NEW YORK The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and five other national medical organizations said on Wednesday that they have partnered to create the Reproductive Genetics Technology Consortium in order to help develop consensus recommendations and consistency among various medical societies that issue recommendations and guidelines for prenatal genetic testing.
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Medical Organizations Form Reproductive Genetics Technology Consortium - GenomeWeb
Chromosomes prepared from a malignant glioblastoma visualized by spectral karyotyping (SKY) reveal an enormous degree of chromosomal instability a hallmark of cancer. Credit: NCI Center for Cancer Research (CCR)
Mutations in 38 different types of cancer have been mapped by means of whole genome analysis by an international team of researchers from, amongst others, the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, Aarhus University Hospital, and Rigshospitalet. The researchers have compiled a catalog of the cancer mutations that will be available worldwide to doctors and researchers.
Globally, cancer is one of the biggest killers and in 2018, an estimated 9.6 million people died of the disease. In order to provide the best treatment for the disease, it is essential to find out which mutations are driving the cancer.
We have studied and analyzed the whole genome, and our analyses of mutations that are affecting cancer genes have enabled us to genetically explain 95 percent of the cancer occurrences we have studied by means of mutations. Joachim Weischenfeldt
In a major international collaboration called Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG), researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, Aarhus University Hospital, and Rigshospitalet have helped to map mutations in 38 different types of cancer.
The mutations have all been combined into a sort of catalog. The catalog, which is already available online, allows doctors and researchers from all over the world to look things up, consult with and find information about the cancer of a given patient.
Most previous major studies have focused on the protein coding two percent of the genome. We have studied and analyzed the whole genome, and our analyses of mutations that are affecting cancer genes have enabled us to genetically explain 95 percent of the cancer occurrences we have studied by means of mutations, says co-author Joachim Weischenfeldt, Associate Professor at the Biotech Research & Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, and the Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet.
So, if you know which mutations have caused cancer, the so-called driver mutations, you will be able to better tailor a treatment with the most suitable drugs or design new drugs against the cancer. Precision medicine is completely dependent on the mapping of driver mutations in each cancer, in relation to diagnosis, prognosis and improved treatment, says co-author Jakob Skou Pedersen, professor at Bioinformatics Research Centre and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, and Aarhus University Hospital.
The new research results are published in a special edition of the scientific journal Nature with focus on PCAWG. To date, it is the largest whole genome study of primary cancer. This means that the analysis was performed based on material from the tissue in which the tumor originated and before the patient has received any treatment.
The researchers have mainly analyzed and had data on the most common types of cancer such as liver, breast, pancreas and prostate cancer. In total, they have analyzed whole genome-sequenced tumor samples from more than 2,600 patients.
Based on their analyses, they could see that the number of mutations in a cancer type varies a lot. Myeloid dysplasia and cancer in children have very few mutations, while there may be up to 100,000 mutations in lung cancer.
The infographic is an overview of the different cancer types studied in the Pan-Cancer Project. The lower part also lists the six cancer types (for men and women) for which the most samples were available. Credit: Rayne Zaayman-Gallant/EMBL
But even though the number of mutations spans widely, researchers could see that on average there were always 4-5 mutations that were driving the disease, the so-called drivers no matter what type of cancer it was.
It is quite surprising that almost all of them have the same number of driver mutations. However, it is consistent with theories that a cancerous tumor needs to change a certain number of mechanisms in the cell before things start to go wrong, says Jakob Skou Pedersen.
In the catalog, the researchers have divided the mutations into drivers and passengers. Driver mutations provide a growth benefit for the cancer, while passenger mutations cover all the others and are harmless. The vast majority of all mutations are passengers.
To store and process the vast amount of data, the research team has used so-called cloud computing, using 13 data centers spread across three continents. They have had centers in Europe, the US, and Asia.
The large data set has been necessary to establish what was common and unique to the different types of cancer. Today, cancer is divided according to the tissue in which the disease originates, for example breast, brain, and prostate.
The researchers found many things that were completely unique to each type of tissue. Conversely, they also found many common traits across the tissue types. According to Joachim Weischenfeldt, there is thus a need to rethink the way we think about cancer.
Cancer is a genetic disease, and the type of mutations is often more important than where the cancer originates in the body. This means that we need to think of cancer not just as a tissue-specific disease, but rather look at it based on genetics and the mutations it has.
For example, we may have a type of breast cancer and prostate cancer where the driver mutations are similar. This means that the patient with prostate cancer may benefit from the same treatment as the one you would give the breast cancer patient, because the two types share an important driver mutation, says Joachim Weischenfeldt.
Reference: Pan-cancer analysis of whole genomes by The ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Consortium, 5 February 2020, Nature.DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-1969-6
The International Cancer Genome Research Consortium has been supported by national foundations, including Independent Research Fund Denmark.
