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Institute News

19th annual Trainee Research Symposium is a virtual success!

AuthorSusan Gammon
Date

October 5, 2020

Virtual Symposium on Zoom

Sanford Burnham Prebys’ annual Trainee Research Symposium is dedicated to highlighting the research of postdoctoral scientists and advanced graduate students.

This year, nearly 40 early-career scientists presented their research during an engaging two-day, jam-packed Zoom call that went off without a hitch.

After opening remarks by Malene Hansen, PhD, professor and faculty adviser for Postdoctoral Training, the podium and poster presentations began. Faculty, trainees, staff scientists and other interested parties navigated through sessions that ranged from new approaches to conquer brain cancer to the molecular basis of aging. The event gives “up-and-coming” scientists an opportunity to receive feedback on their work, explore potential new collaborations and receive prize money to support career development activities.

“We’re fortunate to be starting our careers at Sanford Burnham Prebys where the scientific research is significant and diverse,” says Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD, a best poster presentation award winner. “I’m grateful to be able to present my project, which is focused on the link between fatty liver disease and cancer, to colleagues from different disciplines, such as cardiac disease and immunology. Their questions about my research bring fresh perspectives and spark new ideas.”

Keynote speaker Martin Chalfie, PhD, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and professor at Columbia University, opened day two of the event with a presentation titled, “GFP: Lighting Up Life,” detailing the journey that led to his discovery of GFP—a fluorescent protein that revolutionized how scientists look at the inner workings of living cells. Chalfie followed with an informal “Ask Me Anything” session where he shared his passion for mentoring early-career scientists.

C. Randal (Randy) Mills, PhD, CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys, closed the event with a happy hour exclusively attended by trainee presenters—an opportunity for everyone to get to know more about his experiences as a PhD student and how his career evolved to his current position as leader of our world-class biomedical research Institute.

Many congratulations to all who participated in the symposium, and thanks to the organizers at the SBP Science Network and the Office of Education, Training, & International Services (OETIS).

This year’s symposium winners are:

Best Podium Talk – Judges Selection

Natalie Kirkland, PhD
Engler/Bodmer Labs
Runner-up
Stephen Sakuma
D’Angelo Lab

Honorable Mentions

Mallika Iyer
Godzik Lab
Jaime Zlamal, PhD
Osterman Lab

Best Poster –Judges Selection

Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD
Kaufman Lab
Rashmi Mishra, PhD
Dong Lab
Ee Phie Tan, PhD
Hansen Lab

Best Podium Talk – Popular Vote

Stephen Sakuma
D’Angelo Lab

Honorable Mention

Jaime Zlamal, PhD
Osterman Lab

Institute News

Celebrating the next generation of biomedical trailblazers at the 19th annual Fishman Fund Awards

AuthorMonica May
Date

September 22, 2020

From left to right: Daniela Dengler, PhD (Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics); Chiara Nicoletti, PhD (Puri lab); Kyungsoo Shin, PhD (Marassi lab); and Marie Berenguer, PhD (Duester lab)

Four talented early-career researchers were awarded prestigious Fishman Fund Awards.

When Dr. William and Lillian Fishman founded our Institute in 1976, they knew that nurturing the next generation of scientists was just as important as advancing cutting-edge research. Today, their values live on in the form of the Fishman Fund Awards, which help exceptional postdoctoral researchers develop into scientific leaders.

On September 24, four talented early-career researchers received the prestigious award during an inspiring virtual ceremony. Generous benefactors, past award winners, and family and friends tuned into the event, which featured remarks from Institute president Kristiina Vuori, MD, PhD; professor and Fishman Fund Award recipient José Luis Millán, PhD; Fishman Fund co-founder Reena Horowitz and co-founder designee Jeanne Jones.

“The Fishmans firmly believed in helping brilliant early-career postdoctoral scientists become great principal investigators,” says Ms. Horowitz, who established the Fishman Fund Awards in 2001 with her late friend Mary Bradley. “Our goal with these awards is to encourage and support these researchers in their quest for the next great medical breakthroughs, which might one day be able to save the lives of our family members, friends and neighbors.”

Fishman Fund winners undergo a rigorous selection process that includes a personal interview and a presentation to the selection committee. All winners receive a $10,000 career development award that can be used to attend workshops, network and travel to national and international conferences to learn about the latest developments in their research fields. The winner of the Fishman Fund Fellowship receives a two-year salary stipend in addition to the professional development funding.

