2009 News Stories Featuring VICB Members |
VICB Newsletters |
Achievement Award Honors Liebler’s Xenobiotics Research: Daniel Liebler, Ph.D., director of the Jim Ayers Institute for Precancer Detection and Diagnosis, is the recipient of the 2009 Scientific Achievement Award in Honor of Ronald Estabrook, awarded by the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics. The award was presented at the 16th North American Regional ISSX Meeting in Baltimore at a special awards session on October 20th. McLean and Wikswo Team to Develop Novel Drug Detection Technology Using Software that Acts Like a Robotic Scientist: Every time a person snorts cocaine, it doesn’t just go to his or her head: It also provokes a response in the immune system, creating special biomolecules that may serve as a permanent record of each exposure. With the support of a $2.7 million Recovery Act grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), an interdisciplinary team headed by Vanderbilt chemist John McLean and physicist John Wikswo will attempt to determine whether an individual’s white blood cells retain chemical memories of exposure to drugs like cocaine and alcohol that can be read reliably and unambiguously. Conn's Parkinson’s Disease Research Highlighted: Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have reached a milestone in the development of potential new drugs for Parkinson's disease that may avoid the limitations of current therapy. They have identified two drug-like molecules that, when given systematically in an animal model, reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease by acting on a specific glutamate receptor in the brain. Jeffrey Conn Ph.D., director of the Vanderbilt Drug Discovery Program and leader of the research team, described the discovery at the recent Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics Conference, hosted by the New York Academy of Sciences and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Johnson Receives Federal Funding for Unconventional Research Project: Figuring out how biological clocks evolved and extracting clues to environmental factors that cause cancer from electronic medical records are the goals of two projects that have been funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH). A long-standing mystery regarding biological clocks is how a precise 24-hour cycle can evolve from basic cellular processes that operate at [millisecond/sub-second] time frames. Professor of Biological Sciences Carl Johnson has decided to address this question in a particularly direct fashion by seeing if he can force biological clocks to evolve in single-celled organisms that don’t have them. Wright Receives $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations Grant for Innovative Global Health Research: Vanderbilt University announced Oct. 21 that it has received a $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support an innovative global health research project conducted by Associate Professor of Chemistry David Wright and Professor of Biomedical Engineering Rick Haselton, titled “Coffee Ring Stain Diagnostics for Malaria.” Their project is one of 76 grants announced by the Gates Foundation in the third funding round of Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative to help scientists around the world explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve health in developing countries. The grants were provided to scientists in 16 countries on five continents. NIH Grant Bolsters Search for New Cancer Drugs: Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, led by VICB director Lawrence Marnett, Ph.D., the grant's principal investigator, have received a two-year, $4.7 million “Grand Opportunities” stimulus grant from the National Institutes of Health to launch a ground-breaking cancer drug discovery program. The Vanderbilt Molecular Target Discovery and Development Center, a joint effort of the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology (VICB) and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, initially will hone in on “triple-negative” breast cancer, a particularly deadly form of the disease. Researchers will try to identify genes that are the “drivers” for the different subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer, and then fashion drugs to block the action of the proteins encoded by the genes, with the intent of killing the cancer cells. Stubbs' Efforts Lead to First Direct Information About the Molecular Structure of Prions: A collaboration between Gerald Stubbs, professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University, and researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has led to the first direct information about the molecular structure of prions. In addition, the study has revealed surprisingly large structural differences between natural prions and the closest synthetic analogs that scientists have created in the lab. McLean and Marnett Awarded GO Grants: Larry Marnett, Mary Geddes Stahlman Professor of Cancer Research, and John MClean, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, have been awarded GO (Grand Opportunity) grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Marnett's grant totals $4.7M over a two year period. The funding level for McLean's two-year grant is $2.7M. Numerous other VICB members have received NIH Grants Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For a complete list, click on the link below, then "Tennessee" and Vanderbilt University "List Projects": Sanders Receives $3.9M Stimulus Grant: Vanderbilt University researchers have received a $3.9 million federal stimulus grant to purchase a powerful analytical instrument that will greatly accelerate their studies of complex protein structures. The ultra-high field, 900 megahertz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer is a much more powerful version of instruments that have been used for years to determine the three-dimensional structures of proteins and protein complexes. Charles Sanders, Ph.D., is principal investigator of the grant, one of 13 stimulus grants, totaling $8.9 million, which have been awarded to Vanderbilt by the National Science Foundation (NSF) since June. Hudson and Colleagues Identify Biological Tissue's "Glue": Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have discovered a novel chemical bond in biological tissue, a fundamental discovery that helps explain evolutionary adaptation and may shed light on human disease. The novel sulfilimine bond, between a sulfur and a nitrogen atom, acts like a “fastener” to reinforce a collagen IV network found in connective tissue throughout the body. It is “an apparent adaptation crucial for … evolution,” the researchers reported in this week's Science magazine. “Every tissue in your body has got this bond,” said Billy Hudson, Ph.D., senior author of the paper and director of the Vanderbilt Center for Matrix Biology. “It is the 'glue' … that helps hold together the extracellular matrix.” The extracellular matrix provides structural support in all tissues, and molecular cues for influencing cell behavior. Skaar’s Research Lands ASPIRE Young Investigator Award: Eric Skaar, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of Microbiology and Immunology, has received a one-year, $100,000 2009 ASPIRE Young Investigator Research Award from Pfizer, Inc. The award supports promising young investigators with an interest in advancing knowledge in infectious diseases. Skaar will use magnetic resonance (MR) and other imaging methods to study the dynamics of bacterial abscesses — part of the body's defensive response to infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) and other microbes. Paul Bock and the Art of Science: As a boy growing up on Long Island, N.Y., in the 1950s, Paul Bock wanted to be a naturalist, harboring dreams of paddling a canoe down the Amazon River, discovering rare species of birds, fish and plants. He enjoyed doing experiments with his chemistry set and had an assortment of pets, including snakes, lizards, fish and bugs. He would one day graduate from chemistry sets to running his own laboratory, and would become known for the creation of a new method for tagging blood clotting enzymes that has advanced the study of life-threatening conditions such as strokes and acute bacterial endocarditis. Vanderbilt Joins National Consortium to Develop New Cancer Therapies: Vanderbilt University has been selected as one of 10 centers in the nation to participate in the Chemical Biology Consortium (CBC), a major new initiative to facilitate the discovery and development of new agents to treat cancer. As one of four Chemical Diversity Centers, Vanderbilt’s role in the consortium will be to synthesize and optimize new compounds as potential cancer therapeutics. Designed to accelerate the discovery and development of effective, first-in-class targeted therapies, the CBC will choose high-risk targets that are of low interest to the pharmaceutical industry. The CBC is a National Cancer Institute initiative. American Chemical Society Honors Guengerich: F. Peter (Fred) Guengerich, has been named to the first class of American Chemical Society Fellows in recognition of excellence in science and the profession, and outstanding service to the ACS. Guengerich, the Harry Pearson Broquist Professor of Biochemistry and director of the Vanderbilt Center in Molecular Toxicology, will be honored with 161 other fellows on Aug. 17 at the ACS national meeting in Washington, D.C. Cliffel Receives Grant to Develop Animal Testing Alternative: Vanderbilt Associate Professor of Chemistry, David Cliffel, has received a grant from the Alternatives Research & Development Foundation to assess the potential of an advanced cell monitoring system for reducing the use of animals in toxicity testing. Cliffel’s system, which is called a “multianalyte microphysiometer,” represents a new approach to toxicity testing advocated in a 2007 report by the National Research Council: one that focuses on methods that evaluate chemicals’ effects using human cells and cell cultures instead of relying so heavily on animal studies. Liebler Helps Build Bridges to Cancer Biomarkers: A new method for detecting and quantifying cancer-associated proteins in body fluids may offer a major boost to the development of biomarkers to aid in early cancer detection and personalized cancer therapy. “Despite broad enthusiasm for the potential of proteomics to identify cancer biomarkers, the reproducibility of the technology has been unclear,” said Daniel Liebler, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and Director of the Jim Ayers Institute for Precancer Detection and Diagnosis. “There is a need for a bridging technology in the middle of the 'pipe' that would allow you to sort out, evaluate and actually eliminate poor quality candidates." Lindsley Appointed Editor of New ACS Journal: Craig Lindsley, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Chemistry and Director of Medicinal Chemistry