On August 11, 2025, the fourth episode of The Discovery Dialogues Podcast was released. It discusses how sugar silently alters our bodies.
Scientists and podcasters tackle how a scientist in Iran overcame great odds and forever changed diabetes diagnoses
Sanford Burnham Prebys scientists Ani Deshpande, PhD, and Pamela Itkin-Ansari, PhD, recently released the fourth episode of their podcast exploring groundbreaking discoveries in science and medicine.
The fourth episode focuses on how sugar silently alters our bodies. It includes the unlikely story of how an Iranian scientist made a serendipitous discovery in Tehran that changed diabetes diagnosis forever. His work laid the foundation for the hemoglobin A1c test that is conducted tens of millions of times each year to guide diabetes diagnoses as well as health care and lifestyle decisions.
In March 2025, Deshpande and Itkin-Ansari launched The Discovery Dialogues Podcastto glowing reviews. Their initial episodes were hailed as “masterpieces” by upcoming podcast guest Adam Heller, PhD, the scientist and inventor who revolutionized blood sugar testing and laid the groundwork for modern continuous glucose monitoring systems.
Lukas Chavez, PhD, Associate Professor
Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program.
Credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys
Lukas Chavez, PhD, associate professor in the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, has been named a standing member of the Cancer Genetics Study Section at the National Institutes of Health.
Study sections are groups of invited experts from across the country who are tasked with assessing the scientific merits of grant applications. Their reviews are a major influence in the NIH’s decisions about which proposed research projects to fund.
Jayanta Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, director of the NIH, invited Chavez to join the cancer genetics study section because of his “demonstrated competence and achievement in his scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of his research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals and other significant scientific activities, achievements, and honors.”
Chavez studies pediatric brain cancer and specifically, the role of extrachromosomal DNA as a driver of aggressive tumors. His study section term begins immediately and runs through June 30, 2029.
In a statement published yesterday, David A. Brenner, MD, president and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute announced his full support and backing of the Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) proposal, under consideration by Congress.
The FAIR proposal is intended to remedy the current crisis in research funding, initiated earlier this year by the Trump administration’s announced intention to universally cap federal research funding of indirect costs (IDC) at 15 percent. IDC are the basic expenses borne by institutions to maintain operations, such as maintaining the laboratories, administering payrolls, purchasing specialized instruments, providing data cybersecurity and ensuring the safety of human participants.
The FAIR proposal is the result of months of work by a coalition of higher education and research organizations nationwide, from large research universities and academic medical centers to private foundations and non-profit research organizations like Sanford Burnham Prebys.
Kurt Marek, PhD
Chief Research Development Officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys.
“The process has been intense and galvanizing,” said Kurt Marek, PhD, chief research development officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys and one of the leaders in the FAIR effort. “More than 10,000 people have participated in national town halls and webinars. Hundreds of written comments have been submitted. Nearly 200 institutions have tested and tweaked the model.”
The result, said Brenner, is a new system for funding U.S. research, one with unprecedented emphasis on transparency, accountability and flexibility. The model is based upon three principal elements:
David A. Brenner MD
President and Chief Executive Officer, Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair
It replaces outdated and vague terms like indirect costs in favor of specific details about actual costs necessary to perform a research project. These defined costs are visible to everyone, from government officials to taxpayers. The approach promotes best practices and efficiencies, in particular aligning institutional investments with government research priorities.
It incorporates systems already effectively used in industry and private enterprise to clearly track costing categories — and make explicit how monies are spent. This ensures research performance support is tailored and tied to specific projects.
It is adaptable to institutional size and type, from large universities to smaller non-profit research institutions. It has tiers of reporting and infrastructure designed to match the resources of different institutions.
“The government has always been a key and critical supporter of American science,” said Brenner. “It is a principal reason this nation leads in terms of new cures, biomedical technologies and lives saved. The FAIR model ensures that our history of success becomes a future of achievement.”
With a deep curiosity about the brain and a passion for solving complex problems, Huijie Huang is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Timothy Huang at Sanford Burnham Prebys, where she is investigating the molecular underpinnings of Alzheimer’s disease. Her journey began in college with hands-on behavioral pharmacology research and evolved into a focused exploration of depression and neural circuits during her PhD. Now, she is using cutting-edge molecular tools to develop gene-based strategies for treating neurodegenerative disease.
When and how did you become interested in science? In college, I had the opportunity to join a pharmacology lab. This gave me the chance to test how certain drugs effected the animal behaviors. I found it very interesting that these animal behaviors can mimic some types of human behaviors. I was really excited by this.
How has your scientific career evolved? I was so fascinated with the principles of neural regulation of animal behavior, so I chose to focus my PhD on neuroscience. During my PhD, I did a lot of projects related to depression, where I established mouse models to mimic anhedonia and social defeat. These models enabled me to investigate dysfunctions in brain circuits associated with depressive behaviors.