Meet this year’s Fishman Fund Award winners

Fishman Fund Fellowship Award

Kyungsoo Shin, PhD, grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in Canada, where he also attended Dalhousie University for his undergraduate and graduate studies. Dr. Shin works in the laboratory of Dr. Francesca Marassi, where he is advancing a potential treatment for age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60. Dr. Shin recently showed that a protein called vitronectin is the likely cause of the pebble-like deposits in the back of the eye that underlie the disease. With this information, scientists can now work toward a treatment to prevent vision loss.

Dr. Shin’s career goal is to become an independent researcher focused on understanding how cellular membranes—gatekeepers that regulate what enters or exits a cell—are involved in disease. He hopes to mentor and inspire the next generation of scientists to advance our understanding of human biology.
 

Fishman Fund Career Development Awards

Marie Berenguer, PhD, grew up near Paris and went to school in Bordeaux. She is currently studying in the laboratory of Dr. Gregg Duester and focuses on how a compound called retinoic acid affects the way embryos are formed. Her work may open new avenues to prevent and treat birth defects.

Dr. Berenguer’s career goal is to become a principal investigator and lecturer in genetics and developmental biology. By leading her own research team, she hopes to improve our understanding of genetic diseases and lay the foundation for future therapies.

Daniela Dengler, PhD, is from Germany, where she studied pharmacy and worked in a pharmacy for a year before she decided to pursue her PhD at the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Dr. Dengler works in the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics with Dr. Eduard Sergienko. She is searching for new drugs that bind to proteins called G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which mediate many physiological processes in the body. More than 30% of all FDA-approved drugs act on GPCRs.

Dr. Dengler’s career goal is to become a project leader in biotech, where she wants to combine her background in chemistry with her knowledge in assay development and high-throughput screening to find drugs for unmet medical needs.

Chiara Nicoletti, PhD, grew up in Gela, in Sicily, and received her PhD at the University of Padua in northern Italy. Dr. Nicletti is in Dr. Pier Lorenzo Puri’s lab and is studying the links between genetic sequences and risk of disease. Her research will open new avenues to help clinicians practice personalized medicine—including predicting who is likely to get a disease, how to prevent it, how to treat it and perhaps even cure the condition.

Dr. Nicoletti’s career goal is to become a principal investigator, leading her own research team that focuses on integrating foundational research with everyday medical practice to improve human health.

Watch the Fishman Fund Awards ceremony, which featured remarks from Institute president Kristiina Vuori, MD, PhD; professor and Fishman Fund Award recipient José Luis Millán, PhD; Fishman Fund co-founder Reena Horowitz and co-founder designee Jeanne Jones.

Learn more about the Fishman Fund, or, donate now, to support future scientific leaders.

Institute News

Meet molecular biologist Kyungsoo Shin

AuthorMonica May
Date

September 22, 2020

Kyungsoo Shin

Kyungsoo Shin is the winner of this year’s prestigious Fishman Fund Fellowship Award, which helps talented early-career researchers become scientific leaders

While growing up, Kyungsoo Shin always found himself drawn to science. Learning how the body works was endlessly fascinating to him. But it wasn’t until he was in the middle of his PhD that he became officially hooked on research.

“I was doing a long 16-hour experiment, and around 9 or 10 p.m. I started getting really positive results. I was so excited that I called my supervisors at the time,” recalls Shin. “Even though it was so late, they were just as happy as I was! That was my first introduction to how intoxicating research can be, and the power of a supportive community.”

Today, as a postdoctoral researcher at Sanford Burnham Prebys, Shin is applying his passion for discovery to an area of great need: finding a treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). No treatments currently exist for the common condition, which is the main cause of vision loss for people over the age of 60. As a new father, this research became especially meaningful to Shin.

“My son is 3 months old, and just started to smile and laugh,” says Shin. “I couldn’t imagine one day not being able to see him, or my grandchildren. If I had dry AMD, I probably wouldn’t be able to even drive to go see him. I don’t want to imagine that sort of life for anyone.”

