Fred Hutch scientist on how gold nanoparticles could bring CRISPR to the developing world – GeekWire

Jennifer Adair, a senior scientist at Fred Hutch, speaks at the 2019 GeekWire Summit. (GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota)

Genetically editing cells using CRISPR could be the answer to curing genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia. But in order for the technology to be available for people in countries like Nigeria where around a quarter of the population carries the sickle cell trait the technology will need to become substantially cheaper and less invasive.

Thats where gold nanoparticles come in.

Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center are devising an approach that vastly simplifies how CRISPR is applied. Their goal is to create a safe process for gene editing that takes place entirely within the body of a patient.

In order to edit human stem cells using CRISPR today, scientists have to follow a process that involves removing the cells from a patients bone marrow, electrocuting those cells, and modifying them with engineered virus particles.

The process gets even more invasive from there. We actually have to treat these patients with chemotherapy, radiation or other agents in order for these cells that were genetically manipulated to be taken up, Jennifer Adair, a senior scientist at Fred Hutch, said during a talk at the 2019 GeekWire Summit.

The researchers think theyve figured out the first step, which is delivering CRISPR to blood stem cells inside the body. Theyre doing that using gold nanoparticles that are about a billionth the size of a grain of table salt and able to smuggle in RNA, DNA and a protein.

Weve been able to show that not only can we make these, but they passively deliver all of those components to blood stem cells, then we do get genetic editing. And weve been able to go on to show that we can correct the sickle cell defect using this approach, said Adair.

The nanoparticles are big enough to carry the CRISPR payload but small enough to infiltrate cell membranes. Gold is a useful medium since it isnt harmful to humans.

The Fred Hutch team published their work with gold nanoparticles earlier this year in the journal Nature Materials. The system safely edited 10 to 20 percent of the target cells, which the researchers hope will increase as the method is refined.

In an ideal world, clinicians would be able to deliver gene therapy through a syringe, a process that might be accomplished in a single office visit. Adair previously published research on agene therapy in a box concept, a table-top device that could provide gene therapy treatments without the need for expensive medical infrastructure.

We need to develop technologies that make gene editing simpler, more affordable and more accessible to patients around the world, Adair said.

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Fred Hutch scientist on how gold nanoparticles could bring CRISPR to the developing world - GeekWire

Recognizing the LGBTQ+ community at Stanford: "We should be a beacon" – Scope

Carolyn Dundes came to Stanford Medicine to learn about brain development and stem cell biology, not to be a spokesperson for gender minorities.

Some days, Dundes, a second-year PhD student, doesn't have the energy to teach people that "transgender" means the gender you were assigned at birth doesn't match the one you identify with. Nor does Dundes always feel comfortable correcting people who use the wrong gender pronouns. Dundes identifies as gender nonbinary, which is to say not male or female, and uses the gender neutral they/them pronouns instead of "she" or "he."

But Monday, at Stanford Medicine's second annual LGBTQ+ Forum, Dundes embraced the opportunity to share how the Stanford Medicine community could step up as allies of gender-nonconforming peers and colleagues. Providing all-gender restrooms and sharing your preferred personal pronouns are two steps everyone can take to support sex and gender minorities, they pointed out.

The forum provided a platform to discuss how medical education, research and care at Stanford could be more inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning individuals.

"These are challenging times in our country and they are particularly challenging for our LGBTQ+ community," said Dean Lloyd Minor, MD. "We should be a beacon. We should be a model in demonstrating our commitment in achieving a more diverse and inclusive society. It has to begin right here at home."

Mitchell Lunn, MD, and Juno Obedin-Maliver, MD, co-directors of the PRIDE Study, the first national long-term health of LGBTQ+ health, delivered the keynote address.

Obedin-Maliver, an obstetrician/gynecologist, and Lunn, a nephrologist, met as medical students at Stanford in 2005 and joined the faculty earlier this year.

