interpacediagnostics.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, relating to the Company's future financial and operating performance. The Company has attempted to identify forward looking statements by terminology including "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "projects," "intends," "potential," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should," "approximately" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, assumptions and uncertainties involving judgments about, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Company's control. These statements also involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to the fact that there is no assurance the acquisition of the BioPharma business of Cancer Genetics, Inc. will be successfully integrated with the Company, or that the potential benefits of the acquisition, including future revenues, will be successfully realized. Additionally, all forward-looking statements are subject to the Risk Factors detailed from time to time in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Current Reports on Form 8-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Because of these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. In addition, these statements speak only as of the date of this press release and, except as may be required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

CONTACTS:Investor Relations - Edison GroupJoseph Green(646) 653-7030jgreen@edisongroup.com

Follow this link:
Interpace to Present at the American College of Gastroenterology Conference - GlobeNewswire

Read More...

Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market by 2024 with Latest innovative report top key players Myriad Genetics, Cepheid, Illumina, Abbott, Agilent…

Monday, October 28th, 2019

The latest research Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market both qualitative and quantitative data analysis to present an overview of the future adjacency around Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market for the forecast period, 2019-2024. The Clinical Trial Consumables Markets growth and developments are studied and a detailed overview is been given.

The ReportsIntellect dedicated research and analysis team consist of experienced professionals with advanced statistical expertise and offer various customization options in the existing study Of Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market 2019.In-depth study of the Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market with a special focus on market trend analysis.

Get Sample Copy of this Report at https://www.reportsintellect.com/sample-request/804219

The report aims to provide an overview of Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market with detailed market segmentation by Type, Delivery Method, Application and geography. The global Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the leading Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.

Top Companies are covering this Report:-Myriad Genetics, Cepheid, Illumina Inc., Abbott, Agilent , Technologies Inc., Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., GenePOC Inc., QIAGEN and more

This market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. Regulatory scenarios that affect the various decisions in the Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market are given a keen observation and have been explained.

Market Segment by Type, coversAssays and KitsInstruments or AnalyzersServices and Software

Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoRespiratory DiseasesSexually Transmitted DiseasesHospital-acquired InfectionOncologyHepatitisOthers

Get Instant Discount Now at: https://www.reportsintellect.com/discount-request/804219

Table Of Content:

1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.5 Market by Application1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered

2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market Size2.2 Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Growth Trends by Regions2.3 Industry Trends

3 Market Share by Key Players3.1 Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market Size by Manufacturers3.2 Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Key Players Head office and Area Served3.3 Key Players Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Product/Solution/Service3.4 Date of Enter into Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market3.5 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans

4 Breakdown Data by Product4.1 Global Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Sales by Product4.2 Global Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Revenue by Product4.3 Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Price by Product

5 Breakdown Data by End User5.1 Overview5.2 Global Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Breakdown Data by End User

Continued.

Reasons to buy this report:

About Us:-

Reports Intellect is your one-stop solution for everything related to market research and market intelligence. We understand the importance of market intelligence and its need in todays competitive world.

Our professional team works hard to fetch the most authentic research reports backed with impeccable data figures which guarantee outstanding results every time for you.

So, whether it is the latest report from the researchers or a custom requirement, our team is here to help you in the best possible way.

Contact Us:

Sales@reportsintellect.com

PH + 1-706-996-2486

US Address:

225 Peachtree Street NE,

Suite 400,

Atlanta, GA 30303

See original here:
Point of Care Molecular Diagnostics Market by 2024 with Latest innovative report top key players Myriad Genetics, Cepheid, Illumina, Abbott, Agilent...

Read More...

A time of unprecedented opportunity for ecology and evolutionary biology – Open Access Government

Monday, October 21st, 2019

The disciplines of ecology and evolution have long been integrally associated. Ecology is the study of organisms relationships with each other and their environments; evolution draws upon the understanding of these relationships to elucidate the processes by which organisms change over time and produce observed patterns in biodiversity. While the term ecology did not exist at the time that Charles Darwin took his voyage on The Beagle, his comparisons of the ways in which organisms interacted with each other and their environments (i.e. ecology) laid the foundations for understanding natural selection as a major force in evolution and patterns of biodiversity. In the decades since Darwin, technological advancement has transformed our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes, allowing researchers to discern mechanisms underlying biological patterns from global to molecular scales. Over time, the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology have broadened and deepened, yet the fundamental nature of their interrelatedness continues to argue for them to progress side by side, as is evidenced by the many Ecology and Evolution programmes across universities worldwide.

Accordingly, at the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Biological Sciences Directorate (BIO) provides research funding for core ecology and evolutionary research through a single division, the Division of Environmental Biology (DEB). DEB supports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes acting on organisms across multiple levels of organisation from populations to ecosystems.

DEB core programmes are organised into four research clusters Evolutionary Processes, Systematics and Biodiversity Sciences, Population and Community Ecology and Ecosystem Sciences. In these core programmes, innovative topics proposed by the research community comprise a diverse portfolio of research projects, fostering breakthroughs that can transform biology and disciplines beyond. For example, DEB has long supported epigenetics research, in which researchers examine the genome at the molecular level and seek to understand how it interacts with the environment to shape an observed organisms physical, behavioural and other biological traits. Epigenetics is now garnering increasing attention as we learn more about how the environment experienced by a parent can alter the genome and the traits of offspring, including humans. Epigenetics has been a high-profile topic for the Rules of Life theme within NSFs 10 Big Ideas, drawing vibrant interdisciplinary research to exciting questions at the core of DEB research.

Many of the transformative advances in evolution and biodiversity research have been propelled by the decreasing cost and increasing performance of genomic technologies; these approaches are now changing research throughout ecology as well. Genomic approaches not only add new dimensions to studies of familiar organisms, such as plants and animals but also constitute the only feasible mode of comprehensively researching the ecology and evolution of microbes.

An explosion of research in all areas of biology focuses on the associations between microbes and larger, multicellular organisms. Most organisms, including humans, cannot survive without their microbial partners. DEB researchers are working to understand how microbiomes evolve and function in ecological and evolutionary processes. For example, bees are the most important pollinators of crops and other plants and are estimated to contribute at least $15 billion to U.S. crop production. Bees depend on their microbiomes to develop from larvae to adult, however, the normal microbial symbionts can be altered by pathogens, pesticides and invasive species. Researchers seek to characterise microbial diversity in flowers and pollen and then determine the nutritional role of those microbes in the development and health of larval bees. The goal is a comprehensive understanding of how bees and flowering plants interact via their shared microbial partners. Similarly, in virtually all plants, mycorrhizal fungi play a unique role in providing essential nutrients for growth. Research enabled by genomic sequencing is being used to probe this symbiosis. This project will determine how mycorrhizal symbioses affect the diversity, productivity and composition of plant communities. A better understanding of these interactions will help scientists and land managers sustain robust and resilient ecosystems.

Beyond these advances in core areas of ecology and evolutionary research, DEB partners with other NSF divisions and agencies to promote interdisciplinary research at the cutting edge of environmental biology. For example, DEB initiated the Dimensions of Biodiversity program in 2010 with a plan to revolutionise our understanding of the origins, maintenance and consequences of biodiversity. DEB has partnered with the NSF Geosciences Directorate, NASA and international funding agencies to expand the scope of these projects, which now number over 100. One important Dimensions project focuses on explanation and prediction of the distribution of animal and plant species in the megadiverse Brazilian Atlantic forest. This work combines cutting edge remote sensing, fossil pollen studies, molecular genetics, physiological assays and modern-day to paleoclimatic data to demonstrate how

In recognition of both the need to address environmental questions at increasingly large scales and the tremendous potential of new technologies, BIO has taken the bold step of creating the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), managed by NSFs Division of Biological Infrastructure. NEONs network of instrumentation provides data to researchers in ecology, evolution and allied disciplines. NEON is designed to provide open access for scientists, educators, resource managers, policymakers and members of the general public interested in forecasting the impacts of climate change, land-use change and invasive species on ecological systems. In 81 terrestrial and aquatic sites across the nation, data are collected on select variables ranging from the biodiversity of native and invasive species to elemental chemistry and gas flux, genomics and disease occurrence. The NEON system is strategically designed to address environmental questions for which a coordinated network of standardised observations is particularly effective. In 2019, the construction was completed and the Observatory moved into full operations, poised to scale up our understanding of the Earths systems to a degree never before possible.

Editor's Recommended Articles

See the article here:
A time of unprecedented opportunity for ecology and evolutionary biology - Open Access Government

Read More...

Excessive Brain Activity Linked to Shorter Life Span – PsychCentral.com

Monday, October 21st, 2019

Video: New research links excess neural activity the flickering light seen in this image to reduced longevity. Credit: Yankner lab, Harvard Medical School.

The brains neural activity long implicated in disorders ranging from dementia to epilepsy also plays a role in how long we live.

The study, led by scientists in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School and based on findings from human brains, mice, and worms, suggests that excessive activity in the brain is linked to shorter life spans, while suppressing overactivity can extend life.

Neural activity refers to the constant flicker of electrical currents and transmissions in the brain. Excessive activity, or excitation, could manifest in numerous ways, from a muscle twitch to a change in mood or thought, according to the researchers.

An intriguing aspect of our findings is that something as transient as the activity state of neural circuits could have such far-ranging consequences for physiology and life span, said study senior author Dr. Bruce Yankner, a professor of genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging.

Neural excitation appears to act along a chain of molecular events famously known to influence longevity the insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway, the researchers explain.

The key in this signaling cascade appears to be a protein called REST, previously shown by researchers in the Yankner Lab to protect aging brains from dementia and other stresses.

Study results could lead to the design of new therapies for conditions that involve neural overactivity, such as Alzheimers disease and bipolar disorder, the researchers said.

The findings also raise the possibility that certain medicines, such as drugs that target REST, or certain behaviors, such as meditation, could extend life span by modulating neural activity, they said.

Human variation in neural activity might have both genetic and environmental causes, which would open future avenues for therapeutic intervention, Yankner added.

The researchers began their investigation by analyzing gene expression patterns the extent to which various genes are turned on and off in donated brain tissue from hundreds of people who died at ages ranging from 60 to over 100.

The information was collected through three separate research studies of older adults. Those analyzed in the current study were cognitively intact, meaning they had no dementia, the researchers noted.

The researchers immediately noticed a striking difference between the older and younger study participants, Yankner said. The longest-lived people those over 85 had lower expression of genes related to neural excitation than those who died between the ages of 60 and 80.