Working with a world-renowned scientist

Shin has found a wise mentor in Professor Francesca Marassi, PhD, one of the world’s leading experts on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This technology allows scientists to see the shape of a protein, which enables rational drug design. When the job posting first appeared, Shin was writing his PhD thesis—but his supervisor told him to stop writing and apply to the position immediately. The opportunity to work with Marassi was too important.

“Learning from her has fundamentally changed who I am as a scientist,” says Shin. “Before I used to think in terms of completing projects. Now I ‘follow the science,’ which means let the data lead me to my next step.”

This approach has proved successful: Marassi and Shin recently uncovered a new drug target for dry AMD. Using NMR and other cutting-edge technologies located at the Institute, they deciphered the shape of a protein called vitronectin. Then they showed that the sticky, propeller-shaped protein likely “seeds” the formation of pebble-like structures in the back of the eye that cause vision loss.

Fishman Fund Award advances key research

Now, with the support of the Fishman Fund Fellowship Award—which provides a salary stipend and $10,000 for career development—Shin can attend scientific conferences that will help him think outside of the box and grow as a scientist. Receiving an award in honor of the Fishmans—who started the Institute after reaching mandatory retirement age—is special to Shin.

“The Fishmans were so devoted to pushing our understanding of human health that they continued their research even when they didn’t have to,” says Shin. “To receive a fellowship that is named after such inspirational and honorable people is truly an honor. I have a great sense of responsibility to advance research that will have a positive impact on humanity, and could one day benefit my son or his children.”

Sanford Burnham Prebys is grateful to the generous Fishman Fund donors who make the career development awards possible. Learn more about the Fishman Fund, or donate now, to support future scientific leaders.

Institute News

A path to parity for Black PhD students in the sciences

AuthorMonica May
Date

August 18, 2020

Mix Race Team Of Scientific Researchers In Lab Wearing White Coats And Protective Glasses

Graduate school dean Guy Salvesen describes barriers he has seen for students who are Black and how we can make science fully inclusive.

Only 5% of graduate students in science and engineering are Black despite making up more than 13% of the U.S. population—and in spite of showing similar levels of interest in science as their peers. A PhD is required for career advancement in biomedical research—so this disparity impacts the number of faculty members, CEOs and scientific leaders who are Black. It will take persistent and bold efforts on the part of individuals, groups, institutions and society at large if we are to achieve anything close to equality.

To learn more about this topic, we spoke with Guy Salvesen, PhD, professor and dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Sanford Burnham Prebys about barriers that discourage students who are Black from applying to PhD programs—and how they can be dismantled to address disparities.

Why are you personally passionate about achieving racial equality in the biomedical sciences?
Standing up for equality has always been a big part of my family’s values. I was born in South Africa during the era of apartheid. My mother always made it clear that she detested racism and the people who defended it. Before we moved away, she was part of a resistance organization called the Black Sash—a woman’s-only movement against apartheid. I come from a single-parent household, so my mother had an especially big influence on me.

Do you receive a lot of applications from PhD students who are Black?
We receive many applications from Latinx students, but I have to say not as many from Black students. We know this is not due to lack of interest. There are systemic barriers at play, which as a graduate school we try to address to the best of our abilities. Our founding mission was to have a student population that mirrors California’s demographics, so we are committed to doing all we can to reach that goal.

Guy Salvesen, PhD, dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Guy Salvesen, PhD, is the dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

In your experience, what are the barriers that prevent students who are Black from applying to PhD programs?
First, I believe the biggest hurdle is the monetary aspect of a career in science. The field is poorly rewarded financially, especially compared to a career such as pharmacy or medicine. You must commit to almost a decade of minimum-wage pay as you complete graduate-school and then postdoctoral studies. Scientists are some of the most highly trained individuals in the world—and for many years, they are paid close to minimum wage.

Even when you complete training and find a well-paying job, many students have educational loans to pay back—and Black students are more likely to have loans because of the racial wealth gap. The students who apply but don’t attend our graduate school typically accept positions in pharmacy, where they can more rapidly start earning a high salary. To pursue biomedical research as a career, you have to be incredibly passionate about science and be able to defer economic rewards. I wish it wasn’t like that, but that’s the reality.

I believe it’s important to get students excited about science early and sustain that enthusiasm. Once a student begins a PhD program, they are hooked. We need to make sure that kids who are Black are getting early, positive experiences with science. This can be accomplished through school or after-school programs. This also helps children see themselves as scientists—and that’s an incredibly important factor as students consider their future careers.