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Massive Genetic Map of Cancer Mutations Cataloged Available to Doctors and Researchers Worldwide - SciTechDaily
- After Median Follow-Up of 11.5 Months, 73 Percent of Patients Had Confirmed Tumor Response with Majority of Responses Still Ongoing; No New Safety Signals Observed for the Combination -
- Findings To Be Presented During an Oral Session at the 2020 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium -
BOTHELL, Wash. and TOKYO, Feb. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Seattle Genetics, Inc.(Nasdaq: SGEN) and Astellas Pharma Inc.(TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., "Astellas") today announced updated results from the phase 1b/2 clinical trial EV-103 in previously untreated patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who were ineligible for treatment with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Forty-five patients were treated with the combination of PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) and pembrolizumab and were evaluated for safety and efficacy. After a median follow-up of 11.5 months, the study results continue to meet outcome measures for safety and demonstrate encouraging clinical activity for this platinum-free combination in a first-line setting. Updated results will be presented during an oral session on Friday, February 14 at the 2020 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco (Abstract #441). Initial results from the study were presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology Congress in September 2019.
PADCEV is a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is directed against Nectin-4, a protein located on the surface of cells and highly expressed in bladder cancer.1,2
"Cisplatin-basedchemotherapy is the standard treatment for first-line advanced urothelial cancer; however, it isn't an option for many patients,"said Jonathan E. Rosenberg, M.D., Medical Oncologist and Chief, Genitourinary Medical Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York."I'm encouraged by these interim results, including a median progression-free survival of a year for patients who received the platinum-free combination of PADCEV and pembrolizumab in the first-line setting."
In the study, 58 percent (26/45) of patients had a treatment-related adverse event greater than or equal to Grade 3: increase in lipase (18 percent; 8/45), rash (13 percent; 6/45), hyperglycemia (13 percent; 6/45) and peripheral neuropathy (4 percent; 2/45); these rates were similar to those observed with PADCEV monotherapy.3Eighteen percent (8/45) of patients had treatment-related immune-mediated adverse events of clinical interest greater than or equal to Grade 3 that required the use of systemic steroids (arthralgia, dermatitis bullous, pneumonitis, lipase increased, rash erythematous, rash maculo-papular, tubulointerstitial nephritis, myasthenia gravis). None of the adverse events of clinical interest were Grade 5 events. Six patients (13 percent) discontinued treatment due to treatment-related adverse events, most commonly peripheral sensory neuropathy. As previously reported, there was one death deemed to be treatment-related by the investigator attributed to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.
The data demonstrated the combination of PADCEV plus pembrolizumab shrank tumors in the majority of patients, resulting in a confirmed objective response rate (ORR) of 73.3 percent (33/45; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 58.1, 85.4) after a median follow-up of 11.5 months (range,0.7 to 19.2). Responses included 15.6 percent (7/45) of patients who had a complete response (CR)and 57.8 percent (26/45) of patients who had a partial response. Median duration of response has not yet been reached (range 1.2 to 12.9+ months). Eighteen (55%) of 33 responses were ongoing at the time of analysis, with 83.9% of responses lasting at least 6 months and 53.7% of responses lasting at least 12 months (Kaplan-Meier estimate).The median progression-free survival was 12.3 months (95% CI: 7.98, -) and the 12-month overall survival (OS) rate was 81.6 percent (95% CI: 62 to 91.8 percent); median OS has not been reached.
"These updated data are encouraging and provide support for the recently initiated phase 3 trial EV-302 that includes an arm evaluating PADCEV in this platinum-free combination in the first-line setting," said Roger Dansey, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Seattle Genetics.
"These additional results support continued evaluation of PADCEV in combination with other agents and at earlier stages of treatment for patients withurothelial cancer," said Andrew Krivoshik, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Oncology Therapeutic Area Head at Astellas.
About the EV-103 TrialEV-103 is an ongoing, multi-cohort, open-label, multicenter phase 1b/2 trial of PADCEV alone or in combination, evaluating safety, tolerability and efficacy in muscle invasive, locally advanced and first- and second-line metastatic urothelial cancer.
The dose-escalation cohort and expansion cohort A include locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer patients who are ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Patients were dosed in a 21-day cycle, receiving an intravenous (IV) infusion of enfortumab vedotin on Days 1 and 8 and pembrolizumab on Day 1. At the time of this initial analysis, 45 patients (5 from the dose-escalation cohort and 40 from the dose-expansion cohort A) with locally advanced and/or metastatic urothelial cancer had been treated with enfortumab vedotin (1.25 mg/kg) plus pembrolizumab in the first-line setting.
The primary outcome measure of the cohorts included in this analysis is safety. Key secondary objectives related to efficacy include objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR), progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). DoR,PFS and OS are not yet mature.
Additional cohorts in the EV-103 study will evaluate enfortumab vedotin:
More information about PADCEV clinical trials can be found at clinicaltrials.gov.
