Genetics

TPR Lifeline: Clinical Genetics Is A Growing Field – Texas Public Radio

We all have about 24,000 genes. How those genes are structured and interact can determine our current health and our future health.

Modern medicine includes specialists in this field called Clinical Geneticists. In todays TPR Lifeline, Bioscience-Medicine reporter Wendy Rigby talks to Baylor College of Medicines Scott McLean, MD, about his work at the Childrens Hospital of San Antonio.

Rigby: Dr. McLean, what is clinical genetics?

McLean: Clinical genetics is the medical specialty that uses genetic information to improve your genetic health or to understand the basis for a variety of medical conditions.

Those of us who have had children in Texas know that while youre still in the hospital, you get some genetic testing done. What is that called and what are you looking for?

We have newborn screening which is actually a blood test that is given to all babies 24 and 48 hours of age. The blood test involves collecting that blood on a piece of paper, filter paper, and sending that to the Texas State Department of Health Services in Austin where they do a series of tests.

This is the foot prick?

This is where you prick the heel. It seem awfully cruel. Babies cry. Parents dont like it. But its actually a wonderful test because it allows us to screen for over 50 conditions.

Give us some examples. What are some of the genetic conditions we might have heard of?

Well, the initial condition that was screened for in newborn screening in the United States was PKU which stands for Phenylketonuria. This is a condition that results in intellectual disability and seizures. We can change that outcome if we are able to identify the condition early enough and change the diet.

Lets say a child comes in to Childrens Hospital of San Antonio. Doctors are having trouble figuring out whats going on. Are you called in to consult?

Most of our patients that we see in the outpatient clinic are sent to us by consultation from physicians in the community or from nurseries, neonatal intensive care units. They range from situations such as multiple birth defects, to autism, intellectual disability, seizures, encephalopathy, blindness, deafness. Theres a whole gamut of reasons that folks come to see us.

When these children become grownups, does that information that youve learned about them help them out if theyre planning to have their own children in the future?

So when pediatric patients make the transition from pediatric care to adult care, its very common for information and ideas to get lost. And we certainly would hope that people remember that. Sometimes when we have identified a situation in a little baby, I tell the parents that I want them to put a sticky note on the last page of their baby book so that when they are showing the baby book to their childs fiance and they get to the last page, it reminds them you need to go back to see the geneticist because theres this genetic situation that you need to have a nice long chat about so that you can plan your family as carefully as possible.

Right. So the work youre doing today could help someone 30 years in the future.

Well, genetics is a very unique specialty in that regard because when we see a patient were not thinking about their next year of life or their next two years of life or the next month. We do think about that. But this is a lifelong diagnosis and a lifelong situation. So I often joke with my patients that Im going to try to put them on the 90-year plan. What we figure out now about their genetics is going to be helpful for them throughout their entire lifespan, at least up until 90 years. And then after that theyre on their own. But well get them to 90.

So its an exciting time to be in the field.

Very exciting. I think the era of gene therapy which for many people we thought was never going to happen, its very promising because we have new technologies that I think are going to allow for advances in that area.

Dr. Scott McLean with Baylor College of Medicine and the Childrens Hospital of San Antonio, thanks for the information.

Youre quite welcome.

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TPR Lifeline: Clinical Genetics Is A Growing Field - Texas Public Radio

Genetics

Just the Facts on Atossa Genetics Inc. (ATOS) – StockNewsJournal

Atossa Genetics Inc. (ATOS) is an interesting player in the Healthcare space, with a focus on Diagnostic Substances. The stock has been active on the tape, currently trading at $0.43, up from yesterdays close by 7.50%. Given the stocks recent action, it seemed like a good time to take a closer look at the companys recent data.

Technical Analysis

Sometimes, we can understand most about a stock by simply looking at how it has been trading. Looking at the stocks movement on the chart, Atossa Genetics Inc. recorded a 52-week high of $3.97. It is now trading 3.54% off that level. The stock is trading $0.43 its 50-day moving average by 0%. The stock carved out a 52-week low down at $0.32.