What solutions could overcome these barriers?
Ideally, the National Institutes of Health would allocate funds to pay graduate students and postdocs better wages. This is also an area where philanthropy can play a big role. At Sanford Burnham Prebys, we are always grateful to the Fishman Fund Awards, which supplement the salaries of select postdocs. In a perfect world, we would be able to pay better wages to all graduate students and postdocs. Also, any actions that decrease student loan debt would help free students to choose science as a viable career option.

We need to ensure that we are proactively reaching out to schools that are serving students who are Black, especially Historically Black Colleges and Universities which award up to 30% of Black STEM PhDs; providing a safe and welcoming environment for graduate students who are Black; educating our Institute and especially faculty mentors about how to best support students from different racial backgrounds; and hiring faculty members who are Black. We also need to continue to listen and learn about additional actions we can take to achieve racial parity in our program.

Could you share some examples of actions the graduate school took that had particular success?
A partnership we have with the Preuss School, a middle and high school for students who would become the first in their families to graduate from college, has been very successful. Preuss students spend time in our Institute’s labs during the summer and experience what it’s like to work side by side with scientists. We also try to bring parents into the mix by inviting them to our campus, because they have a tremendous influence on the careers their children pursue. Many of our Preuss students went on to select STEM majors in college. Right now, we are short on funds to continue this program. We need support to keep it going.

We also liaise with California state colleges that serve members of underrepresented groups, such as the California State University campuses in Fresno, Long Beach and nearby San Marcos. Through summer internship programs, students from these schools experience advanced laboratory research for the first time. Once these students realize how much fun it is do science in a state-of-the-art facility, they get very excited.

Where do we go from here? Are you hopeful about the future?
It gives me hope that there is movement in society to redress wrongs that have occurred for more than 400 years. I’m optimistic that societal pressures will translate to real action. These issues are not new. It’s time that we listen, learn and take action. And that’s on all of us. No one is immune from systemic racism, and each of us has a role we can play to make positive change.

If you have any questions, comments or would like to share follow-up resources, contact us at info@sbpdiscovery.org.

Dr. Salvesen’s suggested readings:

Institute News

18th Annual Fishman Fund Award ceremony celebrates the next generation of biomedical trailblazers

AuthorSusan Gammon
Date

September 23, 2019

2019 Fishman Fund Award winners, left to right: Jennifer Hope, PhD, Aaron Harvas, PhD, Mafalda Loreti, PhD

Three talented early-career researchers were presented with a prestigious Fishman Fund Award at the annual ceremony on September 19. More than 100 generous benefactors, past award winners and family and friends joined the celebration held at the Sanford Consortium. The awards honor the Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Lillian Fishman.

Reena Horowitz, who along with her close friend Mary Bradley established the Fishman Fund Awards, welcomed the audience and shared how the Fishmans truly believed that young researchers need a boost from time to time—and that these awards do exactly that. Recipients who are selected from a pool of Sanford Burnham Prebys postdocs use the $10,000 stipend to attend workshops, network and travel to national and international conferences to learn about the latest developments in their research fields. 

“The young researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys make discoveries that have an impact in San Diego as well as helping advance science and health around the world,” said Horowitz. “The Institute motto could not ring truer: From Research the Power to Cure.”

Professor Hudson Freeze—one of the very first Fishman Fund Award winners and now director of the Institute’s Human Genetics Program—shared how his nearly 40 years of research has established him as a magnet for a global community of families seeking treatments for rare childhood diseases. He encouraged this year’s winners to take advantage of working in a world-class research center and to pursue meaningful research that will open new avenues to improve human health.

Jennifer Hope, PhD, was presented with the Lenka Finci and Erna Viterbi Fund Prize by Horowitz and Institute supporter Judy White. Dr. Hope works in the laboratory of Professor Linda Bradley, where she is studying cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive the development of T cells that attack cancer. Jennifer’s career goal is to become an independent investigator focused on research to promote patient responsiveness to cancer therapies.

Mafalda Loreti, PhD, was presented with the Jeanne Jones and Kathryn Fishback Fund Prize by Fishman Fund co-founder designee Jeanne Jones and longtime Institute supporter Sam Horowitz. Dr. Loreti is studying the mechanisms that promote muscle growth and repair in the laboratory of Associate Professor Alessandra Sacco. Her career goal is to become an independent researcher in an academic setting, where she will explore the biology of muscle pathologies and approaches to improve muscle health.

