04/18/24Sanford Burnham Prebys AI tool predicts responses to cancer therapy using information from each cell of the tumor Press Release Read more

04/17/24Salk Institute Protecting brain cells with cannabinol LA JOLLA—One in every 10 individuals above the age of 65 develops an age-related neurological disorder like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, yet treatment options remain sparse for this population. Scientists have begun exploring whether cannabinoids—compounds derived from the cannabis plant, like well-known THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol)—may offer a solution. A third, lesser-known cannabinoid called CBN (cannabinol) has recently piqued the interest of researchers, who have begun exploring the clinical potential of the milder, less psychoactive substance. Read more

04/17/24Sanford Burnham Prebys Debanjan Dhar looks at links among liver cancer, heart health and kidney function Press Release Read more

04/04/24Sanford Burnham Prebys Human Brain Small Extracellular Vesicles Contain Selectively Packaged, Full-Length mRNA Paper of the Week Read more

03/26/24Sanford Burnham Prebys Angela Liou tackles pediatric brain tumors head-on Press Release Read more

03/25/24Sanford Burnham Prebys Sanford Burnham Prebys Cancer Center seminar on March 25 Blog Read more

03/06/24Salk Institute A step towards clinic-ready patient-derived organoids LA JOLLA—Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers and is projected to become the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States by 2030. It is especially difficult to treat because pancreatic tumors grow so quickly and are constantly evolving, making them prone to developing drug resistance. Read more

02/28/24Salk Institute More than just neurons: A new model for studying human brain inflammation LA JOLLA—The brain is typically depicted as a complex web of neurons sending and receiving messages. But neurons only make up half of the human brain. The other half—roughly 85 billion cells—are non-neuronal cells called glia. The most common type of glial cells are astrocytes, which are important for supporting neuronal health and activity. Despite this, most existing laboratory models of the human brain fail to include astrocytes at sufficient levels or at all, which limits the models’ utility for studying brain health and disease. Read more

02/08/24Salk Institute Faulty DNA disposal system causes inflammation LA JOLLA—Cells in the human body contain power-generating mitochondria, each with their own mtDNA—a unique set of genetic instructions entirely separate from the cell’s nuclear DNA that mitochondria use to create life-giving energy. When mtDNA remains where it belongs (inside of mitochondria), it sustains both mitochondrial and cellular health—but when it goes where it doesn’t belong, it can initiate an immune response that promotes inflammation. Read more

02/07/24Salk Institute Lung cancer hijacks immune cell metabolism to fuel its own growth LA JOLLA—Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common lung cancer and the cause of most cancer-related deaths in the United States. There are several ways lung adenocarcinoma can arise, one of which is a mutation in a protein called EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor). Non-mutated EGFR helps cells grow in response to injury, but mutated EGFR promotes out-of-control growth that can turn into cancer. Modern immunotherapies don’t work against EGFR-driven lung adenocarcinoma, and while some drugs exist to treat the cancer, patients typically develop a resistance to them within just a few years. This gap in the treatment toolchest inspired Salk Institute researchers to probe for weak spots in the cancer’s growth pathway. Read more

01/25/24Salk Institute Salk Institute names Jan Karlseder as Chief Science Officer LA JOLLA—The Salk Institute has named Jan Karlseder as its new senior vice president and chief science officer (CSO). Karlseder, a professor in Salk’s Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research, and Donald and Darlene Shiley Chair for Research on Aging, will assume the role on February 1, 2024. Read more

01/17/24Salk Institute Salk researchers earn $1.3 million W. M. Keck Foundation award to study aging brain LA JOLLA—Salk Institute Professor Rusty Gage and Assistant Professor Pallav Kosuri have been awarded $1.3 million by the W. M. Keck Foundation to fund a novel investigation into the way brain and heart cell functions decline over time due to ribosubstitution events—cellular repair of DNA damage with RNA building blocks rather than DNA building blocks. The award combines the biological discovery of ribosubstitution made by Senior Research Associate Jeff Jones in Gage’s lab with the technological advancements established by Postdoctoral Researcher Yuening Liu in Kosuri’s lab. The W. M. Keck Foundation was established with the goal of generating far-reaching benefits for humanity by supporting outstanding science, engineering, and medical research. Read more