In recent action, Atossa Genetics Inc. (ATOS) has made a move of +7.50% over the past month, which has come on Strong relative transaction volume. Over the trailing year, the stock is underperforming the S&P 500 by 99.86, and its gotten there by action that has been more volatile on a day-to-day basis than most other stocks on the exchange. In terms of the mechanics underlying that movement, traders will want to note that the stock is trading on a float of 7.46% with $10.93 Million sitting short, betting on future declines. That suggests something of the likelihood of a short squeeze in shares of ATOS.

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Just the Facts on Atossa Genetics Inc. (ATOS) - StockNewsJournal

Physiology

NSF grant supports project to improve undergraduate physiology curriculum – MSUToday

Michigan State University researcher Kevin Haudek is the lead investigator of a three-year, $485,000 National Science Foundation that develops learning progressions and evaluates principle-based reasoning in undergraduate physiology students.

Principle-based reasoning is a practice of mind used by scientists to approach problems and constrain the boundaries of problems.

We believe that using such principles will help students think more like a scientist, said Haudek, an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the College of Natural Science.

When students are able to demonstrate principle-based reasoning, they are capable of accurately predicting outcomes to disturbances of a system. Too often, the reliance on rote memorization rather than principle-based reasoning to solve problems, leads to context-bound thinking that fails to build robust understandings, which limits students ability to excel in the sciences.

The project is a cross-disciplinary collaboration between MSU researchers Joyce Parker in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, John Merrill in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Mark Urban-Lurain in the CREATE for STEM Institute at MSU and researchers at the University of Washington.

The grant proposes to create the first learning progression in undergraduate physiology focusing on flux and mass balances core concepts.

Our learning progression will guide the creation of assessments instructors can use to determine where their students are along the spectrum of understanding, Haudek said.

When designing assessments, researchers and instructors must choose between constructed response and multiple-choice formats. Haudek noted the project will focus on the development of CR assessments and the evaluation of these assessments using computerized scoring methods.

We believe CR assessments have certain advantages, which is why wed like to develop these types of assessment items and framed in a whole new content area, he said.

Another aim of the grant is to begin to gather information about national trends in student learning of physiology during two and four-year programs.

The results of this aim may indicate that some gaps or plateaus of improvement might exist over the course of a curricular program, Haudek said.

Haudek and his colleagues are hopeful the project will positively impact a variety of science-based programs since physiology intersects with so many other degrees and career paths.

Although the project is not structured for the purpose of specifically addressing issues related to curricular gaps, Haudek said, one outcome of the study may be that some departments and programs become more self-reflective in the way students understanding of course content is evaluated, thus prompting changes in instruction, courses and or programs."

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NSF grant supports project to improve undergraduate physiology curriculum - MSUToday

Human Behavior

Anthropomorphized Animals Fail to Teach Altruism – Pacific Standard

Care Bears.

(Image: ABC)

In this time of increased hate and intolerance, many parents are no doubt eager to teach their children to become generous, caring human beings. So they share with them stories about altruistic behavior, usually featuring talking animals or other fantastic creatures.

Newly published research reports such tales, however adorable, are surprisingly ineffective.

"Contrary to the common belief, realistic stories, not anthropomorphic ones, are better for promoting young children's pro-social behavior," reports a research team led by Patricia Ganea of the University of Toronto.

She notes that, in this first-of-its-kind study, four to six-year-olds "were more likely to act on the moral of a story when it featured human behavior."

Turns out those tykes are more literal than we realized.

The study, published in the journal Developmental Science, featured 96 children, who began by "choosing 10 stickers to take home for agreeing to participate." They were also told that another child of their own gender was not chosen and thus would not get any stickers. If they wished, they could share some of theirs by placing them in an envelope.

They were then randomly assigned to read one of three books. One-third read Little Raccoon Learns to Share by Mary Packard, which uses anthropomorphic animals to express the idea that "sharing makes you feel good." Another third read an identical story, except the illustrations of the animal characters were replaced with images of humans. The final third read a book about seeds that did not address the concept of sharing.

After answering questions about their view of the characters, they chose another 10 stickers as a thank-you gift, and were again given the opportunity to donate one or more to another child.

"After hearing the story containing real human characters, young children became more generous," the researchers report. "In contrast, after hearing the same story but with anthropomorphized animals, children became more selfish."

