CEO Archives - Sanford Burnham Prebys
Institute News

The Kyoto Connection

AuthorSusan Gammon
Date

July 14, 2023

Sanford Burnham Prebys president and CEO David Brenner, MD, was recently in Japan for a scientific conference, but his links to the country and its scientists go back decades, beginning in the 1990s with Yoshio Yamaoka, MD, considered among the best liver surgeons in the world.

Yamaoka was also a champion of academic research in hepatology, the area of medicine that focuses on diseases of the liver. Brenner, a gastroenterologist-by-training, was also a liver disease researcher at UC San Diego.

Over the years, physicians from Kyoto University came to UC San Diego to work as fellows in Brenner’s lab for two to four years at a time. “Their scholarship and productivity have been spectacular,” said Brenner, pictured above with his wife, Tatiana Kisseleva, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

The Kyoto fellows have made their mark, Brenner notes proudly, with substantial contributions to the understanding of basic signal transduction in the liver (how cells respond to external substances through signaling molecules on their surface and inside), the cellular origin of myofibroblasts in the fibrotic liver and the role of metabolic syndrome in liver fibrosis, which is characterized by excessive scarring and found in most types of chronic liver disease.

Like Yamaoka, the fellows have risen through the ranks to become professors themselves, most notably Keiko Iwaisako, MD, PhD (Brenner’s right) and Etsuro Hatano, MD, PhD, (Brenner’s left) chair of surgery at Kyoto University. Hatano continues the tradition, sending new, bright surgeons to Brenner’s lab for scientific training.

“It was with great joy that I gave that seminar at Kyoto University,” said Brenner, recalling his recent visit. “It was my first since before the pandemic, and it was attended by all of the Kyoto alumni from our lab—and my now-retired dear friend Professor Yamaoka.”

Institute News

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

AuthorHelen I. Hwang
Date

June 19, 2017

On a lovely June evening, SBP CEO Perry Nisen, MD, PhD, and his wife Amy opened up their La Jolla home to President’s Circle members. It was an intimate, warm gathering as SBP supporters, board members, friends and scientists mingled together with a backyard view overlooking the glistening Pacific Ocean.

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. And it’s really happening here. It’s also happening in a time of tremendous funding challenges.” Dr. Nisen further shared how his own father died of Parkinson’s disease and shared how heartbreaking it was to watch the deterioration of a loved one.

To elaborate further on the current state of neurodegenerative research, Dr. Jerold Chun, professor in the Neuroscience and Aging Research Center and senior vice-president, Neuroscience Drug Discovery, discussed the dire need for more research for the estimated 5 million Americans that suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and the 1 million diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The numbers of patients will only increase as our population ages. Dr. Chun pointed out that out of all the research institutions on the Torrey Pines Mesa, we have a leader with the unique background of translating biomedical research into drugs for patients that need better therapeutic options.

After the brief talks, guests munched over caramel-braised pork belly, char miso barramundi, mini French macaroons, and flatbread from an outdoor, custom-built brick wood-fired pizza oven fired up for the first time for this special occasion for SBP friends.

As President’s Circle members, they receive invitations to exclusive events and have the opportunity to meet SBP scientists and leadership as well as receiving Institute news via monthly Discoveries newsletters and Pathways magazine.

To join the President’s Circle, click here.

 

 

 

Institute News

Sanford-Burnham announces next CEO

Authoradmin
Date

August 19, 2014

We are thrilled to announce that Sanford-Burnham’s Board of Trustees has appointed Perry Nisen, MD, PhD, as the Institute’s chief executive officer and holder of the Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair. In this role, he will lead the Institute and oversee the execution of our new 10-year strategic vision to more quickly translate basic research discoveries into novel treatments that improve human health. Dr. Nisen joins us from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) – a British multinational pharmaceutical company – where he was senior vice president of Science and Innovation. Continue reading “Sanford-Burnham announces next CEO”