Next came the question that all scientists confront: Correlation or causation? Was this disparity in neural excitation merely occurring alongside more important factors determining life span or were excitation levels directly affecting longevity? If so, how?

To answer these questions, the researchers conducted a barrage of experiments, including genetic, cell, and molecular biology tests in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, analyses of genetically altered mice, and additional brain tissue analyses of people who lived for more than a century.

These experiments revealed that altering neural excitation does indeed affect life span and illuminated what might be happening on a molecular level, the researchers said, noting all signs pointed to the protein REST.

REST, which is known to regulate genes, also suppresses neural excitation, the researchers found.

Blocking REST or its equivalent in the animals led to higher neural activity and earlier deaths, while boosting REST did the opposite.

The researchers also discovered that people who lived to 100 and beyond had significantly more REST in the nuclei of their brain cells than people who died in their 70s or 80s.

It was extremely exciting to see how all these different lines of evidence converged, said study co-author Dr. Monica Colaicovo, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, whose lab collaborated on the C. elegans work.

The researchers found that from worms to mammals, REST suppresses the expression of genes that are centrally involved in neural excitation, such as ion channels, neurotransmitter receptors, and structural components of synapses.

Lower excitation activates a family of proteins known as forkhead transcription factors. These proteins have been shown to mediate a longevity pathway via insulin/IGF signaling in many animals. Its the same pathway that scientists believe can be activated by caloric restriction, according to the researchers.

In addition to its emerging role in staving off neurodegeneration, discovery of RESTs role in longevity provides additional motivation to develop drugs that target the protein, the researchers said.

Although it will take time and many tests to determine whether such treatments reduce neural excitation, promote healthy aging, or extend life span, the concept has captivated some researchers.

The possibility that being able to activate REST would reduce excitatory neural activity and slow aging in humans is extremely exciting, said Colaicovo.

The study was published in Nature.

Source: Harvard Medical School

Related Articles

Read more from the original source:
Excessive Brain Activity Linked to Shorter Life Span - PsychCentral.com

Read More...

The double bind faced by black research applicants – University World News

Monday, October 21st, 2019

UNITED STATES

[This is an article from The Chronicle of Higher Education, Americas leading higher education publication. It is presented here under an agreement with University World News.]

I actually wasnt surprised, said Margee Louisias, an associate physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital who wants to study ways to reduce asthma in minority children.

Thats exactly what Ive seen in this early stage of my career, said Utibe Essien, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburghs School of Medicine, who studies racial disparities in who gets the latest treatments for heart disease.

The NIH analysis also revealed a concerning double bind. Not only are health-disparity projects underfunded, but black applicants for the grant type the agency studied, called R01 grants, are disproportionately likely to propose those types of studies.

Meanwhile, white applicants are more likely to propose studying topics having to do with cells, molecules and genetics that are among the NIHs most funded.

In short: black academics, already under-represented in science, are less likely to land grants that are critical to advancing their careers, in part because they tend to want to study interventions that could improve the health of poor Americans of colour.

Getting the message

Early-career scientists said theyre getting the message from mentors, reviewers and their own observations that they might have a harder time getting funding in general for the research topics theyre passionate about.

Mya Roberson, a doctoral student in epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is rewriting a grant application thats been rejected by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which, like the NIH, is an agency under the Department of Health and Human Services.

Roberson proposed studying black women with breast cancer. In the feedback she received with her rejection, she said: What had been said, nearly verbatim, is that the major limitation of my study was that it was an all-black study. Without including white women, I would be limited in the interventions I could suggest.

She declined to share the rejection letter, citing rules about not sharing grant applications that are being resubmitted.

Roberson was frustrated; her sister and aunt are cancer survivors. Black women are about 20% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women are, according to the American Cancer Society, though that gap has narrowed recently. Roberson remains unsure of whether to hold her ground or change her study for the chance to get funding.

Louisias, the physician who wants to study asthma disparities, recalled her mentors telling her that she should apply for funding from private foundations and federal agencies beyond the NIH because the people in the room may be basic scientists and translational researchers, and they may not get it.

Wanda Phipatanakul, a professor at Harvard Medical School, is one of those mentors. She told The Chronicle that reviewers who focus on basic science think experiments on cells and lab animals, not people may not know whats feasible in population studies and have biases against them. But she added that it is possible to be funded through the NIH; it just might take a few tries, as it did for her before she built a reputation for her work.

I started from the ground up, she said. I took three times to get my first R01. Its an uphill battle for everybody.

Despite the greater success they might have with other funding sources, aspiring population-health scientists said they want NIH grants, which are seen as more prestigious. Depending on the institution where they work, landing one or more R01s may even be a requirement for promotion.

The NIH, getting a grant from there is seen to be a metric of, Youve really reached that level of success, Louisias said.

The NIH analysis found black applicants face barriers beyond the choice of research topic. For example, while all proposals to study areas such as socio-economic class and health were less likely than average to be funded, black applicants nevertheless had an even harder time getting the green light than whites did. The NIH is studying what role implicit bias plays in its process for peer-reviewing grant applications.

Its all made early-career scientists feel they need to take extraordinary measures to ensure they can stay in their field. I have to think so far ahead, Roberson said. This study makes me feel like I have to really be on top of it.

Officials at the NIH said they care about population-health research and diversity among scientists.

Those topics are clearly extremely important, are in our mission, and are being funded. We would like to see more equivalent rates of funding, said Hannah Valantine, the NIHs chief officer for scientific work-force diversity, who worked on the recent NIH study.

In the past few years, efforts by the NIH to link under-represented minority scientists with mentors have helped reduce the black-white funding gap in R01 grants and eliminated it among K grants, which are for scientists with less experience, according to agency numbers.

Scientists, on the other hand, said theyre getting mixed messages. They knew of and appreciated the NIHs projects aimed at improving diversity among scientists. Yet they chafed at the fact that the NIHs one institute focused on Americans who systematically suffer from worse health, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, is one of the poorest funded by Congress. Of the NIHs 27 institutes and centres, its budget was ranked 23rd in 2019.

Theres little research on why American scientists might undervalue population-health research, compared with molecular biology, but scholars have theories.

Aimee Medeiros, a historian at the University of California at San Francisco, pointed to the Scientific Revolution as the beginning of the scientific communitys privileging of lab science over real-world observations.

Roberson and Louisias thought lab experiments might seem sexier because thats the kind of science that leads to new drugs treatments that might seem like easier solutions than untangling the effects of discrimination and environmental exposures that lead to health disparities.

Nevertheless, the scientists interviewed said they were inspired to study population health, rather than bench science, because they thought it could help make an immediate difference.

Essien, who is a doctor as well as a researcher, said: I felt like being a physician was much more than the biology and the science of disease, but really what our patients lived experiences are, before they even get to us in the clinic.

Francie Diep is a staff reporter covering money in higher education. Follow her on Twitter @franciediep, or email her at francie.diep@chronicle.com.

Receive UWN's free weekly e-newsletters

Read the original post:
The double bind faced by black research applicants - University World News

Read More...

Where do Canada’s federal parties stand on research funding? – Varsity

Monday, October 21st, 2019

TROY LAWRENCE/THE VARSITY

The hubbub of election season sees parties and candidates promoting and revamping policies and agendas, but theres one policy discussion that has yet to materialize government funding for fundamental science research.

The platforms of the Conservative Party, Liberal Party, and New Democratic Party (NDP) all have sparse information on science research, though the Green Party has provided a detailed strategy on funding.

Science research funding is lower than it was 10 years ago. The three main agencies that finance most of Canadas federal research the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) have substantially decreased the amount of funding theyre willing to give, with the approval rate of grant applications by these agencies dropping to as low as 13 per cent.

Since winning the last federal election in 2015, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau appointed Dr. Kirsty Duncan as the chief scientific officer. Duncan commissioned an expert panel to carry out the fundamental science review, surveying the current landscape of science research in Canada.

In a 2015 mandate letter to the minister of science, Trudeau committed to the creation of more opportunities for students in STEM and business programs, enhanced research funding across the board, and strengthened recognition of the importance of fundamental research in discovery. According to the federal government, these mandates have been fulfilled.

However, the Canadian Association of University Teachers has contended that federal research funding has not been optimally allocated. The Liberals allotted $900 million to science research from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, but the association maintains that it did not make a substantial impact on the larger science community. It wrote that the amount was only shared between 13 postsecondary institutes and their researchers.

Voters might expect a more coherent plan for research funding developed by each of the main parties. In the absence of a clear commitment to science research funding from the Liberals, the NDP, and the Conservatives, The Varsity reached out to party representatives.

Different parties pledges to research funding

According to a spokesperson from the Liberal Party, the party plans on providing$354.7millionoverfiveyears, and$90.1millionperyearongoing,tothe CIHR. It also plans to invest $265 million in the SSHRC.

A spokesperson for the NDP wrote that they will work with universities and health professionals to make sure that public research on critical health issues continues to flourish, and will invest in public agriculture research.

A representative from the Green Party referred to its in-depth funding strategy, which mentions that it plans on incorporating conclusions of the Fundamental Science Review and increasing funding to postsecondary institutions and universities for science research.

The Conservatives did not respond to The Varsitys request for comment.

U of T professor highlights reticence on science funding

A major issue for voters is that none of the parties seem to want to talk about science research funding in-depth, according to an op-ed to the Toronto Star written by Dr. David Naylor, a former U of T President, and Dr. Mark Lautens, a professor at U of Ts Department of Chemistry.

Lautens underscored the importance of federal research investment in an interview with The Varsity. He noted that it enables scientists to improve the publics quality of life by developing disease therapies, finding solutions to environmental issues, and bettering waste reduction. He noted that funding also provides research opportunities to better train the countrys future researchers.

Lautens has supported the rebound of federal funding since cuts in the mid-2000s, but he still believes that a lot more needs to be done. He highlighted the low rates of CIHR grant approval for medical research funding as a critical area of improvement.

Whats at stake for students?

Farah Qaiser, a Masters student in molecular genetics at U of T and a head spokesperson for #VoteScience, a national nonpartisan effort to advocate for science in the upcoming election, explained how voters can learn more about the parties positions on supporting research.

In an email to The Varsity, Qaiser advocated for voters to reach out to their candidates as soon as possible to ask where they stand on science issues that matter to their electorate such as funding research or better supporting the next generation of scientists.