for the Drug Discovery Program at Vanderbilt University, will serve as editor-in-chief of the American Chemical Society's (ACS) newest journal, ACS Chemical Neuroscience. The peer-reviewed, online-only publication will cover research associated with the molecular basis of neurological function. The journal will launch in January 2010. Sanders Paper Published in Science: Charles Sanders, Professor of Biochemistry, was recently published in the journal Science. The article, "Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Structure of Membrane-Integral Diacylglycerol Kinase," describes how the three-dimensional structure of the Escherichia coli diacylglycerol kinase (DAGK) homotrimer was determined using nuclear magnetic resonance. Pietenpol Inducted Into Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars: Jennifer Pietenpol, Director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, has been named one of 15 new members of the Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars. The society inducts former postdoctoral fellows, postdoctoral degree recipients, house staff and junior or visiting faculty who have served at least a year at Johns Hopkins and thereafter gained marked distinction elsewhere in their fields of physical, biological, medical, social or engineering sciences or in the humanities. Wright Article Published in Royal Society of Chemistry Journals: The Royal Society of Chemistry recently published a paper by David Wright, Associate Professor of Chemistry that describes a new approach to early detection of pediatric viruses in which viral RNA using DNA hairpin structures covalently attached to a gold filament are detected. The paper was published in the RSC's Analyst journal and Chemical Biology supplement. Color-Shifting Fluorescent Proteins Highlight Biology: A group of fluorescent proteins can shift from one fluorescent color to another Vanderbilt researchers report in the May issue of Nature Methods. This color-changing characteristic makes these proteins ideal for “highlighting” multiple cellular or subcellular populations to follow using imaging microscopy. David Piston, Ph.D., professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, and his colleagues will use the fluorescent tools to explore glucose-induced insulin secretion by the beta cells of the pancreas. Harth Named Associate Editor of New Journal: Eva Harth, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, will be the associate editor of the Americas for Polymer Chemistry, a new peer-reviewed journal from RSC Publishing encompassing all aspects of synthetic and biological macromolecules and related emerging areas. The journal, to launch in early 2010, will provide a showcase for the ongoing efforts driving polymer chemistry, highlighting the creativity of the field and previously inaccessible applications. Renowned Cancer Drug Researcher Joins Vanderbilt: Stephen Fesik, Ph.D., internationally known for structural biology research and cancer drug discovery at Abbott Laboratories, has joined Vanderbilt Medical Center as professor of Biochemistry. Fesik will lead the cancer drug discovery initiatives of the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The focus of Fesik's research at Vanderbilt will be to discover drugs to treat cancer using structure-based drug design and other methods he pioneered. VICB Members Recognized With Awards: The Vanderbilt School of Medicine recently announced its 2009 Academic Enterprise Awards. VICB member award recipients included Neil Osheroff, Al Beth, Randy Blakely, and Andrew Link. For more information about the awards, click here. Breaking The Mold: Vanderbilt's program in drug discovery and others like it push the boundaries of traditional academic research. SIX YEARS AGO, while heading a neuroscience research program at Merck & Co., P. Jeffrey Conn became concerned about the state of the drug discovery enterprise. Fewer drugs were coming out of the pipeline, and the pharmaceutical industry increasingly seemed focused on the bottom line rather than on innovative science. Guengerich Lands Cancer Research Award: Fred Guengerich, Ph.D., has received the 2009 award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The award, which recognizes the importance of chemistry to advancements in cancer research, was presented during the society's annual meeting in Denver. Guengerich was honored for several of his chemical studies, including how the human cytochrome P450 enzymes convert cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) into compounds that mutate genes or otherwise alter DNA. The work has been important for understanding the mechanisms underlying cancer, as well as suggesting ways to prevent the disease. Forster Featured In Synthetic Life Cover Article: A synthetic biology project of Anthony Forster, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, has been