About Bladder and Urothelial CancerIt is estimated that approximately 81,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2020.5 Urothelial cancer accounts for 90 percent of all bladder cancers and can also be found in the renal pelvis, ureter and urethra.6 Globally, approximately 549,000 people were diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2018, and there were approximately 200,000 deaths worldwide.7
The recommended first-line treatment for patients with advanced urothelial cancer is a cisplatin-based chemotherapy. For patients who are ineligible for cisplatin, such as people with kidney impairment, a carboplatin-based regimen is recommended. However, fewer than half of patients respond to carboplatin-based regimens and outcomes are typically poorer compared to cisplatin-based regimens.8
About PADCEV PADCEV (enfortumabvedotin-ejfv) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2019 and is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have previously received a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor and a platinum-containing chemotherapy before (neoadjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery or in a locally advanced or metastatic setting. PADCEV was approved under the FDA's Accelerated Approval Program based on tumor response rate. Continued approval may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.9
PADCEV is a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is directed against Nectin-4, a protein located on the surface of cells and highly expressed in bladder cancer.2,9Nonclinical data suggest the anticancer activity of PADCEV is due to its binding to Nectin-4 expressing cells followed by the internalization and release of the anti-tumor agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) into the cell, which result in the cell not reproducing (cell cycle arrest) and in programmed cell death (apoptosis).9PADCEV is co-developed by Astellas and Seattle Genetics.
Important Safety Information
Warnings and Precautions
Adverse ReactionsSerious adverse reactions occurred in 46% of patients treated with PADCEV. The most common serious adverse reactions (3%) were urinary tract infection (6%), cellulitis (5%), febrile neutropenia (4%), diarrhea (4%), sepsis (3%), acute kidney injury (3%), dyspnea (3%), and rash (3%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 3.2% of patients, including acute respiratory failure, aspiration pneumonia, cardiac disorder, and sepsis (each 0.8%).
Adverse reactions leading to discontinuation occurred in 16% of patients; the most common adverse reaction leading to discontinuation was peripheral neuropathy (6%). Adverse reactions leading to dose interruption occurred in 64% of patients; the most common adverse reactions leading to dose interruption were peripheral neuropathy (18%), rash (9%) and fatigue (6%). Adverse reactions leading to dose reduction occurred in 34% of patients; the most common adverse reactions leading to dose reduction were peripheral neuropathy (12%), rash (6%) and fatigue (4%).
The most common adverse reactions (20%) were fatigue (56%), peripheral neuropathy (56%), decreased appetite (52%), rash (52%), alopecia (50%), nausea (45%), dysgeusia (42%), diarrhea (42%), dry eye (40%), pruritus (26%) and dry skin (26%). The most common Grade 3 adverse reactions (5%) were rash (13%), diarrhea (6%) and fatigue (6%).
Lab AbnormalitiesIn one clinical trial, Grade 3-4 laboratory abnormalities reported in 5% were: lymphocytes decreased, hemoglobin decreased, phosphate decreased, lipase increased, sodium decreased, glucose increased, urate increased, neutrophils decreased.
Drug Interactions
Specific Populations
For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information for PADCEV here.
About Seattle GeneticsSeattle Genetics, Inc. is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops and commercializes transformative medicines targeting cancer to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. The company is headquartered in Bothell, Washington, and has offices in California, Switzerland and the European Union. For more information on our robust pipeline, visit https://www.seattlegenetics.comand follow @SeattleGenetics on Twitter.
About AstellasAstellas Pharma Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, is a company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en.
About the Astellas and Seattle Genetics CollaborationSeattle Genetics and Astellas are co-developing enfortumab vedotin-ejfv under a collaboration that was entered into in 2007 and expanded in 2009. Under the collaboration, the companies are sharing costs and profits on a 50:50 basis worldwide.
Seattle Genetics Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements made in this press release are forward looking, such as those, among others, relating to the EV-103 and EV-302 clinical trials; clinical development plans relating to enfortumab vedotin; the therapeutic potential of enfortumab vedotin; and its possible safety, efficacy, and therapeutic uses, including in the first-line setting. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the possibility that ongoing and subsequent clinical trials of enfortumab vedotin may fail to establish sufficient efficacy; that adverse events or safety signals may occur and that adverse regulatory actions or other setbacks could occur as enfortumab vedotin advances in clinical trials even after promising results in earlier clinical trials. More information about the risks and uncertainties faced by Seattle Genetics is contained under the caption "Risk Factors" included in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Seattle Genetics disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Astellas Cautionary NotesIn this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management's current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas' intellectual property rights by third parties.
Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development), which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.
1 PADCEV [package insert]. Northbrook, IL: Astellas, Inc.2 Challita-Eid P, Satpayev D, Yang P, et al. Enfortumab Vedotin Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targeting Nectin-4 Is a Highly Potent Therapeutic Agent in Multiple Preclinical Cancer Models. Cancer Res 2016;76(10):3003-13.3 Rosenberg JE, O'Donnell PH, Balar AV, et al. Pivotal Trial of Enfortumab Vedotin in Urothelial Carcinoma After Platinum and Anti-Programmed Death 1/Programmed Death Ligand 1 Therapy. J Clin Oncol 2019;37(29):2592-600.4 ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study of Enfortumab Vedotin Alone or With Other Therapies for Treatment of Urothelial Cancer (EV-103). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03288545.5 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2020. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2020/cancer-facts-and-figures-2020.pdf. Accessed 01-23-2020.6National Cancer Institute. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Cancer stat facts: bladder cancer. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html. Accessed 05-01-2019.7International Agency for Research on Cancer. Cancer Tomorrow: Bladder. http://gco.iarc.fr/tomorrow. 8 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Bladder Cancer. Version 4; July 10, 2019. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/bladder.pdf.9 PADCEV [package insert]. Northbrook, IL: Astellas, Inc.
