Johns Hopkins

Group: EU should double research spending

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

When it comes to government spending on medical research, the EU is far behind the U.S. And some of the leaders in the field say it's time to catch up--fast. A new study by the European Medical Research Councils concludes that non-market sector medical research in the EU amounts to .17 percent of GDP compared to .37-.40 percent in the U.S. The extra American money delivers one additional scientific paper per 10,000 population. But their argument doesn't center on a move to claim bragging rights for the most money spent. Europe needs to bolster medical research spending in order to face that consequences of global warming, an aging society and build a better research base for the group of 15 nations, the council warns.

"What Europe needs is a more coherent, strategic approach to research at a European level," said EMRC co-chair Janez Potočnik. Of course, researchers calling for more research spending can hardly be unexpected. In the U.S., researchers have been clamoring for the government to boost NIH funding after watching public spending plateau in recent years.

- see this release
- here's the report on European research from PharmaTimes

ALSO: Johns Hopkins led the nation in funding for medical, science and engineering research in 2006 with nearly $1.49 billion. Report

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Johns Hopkins leads in total research spending. Report

Massive skull damage healed by ESCs

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

Scientists at Johns Hopkins were able to damaged skulls by transplanting human embryonic stem cells directly to the site of massive injuries. Working in the laboratory, the research team took stem cells and created mesenchymal precursor cells which were then seeded on small scaffolds made of a biodegradable material and grafted onto the damaged skulls of mice. Nathaniel Hwang of Johns Hopkins University was the lead researcher in the study--presented at the American Society for Cell Biology's 47th annual meeting--which is believed to be the first that demonstrates the ability of ESCs to trigger musculoskeletal tissue regeneration. The discovery has a variety of potentially revolutionary applications.

- read the report from the Sydney Morning Herald

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The race is on for muscle-enhancing therapies

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:59:59 -0400

The key to extraordinary muscle growth is inhibiting the gene that expresses myostatin, which blocks the growth of skeletal muscle. And now there's a race among a group of drug developers to bring a new therapy to market that can do just that--helping people who suffer from muscle loss for a broad range of reasons, including aging and muscular dystrophy. Wyeth and Amgen are both in the running, along with the much smaller Acceleron Pharma in Cambridge, MA. Acceleron has made headlines for its work with the Belgian blue, a white bull with enormous muscles.

The science in these new programs dates to a discovery by Se-Jin Lee at Johns Hopkins that muscle-bound mice lacked the myostatin gene. Since then, other proteins have been linked to the same process, and Acceleron is advancing a fusion molecule that apparently works on more than one level in blocking the body's natural obstacles to muscle growth. In animal studies completed by Acceleron, mice injected with the fusion molecule experienced muscle growth of 30 percent to 60 percent.

- read the report from MIT Technology Review

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Mice engineer to be schizophrenic

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have genetically engineered mice to carry a human gene that triggers schizophrenia, an advance that will help researchers search for new methods to control the disease. Researchers currently rely on mice that are given doses of powerful drugs such as PCP to induce schizophrenia. The gene was found in a Scottish family prone to the disease. By inserting the mutant gene into mouse DNA, the researchers were able to create mice with the type of brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, schizophrenia affects about one percent of the population.

"Before, we would inject a rodent with a drug and say it's a schizophrenic mouse, but it did not reflect the underlying cause of the disease," said Hopkins scientist Dr. Akira Sawa.

- read the Baltimore Sun report

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Disgraced scientist back at work on cloned embryos

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:01:39 -0400

In what is shaping up as one of the toughest rehab jobs in science, disgraced Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk is logging long hours in his new lab. Hwang was accused of one of the biggest frauds in scientific history when he claimed in 2005 to have cloned human embryos and developed embryonic stem cells from them. Hwang apologized for the scam but insisted that he should be allowed to go on with his work. He appears to be doing just that, after he and 30 loyal researchers made the switch from the university to a private lab outside of Seoul. Some experts like Dr. Curt Civin at Johns Hopkins say he just might pull it off--even though his work is likely to get a tremendous amount of scrutiny.

One researcher at the lab says that they have taken stem cells from cloned animal embryos. They believe that they are ready to do the same for human embryos.

- here's the article from The Washington Post

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Florida moves up the charts in tech spin-offs

Mon, 28 May 2007 20:01:39 -0400

BusinessWeek has discovered something that's been evident in the biotech community for some time: The University of Florida has made some amazing progress in turning its research projects into start-up companies. In the 2004 to 2005 time frame, Florida spun off 13 start-ups. That put it behind the big three of MIT, the University of California and the California Institute of Technology, but ahead of powerhouse centers like Johns Hopkins. Florida's licensing income has grown as well, up from $11 million 10 years earlier to $40.3 million. David Day, the main guy at Florida for technology transfer deals, says that their approach has been to keep the scientists in the lab while finding an experienced management team to handle the start-up. Florida has been a treasure trove of new discoveries in the life sciences, and the university's work is being complemented by new programs at the trio of research institutions that have set up Florida campuses.

