A mission to space for your heart health, and SBP news!

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

DISCOVERIES

June 2017 Edition

Dear SBP community,

In June, Karen Ocorr and her research team made national news sending fruit flies to the International Space Station and Dr. Malene Hansen was promoted to professor.

Maximiliano D’Angelo's lab explains how a muscle-enhancing protein could stimulate muscle repair and regeneration, and may lead to new therapies for muscular dystrophies. Also a new study by Andrei Osterman addresses Vitamin A deficiency and its impact on gut microbes.

Our graduate school retreat “Using Collaborations to Enhance Your Research” gave our students an opportunity to discuss their research projects and the ways they are using collaboration to achieve their goals. We’re excited about BIO 2017 this month where some of our faculty are speaking, especially about an announcement that SBP and Salk plan to make. We’ll share that news in the next issue. Please review to learn more.

Best,

Perry Nisen

Fruit flies journey to International Space Station (ISS) to study zero gravity on the heart

Researchers at SBP announced six boxes of fruit flies will travel to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the impact of weightlessness on the heart. The study may help uncover therapeutics to prevent or treat heart conditions, both in space and on earth.

SCIENCE

Muscle-enhancing protein could hold key to treating muscular dystrophies

A research team led by Maximiliano D'Angelo, Ph.D., shed new light on how nuclear pore complexes may be a target to stimulate muscle repair and regeneration—potentially leading to a new therapy for muscular dystrophies.

Vitamin A deficiency has an outsize impact on gut microbes

A new study co-authored by Andrei Osterman, Ph.D., addresses how the treatment of nutrient imbalances need to be considered from the perspective of the host and the host’s gut microbiota.

PEOPLE

Malene Hansen receives promotion to full professor at SBP

SBP is proud to announce that Malene Hansen, Ph.D., has been promoted from associate professor to the rank of full professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program.

Read more >>

It's a "Great Idea" Dr. Sacco!

Alessandra Sacco, Ph.D., has been awarded a CIRM "Great Idea." The award was one of six that are part of CIRM's Discovery Inception Program to provide funding for great ideas that could impact stem cell research but need funding support to test those ideas.

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Duc Dong, Ph.D., named associate dean of SBP's Graduate Program

Duc Dong, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Human Genetics Program, will now also coordinate the admissions process for SBP's Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. As associate dean, Dong and members of the admission committee will identify students, and help place them with faculty advisors.

Read more >>

Highlights from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences annual retreat

On May 18-19, SBP's Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences held its eighth annual retreat in San Marcos, Calif. This year's theme, "Using Collaborations to Enhance Your Research," gave our Ph.D. students an opportunity to share their research projects and explain how collaborators are helping them achieve their goals.

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE

EVENTS

SBP Cancer Center open house draws huge crowds

More than 150 visitors came to learn about the intricate workings and challenges of aging research at SBP on June 8. It was an incredibly successful Cancer Center open house, open to the general public.

Read more >>

PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE

2017 President’s Circle Members

• Alagille Syndrome Alliance

• Karen L. Alexander

• Alexandria Real Estate Equities

• Laura and John Alioto

• Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.

• Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

• Carolyn Armstrong

• Arnerich Massena, Inc.

• Cindy and Stephen Aselage

• Barney & Barney, LLC

• BDO

• Diane and Knox Bell

• Ruth Claire Black

• Steve Black

• Allison Blackwell

• Blair Blum and Jim Sexton

• Nancy and Matthew Browar

• Kathy and Ed Brown

• Juli Oh and Matthew Browne

• CBRE

• Tracey and Gary Chessum

• Bess and Arthur Collias

• Cooley, LLP

• Liz and Michael Copley

• Gigi and Edward* Cramer

• Danaher Corporation

• Jennifer and Thomas DeLonge

• Carol and Thomas Dillon

• DLA Piper

• Natalie and David Dragotto

• Rebecca and Edward Etess

• Debby and Wainwright Fishburn

• Amanda and Sean Freeman

• Gene DX, Inc.

• Marleigh and Alan Gleicher

• Anne-Marie Gordon

• Jeanne and Gary* Herberger

• Hercules Capital, Inc.

• Susan and Paul Hering

• Heron Therapeutics

• Hervey Family Fund at the San Diego Foundation

• Reena and Samuel Horowitz

• Christine Infante and Robert L. Cushman

• Ashley and Ted Jacobs

• Terry and Stath Karras

• Amy and Bill Koman

• KPMG

• Krystal Productions

• Jenna and James Langley

• Carol and George Lattimer

• Marilena and Gregory Lucier

• Lytx, Inc.

• Kimberly and Michael Manhard

• Mary and Jack McKinnon

• Diane and Thomas Might

• Murfey Construction

• Amy and Perry Nisen

• NuVasive, Inc.

• Michael P. Orlando

• Oxford Finance

• Charles Patton

• Pedal the Cause

• Pegasus Building Services Co., Inc.

• Pfizer

• Peggy and Peter Preuss

• Resident Brewing Co.

• Retrophin, Inc.

• Shereen and Isa Rizk

• Stacy and Donald Rosenberg

• Beth and Norman Saks

• San Diego Padres Baseball Club

• Dawn Saunders

• Marie G. Schrup

• Tanya and James Shaffer

• Christine J. Shamborsky

• Shire Human Genetic Therapies, Inc.

• Sky Foundation, Inc.

• Evan Snyder

• Square 1 Bank

• Street Swings

• Dong Sun

• Sarah and David Szekeres

• Molly McCormick Thornton

• Gregory and Jonell Tibbitts

• Julie and Court Turner

• Lina and Christian Waage

• Peggy Walker-Conner

• Robert D. Wallace

• Jean Y. Wang

• Ellen G. Weinstein

• Wells Fargo Bank

• Stephanie and Stephen Williams

• Willis Towers Watson

• Richard P. Woltman

• Weining Zhen

• Bebe L. Zigman