Labs identify novel targets for deadly lung cancer

The lab of Professor Reuben Shaw discovered why a mutated gene called LKB1 results in non-small-cell lung cancer. The surprising results, published in Cancer Discovery , highlight how a non-mutated LBK1 communicates with two enzymes to block tumor growth. In the second study, published in the journal  Science Advances and led by Professor  Marc Montminy in close collaboration with Shaw, the researchers targeted these hard-to-treat cancers by keeping a cellular “switch,” called CREB, from triggering tumor growth. Together, the findings could lead to new therapies for lung cancer.
Reuben Shaw paper
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Marc Montminy paper
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Salk scientists develop a new genome-editing tool that could help treat many disorders caused by gene mutations
The lab of Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte developed a new tool—dubbed SATI—to edit the mouse genome, enabling the team to target a broad range of mutations and cell types. The new genome-editing technology, described in Cell Research , could be expanded for use in a broad range of gene mutation conditions such as Huntington’s disease and the rare premature aging syndrome, progeria.
Salk scientists find how to block inflammatory molecules in mouse model of multiple sclerosis
The labs of Associate Professor Ye Zheng , of Salk’s NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, and Professor Ronald Evans , director of Salk’s Gene Expression Laboratory, discovered a way to stop immune system cells called Th17 Helper T cells from mistakenly attacking the body. The study, which was published in the journal  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  and carried out in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, could have implications for other autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
Finding a cause of neurodevelopmental disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders arising from rare genetic mutations can cause atypical cognitive function, intellectual disability and developmental delays, yet it is unclear why and how this happens. Now, Assistant Professor Diana Hargreaves has identified the molecular mechanism linking a mutation in a complex of proteins with abnormal nervous system development. The team’s findings, published in  Molecular Cell, bring researchers one step closer to understanding neurodevelopmental disorders.  
Scratching the surface of how your brain senses an itch
Professor Martyn Goulding ’s lab has discovered how neurons in the spinal cord help transmit itch signals to the brain. Published in the journal  Cell Reports , the team’s findings help contribute to a better understanding of itch and could lead to new drugs to treat chronic itch, which occurs in such conditions as eczema, diabetes and even some cancers.
Brain’s astrocytes play starring role in long-term memory
Credit: Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes/António Pinto-Duarte
Professor Terrence Sejnowski has discovered that star-shaped cells called astrocytes, long considered to be merely supportive cells, help the brain establish long-lasting memories. The study, published in the journal GLIA , could inform therapies for disorders in which long-term memory is impaired, such as traumatic brain injury or dementia.
The Kavli Foundation gifts Salk $3 million for cutting-edge neuroscience research
The Kavli Foundation has committed $3 million to support ongoing neuroscience research at Salk as part of the joint UCSD-Salk Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind (KIBM). The gift—matched by an additional $3 million from Salk—will add $6 million to the KIBM Endowment, to enable faculty in neuroscience to work on the most impactful questions in the field. The Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind was established through a $15.5 million endowment commitment from The Kavli Foundation, shared between Salk and UC San Diego.
Salk scientists Margarita Behrens and Joseph Ecker to receive over $1.6 million from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Professor Joseph Ecker and Research Professor  Margarita Behrens will receive a $1.6 million collaborative grant for work to incorporate data representing human brain diversity into the Human Cell Atlas (HCA), a comprehensive database that covers all of the cell types in the human body.
Salk's Tony Hunter receives a 2019 Rell Sunn Award
Professor Tony Hunter has received the 2019 Rell Sunn award, along with Brian Druker of Oregon Health & Science University, in honor of their work contributing to the development of Gleevec, the first cancer drug to target cell growth without harming healthy cells.
Inside Salk
The fall issue of  Inside Salk  lands in mailboxes soon, and includes a deep dive into Salk’s advancements in pancreatic cancer research; and interviews with Professor Kay Tye and Senior Staff Scientist Travis Berggren as well as other profiles; and discoveries and news from around the Institute.
 
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The issue is available online here:
New container greenhouses
At the end of July, Salk installed high-tech container greenhouses. The two wood-paneled containers will be used to test a new lighting system over the next year before being repurposed for the Harnessing Plants Initiative ’s education and research needs.
Thank you for joining us at Symphony at Salk
Featuring Tony Award winner and five-time Tony nominee Laura Benanti and the San Diego Symphony, this year’s Symphony at Salk wowed returning supporters and new ones alike. Proceeds benefit Salk’s wide-ranging scientific initiatives as well as its Education Outreach programs. The Institute thanks everyone who attended, volunteered or sponsored the event. Thank you for making it such an incredible success!
Salk’s Harnessing Plants Initiative is highlighted by CNN Business:
Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte ’s work on editing the epigenome is profiled by MIT’s Technology Review :
Associate Professor Sreekanth Chalasani describes his development of sonogenetics technology in The Conversation :
The Wall Street Journal covers Professor Satchin Panda ’s research on intermittent fasting, and the BBC interviews him about circadian rhythms (begins at 1:06:15):
Back to Basics
On October 2, Professor Jan Karlseder will give the next Back to Basics lecture, describing how cancer cells evolve from healthy, normal cells that overcome proliferative boundaries, which would usually prevent them from becoming immortal. Understanding these early stages is essential to prevent cancer from happening in the first place.
Science & Music Series
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL UNTIL SEPTEMBER 3
Discounted pricing on four concert series tickets for limited time!

The  Salk Science & Music Series  consists of four remarkable Sunday afternoons that bring together virtuosos from the worlds of science and music. Each concert features stunning performances by some of the finest instrumentalists in the world of classical  music  in addition to riveting talks about the latest discoveries by the Institute’s globally renowned scientists. You will be amazed and inspired!
Tickets are available in the following options:
  • Individual: $60 per concert. On sale beginning September 3, 2019.
  • Full Series: $220 $200 Early bird special price for one week only! Price goes up to $220 on September 3, 2019 (includes all four concerts at a reduced price).
Salk science is beautiful


This month's image comes from a recent  press release from Salk scientists in Diana Hargreaves' lab who  uncovered a mechanism linking a protein mutation with abnormal nervous system development.
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