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Clinical vs. DTC Genetic Testing
When 23andMe laid off roughly 100 employees last month, it was another admission that direct-to-consumer, or at-home, genetic testing sales are down at some leading companies. The reasons, however, while varied, have nothing to do with the interest in genetic testing. People want the information but it seems many prefer to get it from their doctors.
Theres reason for the interest: The field of genetics is booming.
Since the 1990s when we started testing for BRCA1, BRCA2 [which most notably increase the risk of breastandovarian cancers]and TP53 [which regulates cell division and keeps tumors from forming], the number of indications, or signs for cancer and the number of genes we can identify has expanded. And it will only continue to grow, Dr. Banu Arun, co-medical director of the Clinical Cancer Genetics Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet.
She notes that clinical genetic tests can aid in making recommendations for surveillance, determine prognosis and assist in treatment decision-making for cancer patients. Direct-to-consumer genetic tests dont offer that proverbial microscope.
When trying to understand your hereditary cancer risk, saysDr. Arun, clinical testing is the way to go.
Comparing DTC to clinical testing for cancer is actually a bit like apples to oranges.
Direct-to-consumer tests, which are relatively inexpensive ($99 and up), can make predictions about peoples health and ancestry. But theyre limited when it comes to offering tests for cancer risk. Currently, theFood and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed at least one direct-to-consumer genetic testing company, 23andMe, to offer a test for cancer risk; it looks for three specific variations in BRCA1andBRCA2.
With direct-to-consumer testing, its only a very small piece of the puzzle, Megan Frone, board certified genetic counselor in the Clinical Genetics Branch at the National Cancer Institute, tells SurvivorNet. I think about it like a typo somewhere in a novel, she says. Theyre only looking at three pages, she says. You could have a typo anywhere else in the novel thats breaking that gene and giving you a higher risk for cancer, and theyre just not looking.
Clinical-grade testing can analyze the risk of 50 different types of cancer, according to The National Cancer Institute.
A study last year from the National Center for Biotechnology Informationnotes some other drawbacks, including how DTC tests frequently do notprovide conclusive results.
Most genetic tests performed by DTC companies are limited to few major genetic variants related to the phenotypes of interest, which leads to poor discriminatory power, it notes.
This means DTC genetic testing does not guarantee that a consumer with a high genetic risk score will suffer from a certain disease, it only indicates a genetic propensity.
Plus, test results could reveal other, unexpected, health risks.
You have to ask, Are they going to tell me about specific results I might not want to know about?' Frone says. Some at-home tests will tell you your risk for carrying certain Alzheimer gene variants. We dont have any particular treatment for Alzheimers. Some people dont want to know about that stuff because theres nothing they can do about it. They dont necessarily realize that theyre going to get that back on a test report.
All of which points to that important ingredient: an expert who can interpret and make an action plan.
DTC tests are often conducted without the involvement of a healthcare provider and without an understanding of clinical validity and utility, notes theCenters for Disease Control.
A recent study based on anonline survey of 1,001 adultsrepresentative of the population, found that public awareness of genomics and personalized medicine was not increasing in line with advancements in the industry. Seventy-three percent of the survey respondents had not heard of genetic counseling which is conducted by certified health professionals to advise consumers/patients on how to interpret genetic test results.
The first step for someone interested in learning about their risk for developing cancer, according to Frone, is to speak with a health care provider or genetic counselor to learn about options. Then, a risk assessment can be conducted by a certified genetic counselor.
In this type of consult, theyll look at personal medical history and family medical history. And, if youre female, theyll look at your hormonal risk factors, Frone explains. There are computer models to identify risks and patterns within someones personal and family history.
The next step, she says, is to discuss what needs to be done to test for the potential hereditary cancer syndrome.
People need to go into it understanding that genetic testing is really complicated, Frone says. To achieve the full value of it, weve got to apply the genetic test results in the context of their family health history and their other risk factors to understand final risk. Direct-to-consumer testing is very different from that. Its more recreational.
For those identified during the consult as being higher risk, insurance typically covers clinical testing. For people at a lower risk, they may be advised to skip testing altogether, or, they can pay out-of-pocket (costs can vary from $250 or more depending on whether a single gene or the entire genome is being tested).
For example, the BRCA1 and BRCA2 test 23andMe runs has been given the green light from the FDA, meaning the agency has determined that the benefits of the product outweigh the known risks for the intended use.