She recommended voters to do so by reaching out to candidates in-person, calling, emailing, or using the #VoteScience campaigns email form.

To learn more, Qaiser further recommended students check CBCs non-partisan science and environmental policy debate between federal candidates, as well as the conclusions of a survey sent to the federal parties to determine their environmental policies.

The Evidence for Democracy advocacy group, along with members of the #VoteScience campaign, have also published results of a questionnaire sent to the federal parties about their positions on science policy.

The Liberals, NDP, and Greens submitted responses to the survey. According to Evidence for Democracy, the Conservatives declined to participate due to time constraints.

Tags: federal election, money, politics, Science

Continued here:
Where do Canada's federal parties stand on research funding? - Varsity

Read More...

Inherited Learning? It Happens, but How Is Uncertain – Quanta Magazine

Monday, October 21st, 2019

Rechavi says that exactly how the changes in the neurons are communicated to the germline and how thataffects the nervous system of the next generation are still open questions. He hypothesizes that the process involves one or more molecules released by the nervous system perhaps small RNAs, perhaps something secreted like a hormone. But somehow those germ cells then influence the behavior of the next generation and seem to circumvent the normal need for rde-4 in the production of the small RNAs for chemotaxis in the progeny.

In another paper on epigenetic behavior that appeared in the same June issue of Cell, Rebecca Moore, Rachel Kaletsky and Coleen Murphy, the molecular biologist who leads their laboratory at Princeton University, reported that C. elegans worms exposed to the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa learn to avoid it, and they transmit this learned avoidance for approximately four generations. Normally, the worms seem to prefer Pseudomonas to the bacteria on which they routinely feed.

The researchers sought to understand how this behavior is controlled at a molecular level. They discovered that double-stranded RNA from the pathogen triggered the worms response, a finding that they further investigated with Lance Parsons of Princeton University and described in a biorxiv preprint posted on July 11.

In the worms exposed to the pathogen, they detected changes in the expression of a gene, daf-7, in a specific neuron called ASI that is required for the avoidance behavior. They also found a huge number of changes in the small RNAs in the germline, Murphy said, including the ones called Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA). As the name suggests, piRNAs interact with piwi genes, which help to regulate stem cell differentiation.

Moore, Kaletsky and Murphy found that animals without the piRNA pathway can learn to avoid Pseudomonas but do not pass on this avoidance behavior to their progeny. Thus, the piRNA pathway is critical for inheritance of the behavior. Thats why were excited about the piRNA pathway, Murphy said.

Sarkies thinks these findings may help to explain the curious ability of C. elegans to take up double-stranded RNA from the environment and use it to silence endogenous genes. For years, geneticists have exploited this property of worms: By synthesizing double RNAs that match any gene, researchers can silence it and study what it does.

But why the worm has this ability was mysterious. It obviously didnt evolve it in order to make life easy for scientists, and we dont really understand what ecological role it might have, Sarkies said. Whats quite exciting in principle about the studies from the Murphy lab is that they suggest that this might be a way in which C. elegans is able to adapt to pathogenic bacteria. Hypothetically, when the worm takes up double-stranded RNA from bacteria in its environment, the molecules could silence some of the worms genes and induce adaptive responses. Those adaptations could then be passed to the next generation.

Most in the field still approach such conjectures with skepticism. I believe that today, there is not a single solid paper showing that only small RNAs are involved in epigenetic inheritance, said Isabelle Mansuy, a neuroepigenetics researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the University of Zurich who studies the inheritance of trauma in humans and mice. In the mouse model she works with, she knows that small RNAs are not sufficient because if she injects small RNAs alone into fertilized mouse eggs, the resulting animals do not show the RNA-associated trait.

Mansuy believes that a multitude of factors may contribute in different ways to epigenetic inheritance, and their importance may vary with the trait or behavior. Very often people like to simplify the matter and think either its DNA methylation or its microRNA. I think its totally misleading to think that way, she said. People should not dismiss one or the other but just think about all these factors together.

She added that errors have crept into the literature on epigenetic inheritance, making some findings seem more definitive than they are. For example, some review articles claim that Mansuy demonstrated that injecting microRNAs into fertilized eggs is sufficient to cause the inheritance of behavioral symptoms in mice. We never showed this, she emphasized. Authors of review articles often dont go back to check the original findings, so when the review is cited subsequently, it creates an auto-feeding system that perpetuates errors. Its polluting the field, she said. Now many people work only on RNA epigenetic inheritance because they think it is well established, she added.

Unreliable findings have also sometimes appeared in high-profile journals. As a result, she argues, the field as a whole may be on thinner ice than it seems. The lack of rigor can lead to a misleading thought and perception, she warned.

Validation of Mansuys skepticism can be found in a recent study in eLife on epigenetic inheritance in fruit flies. Giovanni Bosco and his colleagues at Dartmouth College demonstrated that learned adaptive behaviors in fruit flies can be epigenetically inherited but that small RNAs are not sufficient to transmit this behavior.

In Drosophila, adult females raised with parasitic wasps learn to lay their eggs on food that contains ethanol, which protects the eggs and larvae from being parasitized by the wasps. This egg-laying preference occurs even when the mother herself was never exposed to ethanol, Bosco emphasized. Exposure to the wasp was in and of itself sufficient for the females to somehow epigenetically reprogram their eggs so that their daughters would be predisposed to have this behavior, he said.

The preference for egg laying on ethanol persists for five generations. Bosco, his graduate student Julianna Bozler, and Balint Kacsoh (now a postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania) hypothesized that small RNAs were involved in the inheritance of this behavior. To test this idea, they used a quirk of fly genetics to create flies with a pair of chromosomes that both came from the same parent (normally, both parents contribute to each pair). Boscos team reasoned that if small RNAs in the cytoplasm of the mothers egg were sufficient for inheritance of the learned behavior, then the offspring should exhibit the inherited behavior even if it received both pairs of chromosomes from the father.

In a series of experiments, Bozler, Kacsoh and Bosco demonstrated that small noncoding RNAs from the mother were not sufficient for transmitting the behavior between generations; an as yet unidentified epigenetic modification on chromosome 3 was also essential. They are currently investigating the nature of this epigenetic change.

To Bosco, the big question is: How does the signal from the brain reach an egg and change the information thats in the egg? Figuring this out would open the floodgates to ask: What else is the brain doing to the germline? What else are our cognitive experiences and environmental exposures impinging on the epigenome of the egg or sperm?

Most people, Bosco continued, would have no trouble accepting that exposure to a toxic chemical in our water or food could interact with the germline and change the epigenetic state of germ cells.

What I would suggest is that our brains are our pharmacies, Bosco said. Our brains are making chemicals all the time, such as neuropeptides and other neuromodulatory molecules with diverse functions. Some of those functions impinge directly on processes in other organs, including the reproductive system. If we can ingest a chemical from our environment that changes the epigenomes of the egg or sperm, why couldnt our brain make a similar molecule that does the same thing? he said.

At Cambridge, Burton has identified at least one of the ways in which information from the nervous system can be transmitted to the germline. In a 2017 Nature Cell Biology paper, he and his colleagues exposed C. elegans to high levels of salt to induce a state called osmotic stress. They discovered that the worms brain responded by secreting insulin-like peptides that change the egg-making cells (oocytes) in ways that induce an epigenetic change. The resulting alterations in gene expression in the oocytes lead the offspring to produce more glycerol, which protects them against osmotic stress.

You have a neuronal signal affecting the germ cells that looks to be adaptive, Burton said.

Mansuy has found that early-life trauma in mice leads to the release of stress hormones that affect the animal throughout its life span, producing depressed or risk-taking behaviors, metabolic dysregulation, and other health problems. They also affect the developing germ cells, causing the same behaviors and metabolic alterations to be inherited in the offspring for up to five generations. Previously, Mansuy had found that small RNAs were not sufficient to transmit these phenotypes in mice, just as they were not sufficient in the fruit flies. Something else was going on.

In a preprint recently posted on biorxiv.org, she and her colleagues report that by injecting the blood of traumatized mice into control mice, they could induce similar metabolic symptoms. The injected blood also appeared to affect the mices germ cells because their offspring inherited the metabolic abnormalities too.

The researchers identified some of the signaling molecules that transmitted the metabolic effects as fatty acids that can bind to receptor molecules, move into the nucleus and help activate the transcription of certain targeted genes. The receptors exist in germ cells, too, so they could be one of the ways in which information moves between blood and germ cells, Mansuy suggests.

One of the outstanding questions in the field is why epigenetic inheritance only lasts for a handful of generations and then stops, said Eric Greer, an epigeneticist at Harvard Medical School and Boston Childrens Hospital who studies the epigenetic inheritance of longevity and fertility in C. elegans. It appears to be a regulated process, in part because the effect persists at the same magnitude from one generation to the next, and then abruptly disappears. Moreover, in a paper published in Cell in 2016, Rechavi and colleagues described dedicated cell machinery and specific genes that control the duration of the epigenetically inherited response. So its an evolved mechanism that likely serves many important functions, Rechavi said.

But what exactly is adaptive about it? If the response is adaptive, why not hardwire it into the genome, where it could be permanently and reliably inherited?

In Murphys C. elegans model, because the learned avoidance behavior is transient (even if it is transgenerational), it allows animals to go back to eating bacteria that are nutritious but smell a lot like those pathogens, she explained. Sniffing out the difference between food and foes can be difficult, so worms that permanently avoid pathogens will miss out on nutritious food sources.

Greer concurs that there could generally be a cost to deploying an adaptive response permanently. For example, deploying antiviral defenses when pathogens arent around is a waste of resources that could be used instead for growth and reproduction.

Trade-offs could also constrain other adaptations. In Burtons 2017 study, worms exposed to P. aeruginosa produced offspring resistant to the pathogen, but that adaptation was deleterious to the offsprings ability to respond to other challenges, like osmotic stress. Unavoidable trade-offs between adaptations to different stresses make it impossible for the worms to be optimally adapted across the board.

In that scenario, you wouldnt want it hardwired into your genetics. Youd want this plasticity where you could program the adaptation, but also get rid of it, Burton explained. That may explain why stress appears to reset transgenerational small-RNA inheritance, as reported by Rechavi and his colleagues in a new preprint on biorxiv.org.

Very little work has been done to investigate mismatched stresses between parents and offspring, but a lot of literature suggests that these mismatched stresses might play a role in human diseases, Burton said. I think mechanistically looking at that is going to be really interesting, going forward.