- here's the report on Florida from BusinessWeek

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Herbal drug used to model new malaria drug

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

A Johns Hopkins University research team has developed a synthetic drug based on a Chinese herbal folk remedy that cured malaria-infected mice with a single shot. And they developed an oral medication that worked in mice after three doses. The therapy contains an oxygen-oxygen unit that destroys the malaria parasite. Gary Posner, Scowe Professor of Chemistry in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins, says that he believes the drugs could be more effective and far safer than standard therapies in use today.

"We are disclosing, for the first time, the curative activity of a new generation of compounds that are long-lasting and therapeutic, even when used by themselves," Posner said. "Older drugs in this family of peroxide antimalarials also are known to be fast-acting, but they are unfortunately short-lived and not curative when used by themselves."

- here's the report on the research from Huliq

Johns Hopkins to host cardiovascular research 'grid'

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:01:39 -0400

A group of three universities has banded together to create a research grid that will allow cardiovascular researchers to share data, analytical tools and models on healthy and diseased patients. The Institute for Computational Medicine at Johns Hopkins University will host the grid--which is being funded with an $8.5 million federal grant--and work with Ohio State University and the University of information that can be shared by everyone who is connected. And that's a big advance from the traditional research model, in which individual labs work in California, San Diego. Research teams will be the nodes in the grid, feeding in new isolation.

"In the past, biomedical research was mainly done in individual labs," said Raimond Winslow, director of the institute at Johns Hopkins. "The Cardiovascular Research Grid will enable us to assemble large, geographically distributed research teams and bring together the leading experts in the world to focus on a common problem, regardless of their location."

- check out Johns Hopkins' release on the grid
- read the report from Computer World

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ALSO NOTED: Mouse skin cells used in cloning; New approach to attacking tumors; PROs important in FDA approvals;

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Stem cell research

Researchers have cloned mice from mouse skin cells, raising the prospect of gaining human stem cells for therapeutic use that would be free of immune reactions. Release

Japanese scientists have developed a process to use stem cell-enriched fat cells in breast augmentation procedures. They're hoping to develop a more natural looking alternative to breast implants. Report

Human nerve stem cells transplanted into rats' damaged spinal cords have survived, grown and in some cases connected with the rats' own spinal cord cells in a Johns Hopkins study. Release

Embryonic stem cell banks in the U.S. and U.K. say they'll work together to help encourage research in the field while improving efficiency in making lines available to scientists. Report

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center scientists have found a set of "master switches" that keep adult blood-forming stem cells in their primitive state. Unlocking the switches' code may one day enable scientists to grow new blood cells for transplant into patients with cancer and other bone marrow disorders. Release

The Iowa Senate approved a bill allowing embryonic stem cell research. Report

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics has initiated a safety trial using an animal model of Parkinson's disease in primates. Release

Cancer research

A large animal study has shown that certain microsecond electrical pulses can punch nanoscale holes in the membranes of target cells without harming tissue scaffolding, including that in the blood vessels--a potential breakthrough in minimally invasive surgical treatments of tumors. Report

The same genetic mutations appear in several cancers, according to researchers, which raise the possibility that a drug for one may have multiple uses. Report

A team of scientists from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center in Baltimore have used liposomes to carry cancer therapies into a tumor, raising the possibility of a fresh way to attack tumors. To speed the activity of liposomes and enhance the therapy, the used the bacterium Clostridium to break down the liposomes and release the drugs more quickly. Report

Genetic fingerprints that reveal where a brain cell came from remain distinct even after the cell becomes a brain tumor, an international coalition of scientists will report in the February 1 issue of Cancer Research. Report

A study undertaken by a group of Spanish scientists, among which were members of the University Clinic of the University of Navarra and the Centre for Applied Medical Research, have recently discovered a new line of treatment for patients with acute lymphoblastic leucemia. The conclusions of the research have been published in Blood, the official journal of the American Haematology Association. Report

An Italian study has concluded that breast cancer patients taking tamoxifene can improve their rate of survival by switching to an aromatase inhibitor. Report

Researchers have presented a mouse model of non-small cell lung cancer which will serve as a useful tool to test the efficacy of novel chemotherapeutic drug therapies in the early stages of lung tumorigenesis. Their paper provides evidence to support the use of a relatively new class of drugs, called MEK inhibitors, for lung cancer patients whose tumors contain mutations in the BRaf gene. Release

Researchers have discovered that the same genetic regulator that triggers growth of stem cells during brain development also plays a central role in the development of the lethal brain cancer malignant glioma. In experiments on mice with such gliomas, they showed that knocking out the function of a particular regulatory protein, Olig2, almost completely eliminated tumor formation. Release