This specific test looks at three variants to determine if a woman is at an increased risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer, or if a man is at a higher risk for developing breast and prostate cancer.
It really is most relevant for individuals with Ashkenazi Jewish background because it can only look at three variants that can occur in these genes, when there are thousands possible, Frone says.
The actual test has been put in the Medical Devices class II risk category by the FDA. Class I devices, such as dental floss, are lowest risk. Class II, which includes condoms and powered wheelchairs, are moderate risk. Class III devices, such as pacemakers, require FDA approval in order to be marketed, while class I and II do not.
These mutations are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and do not represent the majority of the BRCA1/BRCA2 variants in the general population, the FDA cautions.
Researchers estimate that roughly 5-10 percent of all cancers have a known genetic element, so while DNA tells a story, it doesnt write the entire script. External factors, like environmental nutrients or toxins, and lifestyle choices also influence risk for developing cancer.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Kim Constantinesco is a freelance writer who specializes in health and founder ofPurpose2Play, which reports on positive and inspiring stories in sports. Read More
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Genetic Testing Is on the Rise Heres Why to Get it Done Through a Health Care Provider - SurvivorNet
Contract TypePermanentHoursFull TimeJob TypeAcademicSalary41,526 - 51,034 per annumVacancy TypeAcademic / Research VacanciesClosing Date05/03/2020Documents2913 JD LSL Football Physiology (Coaching).pdf(PDF, 528.13kb)
The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences seeks to strategically develop its world-leading profile of teaching and research excellence by the appointment of leading academics across the core disciplines of Sport and Exercise Sciences. The appointee to this post will be expected to contribute to the academic work of the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences across undergraduate and postgraduate levels within Science and Football through teaching and research.
You will be expected to develop and deliver research-informed/led teaching within the Schools well-established BSc (Hons) Science and Football programme, and contribute to its highly successful curricula at undergraduate, postgraduate and Professional Doctorate level.
You will also be expected to contribute to the supervision and tutorial support of Science and Football and Strength and Conditioning students in the School, including pastoral and academic (research and applied placement based learning) guidance.
The post also requires you to extend and enhance the football physiology research activity within the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Specifically to contribute to the Exercise Metabolism Adaptation research group. In this regard, the emphasis of this post is to extend our world-leading research outputs and impact within applied football physiology including strength training theory and its application into coaching, and its translation via the Football Exchange.
For informal discussions regarding the post or the School, please contact Professor Dave Richardson, Director of School, e:d.j.richardson@ljmu.ac.ukor Dr Rebecca Murphy, Subject Head,r.c.murphy@ljmu.ac.uk
The School/ department is committed to promoting equality and diversity, including the Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter for promoting the career of Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) in higher education. We particularly welcome applications from women for this post and all appointments will be made on merit.
Please note all of our vacancies will beclosed to applications at midnight on the advertised closing date, unless otherwise stated.
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Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Football Physiology, Coaching job with LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY | 195977 - Times Higher Education (THE)
This is my first time, Costa said. She and Levine expressed a desire to go to One Ton Sundae this year, as next year they will not be able to attend because they will be student teaching. I love ice cream.Peanut butter chocolate is my favorite Dairy Bar flavor.
As students approached the front booth before scooping their ice cream, they were handed a Winter Weekend bucket and metal spoon and directed to one of two boats filled with either nut-free ice cream for those with allergies and another with a mix of flavors.Students chosefrom Dairy Bar favorites such as toasted almond amaretto, coffee espresso crunch, black raspberry and banana chocolate chip. As the event wore on, some flavors began to run out, but most attendees were able to scoop up some delicious combinations.
I gotHuskyTracks, coffee espresso crunch, cookie dough and almond,Tiberiosaid. He had stood in line from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. It was a good mix of flavors, but I didnt go for any fruit ones. My favorite flavor from the Dairy Bar has got to be the signatureHuskyTracks, and I was bummed they didnt have the banana chocolate chip flavor.
This years Senior Scoop, You Matter Cake Batter, made with cake batter ice cream, mocha fudge swirl and brownie pieces, debuted for the first time at the event. The flavor was named by Lily DeBlasio and created by BriannaKinnie, Daniel Barry, Benjamin Hood and AnushaVissapragada.
Its my last year here, so I wanted to try it, see what the hypes about,IreoluwatomiwaOpayemi,aneighth-semester molecular and cellular major, said. He hadbeenlined up for One Ton Sundae since 9a.m.with ElyssaAlber, an eighth-semester physiology and neurobiology major, and Tiffany Cheung, a physiology and neurobiology major. I dont know why its outside, its really, really cold, but the rest of its cool. You stand in line, talk with your friends, get some ice cream.
Other Winter Weekend events included Moonlight Breakfast earlier in the week, a ski trip to Butternut Mountain over the weekend and a livestream of the Oscars last night.
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One ton of fun at Winter Weekend - UConn Daily Campus
Current research suggests that Rooibos has the potential to delay or prevent the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes, however its effect on the associated risk of type 3 diabetes and Alzheimers Disease still needs to be elucidated.