highlighted by the popular science magazine, NewScientist. Starting with a Fanning Receives Humboldt Research Award: Ellen H. Fanning, Stevenson Professor of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University, has received a 2009 Humboldt Research Award. The award is granted by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Bonn, Germany for the purpose of encouraging research collaborations between German scientists and colleagues in other countries. The foundation grants up to 100 such awards annually. Finding Reveals Cell’s Reproduction Machinery: For the first time, structural biologists have managed to obtain the detailed three-dimensional structure of one of the proteins that forms the core of the complex molecular machine, called the replisome, that plant and animal cells assemble to copy their DNA as the first step in cell reproduction. Its discovery was a collaborative effort by Brandt Eichman, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt, and Walter Chazin, Ph.D., director of the Center for Structural Biology and Chancellor's Professor of Chemistry at Vanderbilt, working with Anja- Katrin Bielinsky at the University of Minnesota. Compounds May Be New Class Of Cancer Drugs: A team led by Vanderbilt Medical Center investigators Alex Brown, professor of Pharmacology, and Craig Lindsley, associate professor of Pharmacology and Chemistry, has developed a group of chemical compounds that could represent a new class of drugs for treating cancer. The compounds are the first selective inhibitors of the protein phospholipase D (PLD), an enzyme that has been implicated in multiple human cancers including breast, renal, gastric and colorectal. The new inhibitors, reported in the February issue of Nature Chemical Biology, block the invasive migration of breast cancer cells, supporting their further development as antimetastatic agents. Eichman Receives 2009 Sigma Xi Award: Brandt F. Eichman, assistant professor of biological sciences and biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, has received Sigma Xi¹s Young Investigator Award. Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, was founded in 1886 and is the international honor society for research scientists and engineers. New Role For Serotonin 'Ironed Out': Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have found a surprising link between brain iron levels and serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in neuropsychiatric conditions ranging from autism to major depression. Appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of January 27, the study by Randy Blakely, Ph.D., and colleagues also demonstrates the utility of a powerful in silico approach for discovering novel traits linked to subtle genetic variation. New Lab Set To Enhance Brain Disorders Research: Vanderbilt Medical Center has opened a “next-generation” laboratory devoted to advancing the understanding and treatment of diverse brain disorders including autism, ADHD, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. “Through the careful evaluation of mouse and rat behavior, we hope to achieve a more sophisticated understanding of how genes and environment interact to establish normal behavior as well as impart risk to common brain diseases,” said Randy Blakely, Ph.D., director of the Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Neuroscience, who oversees the new research facility. Johnson & Johnson, Vanderbilt Team Up On Schizophrenia Drugs: In an unusually extensive collaboration between an academic institution and a drug maker, Vanderbilt University will partner with Janssen Pharmaceutica, a member of Johnson & Johnson, to develop new drugs to treat schizophrenia. Jeffrey Conn, director of the program in translational neuropharmac-ology, will lead the effort. Harth Named To Macromolecules Editorial Board: Translation...The Good, The Bad And The Ugly: Liebler, Sanders, Sulikowski, Waterman Honored By AAAS: Four Vanderbilt faculty members — Daniel Liebler, Ph.D., Charles Sanders, Ph.D., Gary Sulikowski, Ph.D., and Michael Waterman, Ph.D. — have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an honor bestowed upon them by their peers. Microbiology Society Lauds Skaar’s Infectious Disease Work: Eric Skaar, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of Microbiology and Immunology, received the 2008 ICAAC Young Investigator Award from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) at the society's annual meeting last week. The award recognizes scientists early in their careers for excellence in research in microbiology and infectious diseases. Skaar and his team focused much of their effort on Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that Skaar characterizes as “arguably the most important bacterial pathogen in the United States.” Research Deserves to Be a High Priority: Jeffrey Balser, Dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, wrote an opinion piece about the importance of funding medical research. Marnett’s Contributions to Chemical Toxicology Honored: Lawrence Marnett, Ph.D., professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacology, has received the first Founders' Award from the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Toxicology. The award recognizes Marnett's contributions to the field of chemical toxicology, “in which he has been a pioneer and unifying force,” the division said in a statement. Marnett received the award during the fall ACS meeting. Balser Named School of Medicine Dean: Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt Medical Center's associate vice chancellor for Research, has been named dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Balser, who has served as interim dean of the school since July, is a newly elected member of the Institute of Medicine and an alumnus of the school. He becomes the 11th dean of VUSM since its founding in 1875. In addition to his responsibilities as dean, Balser will continue to serve as associate vice chancellor for Research, with continued oversight of the Medical Center's research enterprise.
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