They've been thinking about LGBTQ+ health care needs since they began medical school. As lesbian and gay students, they were interested in learning more about how to take care of themselves and their community, and found little in the curriculum, Obedin-Maliver said.

"Our own communities were really invisible in our medical training," she said.

After surveying other medical schools and determining how little was being taught nationwide, Obedin-Maliver and Lunn determined there was a need for more data around how being a sex and/or gender minority influences a person's physical, mental and social health. That led to the launch of the PRIDE Study. Currently 16,000 people have enrolled in the landmark study, which conducts annual wide-ranging health questionnaires.

Lunn encouraged researchers in the audience to consider including more LGBTQ+ people in studies, give participants a way to report their gender or sexuality when they join a study and think about how they can involve the people they're trying to help in the research process.

Following panels discussing LGBTQ+ issues in clinical and research environments, the event concluded with closing remarks by Minor; David Entwistle, president and CEO of Stanford Health Care; and Paul King, president and CEO of Stanford Children's Health.

Minor said he would continue to support events that foster LGBTQ+ inclusion and invited the audience to share feedback for the leadership

Obedin-Maliver said it meant a lot to have Minor, King and Entwistle in the room. She asked that they allow staff to include gender pronouns on their clinical badges and require all staff and faculty members be trained on unique health needs in the LGBTQ+ population.

King, CEO of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, gave his word that initiatives like Monday's forum would continue until they were no longer necessary.

"You shouldn't have to train everyone in terms of the issues that you face," King said. "When we come into a community, we want to see ourselves -- we want to be welcomed."

Photos by Luke Girard / Thru Luke's Lens; Mitchell Lunn shown at top

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Recognizing the LGBTQ+ community at Stanford: "We should be a beacon" - Scope

Sequencing Method that Maps Breast Cell Differentiation Provides Insight to Cancer Development – Clinical OMICs News

Salk Institute researchers have used of a state-of-the-art technology known as single-nucleus (sn) assay for transposase-accessible chromatin (ATAC) sequencing (snATAC-seq) to profile how specific types of mammary cells differentiate during development. The findings, published in Cell Reports, provide new insights into normal breast development, and could ultimately point to new therapeutic strategies for different subtypes of breast cancer. The researchers have also made their findings available through a free online resource.

In order to understand what goes wrong in breast cancer, we need to first understand how normal development works, said research lead Geoffrey Wahl, PhD, a professor in the Gene Expression Laboratory. This study represents a major step in that direction, as we were able to profile each cell during breast development. We expect this information to be a valuable hypothesis-generating resource for the mammary gland community. The teams work is published in a paper titled, Single-Cell Chromatin Analysis of Mammary Gland Development Reveals Cell-State Transcriptional Regulators and Lineage Relationships.

The specialized functions of different tissues result from the coordinated activities of diverse cell types that develop from progenitor cells, the authors explained. The process of cell differentiation into these specialized types is controlled through mechanisms including epigenetics. The epigenetic programming of stem cells enables them to either retain their multi-potentiality or differentiate into the specific cell types. Defining how epigenetic and molecular mechanisms are involved in orchestrating developmental plasticity and the differentiation of different cell types and their functions is important to help our understanding of processes that underlie tissue development and repair after injury, but also potentially how the activation of cancer genes can impact on these processes and drive cancer progression.

As the team pointed out, The mammary gland is an excellent system for studying mechanisms of cellular specification because of its accessibility; the dramatic changes it undergoes in embryogenesis and postnatal development in response to puberty, pregnancy, and involution; and the substantial knowledge gained about factors involved in these cell-state transitions.

Mature breast tissue contains two main cell types, which may be involved in breast cancer. Luminal cells line the ducts and produce milk, while the surrounding basal cells contract to move the milk through and out of the ducts. The Salk Institute scientists were interested in what drives the molecular changes that govern how, during development, stem cells become specialized into these types of cells. To investigate at the level of individual cells they used sn(ATAC)-seq profiling of both fetal and adult mammary cells to investigate how changes in DNA packaging into chromatin impact on whether certain genes are either accessible or inaccessible, which can then affect gene expression and the development of these different cell types.

