Sanford Burnham Prebys

In humans and other multicellular organisms, cells multiply. This defining feature allows embryos to grow into adulthood, and enables the healing of the many bumps, bruises and scrapes along the way.

Certain factors can cause cells to abandon this characteristic and enter a zombie-like state known as where they persist but no longer divide to make new cells. Senescent cells also are prone to secreting inflammatory molecules that can contribute to chronic inflammation in the body. This inflammation brings greater risk for age-related diseases.

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and collaborators across the country published findings March 5, 2025, in Nature Communications showing that the mitochondria powering our cells also control the ability of a DNA repair protein to suppress the secretion of inflammatory molecules by senescent cells.

With additional research, it may be possible to design a treatment based on these findings to promote healthier aging. Read more: https://vist.ly/3mxd3yw

Reported recently in La Jolla Light Newspaper, Pier Lorenzo Puri, MD, has spent 28 years researching solutions for Duchenne muscular dystrophy ( ). His groundbreaking work led to the FDA approval of Duvyzat, a drug offering a targeted approach to treating DMD—a progressive genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration. This new treatment, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, provides an alternative to the standard steroid therapy, addressing the disease’s underlying mechanisms rather than simply reducing inflammation.

Puri’s commitment to advancing science doesn’t stop here; he’s already exploring new compounds to further improve DMD treatment.

Meet the La Jolla researcher who helped discover new muscular dystrophy drug People in Your Neighborhood: Dr. Pier Lorenzo Puri of Sanford Burnham Prebys says he was ‘obsessed with doing something’ to help

Register by March 17 for two exciting opportunities later this month for individuals interested in learning more about aging research conducted in San Diego and across the country. 🧬 🕙

On Wednesday, March 26, 2025, the San Diego Nathan Shock Center will hold its annual symposium on “The Heterogeneity of Aging” at the Salk Institute in the Conrad T. Prebys Auditorium and on Zoom.

The La Jolla Aging Meeting follows the next day on Thursday, March 27, 2025. It also will be held at the Salk Institute in the Conrad T. Prebys Auditorium. The event will include scientific presentations and networking with a focus on postdoctoral researchers and students. 🔗 Learn more: https://vist.ly/3mx5qub

The immune system typically can ramp up the body’s defenses to clear out an invading threat without issue. Glitches can happen, however, with occurring when the mustered army of cells also attacks the body’s own tissues and organs as if they were enemy combatants.

Sepsis is dangerous, particularly when it isn’t treated early, and it can lead to the even more deadly condition of —a massive drop in blood pressure that can quickly damage organs by starving them of nutrients.

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and CUNY Advanced Science Research Center published findings January 31, 2025, in ACS Omega (ACS Publications) demonstrating the promise of a new approach to uncovering potential treatments for sepsis. Read more: https://bit.ly/3FfHDEN

Today, we recognize the contributions of the women at Sanford Burnham Prebys—faculty, researchers, postdocs, and students—who are driving discovery and innovation. Their expertise, passion and resilience continue to shape the future of science.💡🔬 👩🏾‍🔬👩🏽‍🔬👩🏻‍🔬👩🏿‍🔬👩🏼‍🔬

These speakers from Cedars-Sinai, Sanford Burnham Prebys, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and Penn State Cancer Institute will highlight diverse mechanisms underlying and discusses recent advances in identifying novel molecular targets for therapeutic prevention of https://bit.ly/3yOeuxu

New Sanford Burnham Prebys scientist Ahmed Mahmoud, PhD, planned to complete his doctoral degree and enter the pharmaceutical industry to help teams develop new therapies. Once he got into the laboratory during his PhD studies, however, he became fascinated by biology.

Mahmoud was especially interested in the as damage to tissue and cells from heart attacks and chronic heart disease leaves permanent scars. Broken bones mend and split skin knits itself together, but damage to hearts only compounds and weakens cardiac muscle.🫀

Mahmoud and his team focus on how to repair adult hearts by restoring the regenerative powers they once possessed early in development. He wants to advance the discoveries he has made in regenerating hearts in mice to develop treatments that may one day benefit patients. https://vist.ly/3mwqfmx

Cancer cells have an insatiable appetite for energy as they multiply more rapidly than normal cells. Greedy hijack various cellular functions to find and exploit energy and other resources, including a group of enzymes that help normal cells maintain a balance of energy.

These enzymes, called creatine kinases (CK), allow cells to transport energy produced at the mitochondria to where it is needed throughout the cell. Studies of cells have highlighted the importance of a type of CK called ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase (uMtCK).