Female scientists have been at the forefront of researching rooibos- one of the countrys most treasured natural resources.The first documented scientific research on the healing properties of rooibos in the early 1990s, started a chain reaction, which hasnt let up.
Today, largely due to the vast amount of research that underpins its health claims, rooibos has become a sought-after superfood both locally and abroad, and is exported to more than 30 countries.
In the wake of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the SA Rooibos Council (SARC) is paying tribute to specifically the female researchers for their invaluable contribution to the industry, and in doing so, also hopes to inspire young girls to pursue a career in science.
Adele du Toit, the spokesperson for the SA Rooibos Council, explained that since the industry actively started to pursue research into rooibos, it has involved more than 40 women scientists from South Africa, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan and Taiwan.
These incredible women are all attempting to answer some of the most pertinent questions of our time and provide solutions to life-inhibiting and life-threatening illnesses. We salute them for their dedication and commitment to science, while many of them juggle motherhood and other demands. Its unfortunate that women still account for less than 30 percent of the worlds researchers, as they have such a major role to play. The contribution that these women are making in the generation of knowledge is fuelling the exciting innovation within the sector and is giving a proudly South African product a significant competitive edge, remarked du Toit.
Some of the women scientists, who are putting rooibos on the map, include Prof Jeanine (research chair in biotechnology and director of the Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute at Cape Peninsula University of Technology), Prof Elizabeth Joubert (principal researcher at the Plant Bioactives Group of the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa and extraordinary professor in food science at Stellenbosch University), Dr Rabia Johnson (principal investigator and senior specialist scientist at the SA Medical Research Council), Prof Amanda Swart (head of the P450 Steroid Research Group, department of biochemistry at Stellenbosch University), Prof Dalene de Beer (specialist researcher at the Plant Bioactives Group of the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa and an extraordinary associate professor in food science at Stellenbosch University), Dr Hanl Sadie-Van Gijsen (principal investigator and senior researcher in the division of medical physiology at Stellenbosch University, Dr Liske Kotz-Hrstmann (post-doctoral research fellow), Dr Tandeka Magwebeba (researcher based at the Institute of Biomedical and Microbial Biotechnology at CPUT), Dr Sarah Pedretti (senior research scientist at the University of Cape Towns Lung Institute), Pamela Sithole (masters student at Stellenbosch University), Dr Sylvia Riedel-van Heerden (scientist at the Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform at the SAMRC), Prof Barbara Huisamen (based at the medical physiology faculty of health sciences at Stellenbosch University) and Dr Uljana Hesse (senior lecturer at the department of biotechnology at the University of the Western Cape).
Nearly all mainstream universities and research institutions now have departments that focus specifically on biotechnology and alternative sources of raw materials, instead of laboratory manufactured chemicals, hence the increased interest in rooibos and other natural ingredients.
For more info regarding rooibos research, visit http://www.sarooibos.co.za
Read more:
Women in science honoured for their contribution to rooibos - Rising Sun Chatsworth
McGill University is partnering with the Universit du Qubec en Outaouais (UQO) to offer the McGill Faculty of Sciences Medicine Preparatory (Med-P) Program in Gatineau. In September 2020, the program will welcome its first cohort of approximately 20 CEGEP graduates. With the addition of the program, McGill and its partners now offer the full range of its medical training programs in Outaouais: Med-P, Undergraduate Medical Education and Postgraduate Medical Education in Family Medicine. All programs will be offered 100% in French.
"McGill is proud to have collaborated with its partners in the Outaouais region since 1988. We are pleased to continue this tradition with UQO," says Dr. David Eidelman, Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. "By offering our programs in Gatineau, we are training a new generation of leaders in family medicine and other specialties in Outaouais. Our goal is to create a centre of excellence in health with our partners to attract more medical students and residents who will come to Outaouais to train and then practise here."
UQO is proud to collaborate with McGill to welcome these future medical graduates and to participate in their training and integration into the region," says UQO Rector Denis Harrisson. "The arrival of this new cohort of students at UQO will bring a new dynamic to our university and is an important step in the development of our new health sciences programs.
The McGill Med-P Program consists of 10 courses (six compulsory science courses, three complementary courses and one elective), which will be taught in French at UQO. Professors from McGill's Faculty of Science will teach the life sciences courses (such as biology and physiology), and professors from UQO will teach the statistics, humanities and social sciences courses. The goal of the program is to prepare CEGEP graduates for the McGill Faculty of Medicines Undergraduate Medical Education Program at the new Campus Outaouais.
"It is gratifying to know that the Faculty of Science, in collaboration with UQO, will help CEGEP graduates on their path towards becoming McGill medical graduates," says Bruce Lennox, Dean of the Faculty of Science at McGill University. "By offering this program in French in Outaouais, our two universities are partnering to provide excellent preparatory training locally.
