Sanford Burnham Prebys

Researchers gathered in San Diego from September 10-11 to discuss their research findings on the causes and complications of aging at the level of the trillions of cells in our bodies—and the vast array of molecules within each cell.

Peter D. Adams, PhD, the director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, was one of the planners of the meeting, which was held at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa. Adams’ co-planners were Bing Ren, PhD, professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California San Diego, and Morgan Levine, PhD, founding principal investigator at the Altos Labs’ San Diego Institute of Science.

“I was excited to see the room so full in anticipation of the great talks and all the fantastic questions and discussion that followed,” said Adams. Read more: https://bit.ly/3XQiNlu

Michael Alcaraz, a fourth-year graduate student in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Melvin and Phyllis McCardle Clause Scholarship.

The McCardle Clause Scholarship was established in honor of Phyllis McCardle Clause after her long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The award supports graduate student education in age-related neurodegeneration within the Institute’s graduate school.

Alcaraz conducts research in the laboratory of Peter D. Adams, PhD, the director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, with a focus on the mechanisms of aging.

With support from the scholarship, Alcaraz will be investigating the fundamental connections between aging and the increased risk of AD, the most common cause of dementia.

“I am very excited about being chosen for this scholarship,” said Alcaraz. “I'll be gaining mentorship opportunities from researchers in neuroscience that complement my lab’s focus on aging. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Zojp34

𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Humans have long been fascinated by automata, objects that can or appear to move and act of their own volition. While the power of our imagination has largely preceded the available technology for feats of automation, many scientists and engineers throughout history succeeded in creating automata that were as amusing as they were examples of technical mastery.

Fast forwarding to the modern age in the life sciences, the mechanization of certain tasks in the scientific process has been critical to increasing the accessibility of the latest biomedical research techniques and making current drug discovery methods possible.

One of the many drug discovery projects aided by automation at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics focuses on the national epidemic of opioid addiction. Michael Jackson, PhD, and his collaborators are developing a completely new class of drugs for addiction that works by targeting a receptor on neurons called neurotensin 1 receptor or NTSR1, that regulates dopamine release.

Funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Drug Abuse will help Jackson and the research team complete preclinical studies on a compound in this new class of drugs and initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate its safety in humans. Read more: https://bit.ly/3XwtUjr

Sanford Burnham Prebys is thrilled to announce the appointment of Sandy Liarakos as our new vice president of philanthropy. With over 15 years of senior leadership experience in biomedical research and a deep-rooted knowledge of the Mesa, Liarakos joins us from a distinguished career that includes pivotal roles at UC Davis, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Scripps Health Foundation and Sharp HealthCare. Her expertise and visionary approach are sure to drive our philanthropic efforts forward. We are excited to welcome Sandy to our team. Read more: https://bit.ly/4g0QaZT

𝗦𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

In addition to classic laboratory tools such as glassware and pipettes, many biomedical researchers now often need advanced computational techniques to analyze the results of their studies. For every scientist pictured with a petri dish, we should imagine others writing code or sending instructions to a supercomputer.

In some cases, scientists are testing whether computers can be used to simulate the experiments themselves. Computational tools such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) may be able to help scientists improve data inputs, create scenarios and generate synthetic data by simulating biological processes, clinical outcomes and public health campaigns.

In the Sanford Burnham Prebys Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, scientists are using simulation-based techniques to more effectively and efficiently find new potential treatments. Read more: https://bit.ly/3AGgzw1

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and the La Jolla Institute for Immunology have revealed a new secret regarding senescence, a cellular state similar to sleep that is more likely to affect aged cells. This drowsy condition is known to provide health benefits under certain conditions while also potentially causing collateral damage.

The research team published results on August 22, 2024, in Molecular Cell, describing a new connection between the inflammation caused by senescent cells and a protein involved in the process of winding up six feet of DNA tightly enough to fit into the nuclear center of cells.