We sought to obtain a molecular map of these developing breast cells to better understand how breast tissues are formed during development and maintained during adulthood, noted co-first author and staff scientist Christopher Dravis. By examining differences in chromatin accessibility, we aimed to understand which regions of the genome affected transcription, the process that involves making RNA from DNA, and how that affected cell development, added co-first author Zhibo Ma, Ph.D.

The researchers used the single-cell profiling technique to compare chromatin accessibility in adult mouse breast tissue with that in breast tissue at the late prenatal development stage. They separated the prenatal cells into groups with basal-like and luminal-like features, based on chromatin accessibility. The results, surprisingly, suggested that even before birth the individual cells were already poised to become either a basal cell or luminal cell. fetal cells at this stage of mammary development are starting to acquire adult-like chromatin accessibility, but they still largely possess their fetal-specific features, the scientists commented. The findings suggested that most cells at the late prenatal stage are weakly committed and biased toward either a luminal or basal fate, and that this likely positions these cells to differentiate rapidly into the respective cell type in response to appropriate microenvironmental cues after birth. It is then possible that abnormal changes to these processes may lead to tumor development later on.

The team also used bioinformatics and machine learning techniques to analyze different developing cell features, which highlighted a complex picture of breast development and maturation that could help research teams better understand the mechanisms that control breast tissue. The data and strategies described provide a resource for future epigenetic studies of mammary cell regulation, a catalog of upstream control elements containing binding sites for cell-state-determining transcription factors, computational approaches that provide finer distinction of mammary cell states, and a pseudo time progression of mammary differentiation, the investigators stated.

The Salk scientists have integrated their findings into a free online database, detailed in their paper, to help inform continuing research into cell growth, gene regulation, and other factors across multiple cell types and developmental states. The authors believe the databasewhich allows for comparison between chromatin accessibility and gene expression during normal breast development, among other componentscould be used to improve our understanding of how breast cells become cancerous. Our chromatin profiling of individual mammary cells at embryonic and adult developmental stages, and accompanying analyses that predict transcription factor activity and gene accessibility in relation to distinct mammary cell states, provide valuable resources to discover and validate cell-state regulators, they wrote. The links between mammary development and breast cancer suggest that this resource, which we have made available as a web-based app, will have significant utility in target discovery for breast cancers.

My objective has always been to help people with cancer and, by disseminating research as widely and as quickly as possible, we hope to accelerate research advancement and therapy development, said Wahl, who holds the Daniel and Martina Lewis Chair. This study has provided us with a concrete way of understanding the steps involved in mammary development and reveals a complexity that was not evident by most other methods. We are excited to share this with the broader research community.

The authors plan to add data from more developmental time points to further develop the database of how cancer develops, with a goal of informing the development of more effective therapies.

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Sequencing Method that Maps Breast Cell Differentiation Provides Insight to Cancer Development - Clinical OMICs News

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for research in cellular responses to oxygen – World Socialist Web Site

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for research in cellular responses to oxygen By Benjamin Mateus 10 October 2019

In the course of a lifetime, the human heart will beat more than three billion times. We will have taken more than 670 million breaths before we reach the end of our lives. Yet, these critical events remain unconscious and imperceptible in everyday life, unless we exert ourselves, such as running up several flights of stairs. We quickly tire, stop to take deep breaths and become flushed.

With the deepening comprehension by medical science of how our bodies work, we have come to better understand the fundamental importance of oxygen to life. Every living organism relies on it in one form or another. However, how cells and tissues can monitor and respond to oxygen levels remained difficult to elucidate. It has only been late in the 20th century with advances in cellular biology and scientific instrumentation that these processes have finally been explained.

On Monday, the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded jointly to three individuals: William G. Kaelin, Jr., Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe, and Gregg L. Semenza. Specifically, their discoveries helped elucidate the mechanisms for lifes most basic physiologic processes.