The launch of the preparatory year in medicine in Gatineau coincides with the start of the Undergraduate Medical Education Program at McGills Campus Outaouais, located on the site of the Hpital de Gatineau. Each year, Campus Outaouais, a partnership between McGill and the Centre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais, will welcome a cohort of 24 students, for a total of 96 students over the four-year program, in addition to the students in Med-P at UQO.
"The partnership with UQO to offer the McGill Med-P in Gatineau in September is a great accomplishment. I want to thank the UQO-McGill team who worked hard to make this project a reality," says Dr. Samuel Benaroya, Associate Vice-Principal and Vice-Dean (Health Affairs) at McGill University. "Today's announcement is great news for the region, and we are proud to be working together to train the next generation of physicians here.
About McGill University
Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, McGill is a leading Canadian post-secondary institution. It has two campuses, 11 faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 40,000 students, including more than 10,200 graduate students. McGill attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,800 international students making up 31% of the student body. Over half of McGill students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 19% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.
Read more from the original source:
McGill University partners with the Universit du Qubec en Outaouais to offer its Medicine Preparatory Program as of September 2020 - McGill Newsroom
One of the most famous pet peeves of overbearing sergeants hands in pockets may be conquered by science. If early Army research is successful, there may soon be a way to keep bare hands nimble and warm even in the coldest weather conditions.
Of course, theres been an out-of-pockets solution to the cold hands problem for quite a while gloves. But even the best mittens cut down dexterity by as much as 50 to 80 percent, Army research shows.
Scientists with the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine have conducted experiments to see if heating either the face or forearms could keep bare hands warm enough to work in cold weather without wearing gloves.
One reason fingers stiffen in cold weather is that lower temperatures impact synovial fluid the fluid in joint cavities that allows for smooth movement.
The biggest issue is lack of blood flow, Dr. John Castellani told Army Times.
Castellani has worked as a research physiologist with the institute since 1995. He focuses on cold, heat and altitude physiology for soldier performance and injury reduction.
One way to keep the blood flowing is exercise, which raises core temperature so warm blood keeps moving to the hands. But once the activity stops, the temperature lowers.
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People experience this when they run, Castellani said. They start off wearing gloves and then take them off as they get warmer during the run.
Castellani and other researchers put soldiers into a test chamber at the institutes site Soldier Systems Center at Natick, Massachusetts, part of the Combat Capabilities Development Command.
A total of eight volunteers participated: Two women and six men. They sat quietly in the chamber, wearing three layers of Army Extended Cold Weather Clothing Ensemble on the torso, two layers on their legs, wool socks and intermediate cold weather boots, a balaclava or fleece hat.
Their hands were bare during testing, and the chamber was set to 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Soldiers were asked to rate their comfort and tested for hand strength and dexterity through two hours of cold exposure. They were then instructed to place as many pegs, sleeves and washers together using both hands in under one minute. They also loaded a weapon magazine with as many dummy cartridges in about two minutes. Researchers took measurements.
Forearm warmers, which are intended to simulate the warming effects of exercise, required about 41 watts of electricity about what is required to power a low-light house lamp. By using a warmer wrapped around a test subjects forearm, researchers were able to raise the finger skin temperature from 50 degrees to 55 degrees. While small, that slight bump added 50 percent more dexterity.
The goal, Castellani said, is to reach about 60 degrees for finger skin temperature.
But researchers didnt only try to warm the hands that way, they also tried to increase blood flow by warming a subjects face.
The face was tested because our physiological knowledge tells us that cooling the face causes a constriction in the blood vessels supplying the periphery (hands and feet), he said.
The group tried the reverse, seeing if heating the face would also heat the hands and feet.
It didnt prove so, Castellani said.
In a scientific paper published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2018, Castellani and his co-authors noted that researchers have tried myriad ways to warm hands and fingers by applying heat in a variety of ways and places.
Methods included immersing a leg in hot water, torso-only heating and combined torso, arm and head heating. All demonstrated that hands and fingers can be warmed somewhat through these auxiliary approaches.
While they have had some success, they havent gotten the warmers out of the laboratory, mostly because they require too much electrical power to be effective, according to the paper. The teams research has, however, resulted in a pending patent for the device and three small business grants to industry that will work to develop their own versions, wrote Mallory Roussel, USARIEM spokeswoman.
The attempt at face heating also wasnt in vain. Previous research had showed that simply wearing goggles and a balaclava in 5 degree air temperatures helped blunt finger and hand cooling, according to the paper.
Though the results are promising, dont go tossing your mittens in the trash just yet. Further testing is needed, and Castellani said fielding is years away.
Read the original:
No more hands in pockets: Army scientists testing how to keep warm without gloves - ArmyTimes.com
NASA is launching a bevy of crew supplies and scientific cargo to the International Space Station Sunday (Feb. 9) from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Perched atop an Antares rocket will be a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, and tucked inside will be nearly 8,000 lbs. (3,600 kilograms) of supplies and hardware. The capsule will bring supplies for the crew currently living on the space station.
Also onboard the spacecraft will be a variety of experiments and pieces of research equipment. These will support investigations on topics including tissue and cell cultures and biofuels.