Correction added on Oct. 16, 2019: The beginning of one sentence was rephrased to clarify that the described work in Murphys lab was not related to Rechavis experiments.

The rest is here:
Inherited Learning? It Happens, but How Is Uncertain - Quanta Magazine

Read More...

This image shows the aftermath of two galaxies colliding – CTV News

Monday, October 21st, 2019

An Ottawa astrophotographer who has been fascinated with space for years has earned recognition from NASA scientists for a dramatic image of the aftermath of two galaxies colliding.

In the photo, what looks like a pale but fiery strip of orange curls around a blue and purple swirl of stars. The two forms meet in a bright flare in the middle, creating the impression, as NASAs Astronomy Picture of the Day description puts it, that this galaxy is jumping through a giant ring of stars.

Rudy Pohl, the Ottawa man behind the processing of the image, said that theres a gravitational force that has been set up between them, sort of pulling it apart, though he was quick to add that he was not an astronomer himself.

In a phone interview with CTVNews.ca, Pohl said he was thrilled to have his photo chosen by NASAs Astronomy Picture of the Day -- his second image since he started submitting to NASA.

It's really extraordinary to get one of those, he said. Hundreds of images get submitted every day to NASA for this.

Astronomy Picture of the Day has been running since 1995, and each photo comes with an explanation of the image, provided by a professional astronomer.

Although it appears as though two galaxies are wrestling in front of our eyes, both the blue and orange arms in the picture are all part of the same galaxy: NGC 7714.

According to the description, the image shows how NGC 7714 has been stretched and distorted by a recent collision, with NGC 7715, a smaller, neighboring galaxy, that is off to the left out of the frame of the image.

Scientists believe that NGC 7715 charged right through NGC 7714.

The ring of golden light in the image is made up of millions of older stars thought to be similar to our sun, the description says, while the bright centre of NGC 7714 is the nexus of a new star formation for the galaxy.

Youd never guess it, looking at the vibrant colours in the picture, but this image started out life as a series of black and white photos taken by NASAs Hubble telescope.

It took hours of work to process the image, but it was work that Pohl, 69, was happy to do.

Pohl is part of an online community of astrophotographers who create stunning colour photographs of space. Although some have their own telescopes and equipment to take photos of the sky themselves, others rely on free archives, such as the Hubble Legacy Archive, to find the source images to create their masterpieces.

If the source images are black and white, does that mean those who process the images are choosing colours at random?

Not according to Pohl. The colour clues are in the filters used by Hubble, he said.

What they do is they put a colored filter in front of that black and white camera. In this case there are three colors, red, green, and blue. It's called RGB imaging. It's the same imaging as in our computer monitors and in our televisions, he explained.

Every single pixel is made up of a percentage of red, percentage of green and percentage of blue.

So the Hubble camera first puts a red filter in front of it, which means it blocks out everything but the red, and so the red wavelength hits the camera and you get an image.

Although the image still comes out looking black and white, it is effectively a picture of what the galaxy would look like if it was composed of only red light.

The process is repeated with blue filters and green filters, Pohl said, producing numerous images that -- while technically greyscale images -- contain a massive amount of information regarding where different wavelengths of light, and thus different colours, are concentrated in the image.

Astrophotographers take these different greyscale images and fill them with colour corresponding to the filter they were taken with, so they end up with numerous red, blue, and green layers of the same deep space object. When they line the different images up on top of each other, thats when the real picture of a galaxy, star or nebula starts to form.

It takes a lot of processing and refining of the different layers to filter out the noise in the images and produce a final photo that looks as crystal clear as Pohls picture of NGC 7714. Pohl said it can take anywhere from 12 to 16 hours to finish an image.

He used to have his own telescopes and equipment to image the heavens with, but when chronic illness advanced on him, he said he had to sell his gear.

Broke my heart to do it, he said.

Working with public archives of space images allowed him to hold onto his passion.

A love of science is something that has informed almost his entire life. Pohl got his undergraduate degree in molecular genetics at Carleton University, and met his wife while he was at it, who was also studying science. He only started posting astrophotography pictures within the last few years, but he's not slowing down now.

I'm going to be doing it for the rest of my life now, he said. I am so blown away, like when I think of the vastness of space.

NGC 7714 is around 100 million light years away from Earth, which makes it a relatively close cosmic neighbor.

According to APOD, NGC 7714 and NGC 7715 first started interacting around 150 million years ago, and are expected to continue for several hundred million years more, possibly resulting in the two combining into a single galaxy.

Link:
This image shows the aftermath of two galaxies colliding - CTV News

Read More...

Racial Disparities In NIH R01 Funding May Be Partly Caused By Topic Choice : Shots – Health News – NPR

Monday, October 21st, 2019

A recent study looked at funding rates for R01 grant applications, which are designed to support "health-related research and development based on the mission of the NIH." In general, population-based projects were less likely to be funded than explorations of cellular mechanisms, the study found. Will & Deni McIntyre/Science Source hide caption

A recent study looked at funding rates for R01 grant applications, which are designed to support "health-related research and development based on the mission of the NIH." In general, population-based projects were less likely to be funded than explorations of cellular mechanisms, the study found.

Black applicants to a prestigious research grant program at the National Institutes of Health are awarded funding at a significantly lower rate than their white peers. The NIH has been intensively investigating this funding gap since a 2011 report revealed the extent of the problem, looking for underlying mechanisms to use as opportunities for corrective intervention.

NIH's latest finding, described in a study released this month in the open-access journal Science Advances, reveals that part of the gap can be attributed to differences in the types of topics scientists propose studying and how those topics are valued by grant reviewers.

The study of grant applications submitted between 2011 and 2015 suggests African American scientists may be more likely to pursue research in topic areas such as community-oriented research on disease prevention, for example, versus more microscopic-level research on cellular mechanisms or the basics of genetics. Those population-based topics aren't being funded as readily.

And that's a problem with the system, some outside researchers point out not with the choice of research topic.

"I do think that the areas of research that apparently are being funded at a lower rate are important," says David Asai, senior director for science education at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and an advocate for diversity in STEM, who was not involved in the NIH analysis. "This study might prompt the community to think about the underlying biases we might have in deciding what sorts of research deserve greater attention."

The NIH study looked at funding rates in the form of successful applications for R01 grants, which are designed to support "health-related research and development based on the mission of the NIH."

Despite NIH efforts to diversify the pool of scholars doing medical research, white applicants for these grants continue to receive funding at nearly twice the rate of black applicants 17.7% of white applicants were approved in fiscal years 2011-2015 compared with 10.7% of black applicants.

The researchers analyzed keywords in the topics of 157,549 grant applications and found that some topics were close to four times more likely to gain funding support.

"Among the less favored [topics] are areas that include study of groups of people," says Dr. James Anderson, deputy director for program coordination, planning and strategic initiatives at the NIH and one of the authors of the paper.

"These topics are are described by words like socioeconomic status, physical activity, pregnancy," Anderson says. "The ones that did best were really about molecular mechanisms cells, or parts of cells. Words like cilium, DNA polymerase, chimeral chemistry, ribosome. It's not absolute, but it's really quite a striking distinction." The success rates by topic ranged from about 29% to 7.5%.

The researchers used self-reported demographic data in an optional portion of the application one that was not visible to the grant reviewers to identify each applicant's race. They found that over a third of the applications from black scientists were tied to just eight of the 150 topic clusters.

Six of those eight topics involved "communities, or health disparities, and so on," says Anderson, "and those were in the topics that didn't do quite as well" in the funding process.

This difference in topic preference can account for 20% of the overall funding gap for black applicants, the study found, after controlling for other variables such as the applicant's prior academic and professional experience and accomplishments.

Dr. Hannah Valantine, director of the Office of Scientific Workforce Diversity at the NIH and another author on the paper, says black scientists might be more drawn to certain topic areas at the population level because "connection to one's community, and seeing the disparities, drives people to go into science to create a better environment for their community."

"It's critically important that African American scientists are able to advance their career and stay in academia, not only for their own success, but for enhancing the diversity of the biomedical workforce," Valantine says. "Because we know already that when we have a diverse scientific enterprise, we come up with more creative solutions to the problems that we seek to solve."

That concern resonates with Stephani Page, a postdoctoral fellow in biophysics at Duke University Molecular Physiology Institute and initiator of the Twitter hashtag #BLACKandSTEM, even though her field of study lies on the more statistically successful end of the grant-getting spectrum.

"For me, personally," Page says, "the science that gets me really excited, and I get tingles about, tends to be more quantitative, mechanistic science. But I also have the experience of coming up growing up and being a mom as a black woman in this skin. So when I think about what I want my career to be, it's difficult for me to detach from my career meaning something to my community more broadly."

Page says she is losing hope that she can have the community impact she wants helping black scientists feel affirmed while working in her current field. "I don't want to be a scientist who can't be committed and devoted to changing the system," she says.

One underlying cause of the disparity this study documented, Page says, might be that many of the NIH reviewers who evaluate grant proposals only 2.4% of whom were black in this study lack a certain lens when evaluating what research topics deserve priority.

"If you haven't grown up with inequity as deeply ingrained in your lived experience, it's not going to be as important a lens in your life decisions," she says. "The fact that there's data behind it now gives us a space to talk about it differently. Now we can begin to say that the lens makes a difference."

Valantine says the NIH is also actively evaluating whether the disparity is partly due to racial bias by reviewers. A study to be published early next year, she says, "will tell us whether, if we anonymize an application, we can close this gap."

Whatever the causes of the diversity gap, she says, the NIH is committed to closing it, and the study's results suggest several areas of intervention that could help. For one, the NIH has already begun mentoring programs aimed at increasing the diversity of the grant applicant pool.

"Black applicants submitted only 1.5% of the total applications for these R01s," Valantine says, adding that "we must do all we can" to increase that percentage.

In the meantime, the underfunded topics that the study identified are " 'mission critical' areas of NIH," Valantine says. "The solution is figuring out, within NIH, how we can make sure that those areas are funded."

Read more from the original source:
Racial Disparities In NIH R01 Funding May Be Partly Caused By Topic Choice : Shots - Health News - NPR

Read More...

Dr. Behrooz Torkian partners with the Exclusive Haute Beauty Network – PR Web

Monday, October 21st, 2019

The Haute Beauty Network, well known for its exclusivity, and luxurious lifestyle, is privileged to present Dr. Torkian as a leading Face Expert and our newest addition to the Haute Living partnership.

