Neuroscience

Starr elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences – Claremont Courier

by Steven Felschundneff steven@claremont-courier.com

Pomona College President G. Gabrielle Starr has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, according to a news release from the college. Ms. Starr joins two former Pomona College presidents who were previously elected to the 240-year-old academy.

Ms. Starr is one of 276 inductees announced on Thursday by the Cambridge Massachusetts based academy. Other new members include singer Joan C. Baez, former Attorney GeneralEric H. Holder Jr., author Ann Patchett, and former Pomona College professor, poet Claudia Rankine.

The academy is led by Pomona College President Emeritus David Oxtoby who was inducted into the academy in 2012 and was named its presidentin 2018. He served as president of Pomona College from 2003 until 2017. David Alexander, who served as president of Pomona from 1969 to 1991, was inducted into the academy in 2006.

The members of the class of 2020 have excelled in laboratories and lecture halls, they have amazed on concert stages and in surgical suites, and they have led in board rooms and courtrooms, Mr. Oxtoby said in a statement announcing the inductees. With todays election announcement, thesenew members are united by a place in history and by an opportunity to shape the future through the Academys work to advance the public good.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent research center that is committed to multidisciplinary, nonpartisan research that engages experts in various fields and professions. The research carried out includes six areas of work: arts and humanities; democracy and justice; energy and environment; science and technology; education, and global affairs. Academy members are elected on the basis of their leadership in academics, the arts, business, or public affairs.

To join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as part of this impressive 2020 class of new members is an honor that renders me profoundly grateful. The Academy is a venerable institution whose members are some of the individuals I most admire. It is truly a great gift to join the ranks, Ms. Starr said to Pomona Colleges office of communications.

Starr is a scholar of English literature whose work reaches into neuroscience and the arts. Her research looks closely at the brain, through the use of fMRI, to help get to the heart of how people respond to paintings, music and other forms of art.

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Starr elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences - Claremont Courier

Neuroscience

Stress physically alters communication in the brain – Medical News Today

Astrocytes, which are brain cells that regulate neuronal communication, show long-term degradation from stress.

The experience of traumatic events can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and drug addiction, says Dr. Si-Qiong June Liu of LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine.

Dr. Liu is the lead author of a new study on mice that reveals at least one way in which stress physiologically changes the way a brain operates

The journal for neuroscience JNeurosci has published the study.

In research with mice, Lius study finds that even a single stressful event can quickly cause long-lasting changes to an astrocyte.

When experiencing stress, the astrocytes shrink away from synapses resulting in disruption of neural communication. Synapses are structures that allow information to pass from one cell to another via neurotransmitters.

Researchers will need to carry out further studies to see whether the effect of stress on mice is the same as it is on humans. Liu notes, however, that there is a good chance that the molecular pathways involved in her research also exist in humans.

Stress alters brain function and produces lasting changes in human behavior and physiology. Investigation of the neurobiology of stress can reveal how stress affects neuronal connections and hence brain function. This knowledge is necessary for developing strategies to prevent or treat these common stress-related neurological disorders.

Si-Qiong June Liu

Not all the cells in the brain are neurons. Between 33% and 66% of them, are glial cells. The name comes from the Greek word gla, which means glue. Scientists gave them this name because they initially believed that glial cells simply held the brains neurons together.

Subsequent research suggests that they do far more than that. Scientists have identified four major types of glial cells: microglia, oligodendrocytes, NG2-glia, and astrocytes.

Astrocytes are the most abundant type of glial cell and are critical for the formation and maintenance of synaptic connections. These star-shaped cells have limbs, or fine processes, that extend outward from the cells center.

A brains neurons form connections, or synapses, through which they chemically exchange information. The upstream, or presynaptic, neuron releases neurotransmitters that bind with receptors on a downstream, or postsynaptic, second neuron.

However, astrocytes are the third partner in the process. Research shows that when astrocytes are unavailable to neurons, the neurons degrade and eventually die.

The astrocytes involvement in communication between two neurons is so important, scientists describe the connection as a tripartite synapse.

Scientists are still investigating the full role of astrocytes in synaptic connections, though they are aware of some of their contributions.

When astrocytes extend their fine processes outward to touch their synaptic neuron partners, they regulate synaptic transmission by interacting with neurons excitatory and inhibitory chemicals.

They also clear away buildup of no-longer-needed neurotransmitters after they have delivered their message.

Astrocytes also provide nutrients to neurons and help them retain plasticity, as well as helping maintain the blood-brain barrier.

