Dear colleagues and friends,
A new year has brought new discoveries from SBP.
Our scientists have uncovered a targeted treatment that could change the lives of children with a deadly brain cancer. Another SBP study revealed a path toward preventing children and grandchildren from inheriting diet-induced heart disease. Additionally, using our state-of-the-art Titan Krios microscope, our scientists peered deep inside of a cell to uncover new insights into cellular movement that could help us stop cancer's spread (metastasis) and more.
We were honored to join Padres Pedal the Cause and leaders from each of the beneficiary institutes to unveil a check for the record-breaking $2.9 million that was raised. These funds provide important support for local cancer research: Previous grants we have received accelerated our understanding of breast, skin, brain and other cancers.
Looking ahead to American Heart Month in February, we hope you can attend our SBP Insights event, which features a scientist, a doctor and a patient sharing their unique perspectives on heart disease. In May, please join us at Bring It!, our much-anticipated disco-themed fundraising event.
I hope you enjoy this issue.
Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D.
President
Pauline and Stanley Foster Presidential Chair
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Targeted treatment shrinks deadly pediatric brain tumors
Chemotherapy and radiation can leave devastating long-term effects on children with brain cancer, including cognitive impairment and increased risk for other cancers. Robert Wechsler-Reya, Ph.D., and his team identified a targeted therapy called a LSD1 inhibitor that shrank tumors in mice with a deadly form of pediatric brain cancer known as medulloblastoma. LSD1 inhibitors are currently under evaluation in clinical trials for other cancers, which could accelerate their path to patients.
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Uncovering how fruit fly babies inherit heart disease
They say you are what you eat
—and so are your children and grandchildren, according to science. Rolf Bodmer, Ph.D., and his team identified an epigenetic marker and two genes that caused heart failure in the children and grandchildren of fruit flies with high-fat-diet-induced heart dysfunction. These findings help explain how obesity-related heart failure is inherited, and uncover potential treatment targets that could break the inheritance chain.
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Stem cells can drive cancer in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy can develop a rare muscle cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. Alessandra Sacco, Ph.D., and her team demonstrated that muscle stem cells may give rise to this cancer and identified two genes linked to the tumor’s growth—improving our understanding of how the cancer develops and indicating that research into treatments that stimulate muscle stem cells should consider potential cancer risks.
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Powerful microscope captures first image of “haystack” nanoscaffold that promotes cell movement
Understanding how cells move—and the rod-like actin filaments that drive the process—is key to learning how to halt or promote motility to improve human health. Tumors are most dangerous when cancer cells gain the ability to travel throughout the body (metastasis). And certain bacteria and viruses can harness the cells’ motility machinery to invade our bodies.
Using SBP’s cryo-electron microscope (Titan Krios), one of the most powerful microscopes in the world, Dorit Hanein, Ph.D., and Niels Volkmann, Ph.D., visualized a haystack-like nanoscaffold that is induced in response to a molecular signal for movement—a key insight into cell movement.
Pictured: Actin at rest (left) and the haystack-like actin structure that promotes cell movement (right).
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Padres Pedal the Cause presents record-breaking check for nearly $3 million to fund local cancer research
Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D., joined leaders from each of the beneficiary institutes to receive a check for a record-breaking $2.9 million raised by the 2018 event—bringing the grand total to more than $10 million raised since the inaugural ride in 2013. Nearly 300 event participants, including Tony Gwynn Jr., Pedal founders Bill and Amy Koman, San Diego business leaders, and top donors and fundraisers, gathered at the Del Mar racetrack to witness the funding reveal and check presentation in person.
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SBP scientist presents at Fleet Science Center
Under the dome of the Fleet Science Center’s IMAX theater, Jessica Rusert, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Robert Wechsler-Reya, Ph.D., explained the promise and potential of precision medicine to a crowd of nearly 100 people as part of the museum’s Senior Monday presentation series.
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AHA awards fellowship to SBP scientist
The American Heart Association awarded a two-year postdoctoral fellowship to Chiara Nicoletti, Ph.D., to study the metabolic changes in skeletal muscle that lead to heart disease. Nicoletti works in the lab of Pier Lorenzo Puri, M.D., professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at SBP.
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SBP Insights: Heart disease
SBP Insights brings together a scientist, a physician and a patient to share their unique perspectives on current disease treatments and promising research. Our goal is to inspire ideas, discussions and connections that may ultimately improve patients’ lives. We hope you can attend this interactive panel discussion on heart disease on February 7, 2019.
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Get groovy at Bring It!
Co-chairs Juli Oh and Matthew Browne, and Sarah and David Szekeres invite you to bring your sense of fun and humor while you team up and boogie down for the most unique event in San Diego: Bring It! This year our game show–style fundraising event has a disco theme and will take place on May 2, 2019, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
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Catalyst Club
Become part of a special community of SBP supporters by joining our new monthly giving club. You will also receive a beautiful, sleek black SBP Catalyst Club tote bag, perfect for your everyday needs.
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