Immunology

Kezar Life Sciences Strengthens Executive Team with the Appointment of Noreen R. Henig, MD as Chief Medical Officer – GlobeNewswire

SAN FRANCISCO, May 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kezar Life Sciences, Inc.(Nasdaq:KZR), a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel small molecule therapeutics to treat unmet needs in autoimmunity and cancer, today announced the appointment of Noreen R. Henig, MD as its Chief Medical Officer. As an integral member of the Companys Executive Leadership team, Dr. Henig will oversee all aspects of the Companys clinical development, regulatory and medical affairs.

Noreen brings with her a depth and breadth of expertise in clinical practice, translational science, clinical development, and medical affairs, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Kezar team, said John Fowler, Kezars Chief Executive Officer. Her proven leadership skills, deep understanding of immunology and rare diseases, and profound appreciation of the patient voice will make a significant impact, and I look forward to working in partnership with her as we continue to advance our novel therapies for a wide range of autoimmune diseases and cancers.

Noreen Roth Henig, M.D. is a seasoned leader whose career spans clinical practice, academic medicine, translational science, clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs. She currently serves on the Board of Avidity Biosciences and most recently served as Chief Medical Officer of Breath Therapeutics, which was acquired by Zambon SpA in 2019. As CMO, Dr. Henig built and led the clinical team and was responsible for all development activities including clinical and non-clinical science, clinical operations, regulatory, project management, and medical affairs. Prior to joining Breath, Dr.Henig was Chief Medical Officer at ProQR Therapeutics where she brought two unique RNA oligonucleotides through early clinical trials in rare diseases. Before ProQR, Dr. Henig spent 2008 through 2014 at Gilead Sciences where she held roles with increasing responsibility, including building and leading a global medical affairs organization, strategic development of clinical trials Phase2-4, regulatory strategy, corporate development, leadership of key alliances and commercial strategy. Prior to joining industry, Dr. Henig spent nearly 10 years in leadership roles within academic medicine at Stanford University and California Pacific Medical Center. She is a board-certified physician in Pulmonary, Critical Care and board eligible in Allergy and Immunology. Dr.Henig received her B.A. from Yale University and her M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in 1991 with a distinction in immunology. She trained in Internal Medicine at University of California, San Francisco and in Pulmonary/Critical Care and Allergy/Immunology at University of Washington, Seattle.

I am excited to join Kezar at such an important time in the companys growth, said Dr. Henig. Kezars scientific excellence in protein homeostasis via protein degradation and secretion presents tremendous opportunity to create elegant therapies for those living with serious and often debilitating diseases. It will be a joy to work alongside Kezars talented and dynamic team to realize our full potential by combining science with innovative approaches to development and patient engagement.

About Kezar Life Sciences

Based in South San Francisco, Kezar Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to revolutionizing treatments for patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer. Kezar is translating its innovative research on the immunoproteasome and protein secretion pathways to advance novel therapeutic approaches. KZR-616, a first-in-class selective immunoproteasome inhibitor, is being evaluated in severe and underserved autoimmune diseases. Additionally, Kezar has nominated KZR-261 as its first clinical candidate for the treatment of cancer from its protein secretion program and is undergoing IND-enabling activities for the program. For more information, visit http://www.kezarlifesciences.com.

CONTACT:Celia EconomidesSVP, Strategy & External Affairsceconomides@kezarbio.com

Read the original here:
Kezar Life Sciences Strengthens Executive Team with the Appointment of Noreen R. Henig, MD as Chief Medical Officer - GlobeNewswire

Immunology

Anti-rheumatism drug could help those with severe COVID-19 signs : The Asahi Shimbun – Asahi Shimbun

An immunosuppressive drug for rheumatism shows encouraging signs of inhibiting severe pneumonia symptoms caused by COVID-19, researchers say.

Some patients severely affected by the new coronavirus underwent an improvement in their condition at a hospital in Osaka Prefecture after they were administered Actemra, also known as tocilizumab, which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Actemra is designed to inhibit the activity of a cytokine protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6) that is associated with the immune system. It was discovered by Tadamitsu Kishimoto, a specially appointed professor of immunology at Osaka University, and his team.

When IL-6 becomes overactive, it triggers a phenomenon known as a cytokine storm where fever, hypoxia and other problems emerge, occasionally resulting in fatal shock or multiple organ failure. Cytokine storms are believed to contribute to serious coronavirus cases.

China and other countries started administering Actemra for COVID-19 patients, and one report said 19 of 20 people treated with the drug regained their health.

In an article released in early April, a team of researchers primarily attached to the University of Toronto in Canada said coronavirus patients with a significantly high level of IL-6 develop severe conditions more easily and that Actemra is helpful in treating serious symptoms.