Lius team saw that when they exposed the mice to the odor of a predator even one time, the stress produced a long-lasting change to their astrocytes.

In response to the stress, the mice secreted the stress hormone norepinephrine, which, in turn, suppressed a molecular pathway that produces a protein called GluA1. GluA1 controls the shaping and plasticity of the astrocytes. In particular, it controls the extension of the astrocytes fine process.

Lius team observed that the astrocytes fine processes retracted in response to stress and pulled away from contact and communication with neurons and synapses. This made synaptic connections more difficult or impossible.

Stress affects the structure and function of both neurons and astrocytes, Liu says.

Because astrocytes can directly modulate synaptic transmission and are critically involved in stress-related behavior, preventing or reversing the stress-induced change in astrocytes is a potential way to treat stress-related neurological disorders. We identified a molecular pathway that controls GluA1 synthesis and thereby astrocyte remodeling during stress.

Liu is hopeful that her teams identification of the interplay between stress, norepinephrine, and GluA1 can provide a new therapeutic avenue to explore, saying, This suggests new pharmacological targets for possible prevention or reversal of stress-induced changes.

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Stress physically alters communication in the brain - Medical News Today

Embryology

The suspension of fertility treatment is a tragedy for many couples – The Guardian

Dont we owe it to those desperate for IVF treatment not to fall for the persistent spoilt/demanding female infertility narrative? Along with myriad NHS procedures, fertility treatment has been deemed non-essential during the pandemic. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority announced that it was suspended until further notice affecting not just new patients but those in the middle of treatment.

In response, IVF patients talked about their distress at the decision. The years trying to conceive and of waiting for treatment. Painful injections. Hormonal rollercoasters. Failed attempts. The physical, psychological and emotional toll. Anxiety that funding could be withdrawn. For some, the hopelessness about time running out, particularly for women over 40. As harrowing as the accounts were, they were also instructive: contrary to certain stereotypes peddled over the years, there was nothing entitled or presumptuous about these women.

Everyone understands the terrible impact that coronavirus is having on the NHS, including for cancer patients. However, this shouldnt cancel our sympathy for those devastated by the suspension of IVF, some of whom may be feeling that theyre at the fertility last-chance saloon. Is it possible for the rest of us to understand what theyre going through? Perhaps not. Those whove never experienced such problems may find the world of the non-fertile too dark and confusing to comprehend.

It doesnt help that, for decades, unshakeable narratives implanted themselves in the collective psyche: the central casting career bitch who put professional ambition first; the flaky party girl too busy having fun to heed the ticking of her biological clock; women who, for years, for whatever reason, squandered their fertility, but who now, like an IVF-themed Veruca Salt, stamp spoilt feet and demand that science sorts everything out: Ive had the big jobs, the flashy lifestyle, the fun and I want babies NOW!

Ive long doubted that such women exist. Anyone Ive come across with fertility problems seems to be everything from exhausted, embarrassed and wistful to sad, resigned and broke, sometimes all these things. And thats just the women. Indeed, as much as the cliches about infertile woman are cruel and sexist, theyre also inaccurate and simplistic. There are many causes of infertility its not always about the woman leaving it too late; its not even always about the woman. Yet still, women are usually the ones who bear the brunt of societal censure, who, on some primal level, are deemed to be righteously punished (by mother nature, no less!) for presumed insubordination.

What medieval phooey! Whatever happens next, in these uncertain times, however long it takes for fertility treatments to get back up and running, lets finally dispense with the creaking narrative that women wanting babies automatically equates with spoilt women demanding them. Lets try having a little sympathy for those for whom fertility treatment is anything but non-essential.

Have modern Britons really become so hypersensitive that they recoil from interruptions when watching or listening to political interviews? Richard Frediani, editor of BBC Breakfast, says internal research showed that people have tired of the aggressive Gotcha! type interview popularised by the likes of Jeremy Paxman and John Humphrys. Now Emily Maitlis is top of the interruption league (on average every 28 seconds), with Mishal Husain in second place (every 46 seconds). Still, isnt this often the nature of the game?

I understand how softer interviews sometimes reveal more about character, but lets not turn this into a valid reason for, say, Boris Johnsons post-election boycott of Radio 4s Today programme. Or, indeed, Johnsons infamous dodging of Andrew Neil in the run-up to the election.

However, its not just Johnson. As a breed, political interviewees are skilled and determined time wasters, who often have a highly rehearsed spiel designed to deflect and repel serious investigation of shortcomings. Its the job nay, the duty of the interviewer to crack through that, not to be aggressive, but to stop them waffling through their own buzzword-strewn agenda.