After graduating, I felt the need to pursue deeper research into the molecular biological mechanisms underlying behavioral changes. I’m fortunate to be a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Timothy Huang’s lab, where my project focuses on investigating the molecular mechanisms of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. The lab’s diverse expertise includes molecular biology, genetics and neurobiology, and has allowed me to approach the project from multiple angles and think more broadly and translationally about the impact of our research.
What brought you to the Huang lab at Sanford Burnham Prebys? I was fascinated by the research projects in Dr. Timothy Huang’s lab. After the interview, I realized I would have the opportunity to lead an independent project aimed at developing a new platform to study human risk genes using a chimeric mouse model. This approach would allow me to fully utilize a variety of cutting-edge technologies, and I believed it would be an exceptional opportunity for scientific and professional growth.
What are the key areas of research you focus on? My research focuses on developing novel neuroprotective strategies for Alzheimer’s disease. Current clinical treatments primarily aim to relieve mood-related symptoms, using cholinesterase inhibitors or antidepressants, but these approaches offer only symptomatic relief. The new immunotherapies, such as those targeting amyloid beta plaques, are designed to slow disease progression. However, their clinical efficacy remains limited, patient responses are highly variable, and the treatments are costly.
Given these challenges, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. Our work investigates genes and proteins that influence the risk of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, which may lead to broadly applicable, gene-based interventions.
What motivates you about your research? It’s a combination of curiosity and a desire to make a meaningful impact. Curiosity drives me to ask deeper questions and design more insightful experiments. I also find motivation in the research process itself—troubleshooting challenges encourages critical thinking and fosters collaboration with others.
What do you like about working here? I love it here! The people are all very kind, and you can get help from colleagues, neighboring labs and core facilities. I’d like to especially applaud our core facilities experts for being so professional and efficient. I never have to wait a long time to get our projects and experiments done.
Another important factor is that Tim is very supportive of his team. We have a quite independent but also collaborative environment among colleagues and mentor. When we need help, he will try his best to collaboratively solve the problem or connect us with people in his network with the right expertise.
How would you describe the culture here? Collaboration is ingrained in the culture and quite easy. If you want to discuss something, you just stop by other labs and people are open to working together. Also, we are surrounded here by different labs with experts in many fields. This contributes to a culture of constant learning and collaboration.
There also are many resources here for postdocs. There are opportunities to apply for funding, workshops for career development and the highly engaged Sanford Burnham Prebys Science Network that plans networking and social events and addresses concerns raised by postdocs.
What are your hopes for the next stage in your career? I truly love science, and would like to continue research on neurodegenerative diseases, and I am preparing myself to be independent as a principal investigator or team leader.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not in the lab? I like hiking, cycling and playing table tennis.
Postdocs at Sanford Burnham Prebys are pushing the boundaries of science every day through curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. This series highlights their unique journeys, what inspires their work, and the impact they’re making across our labs.
Shaping the future of science at Sanford Burnham Prebys: Sara Ancel, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Will Wang, PhD, who draws on a background in engineering and stem cell biology to explore tissue remodeling and disease mechanisms through cutting-edge spatial omics approaches. Originally from Switzerland, she brings together cutting-edge technology and collaborative science to push boundaries—and inspire the next generation of researchers.
How did you first become interested in science—and what brought you to Sanford Burnham Prebys? I didn’t grow up around science, my parents weren’t in the field, so I didn’t really get exposed to it until high school. But I’ve always been curious, especially about things I didn’t understand. That curiosity led me to study engineering, which gave me the flexibility to explore many scientific fields before focusing on one.
During my master’s studies in Switzerland, I had the opportunity to spend time at Stanford University working in Dr. Helen Blau’s lab. That’s where I met Will Wang, who would later become a principal investigator at Sanford Burnham Prebys. When I was finishing my PhD in Switzerland, he was just starting his lab here. The timing was perfect—and I became his first postdoc.
What drew you to Will Wang’s research? What really stood out to me was the new technology he was developing—an imaging method that lets us look at many biological markers at once. Coming from an engineering background, that kind of innovation was really exciting. I saw a chance to combine everything I’d been learning, for example, stem cell biology, muscle research, and engineering, into one meaningful project.
Plus, joining a brand-new lab was a unique opportunity. I was involved in everything from setting up experiments and training newcomers to handling operations. It was a fast-paced, all-hands-on-deck experience that taught me so much, both scientifically and personally.
What are you working on now? How would you explain it to someone outside of science? My main project focuses on a process called glycosylation, which is how cells add sugar molecules to proteins and fats. These sugar tags might sound simple, but they play a big role in how cells function, and how things go wrong in disease.
I had no background in glycobiology when I started, but I was able to bring in new technologies and combine them with biology to explore this process in a completely new way. I’ve also been fortunate to collaborate with the Freeze Lab here at Sanford Burnham Prebys, which has been incredibly valuable.