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) October 21, 2019

Dr. Behrooz Torkian, a dual board-certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon representing the Los Angeles market, has joined the esteemed Haute Beauty network.

The Haute Beauty Network, well known for its exclusivity, and luxurious lifestyle, is privileged to present Dr. Torkian as a leading Face Expert and our newest addition to the Haute Living partnership.

Haute Beauty offers a prominent collective of leading doctors nationwide. The invitation-only exclusive network maintains elite as ever, with only two doctors in every market. This partnership allows Haute Beauty to connect its affluent readers with industry-leading doctors.

Visit Dr. Torkian's Haute Beauty Profile - https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/member/dr-behrooz-torkian/

About Dr. Torkian:

Dr. Behrooz A. Torkian is a Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon dual board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS). He is a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) and focuses his practice exclusively on the face and nose. Dr. Torkian graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. He then completed his education with a Medical Doctorate at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He went on to complete his specialty training in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, Irvine, where he won multiple prizes in recognition of his original research during residency. Dr. Torkian then completed a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of California, Irvine. He is one of a select group of surgeons to have trained in a prestigious Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery under the auspices of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Torkian serves as Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Irvine in the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, and adjunct faculty at Lasky Clinic fellowship in facial plastic surgery. He continues to hold this title as Volunteer Clinical Faculty in order to teach the fellows and residents interested in Facial Plastic Surgery. His vast experience has prepared Dr. Torkian to provide the highest level of care in Plastic Surgery of the Face and Nose.

Dr. Torkian notes, My aesthetic goals for each patient are to safely and effectively improve their features to accent their natural beauty without the obvious stigmata of cosmetic surgery. My patients often tell me, people cannot tell what I have had done. They say I look refreshed and well-rested not done' the utmost compliment to patient and surgeon alike."

Share article on social media or email:

Continue reading here:
Dr. Behrooz Torkian partners with the Exclusive Haute Beauty Network - PR Web

Read More...

Visiongain Report Researches Growth Opportunities Within the $138bn Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market – P&T Community

Monday, October 21st, 2019

- Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market 2019-2029

- Active Ingredient (API) and Finished Dose Formulation (FDF), Generic APIs, HPAPIs, Solid Dosages, Injectable Dosages

LONDON, Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% in the first half of the forecast period. The API Manufacturing submarket held 67% of the market in 2018. Visiongain estimated that the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market will reach $138bn in 2024.

How this report will benefit youRead on to discover how you can exploit the future business opportunities emerging in this sector.

In this brand new 231-page report you will receive 73 tables and 55 figures all unavailable elsewhere.

The 231-page Visiongain report provides clear detailed insight into the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market. Discover the key drivers and challenges affecting the market.

By ordering and reading our brand-new report today you stay better informed and ready to act.

To request sample pages from this report please contact Sara Peerun at sara.peerun@visiongain.com or refer to our website: https://www.visiongain.com/report/pharmaceutical-contract-manufacturing-market-2019-2029/#download_sampe_div

Report Scope

Global Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market forecasts from 2019-2029

Submarket forecasts at world level, from 2019-2029: Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), with sub forecasts for generic APIs, high potency active pharma ingredients (HPAPIs) and other products Finished dosage formulations (FDFs), with sub forecasts for solid dose forms, injectable dosages and other dosage types Other applications of outsourced production other related services

Revenue forecasts from 2019-2029, for these regional and national markets: The US Canada Japan EU5: Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain BRIC: Brazil, Russia, India, China South Korea Turkey Mexico Others

Assessment of selected leading companies that hold major market shares in the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing industry

Qualitative Analysis from a CMO Perspective

Qualitative Analysis from a Client Perspective

Key questions answered by this report: What is the current size of the total global pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market? How much will this market be worth from 2018 to 2029? How is the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market evolving? What is driving and restraining the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market? What are the market shares of each segment of the overall pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market currently and how will these change to 2029? What are the main submarkets and how much revenue will each pharmaceutical contract manufacturing submarket account for over the next 10 years to 2029 and why? How will the market shares for each pharmaceutical contract manufacturing submarket develop from 2018 to 2029? Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period? How will the industry evolve to 2029? What are the largest national markets for pharmaceutical contract manufacturing? What is the current status and how will it develop over the next ten years? What are their forecasts for 2019-2029? Who are the most prominent companies, and what are their activities and outlooks? What are the main trends that will affect the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market between 2018 and 2029?

To request a report overview of this report please contact Sara Peerun at sara.peerun@visiongain.com or refer to our website: https://www.visiongain.com/report/pharmaceutical-contract-manufacturing-market-2019-2029/

Did you know that we also offer a report add-on service? Email sara.peerun@visiongain.com to discuss any customized research needs you may have.

Companies covered in the report include:

AbbVieActavisADC BiotechnologyAegerion PharmaceuticalsAenova GroupAesica PharmaAgensysAgila SpecialtiesAjinomoto Althea IncAlexion PharmaceuticalsAlmac GroupAlthea TechnologiesAMRI (Albany Molecular Research Inc)API Corporation (APIC)Aspen PharmacareAstellasAstraZenecaBanner Life SciencesBanner PharmacapsBaring Private Equity AsiaBausch & LombBayer HealthcareBen Venue LaboratoriesBend ResearchBiogen IdecBioIndustry Association (BIA)BiotestBlackstone GroupBoehringer IngelheimBoehringer Ingelheim BioXcellenceBristol-Myers Squibb CompanyBushu PharmaceuticalsCambrexCambridge Major LaboratoriesCatalent Pharma SolutionsCedarburg HauserCell Therapy CatapultCelldex TherapeuticsCelltrionCenexiChemisch-Pharmazeutisches Laboratorium RavensburgChemtrixChina FDA (CFDA)CiplaCook PharmicaCordenPharmaCTC BioDaito PharmaceuticalDelpharmDishman PharmaceuticalsDPx Fine ChemicalsDPx Holdings B.V.Dr. Reddy's LaboratoriesDSP (DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals)EisaiEli LillyEsteve QuimicaEuticalsEvonik DegussaFamarFarevaFUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies,Gallus Biopharmaceutical, LLC.G-CONGEA Pharma-SystemsGenentechGlaxoSmithKline (GSK)Granules IndiaHaupt PharmaHexalHospiraHospira One2OneImmunoGenImmunomedicsIndian Pharmaceutical AllianceInnovent BiologicsIRIX PharmaceuticalsJanssenJK PharmaceuticalJohnson & JohnsonKnowledge Transfer Network (KTN)LonzaLupinMarinopoulos GroupMatrix LaboratoriesMediceMedichemMerck & Co.Micron TechnologiesMillenniumMitsui & CoMomenta PharmaceuticalsMylanNeuland LaboratoriesNICE InsightNPS PharmaceuticalsNycomedOrchid Chemicals & PharmaceuticalsOxford BiomedicaPatheonPatheon BiologicsPfizerPharmapak TechnologiesPiramal Pharma SolutionsProgenicsQuintilesRecepta BiopharmaRecipharmRedwood BioscienceRentschler BiotechnologieRocheRoyal DSMSAFCSafeBridgeSamsung BioepisSamsung BioLogicsSandozSanofiSeattle GeneticsShandong XinhuaShangPharmaShireSiegfried AGSigmar ItaliaSMS PharmaceuticalsSolvias AGSpeedelStadaStem CentRxStevenage Bioscience CatalystTakedaTemmler GroupTeva APIThermo Fisher ScientificUMN PharmaUNIGENValeant PharmaceuticalsValerion Therapeutics, LLC.Vetter Pharma-Fertigung GmbHVivante GMP SolutionsWest Pharmaceutical ServicesWuXi PharmaTechZhangjiang Biotech & Pharmaceutical Base CompanyZhejiang Jiang Yuan Tang Biotechnology

List or Organizations Mentioned in the ReportAgncia Nacional de Vigilncia Sanitria (ANVISA)Asociacin Espaola de Fabricantes de Productos de Qumica Fina (AFAQUIM)Associao Brasileira da Indstria Farmoqumica e de Insumos Farmacuticos (ABIQUIFI)Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)Department of Health and Family WelfareDevelopment and Reform Commission (NDRC)European CommissionEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA)Food and Drug Administration (US FDA)Indian Drug Manufacturer's Association (IDMA)International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (IPSE)Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA)Korea Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Association (KPMA)Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP)Ministry of Health (MOH)Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW)Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA)World Health Organization (WHO)

To see a report overview please e-mail Sara Peerun on sara.peerun@visiongain.com

Related reports:

Pharma Leader Series: Top 30 Ophthalmic Drug Manufacturers 2019-2029

Global Medical Device Contract Manufacturing Market Forecast 2019-2029

Top 30 Pharmaceutical Wholesale & Distribution Organizations 2019

Generic Drugs Market Forecast 2019-2029

Checkpoint Inhibitors for Anti-Cancer Treatment Market 2019-2029

Top 30 Oncology Drugs Manufacturers 2019

Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/523989/Visiongain_Logo.jpg

Continued here:
Visiongain Report Researches Growth Opportunities Within the $138bn Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market - P&T Community

Read More...

Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market to Reach at a CAGR of 8.48% by 2026 With NEOGEN CORPORATION , Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Virbac, General…

Monday, October 21st, 2019

The Global Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market is expected to rise from its initial estimated value of USD 453.83 million in 2018 to an estimated value of USD 870.34 million by 2026 registering a CAGR of 8.48% in the forecast period of 2019-2026. Molecular diagnostic market is driven by Increasing incidence of numerous animal diseases and by increasing expenditure on pet animal.

Global Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market By Technology (PCR kits, INAAT kits, Microarray kits, DNA sequencing kits), Product (Instruments & Software, Kits & Reagents, Services), , Animal Type (Companion Animals, Livestock Animals), Disease Indication (Vector-borne Diseases, Respiratory Pathogens Detection, Diarrhea Pathogens Detection, Others), Application (Infectious Diseases, Oncology, Genetics, Microbiology), End-User ( Veterinary Hospitals, Clinical Laboratories, Research Institutes),Geography (Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa) Industry Trends & Forecast to 2026

Get Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-veterinary-molecular-diagnostics-market

Some of the major market competitors currently working in the veterinary molecular diagnostics market are IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., VCA, Inc., Abaxis, Heska Corporation , Zoetis , NEOGEN CORPORATION , Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Virbac, General Electric Company, Agfa-Gevaert Group., Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics, Inc., Novacyt Group, Qiagen , Biomedica Medizinprodukte GmbH & Co KG, Veterinary Laboratory HealthGene Corp. , Bioneer, Abaxis, Neogen Corporatio.