If this is irritating and jarring for listeners or viewers, it should be acknowledged that its at least 50% the stonewalling interviewees fault. It may come as news to some, but politicians arent always desperately trying to deliver facts and truth - theyre often desperately trying not to. Add time constraints and theres your explanation for more aggressive interviews.

Even in the celebrity arena, the journalist often has to cajole interviewees away from charming but deadly dull chat about wonderful co-stars or dazzling film locations into more interesting territory. For political interrogators on television and radio, the stakes are higher and time even shorter. As far as Im concerned, they can interrupt all they like.

How concerned should Britain be about voter fraud worried enough to bring in new measures that prevent groups of people from actually voting? Community activist Neil Coughlan continues to appeal against the high courts rejection of his claim that pilot schemes requiring voters to produce photo ID at polling stations are undemocratic and unlawful. Coughlans local authority, Braintree in Essex, was one of the areas where the photo ID scheme was trialled in last Mays local elections. However, some people dont possess photo ID or may not be able to find it in time to vote. Moreover, apart from Northern Ireland, voter fraud is extremely rare in the UK: in one survey, 99% of polling station officials had no suspicions of anyone impersonating another person to steal their vote.

As Coughlan says, the Windrush scandal showed that many legitimate British citizens dont possess official documentation, while 3.5 million people dont have photo ID. To my mind, its sensible to be wary of anything that obstructs specific groups from voting for instance (just off the top of my head), poorer people who might not vote Conservative. Then again, what possible justification could there be for obstructing any group? There would appear to be more than one form of electoral fraud.

Barbara Ellen is an Observer columnist

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The suspension of fertility treatment is a tragedy for many couples - The Guardian

Embryology

Time is precious in IVF: the women who fear they have lost their chance to have children – The Guardian

Her fertility medication had arrived and Ellen Rayment was waiting for the first day of her period so she could begin taking it. Rayment, a 40-year-old health professional from East Sussex, had been trying to conceive with her wife Debby for three years. It had been costly and emotionally draining. The Rayments were declined treatment on the NHS because they were using donor genetic material, so they had spent in excess of 20,000 on private IVF.

In November 2019, Rayment had miscarried twins at 22 weeks. After taking some time to both physically recover and grieve, Rayments doctor gave her the go-ahead to proceed with egg implantation using the final frozen embryo from their second round of IVF in March. She was waiting for her period to start before taking the medication to thicken her uterine wall, ahead of embryo implantation. But when that came it was on the same day Boris Johnson announced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. All non-urgent medical procedures, including IVF, would be postponed. Her clinic called her to confirm the bad news.

With each month that Britain spends under lockdown, Rayment can feel her dreams of motherhood slipping away. My biological clock is ticking louder and louder, she says. Rayment is aware that, after 40, it is difficult to conceive through IVF. It just feels horrific, to be honest, she says.

Rayment is one of a number of women whose IVF treatments have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although many IVF clinics decided to suspend treatment after Johnsons 23 March announcement, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which oversees all NHS IVF clinics, did not officially stop all fertility treatments until 15 April. Exceptions are being made only when women are undergoing fertility-preservation treatment ahead of radiotherapy or chemotherapy for serious diseases.

We will do all we can to lift this restriction as soon as possible but we cannot give a date when this will happen given the current situation with the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK our aim is for the UK fertility sector to restart as soon as possible and we are keeping the situation under regular review, says an HFEA spokesperson. Whereas the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish authorities have confirmed that fertility patients will not be disadvantaged by coronavirus when clinics reopen, meaning that clinics will pick up where they left off with patients receiving the same treatment according to the same criteria that they would have been entitled to before the pandemic England has not made the same promise. There are fears that IVF provision in England which has already been squeezed by national cuts, with some hospital trusts selling or considering closing their IVF clinics, or offering a reduced number of IVF cycles could be further cut after the coronavirus pandemic, to help rebalance the NHS funding black hole.

For women who had already started fertility treatment and were on a cocktail of fertility-boosting drugs when the pandemic hit, the IVF ban was a bitter blow. That was the hardest bit, says Kara*, a 34-year-old social worker from Sheffield. Taking all those drugs that affect you so much, for nothing. After Kara found out her NHS IVF treatment was cancelled in March, she had to continue taking oral and injectable oestrogen and progesterone for a further two weeks, to complete her monthly cycle. Kara and her husband have been trying to conceive for five years; she has miscarried five times.