New research published in Structure will serve as the foundation for a collaborative team of Sanford Burnham Prebys and Mayo Clinic investigators to design and develop novel small molecules that selectively inhibit uMtCK to treat breast cancer. Read more: https://bit.ly/3QMMxM0

Join San Diego's scientific community on March 7, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. in front of UC San Diego’s Geisel Library as we unite in the nationwide fight against recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding policy changes. Together, we will 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐔𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 🗽🔬 and advocate for research that supports life. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ilNMgI Get directions: https://bit.ly/41GZOvO

We're joined Bluesky! Follow our page: Sanford Burnham Prebys.bsky.social 🦋

While many people have received similar vaccinations to protect against COVID-19, the strength and duration of the resulting immunity varies. It remains unclear exactly what causes individuals’ immune systems to react differently to the vaccine and other immunizations.

To get a better understanding of this phenomenon, scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys, Seer Inc. and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul examined the type and amount of virtually all proteins in the blood plasma of 12 volunteers as they received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

The research team published the results of this pilot study in the 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩, detailing the first attempt to comprehensively explore how an mRNA vaccine changes the mix and concentration levels of proteins known as the proteome.

The results suggest that studying proteome changes can increase our understanding of how individuals’ immune systems react differently to immunization. Future findings from additional experiments may reveal methods for developing more effective vaccines. 🔬💉 Read more: https://bit.ly/41qVFuo

David A. Brenner, Sanford Burnham Prebys president and CEO offers critical insight on how the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) abrupt policy changes threaten research, innovation, and the advancement of life-saving medical breakthroughs. Read more in our article: https://bit.ly/41Ji2f1

A Dire Threat to American Science: How NIH’s Sudden Policy Shift Endangers Research, Innovation, and Lives By David A. Brenner, MD Last month, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued an abrupt policy decree: It was immediately slashing research support to universities, hospitals and research institutions.

Biomedical research confronts an extraordinary and perhaps existential crisis, triggered by the recent NIH cap on indirect costs. The current and future status of U.S. science as preeminent in the world is at risk. Learn more at https://sbpdiscovery.org/indirect-costs/.

🔔 Subscribe to 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, our exclusive monthly newsletter, and get the latest research breakthroughs, scientific news and insights delivered straight to your inbox! 📰 🦠 📨 Sign up today: https://sbpdiscovery.org/newsletter-sign-up/

Happy Birthday to our distinguished professor emeritus, Dr. Erkki Ruoslahti. After nearly two decades in research, Dr. Ruoslahti joined Sanford Burnham Prebys in 1979, eventually achieving the esteemed position of the Institute's first president — a role he held from 1989 to 2002. In 2022, Dr. Ruoslahti was awarded the prestigious Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for his pioneering work on cell adhesion. We are honored to celebrate such an esteemed scientist. Happy Birthday, Erkki! 🎉

Curebound recently announced the awarding of 17 grants in December 2024 for a total of $8.25 million in funding to advance cancer research in 2024.

Two new grants will support conducted by scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

🔬 Brooke M. Emerling, PhD, and her collaborators have shown that the growth of cancer cells with a common mutation is dependent on a group of lipid enzymes. The team has identified compounds that break down these enzymes and plans to optimize these compounds to develop cancer drugs that are strong candidates for future clinical trials.

🔬 Michael Jackson, PhD, and his collaborator at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Pandurangan "Vijay" Vijayanand, MD, PhD, will focus on certain immune cells with molecular features associated with a robust immune response against lung cancer tumors. The group’s work has the potential to identify a new class of immunotherapy drugs for patients with .

Read more: https://bit.ly/41gf3vh

🚨 Applications are closing soon. Late-stage doctoral students and early-career postdocs are encouraged to apply to the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺—an incredible opportunity to present your research, network with faculty, and explore open postdoctoral positions. Apply today to meet the deadline: https://bit.ly/4ixccVs

New Village Arts proudly presents The Half-Life of Marie Curie by Lauren Gunderson – a moving portrayal of one of history’s most influential female scientists. 🔬🎭

In conjunction with this production, they are launching 𝘐𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘰’𝘴 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘴, an initiative dedicated to honoring 25 extraordinary women in science and engineering who are making significant contributions to our community. This includes 7 remarkable scientists from Sanford Burnham Prebys:

• Katya Marchetti
• Tanja Eisemann, Ph.D.
• Alicia Llorente Lope, Ph.D.
• Chiara Nicoletti, Ph.D.
• Rachel Khoury
• Evelyn Sanchez Hernandez, Ph.D.
• Emerald Adeyan

Learn more: newvillagearts.org