The scientists defined how this protein influences the increase in inflammation when our cells slip into a state of slumber. By detailing this process, the authors may have uncovered a new opportunity to find drugs that can promote healthy aging by preventing or reducing chronic inflammation from the collection of too many senescent cells as we get older. Read more: https://bit.ly/3SXhIph

Sanford Burnham Prebys held a Women in Science event on Monday, August 12, 2024. The session was in Fishman Auditorium on the Institute’s campus and focused on how female faculty members at different career stages have navigated their professional journeys in academia and the life sciences.

Shanshan Yin, PhD, a postdoctoral associate working in the lab of Peter D. Adams, PhD, moderated the conversation that featured four panelists from Sanford Burnham Prebys: Linda Bradley, PhD, a professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program; Caroline Kumsta, PhD, an assistant professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program and associate dean of Student Affairs of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Alessandra Sacco, PhD, the director of the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program and dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; and Xueqin (Sherine) Sun, PhD, an assistant professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program.

Topics discussed included work/life balance, caregiving and family obligations, and gender disparities in academic rank at research and higher education institutions. Participants asked many questions about topics ranging from the risk of burnout, unrealistic expectations for postdoctoral fellows and how male scientists can contribute to a better environment for female colleagues. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dxvHdH

𝗗𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀

ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) “chatbot” that can understand and generate human language, steals most headlines related to AI along with the rising concerns about using AI tools to create false “deepfake” images, audio and video that appear convincingly real.

But scientific applications of AI and other computational biology methods are gaining a greater share of the spotlight as research teams successfully employ these techniques to make new discoveries such as predicting how patients will respond to cancer drugs.

AI and computational biology have proven to be boons to scientists searching for patterns in massive datasets, but some researchers are raising alarms about how AI and other computational tools are developed and used.

“I see a misconception where some people think that AI is so intelligent that you can just throw data at an AI model and it will figure it all out by itself,” says Andrei Osterman, PhD, vice dean and associate dean of curriculum for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and professor in the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. “In many cases, it's not that simple.” Read more: https://bit.ly/3SRrbhJ

𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀

Although not every scientist-in-training will need to be an ace programmer, the next generation of scientists will need to take advantage of advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and computing that are shaping biomedical research. Scientists who understand how to best process, store, access and employ algorithms to analyze ever-increasing amounts of information will help lead the data revolution rather than follow in its wake.

“I think the way to do biology is very different from just a decade or so ago,” says Kevin Yip, PhD, a professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys and the director of Bioinformatics.

“I think most people now would agree that data science and the use of computational methods—AI included—are indispensable in biology. To use these approaches to the greatest effect, computational biologists and bench laboratory scientists need to be trained to speak a common language.” Read more: https://bit.ly/3WVYJh8

This summer, Sanford Burnham Prebys welcomed high school students to the Institute to participate in one of two internship programs. One group came from the Preuss School, which is located on the UC San Diego campus in La Jolla and educates students striving to be first-generation college graduates.

The Institute also welcomed its third cohort of interns this year for the Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge (SPARK). SPARK is an initiative by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) that provides research opportunities for high schoolers from underrepresented groups throughout California.

“The whole internship was super fun,” says Saanvi Dogra, a SPARK intern who worked in the lab of Sanjeev S. Ranade, PhD, an assistant professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program.

Fernando Pech, a Preuss intern who worked in the lab of Peter D. Adams, PhD, director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, added, “I believe you can find your passion at Sanford Burnham Prebys, so I would recommend this experience to other students.” Read more: https://bit.ly/3WSwvE6

𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰

The wealth of data stored in electronic medical records has long been considered a veritable treasure trove for scientists able to properly plumb its depths.

Emerging computational techniques and data management technologies are making this more possible, while also addressing complicated clinical research challenges, such as optimizing the design of clinical trials and quickly matching eligible patients most likely to benefit.

Scientists are also using new methods to find meaning in previously published studies and creating even larger, more accessible datasets.

“While we are deep in the hype cycle of artificial intelligence [AI] right now, the more important topic is data,” says Sanju Sinha, PhD, an assistant professor in the Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. “Integrating data together in a clear, structured format and making it accessible to everyone is crucial to new discoveries in basic and clinical biomedical research.” Read more: https://bit.ly/3SEO1t3

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and Salk Institute have uncovered a new role for a protein known for its role in the brain helping control feelings of hunger or satiety, as well as in the liver to aid the body in maintaining a balance of energy during fasting. The new study shows that this protein also supports the maintenance of heart structure and function, but when it is overactive it causes thickening of the heart muscle, which is associated with heart disease.

