SBP July news - scientific pioneers and research breakthroughs

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

DISCOVERIES

July 2017 Edition

Welcome to the July issue of Discoveries. Here you will learn more about SBP’s scientists, their research toward advances in medicine, and the people who generously support our Institute.

Duc Dong receives prestigious W.M. Keck Foundation grant—a first for SBP

The W.M. Keck Foundation has awarded a $1M grant to Duc Dong, Ph.D., to advance research to generate "replacement" organs and cells—such as insulin producing cells for diabetes or dopamine-producing neurons for Parkinson's disease—directly in the body and without the use of stem cells. Dr. Dong is the first SBP researcher to receive a W.M. Keck Foundation grant.

SCIENCE

Scientists take a deeper dive into cellular trash

Malene Hansen, Ph.D., has led the first-ever comprehensive analysis of autophagy in a living animal during aging. The new study was recently published in eLIFE.

Will flies help fix heart rhythm problems?

Karen Ocorr, Ph.D., published a study in PLOS Genetics describing how Drosophila hearts may become an easy, accurate tool to screen for new drugs to treat arrhythmias.

How tumors shape their environment for their benefit

In a review article published in Current Opinions in Cell Biology, Professors Jorge Moscat, Maria Diaz-Meco and their graduate student Miguel Reina-Campos summarize research on how tumor cells convert their surroundings to promote cancer progression.

Immune scavenger cells: good guys or bad guys?

William Stallcup, Ph.D., published a study in Trends in Cell and Molecular Biology describing one way that cancer cells transform macrophages from tumor fighters into tumor helpers.

PHILANTHROPY

SBP President's Circle members gather at CEO's home

In June, SBP CEO Perry Nisen, M.D., Ph.D., and his wife Amy welcomed President's Circle members at their home. Dr. Nisen thanked the President's Circle supporters and emphasized the importance of their contributions. He explained that the investment made by donors boosts the "opportunity to translate scientific research into medicines."

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE

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

• Julie and Paul Baker

• Barney & Barney, LLC

• BDO

• Diane and Knox Bell

• Eve Benton and Malcolm Bund

• 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 Cramer

• Danaher Corporation

• Jennifer and Thomas DeLonge

• Carol and Thomas Dillon

• DLA Piper

• Natalie and David Dragotto

• Nancy and James Eastman

• Epstein Family Foundation

• Rebecca and Edward Etess

• Debby and M. Wainwright Fishburn, Jr.

• 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

• Qualcomm, Inc.

• Resident Brewing Co.

• Retrophin, Inc.

• Shereen and Isa Rizk

• Stacy and Donald Rosenberg

• Joyleen S. Rottenstein

• Beth and Norman Saks

• San Diego Padres Baseball Club

• Dawn Saunders

• Marie G. Schrup

• The Schultz Family

• Tanya and James Shaffer

• Christine J. Shamborsky

• Shire Human Genetic Therapies, Inc.

• Sky Foundation, Inc.

• Evan Snyder

• Square 1 Bank

• Science, Technology and Research Support (STARS)

• Street Swings

• Dong Sun

• Sarah and David Szekeres

• Molly McCormick Thornton

• Gregory and Jonell Tibbitts

• Julie and Court Turner

• Andrew Viterbi

• 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