Register Today: KCALSI Annual Dinner
registration still open
Participate in the KCALSI's Annual Dinner Translational Research: Bridging Science & Healthcare on Wednesday evening, April 16, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center. This is the premier life sciences event attended by more than 800 civic and business leaders, researchers, educators, and physicians.
The pharmaceutical industry impacts many aspects of the life sciences. Translational Research creates the connection between discoveries of basic science to the treatment of patients who eventually benefit from those discoveries. KCALSI works with life sciences researchers at every stage of this cycle of science and life, helping to provide a higher quality of life for our citizens. Hear keynote speaker Kenneth I. Kaitin, PhD, Director of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development and Associate Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Kaitin is an internationally recognized expert on the science of drug development and publishes extensively on factors contributing to the slow pace and high cost of pharmaceutical R&D. Sponsorships, tables and individual tickets are available online.
RFP released for KCALSI Comparative Medicine Research Grant Awards
The Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute released the request for proposals for the 2008 Comparative Medicine Research Grants. The RFP serves to stimulate the development and submission of major research proposals.
The Comparative Medicine award letters of intent are due by April 4. Full application must be received by 5:00 p.m. on May 2. Submission instructions are provided online.
Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute
launches new clinical trials
First pacemaker designed for safe use in MRI machines
Physicians at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute have begun enrolling patients in a clinical study of the first pacemaker system designed for safe use in MRI environments under specified scanning conditions. The Medtronic EnRhythm MRI™ SureScan® pacing system recently was implanted in a 74-year-old Kansas City, Mo., man by cardiologist Brian Ramza, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of electrophysiology laboratory services at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute.
The clinical trial is a prospective, randomized, controlled, unblinded, multi-center study, involving 470 individuals. All patients in the trial will receive an EnRhythm MRI SureScan pacing system, and two-thirds of the participants will receive MRI scans. The expected study duration and follow-up time is approximately 30 months.
Recurrent angina clinical research trial
for women with angina
Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute is recruiting female patients with chronic angina (chest pain) due to coronary heart disease to participate in the AWARE clinical trial. The AWARE trial will study the effects of Generx™ (Ad5FGF-4) in women for the potential treatment of myocardial ischemia (insufficient blood flow within the heart muscle), which gives rise to angina. Generx™ is an investigational product designed to promote angiogenesis, a natural process of blood vessel growth within the heart muscle. The AWARE (Angiogenesis in Women with Angina pectoris who are not candidates for Revascularization) trial is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study that will enroll approximately 300 women with recurrent stable angina pectoris who are not candidates for revascularization and who are receiving optimal drug therapy. The primary endpoint will be measured during an exercise treadmill test at baseline and at six months. The secondary endpoints will include a measure of myocardial blood flow using SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography), as well as other measures of angina. Prospective participants can call (816) 932-0218 for more information about the study and eligibility.
Stowers' Trainor Lab finds rare birth defect can be prevented by inactivating p53 Gene
Using a mouse model of Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS), the Stowers Institute's Trainor Lab has demonstrated that it can prevent this rare disorder of craniofacial development either by inactivating a gene implicated in the abnormality or by inhibiting its protein product. The work, which was posted to the Web site of the journal Nature Medicine, is a follow-up to the team's 2006 discovery of the cellular cause of TCS.
The team evaluated how a mutated TCOF1 gene causes the death of neural crest cells that should otherwise form most of the bone, cartilage, and connective tissue that make up the head and face during embryonic development. The loss of these cells results in abnormal development of the ear, nose, and upper and lower jaw, including cleft palate.
The team discovered that chemical inhibition of a single protein, the product of the p53 gene, could prevent the craniofacial abnormalities caused by the TCOF1 mutation.
"These findings are the culmination of years of efforts to better understand TCS,” said Paul Trainor, Ph.D., Associate Investigator and senior author on the paper. “People diagnosed with severe TCS typically undergo multiple, major reconstructive surgeries that are rarely fully corrective. The inhibition of p53 brings us much closer to our ultimate goal - preventing TCS and the suffering it causes altogether."
More information about TCS is available online.
K-State researchers collaborate on vaccine
to decrease E. coli in beef
Despite millions of dollars spent on food safety research over the last 10 years, ground beef recalls due to E. coli O157:H7 were higher in 2007 than in 2006, according to researchers from Kansas State University and West Texas A&M University. E. coli O157:H7 has been linked to foodborne illnesses in humans after consuming contaminated beef and produce.
K-State's associate professor, Dr. Dan Thomson in collaboration with Dr. Guy Loneragan, West Texas A&M University, and Dr. T.G. Nagaraja, of K-State, are examining the effects of a novel vaccine technology to make beef safer. The team's findings were recently presented at the 2008 Beef Industry Safety Summit in Dallas.