The researchersNicole Larsen, Kang Lee, and Ganeaare quick to note that generosity also declined in the group that read about seeds. In both cases, this seems to reflect a reluctance to give a second time. The animal-centric story didn't induce selfishness, but it didn't block it either.

Further analysis revealed that "children who could relate these characters to humans and human behaviors were able to act according to the moral of the story." But perhaps surprisingly, "children overall attributed animal characteristics to anthropomorphized characters far more often than they attributed human characteristics to the same characters."

So the fanciful creatures caught their attention, but they didn't truly relate to them, and thus didn't emulate their behavior. That may change if parents who read the story to or with the child point out the parallels; future research will explore that possibility.

For now, however, these results have a clear moral: "For children at a very young age, fantastical stories may not be as effective for teaching real-world knowledge, or real-life social behaviors, as realistic ones."

They're cute and all, but it's unlikely the Care Bearscreate much caring.

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Anthropomorphized Animals Fail to Teach Altruism - Pacific Standard

Human Behavior

Climbing to Positivity – HuffPost

Louise Stanger is a speaker, educator, licensed clinician, social worker, certified daring way facilitator and interventionist who uses an invitational intervention approach to work with complicated mental health, substance abuse, chronic pain and process addiction clients.

Weve all heard the expression view the world as a glass half-full, rather than half-empty. This is one of the most favorite and common phrases to describe a positive outlook. The study of psychology, research and findings, however, over the years has portrayed a glass half empty. In fact, Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology, maintained that behavioral health was built on the disease model, with a focus on uncovering what was wrong with the person. As a result, he posed the following question:

What happens when we look at human behavior with a positive spin?

Thats exactly what Seligman did. As such, his research on human psychology flipped the script and began to take a closer look at healthy states such as happiness, strength of character and optimism.

In short, one can take a look at their personality, hobbies, traits, skills, character, etc. from a strength-based perspective. Clinicians, interventionists, and social workers like myself look for goodness to help the clients develop and implement in their daily lives - behaviors that foster personal growth, healthy relationships and meaningful engagement.

Lets begin with strengths. Since anyone can brainstorm an endless list of those qualities we draw power from, we decided to highlight the Positive Psychology Program, a website dedicated to providing education and resources for positive psychology. Researchers assembled human behavioral data and collapsed the data into the following six categories:

If you answered yes to some or many of these questions, you may identify with that particular strength of character. The truth is we probably draw from all of them. The key is to sow the seeds of positivity, nurture and grow the strengths you see in yourself for achieving healthier relationships - with your mother, father, sister, brother, grandparent, husband, wife, etc. These attributes will also equip you with the ability to start a business, ask for a promotion, negotiate with your boss, land the big account, or treat yourself to something special. Finally, youll see your life grow toward the sunlight because you put in the hard work.

Keeping your strengths in mind, another essential ingredient to nurture a positive outlook is your own well-being. Well-being is like happiness, a feeling of contentment and peace about oneself. Its the emotional response that the world is okay, that the future is bright or your own creation, and theres room for possibility.

Building well-being is not easy. This demands attention, detail, perseverance, routine, and daily practice. In collaboration with Pyramid Healthcare, a program that adapted Seligmans work to create a framework for clients to harness positivity, the following are our ideas on how you practice well-being each day:

As with finding happiness, our thoughts and ideas and the ways in which we view the world helps shape our physical and emotional health. Optimists think about misfortune the opposite way. They tend to believe that defeat is just a temporary setback or a challenge, that its causes are just confined to this one case, says Seligman.

That being said, it is inevitable that we will at times experience negative feelings. That is part of being human. Here are ways we have discovered to build resiliency.

Positivity begins with unleashing your strengths, using them to foster healthy well-being, working these behavioral practices in daily living, and constructing a defense against negative emotions. Remember that positive and negative emotions, good days and bad, ups and downs are the lifeblood of being human. You have a choice each morning to seize the day. What positive emotion will you pick?

To learn more about Louise Stanger and her interventions and other resources, visit her website.

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Climbing to Positivity - HuffPost

Human Behavior

Don’t Let An Eclipse Sabotage Your Relationships! Ask Toby Green, The 60SecondShrink for Answers. – HuffPost

Over the past several months, psychologist and Australian media personality Toby Green has been preparing to launch her new website, blog and podcasts. Toby Green The 60SecondShrink is providing her signature brand of Karate Chop Therapy to the Internet.