Excessive thickening of the heart muscle—known as cardiac hypertrophy—is often the result of the heart trying to maintain proper blood flow while adapting to changes caused by other heart diseases such as hypertension or heart valve malfunction. Hypertrophy in the heart’s left ventricle affects as many as half of all patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and the thickening of this chamber is known to lead to more adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, strokes and sudden cardiac deaths.

Karen Ocorr, PhD, an assistant professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, her lab, and her collaborators at the Salk Institute published results on August 1, 2024, in Cell Reports, showing that a protein called CREB-regulated transcription co-activator (CRTC) is likely one of the underlying sources of cardiac hypertrophy. Read more: https://bit.ly/4dc5QI2

The NCI-designated Cancer Center at Sanford Burnham Prebys welcomed San Diego community members to the institute’s campus on July 31, 2024 for an open house focused on addiction research. The Cancer Center team developed the event in partnership with scientists from Scripps Research and the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

“As I have learned more about the research being presented here, I am impressed by just how much of a powerhouse we have on this mesa regarding both cancer and addiction science,” said David A. Brenner, M.D., president and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys, during his welcoming remarks.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn from and interact with the following scientists at stations featuring posters describing research underway at all three represented institutions. Participants were able to tour the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, which is the institute's comprehensive center for drug discovery and chemical biology.

The open house featured a reception with remarks from Robert Anthenelli, M.D., a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and Helen Eckmann, Ed.D., an NCI-designated Cancer Center Community Advisory Board member. Read more: https://bit.ly/4cYg9iN

𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀

Biological techniques that study the entire landscape of a sample’s genes or proteins—genomics or proteomics, respectively—help scientists discover new results without becoming too narrowly focused on what they predicted would happen. Although some scientists pursuing studies with this wider lens have been accused of going on “fishing expeditions,” many researchers counter that they now are able to investigate their hypotheses without missing other important results.

“I am a major proponent of omics, and especially unbiased omics,” says Sanju Sinha, PhD, an assistant professor in the Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. “If someone now doesn’t show me unbiased results, it deeply bothers me. If every experiment only shows results from one pathway, it’s concerning and increases my skepticism about the study.”

An omics approach differs from traditional hypothesis-driven research in that it includes a comprehensive perspective about the phenomenon a scientist is studying and what might be causing it.

However, the hypothesis is not an endangered species destined to be replaced by unbiased omics approaches. On the contrary, omics experiments can often be kick-starters that help scientists generate new hypotheses to explore.

A team of scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and their collaborators are using an omics technique called resistomics to develop a new class of antibiotics effective against a drug-resistant pathogen. Read more: https://bit.ly/3M9Bf25

𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱.

Roughly one-third of Americans do not have a primary care physician. It’s a shrinking cohort as more and more medical school students opt to become specialists. In his latest essay in the The San Diego Union-Tribune, David Brenner explains why this long-term trend (with no sign of abatement) is bad news for doctors, patients and health care in general. He also proposes remedies. Read more: https://bit.ly/4cZ078i

𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲

The Human Genome Project captured the public’s imagination with its global quest to better understand the genetic blueprint stored on the DNA within our cells. The project succeeded in delivering the first-ever sequence of the human genome while foreshadowing a future for medicine once considered to be science fiction. The project presaged the possibility that healthcare could be personalized based on clues within a patient’s unique genetic code.

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys are employing new technologies and expertise to test ways to improve diagnoses and customize treatments for many diseases based on unique characteristics within tumors, blood samples and other biopsies.

“I think we’ve gotten a lot better at precision diagnostics,” says Lukas Chavez, PhD, an assistant professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. “In my work at Rady Children’s Hospital in cancer, we can characterize a tumor based on mutations, including predicting how quickly different tumors will spread. What we too often lack, however, are better treatment approaches or medicines. That will be the next generation of precision medicine.” Read more: https://bit.ly/4cTm1d7

Congratulations to Malin Burnham and Stephen P. Cushman for being named to the San Diego Business Journal’s “8 Over 80,” recognizing their enduring achievements and contributions in business, activism and philanthropy throughout San Diego.

