One in three Americans has a dysfunctional metabolism, but intermittent fasting could help | |
More than one-third of adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that significantly raise a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels. In a new clinical trial, Professor Satchin Panda and a Salk team, alongside University of California San Diego School of Medicine collaborators, found that time-restricted eating—also known as intermittent fasting—could offer significant health benefits to adults with metabolic syndrome. Patients who ate within a consistent eight- to 10-hour window each day for three months saw improvements in several markers of blood sugar regulation and metabolic function compared to those who received standard treatments. The TIMET study is the first to evaluate the benefits of a customized time-restricted eating schedule in patients taking medication for metabolic syndrome. | |
Scientists create first map of DNA modification in the developing human brain | |
A new study has provided an unprecedented look at how gene regulation evolves during human brain development, showing how the 3D structure of chromatin—DNA and proteins—plays a critical role. This work offers new insights into how early brain development shapes lifelong mental health. The study was a collaboration between scientists at the Salk Institute, UC Los Angeles, UC San Francisco, UC San Diego, and Seoul National University. The team created the first map of DNA modification in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex—two regions of the brain critical to learning, memory, and emotional regulation and frequently involved in disorders like autism spectrum and schizophrenia. | |
New brain-mapping tool may be the “START” of next-generation therapeutics | |
Salk scientists led by Professor Edward Callaway are unveiling a new brain-mapping neurotechnology called Single Transcriptome Assisted Rabies Tracing (START). The cutting-edge tool combines two advanced technologies—monosynaptic rabies virus tracing and single-cell transcriptomics—to map the brain’s intricate neuronal connections with unparalleled precision. Using the technique, the researchers became the first to identify the patterns of connectivity made by transcriptomic subtypes of inhibitory neurons in the cerebral cortex. They say having this ability to map the connectivity of neuronal subtypes will drive the development of novel therapeutics that can target certain neurons and circuits with greater specificity. Such treatments could be more effective and produce fewer side effects than current pharmacological approaches. | |
Through the looking glass: A cross-chiral reaction challenges our definition of life | |
Just as your left and right hands can’t give each other a proper handshake, left- and right-handed molecules don’t mesh well either. It’s why all DNA and RNA on Earth are right-handed. Even when scientists make synthetic left-handed versions of these molecules, the two behave as if on opposite sides of a mirror, in parallel worlds that cannot touch. But what if they could? What if a molecule could “reach through the mirror” and interact with the reflected world on the other side? What if this set off a chain reaction that got molecules on both sides working together in ways we’ve never seen before? Salk President Gerald Joyce and his lab have now engineered the first lifelike chemical system that operates on both sides of the mirror of chirality. The achievement creates the opportunity to study an entirely new form of biochemical evolution and could also advance the development of cross-chiral therapeutics, diagnostics, and other biotechnologies. | | |
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Support High-Impact Science
Salk’s life-changing discoveries are not made by scientists alone. Only with the help of our supporters can we empower our globally renowned researchers, harness cutting-edge technology, and fuel bold initiatives to tackle some of the most challenging problems of our time.
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In the new monthly video series “From Then to When,” we bring you the unique stories of Salk researchers, from their personal journeys into science to their motivations and goals for the future. | |
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“I fell in love with science in the second grade,” says Towers. “We had to do a project where you picked an environment, you would draw out of a hat, and I randomly drew the ocean. And I just fell in love with the idea of asking questions. I fell in love with the ocean. And from that moment on, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I wanted to study whales. I wanted to save the planet.”
Unfortunately, once she got to college, she quickly realized she was prone to seasickness and was forced to pivot. She still loved science and asking questions, so after some tumultuous years deciding her fate, she landed on research: “From that first five minutes in the lab, I fell in love with research.”
Assistant Professor Christina Towers is now a cancer biologist at Salk, where she works to understand the fundamental cellular processes that drive cancer, then develop new therapies to target those processes. Learn more about Towers’ life and research in this “From Then to When” video.
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SALK'S PODCAST "BEYOND LAB WALLS" | |
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Join hosts Isabella Davis and Nicole Mlynaryk on a journey behind the scenes at the Salk Institute, delving into the captivating realms of neuroscience, plant biology, cancer research, and more. The Institute’s podcast immerses listeners in the fascinating world of science while showcasing the brilliant minds and dedicated staff who drive its discoveries.
This month’s episode of “Beyond Lab Walls” features Assistant Professor Daniel Hollern. Growing up in Michigan, Hollern was an athlete and brother to six siblings, deciding early on to pursue sports medicine. But after his grandfather’s devastating battle with cancer, Hollern made it his mission to transform cancer diagnosis and treatment—starting with difficult-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer. Learn about his progress and unique approach to cancer research in this Breast Cancer Awareness Month episode of “Beyond Lab Walls.”
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Also find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. | |
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At Salk it’s not enough to simply live longer, we want to live healthier.
