Perry Nisen Archives - Sanford Burnham Prebys
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

SBP and GSK create new Center for Translational Neuroscience

Authorkcusato
Date

April 20, 2016

SBP and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global pharmaceutical company, have announced the creation of the SBP-GSK Center for Translational Neuroscience. The new Center, located on the SBP campus in La Jolla, will bring together experts from SBP and GSK to investigate factors that influence brain function and potentially reverse or slow down neurodegeneration, with the aim of identifying and validating new therapeutic targets. Under the three year agreement, GSK will provide funding to create and support a research laboratory. Staffed by SBP scientists, postdoctoral candidates and technicians working alongside neuroscientists from GSK, the Center will be designed to bolster research dedicated to translational neuroscience. Continue reading “SBP and GSK create new Center for Translational Neuroscience”

Institute News

The Mayor of San Diego visits SBP in La Jolla

Authorsbraun
Date

September 1, 2015

On Friday, August 28, the Mayor of San Diego, Kevin Faulconer, visited SBP to learn more about how our Institute is conducting world-class research dedicated to finding cures for human disease.

The Mayor was first welcomed by Perry Nisen, MD, PhD, CEO of SBP and Kristiina Vuori, MD, PhD, President of the Institute. Drs. Nisen and Vuori shared how SBP is evolving as a hybrid organization that blends cutting-edge fundamental research and robust drug discovery with a clear line of sight to the patient in a way that cannot be accomplished in academia, pharma, or biotech. Our goal is to combine our world-class research with clinical science to translate discoveries into important new diagnostic and therapeutic medical advances.

Mayor Faulconer continued his visit with a tour of the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, led by Michael Jackson, PhD, senior vice president, Drug Discovery and Development.  Since its opening, the Center has been shortening the distance between basic research findings and therapeutic discoveries. Dr. Jackson presented how the Center uses high-throughput robotic technology to systematically screen up to one million chemicals per day to find the few that are potential starting points for new medicines.

It was an honor to welcome the mayor and share our commitment to finding new ways of restoring health and hope to patients everywhere.

Institute News

A $100 million gift and a new name

Authorpbartosch
Date

June 24, 2015

We are beyond excited to announce that Sanford-Burnham has received a gift of $100 million from prominent San Diego developer, philanthropist, and Sanford-Burnham honorary trustee Conrad Prebys. This is the largest donation ever made by Prebys and will be used to further implement the Institute’s 10-year strategic vision to accelerate the delivery of innovative new treatments that will have a tangible impact on improving human health.

“A gift of this magnitude is significant in many ways,” said Sanford-Burnham Chief Executive Officer Perry Nisen, MD, PhD “It enables us to conduct translational research to advance laboratory discoveries and clinic-ready drug candidates further along the development pipeline, progressing toward therapies, preventions, and cures for patients who desperately need them. We are profoundly grateful to Conrad Prebys for this extraordinary gift.”

In recognition of Prebys’ contribution, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute will now bear his name, along with the other Institute namesakes T. Denny Sanford and Malin Burnham. Effective June 24, the new name will be Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute.

“We are honored that Conrad Prebys’ name is now part of ours,” said Sanford-Burnham President Kristiina Vuori, M.D, PhD “He has a longstanding relationship with the Institute and believes strongly in our mission. Nearly a decade ago, his first gift helped us establish the infrastructure for drug discovery research. Today, Conrad’s generosity will take us even further. We are in the golden age of biology, where advances in molecular biology, robotics, imaging, and many other technologies allow us to ask and answer previously impossible questions. Now more than ever, we have the capacity to speed up the process of moving medical research discoveries from bench to bedside.”

Sanford-Burnham’s plan to form more pharma and clinical partnerships in order to advance translational research discoveries that will have a tangible impact on human health is critical to philanthropists like Prebys as they consider which organizations to fund.

“When it comes to finding cures, Sanford-Burnham is the engine that will drive innovation,” said Prebys. “I’ve been involved with the excellent researchers at the Institute for many, many years. They’re the best there is, and that excites me. If, through my support, I can shorten people’s suffering, or extend their quality of life, that would give me unlimited pleasure and joy.”

Prebys previously donated $11 million to the Institute, including $10 million in 2009 to support the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics. His investment in the ultra-high-throughput chemical screening center helped establish the drug discovery platform that is critical to Sanford-Burnham’s new emphasis on advancing laboratory discoveries to clinical study and gaining commercial interest in Institute assets.

Last year, Sanford-Burnham received a transformative $275 million gift from an anonymous donor. Including the Prebys gift, the Institute has received more than $375 million toward a $500 million, 10-year fundraising goal. Since 2014, Sanford-Burnham has received two of the five largest philanthropic donations to medical research in California. Prebys’ latest gift will help build sustainability for research and development, and further the Institute’s work in its focus disease areas of cancer, neuroscience, immunity, and metabolic disorders.

Institute News

2015 Sanford-Burnham faculty retreat

Authorsgammon
Date

June 5, 2015

The annual Sanford-Burnham faculty retreat was held in beautiful Carlsbad, Calif., May 19-20. Attended by more than 70 faculty from La Jolla, Calif., and Lake Nona, Fla., the retreat was an opportunity for attendees to learn more about each other’s research, share ideas, and to engage in strategic discussions related to the Institute’s 10-year vision to become a preeminent medical research institute that combines cutting-edge fundamental research with robust drug discovery. Continue reading “2015 Sanford-Burnham faculty retreat”

Institute News

Lilly and Sanford-Burnham announce collaboration to investigate immunological therapies

Authorpbartosch
Date

May 14, 2015

Today, Eli Lilly and Sanford-Burnham announced a novel collaboration to discover and develop immunological therapies. The two organizations will investigate potential therapeutics using biotechnology approaches in targeting multiple immune checkpoint modulators for the treatment of immunological diseases such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune disorders. Continue reading “Lilly and Sanford-Burnham announce collaboration to investigate immunological therapies”

Institute News

Sanford-Burnham small molecule licensed to Daiichi Sankyo

Authorpbartosch
Date

April 21, 2015

We’re excited to announce that Sanford-Burnham has signed a licensing agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to further develop a first-in-class small molecule for the treatment of cardiovascular-metabolic disease. The small molecule is based on longstanding, groundbreaking biology work by one of our scientists and his laboratory team, who for decades focused their research on treating a consequence of cardiovascular-metabolic disease. Continue reading “Sanford-Burnham small molecule licensed to Daiichi Sankyo”

Institute News

Happy Holidays from Sanford-Burnham!

Authorpbartosch
Date

December 23, 2014

As the year draws to a close, we look back on Sanford-Burnham’s many achievements in 2014. Over the year, our scientists published numerous papers in high-profile journals; secured significant grant funding; partnered with companies, institutes, and nonprofit organizations from across the country and the globe; and they took important steps toward our ultimate goal – to have a tangible impact on human health. Here are 14 accomplishments of 2014 that we are proud to share with you: Continue reading “Happy Holidays from Sanford-Burnham!”

Institute News

Karen and Stuart Tanz give $1 million to Sanford-Burnham and the University of Toronto

Authorrbruni
Date

November 3, 2014

 

A $1-million gift will establish an international collaboration between Sanford-Burnham and the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Toronto to accelerate the development of new therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Continue reading “Karen and Stuart Tanz give $1 million to Sanford-Burnham and the University of Toronto”

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”