IVF is a long road, littered with obstacles; now the coronavirus pandemic is one more thing thats out of your control

Being full of pregnancy-inducing hormones without being pregnant, in the midst of a global pandemic, did not do much for Karas physical or mental health. I was devastated, she says. All those hormones make you really emotional and the injectable progesterone makes your stomach sore, and you get so tired. You dont mind that when youre building up to an IVF cycle. But when it gets taken away from you youre like: Now what? Gwenda Burns of Fertility Network UK urges any women feeling distressed or overwhelmed to call the networks support line, or join one of its regional online support groups. We believe no question is too trivial or worry too small, Burns says.

IVF is, by definition, a time-sensitive endeavour: any delay diminishes the likelihood of a woman successfully conceiving, as her egg reserves drop month-on-month. Time is so precious in IVF, says Rayment. A month can make such a difference. If you have already spent years on a waiting list for NHS IVF, any further delay is agonising.

We went through a shocking number of delays until we finally got our NHS approval letter through, says Polly Towler, a 38-year-old audio typist from Bristol. Towler was due to commence her first round of NHS IVF this April, nearly four years after she first visited her GP about her fertility issues. I am very worried about my egg reserves, Towler says. I will be 39 at the end of this year. The decline will be steep from now on.

A lack of clarity from the government about when the lockdown will end adds to many womens anxiety and sense of powerlessness. So much of IVF is beyond your control, says Seetal Savla, a 38-year-old PR manager from London. Its a long road thats littered with obstacles, and now the coronavirus pandemic is one more thing thats out of your control. After her first round of NHS IVF failed in 2017, Savla and her husband Neil turned to private clinics. Savla has low egg reserves, meaning that her chances of becoming a mother are already low. If the government would say that in two or three months, IVF can start again, that would be something to count down towards, she says. Its the uncertainty thats difficult to accept.

An exit strategy for the fertility sector is needed, says Dr Geeta Nargund, a fertility expert at St Georges NHS Trust. We need a proactive approach to restarting these services, detailing which social distancing measures and safety approaches will be required, and what protective equipment will be made available for staff, she says. When the lockdown is lifted, Nargund wants priority to be given to women with low egg reserves, or those who are older. Time is of the essence for them, she explains.

All the women understand the pressures on the NHS. I get that we have to protect the NHS, says Kara. I understand why theyve cancelled all the treatments. But Im still allowed to have some personal grief about it. Even before her IVF was cancelled, Rayment felt uneasy, because her history of miscarriage and age made any pregnancy high-risk. I felt dubious, because I knew that by carrying on I could be a burden to the NHS, she says. But then I thought: no one else is being told not to procreate. It didnt seem fair that I should be told to stop whilst everyone else was carrying on regardless.

The naturally fertile aren't being asked not to try to have children, only infertile, single women and same-sex couples

Nargund argues that the IVF ban exacerbates existing healthcare inequalities. Those who are naturally fertile are not being asked not to try to have children, she says. Its only the infertile, single women and same-sex couples that are being delayed access to fertility treatment is an issue of equality, whether its a couple who delayed parenthood due to financial insecurity, or a lesbian couple. Denying them their fundamental right to parenthood exacerbates societal inequalities.

Meanwhile, for the women whose dreams of motherhood are on indefinite hold, lockdown conversations can be painful. Having to hear people make baby-boom jokes or people complaining about having kids at home is really hard, says Savla. I would love to be in the situation of having kids at home to complain about.

Many of the women I spoke to believe that coronavirus has cost them their chance of having biological children. I just feel like its not going to happen now, says Towler. I am preparing myself for the possibility of not having children. Rayment is taking things day by day, but is similarly dejected. The media is saying that we wont come out of full lockdown until we have a vaccine, says Rayment. That could take a year. I could be too old for IVF by then all my chances of having a family would be lost.

Savla has gone some way towards making peace with this. With every day that goes by I do feel my chances are shrinking of having a biological child, says Savla. But theres nothing I can do about it, so Ive come to a state of acceptance. She has started looking into surrogacy and adoption. Having been through the emotional rollercoaster that is IVF, I do feel more resilient and able to deal with coronavirus, she says. But that doesnt mean Im not hurting.

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Time is precious in IVF: the women who fear they have lost their chance to have children - The Guardian

Genetics

Coronavirus was widespread in UK at very start of pandemic, says genetics expert – Sky News

One of the world's leading human genetics experts has told Sky News that coronavirus was widespread in the UK at the very start of the pandemic and a lack of vigilance allowed the virus to take hold.

Dr Kari Stefansson is overseeing a massive project in Iceland to genetically sequence every positive case of COVID-19 in the country to find out how it mutates and spreads.