When I came home from Australia, I decided to be semi-retired. I still have the occasional client, but I really wanted to do something that reached a larger audience. Ms. Green said in our recent conversation, I decided to use my 40 years of experience regarding relationships in Australia and translate these experiences to an American audience. Who knows? Maybe Ill even get another book out of it.

Toby is the author of several books written for the Australian market, and is working with her agent, Linda Langton, of Langtons International Agency to develop another book geared towards American relationship needs. Meanwhile, she has been recording a series of weekly podcasts that will appear on her YOUTube , Facebook and Vimeo Channels, as well as her own website.

I want to reach a large audience. People today need answers, but they arent always able to get to a full time therapist. With my blogs, and podcasts, I can answer some questions and steer them in the right direction. Its by no means a comprehensive answer, but it opens the door for dialog.

Why Call it Karate Chop therapy?

Because its quick, in-and-out, direct and to the point. Ms. Green explained. Sometimes you need fast guidance to issues and Karate Chop Therapy provides that!

What types of topics do you cover?

Human behavior, Im on it. It has always been my greatest area of interest

Who is your target audience?

Anyone asking why or how I can make my interactions better, - husband ,wife, boyfriends, girlfriends, bosses employees, in-laws, parents and even neighbors.

Will you answer questions on your site and in the podcasts?

Yes, I hope readers and listeners will submit their questions through subscribing to YouTube and leaving a comment, or via the contact form on my website, http://60secondshrink.com/ . I may not be able to answer each question individually, however, they may form the basis of a new podcast or blog entry. Ms. Green replied, I supplement each podcast topic with a more extensive blog entry.

You have a FB presence as well, Are you going to be open to questions there, and how can people reach you with their queries?

Private message me on the page. I may not be able to get back to you personally, but check the podcasts and blogs for answers.

What types of psychology theories do you espouse the most? Who are your influences?

ACT or Accountability and Commitment Therapy. This therapy is little known in the US but quite popular in Australia. I feel that its a good fit for Americans too. I am studying Mindfulness and will use it as well in the podcasts and blogs. ACT and Mindfulness together can help you maintain contact in the present moment rather than drifting off.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) helps individuals live and behave in ways consistent with personal values while developing psychological flexibility. ACT works to address the tendency of some to view individuals who seek therapy as damaged or flawed and aims to help people realize the fullness and vitality of life. This fullness includes a wide spectrum of human experience, including the pain inevitably accompanying some situations. Mindfulness can be described as maintaining contact with the present moment rather than drifting off into automatic pilot. Mindfulness allows an individual to connect with the observing self, the part that is aware of but separate from the thinking self. Mindfulness techniques often help people increase awareness of each of the five senses as well as of their thoughts and emotions. ACT does not attempt to directly change or stop unwanted thoughts or feelings but instead encourages people to develop a new and compassionate relationship with those experiences.

Why did you decide on doing podcasts in addition to writing blog entries and answering questions?

Ms. Green smiled, In order to reach anyone and everyone. To counter crappy psychobabble. Bad therapy isnt neutral, its bad. Its my cause to get good therapy out there and to negate the bad.

Toby Green is the 60SecondShrink. Come and see her podcasts on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and read her insights at http://60secondshrink.com. Youll be thrilled you did.

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Don't Let An Eclipse Sabotage Your Relationships! Ask Toby Green, The 60SecondShrink for Answers. - HuffPost

Human Behavior

Christian Radio Host Bryan Fischer: Eclipse Is A Sign Of The Work Of Satan – HuffPost

Centuries ago, celestial events such as eclipses evoked deep superstition.

And they still do for some people,as a Christian radio host claimed that Mondays total eclipse of the sun may be a message from God.

Bryan Fischer, host of a Christian radio show called Focal Point, posted on Facebook that the Bible states the sun and moon serve as signs.

Then, he attempted to interpret those signs like a fortune teller.

This is a metaphor, or a sign, of the work of the Prince of Darkness in obscuring the light of Gods truth, he wrote, adding, Satan, and those who unwittingly serve as his accomplices by resisting the public acknowledgement of God and seeking to repress the expression of Christian faith in our land, are bringing on us a dark night of the national soul.