The two large pen feeding studies the team conducted utilized 20 pens and more than 1,200 head of cattle, Thomson said. The first study conducted in 2006 was funded in part by beef and veal producers and importers through their $1-per-head checkoff and was produced for the Cattlemen's Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
Mizzou, Iowa researchers create Cystic Fibrosis
model using pigs
Researchers at the University of Missouri and the University of Iowa have taken the first step in developing a porcine cystic fibrosis model that may more closely mimic the disease in humans. The study, funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will be published in the upcoming edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The production of pigs carrying the affected gene could provide researchers with opportunities to conduct studies investigating treatments and therapies for cystic fibrosis that were not previously possible. For more information, contact Christian Basi at 573-882-4430.
Stowers' Workman Lab characterizes novel
regulator of chromosome function
The Workman Lab Stowers' Institute for Medical Research has shed new light on a novel histone acetyltransferase protein complex called ATAC. Acetyltransferases are enzymes that introduce a new acetyl functional group into histone proteins, a process by which all chromosome functions are controlled. The findings were posted to the Web site of Nature Structural and Molecular Biology and will appear in a future print edition of the journal.
ATAC is unique as the only acetyltransferase protein complex that contains two distinct acetyltransferase enzymes; one that generally activates processes like gene transcription and DNA repair and another that makes a specific modification thought to alter chromosome structure. ATAC can also assist in the movement of chromosome subunits, called nucleosomes, along DNA.
The work was conducted using the Drosophila, or fruit fly, model. The improved understanding of ATAC may lead to a better understanding of a number of human diseases. Learn more about Dr. Workman's research program.
KU Med Center nets $3 million federal grant for life sciences incubator
The University of Kansas Medical Center received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration to fund nearly half of the cost of a new regional wet-lab incubator for life sciences startup companies. The incubator will be housed in 40,000 square feet of remodeled space in the Breidenthal Building on the medical center's Kansas City, KS, campus. The building will also include offices, common areas and telecommunications systems. When local wet-lab incubator space is not available, the region runs the risk of losing startups based on locally generated research to other parts of the country who can accommodate them with wet-lab space. Kansas Biosciences Authority and KU Medical Center have agreed to help finance the remaining costs. The incubator is anticipated to cost $6.25 million and be completed in two and half years.
UMKC Professor awarded NSF grant
Dmitry Belostotsky, UMKC Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, received a NSF grant for $500,000 for a project titled: "Arabidopsis 2010: Affinity Handle on Macromolecular Complexes." Dr. Belostotsky's lab, in collaboration with Nevan Krogan at the University of California at San Francisco, will be developing new tools for investigating the composition of protein-protein and protein nucleic acid complexes, through the study of Arabidopsis thaliana, as a "reference plant" species. These protein interactions are fundamental to all biological processes, thus, Dr. Belostotsky's research, through use of state of the art scientific methods, will be able to advance system-level understanding of plant biology, and offer insight to how plants grow, flower and respond to changing environments. For more information, contact John R. Baumann, Ph.D. at baumannj@umkc.edu.
MU given $6 million gift to support breast cancer/cardiovascular disease
Thanks to a donation exceeding $6 million by breast cancer survivor Margaret Proctor Mulligan, MU School of Medicine will fund 10 endowed faculty research positions at the University of Missouri. The research areas include cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. The first six Margaret Proctor Mulligan endowed professors are: Paul S. Dale, chief of surgical oncology at MU and director of the Margaret Proctor Mulligan Breast Health and Research Program at MU's Ellis Fischel Cancer Center; George E. Davis, a member of the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology; Dongsheng Duan, a member of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; Kattesh V. Katti, director of MU's National Cancer Institute Nanotechnology Platform, senior research scientist with MU's Nuclear Research Reactor, professor of radiology and physics; Gerald A. Meininger, director of MU's Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, and M. Sharon Stack, vice chair for research with the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences.
KU researcher earns prestigious Sloan Fellowship, $50,000 grant
KU assistant professor of molecular biosciences, Yang Zhang, is one of 118 young researchers to be awarded a prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship. The fellowship includes a $50,000 grant over a two-year period to further his research. Zhang and his team developed I-TASSER, a computer server used by scientists around the world to predict protein structures in cells. Zhang's research takes a close look at protein structures in cells, specifically, a family of membrane proteins known as GPCRs, which are key to signal exchanges outside and inside a cell. More info
UMKC Professor receives grant from MS Society
UMKC's Jared Bruce, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology has received a grant, funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society for $44,000 for a project titled: "The Association Between Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Treatment Adherence in MS." Because those with MS frequently experience disease-related cognitive and emotional symptoms, Dr. Bruce's study will identify obstacles to treatment adherences by employing an electronic monitoring device and daily injection diaries, ultimately enabling clinicians to craft individualized treatment plans that help prevent disease progression. For more information, contact John R. Baumann, Ph.D., at 816-235-1303.
MRI's David Franz to head K-State's Biosecurity
Advisory Committee
David Franz, most recently head of Kansas State University's National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, has agreed to chair of an elite group that will oversee K-State's initiatives in biosecurity. The Biosecurity Advisory Committee, which will consist of nationally-known experts in containment laboratory operations, research and management, will provide K-State with an additional level of review and a long-term vision for the university's high-level research programs.