He spoke to Sky News at the headquarters of his company deCODE Genetics in Reykjavik, which houses a massive database of more than half the Icelandic population's genetic material.

Founded almost a quarter of a century ago, the samples are used to look into the genetic components of diseases. Now he's looking into COVID-19.

He says sequencing tells them where the cases come from.

"So the virus now has basically a barcode for every part of the world," he said.

"There is a collection of mutation that is relatively characteristic for Austria, another for Italy as well as Great Britain and for the west coast of the United States etc."

Prof Stefansson said that in the beginning, almost all of the cases came into Iceland from the Alps, from people who had been skiing in Austria and Italy.

The authorities responded by trying to contain the spread of infection from those high risk countries.

He added: "But as they were doing this, the virus was actually sneaking into the country with people from all kinds of other countries.

"And the most notable there is Great Britain. So it looks like the virus had a fairly wide spread in Great Britain very, very early in this epidemic."

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Prof Stefansson said the UK - and the USA - weren't vigilant enough from the start, pointing to Iceland's policy of mass testing.

Iceland has now tested a higher percentage of the population than any other nation. 45,000 tests have been carried out in a population of 460,000.

deCODE is working alongside the health service to take samples from as many people as possible - the sick as well as the seemingly healthy.

Dr Stefansson says that is the only way to discover the true spread of the disease in the community.

The policy has allowed Iceland to identify cases quickly and isolate carriers.

After it was suggested that it is easier for a small nation to test and bring the virus under control, he replied: "Yes, there may be fewer of us but countries like the United Kingdom and the United States have much, much more resources than we do.

"It is all just a question of using what you have. They weren't vigilant enough. They didn't react to this early enough.

"You know, the countries that taught us the methods that we are using, in doing this in a place like Iceland, they didn't use it themselves. And that is tragic."

As well as testing for COVID-19, deCODE is also taking blood from volunteers to test for antibodies to fight the virus.

And the company is examining whether there is a genetic component to coronavirus.

Dr Stefansson says it is curious how different people respond to the virus.

"There are those who describe this as a mild cold," he said.

"There are those who end up in the intensive care unit on a respirator. And there is everything in between.

"We know that women have less tendency to get infected than men. And if they get infected, they don't get as sick as men. What is it that generates this clinical diversity?"

That is the big question that needs answering, he says, and deCODE has already begun sharing its findings in the hope of finding an answer.

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Coronavirus was widespread in UK at very start of pandemic, says genetics expert - Sky News

Genetics

Medical Information of 233,000 Individuals Exposed after Genetic Testing Lab Hack – Security Boulevard

As the tab for security incidents in 2020 remains open, cybercriminals are diligently looking for new ways to attack and capitalize on valuable healthcare information. More than 143 security incidents have been added to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Breach Reporting Tool since the beginning of the year, and bad actors are not showing signs of halting their disruptive actions any time soon.

Last months showstopper is Ambry Genetics, a California-based genetic testing laboratory that revealed a security incident potentially exposing the personal health information (PHI) of 233,000 customers, including:

Customer names Medical information Information related to customers use of the genetic laboratorys services Limited amount of Social Security numbers

In accordance with HIPPA Breach Notification Rule, the company has published a notice on its official page, detailing the events. Between 22 and 24 January, Ambrys security team noticed unauthorized access to one of their employee accounts and started investigating the incident. Although the company found no clear signs of misuse, it does not rule out the exposure of customer personal information.

The investigation was unable to determine whether there was unauthorized access to, or acquisition of, any particular information from the email account, and we are not aware of any misuse of any personal information. Nevertheless, we are notifying our customers because customer personal information may have been impacted, reads the Substitute Notice.

As a preventive measure, Ambry Genetics is now offering customers free identity monitoring services to affected individuals and reassures customers that they have taken the necessary steps to avoid any future incidents.

The high number of potentially exposed medical records put customers at risk of falling victim to medical identity theft and fraud. Using the stolen information, cyber thieves can make fake medical claims and steal a victims insurance, and even send out extortion emails that demand payment for not revealing any sensitive information.

Its important for potential victims to be wary of any unsolicited emails they might find in the Inbox, keep an eye on their medical bills, and review their medical records for any suspicious entries.