Fischer,whose radio show claims to bethe home of muscular Christianity, called on his followers to fight the darkness that we may return this nation to an unapologetic acknowledgement and embrace of the God of the Founders and his transcendent standard for human behavior as enshrined in the Ten Commandments.

He included a disclaimer that he did not, in fact, receive a revelation from God related to the eclipse but his post was instead an effort to ponder this sign in the heavens and speculate as to its possible spiritual implications.

Fischers attempt to paint a normal celestial event as some kind of message from God drew laughs from critics online, including the Church of Satan:

However, Fischer is not the only evangelical to interpret the eclipse as a possible warning from a deity.

Earlier this month, Anne Graham Lotz leader of AnGeL Ministries in North Carolina and daughter of famed evangelist Billy Graham also warned the eclipse could be a signal of darker things.

The celebratory nature regarding the eclipse brings to my mind the Babylonian King Belshazzar who threw a drunken feast the night the Medes and Persians crept under the city gate. While Belshazzar and his friends partied, they were oblivious to the impending danger. Belshazzar wound up dead the next day, and the Babylonian empire was destroyed.

Lotz said she doesnt view the eclipse as celebratory as a result.

While no one can know for sure if judgment is coming on America, it does seem that God is signaling us about something, she wrote.Time will tell what that something is.

Christian Post columnist Rev. Mark H. Creech wrote that he was inclined to agree with Lotz.

Is it a sign from the heavens calling upon our nation to turn from its sins and to Christ or suffer the consequences? I dont really know, he wrote.What I do know, however, is that we would be wise to treat it as though this very well may be the case.

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Christian Radio Host Bryan Fischer: Eclipse Is A Sign Of The Work Of Satan - HuffPost

Biochemistry

Chemistry, biochemistry instructors to provide no-cost course materials – Daily Bruin

Students taking classes from the chemistry and biochemistry department may start paying less for course materials.

Starting fall, the department will require instructors to provide students with no-cost alternatives to course materials and are required to state in their syllabuses whether they profit off the sale of any written course material.

No-cost alternatives include online copies or hard copy library reserves of written course materials. Professors must explain how to access those alternatives in their syllabuses.

Catherine Clarke, chair of the department of chemistry and biochemistry, said an email that Chancellor Gene Block forwarded her from a students mother first brought the problem of textbook prices to her attention. In the email, the mother said she was upset over the high cost of a course reader in an introductory chemistry class.

It came to my attention that this was a really inappropriately priced material and the mom felt very outraged that her son was required to buy this, Clarke said.

She said she met with the department about the issue of textbook costs and the faculty decided to create a committee to approve written materials that impose a cost on students.

All instructors that use course materials that impose a cost upon our students must submit these materials so that they can be reviewed and approved by the committee, Clarke said. (The committee) will only approve items that provide value in proportion to cost.

Clarke added because this policy is still new and fall quarter has not started yet, the department will do its best to ensure compliance.

We do have a pretty good idea of the kinds of written materials that instructors have used in the past, Clarke said. Were particularly aware of which instructors have used these sorts of materials in the past and will follow up with them.

Clarke added she hopes every department will implement this policy.

Divya Sharma, the Academic Affairs commissioner of the undergraduate student government, said he thinks it is problematic if professors try to profit off students since the university already pays them. He added he thinks providing downloadable copies of textbook materials is better than asking students to use library reserves.

I know having reserves in a library does become an issue if students are all trying to access (the same book) at a time, Sharma said. I hope (this is implemented) in conjunction instead of one or the other.

Sharma added his office is working to make sure other departments implement similar policies. For example, Sharma said humanities professors often make reading materials accessible online, even though their departments do not have official policies on controlling textbook prices. His office will lobby to make this policy explicitly official.

Dawn Setzer, a UCLA Library spokesperson, said in a statement the library supports the policy and will work with instructors to align the UCLA Librarys collections with professors instructional needs.

We are fully supportive of the policy and provided the department with information we had gathered through our course materials initiative, our course reserves service, and ongoing partnership with the UCLA Store on course packs, she said.