The team pointed out that the safety and effectiveness of the immunosuppressive drug need to be evaluated through large-scale clinical trials.

The article, which had yet to undergo a peer review, comprehensively analyzed eight reports, including theses that have yet to be examined by referees for assessment.

At the Osaka Habikino Medical Center in Habikino, Osaka Prefecture, a virus therapy team headed by infectious disease specialist Takayuki Nagai tested Actemra on seven patients with severe pneumonia.

An improvement of symptoms was reported in five of the test subjects as of April 13, although the health condition of the remaining two patients deteriorated.

The patients were carefully screened on the basis of inflammation test results, progress of symptoms and the degree of hypoxia because Actemra has not been approved for use in treating pneumonia.

"Our next step is to figure out when to start administering the drug so as to maximize its effect, said Toshio Tanaka, deputy director of the medical center.

Kishimoto, who discovered IL-6, said he believes controlling cytokine storms to allow a patients immune system to work properly will help those infected with the virus to recover from the disease.

Actemra does not eliminate the virus, but it may help save the lives of patients, he said.

Pharmaceutical companies are forging ahead with plans for clinical trials to confirm the effectiveness and safety of the drug in the context of coronavirus treatment.

The Swiss-based Roche Group announced in March it will begin a clinical trial of Actemra, covering 330 patients across the world.

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., which released Actemra as Japans first antibody drug, is also planning a clinical study in Japan.

Go here to see the original:
Anti-rheumatism drug could help those with severe COVID-19 signs : The Asahi Shimbun - Asahi Shimbun

Cell Biology

Scientists are exploring to find the ‘Achilles heel’ of coronavirus – News-Medical.Net

Coronavirus, or more exactly SARS-CoV-2, has the world in its grip. How does the virus manage to bind to cells in the human body? How does it gain entry to the cell? How does it hijack the cell's machinery to make it help to replicate the viral genome?

Scientists around the world are working hard to answer these questions. They hope to discover the 'Achilles heel' of the virus as a target for new drugs to block the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2. Although scientists already know a lot about the virus they still lack detailed knowledge in many areas.

Andrea Thorn and her team aim to provide these missing details. Together they form the "Coronavirus Structural Task Force" - an international network of experts in the field of structural biology.

Their goal is to validate our existing knowledge of the molecular structures of coronavirus and to fill knowledge gaps - or as she puts it: "To get the as much as possible out of the data".

Dr. Thorn, how large are the gaps in our knowledge about the coronavirus that is causing the current pandemic? "Unfortunately, much is still unknown. We are still in the dark about many things that happen at the atomic level.

However, we do know, for example, that the viral genome encodes 28 proteins that fulfill different tasks when attacking the host cell. They suppress the immune system or reprogram the cell to replicate the virus.

But we only know the structures of about half of these 28 proteins - and molecular structures are crucial in identifying and developing potential drug targets. In addition, the virus interacts with around 150 other proteins from the host cell, but we know very little about these interactions."

As their name suggests, structural biologists work to decipher and visualise the exact structure of large biological molecules, such as proteins, at the atomic level.

The synchrotron measurements they use do not produce images in the traditional sense. Instead they deliver huge amounts of data, and it is the job of the structural biologists to create three-dimensional molecular models from these data.

Bioinformaticians and computational chemists can then use computers to virtually screen these structures against thousands of substances to look for potential active agents that could bind to the respective molecules and block them. In addition, scientists use the structures to draw conclusions about the function of the proteins, for example, how they infect host cells.

Research in this field is gaining momentum as the novel coronavirus continues to spread. Each week, Andrea Thorn and her team are supplied with information about new structures which they computationally. At the same time, they sift through existing data, check their validity or improve existing structural solutions.

Coronaviruses, and the SARS virus in particular, are not new discoveries. In 2002/2003, a SARS virus triggered a pandemic that killed almost 800 people worldwide. After the number of new infections had decreased significantly in the summer of 2003, the WHO declared the pandemic over on 19 May 2004.

Dr. Thorn, the coronavirus we are dealing with today is not entirely new. Is this advantageous for your work?

"The two SARS coronaviruses are actually very similar in their genome and molecular structures. The fact that the progression of the disease and spread are so fundamentally different is due to their subtle differences. So, we are working hard to identify those differences at the structural level. Unfortunately, SARS virus research was cut back again after the pandemic ended 15 years ago. If the research activities had been continued, we might already have an effective drug for treatment available today."

Andrea Thorn wants to research such a drug in the near future. Together with colleagues from Lbeck and Berlin, she has applied to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for funding.