They were able to discover how oxygen levels directly affect cellular metabolism, which ultimately controls physiological functions. More importantly, their findings have significant implications for the treatments of conditions as varied as chronic low blood counts, kidney disease, patients with heart attacks or stroke and cancers. One of the hallmarks of cancer is its ability to generate new blood vessels to help sustain its growth. It also uses these oxygen cellular mechanisms to survive in low oxygen environments.

Dr. William G. Kaelin Jr. is a professor of medicine at Harvard University and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The main focus of his work is on studying how mutations in what are called tumor suppressor genes lead to cancer development. Tumor suppressor genes are special segments of the DNA whose function is to check the integrity of the DNA before allowing a copy of itself to be made and undergo cell division, which prevents cells from propagating errors. Cellular mechanisms are then recruited to fix these errors or drive the cell to destroy itself if the damage is too severe or irreparable.

His interest in a rare genetic disorder called Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) led him to discover that cancer cells that lacked the VHL gene expressed abnormally high levels of hypoxia-regulated genes. The protein called the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF) complex was first discovered in 1995 by Gregg L. Semenza, a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize. This complex is nearly ubiquitous to all oxygen-breathing species.

The function of the HIF complex in a condition of low oxygen concentration is to keep cells from dividing and growing, placing them in a state of rest. However, it also signals the formation of blood vessels, which is important in wound healing as well as promoting the growth of blood vessels in developing embryos. In cancer cells, the HIF complex helps stimulate a process called angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, which allows the cancer cells to access nutrition and process their metabolic waste, aiding in their growth. When the VHL gene is reintroduced back into the cancer cells, the activity of the hypoxia-regulated genes returns to normal.

Dr. Gregg L. Semenza is the founding director of the vascular program at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Duke University Hospital and followed this with a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins. His research in biologic adaptations to low oxygen levels led him to study how the production of erythropoietin (EPO) was controlled by oxygen. EPO is a hormone secreted by our kidneys in response to anemia. The secretion of EPO signals our bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.

His cellular and mouse model studies identified a specific DNA segment located next to the EPO gene that seemed to mediate the production of EPO under conditions of low oxygen concentration. He called this DNA segment HIF.

Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe, a physician and scientist, trained as a nephrologist, was head of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oxford until 2016, when he became Clinical Research Director at the Francis Crick Institute. Through his research on the cellular mechanisms of EPO and its interaction between the kidneys and red cell production, he found that these mechanisms for cellular detection of hypoxia, a state of low oxygen concentration, were also present in several other organs such as the spleen and brain. Virtually all tissues could sense oxygen in their micro-environment, and they could be modified to give them oxygen-sensing capabilities.

Dr. Kaelins findings had shown that the protein made by the VHL gene was somehow involved in controlling the response to low oxygen concentrations. Dr. Ratcliffe and his group made the connection through their discovery that the protein made by the VHL gene physically interacts with HIF complex, marking it for degradation at normal oxygen levels.

In 2001, both groups published similar findings that demonstrated cells under normal oxygen levels will attach a small molecular tag to the HIF complex that allows the VHL protein to recognize and bind HIF, marking it for degradation by enzymes. If the oxygen concentration is low, the HIF complex is protected from destruction. It begins to accumulate in the nucleus where it binds to a specific section of the DNA called hypoxia-regulating genes, which sets into motion the necessary mechanisms to respond to the low oxygen concentration.

The ability to sense oxygen plays a vital role in health and various disease states. Patients who suffer from chronic kidney failure also suffer from severe anemia because their ability to produce EPO is limited. This hormone is necessary for the stem cells in our bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Understanding how cancer cells utilize oxygen-sensing mechanisms has led to a variety of treatments that targets these pathways. The ability to elucidate these mechanisms offers insight into directions scientists and researchers can take to design or create novel treatments.