Kahlo Baniadam, a third-year psychobiology student, said he thinks the policies will benefit students who are sometimes expected to pay hundreds of dollars in textbooks for chemistry-related classes.

Since the authors (of the textbooks) are definitely making money, the biggest thing for me is that there will be a free option, Baniadam said. (Having free alternatives) is the main thing that will solve all the problems, if the policy is enforceable.

Baniadam said in some classes, textbooks and course readers were strongly recommended and necessary for practice problems. He added students often had to buy the course readers brand-new because of frequent changes to the material, which he said he thinks caused financial burden to some.

Baniadam added he thinks professors should post lecture notes online instead of requiring students to buy them as textbooks or course readers.

Janet Song, a third-year biochemistry student, said she thinks the new policies increase transparency between students and faculty.

Textbooks are expensive, Song said. My financial situation wasnt too bad, but I could see how it could be difficult for other people.

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Chemistry, biochemistry instructors to provide no-cost course materials - Daily Bruin

Biochemistry

Out through the window – Penn State News

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. High-resolution crystal structure reveals a new pathway for RNA during a nontraditional form of transcription the process by which RNA is produced from a DNA template. Caught during the act of reiterative transcription, a form of transcription in which a single base of DNA (represented by the letters A, T, C, and G) codes for several corresponding bases in the RNA (one G in DNA leads to several Gs in the RNA, for example), the new crystal structure reveals RNA exiting the polymerase enzyme through an alternative channel to enable this unconventional mode of transcription. A paper describing the findings by a team of researchers at Penn State and the University of Alabama at Birmingham appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In the classical view of X-ray crystallography, you would think that the enzyme RNA polymerase would be inactivated and we couldnt capture a biochemical process in action in a crystallized state, said Katsuhiko S. Murakami, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State and an author of the paper. But in some systems, including ours, the RNA polymerase is still alive, so we can monitor the structures while they are in the process of making RNA.

Reiterative transcription was discovered by Penn State alumnus and Nobel Laureate in chemistry Paul Berg, the Robert W. and Vivian K. Cahill Professor of Cancer Research, Emeritus, at Stanford University, in the early 1960s. Although it could appear to be a simple error in accurately transcribing the DNA sequence into RNA reiterative transcription occurs when the strand of RNA slips relative to the strand of DNA inside the polymerase enzyme it has function in the cell. Reiterative transcription plays a key role in controlling gene expression for many genes, but despite this important role, its mechanism has remained a black box.

Our work expands our understanding of the flexibility of the molecular mechanisms involved in RNA transcription, said Vadim Molodtsov, a research associate at Penn State and an author of the paper. By capturing the crystal structure of RNA polymerase during reiterative transcription we were able to identify a new pathway used by RNA to exit the enzyme. Instead of leaving through the door, it sneaks out the window.

In addition to Murakami and Molodtsov, the research team includes Yeonoh Shin, a graduate student in the Penn State Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology Program, and Charles Turnbough Jr., emeritus professor of microbiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The research was funded by the U.S. National Institute of General Medical Science.

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Out through the window - Penn State News

Biochemistry

GEM awards $150000 in third round of funding for microbiome and genomic research – University at Buffalo Reporter

Research News

Understanding the connection microorganisms have with our bodies may enable the development of precision medicine and empower individuals to have greater control over their health.

By MARCENE ROBINSON

Published August 21, 2017

Four studies focused on improving our understanding of the humangenome and microbiome were awarded funding through the third roundof research pilots supported by UBs Community of Excellencein Genome, Environment and Microbiome (GEM).

The projects, which total $150,000, will study how therelationship between the human body and the collection ofmicroorganisms that reside on or within it affect our risk forcertain diseases.

Understanding the connection these microorganisms have with ourbodies may enable the development of precision medicine and empowerindividuals to have greater control over their health.

The pilot grants award researchers from a variety of disciplinesup to $50,000 to develop innovative projects focused on themicrobiome. The funds support up to one year of research.

The awards are provided through GEM, an interdisciplinarycommunity of UB faculty and staff dedicated to advancing researchon the genome and microbiome. GEM is one of UBs threeCommunities of Excellence, a $9 million initiative to harness thestrengths of faculty and staff from fields across the university toconfront the challenges facing humankind through research,education and engagement.