The team has its focus on one particular protease - an enzyme from the coronavirus that enables replication in the host cell. The scientists hope that drug screening will help them identify a substance that inhibits this protease. This would prevent the virus from making more copies of itself.

Andrea Thorn cannot say when the coronavirus pandemic will be over. But she has a clear picture of what the future after the coronavirus crisis will look like from a scientific point of view:

"Already in the few weeks since the task force was established, we have seen the different working groups band together. Structural biologists and modelling experts have come together to build a new knowledge base and to improved their methods. These experiences can be transferred to future projects."

Andrea Thorn studied Molecular Science at the University of Erlangen and subsequently earned her doctorate at the University of Gttingen.

Her academic career has taken her to Cambridge, Oxford and the University of Hamburg. Since 2019, she has been an associate group leader at the Rudolf Virchow Center of the University of Wrzburg as part of Professor Hermann Schindelin's research group. Her group develops methods and software to extract structures from experimental data.

Andrea Thorn launched the Coronavirus Structural Task Force shortly after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus a pandemic. Using the combined knowledge and skills of structural biology, she wants to help stop the virus.

See the original post here:
Scientists are exploring to find the 'Achilles heel' of coronavirus - News-Medical.Net

Cell Biology

Hyd centre to grow virus in human cells for in vitro testing – Hindustan Times

New Delhi: The Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) will attempt to grow SARS-CoV-2 in human cell lines, enabling in vitro ( literally, in a test tube) testing of potential drugs and vaccines against Covid-19. Experts said this could expedite testing of new drugs that have not been tried on humans before.

According to a statement from the Science and Technology ministry on Tuesday, CCMB will partner with cell therapy company, Eyestem Research Private Limited to develop these cell lines. The research team will use Eyestems human lung epithelial cell culture system provided as part of its anti-covid screening (ACS) platform to understand the molecular and pathological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2.

Culturing the virus outside the human host is a technological challenge that needs to be overcome. Eyestems cell culture system expresses the ACE2 receptor (an enzyme the Sars-Cov-2 virus uses to enter the body) and other genes that are key determinants of viral entry and replication. We hope that employing this system will allow the CCMB team to grow the virus predictably and thereby open up the potential for the drug screening and vaccine development strategies, said Dr Rakesh Mishra, Director, CCMB.

Before human trials new drugs should be tested in vitro and then in animals, said Dr Shobha Broor, former head of the department of virology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. For the re-purposed drugs being tried for Covid 19, there is some evidence in vitro because they have been tried for other viruses. For different viruses, different cell lines are need for testing efficacy. If we establish this system of testing Covid 19 drugs, whenever we have a new drug it can be tested quickly in the human lung epithelial cell line, she added.

In another statement, the ministry said Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) and Tata Sons have signed an agreement for licensing know-how for a paper strip based test named Feluda for rapid diagnosis of Covid 19.

Dr Anurag Agrawal, Director-IGIB said the technology was conceived and developed at CSIR IGIB and utilizes an indigenously developed cutting edge CRISPR Cas9 technology to specifically recognize the Covid 19 sequence in a sample. A combination of CRISPR biology and paper-strip chemistry leads to a visible signal readout on a paper strip that can be rapidly assessed for establishing the presence of viral infection in a sample. The test is named after Satyajit Rays fictional detective Feluda.

See the article here:
Hyd centre to grow virus in human cells for in vitro testing - Hindustan Times

Cell Biology

Protein Assay Market 2020: Reporting And Evaluation Of Recent Industry Developments 2027 – Cole of Duty

The Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is impacting society and the overall economy across the world. The impact of this pandemic is growing day by day as well as affecting the supply chain. The COVID-19 crisis is creating uncertainty in the stock market, massive slowing of supply chain, falling business confidence, and increasing panic among the customer segments. The overall effect of the pandemic is impacting the production process of several industries including Life science Industry, and many more. Trade barriers are further restraining the demand- supply outlook. As government of different regions have already announced total lockdown and temporarily shutdown of industries, the overall production process being adversely affected; thus, hinder the overall Protein Assay market globally. This report on Protein Assay market provides the analysis on impact on Covid-19 on various business segments and country markets. The report also showcase market trends and forecast to 2027, factoring the impact of Covid -19 Situation.

To get sample Copy of the report, along with the TOC, Statistics, and Tables please visit @https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPHE100001172/

Protein assay is a method used for quick and inexpensive method to detect the concentration of proteins. Protein assays are among the widely used methods in the field of life science research. Estimating protein concentration is an essential part in electrophoresis, cell biology, protein purification, molecular biology, and various other research applications. Protein assay works mostly on the principle of color change i.e. colorimetric assay and use of standard protein such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) or immunoglobulin G (IgG)

Presence of various established market players and rising investment in the field of biotechnological and pharmaceutical R&D activities is considered to propel the growth of the market in the future years. Emerging applications of protein assay along with rise in demand for cost effective methods for clinical diagnosis is expected to provide required opportunity for growth in the market during the forecast period.