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The 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for research in cellular responses to oxygen - World Socialist Web Site

Translational Regenerative Medicine Market Estimated to Expand at a Robust CAGR over 2017 2025 – Online News Guru

Regenerative medicine is a segment of translational research in molecular biology and tissue engineering. It involves the process of regeneration of human cells, tissues, or organs to re-establish their normal functions through stimulation of bodys repair system. They are widely used in the treatment of many degenerative disorders occurring in the areas of dermatology, orthopedic, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Stem cell therapy is the available tool in the field of translational regenerative medicine. It has gained importance in the past few years as it is a bio-based alternative to synthetic options. Stem cells have high power of regeneration. Hence, these enable production of other cells in the body. This has increased demand for stem cell therapy in the treatment of degenerative diseases. Currently, stem cell therapy has applications in the treatment of diseases such as autism, cancer, retinal diseases, heart failure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimers. Extensive research is being carried out on stem cell therapy. The Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) has reported around 1900 active clinical trials undergoing currently. It also reported 574 active industry-sponsored cell therapy clinical studies, 50 of these are in phase 3 development. Hence, stem cell therapy is projected to contribute to the growth of the translational regenerative medicine market. However, ethical issues in the use of embryonic stem cells is likely to restrain the market.

Rising prevalence of degenerative diseases, aging population, rapid growth of emerging countries, and technical advancements in developed countries are the major factors fueling the growth of the translational regenerative medicine market.

Browse more detail information about this report visit at at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/translational-regenerative-medicine-market.html

The global translational regenerative medicine market has been segmented based on product type, therapy, application, and region. In terms of product type, the market has been categorized into cellular and acellular. The cellular segment dominated the global market in 2016. Based on therapy, the global translational regenerative market has been segmented into cell therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and tissue engineering. Immunotherapy is projected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. In terms of application, the market has been segmented into orthopedic & musculoskeletal, cardiology, diabetes, central nervous system diseases, dermatology, and others. Cardiology and orthopedic & musculoskeletal are anticipated to be the fastest growing segments of the global translational regenerative medicine market.In terms of region, the global translational regenerative medicine market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominated the global regenerative medicine market owing to a large number of leading companies and expansion of research and development activities in the U.S. Increased medical reimbursement and advanced health care also drive the market in the region. Orthopedic is the leading application segment contributing to the growth of the market in the region. Asia Pacific is forecasted the huge growth because of large consumer pool, rising income, and health care expenditure. However, the market in Asia Pacific could face challenges such as high cost of bio-based medicines and stringent regulatory policies.

The global translational regenerative medicine market is dominated by key players such as CONMED Corporation, Arthrex, Inc., Organogenesis, Inc., Nuvasive, Inc., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., Celgene Corporation, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. and Medtronic.

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.

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The study is a source of reliable data on: Market segments and sub-segments Market trends and dynamics Supply and demand Market size Current trends/opportunities/challenges Competitive landscape Technological breakthroughs Value chain and stakeholder analysis

The regional analysis covers: North America (U.S. and Canada) Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others) Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg) Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand) Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)

The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.

A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.

Highlights of the report: A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market Important changes in market dynamics Market segmentation up to the second or third level Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments Market shares and strategies of key players Emerging niche segments and regional markets An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the market

Note:Although care has been taken to maintain the highest levels of accuracy in TMRs reports, recent market/vendor-specific changes may take time to reflect in the analysis.

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Translational Regenerative Medicine Market Estimated to Expand at a Robust CAGR over 2017 2025 - Online News Guru

Faculty Highlights: Recent Grants and Awards | Now – Drexel Now

In this section,Drexel Quarterlyprovides an update on research funding, commercialization activity and faculty honors at Drexel, courtesy of the Office of the Provost. This update offers a snapshot of activity during the most recent terms.

Major Gifts, Honors and Recognitions

Bang Jeon, PhD, professor of economics in the Scool of Economics in the LeBow College of Business, was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to work and study in Romania at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies.

College of Engineering Dean and Distinguished Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Sharon Walker, PhD, was elected to the Executive Council for the American Society of Engineering Educations Engineering Deans Institute. It is a highly visible group that leads the conversation around engineering in higher education and leadership within the community.