Burnham, 96, is an honorary trustee of Sanford Burnham Prebys and has served on the board since 1982. Over his career, Burnham has been an active board member of 16 companies and played a role in the founding of three publicly traded companies. He has been a foundational supporter of the institute.

Cushman, 83, is the father of current Sanford Burnham Prebys trustee Lori Moore. President of Cush Enterprises, he has served on more than 70 boards and commissions. More: https://bit.ly/4dgQIcB

Scientists and clinicians from three local research institutions will converge July 31 to discuss new ways to treat multiple addictions at a Sanford Burnham Prebys open house.

The NCI-Designated Cancer Center at Sanford Burnham Prebys will welcome San Diego community members to the institute’s campus for an open house focused on addiction research. The Cancer Center team developed the event in partnership with scientists from Scripps Research and the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

The event will take place Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 3:30 pm at 10901 N. Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla. More information and the online registration form are located on the institute’s website: https://bit.ly/3Yik31i

Attendees will meet scientists working to better understand the science behind addiction. A sneak peek of presenters and topics is available on the Sanford Burnham Prebys blog: https://bit.ly/3LDq3tZ

Step into the complex world where addiction meets cancer. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 48.7 million Americans had substance use disorder (SUD) last year.

Join our upcoming open house hosted by the Community Advisory Board and the NCI-designated Cancer Center to learn about how SUD increases the risk of cancer. Meet dedicated scientists and clinicians, tour the labs, and get answers to your most pressing questions. Free and open to the public. Register now: https://bit.ly/3RzJk2T

For more on NSDUH, visit: https://bit.ly/2022NSDUH

Sanford Burnham Prebys recognized the beginning of Pride month with a Pride flag-raising event on Friday, June 7, 2024. The gathering included an opportunity for speakers in a variety of roles throughout the Institute to share comments on the meaning of the Pride flag in their lives and careers.

David Brenner, M.D., president, CEO and Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair at Sanford Burnham Prebys, opened the ceremony, saying, “I’m very proud of everyone for working together to make this a welcoming community.”

Alessandra (Lale) Cecchini, Ph.D., postdoctoral associate in the lab of Alessandra Sacco, Ph.D., concluded the formal ceremony, reflecting, “This gesture speaks loudly about who we are and what we stand for in terms of valuing acceptance, unity, respect and kindness.”

She added, “While we have come a long way, we still have further to go. I hope this and other diversity-related events on campus encourage you to feel safe and empowered to fully be yourself.” Learn more about the event: https://bit.ly/4bU4UXX

🎓❤️ On Friday, May 31, 2024, the Sanford Burnham Prebys Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences hosted four graduates, their family members and friends as well as current students, faculty members and staff at the Institute’s campus in La Jolla for the school’s first-ever Commencement ceremony.

In addition to honoring the four graduates in attendance, the event also recognized the 62 other alumni who graduated from the Institute’s graduate school in the nearly 20 years since its founding in 2006.

“The faculty and community at Sanford Burnham Prebys have been tremendous and afforded me the most meaningful opportunities to learn and grow,” said Stephen Sakuma, Ph.D. ’24, during his speech on behalf of Sanford Burnham Prebys alumni. “The journey has been long and, at times, arduous, but it also has been exceedingly rewarding.” Read more: https://bit.ly/3yWww0f

📸 Pictured from left to right are Rachael McVicar, Ph.D. ’23; James Kent, Ph.D. ’22; Monica Gonzalez Ramirez, Ph.D. ’18; and Stephen Sakuma, Ph.D. ’24.

Twelve scientists-in-training at Sanford Burnham Prebys presented research updates at The Conrad Prebys Foundation Fellows Symposium on May 14, 2024, at the Institute’s Fishman Auditorium.

The presentations were the culmination of a yearlong educational program at Sanford Burnham Prebys providing early-career scientists with workshops, mentorship and research experiences focused on how to transform research discoveries into new treatments. The Conrad Prebys Foundation provided critical funding for the program as part of the foundation’s mission to increase the diversity of San Diego’s biomedical workforce.