Key Players

The report also includes the profiles of key Protein Assay manufacturing companies along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. In addition, the report focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last three years, key development in past three years. Some of the key players influencing the market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., PerkinElmer, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Promega Corporation, Merck KgaA, GENERAL ELECTRIC, Lonza, BioVision Inc., Cell Signaling Technology, Inc., and CYTOSKELETON, INC. among others.

The research provides answers to the following key questions:

The study conducts SWOT analysis to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the key players in the Protein Assay market. Further, the report conducts an intricate examination of drivers and restraints operating in the market. The report also evaluates the trends observed in the parent market, along with the macro-economic indicators, prevailing factors, and market appeal according to different segments. The report also predicts the influence of different industry aspects on the Protein Assay market segments and regions.

Our reports will help clients solve the following issues:

Insecurity about the future:

Our research and insights help our clients anticipate upcoming revenue compartments and growth ranges. This will help our clients invest or divest their assets.

Understanding market opinions:

It is extremely vital to have an impartial understanding of market opinions for a strategy. Our insights provide a keen view on the market sentiment. We keep this reconnaissance by engaging with Key Opinion Leaders of a value chain of each industry we track.

Understanding the most reliable investment centers:

Our research ranks investment centers of market by considering their future demands, returns, and profit margins. Our clients can focus on most prominent investment centers by procuring our market research.

Evaluating potential business partners:

Our research and insights help our clients identify compatible business partners.

Interested in purchasing this Report? Click here @ https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPHE100001172/

Protein Assay Market Segmented by Region/Country: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Central & South America

About Us:

The Insight Partnersis a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are committed to provide highest quality research and consulting services to our customers. We help our clients understand the key market trends, identify opportunities, and make informed decisions with our market research offerings at an affordable cost.

We understand syndicated reports may not meet precise research requirements of all our clients. We offer our clients multiple ways to customize research as per their specific needs and budget

Contact Us:

The Insight Partners,

Phone: +1-646-491-9876

Email:[emailprotected]

Continue reading here:
Protein Assay Market 2020: Reporting And Evaluation Of Recent Industry Developments 2027 - Cole of Duty

Cell Biology

aTyr Pharma Announces Publication of Two Abstracts in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine – BioSpace

Abstracts originally accepted for presentation at the 2020 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference

Findings confirm that aTyrs lead clinical candidate, ATYR1923, selectively binds to Neuropilin-2 (NRP2), a unique target expressed on key immune cells in inflammatory conditions

SAN DIEGO, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- aTyr Pharma Inc. Inc. (Nasdaq: LIFE), a biotherapeutics company engaged in the discovery and development of innovative medicines based on novel immunological pathways, today announced that two abstracts originally accepted for presentation at the 2020 ATS International Conference will be published in the ATS journal, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. One abstract characterizes the molecular basis for ATYR1923s immunomodulatory properties, including its ability to specifically and selectively bind to NRP2, a target that has been implicated in a broad range of immune-mediated diseases. The second abstract demonstrates that NRP2 is expressed on key immune cells in inflammatory conditions, including sarcoidosis granulomas, reinforcing its status as a key target in the treatment of immune-mediated diseases.

We are very pleased to have these abstracts, which were originally accepted for presentation at the ATS International Conference, published in the highly-regarded American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, stated Dr. Sanjay Shukla, M.D., M.S., President and Chief Executive Officer of aTyr. The findings summarized in these abstracts confirm the significant role of NRP2 in serious inflammatory diseases, and further elucidate the mechanism of action of ATYR1923 in its ability to selectively bind to this unique target. We look forward to final results from our ongoing Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of ATYR1923 in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis while in parallel leveraging our numerous research collaborations with biopharmaceutical leaders and academia to further expand our pre-clinical pipeline.