A study finds that p38-alpha MAPK can sense oxidative stress in cells and respond by inhibiting tumor formation. The research provides insight into the specific mechanisms by which á suppresses the development of cancer and identifies possible targets for development of new anticancer therapeutics. Release

More Research

Patient-reported outcomes, or PROs, are playing an increasingly important role in determining whether or not the FDA approves a new therapy. Report

Scottish scientists were able to learn how to switch off and then slowly switch back on the MECP2 gene in mice, eliminating symptoms of Rett syndrome, an ailment quite similar to autism. The researchers are quick to point out that they're still uncertain of the procedure, but that it raises hopes for a long-term solution. Article

A second genetic defect has been uncovered that contributed to osteogenesis imperfecta, a disease which causes brittle, easily broken bones. Report

Three new studies show how a blood test can be used to determine if a fetus has any of a number of genetic diseases. And researchers involved in the studies say their work also points to the development of new therapies for in utero use. Report

A complex molecule and snake venom may provide researchers with a more reliable method of diagnosing human diseases and developing new drugs. Release

Scientists at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), the University of Iowa and Roche Molecular Systems are the first to identify a new gene variant that makes women more susceptible to developing heart disease. The affected gene is called Leukotriene C4 Synthase (LTC4S) and its variant could be identified through a genetic test at birth. The use of such a test would allow physicians to initiate preventative treatments to reduce or even eliminate the risk of heart disease in those women possessing the variant gene. Report

Researchers have shown for the first time that a mutated form of the human parkin gene inserted into Drosophila specifically results in the death of dopaminergic cells, ultimately resulting in Parkinson's-like motor dysfunction in the fly. Thus, the interaction of mutant parkin with dopamine may be key to understanding the cause of familial Parkinson's disease--Parkinson's that runs in families. Report

Université Laval Faculty of Medicine researchers have discovered that taking calcium and vitamin D supplements while on a weight loss program lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. Report

In a finding that could have implications for AIDS vaccine design, researchers led by a team at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have generated an atomic-level picture of a key portion of an HIV surface protein as it looks when bound to an infection-fighting antibody. Release

Just as homes have smoke detectors, cells have an enzyme that responds to a buildup of fatty acids by triggering the production of a key molecule in the biochemical pathway that breaks down these fatty acids, according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Release

Scientists know that a better understanding of how proteins bond could lead to more effective treatments for genetic disorders and other life-threatening conditions. Now, a pair of Florida State University researchers' new theory has been proven to accurately predict the association rate for proteins. Their theory is outlined in the February issue of the scientific journal Structure. Release

A completely new approach to the study of Alzheimer's disease, initiated by a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, may solve a critical piece in the puzzle of the disease. This tragic neurological illness progressively erases memory in its millions of victims. The key to the new approach is understanding the way certain proteins in the brain fold, or rather "misfold." Release

For those who pumped up the volume one too many times, UC Irvine researchers may have found a treatment for the hearing damage loud music can cause. A low-pitched sound, the researchers discovered, applied by a simple MP3 player suppressed and provided temporary relief from the high-pitch ringing tone associated with tinnitus. Report

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston believe they've found a way to spot the biochemical profile of an inappropriate immune response to viral infection--an important step toward developing new therapies that may stop the fatal immune system meltdowns caused by such deadly pathogens as the Ebola, Marburg and Lassa fever viruses, as well as the virus strain responsible for the 1918 flu pandemic. Report

ALSO NOTED: Grant to spur robotics in stem cell research; Researchers identify pancreatic cancer stem cells; Inexpensive cancer

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Tools & Technology

Using a €1.7 million grant, the U.K.'s Plasticell hopes to automate its technology so that thousands of stem cell experiments can be run in the same time a handful of tests take now. National Institute for Biological Standards and Control and University College London are collaborating on the automation work. Exploration into cell differentiation is critical to speeding up the work in the field. Report

More Research

Researchers at the University of Michigan Medical Center have identified human pancreatic cancer stem cells believed responsible for aggressive tumor growth. Their identification could point the way to new therapies for a disease that has a 97 percent mortality rate over five years. Report

Canadian researchers at the University of Alberta in Edmonton say they're excited by the results they've seen using the inexpensive dichloroacetate to stop cancer development in animals and in test tubes. The hitch in developing this therapy, they say, is that drug companies won't invest in a therapy they can't patent, but the researchers believe they can attract sponsors to their work. Report

Some people appear to be genetically predisposed to developing severe depression, but researchers have yet to pin down the genes responsible. Now, a specific region rife with promise has been located on one chromosome by a consortium of researchers working under Douglas Levinson, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Release

