Cell Biology

New study maps protein interactions for a quarter of the human … – Phys.Org

May 17, 2017 Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Harvard Medical School researchers have mapped the interaction partners for proteins encoded by more than 5,800 genes, representing over a quarter of the human genome, according to a new study published online in Nature on May 17.

The network, dubbed BioPlex 2.0, identifies more than 56,000 unique protein-to-protein interactions87 percent of them previously unknownthe largest such network to date.

BioPlex reveals protein communities associated with fundamental cellular processes and diseases such as hypertension and cancer, and highlights new opportunities for efforts to understand human biology and disease.

The work was done in collaboration with Biogen, which also provided partial funding for the study.

"A gene isn't just a sequence of a piece of DNA. A gene is also the protein it encodes, and we will never understand the genome until we understand the proteome," said co-senior author Wade Harper, the Bert and Natalie Vallee Professor of Molecular Pathology and chair of the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School. "BioPlex provides a framework with the depth and breadth of data needed to address this challenge."

"This project is an atlas of human protein interactions, spanning almost every aspect of biology," said co-senior author Steven Gygi, professor of cell biology and director of the Thermo Fisher Center for Multiplexed Proteomics at Harvard Medical School. "It creates a social network for each protein and allows us to see not only how proteins interact, but also possible functional roles for previously unknown proteins."

Bait and prey

Of the roughly 20,000 protein-coding genes in the human genome, scientists have studied only a fraction in detail. To work toward a description of the entire cast of proteins in a cell and the interactions between themknown as the proteome and interactome, respectivelya team led by Harper and Gygi developed BioPlex, a high-throughput approach for the identification of protein interplay.

BioPlex uses so-called affinity purification, in which a single tagged "bait" protein is expressed in human cells in the laboratory. The bait protein binds with its interaction partners, or "prey" proteins, which are then fished out from the cell and analyzed using mass spectrometry, a technique that identifies and quantifies proteins based on their unique molecular signatures. In 2015, an initial effort (BioPlex 1.0) used approximately 2,600 different bait proteins, drawn from the Human ORFeome database, to identify nearly 24,000 protein interactions.

In the current study, the team expanded the network to include a total of 5,891 bait proteins, which revealed 56,553 interactions involving 10,961 different proteins. An estimated 87 percent of these interactions have not been previously reported.

Guilt by association

y mapping these interactions, BioPlex 2.0 identifies groups of functionally related proteins, which tend to cluster into tightly interconnected communities. Such "guilt-by-association" analyses suggested possible roles for previously unknown proteins, as these communities often commingle proteins with both known and unknown functions.

The team mapped numerous protein clusters associated with basic cellular processes, such as DNA transcription and energy production, and a variety of human diseases. Colorectal cancer, for example, appears to be linked to protein networks that play a role in abnormal cell growth, while hypertension is linked to protein networks for ion channels, transcription factors and metabolic enzymes.

"With the upgraded network, we can make stronger predictions because we have a more complete picture of the interactions within a cell," said first author Edward Huttlin, instructor of cell biology at Harvard Medical School. "We can pick out statistical patterns in the data that might suggest disease susceptibility for certain proteins, or others that might suggest function or localization properties. It makes a significant portion of the human proteome accessible for study."

Launching point

The entire BioPlex network and accompanying data are publicly available, supporting both large-scale studies of protein interaction and targeted studies of the function of specific proteins.

Although the network serves as the largest collection of such data gathered to date, the authors caution it remains an incomplete model. The current pipeline expresses bait proteins in only one cell type (human embryonic kidney cells) grown under one set of conditions, for example, and distinct interactions may occur in different cell types or microenvironments.

As the network increases in size and more human proteins are used as baits, scientists can better judge the accuracy of each individual protein interaction by considering its context in the larger network. Isolating the same protein complex several times, each time using a different member as a bait, can provide multiple independent experimental observations to confirm each protein's membership. Moreover, by using prey proteins as bait, many protein interactions can be observed in the opposite direction as well. Both of these scenarios greatly reduce the likelihood that particular interactions were identified due to chance. The team continues to add to BioPlex, with a target goal of around 10,000 bait proteins, which would cover half of the human genome and would further increase the predictive power of the network.

"We certainly aren't seeing all the interactions, but it's a launching point. We think it's important to continue to build this map, to see how much of it is reproduced in other cell types under different conditions, to see whether the interactions are similar or dynamic," Gygi said. "Because whether you're interested in cancer or neurodegenerative disease, basic development or evolutionary fitnessyou can make new hypotheses and learn something from this network."

Explore further: Facebook for the proteome

More information: Architecture of the human interactome defines protein communities and disease networks, Nature (2017). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature22366

Journal reference: Nature

Provided by: Harvard Medical School

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Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star bids farewell to show with emotional note – CNN

Dr. Stephanie Edwards has checked out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

At the end of last week's episode, viewers were left wondering what the character's fate would be after she and a young girl were left trapped in the same room as a massive explosion.