Details of the abstracts are as follows:

P1173 - ATYR1923 Specifically Binds to Neuropilin-2, a Novel Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Immune-Mediated DiseasesNeuropilin-2 (NRP2) is a pleiotropic cell surface receptor known to be expressed on a number of different immune cell types that plays a key role in regulating inflammatory responses. aTyr Pharmas lead clinical candidate, ATYR1923, is a fusion protein combining a novel immunomodulatory domain from histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HARS) and a human IgG1 Fc. ATYR1923 has previously demonstrated potent immunomodulatory activity in vitro and in vivo. ATYR1923 specifically and selectively binds to NRP2 on the cell surface, which was discovered by cell microarray screening and confirmed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and also by flow cytometry analysis of HEK293 cells over-expressing NRP2. Furthermore, ATYR1923 was also found to bind to cells that endogenously express NRP2 on the surface (such as THP-1 polarized M1 macrophages). These findings indicate that modulation of the NRP2 signaling pathway could be a novel therapeutic approach to immune-mediated diseases. ATYR1923 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1b/2a study in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease which can result in lung fibrosis.

P983 - Neuropilin-2, the Specific Binding Partner to ATYR1923, Is Expressed in Sarcoid Granulomas and Key Immune CellsaTyr reports for the first time that NRP2 is expressed in samples obtained from lung and skin of sarcoidosis patients. More specifically, NRP2 expression was readily detectable within the granulomas in both skin and lung samples. In this abstract, the company demonstrates that NRP2 expression can be detected on key immune cells known to play an important role in inflammation and granuloma formation. These findings highlight the potential of ATYR1923 to exert its effect on various immune cells directly related to the pathology of the target patient population.

About ATYR1923

aTyr is developing ATYR1923 as a potential therapeutic for patients with interstitial lung diseases. ATYR1923, a fusion protein comprised of the immuno-modulatory domain of histidyl tRNA synthetase fused to the FC region of a human antibody, is a selective modulator of neuropilin-2 that downregulates the innate and adaptive immune response in inflammatory disease states. aTyr is currently enrolling a proof-of-concept Phase 1b/2a trial evaluating ATYR1923 in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. This Phase 1b/2a study is a multi-ascending dose, placebo-controlled, first-in-patient study of ATYR1923 that has been designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, steroid sparing effect, immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics profile of multiple doses of ATYR1923.

About NRP2

Neuropilin-2 (NRP2) is a cell surface receptor that plays a key role in lymphatic development and in regulating inflammatory responses. In many forms of cancer, high NRP2 expression is associated with worse outcomes. NRP2 can interact with multiple ligands and co-receptors through distinct domains to influence their functional roles, making it a potential drug target with multiple distinct therapeutic applications. NRP2 interacts with type 3 semaphorins and plexins to impact inflammation and with forms of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their receptors, to impact lymphangiogenesis. In addition, NPR2 modulates interactions between CCL21 and CCR7 potentially impacting homing of dendritic cells to lymphoid organs. aTyr is currently investigating NRP2 receptor biology, both internally and in collaboration with key academic thought leaders, as a novel target for new product candidates for a variety of diseases, including cancer and inflammation.

About aTyr

aTyr is a biotherapeutics company engaged in the discovery and development of innovative medicines based on novel immunological pathways. aTyrs research and development efforts are concentrated on a newly discovered area of biology, the extracellular functionality and signaling pathways of tRNA synthetases. aTyr has built a global intellectual property estate directed to a potential pipeline of protein compositions derived from 20 tRNA synthetase genes and their extracellular targets. aTyrs primary focus is ATYR1923, a clinical-stage product candidate which binds to the neuropilin-2 receptor and is designed to down-regulate immune engagement in interstitial lung diseases. For more information, please visit http://www.atyrpharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act. Forward-looking statements are usually identified by the use of words such as anticipates, believes, estimates, expects, intends, may, plans, projects, seeks, should, will, and variations of such words or similar expressions. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by such safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements and are making this statement for purposes of complying with those safe harbor provisions. These forward-looking statements, include statements regarding the potential therapeutic benefits and applications of our product candidates; our ability to successfully advance our product candidates, undertake certain development activities (such as the initiation of clinical trials, clinical trial enrollment, the conduct of clinical trials and the announcement of top-line results) and accomplish certain development goals, and the timing of such events; and the scope and strength of our intellectual property portfolio. These forward-looking statements also reflect our current views about our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to us and on assumptions we have made. Although we believe that our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, as reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements, are reasonable, we can give no assurance that the plans, intentions, expectations or strategies will be attained or achieved. All forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by our management that, although we believe to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. Furthermore, actual results may differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements and will be affected by a variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control including, without limitation, risks associated with the discovery, development and regulation of our product candidates, the risk that we may cease or delay preclinical or clinical development activities for any of our existing or future product candidates for a variety of reasons (including difficulties or delays in patient enrollment in planned clinical trials), the possibility of unexpected expenses or other demands on our cash resources, and the risk that we may not be able to raise the additional funding required for our business and product development plans, as well as those risks set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our other SEC filings. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Go here to see the original:
aTyr Pharma Announces Publication of Two Abstracts in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - BioSpace

Cell Biology

Adoption of Human Platelet Lysate Market Through COVID-19 Pandemic to Increase Across Top Countries in the Globe IN the Coming Years – Cole of Duty

Rising funding for research & development activities, increasing number of research centers, and growing partnerships between research centers, biotechnology companies, and academic institutes for basic research are the prominent driving factors for the growth of thehuman platelet lysate market.