Market Definition: Global Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market

The molecular diagnostic is a laboratory method for examining the RNA or DNA or other proteins in humans and animals which is used to identify diseases or the predisposition stage . The scope of this diagnostic comprises of the various clinical testing devices, supplies and reagents and which are used in hospitals, commercial laboratories, clinics, reference laboratories and research institutes for identifying disease indications for identifying and monitoring. Veterinary molecular diagnostics provides a number of benefits than the other traditional diagnostic techniques like fast shifting time (within 2.53 hours), high test specificity and sensitivity, and better distinction among the birulent and avirulant strains.

Market Drivers:

Market Restraints:

Download Detailed TOC @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-veterinary-molecular-diagnostics-market

Segmentation: Global Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market

By Technology

By Product

By Animal Type

By Disease Indication

By Application

By End-User

By Geography

Key Developments in the Market:

In Jan 2018, Mars Petcare(U.S.) acquired Genoscoper Laboratories(Finland), a specialist in molecular diagnostics for companion animals. This acquisition will help in accelerate discovery of genetic health markers for companion animals.

Competitive Analysis: Global Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market

The global veterinary molecular diagnostics market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of veterinary molecular diagnostics market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.

Customization of the Report:

Inquiry Before Buying @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-veterinary-molecular-diagnostics-market

Read more from the original source:
Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market to Reach at a CAGR of 8.48% by 2026 With NEOGEN CORPORATION , Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Virbac, General...

Read More...

World Renowned Experts Appointed to Skyhawk Therapeutics Scientific Advisory Board – Yahoo Finance

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

The company expands its Scientific Advisory Board with four additional RNA splicing, genetics, and disease experts, who join SAB Chair Professor Tyler Jacks & special advisor Professor Phil Sharp as well as several other internationally-recognized SAB members.

WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Skyhawk Therapeutics, Inc. ("Skyhawk"), a drug discovery and development company focused on revolutionizing disease treatment with small molecules that modify RNA expression, today announced the appointment of four additional internationally recognized experts in RNA biology and disease to its Scientific Advisory Board.

Skyhawk Therapeutics, Inc. (PRNewsfoto/Skyhawk Therapeutics)

"I am thrilled that we have assembled such a stellar group of RNA biology and human disease experts for Skyhawk's Scientific Advisory Board," said Prof. Tyler Jacks, Director of MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and Chair of Skyhawk's SAB. "We look forward to having their combined knowledge and wisdom help guide Skyhawk's research and development efforts, to progress even more rapidly towards groundbreaking new approaches and therapies for patients with a variety of difficult-to-treat diseases."

Prof. Ben Blencowe is an internationally recognizedRNA biologist who has made pioneering contributions to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling alternative splicing and their roles in evolution, development and disease. He holds the Banbury Chair of Medical Research and is Professor in the Donnelly Centre at the University of Toronto; he also serves as Director of the Donnelly Sequencing Centre. Prof. Blencowe has received numerous awards and honors for his research excellence and was recently elected Fellow of the Royal Society (UK).

Dr. Ben Ebert is the George P. Canellos, MD and Jean S. Canellos Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Chair of Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His research focuses on the genetics, biology, and therapy of myeloid malignancies. His work has led to the characterization of clonal hematopoiesis as a pre-malignant state for hematologic malignancies, and elucidation of the mechanism of action of lenalidomide and related molecules that induce degradation of specific proteins. Dr. Ebert has served as president of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Association of American Physicians.

Prof. Jeannie T. Lee is Professor of Genetics and Pathology at Harvard Medical School, the Blavatnik Institute, and the Massachusetts General Hospital. She specializes in the study of epigenetic regulation by long noncoding RNAs and uses X-chromosome inactivation as a model system. Prof. Lee also translates basic knowledge to find treatments for genetic disorders and co-founded two publicly traded companies Translate Bio and Fulcrum Therapeutics. She is a Member of the National Academy of Sciences, a 2018 Harrington Rare Disease Scholar, the 2016 recipient of the Lurie Prize, a 2016 recipient of the Centennial Award from the Genetics Society of America, the 2010 awardee of the Molecular Biology Prize from the National Academy of Sciences, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Prof. Maurice Swanson is an expert on the regulation of RNA alternative processing during mammalian development and how this regulation is disrupted in neurological and neuromuscular diseases, including some types of muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prof. Swanson is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine and Associate Director of the Center for NeuroGenetics. His lab focuses on the functions of repetitive DNA elements, particularly microsatellites or short tandem repeats (STRs), in RNA-mediated disorders. An important objective of these studies is to enhance tissue regeneration following treatment modalities designed to block the toxicity of STR.

Story continues

These four new members join Skyhawk's existing Scientific Advisory Board members & advisors including:

About Skyhawk TherapeuticsSkyhawk Therapeutics is committed to discovering, developing and commercializing therapies that use its novel SkySTAR (Skyhawk Small molecule Therapeutics for Alternative splicing of RNA) platform to build small molecule drugs that bring breakthrough treatments to patients.

For more information visit: http://www.skyhawktx.com, https://twitter.com/Skyhawk_Tx, https://www.linkedin.com/company/skyhawk-therapeutics/

SKYHAWK MEDIA CONTACT:Anne Deconinckanne@skyhawktx.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-renowned-experts-appointed-to-skyhawk-therapeutics-scientific-advisory-board-300938290.html

See the original post here:
World Renowned Experts Appointed to Skyhawk Therapeutics Scientific Advisory Board - Yahoo Finance

Read More...

New Viruses Found in Farmed and Wild Salmon – Hakai Magazine

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

Article body copy

Researchers have found three new-to-science viruses in chinook and sockeye salmon in British Columbia. The discovery, led by Gideon Mordecai, a University of British Columbia molecular biologist who studies the ecology of viruses, is part of a larger investigation into whether viruses are contributing to the steep declines in wild British Columbia salmon populations over the past 30 years. The researchers now aim to find out if these infectious agents are being transmitted from farmed to wild fish. Whether farmed fish sicken wild fish is a key concern of fishers; local First Nations, for whom salmon is a critical part of their livelihoods and cultures; and people who worry about the fate of the struggling, chinook-eating southern resident killer whales.

Of the three new viruses, one, an arenavirus, was found in farmed, hatchery, and wild chinook and sockeye salmon. A nidovirus was found in farmed, hatchery, and wild chinook. And a reovirus was found only in farmed salmon.

Arenaviruses are known to primarily infect mammals, so the researchers were surprised to find one in salmon. Farmed fish with the arenavirus had anemia and damage to their gills, kidneys, spleens, swim bladders, and livers. The nidovirus is from a group that includes the viruses behind severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which affect mammals lungs. This nidovirus was mostly found in the salmons gills. The reovirus is related to viruses that cause hemorrhagic diseases that have killed many fish in Chinese aquaculture.

The discoveries contribute to a growing understanding of the threats facing British Columbias wild salmon.

A decade ago, people thought the main causes of salmon population declines were development of land around rivers, which makes streams warmer and pushes sediment into rivers, and climate change, which warms the ocean and causes currents and prey species to move. But in 2011, Kristi Miller, head of molecular genetics at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, British Columbia, showed that infectious diseases may be contributing as well.

In 2013, Miller became the head of genomic research for the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative, a collaboration among Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the nonprofits Pacific Salmon Foundation and Genome BC.* This new study is one of more than 30 the initiative has done to investigate the population declines.

In the project, Mordecai, Miller, and their colleagues first studied dead and dying farmed chinook and used DNA analyses to identify the previously unknown viruses.

They looked at the farmed fish first because it is difficult to find diseased fish in the wild. On fish farms, diseases are much more obvious because fish are routinely found dead or dying with abnormalities on their bodies. As with any type of factory farming, the unnatural, crowded conditions of fish farms foster disease. Sick wild fish dont usually die from their diseases, says Miller. As soon as their swim performance or visual acuity is affected, theyre eaten. This is a big part of why salmon viruses are understudied, says Mordecai.

But thanks to new tools, Mordecais team was able to find the viruses in wild salmon, which they had collected and tested in the lab. Although the wild fish were not yet showing evidence of disease, the researchers used molecular analyses to see if their immune responses were triggered by a virus. If researchers could not detect a known virus, they looked for new viruses using next-generation DNA sequencing that allowed them to map genomes quickly, searching much more broadly than earlier methods. This is so incredibly powerful; it essentially allows fish to talk to us, says scientist turned activist Alexandra Morton, who was not involved with this study.

Although the scientists found that the viruses were infecting the salmons cells, they have not proved that they cause diseases, says Mordecai. Although it might seem obvious to assume that dead farmed salmon died from disease, their deaths could be caused by something other than the viruses in question. Linking the new viruses to diseases is the next research step.

The scientists are also unsure if the viruses are being passed between farmed and wild fish. They tested chinook and sockeye salmon from different locations as a first step to understanding possible transmission. Then they will use genomic sequencing to see whether viruses found in different populations are the same. Tracking transmission is relatively easy to do with viruses because they mutate rapidly so you can follow the transmission pathway, says Miller.

As Mordecai puts it: If you infected me with a cold virus, we could look at the sequence of the virus in me and the virus in you and see theyre closely related. Whereas a virus someone picked up a six-hour drive away or in the UK might be different.

First Nations activists who are fighting fish farms in their territories feel certain that farmed fish are spreading disease to wild fish. Chief Ernest Alfred of the Namgis First Nation in Alert Bay occupied the Swanson Bay fish farm in protest for 280 days. He and other occupiers took daily photos of sick fish, including some that were deformed or yellowing, a sign of jaundice. There were also all sorts of skin disorders, there was blindness. Hes also seen wild salmon in British Columbias rivers and streams with similar symptoms, many of which die before spawning.

Despite recent studies highlighting the likelihood of transmission of another virusPiscine orthoreovirusfrom farmed to wild salmon, neither government nor industry has taken preventative action, such as testing farmed fish prior to moving them to ocean pens. In the current federal election campaign, the Liberal and Green parties announced a commitment to phase out ocean fish farms by 2025. But Alfred and Morton, who are following political developments closely, say they remain skeptical that government will get tough on industry to protect wild salmon.