Christopher Wright, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Education, was named a 2019 recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government to scientists and engineers at the start of their independent research careers who show promise for leadership in science and technology.

ReneeTurchi, MD, a clinical professor in the Department of Community Health and Prevention at the Dornsife School of Public Healthanddirector of the Maternal and Child Health Program, was named a 2019 Champion of Childrens HealthbyFamily Voices,a national organization that focuseson family-centered care for children.

John Medaglia, PhD, assistant professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences,was selected as a fellow in thePsychonomicsSociety,a preeminent societyfor general scientific experimental psychology.

Elizabeth Kimball,PhD, assistant professor of English in theCollege of Arts and Sciences,was appointed to a three-year term as co-chair of the executive board of the Philadelphia Area Council of Writing Program Administrators, whichadvocates best practices in writing programs for the regionshigher education institutions.

Adam Knowles,PhD, assistant teaching professor of philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences,received aresearchfellowshipto Germanyfrom the Andrew Mellon Foundation and the Volkswagen Foundation. Hell spend the 201920 academic yearat theGerman Literature Archive in Marbacham Neckar, Germany for his forthcoming book, Categories of Complicity: Philosophy Under National Socialism.

Michael Lane, PhD, associate professor of neurobiology and anatomy in the College of Medicine, received the 2019 Molly and BernardSanbergMemorial Award of the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair in recognition of his significant contributionsin the field. The award is given only periodically.

SeenaAjit,PhD, associate professor ofpharmacology and physiology in the College of Medicine,has beenappointedto the Somatosensory & Pain Systems Study Section,National Institutes of Health, for a four-year term.

Patrick Osei-Owusu, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and physiology in the College of Medicine,has beenappointed tothe Cardiac Contractility, Hypertrophy and Failure Study Section, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, for a six-year term.

Erjia Yan, PhD, associate professor in the College of Computing & Informatics, was named the recipient of the 2019 EugeneGarfield Awardfor Innovation in Citation Analysis by the Web of Science Group, a Clarivate Analytics company.

The College of Engineerings Distinguished Professor Michel Barsoum, PhD, and Distinguished University and Charles T. and Ruth M. Bach Professor YuryGogotsi, PhD, were jointly awarded the 2020 International Ceramics Prize, the highest honor conferred by the World Academy of Ceramics that has only been bestowed upon 20 other scientists.

Cheryl A. Hanau, MD, professor and chair of pathology in the College of Medicine, received the 2019 Michele Raible Distinguished Teaching Award in Undergraduate Medical Education from the Association of Pathology Chairs for her outstanding contributions and her stature as a nationally recognized pathology educator.

Sponsored Research

Alex Ortega,PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Health Management and Policy at the Dornsife School of Public Health,was awarded a $3.2 million R01 grant by the National Institutes of Health to study psychiatric and substance use disorders among island Puerto Ricans impacted by Hurricane Maria.

Lin Han, PhD, associate professorinthe School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems(PI), receiveda five-year $2.67 million NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMSD) R01 grant for the project titled,Mechanical Regulation of Cell Fate and Multi-Scale Function in the Developing Meniscus. Han also receiveda five-year $1.7millionNIH R01 Grant for the project titled, Biomechanics of Cartilage: Roles of Decorin in ECM Assembly and Degradation.

The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems Peter A. Lewin, PhD, Richard B. Beard University Professor and Director of the Biomedical Ultrasound Research and Education Center (PI); Leonid Zubkov, PhD, research professor; and Michael Neidrauer, PhD, assistant professor, andcolleaguesreceived a year-four $608,000NIH R01 renewal grant (grant total is $3millionfor 5 years) for the project titled, Enhanced Ultrasound Treatment of Chronic Wounds with Monitoring of Healing and Quality of Life Outcomes.