Also, increasing demand for animal-free serum media is a key catalyzer for the growth of the human platelet lysate market. Human platelet lysates, a growth supplement for in-vitro cell culture, are a suitable alternative to fetal bovine serum, and expected to find application in various therapeutics. The global human platelet lysate market is set to progress at a decent CAGR of around 4% over the period of 2019 to 2029.

Get Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16789

Company Profiles

Get To Know Methodology of Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/16789

Key Takeaways from Human Platelet Lysate Market Study

Manufacturers can focus on developing countries such as India that offer significant gains in terms of revenue, through the sale of human platelet lysates at an economical cost,says a PMR analyst.

Increase in Life Science Research Funding

Various government, private, and commercial organizations are focused on increasing research & development activities for continuous innovation in the field of life sciences. These organizations provide funds for ongoing research projects and pipeline products. In 2013, around 59% of total research & development expenditure in the U.S. was from federal funding agencies. In 2016, the National Institute of Health reported investments of nearly US$ 1.4 Bn toward stem cell research in the field of cell biology and electrical engineering.

Access Full Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/16789

Want More Insights?

A new report by Persistence Market Research provides unparalleled insights on the evolution of the human platelet lysate market during 2014-2018, and presents demand projections for 2019-2029, on the basis of product type (heparin-free platelet lysates and human platelet lysates with heparin), application (research use and clinical use), and end user (academic and research institutes, biopharmaceutical companies, and other applications), across various prominent regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia. Oceania, and MEA).

Go here to read the rest:
Adoption of Human Platelet Lysate Market Through COVID-19 Pandemic to Increase Across Top Countries in the Globe IN the Coming Years - Cole of Duty

Cell Biology

Researchers identify neurons that regulate blood sugar – Baylor College of Medicine News

Low blood sugar levels, known as hypoglycemia, can be a life-threatening situation, especially for people with type 1 diabetes who rely on intensive insulin therapy to prevent blood sugar from going too high. Solutions to this problem may come from a better understanding of the basic mechanisms keeping blood sugar in balance.

At Baylor College of Medicine and other institutions, researchers led by Dr. Yong Xu, associate professor of pediatrics-nutrition and of molecular and cellular biology at Baylor, have identified a group of unique glucose-sensing neurons in the brain and how they work together to prevent severe hypoglycemia in mice. Their results appear in the journal Nature Communications.

Glucose-sensing neurons sense fluctuations in blood sugar levels and respond by rapidly decreasing or increasing their firing activities. This response can trigger changes in behavior to increase glucose levels. For instance, the animals may begin eating, Xu said. Glucose-sensing neurons also can affect the production of hormones such as glucagon that can directly regulate glucose production or uptake by peripheral tissues. Its a feedback system that keeps the balance of blood glucose.

Glucose-sensing neurons are found in several brain regions. Xu and his colleagues focused on neurons located in a small area called the ventrolateral subdivision of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (vlVMH). Many neurons in this region express estrogen receptor-alpha and respond to glucose fluctuations in the blood, but their functions in glucose metabolism had not been specifically investigated.

A unique population of neurons

The researchers found that neurons in the vlVMH nucleus of murine brains had unique characteristics.

First, Xu and his colleagues were surprised that, while in other VMH subdivisions about half of the neurons were glucose-sensing, in the ventrolateral subdivision all the estrogen receptor-alpha neurons were glucose-sensing. Just this fact makes this group of neurons quite unique, Xu said.

They also found that, although all the neurons in this area sense glucose, they do not respond to changes in glucose level in the same way. About half of the neurons are glucose-excited their firing activity increases when they sense high glucose levels and decreases when glucose levels are low. In contrast, the other half of the neurons are glucose-inhibited they decrease firing when glucose is high and increase it when glucose is low.

We wondered why these neurons responded in opposite ways to the same glucose challenge, Xu said.

The researchers combined genetic profiling, pharmacological, electrophysiological and CRISPR gene-editing approaches to look into this question. They investigated the ion channels that each type of glucose-sensing neuron uses to respond to glucose levels. Ion channels are large molecules spanning across the cell membranes of neurons. The channels control the traffic of ions electrically charged atoms or molecules in and out of neurons, a process that is crucial for regulating neuronal firing activities.