Miller also questions whether election promises will translate into real change, but she is encouraged that public pressure is having an effect. As for whether that results in shifts in policies and regulations, we have to wait and see, she says.

Correction: Genome BC is a nonprofit, not a private company.

Read more from the original source:
New Viruses Found in Farmed and Wild Salmon - Hakai Magazine

Read More...

Meet The Cast of Charmed Season 2 – TVOvermind

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

Why anyone feels the need to keep remaking shows again and again is hard to imagine, but apparently enough people are willing to sit through another version of a show that they might have watched when it first aired simply because theres a new cast and, as a lot of people are praising, its more diverse now. Neetha K of Meaww still isnt convinced and I cant blame her. Im still trying to figure out how thats going to immediately make the show better but its definitely appeasing the people who have presented the loudest and most insistent voices throughout the years but havent seemed to realize that if actors are going to be selected they have to actually know how to act and not get their parts based on their race, gender, or any other factor apart from their talent. As if this wasnt enough, the middle sister is a lesbian and they all play Latina sisters despite the fact that one of them is Afro-Caribbean, one is Puerto Rican, and the other is a mix of African American, English, and Indigenous Canadian. At this point just using names must be too difficult since so many people have to display their pedigree so that others know how to address and think about them. At any rate, here are the cast members that are currently rounding out the second season of Charmed.

The middle sister of the bunch is portrayed as a very strong-willed feminist and is also an activist. Shes a graduate student and as mentioned is an open lesbian that had to wipe the memory of herself from her lovers mind. The power shes been given is to freeze time, which seems like a rather dangerous power when one really stops to think about it since the implications for such a thing are kind of dire. Eventually though it was revealed that Mel is the half-sister and not Macy.

Macy is a lot more practical than her sisters and is even labeled as a science nerd in a way. She has her PhD in molecular genetics and eventually moves to Hilltowne to work in the university. The revelation that she has two half-sisters in town is something of a shock but is necessary since the story kind of hinges on the trio getting together and discovering their powers so that they can act as the saviors of the town. The power she wields is telekinesis, being able to move objects with her mind, and once again its kind of a dangerous power to have but one that seems a lot more common in supernatural tales.

Maggie is the youngest and most upbeat of the sisters and shes the only one of them that seems to want to hide what she is and not really embrace it as shes trying to pledge a sorority and being a witch could ruin everything. Instead of having the power of premonition however as was seen in the original show Maggie has the power of empathy, meaning that she can read the emotions of other people and understand what theyre feeling and their emotional state at that moment. This is perhaps the most passive of the powers that the witches possess and seems as though it might be kind of useless, but it has shown to be an asset in past movies and shows that have utilized it.

Harry is the guy thats known as a Whitelighter, a guardian angel that protects and guides the witches when hes needed. Its kind of amusing in such a woke show that theres still a white male that is being used as a guide and a mentor for three diverse young women that are bound to become stronger when they unite, but it does seem to be introduced as a positive idea since hes more hands off and allows them to simply learn the ropes on their own while sticking around to see how things go.

You had to know that there would be a demon presence in this show and that eventually it would end up coming down to being one of the love interests of one of the witches. Maggie and Nick obviously cant stay together since he has to deal with the demon side of his being, but it feels safe to say that hell be back at some point since the two of them share something thats not bound to be thrown away.

It would seem that as different as the show is striving to be that there are still a lot of similarities that are being kept for good or ill, and at this moment its hard to say whether or not its bound to continue for more than a couple of seasons. As of now season 2 has been approved as per Abby Robinson of DigitalSpy, but its going to have step things up if it wants to improve.

Follow this link:
Meet The Cast of Charmed Season 2 - TVOvermind

Read More...

Applied Therapeutics to Present Data Highlighting AT-007 for the Treatment of Galactosemia at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2019…

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:APLT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of novel drug candidates against validated molecular targets in indications of high unmet medical need, today announced the Company will give an oral presentation of data at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2019 Annual Meeting in Houston (October 15-19) on AT-007, a central nervous system (CNS) penetrant Aldose Reductase inhibitor (ARI) in Phase 1/2 development for treatment of Galactosemia. In addition, the Company will host an ASHG Educational Symposium featuring a panel of Galactosemia experts.

Details on the Oral Presentation and Educational Symposium are below:

Oral Presentation

Title: AT-007, a Novel CNS Penetrant Aldose Reductase Inhibitor Prevents the Metabolic and Tissue Specific Abnormalities of Galactosemia, in a GALT Deficient Rat Model of DiseaseDate and Time: Saturday, October 19, 2019, 8:30-8:45am CTPresenter: Riccardo Perfetti, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Applied TherapeuticsSession: 99Location: Room 370A Level 3/Convention Center

The presentation will be available on the ASHG conference website as well as the Applied Therapeutics website following the session.

Galactosemia Educational Symposium

Title: Development of an Oral Treatment for GalactosemiaDate and Time: Thursday, October 17, 2019, 12:45-2:00pm CTLocation: Marriott Marquis Houston, Room Briargrove AB, Level 3Key Topics:

Additional details for the event can be found here.

About Galactosemia Galactosemia is a rare metabolic disease that affects how the body processes a simple sugar called galactose, and for which there is no known cure or approved treatment available. Galactose is found in foods, but the human body also naturally produces galactose on its own, so dietary restriction cant prevent complications of disease. It is estimated that the U.S. Galactosemia population is approximately 2,800 patients, based on newborn screening data identifying 2,500 infants through 2014, and the estimated birth rate of 80 patients per year. High levels of galactose circulating in the blood and tissues of Galactosemia patients enables Aldose Reductase to convert galactose to a toxic metabolite, called galactitol, which causes long-term complications ranging from CNS dysfunction to cataracts.

About AT-007AT-007 is a central nervous system (CNS) penetrant Aldose Reductase inhibitor (ARI) in Phase 1/2 development for treatment of Galactosemia. AT-007 has been studied in in an animal model of Galactosemia, which demonstrated that AT-007 reduces toxic galactitol levels and prevents disease complications.Applied Therapeuticsis conducting a biomarker based development program in patients with Galactosemia, based on the recently released draft industry guidance on drug development for low prevalence, slowly progressing rare metabolic diseases. The company received Orphan Designation for AT-007 for Galactosemia inMay 2019.

About Applied TherapeuticsApplied Therapeuticsis a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of novel drug candidates against validated molecular targets in indications of high unmet medical need. The companys lead drug candidate, AT-001, is a novel aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) that is being developed for the treatment of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy, or DbCM, a fatal fibrosis of the heart. The company initiated a Phase 3 registrational study in DbCM inSeptember 2019.Applied Therapeuticsis also developing AT-007, a central nervous system penetrant ARI, for the treatment of Galactosemia, a rare pediatric metabolic disease, and initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial inJune 2019. The preclinical pipeline also includes AT-003, an ARI designed to cross through the back of the eye when dosed orally, for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, expected to advance into a Phase 1 study in 2020.

Forward-looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this press release regarding strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives of management, including words such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "intend," and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are forward-looking statements. These include, without limitation, statements regarding(i) the design, scope and results of our clinical trials, (ii) the timing of the initiation and completion of our clinical trials, (iii) the likelihood that data from our clinical trials will support future development of our product candidates, (iv) the likelihood of obtaining regulatory approval of our product candidates and qualifying for any special designations, such as orphan drug designation, (v) our cash runway and the timing of our clinical development plan.Forward-looking statements in this release involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and we, therefore cannot assure you that our plans, intentions, expectations or strategies will be attained or achieved. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the uncertainties inherent in the initiation, execution and completion of clinical trials, in the timing of availability of trial data, in the results of the clinical trials, in the actions of regulatory agencies, in the commercialization and acceptance of new therapies. Factors that may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in our filings with theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Risk Factors contained therein. Except as otherwise required by law, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.

Contacts

Investors:Maeve Conneighton(212) 600-1902 orappliedtherapeutics@argotpartners.com

Media:Brittany Horowitz(212) 704-4466 ormedia@appliedtherapeutics.com

Read the original:
Applied Therapeutics to Present Data Highlighting AT-007 for the Treatment of Galactosemia at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2019...

Read More...

Bionano Genomics Announces Adoption of Its Saphyr System by Clinical Cytogenetics Groups in Academia and Industry to Replace Traditional Methods for…

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bionano Genomics, Inc. (NASDAQ: BNGO), a life sciences instrumentation company that develops and markets the Saphyr system, a genome imaging platform for ultra-sensitive and ultra-specific genome-wide structural variation detection, today announced that leading organizations, including PerkinElmer Genomics and the University of Iowa, have adopted Saphyr for use in their clinical genomics laboratories. PerkinElmer Genomics and the University of Iowa have developed assays based on the Bionano optical mapping technology to expand their comprehensive suite of genetic tests assessing disease-associated chromosomal abnormalities. Their lead indication is Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD).

FSHD is one of the most prevalent forms of muscular dystrophy and affects approximately 1 in 10,000 individuals. It is caused by changes in the number of repeats in a section of chromosome 4. To correctly diagnose FSHD, an exact count of the repeat number is necessary. To date, molecular diagnoses for FSHD are generated using outdated Southern Blot techniques, which are imprecise, labor intensive and involve radioactive labeling methods which are being phased out of laboratory use for safety reasons. In contrast, the assays developed by PerkinElmer Genomics and the University of Iowawith the Bionano EnFocus FSHD Analysis tool are reproducible, safe, fast, and automated with minimal hands-on time. These assays provide an exact repeat number for the pathogenic and non-pathogenic variants, give a high-resolution view of the repeat regions and have a high sensitivity to mosaicism.

Jamshid Arjomand, Ph.D., CSO of the FSHD Society, the leading research-focused patient organization forFSHD, said, The FSHD community has been waiting years for an accessible and robust assay like this. The lack of timely and affordable genetic testing has been a major hurdle for the FSHD community. Thousands of patients have never received a molecular diagnosis, which limits successful recruitment into the increasing number of clinical research and clinical trial studies for this devastating disease. We are delighted that Bionanos Saphyr system enables a more precise and higher throughput method for FSHD genetic testing and are grateful to diagnostic groups and companies that are making genetic testing more accessible to our families.

We are pleased to be the first US laboratory to develop and validate an assay based on the Bionano Saphyr system in a clinical setting under CLIA/CAP guidelines" stated Madhuri Hegde, Ph.D., FACMG, Vice President and CSO of PerkinElmer Genomics. "We are committed to helping patients and families that need genetic testing and are excited about the strong clinical utility of this assay for the molecular assessment of FSHD patients."