So far in 2024, Salk has received funding to study the aging brain, created new tools to study how our cells change over time, and made groundbreaking scientific discoveries to help people stay healthier later in life. You can see more of these highlights by following our Year of Healthy Aging campaign on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter).
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Salk Institute Associate Professor Nicola Allen receives 2024 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) award recognizes exceptionally creative scientists pursuing highly innovative research and groundbreaking approaches to major challenges in biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences. Allen will receive $3.5 million over five years to support her latest research, which investigates how plasticity in the adult brain could be enhanced. She focuses on manipulating proteins produced by star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes.
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Salk Institute Professor Rusty Gage receives 2024 Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize
Gladstone Institutes selected Gage for his pioneering work in stem cell biology of the central nervous system, which he studies using reprogrammed cells to help scientists understand age-related neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. He will be celebrated in a ceremony this December and will receive $150,000.
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San Diego Magazine
14 women working to transform human health
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Features Professor Tatyana Sharpee and Assistant Professor Dannielle Engle
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San Diego Magazine
Salk Institute’s “super” plants hope to combat climate change
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Features Professor Wolfgang Busch
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Nature Methods
20 years of Nature Methods: how some papers shaped science and careers
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Features Salk Fellow Talmo Pereira
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ABC10
In Depth: Salk Institute study gives hope for future PTSD treatment
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Features Associate Professor Sung Han
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KPBS
One woman’s journey through breast cancer
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Features Assistant Professor Daniel Hollern
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Drug Discovery News
Knocking down the walls that make pancreatic tumors unreachable
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Features Professor Ronald Evans
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Professor Terrence Sejnowski has shaped the fields of neuroeconomics, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, psychology, and artificial intelligence. This month, he published his latest book, titled ChatGPT and the Future of AI: The Deep Language Revolution—stirring up interest about his revolutionary work. Learn more about Sejnowski and his book below.
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The New York Times
Nobel physics prize awarded for pioneering A.I. research by 2 scientists
The Michael Shermer Show Podcast
From ChatGPT to AGI: Terrence Sejnowski on the future of AI
The Transmitter
Are brains and AI converging?—an excerpt from “ChatGPT and the Future of AI: The Deep Language Revolution”
Keen On Podcast
Episode 2234: Terrence Sejnowski asks whether our brains and AI are converging
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JONAS SALK! | |
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Jonas Salk was born on October 28, 1914, in New York City. He was the first in his family to attend college, where he began his scientific training that led him to an illustrious career in epidemiology and infamous polio vaccine.
Salk developed a vaccine for polio in 1952, when there was a constant average of 45,000 cases in the United States. He never patented his life-saving vaccine or earned any money from its success, insisting it be as widely available as possible.
In 1963, he founded the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, envisioning a collaborative, philosophically and artistically driven community of powerhouse scientists working together to unravel the basic mysteries of life.
Even after his death in 1995, his presence remains on campus—in the architecture, the scientific spirit, and in quotes found around campus.
“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality."
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November 5, 2024: Biotech Sisterhood at the Salk Institute
This November, Salk is hosting the Biotech Sisterhood—a nationwide network of female biotech CEOs. The event will showcase leading visionaries sharing their journeys through the STEM pipeline. Speakers include Salk President Gerald Joyce, Director of Salk’s Office of Equity & Inclusion, Jálin Johnson, and Salk Trustee Carol Gallagher, with a panel made up of NextRNA Therapeutics co-founder, president, and CEO Dominique Verhelle, Recludix president and CEO Nancy Whiting, Salk Assistant Professor Deepshika Ramanan, and Salk Harnessing Plants Initiative Program Manager Kay Watt.

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November 7, 2024: Salk Women & Science Program
Salk Women & Science is hosting a celebration for the incredible achievements of women in science. The program features keynote speaker Salk Assistant Professor Aga Kendrick and an award ceremony recognizing outstanding graduate students and postdoctoral trainees. Afterward, the Salk awardees will showcase their research proposals in a reception. Join us in empowering the next generation of scientists, at Salk and beyond!

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Your support powers groundbreaking research, and the people who bring it to life. | |
Looking for a unique background image for your computer, Zoom meeting, iPad, phone, or watch? | |
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October has been a series of celebrations at Salk—National Coming Out Day, World Mental Health Day, Hispanic Heritage Month—all end-capped by Halloween and DĂa de los Muertos.
This spooky and exciting season on campus calls for a sparkling ode to the night sky. In both sunlight and moonlight, this view inspires Salk scientists each day to pursue groundbreaking research across many exciting disciplines, from cancer and immunology to plant biology and neuroscience.
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This photo of the super blue blood moon was visible in San Diego on January 31, 2018. Technically it was a super, blood, blue moon. Super means that the moon appears larger than normal because its orbit takes it closer to the earth, blood due to the red color from the eclipse, and blue because it was the second full moon during the month. | |
About this newsletter
Salk’s email newsletter is published monthly with updates on recent scientific publications, media coverage, awards, grants, events, and other timely information for Salk supporters and science enthusiasts.
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