FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS

New study explains how antidepressants can protect against infections and sepsis

Something strange is happening with some of the most popular antidepressant drugs, SSRIs. Recently, scientists have noticed the SSRI Prozac protects patients against extreme infection in COVID-19 and sepsis, a condition where the body’s inflammatory response runs out of control and causes internal damage.

Salk Professor Janelle Ayres and her team set out to discover why.

Their Science Advances study reveals how Prozac regulates the immune system and defends against infectious disease—meaning the drug has highly effective dual offense and defense abilities. These insights could lead to a new generation of life-saving treatments and enhance global preparedness for future pandemics.

See also:

STAT News »

Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News »

Neuroscience News »

MEET A SALK SCIENTIST

The “From Then to When” video series brings you the unique stories of Salk researchers, from their personal journeys into science to their motivations and goals for the future. This month, we feature Research Professor Todd Michael, a plant biologist focused on decoding plant genomes to identify ways to protect those plants from climate change.

“I had a teacher, Mrs. Marshall, in seventh grade, who gave me a leaf project. And that project was to go around and collect leaves from all the trees in the neighborhood. Something just struck me about how different every single leaf was, and that there must be some type of code that makes those leaves all different—and I’d really never thought about it before that,” recalls Michael. “It wasn’t until college that I realized that deciphering that code meant sequencing the genome. But my guidance counselor was like, ‘There’s no job like that,’ but I guess there is—being a scientist.”

Collecting leaves in his backyard in New Jersey eventually turned into a full-on career as a research professor and member of the Harnessing Plants Initiative leadership team at Salk. Learn about Michael’s ongoing efforts to uncover how some genes boost plants’ ability to respond to their environments and more in this “From Then to When” video.

SPOTLIGHT

Celebrating 50 years of discoveries: Professor Tony Hunter’s half-century legacy at the Salk Institute

Hunter is a cancer biology pioneer whose fundamental discoveries have inspired the development of more than 80 cancer drugs. Since joining the Institute’s faculty in February 1975, Hunter has been a cornerstone of the Salk community, contributing to transformational discoveries and mentoring more than 100 trainees, many of whom have also become scientific leaders.

To honor Hunter and his extraordinary career, Salk held a special symposium, “50 Years of Rafting the River of Life,” on February 21, where his lab alumni, colleagues, and other cancer research luminaries shared their science, memories, and tributes.

See also:

San Diego Union Tribune »

INSIDE SALK

Salk's award-winning magazine | winter edition

Marking the end of our “Year of Healthy Aging,” the winter 2024 edition of Inside Salk shines a light on neuroimmunology—an exciting cross-disciplinary field that pairs immune and nervous systems to ask questions about human health and disease. Beyond a feature on this emerging research area, we chat with Salk Fellow Talmo Pereira about his AI-based motion-tracking technology; Harnessing Plants Initiative’s program manager Kay Watt about mitigating climate change; and postdoctoral researcher Pau Esparza-Moltó about mitochondria’s role in healthy aging. Visit Inside Salk online now, and join our mailing list to receive the latest issues right to your door.

EVENTS

Save the Date for the 29th Annual Symphony at Salk: Saturday, August 16

Symphony at Salk is a treasured tradition where guests enjoy a champagne reception, a gourmet dinner in Salk’s iconic courtyard, and an incredible performance by the San Diego Symphony and a musical artist. Past artists have included such stars as Jennifer Hudson, Josh Groban, Idina Menzel, and Liza Minnelli. More details are forthcoming. Find the latest information at symphony.salk.edu.

THIS MONTH AT SALK

February 22, 2025: High School Science Day

The annual half-day community outreach event at Salk is designed to get high school students interested in considering an exciting career in science and research. In addition to a science talk and a career panel, students are led in small groups through different labs—enjoying a special opportunity to see a working lab up close. This year, we welcomed almost 250 students, parents, and teachers.

February 18, 2025: Black in STEM

The Black Association at Salk (BAS) affinity group celebrated Black History Month by hosting their annual Black in STEM event. The event featured a networking mixer, Q&A, and talks from outstanding scientists like UC Berkeley Associate Professor Karine Gibbs, UC San Diego Professor Gentry Patrick, and UC Irvine Assistant Professor Quinton Smith. The event highlights Black History Month and the invaluable contributions Black scientists have made at Salk and beyond.

January 29, 2025: Lunar New Year

Asian Pacific Islander Desi at Salk (APIDAS) and the Office of Community & Engagement (OCE) hosted a Lunar New Year Celebration to usher in the Year of the Snake. The event featured delicious food and cultural performances, marking the joyous beginning of a new year.

ENJOY SALK SCIENCE ON YOUR DEVICES

Looking for a unique background image for your computer, Zoom meeting, iPad, phone or watch?

Hearts get the spotlight in February. American Heart Month and Valentine’s Day draw our attention to the symbolic "love" organ, with its life-sustaining, blood-pumping muscles, chambers, ventricles, and valves.

At Salk, researchers team up to understand the heart from a uniquely interdisciplinary perspective, asking questions like how the heart changes with diet or age, how immune cells support the heart, or how different disease and disorders impact heart health.

Learn more about our efforts to understand the heart on our website.

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Website: www.salk.edu