The researchers found that glucose-excited neurons use a KATP ion channel, but the glucose-inhibited neurons used a different ion channel called Ano4. The KATP ion channel is well known in our field, but the role of Ano4 ion channel in glucose sensing has never been reported. We have identified a new ion channel that is important for glucose-inhibited neurons.

A coordinated effect regulates blood glucose

In addition, Xu and colleagues identified the neuronal circuits that are involved when glucose-excited and glucose-inhibited neurons respond to low blood glucose levels. They discovered that the circuits were different glucose-excited neurons project neuronal connections to a brain region that is different from the one reached by glucose-inhibited neurons.

Using optogenetics, a combination of genetic modifications and light to activate specific neuronal circuits, the researchers showed in mice that when glucose-inhibited neurons responded to low glucose levels, they activated a particular circuit, and the result was an increase of blood glucose. On the other hand, when glucose-excited neurons responded to low blood glucose, they inhibited a different circuit, but the result also was an increase in blood glucose levels.

When the mice were hypoglycemic, these two circuits were regulated in an opposite manner one was excited while the other was inhibited but the outcome was the same, bringing blood glucose to normal levels, Xu said. This forms a perfect feedback system to regulate blood glucose levels.

Interestingly, all the neurons in this important group express estrogen receptor-alpha, a well-known mediator of the ovarian hormone, estrogen. In the future, Xu and colleagues want to investigate whether estrogen plays a role in the glucose-sensing process and whether there are gender differences in the functions of these neurons on glucose balance.

Other contributors to this work include Yanlin He, Pingwen Xu, Chunmei Wang, Yan Xia, Meng Yu, Yongjie Yang, Kaifan Yu, Xing Cai, Na Qu, Kenji Saito, Julia Wang, Ilirjana Hyseni, Matthew Robertson, Badrajee Piyarathna, Min Gao, Sohaib A. Khan, Feng Liu, Rui Chen, Cristian Coarfa, Zhongming Zhao, Qingchun Tong and Zheng Sun. The authors are affiliated with one or more of the following institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

This work was supported by grants from the NIH (R01 DK114279 and R21NS108091, R01ES027544/DK111436, R01DK100697, R00DK107008 and K01 DK119471), John S. Dunn Foundation and Clifford Elder White Graham Endowed Fund and USDA/CRIS (3092-5-001-059). Further support was provided by American Diabetes Association (1-17-PDF-138 and 1-15-BS-184) and American Heart Association awards (17GRNT32960003 and 19CDA34660335). Single cell transcriptome profiling was conducted at the Single Cell Genomics Core at BCM that is partially supported by shared instrument grant from NIH (S10OD018033, S10OD023469, S10OD025240) and data were analyzed by the BCM Multi-Omics Data Analysis Core (P01DK113954). This work also was partially supported by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT, RP170005 and RP180734) and the NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA125123).

Visit link:
Researchers identify neurons that regulate blood sugar - Baylor College of Medicine News

Cell Biology

Repairing spinal cord injuries with a protein that regulates axon regeneration – FierceBiotech

When the axons that extend from neurons break during a spinal cord injury, the result is often a lifelong loss of motor functioning, because vital connections from the brain to other body parts cannot be restored. Now, researchers from Temple Universitys Lewis Katz School of Medicine say they may have found a way to recover some functions lost to axon breaks.

The researchers discovered that boosting levels of a protein called Lin28 in injured spinal cords of mice prompts the regrowth of axons and repairs communication between the brain and body. Lin28 also helped repair injured optic nerves in the animals, they reported in the journal Molecular Therapy.

The Temple team zeroed in on Lin28 because its a known regulator of stem cells, meaning it controls their ability to differentiate into various cells in the body. The researchers examined the effects of Lin28 on spinal cord and optic nerve injuries using two mouse models: one that was engineered to express extra Lin28 and another that was normal and was given the protein after injury via a viral vector.

Maintaining Momentum: Applying Recent Regulatory Guidance in the Midst of the Coronavirus

A panel of CATO SMS experts will review the key issues contained in the emerging Agency Guidance and offer thoughts on what changes and options for sponsors may be seen in the coming months.

All of the mice experienced axon regeneration, the researchers reported. But they found that the best results occurred in the normal mice that received Lin28 injections post-injury. In fact, in animals with optic nerve injuries, the axons regrew to the point where they filled the entire tract of the nerve.

Lin28 treatment after injury improved coordination and sensation in the mice, the researchers reported.

"We observed a lot of axon regrowth, which could be very significant clinically, since there currently are no regenerative treatments for spinal cord injury or optic nerve injury," said senior author Shuxin Li, M.D., Ph.D., professor of anatomy and cell biology at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, in a statement.