Aaron Havas, PhD, received the Reena Horowitz and Mary Bradley Fishman Fund Prize from Horowitz and Institute supporter Doreen Schonbrun. Dr. Havas works in the lab of Professor Peter Adams, where he studies how aging affects gene regulation. His career goal is to work in the biotech industry exploring drugs that target the process to promote healthy aging.

Since the fund’s inception in 2001, 64 prizes have been awarded. Every other year, a 24-month fellowship that provides salary support is given to a deserving postdoc. The fellowship was awarded in 2018, so it will be given again at next year’s ceremony.

The generosity of our Fishman Fund donors enables the tradition of providing career advancement opportunities. On behalf of all of us at Sanford Burnham Prebys, we thank you for your support.

Institute News

Meet the 2019 Sanford Burnham Prebys graduate student class

AuthorMonica May
Date

September 23, 2019

2019 new Graduate Students; left to right: Benjamin Van Espen, Linda Chang, Jordan Friedlein, Zong Ming Chua, Michaela Lynott, Steven Sakuma

For nearly fifteen years, Sanford Burnham Prebys has been honored to educate the scientists of the future through our Graduate Program. Today, more than 40 alumni are advancing biomedical research at esteemed institutions around the world.

Who are the scientists who will join this illustrious group of alumni? Read on to learn about our new students and the bold projects they will undertake as part of our 2019 incoming class.

Linda Chang

  • Hometown: Tainan City, Taiwan
  • Joins us from: UC San Diego, where she studied skin innate immunity and the host defense mechanism in the Department of Dermatology.
  • As a PhD student: She will study brain immune cells and molecules that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, under the guidance of Huaxi Xu, PhD
Graduate Student Linda Chang

Zong Ming Chua

  • Hometown: Singapore
  • Joins us from: UC San Diego, where he worked on ENCODE, an ambitious project that aims to identify all functional elements in the human and mouse genomes.
  • As a PhD student: He will focus on better understanding the pathogenesis of the blood cancer acute myeloid leukemia (AML), under the guidance of Peter Adams, PhD
Graduate Student Zong Ming Chua

Jordan Friedlein

  • Hometown: Rockford, Minnesota
  • Joins us from: California State University, Fresno, where he completed his master’s degree in biology. While a student, he sought to understand how certain cancers become resistant to cell death signaling.
  • As a PhD student: He will search for vulnerabilities in how cancer cells proliferate and survive in order to develop new targeted therapies, under the guidance of Anindya Bagchi, Ph.D.
Graduate Student Jordan Friedlein

Michaela Lynott

  • Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
  • Joins us from: San Diego startup CB Therapeutics, where she produced plant compounds from genetically modified yeast cells.
  • As a PhD student: She will work to find medicines that boost the heart muscle by mapping novel cardiac pathways and leveraging an automated screening pipeline under the guidance of Alexandre Colas, PhD
     
Graduate Student Michaela Lynott

Steven Sakuma

  • Hometown: Shingletown, California
  • Joins us from: Sanford Burnham Prebys, where he studied the physiological importance of certain pieces of nuclear pore complexes—the gatekeepers to the cell’s nucleus, where DNA lives—in the lab of Maximiliano D’Angelo, PhD
  • As a PhD student: He will continue his research into the biology of nuclear pore complexes, including their role in aging and disease, under the guidance of D’Angelo.
Graduate Student Steven Sakuma

Benjamin Van Espen

  • Hometown: Charleroi, Belgium
  • Joins us from: UC San Diego, where he researched the underlying causes of autoimmune diseases.
  • As a PhD student: He will research signaling pathways that regulate cellular stress response, under the guidance of Ze’ev Ronai, PhD
Graduate Student Benjamin Van Espen

For more information about the Sanford Burnham Prebys’ Graduate Program, visit our website.

Institute News

Summer program inspires a new generation of scientists

AuthorMonica May
Date

July 24, 2019

SBP Preuss interns 2019

Usually the opportunity to experience research firsthand is reserved for college seniors or recent graduates. This summer, however, nine talented high school students had the unique opportunity to work alongside scientists conducting cutting-edge biomedical research through the Institute’s Preuss program. 