In photos: Antares rocket launches Cygnus NG-12 cargo craft to space station
A new miniature biology lab is headed to the space station on the Cygnus capsule. Dubbed the Mobile SpaceLab, the system is a technology-demonstration project that scientists hope could demonstrate a new way to conduct experiments in orbit. That's because Mobile SpaceLab is a tissue- and cell-culturing facility designed to function autonomously, running an experiment for up to one month without using precious astronaut time.
Developed by HNu Photonics, a Hawaii-based engineering company, the Mobile SpaceLab will offer researchers a quick-turnaround, automated platform to conduct cutting-edge biology experiments in microgravity. The facility is remote-operated by crews on the ground, and the automation enables researchers to observe cellular functions with a technique called microscopy.
The ability to observe cell cultures in microgravity will provide the researchers with real-time data about how tissues behave in space. Microgravity better mimics how a cell behaves in the human body than any artificial environment on the ground.
During this initial mission, the team is sending up neuroblastoma cells a type of nerve-cell cancer. Specifically, the experiment will study how cells mature, which biologists call cellular differentiation, and how microgravity affects that process.
"Gravity is a fundamental force that we're all subjected to here on Earth," Devin Ridgley, chief scientist at Scorpio-V, said during a NASA news conference held on Jan. 29. "It can have a drastic effect on how a cell differentiates, which affects cellular organization and communication and can lead to cognitive decline." He added that the experiment could help scientists better understand the effects of space travel on the brain.
A team from the University of Alaska will be sending a batch of genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to the space station. Here on Earth, the organisms can produce a compound called isobutene, which is a precursor to plastic and rubber and can be used on its own as a biofuel.
These bacteria can produce isobutene by feeding on wastewater, manure and the mess left over from corn harvests. So, using bacteria to make the material would sharply contrast with current methods of making isobutene, which require high-energy chemical reactions and petroleum-heavy ingredients.
But the bacteria make only very small quantities of the compound, so researchers want to identify how the organisms produce isobutene, in hopes of genetically increasing production rates. To better understand how this process works, the researchers will look at a group of genetically enhanced E. coli and study how effectively the bacteria produce isobutene compared to their terrestrial counterparts.
The bacterias metabolic activity changes in microgravity, so the researchers are trying to test whether the bacteria make more or less isobutene in space. If the scientists understand how the bacteria produce isobutene, they can genetically engineer bacteria that are more efficient, reducing the need for energy-intensive, chemical processes. This will ultimately cut down on environmental pollution, the researchers have said.
Millions of Americans lose bone mass each year due to an imbalance of bone remodeling, when the body doesnt make new bone as quickly as it absorbs older bone. The disease, called osteopenia, is the beginning of osteoporosis. Our bones have a process by which they naturally form and dissolve bone matter equally, but sometimes this process gets out of whack.
Imbalances can occur when the body is stressed, like what happens in microgravity. So, scientists want to use the space station to develop treatments to mitigate these effects, both on Earth and in space.
"Astronauts lose 1 to 2.5% of their bone mass per month," Louis Kidder, a bone biologist at the University of Minnesota and co-investigator on the project, said during the news conference. "That would take a year with osteoporosis."
He added that the microgravity environment of the space station allows for a better understanding of how bone cells respond to varying amounts of gravitational force. The group will send up osteoblasts (bone cells) to study how they react to microgravity, comparing that result to a ground-based group's behavior.
The ground-based cells will be in a magnetic levitation device that will simulate the conditions of space. If it proves to be an effective simulator, it could help researchers here on Earth better understand bone loss and enable them to develop more therapies to mitigate loss without the need for a rocket.
"The loss of bone in microgravity is accelerated compared to Earth," Bruce Hammer, a radiologist at the University of Minnesota and co-investigator on the project, said during the news conference. "With this [experiment], we can look at the mechanisms and possible therapies."
That's only a sampling of the research investigations launching aboard Cygnus. A new plant-growth experiment will look at how cowpeas, also known as black-eyed peas, and common beans grow in microgravity, as part of NASA's continuing efforts to grow food in space.
Another new study will test how radiation and microgravity affect the relationship of a virus and the bacterium it infects. The researchers hope that this study will lead to new antibacterial treatments.
Cygnus will also carry a new fire experiment, called Saffire IV, which will study how flames grow and react in a variety of pressures and oxygen concentrations. Previous iterations of this experiment have looked at how flames spread across specific materials that would likely be found on a spacecraft. This experiment will take that further by testing flammability at lower pressures and higher oxygen concentrations, to most closely mimic space conditions. The experiment will also test methods for detecting fires and for cleaning up their aftermath.
This is the second Cygnus flight under Northrop Grumman's Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract and is the first cargo delivery to the space station this year. You can watch the launch here at Space.com Sunday (Feb. 9), with blastoff targeted for 5:39 p.m. EST (2239 GMT).
Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
Read more from the original source:
Bacteria, bone and more: Here's the science launching to the space station Sunday - Space.com