Changes in the genome our own or those of themicrobes in, on or around us have a tremendous impact onhuman health and our environment, says Jennifer Surtees, GEMco-director and associate professor in the Department ofBiochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and BiomedicalSciences.

With these newest projects, UB scientists from acrossdisciplines have come together to dig deeper into these changes andto help establish the infrastructure necessary for advancedprecision medicine.

Along with Surtees, GEM is led by Timothy Murphy, executivedirector and SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department ofMedicine; and Norma Nowak, co-director, professor in the Departmentof Biochemistry, and executive director of UBs New YorkState Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences.

The funded projects involve faculty teams from the Jacobs Schoolof Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the School of Public Healthand Health Professions, and the School of Dental Medicine.

Vulnerability to seizures

Inflammation in the central nervous system can increasesusceptibility to seizures.

Given the role the intestinal microbiome plays in shapinginflammation in the body, UB researchers believe the tiny organismsmay have an impact on the onset, strength and duration ofseizures.

The study, led by Ira J. Blader, professor in the Department ofMicrobiology and Immunology, and Alexis Thompson, senior researchscientist in UBs Research Institute on Addictions, willexamine in mice the composition of the microbiome and which of itscomponents affect seizures.

If correct, this may suggest the gut microbiome as a therapeutictarget for the treatment of seizures and epilepsy.

Genomic research with Spit For Buffalo

To better understand how the human genome and microbiomeinteract to influence health, UB researchers will establish SpitFor Buffalo, a project that will collect DNA samples from volunteerUBMD patients for use in future studies.

The researchers will collect saliva samples, anonymously linkthe samples to each patients electronic medical record, andsequence the genome and oral microbiome. By determining which genesare associated with which diseases, new connections betweenspecific genes and diseases will be made.

Samples currently are being collected from patients in the UBMDNeurology, Internal Medicine and OBGYN clinics in the ConventusCenter for Collaborative Medicine.

The project will provide an infrastructure resource for genomeand microbiome investigations at UB.

The research is led by Richard M. Gronostajski, professor in theDepartment of Biochemistry and director of both the WNY Stem CellCulture and Analysis Center and the Genetics, Genomics andBioinformatics Graduate Program; Gil I. Wolfe, professor and Irvinand Rosemary Smith Chair of the Department of Neurology; MichaelBuck, associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry anddirector of the WNY Stem Cell Sequencing/Epigenomics Center; andNowak.

How RNA provides parasite with shape-shifting abilities

The parasite Trypanosoma brucei, the cause of HumanAfrican Trypanosomiasis commonly known as sleeping sickness radically alters its physiology and morphology as it movesbetween insect and mammal over the course of its life cycle.

These changes, researchers have found, are caused by various RNAbinding proteins, allowing the organism to survive in environmentsthat range from the human bloodstream to the insect gut. UBresearchers will examine how these proteins regulate theparasites transformations.

The study is led by Laurie K. Read, professor in the Departmentof Microbiology and Immunology; and Jie Wang, research assistantprofessor in the Department of Biochemistry.

Effects of oral and gut bacteria on heart health

UB researchers will investigate the connection between oral andgut bacteria and the onset and progression of atheroscleroticcardiovascular disease (CVD), or the buildup of plaque around theartery walls that eventually blocks blood flow.

The study will seek to understand how the microbes in the bodycontribute to plaque formation in the arteries, providing the basisfor interventions that reduce the effects of the microorganisms onCVD.

Previous studies have found microbes present in arterialplaques, but have not provided conclusive links to the parts of thebody where the microbes originate. Researchers will usenext-generation sequencing and advanced bioinformatics analysismethods to identify and characterize microorganisms in the arterywalls and compare the bacteria with those present in oral, gut andskin microbiomes.

Environmental factors such as smoking, blood cholesterol andperiodontal disease status also will be examined as potentialfactors that influence the bacteria-CVD relationship.

The research is led by Robert J. Genco, SUNY DistinguishedProfessor in the departments of Oral Biology and Microbiology andImmunology, and director of the UB Microbiome Center; and MichaelJ. LaMonte, research associate professor in the Department ofEpidemiology and Environmental Health.

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GEM awards $150000 in third round of funding for microbiome and genomic research - University at Buffalo Reporter