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*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from HOTforSecurity authored by Alina Bizga. Read the original post at: https://hotforsecurity.bitdefender.com/blog/medical-information-of-233000-individuals-exposed-after-genetic-testing-lab-hack-23097.html

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Medical Information of 233,000 Individuals Exposed after Genetic Testing Lab Hack - Security Boulevard

Genetics

Algorithm Developed to Predict the Evolution of Genetic Mutations – SciTechDaily

The algorithm called minimum epistasis interpolation results in a visualization of how a protein could evolve to either become highly effective or not effective at all. They compared the functionality of thousands of versions of the protein, finding patterns in how mutations cause the protein to evolve from one functional form to another. Credit: McCandlish lab/CSHL, 2020

Quantitative biologists David McCandlish and Juannan Zhou at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have developed an algorithm with predictive power, giving scientists the ability to see how specific genetic mutations can combine to make critical proteins change over the course of a species evolution.

Described in Nature Communications, the algorithm called minimum epistasis interpolation results in a visualization of how a protein could evolve to either become highly effective or not effective at all. They compared the functionality of thousands of versions of the protein, finding patterns in how mutations cause the protein to evolve from one functional form to another.

Epistasis describes any interaction between genetic mutations in which the effect of one gene is dependent upon the presence of another. In many cases, scientists assume that when reality does not align with their predictive models, these interactions between genes are at play. With this in mind, McCandlish created this new algorithm with the assumption that every mutation matters. The term Interpolation describes the act of predicting the evolutionary path of mutations a species might undergo to achieve optimal protein function.

The researchers created the algorithm by testing the effects of specific mutations occurring in the genes that make streptococcal GB1 protein. They chose the GB1 protein because of its complex structure, which would generate enormous numbers of possible mutations that could be combined in an enormous number of possible ways.

Because of this complexity, visualization of this data set became so important, says McCandlish. We wanted to turn the numbers into a picture so that we can understand better what [the data] is telling us.

The visualization is like a topological map. Height and color correlate with the level of protein activity and distance between points on the map represents how long it takes for the mutations to evolve to that level of activity.

The GB1 protein begins in nature with a modest level of protein activity, but may evolve to a level of higher protein activity through a series of mutations that occur in several different places.

A photo of David McCandlish in his office. He is pointing to a visualization of what he calls the protein GB1s evolutionary space. Credit: CSHL, 2020

McCandlish likens the evolutionary path of the protein to hiking, where the protein is a hiker trying to get to the highest or best mountain peaks most efficiently. Genes evolve in the same manner: with a mutation seeking the path of least resistance and increased efficiency.

To get to the next best high peak in the mountain range, the hiker is more likely to travel along the ridgeline than hike all the way back down to the valley. Going along the ridgeline efficiently avoids another potentially tough ascent. In the visualization, the valley is the blue area, where combinations of mutations result in the lowest levels of protein activity.

The algorithm shows how optimal each possible mutant sequence is and how long it will take for one genetic sequence to mutate into any of many other possible sequences. The predictive power of the tool could prove particularly valuable in situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers need to know how a virus is evolving in order to know where and when to intercept it before it reaches its most dangerous form.

McCandlish explains that the algorithm can also help understand the genetic routes that a virus might take as it evolves to evade the immune system or gain drug resistance. If we can understand the likely routes, then maybe we can design therapies that can prevent the evolution of resistance or immune evasion.

There are additional potential applications for such a predictive genetic algorithm, including drug development and agriculture.

You know, at the very beginning of genetics there was all this interesting speculation as to what these genetic spaces would look like if you could actually look at them, McCandlish added. Now were really doing it! Thats really cool.

Reference: Minimum epistasis interpolation for sequence-function relationships by Juannan Zhou and David M. McCandlish, 14 April 2020, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15512-5

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Algorithm Developed to Predict the Evolution of Genetic Mutations - SciTechDaily

Immunology

Creation of an Emergency Fund for the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral – Canada NewsWire

MONTREAL, April 27, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ -The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral is creating an Emergency Fund to support its research activities and is launching an appeal for solidarity.

IRIC is being deeply impacted by the forced stoppage of part of its activities as a result of the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of its core facilities, which represent a major monthly financial resource for the Institute, have had to cease part of their activities. The future of young investigators and the completion of several promising projects are therefore greatly jeopardized.

To make up for the critical shortfall caused by the temporary stoppage of certain research work, IRIC has created an Emergency Fundand is launching an appeal for solidarity.

Research is vital to help us fight diseases like cancer, or currently COVID-19. Many of the Institute's researchers possessing multipurpose and complementary skills have also been called upon to contribute to research on this new virus. They are working tirelessly to accelerate the advancement of knowledge and to find creative solutions to fight this pandemic. Their expertise, which includes the fields of bioinformatics, genomics and medicinal chemistry, is being harnessed in the hope to find innovative therapeutic solutions to fight COVID-19.

