Taking a 3D view of the genome may help treat pediatric brain cancers

Assistant Professor Lukas Chavez, Ph.D., has used 3D technology to take never-before-seen images of ependymoma, one of the most dangerous pediatric brain tumors. By visualizing how the genome is organized and arranged within tumor cells, his research team was able to reveal genes in tumors that may be future targets for therapy.

“The current standard-of-care treatment includes surgery followed by radiation, which bears the risk of long-term, therapy-induced neurological side effects as well as secondary cancers," says Chavez. "If successful, our research will lead to new, effective medications to treat these devastating tumors.”

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Charles Spruck awarded $1.7M to advance "ancient virus" treatment for prostate cancer

With the help of a new grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, Associate Professor Charles Spruck, Ph.D., will advance "viral mimicry" as an approach to treat metastatic prostate cancer.

“In viral mimicry, the body thinks there’s an infection, which kicks the immune system into high gear,” says Spruck. “With the immune system activated, cancer cells are more responsive to treatment, and tumor growth slows. All of this can happen without triggering treatment resistance, which could be a huge benefit for treating prostate cancer.” 

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Do worms get stressed? We asked an expert.

The National Institutes of Health recognizes April as National Stress Awareness Month, with the goal of bringing awareness to the health impact of stress.

Stress comes in many forms—from the psychological stress we experience during difficult moments to the biological stress in our smallest cells. Assistant Professor Caroline Kumsta, Ph.D., is using small worms to study the negative relationship between cellular stress and aging (yes, aging can be stressful!).

On the flip side, she’s also exploring how we can use small amounts of stress to improve health and potentially treat neurodegenerative diseases. 

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How cancer research silos perpetuate inequity in cancer outcomes: An interview with Svasti Haricharan

The National Institutes of Health recognizes National Minority Health Month each April.

For our part, we spoke to Assistant Professor Svasti Haricharan, Ph.D., about her recently published review in Clinical Cancer Research. The paper points out the shortfalls of research focused on cancer disparities.

"Therapeutic strategies for cancer that we find in the lab don’t often make it to the clinic," says Haricharan. "Improving the diversity of our cancer data will improve this success-to-failure ratio. It will help us identify treatments that work better in some people than in others and choose the best treatments for each patient."

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Erkki Ruoslahti named a Fellow of the AACR Academy

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has elected Distinguished Professor Emeritus Erkki Ruoslahti, M.D. Ph.D., to its 2023 class of Fellows of the AACR Academy.

The mission of the AACR Academy is to recognize and honor distinguished scientists whose scientific contributions have propelled significant innovation and progress against cancer.

Ruoslahti was elected for his paramount discoveries involving the mechanisms of cellular adhesion; for the co-discovery of fibronectin, the discovery of the fibronectin RGD cell attachment sequence, homing peptides, and tumor-penetrating peptides; and for the development of therapeutics for vascular thrombosis and cancer.

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YOU ARE INVITED TO OUR NEXT FREE G12 COMMUNITY EVENT

Can science mend a broken heart?

Your heart skips a beat. It could be love, but it could also be a symptom of atrial fibrillation (AFib), one of the most common heart problems affecting millions of people each year.

Assistant Professor Alexandre Colas, Ph.D., is working in the field of regenerative medicine to repair damaged heart cells. His novel approach could transform the way we treat AFib and help people who have had a heart attack live longer, healthier lives.

Join Dr. Colas and his team to learn more about how, with a little help from science, a broken heart can mend.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Registration, Meet and Greet

11:30AM to 12:00PM

Lecture

12:00PM to 1:00PM

Sanford Burnham Prebys

Building 12 Auditorium

10905 Road to the Cure

San Diego, CA 92121

Invite a friend! Bring your lunch! Come ready to learn, meet new friends and engage with Sanford Burnham Prebys, your community resource for the latest cutting-edge discoveries, as well as health and science research. Our free G12 Community events promote health, education and friendship.

You may also contact Paulina Lee to RSVP

Email plee@sbpdiscovery.org Phone (858) 795-5070

Care for all you love

From exploring pancreatic cancer treatment to genes linked to Alzheimer’s disease, you have made our efforts possible over the last 46 years. Sanford Burnham Prebys is grateful for your generosity, and we’re looking forward to all that is possible with you by our side.

Since you are an important part of the Sanford Burnham Prebys family, we want to share a free resource with you that is available to you and your loved ones.

Sanford Burnham Prebys has partnered with FreeWill to offer a free and easy online estate planning tool that guides you through creating your will in as little as 20 minutes. While it’s likely that you already have a will, this may help your loved ones who may not have plans in place.

Prioritizing this simple act of self-care can also support Sanford Burnham Prebys with an optional legacy gift in your will. This costs nothing today but powers our cutting-edge research for generations, saving and changing countless lives. Please know that FreeWill is free to use whether or not you choose to include a gift.

For years, we’ve been committed to finding cures for human disease and improving quality of life. Let’s continue to care for ourselves and our community so that Sanford Burnham Prebys can continue making lifesaving discoveries for years to come.