Brian Lee,PhD, associate professorintheDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Dornsife School of Public Health, along with an international team of investigators, was awarded a $1.7 million R01 grant by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to conduct a pharmacoepidemiology study of maternal antiepileptic medication use during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorders.

The College of Engineerings Jin Wen, PhD, professor,and Simi Hoque, PhD, associate professor, both in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, have been awarded an NSF grant of $243,717 for their project entitled Collaborative Research: AccelNet: An International Network of Networks for Well-being in the Built Environment.

DanielMarenda, PhD, associate professor of biology (PI), and Jennifer Stanford, PhD, associate professor of biology (Co-PI), both in the College of Arts and Sciences, were awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation for their project EpigeneticControl of Steroid Hormone Signaling in Axon Pruning.

JasonWeckstein, PhD, associate professor of biodiversity, earth and environmental science in the College of Arts and Sciences,was awarded a $913,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for his project ComparativeCophylogenomicsin a Highly Replicated System:TinamouLice.

IrwinChaiken, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the College of Medicine, has been awarded a highly competitive National Institutes of Health Shared Instrumentation Grant in the amount of $364,883 entitled BiacoreS200 Surface Plasmon Resonance Instrument for a Shared Resources Facility. The instrument will assist the College of Medicine in securing additional grants.

C. Virginia F.OHayer, PhD, clinical associate professorofpsychiatry,College of Medicine,received a three-year $960,000 grant from the BoomerEsiasonFoundation to fund her multi-site research project on the treatment of depression and anxiety in adults with cystic fibrosis, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy [ACT] vs Traditional Supportive Therapy for Adults With Cystic Fibrosis.

Dong Wang, PhD, assistant professorof neurobiology and anatomy,College of Medicine,wasawarded an R01 grantfor $388,680from the National Institute of Mental Health for A Raphe-Hippocampus Pathway for Regulation of Memory Specificity During Consolidation.

Jacqueline Barker, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and physiology in the College of Medicine, has been awarded a two-year R03 $167,000 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for her project Alterations inCorticostriatalControl of Cocaine Seeking in HIV Infection.

MeganDetloff, PhD, assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy in the College of Medicine, was awarded a two-year grant from the National Institutes of Health HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative.

Maureen Tang, PhD,assistantprofessorin the Department ofChemical and Biological Engineering in the College of Engineering, has been awarded a National Science Foundation grantin the amount of$250,276 for her project titled,Collaborative Research: Regulating homogeneous and heterogeneous mechanisms in six-electron water oxidation.

FeiLu, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering, has been awarded $500,000 for a two-year grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) through the Building Reliable Electronics to Achieve Kilovolt Effective Ratings Safely (BREAKERS) program. The project is titled, Resonant Solid State Breaker Based on Wireless Coupling in MVDCSystems.

The Kauffman Foundation increaseditsgrant to AndreKurmann, PhD,associate professor of economics and the Deans Research Scholar in Economicsin theSchool of Economics in the LeBow College of Business, by $100,000. Kurmannwill receive $128,385 over 18 months tostudy trade and its effect on labor markets.

Laura N. Gitlin, PhD, distinguished University professor and dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, was awarded $268,000 by the University of Pennsylvania (NIH-National Institute on Aging) for the project titled, A Training and Fidelity Model to Move and Scale Evidence-based Dementia Care and Caregiver Support Programs into Practice: The Case for COPE in PACE Service Setting.

GirijaKaimal,EdD, assistant professor in the Creative Arts Therapies Department in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, was awarded $300,00 by the National Endowment for the Arts for the project titled, Cortical hemodynamic response among infants of mothers with and without PPD.

MinjungShim, PhD,assistant research professor in the Creative Arts Therapies Department in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, was awarded $234,000 by Health and Human Services-NIH for the project titled, Mindfulness-Based Dance/Movement Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain.