Hailing from The Preuss School UC San Diego—a distinguished charter school for students who would be the first in their families to graduate from college—the soon-to-be juniors spent two weeks rotating among four labs at Sanford Burnham Prebys. 

Working with fruit flies, worms, zebrafish and mice—excellent models for understanding the heart, aging, tissue regeneration and the immune system, respectively—the students used sophisticated laboratory techniques such as micropipetting, microscopy and gel electrophoresis to experience how biomedical researchers uncover the underlying causes of disease. This was the first time the participants had set foot inside of a real lab. 

At the program’s conclusion, the students presented their research findings to Institute scientists, staff and supporters, including Malin Burnham; the Preuss School’s director of development, Tamika Franklin; and the students’ family members. All attendees were impressed by the students’ grasp of the complex science they learned during the two-week program. 

The Preuss program launched in 2008 thanks to the generous contributions of Peggy and Peter Preuss and Debby and Wain Fishburn. For more than a decade, this summer program has inspired future scientists by introducing high school students to laboratory research. 

Thank you to the labs of Malene Hansen, PhD, Rolf Bodmer, PhD, Duc Dong, PhD, and Linda Bradley, PhD, for hosting the program’s participants.

Institute News

West Coast meets East Coast: Dr. Wechsler-Reya makes special trip to thank students

AuthorMonica May
Date

July 17, 2019

Willam's Warriors and Robert Wechsler-Reya

In the summer of 2015, 5-year-old William Schultz began to experience odd and increasingly worrying symptoms, including frequent vomiting. After two emergency-room visits, doctors ushered his parents, Jim and Margaret Schultz, into a small office and gave an unimaginable diagnosis: William had a brain tumor, ultimately revealed as medulloblastoma—the most common malignant childhood brain cancer. Standard treatment proved ineffective. The tumor returned, and William later died due to treatment complications.

William’s parents quickly channeled their pain into action. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz launched William’s Warriors, a foundation that supports art therapy for all children battling cancer, both in and out of the hospital, and raises funds in support of a cure for pediatric brain cancer—the deadliest form of childhood cancer. Even with aggressive treatment, many children don’t survive, and those who do often suffer severe long-term side effects from the therapy. Half of the foundation’s fundraising goes to William’s Superhero Fund, which supports the work of Robert Wechsler-Reya, PhD, professor and director of the Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, and program director of the Clayes Center for Neuro-Oncology and Genomics at the Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine.

On May 31, 2019, Wechsler-Reya traveled to New York’s Bay Shore High School, where Mrs. Schultz teaches art—and many teachers and students volunteer with the foundation—to provide an update on his research. As part of his goal to develop safer and more effective treatments for pediatric brain cancer, his lab explores potential personalized treatments based on a child’s specific tumor type, nanotechnology approaches that improve drug delivery and immunotherapy to train patients’ immune systems to eradicate the cancer.

The visit, organized by William’s Warriors volunteer and New York State Master Science Teacher Erin Garland, provided students with a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about the drug development process and how their funds directly impact medical research. During the trip, Wechsler-Reya addressed an assembly of students and teachers, attended a student-centered science symposium, met one-on-one with science students and participated in a question-and-answer session with STEAM teachers. Following his address, the Bay Shore Girls Basketball Team and Brother Sister Organization, presented Wechsler-Reya with a donation of funds they raised in support of his research.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we sincerely thank Dr. Wechsler-Reya for taking time out of his very busy schedule to make this visit. But, more importantly, we are grateful for his unwavering commitment to finding a cure for childhood brain cancer,” says Mrs. Schultz. “While William’s life couldn’t be saved, knowing that researchers are working to find a treatment that might help children like him means the absolute world to us.” 

Read William’s story

Donate to William’s Superhero Fund 

The Bay Shore Girls Basketball Team and Brother Sister Organization presented Wechsler-Reya with a donation of funds they raised in support of his research.

The Bay Shore Girls Basketball Team and Brother Sister Organization presented Wechsler-Reya with a donation of funds they raised in support of his research.

Institute News

Meet Clyde Campbell: A new PhD graduate

AuthorMonica May
Date

June 17, 2019

PhD graduate Clyde Campbell with his daughter and wife in front of Sanford Burnham Prebys sign

When Clyde Campbell was 6 years old, his life changed overnight. 