More than ever, IRIC needs help to continue its mission and is launching an appeal for generosity. The Institute is well aware that the current situation poses collective health issues as well as economic issues. Moreover, it's with small and major donations that its investigators will be able to make the difference. Each contribution counts to support the research carried out at IRIC and contributes to finding new solutions against cancer and, currently, against COVID-19.

In these challenging times and this period of great instability, IRIC would like to extend its warmest thanks for the support of its donors so that together, we can make a difference and overcome this extraordinary ordeal.

About the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral

An ultra-modern research hub and training centre located in the heart of the Universit de Montral, the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of the Universit de Montral was created in 2003 to shed light on the mechanisms of cancer and discover new, more effective therapies to counter this disease. The IRIC operates according to a model that is unique in Canada. Its innovative approach to research has already led to discoveries that will, over the coming years, have a significant impact on the fight against cancer.

SOURCE Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral

For further information: IRIC contacts: Catherine CARDINAL, Communications Director, IRIC, (514) 220-9209, [emailprotected]; Sandy THIBERT, Communication Public and Government Relations Advisor, IRIC, (514) 206-5420, [emailprotected]

http://www.iric.ca

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Creation of an Emergency Fund for the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral - Canada NewsWire

Immunology

Cleveland Clinic Appoints Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., as Director of Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology – Health Essentials from…

Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D.

Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed director of the Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology at Cleveland Clinic.

A renowned immuno-oncology and cancer genomics expert, Dr. Chan leads the new center which brings together multidisciplinary experts from across the Cleveland Clinic enterprise to advance research and treatment related to the rapidly growing field of immuno-oncology.

The center will comprise four arms, including a Cleveland cell therapy program in collaboration with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and will recruit national and international experts in computational science, immunotherapy and cancer immunology. The new center will initially have sites in Cleveland and the soon-to-open Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, both focused on immunotherapy research and developmental therapeutics.

Dr. Chan will also collaborate with experts in the new Center for Global and Emerging Pathogens Research, which is focused on broadening understanding of immunology and microbial pathogenesis with the goal of improving treatment for a variety of diseases, including virus-induced cancers.

Immunotherapy is the future of research in cancer and various other diseases and Cleveland Clinic has made it a priority by establishing this new center, said Serpil Erzurum, M.D., chair of Cleveland Clinics Lerner Research Institute. The Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology will empower clinicians and scientists throughout the enterprise to advance personalized cancer care and breakthrough immunotherapy research at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Chan joins Cleveland Clinic from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell School of Medicine, where he leads the Immunogenomics and Precision Oncology Platform and was a tenured professor, the PaineWebber Chair, and the Translational Oncology Division chair. He is an internationally recognized expert in precision immuno-oncology and a pioneer in using genomics to determine which patients will respond best to certain types of immunotherapies. He has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has made landmark discoveries in his field, and has received numerous awards, including the National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award in 2018.

Innovation in precision immunotherapy is one of the most exciting areas in cancer research, said Brian Bolwell, M.D., chairman of Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center. The addition of Dr. Chan, a pioneer in cancer genomics, and the new centers focus on research and clinical trials will strengthen our ability to provide advanced treatment options for our patients.

Dr. Chan also joins the leadership of the National Center for Regenerative Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Chan is also on staff in the Genomic Medicine Institute of the Lerner Research Institute; and the Department of Radiation Oncology of the Taussig Cancer Institute.

Dr. Chan earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in genetics from Johns Hopkins University, where he also completed a residency in radiation oncology and a postdoctoral fellowship in the division of tumor biology. He is board certified in radiation oncology and is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP).

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Cleveland Clinic Appoints Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., as Director of Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology - Health Essentials from...

Immunology

How the USS Theodore Roosevelt outbreak could help scientists better fight COVID-19 – Task & Purpose

The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is pictured as it enters the port in Da Nang, Vietnam, March 5, 2020.

(Reuters/Kham)

SAN DIEGO An investigation by the Navy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into the outbreak of the coronavirus on board the San Diego-based aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt could yield data valuable not just to the military, but also to the greater scientific community in the race to better understand the virus, the Navy says.

The Roosevelt has been tied up in Guam for the last month as the virus spread throughout its crew.

More than 17% of the ships approximately 4,845 sailors have tested positive for the coronavirus 856 sailors. There are still a handful of results outstanding, the Navy said Friday.

Four sailors are in the hospital at Naval Base Guam. Another, Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Charles Thacker, 41, died from the virus last week.

Since Monday, the Navy has been surveying members of the crew as part of its investigation. The Navy and CDC said previously they hoped to survey 1,000 sailors, obtaining saliva and blood tests.