Stephanie, who is played by actress Jerrika Hinton, and the young girl survived. They suffered burns, smoke inhalation and various other wounds from which they were told they'd recover. (The deranged patient who Stephanie lit on fire, inadvertently causing the explosion, did not survive -- as one might imagine.)

But Stephanie was not eager to get back into the operating room.

The harrowing experience -- coupled with her history as a sick child -- made her realized she didn't want to spend any more time in hospitals. She told mentor Dr. Webber (James Pickens Jr.) that she needed to get outside the sterile walls and live.

Thus, Stephanie walked away with the rarest of "Grey's Anatomy" endings: something not completely horrific or tragic or heartbreaking.

Hinton took to Instagram to mark the moment.

"I am eternally thankful for five seasons of #GreysAnatomy and a graceful departure that underscores the courage it takes to choose yourself," Hinton wrote. "That Stephanie literally walks through fire to reach freedom -- her freedom -- inspires me."

Hinton had been rumored to be leaving the long-running ABC drama, but her departure was not confirmed until Thursday night.

In another post, Hinton spoke more directly to the fans "who look like me," saying, "I hear you when you say I represent you."

"It has been the greatest honor to show us *us*," she wrote. "Eking out this kind of #representation on a weekly basis within a medium that continues to correlate value with proximity to whiteness is a feat. That I got to deliver a relatable, recognizable and unvarnished #StephanieEdwards who looks and feels like women I know who are people rather than ideas has been worth more than you know."

She added: "Thank the tv gods for #TGIT."

"Jerrika has shared so much of herself with Stephanie and I am incredibly proud of the journey we've taken together," she wrote.

"Grey's Anatomy" returns for Season 14 in the fall, with a new firefighter-themed spinoff set to debut in mid-season.

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'Grey's Anatomy' star bids farewell to show with emotional note - CNN

Anatomy

Carlos Gonzalez: Anatomy of a slump and why Rockies’ slugger thinks he’ll bust out of it – The Denver Post

CINCINNATI Carlos Gonzalez sat at his locker, flashing his bright CarGo smile.

It seemed a bit out of place considering the topic at hand: a hitting slump that began with a 2-for-17 start and remained in place deep into May.

Gonzalez, however, refuses to dwell on his ugly numbers.

When you are going bad, its easy to get negative, but I just dont let myself go there, the three-time all-star right fielder said. You have to remind yourself that you can do damage at any time. And every time you come to the plate, you have to think, Im one step closer to getting hot.

But when the Rockies arrived at Great American Ball Park Friday for a weekend series against the Reds, Gonzalez wasnt even lukewarm. He was hitting .210 with a .279 on-base percentage and just two home runs in 138 at-bats. Though hes hit mostly from the third or fourth spot until getting dropped to fifth in recent games, he had just 11 RBIs to show for it. Thats what happens when you hit .182 with runners in scoring position.

But the Rockies, ever mindful of Gonzalezs ability to break out at any moment, are keeping the faith.

When you have been good for as long as CarGo, you have to believe that after game No. 162, hes going to be hitting .290-something, with 30 homers and 90 RBIs, assistant hitting coach Jeff Salazar said. So CarGo can truthfully tell himself, Im hitting .180 right now, so there is a good chance Im about to hit .340 for the next stretch.

That takes a lot of confidence, trust in yourself and trust in the organization. And trust from the organization, too.

When Gonzalezs swing is on, its one of the prettiest in baseball, drawing comparisons to Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. But when its not, Gonzalez flails at breaking pitches and frequently hits weak grounders to second base.

Gonzalezs strikeouts, contrary to conventional wisdom, dont risesubstantially when hes in a slump. His strikeout rate is 25.4 percent this season, compared to 24.2 percent for his career. He is, after all, a slugger. Perhaps his whiffs are just more noticeable when they arent offset by second-deck moon shots.

Its also a misnomer that Gonzalez always starts in a funk. This is Gonzalezs eighth season with Colorado and hes had really three poor Aprils: 2011 when he hit .228 with one homer; 2015, with a .200 average and two homers; and this season, .216 with two homers.

But in 2012 (.303 average, four homers) and 2013 (.306, five homers), he came out of the gate slugging. Gonzalezs ebbs and flows are more about being in sync at the plate than about the calendar.

Gonzalezs swing is all about timing, and when his timing gets a few ticks off, he gets out of whack.

With CarGo, the leg kick is his timing mechanism, manager Bud Black said. When hes off, hes going to be out way out front on breaking balls and behind on the fastball.

But I see that gap narrowing, where hes becoming on time for both pitches. Youll know hes back when hes on top of fastballs and his hands are sitting back enough to handle the off-speed pitch.

Thats why Black was encouraged to see Gonzalez rip a double down the right-field line Tuesday night in Colorados 7-3 victory at Minnesota.

CarGo hit a low breaking ball, Black said. He was out in front of it, but he stayed back enough to be able to drive it.