The graduate students and postdoctoral fellows selected to participate in the program conducted projects at the Institute’s Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, the nation’s leading nonprofit drug discovery center. Read more: https://bit.ly/3V898Wd

As a physician-scientist at Sanford Burnham Prebys, Angela Liou, MD, will split her time between studying the biological and epigenomic origins of central nervous system tumors in children and practicing and hematology at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. Read more: https://bit.ly/3xciQ07

As a new assistant professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys, Xueqin Sun seeks to better understand the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of cancers, using technologies, animal and patient-derived models, and other tools to develop more effective . Learn more about Sun's research: https://bit.ly/4cgcdd4

In a new study, Sanford Burnham Prebys researchers, led by Andrei L. Osterman, Ph.D., combined experimental evolution in a continuous culturing device with whole of evolving cultures to track how two bacterial pathogens acquired against a pair of , one long-used and the other experimental.

Their findings reveal how the bacteria fend off antibiotics in different ways, a step toward creating “resistibility profiles” that will help scientists design new drugs for multi-resistant, hard-to-treat pathogens. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Ixujtq

Melanoma. Meet the scientists working to better understand melanoma to prevent metastasis. Learn how new drugs are created and advanced to the clinic. Ask a melanoma oncologist about current treatment options and get an insider’s view on what’s to come. This event is hosted by the NCI-designated Cancer Center’s Community Advisory Board and is open to the public. Register today: https://bit.ly/3vJv53H

🕛 There’s still time to apply! The 2024 Rising Stars Symposium is approaching. This is an amazing opportunity for late-stage doctoral students and early-career postdocs to present their research, network with faculty and peers and learn about open postdoctoral positions at the Institute. Successful applicants will enjoy an all-expenses paid, three-day trip to San Diego, California. Apply by February 29th, 2024: https://bit.ly/3zx0GmQ

Today we celebrated International Day of Women and Girls in Science with a roundtable discussion featuring Caroline Kumsta, Ph.D., Kelly Kersten, Ph.D., and Shengjie Feng, Ph.D. The conversation explored the challenges women encounter in scientific academia, emphasizing the importance of representation, mentorship and ongoing, necessary efforts to mitigate and improve gender disparities in the field.

The panelists shared personal anecdotes about obstacles they have faced while pursuing their careers in science. These ranged from struggling with the confidence needed to assert themselves in meetings (only to be overshadowed by male colleagues) to navigating the delicate balance between supporting a male partner's career aspirations and maintaining their own professional trajectories. Additionally, they discussed the juggling act of raising children while sustaining a career in science.

Each woman recounted her unique journey in scientific academia and expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of female mentors. Kersten emphasized the crucial role of male allies in achieving gender balance, acknowledging the support she received from her male mentor and peers.

When asked about their advice to young women interested in pursuing careers in science, the panelists urged them to seize opportunities while also cultivating a strong support network. They encouraged aspiring scientists to seek guidance from women already established in the field and emphasized the importance of retaining the joy of scientific discovery regardless of the challenges. Read more about their personal experiences here: https://bit.ly/49yNOxw

Xiao Tian, Ph.D., who recently joined Sanford Burnham Prebys as an assistant professor in the Degenerative Diseases Program, focuses on epigenomic changes and deterioration that influence age-related diseases, research that may unlock the secrets of healthy aging. Read more: https://bit.ly/4bF2Nb8

Aging research is always timely, and here’s a date: On March 6, the San Diego Nathan Shock Center, a consortium of Sanford Burnham Prebys, Salk Institute and UC San Diego, will hold its second annual Symposium on the Heterogeneity of Aging at the Salk Institute.

The day-long, hybrid program will include scientific presentations from a diverse group of researchers focused on the biology and secrets of aging, including Caroline Kumsta, Ph.D., co-author of a recently published paper that revealed possible novel functions for various autophagy genes, which may control different forms of disposal including misfolded proteins — and ultimately affect aging.

Visit this link for more information: https://bit.ly/3w693YS