While head of K-State's National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, Franz directed a broad program in preharvest and postharvest biosecurity and strengthened K-State's status in the public health and national security arenas. Franz continues to serve as chief biological scientist at the Midwest Research Institute, where he develops business activities in the areas of biodefense education and preparation, nonproliferation, cooperative threat reduction and biosafety.
Astronaut Steve Hawley joining KU to teach, promote science education
Former astronaut Steve Hawley, a Salina, KS, native and 1973 KU graduate in physics and astronomy, will join the KU faculty next fall to teach and to promote education in science and math. As a NASA astronaut, he logged 32 days in space, first with the 1984 maiden flight of the shuttle Discovery. He is now director of astromaterials research and exploration science at NASA-Houston, where he oversees research in planetary and space science and is responsible for NASA's collection of astromaterials. More info
OneKC WIRED Region Industry Profile
available for download
OneKC WIRED Region Industry Profile - a new report jointly developed by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) and the Kansas Department of Commerce's Division of Workforce Development - is available for download. Publication of the report marks the first time information of this nature has been exchanged by both Missouri and Kansas for the bi-state KC region. The report provides a snapshot of the region today-citing overall data and focusing on the three industry sectors targeted by the OneKC WIRED initiative (advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and healthcare). This is the first step in a process designed to assist area leaders in better understanding the region's economy. Download a copy of the report by visiting www.onekcwired.com and clicking on Resources.
K-State's Freeman promoted to Innovation for Olathe Campus
Dr. Lisa Freeman, associate dean of research and graduate programs at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named associate vice president of innovation by the K-State Olathe Innovation Campus, Inc., board of directors. In the new role, Freeman will build public and private partnerships to benefit the Olathe campus and will act as a liaison between the Olathe and Manhattan campuses. Freeman will retain some of her prior responsibilities as an associate dean in the College of Veterinary Medicine, including supporting the research efforts of faculty and trainees and advancing the commercialization of intellectual property through interactions with the industry, government and commodity groups focused on innovation in animal health.
KU appoints first Johnson Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology
An internationally recognized leader in cell cycle research from Ohio State University, Berl R. Oakley, PhD, has been appointed the first Irving S. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Kansas. Oakley is a distinguished scholar who received a bachelor's in botany from Duke University and a doctorate in botany and cell biology from the University of London. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia and York University and an instructor at Rutgers Medical School. More info
KCUMB names associate dean, professor of genetics
Linda R. Adkison, Ph.D., joins Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB) as associate dean for curricular affairs and professor of genetics. Previously, Dr. Adkison was professor of genetics and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. She is widely published with more than 42 peer reviewed original articles, 36 peer reviewed abstracts, 2 books and has received numerous research grants and awards. In 2006, Dr. Adkison was named Outstanding Research Mentor of the Year for the State of Georgia.
Bayer, Juvaris Bio Therapeutics execute
licensing agreement
Bayer and Juvaris BioTherapeutics, Inc. jointly announced that the companies have executed a broad-based licensing agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer will have complete access in the veterinary field to the Juvaris mono-immunotherapy and vaccine technology, which is being developed by Juvaris for human health care. The companies will evaluate and execute product development programs directed at immune stimulation and disease prevention in a variety of animal species. The license is worldwide in scope.
Synbiotics has the only USDA-licensed
rapid screening test for Avian Flu
Synbiotics Corporation, developer and manufacturer of veterinary diagnostics, reports that the only commercial USDA-licensed rapid screening test for the Avian Flu is its FluDETECT Rapid Test Kit. The USDA's Live Bird Marketing Group is to include a USDA licensed type A influenza antigen capture immunoassay (ACIA) test to detect and screen for Avian Influenza in its Uniform Standards. The ACIA must be carried out using test kits approved by the USDA and individual state; must be conducted according to the manufacturer's recommendations and should follow guidelines in the Groups' Uniform Standards document. The ACIA test used in FluDETECT is also approved by the US National Poultry Improvement Plan. For more information, contact jo.power@informa.com.
Cardinal Health to purchase Enturia
Enturia Inc. is being purchased for $490 million by Ohio-based Cardinal Health. Enturia was formerly named Medi-Flex. Enturia's ChloraPrep products disinfect the skin before surgical and vascular procedures to help prevent blood stream and surgical site infections.
CyDex plans to offer common stocks to public
CyDex Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced plans to offer common stock to raise as much as $50 million. Underwriters of the CyDex IP will be Pacific Growth Equitites LLC, JMP Securities LLC and Fortis Securities LLC. The stock proceeds will be used to finance clinical trials and product development.
Proteon Therapeutics receives European patent
for new method of dilating arteries and veins
Proteon Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing novel, first-in-class pharmaceuticals to address the critical medical needs of patients with kidney and vascular diseases, announced that a key patent has been issued by the European Patent Office to cover the use of a class of proteins known as elastases for dilating arteries and veins in humans. This follows the issuance of related United States patents in June and December of 2006. Proteon Therapeutics owns all of these patents by assignment from Johns Hopkins University, where the underlying invention was made by F.Nicholas Franano, M.D. More info
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