Erik Holmlin, Ph.D., CEO of Bionano, commented, We have always believed that Bionanos unique ability to image long, intact DNA molecules could enable the Saphyr system users to develop assays in a clinical setting to modernize and streamline the practice of cytogenetics. Our teams have worked tirelessly to improve the speed, quality, throughput, and robustness of the optical mapping application of genome imaging while simultaneously reducing cost, assay complexity and data analysis. We believe Saphyr is ready to be adopted for assay development in a routine clinical workflow, and we are thrilled that PerkinElmer Genomics and the University of Iowa are taking the lead in making the Saphyr system a tool for next-generation cytogenomics, with many other academic, CRO and reference laboratories expected to follow. We believe that FSHD is just the start of a wide array of clinical genetics assays that labs will develop with our technology.

Results of the PerkinElmer Genomics FSHD evaluation study using the Saphyr system will be presented by Alka Chaubey, Ph.D., FACMG, Head of Cytogenomics and Laboratory Director at PerkinElmer Genomics at the Bionano Genomics ASHG exhibitor workshop on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 from 12:45 pm 2:00 pm at the Houston Marriott Marquis. More information about the workshop can be found online, and a recording will be made available on Bionanos website.

Bionano will showcase the Bionano EnFocus FSHD Analysis tool for fast, streamlinedbioinformaticsassessment of theFSHD locusfrom genome-wide optical mapping data at booth #527 during the annualAmerican Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, Oct. 15-19, 2019.

About Bionano Genomics

Bionano is a life sciences instrumentation company in the genome analysis space. Bionano develops and markets the Saphyr system, a platform for ultra-sensitive and ultra-specific structural variation detection that enables researchers and clinicians to accelerate the search for new diagnostics and therapeutic targets andto establish digital cytogenetics, which is designed to be a more systematic, streamlined and industrialized form of traditional cytogenetics. The Saphyr system comprises an instrument, chip consumables, reagents and a suite of data analysis tools. More information about Bionano Genomics is available at http://www.bionanogenomics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as may, will, expect, plan, anticipate, estimate, intend and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes and are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, including, among other things: conclusions as to Saphyrs potential as a powerful new tool in cytogenetics; Saphyrs potential contribution to improvements in traditional cytogenetics; the University of Iowas or PerkinElmer Genomics plans to develop additional assays using our technology; our beliefs regarding the Saphyr systems readiness for clinical adoption andour expectations regarding adoption by other academic, CRO and reference laboratories using our technology; PerkinElmer Genomics commercial plans; plans of other Saphyr system users to implement their own assays for FSHD and other genetic disorders; and certain planned presentations by PerkinElmer Genomics and us. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the risks that our sales, revenue, expense and other financial guidance may not be as expected, as well as risks and uncertainties associated with general market conditions; changes in the competitive landscape and the introduction of competitive products; changes in our strategic and commercial plans; our ability to obtain sufficient financing to fund our strategic plans and commercialization efforts; the ability of key clinical studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of our products; the loss of key members of management and our commercial team; and the risks and uncertainties associated with our business and financial condition in general, including the risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and in other filings subsequently made by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management's assumptions and estimates as of such date. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.

Contacts

Company Contact:Mike Ward, CFOBionano Genomics, Inc.+1 (858) 888-7600mward@bionanogenomics.com

Investor Relations Contact:Ashley R. RobinsonLifeSci Advisors, LLC+1 (617)775-5956arr@lifesciadvisors.com

Media Contact:Kirsten ThomasThe Ruth Group+1 (508) 280-6592kthomas@theruthgroup.com

Go here to see the original:
Bionano Genomics Announces Adoption of Its Saphyr System by Clinical Cytogenetics Groups in Academia and Industry to Replace Traditional Methods for...

Read More...

"There is no reason for germline therapy" – Mirage News

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

Stefan Mundlos, from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, explains why there will be no designer babies in the near future

The first genetically modified humans were born in China in 2018. Now scientists and politicians in Russia are discussing whether using CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the genome of human embryos should be permitted. Stefan Mundlos, of the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, is a member of the Genome Editing working group within the Ethics Council of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. The scientist, who himself uses CRISPR/Cas in his research, believes the concern over uncontrolled manipulation of the human genome is exaggerated.

Stefan Mundlos conducts research into rare bone diseases triggered by altered genes.

Edgar Zippel

Professor Mundlos, is the modification of human cells ethically justifiable?

It depends whether we are talking about normal body cells the somatic cells as they are known or about germline cells: sperm and egg cells. Somatic cells do not pass on their genetic material. If the genome of these cells is modified, the mutation disappears with the death of the patient. Such an intervention for the treatment of hereditary conditions or cancer is comparable to other cell-based therapies and therefore ethically unproblematic.

What about germline genome editing?

Thats completely different. The task of sperm and egg cells is to provide offspring. So they pass on their genetic material to the next generation. Manipulating the germline will therefore affect people who are not yet born at the time of modification, and cannot therefore give their consent. Thats ethically unacceptable. As genome editing is also not yet precise enough to avoid causing unintended mutations, the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft has spoken out against interventions in the germline in its discussion paper on genome editing.

How safe is the technique then?

CRISPR/Cas9 does work very precisely, and almost always cuts the DNA at a defined point. But despite that, mistakes can happen. Researchers are currently working on even more exact and less error-prone variations of the technique. In any case, we will always have to check whether modified cells do indeed only carry the desired mutations.

What significance will genome editing in humans have in the future?

The modification of normal body cells definitely has great medical potential. Conditions that are caused by one or a few mutations, such as some forms of leukaemia, could be treated this way. Im sure that well be able to treat the first patients using this method in just a few years.

On the other hand, I dont see any need for germline gene therapy, since there are equivalent and ethically less problematic alternatives. Using in-vitro fertilization and pre-implantation diagnostics, embryos free from adverse mutations can be selected for implantation.

Many people fear that genome editing will be used not just for treating illnesses, but also to optimize human characteristics. In the future, will we have particularly intelligent or tall designer babies thanks to this new technique?

I dont see any danger of this happening in the foreseeable future. Characteristics such as intelligence, height, or other characteristics we might wish to optimize, are influenced by many different genes. We are far from even understanding these gene networks, much less being able to manipulate them. Its quite possible that doing this will be completely impossible without triggering undesired effects elsewhere.

Some scientists are demanding a moratorium, a voluntary commitment to refrain from carrying out any modification of the human germline. What do you think about that?

I dont believe such a moratorium would be effective. The circle of scientists who can implement the technology is too wide for that. There will always be someone, somewhere in the world, who doesnt feel bound by the moratorium. And in any case, who would be responsible for policing it?

Is there no stopping the manipulation of the human genome then?

Im convinced that the lack of benefit will be much more effective than bans or voluntary commitments regarding germline gene therapy. Why would a pregnant woman have egg cells removed, if she can achieve the same result for her child by much less troublesome means? There would be no reason, and therefore no market for it.

Excerpt from:
"There is no reason for germline therapy" - Mirage News

Read More...

Bayer Will Invest $30M in Joint Research Lab for COPD, Other Chronic Lung Diseases – COPD News Today

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

Bayer will invest more than $30 million over the next five years to fund collaborative research projects focused on finding new treatments for chronic lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

The projects will be developed in a new lab launched in collaboration with the founding members of Partners HealthCare Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Both are leaders in the field of lung diseases.

The joint lab, located at Brigham and Womens Hospital, in Boston, will host more than 20 scientists from the three partner groups.

Research projects will be led by four leading experts:Edwin Silverman, MD, PhD, BWHs chief of the Channing division of network medicine; Bruce Levy, MD, BWHs chief of pulmonary and care medicine; Benjamin Medoff, MD, MGHs chief of pulmonary and critical care; and Markus Koch, PhD, Bayers head of lung diseases preclinical research.

This collaboration will combine Bayers expertise in drug discovery and development with the clinical expertise, understanding of disease mechanisms, data analysis capabilities, and insights from the physician-scientists at BWH and MGH.

Our investigators have unique expertise in cell and molecular biology of lung disease, genetics, imaging, and bioinformatics, which complement the expertise Bayer investigators additionally have in drug development, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry, Silverman said in a Q&A published on the Bayer website.

We anticipate that we will learn a great deal from each other during this collaboration, and that those complementary strengths will lead to greater progress than either group could make by themselves, he added.

In the Q&A, Levy emphasized that current treatments are inadequate for COPD the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. While there are therapies that provide symptomatic relief, there are no treatments targeting the underlying mechanisms of the disease.

Rather than focusing on developing more bronchodilator medications for COPD, our goal is to develop new types of treatments that focus on disease mechanisms for COPD and interstitial lung disease, Levy said.

The researchers hope the initiative will speed up treatment development.

This collaboration provides the opportunity to integrate novel findings directly into the drug development pipeline, Paul Anderson, MD, PhD, BWHs senior vice president and chief academic officer, said in a press release. We strongly believe that this model will significantly accelerate the pace of discovery toward the goal of getting new therapies from the lab to patients safely and efficiently.

Joerg Moeller, member of the executive committee of Bayers pharmaceuticals division and head of research and development, believes this collaboration will complement the companys research, bringing its scientists closer to identifying and provide life-changing therapies for people with chronic lung diseases.

The joint lab concept continues to be an innovative model for collaboration between academia and industry, enabling novel approaches to drug discovery, Moeller said.

Rights of any commercially viable findings will be shared equally between Bayer, BMH and MGH.

The new joint lab expands Bayers existing footprint in the Boston region. The company last year established its first joint lab in Boston with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to focus on cardiovascular diseases.

Total Posts: 157

Patrcia holds her PhD in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from the Leiden University Medical Center in Leiden, The Netherlands. She has studied Applied Biology at Universidade do Minho and was a postdoctoral research fellow at Instituto de Medicina Molecular in Lisbon, Portugal. Her work has been focused on molecular genetic traits of infectious agents such as viruses and parasites.

Go here to see the original:
Bayer Will Invest $30M in Joint Research Lab for COPD, Other Chronic Lung Diseases - COPD News Today

Read More...

Page 30«..1020..29303132..»


2025 © StemCell Therapy is proudly powered by WordPress
Entries (RSS) Comments (RSS) | Violinesth by Patrick