13
Jan
2021
A look back at 2020
- Brian Haab and collaborators are developing a simple, experimental blood test that distinguishes pancreatic cancers that respond to treatment from those that do not. This critical distinction could one day guide therapeutic decisions and spare patients with resistant cancers from undergoing unnecessary treatments with challenging side effects. The experimental test is slated to undergo additional clinical validation. [1] Read more
- VAI’s Biorepository was awarded a $2.7 million, two-year subcontract from the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research currently operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. on behalf of the National Cancer Institute to serve as the biorepository for the Cancer Moonshot Biobank study, a national initiative to transform cancer treatment and prevention through accelerated research. [2] Read more
- The American Association for Cancer Research awarded Van Andel Institute Professor Peter W. Laird, Ph.D., Director’s Scholar Stephen B. Baylin, M.D., FAACR, and Associate Professor Hui Shen, Ph.D., 2020 AACR Team Science Awards for their pivotal roles in the establishment and success of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a landmark project that revolutionized our understanding of cancer and that is hailed as an exemplar of scientific collaboration. Read more
- Can COVID-19 infection increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease? That’s the question posed by a commentary published in the journal Trends in Neurosciences, which explores three known case studies of people developing Parkinson’s-like symptoms in the weeks following infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. While rare, these cases provide important insights into potential long-term implications of infections. The commentary was co-authored by Dr. Patrik Brundin of VAI, Dr. Avindra Nath of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. David Beckham of University of Colorado. [3] Read more
- A collaborative team between the University of Minnesota Medical School and VAI was awarded $6.2 million for a study that seeks to define the molecular linkages between aging and Parkinson’s disease — an approach for new treatment targets not yet explored by many researchers. The three-year grant comes from the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s initiative, an international collaborative research effort partnering with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to implement its funding. The study will combine four labs — Dr. Michael Lee and Dr. Laura Niedernhofer from University of Minnesota, and Dr. Darren Moore and Dr. José Brás from VAI. Read more
- Rita Guerreiro and Dr. José Brás were awarded a $3.7 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to study the genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s in the Portuguese population. The study will be the first of its kind in the country. [4] Read more
- Switching off a molecular “master regulator” may protect the brain from inflammatory damage and neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease, according to a study led by Dr. Viviane Labrie. The study is the first of its kind and points to an entirely new avenue for developing therapies that preserve vulnerable brain cells in Parkinson’s disease. [5] Read more
- A team led by Dr. Viviane Labrie may have solved one of the most puzzling and persistent mysteries in neuroscience: why some people are “right-brained” while others are “left-brained.” The answer lies in how certain genes on each side of the brain are switched “on” and “off” through a process called epigenetic regulation. The findings may explain why Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders frequently affect one side of the body first, a revelation that has far-reaching implications for development of potential future treatments. [6] Read more
- A newly identified biomarker could help scientists pinpoint which cancers are vulnerable to treatment with biguanides, a common class of medications used to control blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes, reports a study led by VAI’s Dr. Russell Jones. Biguanides, particularly a medication called metformin, have long been of interest to cancer researchers because of their ability to target cellular metabolism, which fuels the growth and spread of malignant cells. [7] Read more
- The immune system’s ability to marshal specialized cells to fight off infection relies in part on tiny molecules called microRNAs, which act as a release for the “brakes” that keep cells dormant until needed, according to a research team led by VAI’s Dr. Connie Krawczyk. Their findings revealed new insights into the nuts and bolts of immune function and add to a growing body of knowledge that could one day be leveraged to optimize vaccines or immunotherapies for a number of diseases. [8] Read more
- Significantly reducing dietary levels of the amino acid methionine could slow onset and progression of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis in high-risk individuals. The findings — an important step toward potential future treatments — must be verified in humans first, said Dr. Russell Jones, who led the study. [9] Read more
- PAC, a class of molecular “gates” that maintain pH balance in cells, which helps keep cells alive and helps prevent stroke and other brain injuries. [10] Read more
- PANX1, a molecular pathway that plays critical roles in human development, blood pressure regulation, inflammation and cell death. [11] Read more
- EMC, a molecular “machine” that is responsible for installing signaling proteins into cellular membranes. The findings lay the foundation for potential future therapies for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s and cystic fibrosis. [12] Read more