The Urban Health Collaborative (UHC) and Ana Diez Roux, MD, PhD, dean and UHC director in the Dornsife School of Public Health, will lead a $385,000 pilot study aimed at improving cancer-related health outcomes in Philadelphia neighborhoods. The project, called Community IMPACT, is a partnership with Dana Dornsife and the Lazarex Cancer Foundation. UHC, with the College of Nursing and Health Professions and the College of Medicine, will combine public health qualitative and quantitative assessment and research methods with grassroots community engagement through funding by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

An interdisciplinary team led by Fraser Fleming, PhD, professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for their project Creative Interdisciplinary Research in Graduate Education. The team includes Paul Gondek, PhD, visiting research professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences; Daniel King, PhD, associate professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences; Jen Katz-Buonincontro, PhD, associate professor and associate dean of research in the School of Education; and D.S. Nicholas, assistant professor in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. They will use the grant to develop and implement a Drexel graduate minor in creative, interdisciplinary research.

Brian Daly,PhD, interim department head and associate professor of psychology in theCollege of Arts and Sciences,was awarded a three-year $150,000grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts to deliver and evaluate a socioemotional learning program for elementary school children attending Philadelphia public schools.

Gwen Ottinger, PhD, associate professor of politics in the College of Arts and Sciences, received $100,000 from theValero/Benicia Good Neighbor Steering Committeefor her project Air Watch Bay Area, which makes real-timeair quality monitoringinformationand reportingmore accessible to residents.

Andrew Cohen, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering,serves as principal investigator (PI) on a grant titled, A spatiotemporal map of signaling processes controlling human stem cell renewal and differentiation, which has been funded by the Human Frontiers Science Program. The funding is $350,000 per year for three years.

The LeBow College of Business Stacy Kline,clinicalprofessor of accounting, and Barbara Grein, PhD, associate professor and department head of accounting,received a PwCINQuiriesGrant for $10,000 to support curriculum development inthe LeBow College of BusinessAccountingDepartment.

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Faculty Highlights: Recent Grants and Awards | Now - Drexel Now

The Aesthetic Medicine Congress to bring trends in plastic surgery to Dubrovnik – The Dubrovnik Times

"The Aesthetic Medicine Congress", in collaboration with the British College of Aesthetic Medicine, takes place at the Hotel Palace from October 11 to 13. Top international and local experts will present trends in aesthetic medicine, rejuvenation and facial and body shaping for around 400 announced participants.

In addition to presenting the latest technology and research results, there will also be live demonstrations, interactive panels and lectures on topics ranging from aesthetic medicine to medical tourism.

The Second Congress of Aesthetic Medicine in Dubrovnik, under the high auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, will be opened by Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli.

Apart from Croatia and the region, participants from Congress come from Britain, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Greece, USA, Mexico, India, UAE

The famous names of aesthetic medicine are coming to the congrees, such as Raj Kanodia, Tapan Patel, Matt Stefanelli, Bob Khanna, Herve Raspaldo, Tracy Mountford, Tom van Eijk, Iman Nurlin, Dimitris Sykianakis, Ravi Jain and David Ecclestone. The local experts and lecturers are Sinisa Glumicic, Mario Zambelli, Nikola Milojevic, Davor Mijatovic, Zoran Zgaljardic, Tomica Bagatin, Zeljana Bolanca, Aleksandar Milenovic, Mladen Dudukovic and others.

TAMC 2019 is an international aesthetic congress that offers an interactive, evidence-based, multidisciplinary program and provides a platform to encourage the exchange of ideas and experiences, educate, initiate intense discussions, and expand opportunities for new contacts.

TAMC 2019 covers all aspects of aesthetic medicine, and this year's highlights include: anti-aging and face shaping dermal fillers, skin rejuvenation treatments including stem cell and blood plasma treatments, aesthetic gynecology, life extension (gerontology), body shaping and fat reduction, Botulinum toxin type A basic and advanced techniques, complication management, anatomy, cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, patient communication, business building and marketing, as well as medical tourism.

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The Aesthetic Medicine Congress to bring trends in plastic surgery to Dubrovnik - The Dubrovnik Times