RELATED: Gene therapy with 'off switch' restores hand movement in rats with spinal cord injury

Lin28 is already a target of interest, though it has garnered the most attention so far in cancer research. Startup Twentyeight-Seven Therapeutics is developing a small molecule that inhibits the protein in the hopes that doing so will boost Let-7, a cancer-suppressing microRNA. The company raised more than $82 million in a series A financing last year.

Several new approaches for repairing spinal cord injuries are under investigation, most notably gene therapy. King's College researchers are working on a gene therapy that repairs axons by prompting the production of the enzyme chondroitinase. A UT Southwestern team is targeting the gene LZK to increase levels of supportive nervous system cells called astrocytes in response to spinal injuries.

The Temple team has a two-pronged approach to further developing their Lin28-directed treatment. They hope to develop a vector that can be safely delivered by injection and that would deliver the therapy directly to damaged neurons. They also plan to study other molecules in the Lin28 signaling pathway.

"Lin28 associates closely with other growth signaling molecules, and we suspect it uses multiple pathways to regulate cell growth," Li said, potentially revealing other therapeutic molecules that could further boost neuron repair.

Read more:
Repairing spinal cord injuries with a protein that regulates axon regeneration - FierceBiotech

Cell Biology

USC Professor Andrew P. McMahon elected to the National Academy of Sciences – USC News

Andrew P. McMahonwho is the W.M. Keck Provost and University Professor in USCs departments of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, and Biological Sciences at the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Scienceshas been elected as a new member of the National Academy of Sciences in honor of his outstanding contributions to developmental biology. The National Academy of Sciences brings together nearly 3,000 leading researchers to provide objective, science-based advice on critical issues affecting the nationin accordance with an Act of Congress approved by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

Were delighted that Dr. McMahon is being recognized as a newly elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, said Dean Laura Mosqueda from the Keck School. Because new members are elected by current members, this represents recognition of Dr. McMahons achievements by his most esteemed peers in all scientific fields.

Being elected to the National Academy of Sciences is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a scientist. Dr. McMahon has had a truly remarkable career in the field of developmental biology. This honor is well deserved. We are proud of Dr. McMahons accomplishments and of his contributions to research and education at USC, said USC Provost Charles F. Zukoski.

McMahons group is well-known for identifying key signals coordinating cell interactions directing the assembly, composition and functional organization of mammalian organ systems. This research led to the founding of a biotechnology startup and the first drug treatment for an invasive form of skin cancer.

Currently, the McMahon Lab has narrowed its focus from multiple organ systems to a single, exquisitely complex organ: the kidney. With one in 10 people worldwide affected by chronic kidney disease, McMahon has a pragmatic desire to advance stem cell research in response to this medical need.

His lab has uncovered detailed genetic and molecular clues about how developing kidneys form, as well as how adult kidneys respond to injury and disease. These discoveries inform efforts to build synthetic mini kidneys, called organoids, that can be used to study disease, identify potential drug therapies, and eventually provide functional tissue for transplantation.

McMahon laid the groundwork for his career in developmental biology when he was still a high school student in the United Kingdom, studying for his university entrance exams.

The great thing about sitting the exam for Oxford University was that it excused me from taking the regular classes at school and allowed me to just read things that I thought were interesting, he said. So I started reading books about how our genes worked.

During his undergraduate studies at Oxford University, McMahon became fascinated by how genes orchestrated the intricate process of human embryonic development.

Im always looking for answers to what I consider to be the most interesting question of all, said McMahon. How do our genes direct one cell, the egg, to generate the remarkable diversity of different cell types in our bodies?

He continued this line of inquiry during his PhD studies at University College London, and his postdoctoral training at the California Institute of Technology. He started his independent research career at the National Institute for Medical Research in London, then moved to the Roche Institute for Molecular Biology, before joining the faculty at Harvard University in 1993.

After a nearly 20-year career at Harvard, McMahon joined USC as the Director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research in 2012. He established a new Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, which he chairs, and recruited a large cohort of early-career scientists at the start of their faculty careers.

In addition to his most recent accolade from the National Academy of Sciences, McMahon is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the European Molecular Biology Organization, and the Royal Society.

His group has published more than 300 primary research articles, and 22 US patents and 30 foreign patents have been issued around his research.

It may be a clich, but its true: this recognition is really a recognition of the many talented students, postdoctoral fellows and research staff I have been privileged to work with at several institutions throughout my career, said McMahon. I am glad my good fortune continues at USC.

Here is the original post:
USC Professor Andrew P. McMahon elected to the National Academy of Sciences - USC News