Cmdr. Denver Applehans, a spokesman for the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, said in an email Friday the service asked 1,400 sailors to participate. The Navy fell well short of that goal.

We are very thankful to the roughly 400 crewmembers of the USS Theodore Roosevelt who provided specimens for this outbreak investigation, Applehans wrote in an email. Its worth noting that the USS Theodore Roosevelts crew has been impacted by this virus harder than any other military unit and there are many competing demands on the crew to get the ship clean and ready to return to sea. We cant overemphasize our appreciation for those who did volunteer.

The goal of the investigation, officials say, is to better understand the behavior of the virus and to apply those lessons to other Navy ships and military units.

The outbreak on the Roosevelt presents an opportunity to understand how the disease spreads in a relatively controlled environment, said Shane Crotty, a virologist and professor in the Vaccine Discovery Division at La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego.

Its really an outstanding opportunity to learn more, Crotty said. Thats the type of scenario a controlled environment, far fewer variables its the kind of situation epidemiologists love because of the minimization of variables. For my side, were very interested in understanding viral immunology the response (to the virus). In particular, how that would help vaccine development.

The development of an effective vaccine for the coronavirus is seen by many as key to getting life around the world back to normal. The La Jolla Institute for Immunology is leading an international effort to collect antibody samples, which are key in vaccine development.

Blood samples from the Roosevelt investigation will be tested at the CDCs laboratory in Atlanta using the agencys new serology test, which can identify antibodies and tell researchers whether a person has been exposed to the virus even if they are showing no symptoms.

On the Roosevelt, Applehans said, the rate of asymptomatic sailors testing positive for the virus is on the high end of what the CDC says can be expected in the general population.

Approximately 50% of the sailors who tested positive so far on the (Theodore Roosevelt) have not shown symptoms of COVID-19, Applehans said.

The CDC has said that roughly 25% of COVID-19 infections are asymptomatic across all age groups. Given that the Sailors are generally younger and healthier than the general population across all age groups, 50% or even slightly above may be appropriate or expected.

Applehans said the Navy expects to gain more clarity on asymptomatic carriers and virus transmission through its ongoing outbreak investigations.

Among the questions Crotty has is whether asymptomatic people who test positive for the virus develop an immune response something the CDCs antibody test might reveal.

From my area in expertise, for us thinking about vaccine development and immunity, one missing piece is: Do asymptomatic cases develop immune responses or not? Crotty said. The blood tests on the sailors should reveal that pretty quickly.

That immune response one that effectively fights off the virus would tell researchers what an effective response looks like.

Right now there are over 80 different vaccine candidates, Crotty said. Once you have information in hand on what a good immune response looks like, it can help point out what vaccine strategy works. Thats really valuable information theyre going to have very high quality data about true asymptomatic cases.

On the Roosevelt, and unlike anywhere else with an outbreak, 100% of those potentially exposed to the virus have been tested. Although not all of the crew participated in the Navy and CDCs investigation, and the goal is not specifically for vaccine development, the Navy is hopeful its results are useful.

What this outbreak investigation will provide is some basic information about exposure to the virus aboard the ship and the development of antibodies from that exposure, Applehans said. We hope it is useful in providing some additional information on how this virus is transmitted.

In addition to the blood and saliva samples taken from sailors, officials also had volunteers fill out surveys, to track their locations on board the ship.

The Navys surgeon general, Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, said recently one of the goals of the investigation is to determine how much the virus spread without sailors showing symptoms.

Because of the pre-symptomatic transmission, we believe that it probably passed through the ship quite freely and was initially unrecognized, Gillingham said.

The Roosevelt pulled into Guam on March 28 as the virus spread out of control among its crew. It is the largest outbreak of the virus in the U.S. military.

The first two cases of the virus were found among two members of the ships air wing, a Navy official told the San Diego Union-Tribune. However, because the two cases came to light 15 days after a port visit to Vietnam, Gillingham could not say how the virus got on board.

He said that is not the intent of the investigation.

The intent of investigation is not to get to the source; its to better understand the behavior of the virus going forward, he said.

Other factors the Navy is learning about the virus came to light recently, as the service reported some quarantined sailors tested positive for the virus more than 14 days after testing negative.

Experts point to the virus long incubation period as being one of the key factors making its spread difficult to slow.

The Navy expected its survey of the crew to finish Friday. Results from the CDC are not due for at least one month.

2020 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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How the USS Theodore Roosevelt outbreak could help scientists better fight COVID-19 - Task & Purpose