What makes Sanford Burnham Prebys a unique place to work? I’ve been so impressed by how collaborative this institute is. It’s a small enough community that people know each other, so reaching out for help or advice is easy. I’ve been able to train on equipment here and at nearby institutions like UC San Diego, and I’ve had the chance to connect with researchers across many fields.
One of the most exciting aspects has been working with clinicians and getting access to real patient samples. That kind of experience really deepens the impact of our research and gives me a broader view of how basic science can connect to human health.
What was one of the biggest challenges you faced when you arrived? Moving from Switzerland to San Diego was a huge adjustment. I arrived and quickly within about a week, I was in a new culture, new lab, and new scientific environment. I was also the only person in the lab at first, which made things more intense.
But I had great support from international services and from the community of researchers here. That support helped me adapt, and it motivated me to dive in and help get the lab up and running.
What do you hope to do next in your career? I’ve developed a wide range of skills here, not just technical, but also communication and collaboration. I’d love to build on that by moving into work that’s more closely connected to patients. Collaborating with clinicians and working with patient samples has been incredibly meaningful, and I’d like to pursue more translational or clinical science in the future.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not in the lab? Since moving to San Diego, I’ve gotten into climbing and bouldering, it’s something I picked up with friends from neighboring labs. I also love hiking and visiting national parks. Coming from Switzerland, I’m used to mountains, but the parks here in the U.S. are spectacular. I’ve started a list and want to see as many as I can!
What advice would you give to young scientists? Stay curious. Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know—see it as an opportunity to grow. Science can be frustrating when things don’t work out, but that’s part of the process. If you accept the ups and downs and keep learning, it can be incredibly rewarding.
Do you have any publications or projects in the works? Yes! I’m finishing a methods-focused paper on the technology I’ve been developing, and we’ve filed a patent on it thanks to support from the Institute’s intellectual property team. I’m also co-authoring a review article with a researcher from Stanford on drug discovery for muscle aging. It’s been a great opportunity to step back and reflect on everything happening in the field.
Postdocs at Sanford Burnham Prebys are pushing the boundaries of science every day through curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. This series highlights their unique journeys, what inspires their work, and the impact they’re making across our labs.
From left: Rachel Khoury, Makeh Shah, Emerald Adeyan, Sarina Safavi, Kai Rauda, Isabel Sakowicz, Kyle Alvarez. Not pictured: Monica Jensen. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.
Last week, scholars in the LEAP (Lab Experience As Pathway) program shared their research at a capstone presentation event, marking the culmination of a year-long journey in the lab. Designed to bridge the gap between college graduation and graduate school, the LEAP program provides recent grads with hands-on research experience, professional development, and mentorship to prepare them for advanced studies in STEM.
The program was first launched by Dr. Ani Deshpande and has since been championed by Dr. Kevin Yip, who continues to lead and shape its success. With generous support from the Prebys Foundation, the LEAP program is led by the Sanford Burnham Prebys NCI-designated Cancer Center, with significant contributions from the Office of Education, Training and International Services (OETIS), Workforce Engagement and Belonging (WEB), a dedicated team of mentors, and many other Sanford Burnham Prebys colleagues.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Deshpande reflected on the purpose and promise of the program. “This is about you,” he told the scholars. “Your energy, your growth, your potential. I’ve been so impressed by your scientific curiosity and your confidence.”
Dr. Yip added, “It’s been a privilege to work with such a talented and motivated group. Watching them grow as scientists and individuals over the past year has been truly inspiring.”
As the event wrapped up, students headed to a poster session and photo session with plenty to celebrate: a year of lab experience, new skills, and a clearer path to graduate school and beyond.
The LEAP program students include: Emerald Adeyan (Chavez and Heynen-Genel Labs) Developing an Innovative Assay for High-Throughput Detection of ecDNA in MYC-Amplified Medulloblastoma Kyle Alvarez (Jackson and Sinha Labs) Tissue Morphology Predicts Telomere Shortening in Human Tissues Monica Jensen (Huang Lab) Development and Validation of TREM2 Overexpression Lines in H9 Embryonic Stem Cells Rachel Khoury (Wang Lab) Motor Neuron Rewiring in Aging & Cachectic Muscle Wasting Conditions Kai Rauda (Osterman Lab) Skin-Deep Discovery: A Novel Vitamin C Metabolic Pathway in Cutibacterium acnes Sarina Safavi (Yip Lab) Exploring Differential Expression in Alzheimer’s Disease Resilience Isabel Sakowicz (Kumsta and Tharp Labs) Glucose-Driven Fibrotic Pathways: Connecting Metabolic Stress to Ovarian Fibrosis Mahek Shah (Spruck Lab) Validating F5446 as an Inducer of Viral Mimicry in Human Breast Cancer Cells