The protein molecule carabin may play a critical role in restraining the body's immune system, says a scientific team at Johns Hopkins University. And that insight may provide new clues to prevent harmful immune reactions. The researchers concluded that the presence of carabin in a cell effectively damped down cellular activity. The team believes that the molecule essentially acts as a brake to prevent the immune system from attacking healthy tissue. Report

The brain mechanism underlying the mind-bending effects of hallucinogens such as LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin has been discovered by neuroscientists. They said their discoveries not only shed light on the longtime mystery of how hallucinogens work, but that the findings also offer a pathway to understanding the function of drugs used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders, which are now being used largely without an understanding of their fundamental mechanism. Release

A new study suggests that a virus, rather than prions, could be responsible for the brain-wasting bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Mice infected with two types of BSE had virus-like particles in infected nerve cells which were absent in uninfected cells. Other researchers in the field called the conclusion high speculative. Report

Studies in mice have indicated that the effects of prion disease could be reversed if caught early enough. The researchers said that their findings support developing early treatments that aim to reduce levels of prion protein in the brains of people with prion disease. Also, they said that their findings suggest testing the efficacy of treatments in a new way: by analyzing their cognitive effects in prion-infected mice. Release

HIV prevention advocates from three major civil society organizations emphasized the importance of continued research into new HIV prevention options, despite the recent discontinuation of the phase III effectiveness trials of the microbicide candidate, cellulose sulfate. Two studies were shut down after an anti-AIDS microbicidal gel was found to raise the risk of HIV infection. Report

A team of researchers for Actelion have provided encouraging evidence that blocking the receptors for orexin could be used to fight insomnia. Orexin is a blood peptide that promotes wakefulness and is absent in cases of narcolepsy. The research team developed a drug that blocks the peptide. Report

A single protein in brain cells may act as a linchpin in the body's weight-regulating system, playing a key role in the flurry of signals that govern fat storage, sugar use, energy balance and weight, University of Michigan Medical School researchers report. Release

Half of the U.S. population have a gene variant that is linked to a higher risk of diabetes, says a research team from Saint Louis University. The gene spurs the body to burn more fat, which impedes their ability to process sugar. Report

A team of investigators at the Joslin Diabetes Center has compiled the most complete inventory yet available of the proteins present in a part of the human eye known as the vitreous and has identified a group of proteins that may play critical roles in causing blood vessel leakage in the eyes of people with this common form of diabetic eye disease. Release

A virus that targets bacteria works to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics, according to a new report from the University of Vienna. Bacteriophages can penetrate the cell membranes of bacteria, making the vaccines more powerful. Report

More than 15,000 patents were filed on DNA sequences in the 23 years through 2003, but only a third were granted and UK researchers have concluded that tough requirements from patent regulators in Japan and Europe have blunted fears that the patent rush could slow research in the field. Article

Using small molecules to disrupt the function of cancer cells could prevent them from doing damage, says a team of investigators. Release

Creatine, a popular nutritional supplement used by weightlifters and sprinters to improve athletic performance, could lend muscle strength to people with muscular dystrophies. Release

As medical advances allow more people the world over to grow older, the number of patients with Parkinson's disease will soar, according to a new study that appears in the journal Neurology. By 2030, the number of people with Parkinson's will grow from 4.1 million to 8.7 million. Report

All tissues, sick and healthy alike, need a blood supply to survive and grow. The key to many medical problems, like preventing tumor development, is therefore to obstruct the spread of the blood vessels. Research scientists at Karolinska Institutet have now discovered a heretofore unknown mechanism for how the body links together its blood vessels. Release

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered new details about how bacteria generate energy to live. In two recently published papers, the scientists add key specifics to the molecular mechanism behind the pathogen that causes cholera. The work could provide a better understanding of this pathogen, while also offering insight into how cells transform energy from the environment into the forms required to sustain life. Release

If you bend a knee, the nerves stretch but do not break. A University of Utah study suggests why: A gene produces a springy protein that keeps nerve cells flexible. When the gene was disabled in tiny worms, their nerve cells literally broke. The discovery may provide a new explanation for a disease previously tied to a human version of the gene and identified in 11 generations of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's family. Release

Tricking a key enzyme can soothe over-excited receptors in the brain, say neuroscientists, calling this a possible strategy against stroke, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. The researchers injected laboratory mice with a decoy peptide containing a snippet of a receptor that facilitates cell death in neurodegenerative diseases. Release

Deals & Dollars

Aruna Biomedical has acquired an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. Aruna will offer the academic and industry research communities access to much sought after, but never before available human neural cells, derived from human embryonic stem cells, that relate to normal and diseased human conditions. Release

Dr. Richard Pietras of the University of California at Los Angeles has been selected as the recipient of the National Lung Cancer Partnership's research grant for advancing the understanding of gender differences in lung cancer. Release

Florida's Gov. Charlie Crist is proposing that the state provides $20 million in funding for stem cell research that meets the federal restrictions on the field. Report