Gut microbiome repair in children with severe acute malnutrition

Child malnutrition remains an alarming and appalling scourge.

In 2022, according to the World Health Organization, 148 million children in the world under 5 years were too short for their age (stunting) and another 45 million were too thin for their height (wasting) due to inadequate diet and nutrition.

Researchers around the world, including Andrei L. Osterman, PhD, professor in the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, have been investigating potential remedies, in particular some of the consequences of malnutrition, such as disturbed metabolism and immune/gut function.

In a new paper published October 2, 2024 in Science Translational Medicine, the multi-institutional team (including Osterman and colleagues at the Institute) describe an interventional diet that essentially repairs the gut microbiome in children with moderate to severe acute malnutrition.

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Anne Bang joins $12.7M research project on the genetic basis of autism and schizophrenia

The Sanford Burnham Prebys scientist and an international team will work with experts at a new UC San Diego center funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Scientists have linked neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism, to changes in many genes involved in early brain development. However, more research is needed to understand how these gene variants influence the biological mechanisms that underlie these disorders.

Anne Bang, PhD, director of Cell Biology at the institute’s Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, is part of an interdisciplinary team of scientists and clinicians working to establish clearer connections between the implicated genes and their effects on brain function and mental health.

Bang’s lab is equipped with extensive instrumentation necessary for high-throughput screening. This technology allows scientists to automate experiments on multiple samples at once using robotics, precise fluid handling technologies and automated imaging.

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Michael Jones named new chief financial officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys

Michael Jones has been named the new chief financial officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys, succeeding Robin Ryan, who is retiring at the end of October. Jones officially begins October 16.

"The institute’s legacy of impactful research, its location in one of the most significant biotech hubs in the world, and the opportunity to partner with this research community on the next era for the institute is very exciting,” said Jones.

Jones comes to Sanford Burnham Prebys with nearly 30 years of professional finance and operations experience, 20 years’ of that working at academic research institutions, most recently as senior vice president and chief financial officer at The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

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Alexandre Colas named 2024 Mentor of the Year at Sanford Burnham Prebys

Alexandre Colas, PhD, was named as the 2024 Mentor of the Year at Sanford Burnham Prebys. This honor is jointly awarded by the institute’s Office of Education, Training and International Services (OETIS) and the Postdoctoral Training Advisory Group (PTAG).

Colas is the associate dean of admissions for the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and associate professor in the Institute’s Development, Aging and Regeneration Program.

The Mentor of the Year awardee was determined following a selection process driven by postdoctoral scholars. After a committee reviewed nomination letters submitted by postdoctoral associates and graduate students, Colas was announced as the recipient on September 19 at the 23rd Annual Biomedical Research Symposium.

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Two Sanford Burnham Prebys scientists selected for American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellowships

Funds will support Alicia Llorente Lope and Ambroise Manceau who study breast and pancreatic cancer

Alicia Llorente Lope, PhD, and Ambroise Manceau, PhD, were awarded 2024 Postdoctoral Fellowships from the American Cancer Society (ACS). These prestigious awards provide more than $65,000 per year for up to three years to support early career scientists studying cancer.

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Treasuring science and fun at the 2024 Annual Biomedical Research Symposium

The annual event shines a spotlight on research conducted by postdoctoral associates and graduate students at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

“When I reflect on the most fun I’ve had during my career as a scientist, it was during my postdoctoral fellowship,” said Ye Zheng, PhD, Becky and Ralph S. O’Connor Chair and professor in the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Salk Institute, during his keynote address at the 23rd Annual Biomedical Research Symposium at Sanford Burnham Prebys on September 19, 2024.

“As a postdoc, every time I woke up, I would think about my scientific projects and then go to lab to work with interesting people and do exciting experiments. I had few, if any, distractions. It’s a unique opportunity, and I hope you treasure it.”

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Opinion: Is there gender discrimination in science and medicine? Ask the females.

In his latest essay, David Brenner, MD, surveys a long history that has long not been her story.

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A quantum dot fluorescence image depicts a section of mouse small intestine. Different fluorescent markers indicate different cellular constituents. Actin, a protein that forms the contractile filaments of muscle cells, is shown in red. Lamin (green) are fibrous proteins that provide structural function. Cell nuclei are depicted in blue.

Image courtesy of Thomas J. Deerinck, UC San Diego National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research.

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