“I went to sleep, and everything was completely normal. But when I woke up, my knee had swollen to three times its usual size and was stuck in a 90-degree position. I learned I had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which then spread throughout my body—and no one knew why this had happened.”

Like the adult form, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks healthy tissue. But much remains unknown—including the initial trigger that causes the body to misfire—and treatments are limited. This mystery sparked Campbell’s interest in science and desire to understand the ‘why’ behind disease—and thus create better medicines.

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from UC San Diego, Campbell applied to Sanford Burnham Prebys’ Graduate School in hopes of working with his scientific hero, Duc Dong, PhD, assistant professor in the Human Genetics Program. 
 
“When I completed my work at UC San Diego, everyone spoke highly of Dr. Dong and the thoroughness of his science. I knew very early on that I wanted to work with him,” says Campbell. “Sanford Burnham Prebys’ graduate school was attractive to me because the program allows you to start working with your PhD advisor right away—so I met with Dr. Dong and began my research.”   

Last month, Campbell completed his doctorate, the 40th PhD awarded by the Graduate School.  His thesis, completed under Dong’s guidance, demonstrated his success in reprogramming developing cells within a zebrafish (mesoderm- and ectoderm-derived cells) into the cells that become the pancreas (pancreatic progenitors), an important advance for people with type 1 diabetes (insulin is released from cells in the pancreas). Current cell-based treatments rely upon cadaver-sourced cells, which are effective but are unable to meet patient demand.

Campbell will carry his training and knowledge of cellular differentiation to Iowa State University, where he’s accepted a position as an adjunct associate professor. There, he will continue his regenerative medicine work, with a new focus on blood cell differentiation. This work could lead to treatments for children with leukemia and people battling other blood disorders. As a father to a 3-year-old daughter, his research now takes on special meaning.

“As a society, one of the most important things we can do for future generations is impart new knowledge. With research comes powerful insights—which could lead to cures. One day, I hope no child or adult will have to go through my experience.” 

Learn about Sanford Burnham Prebys’ Graduate School. 

Check out our upcoming SBP Insights event, held on June 20, 2019, which features a doctor, scientist and patient discussing rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.

Interested in keeping up with our latest discoveries, upcoming events and more? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Discoveries.

Institute News

Inspiring future scientists at the STEM EXPO

AuthorMonica May
Date

March 25, 2019

STEM EXPO 2019-Sanford Burnham Prebys

Armed with wiggly worms and striped zebrafish, on Saturday, March 2, more than 20 volunteers from Sanford Burnham Prebys helped kids and their families learn about the power of DNA at the San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering’s EXPO Day. 

One of the largest STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) festivals in the U.S., this year’s event featured more than 130 interactive exhibits designed to ignite a passion for science in K–12 students. Despite an uncharacteristically rainy morning, an estimated 17,000 people attended. 

For Joseph Lancman, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at our Institute who was the first in his family to graduate from college, the festival was an opportunity to provide children with the experience he wishes he’d had as a kid.

“Growing up, I knew I was interested in human health, but I had no idea that research was an option,” Lancman says. “Like many kids, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. But in college, I quickly learned that I wanted to know more. I wanted to know what causes disease and how scientists go about finding cures.” 

STEM EXPO 2019 Joseph Lancman and son

Dr. Lancman and his son

At our booth, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and staff helped children don paper lab coats and explore DNA-themed activities. 

Children were able to see live worms with DNA mutations that affect their movement, courtesy of the lab of Malene Hansen, PhD, professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program. Compared to normal worms, some mutant worms moved mindlessly in circles, and others remained relatively immobile—illustrating how changes in a DNA sequence can dramatically affect life.

At the adjacent station, provided by the lab of Duc Dong, PhD, assistant professor in the Human Genetics Program, children squinted through microscopes and peered into fish tanks to observe how DNA changes can dramatically affect the heartbeat of zebra fish—one of the most powerful model organisms used to study vertebrate biology. 

Lancman, who works in Dong’s lab, took care to explain the exhibit in child-friendly language (he credits his four-year-old son for helping him develop this skill). 

“I want kids to know that science is like a puzzle,” he explains. “It takes time to put all the pieces together, but when you’re done, you can see the big picture—and that big picture can lead to improving human health.”