A 95 mph fastball takes aboutfour-tenths of a second to travel the 60 feet, 6 inches from the pitchers mound to home plate. At the big-league level, pitch recognition is paramount, and right now, Gonzalezs is still off.

With CarGos swing with the leg kick, the timing there is a lot that can go wrong, Salazar said. When your body moves the wrong way at the wrong time, it can make any pitch look desirable. So its easy to find yourself chasing pitches or becoming vulnerable to other pitches.

That leads to bad habits and the slump deepens.

Thats when you start to tinker with it and start questioning, and then it becomes a mental thing, Salazar continued. Thats when guys will switch batting gloves or do something to break the routine.

Gonzalez is, unquestionably, a streaky hitter.

When youre going good, its easy because you dont think about anything, not even executing, Gonzalez said. Youre just having fun. Youre going 3-for-4 and hitting homers and doubles and making diving plays and its so easy, because you are clean up here.

He pointed to his head when he said up here, knowing that his battle to produce is as much mental and emotional as it is physical.

There is a lot of psychology in baseball, said veteran first baseman Mark Reynolds, whos off to a terrific start, batting .319 with 12 homers and a 1.007 OPS (on-base percentage, plus slugging). Ive been through a lot of slumps before, so I know you have to be able to take a deep breath and know you will come out of it. If you are zero for your last 10 but you get a hit, then youre 1-for-1. Thats the way you have to look at it.

Gonzalez, 31, is in the final year ofa seven-year, $80 million contract. Hes the teams highest-paid player, collecting a $20 million salary, plus $428,571 as the final installment of a $3 million bonus. Hes playing for a new contract and chances are he wont be back with the Rockies in 2018.

But those who know Gonzalez dont think the pressure of a contract year has gotten to him.

I have seen guys in a similar situation and I would expect bad body language or attitude in this situation, Salazar said. Im not getting that from CarGo. Its been a pleasure to see the leader hes been, his work ethic and the way hes communicated through this.

He knows himself better than anybody else, so if he thinks hes about to starting hitting, then I might as well get on the train right now because I believe him.

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Carlos Gonzalez: Anatomy of a slump and why Rockies' slugger thinks he'll bust out of it - The Denver Post

Genetics

What Does it Mean to Be a Species? Genetics is Changing the Answer – Smithsonian

Ornithologist John Gould's illustrations of finches collected by Charles Darwin on the Galpagos Islands show the physical differences that the men relied on in dividing them into different species.

For Charles Darwin, "species" wasan undefinable term, "one arbitrarily given for the sake of convenience to a set of individuals closely resembling each other." That hasn't stopped scientists in the 150 years since then from trying, however. When scientists today sit down to study a new form of life, they apply any number ofmore than 70 definitionsof what constitutes a speciesand each helps get at a different aspect of what makes organisms distinct.

In a way, this plethora of definitions helps prove Darwins point: The idea of a species is ultimately a human construct. With advancing DNA technology, scientists are now able to draw finer and finer lines between what they consider species by looking at the genetic code that defines them. How scientists choose to draw that line depends on whether their subject is an animal or plant; the tools available; and the scientists own preference and expertise.

Now, as new species are discovered and old ones thrown out, researchers want to know: How do we define a species today? Lets look back at the evolution of the concept and how far its come.

Perhaps the most classic definition is a group of organisms that can breed with each other to produce fertile offspring, an idea originally set forthin 1942by evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr. While elegant in its simplicity, this concept has since come under fire by biologists, who arguethat it didn't apply to many organisms, such as single-celled ones that reproduce asexually, or those that have been shown to breed with other distinct organisms to create hybrids.

Alternativesarose quickly. Some biologists championed an ecologicaldefinition that assigned species according to the environmental niches they fill (this animal recycles soil nutrients, this predator keeps insects in check). Others asserted that a species was a set of organisms with physical characteristics that were distinct from others (the peacock's fanned tail, the beaks of Darwin's finches).

The discovery of DNA's double helix prompted the creation of yet another definition, one in which scientists could look for minute genetic differences and draw even finer lines denoting species. Based ona 1980 bookby biologists Niles Eldredge and Joel Cracraft, under the definition of a phylogenetic species, animal species now can differ by just 2 percent of their DNA to be considered separate.

"Back in 1996, the world recognized half the number of species of lemur there are today," says Craig Hilton-Taylor, who manages the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red Listof threatened species. (Today there are more than 100 recognized lemur species.) Advances in genetic technology have given the organization a much more detailed picture of the world's species and their health.

These advances have also renewed debates about what it means to be a species, as ecologists and conservationistsdiscover that many species that once appeared singularare actually multitudes. Smithsonian entomologistJohn Burnshas used DNA technology to distinguish a number of so-called "cryptic species"organisms that appear physically identical to a members of a certain species, but have significantly different genomes. In a2004 study, he was able to determine that a species of tropical butterfly identified in 1775 actually encompassed 10 separate species.

In 2010, advanced DNA technology allowed scientists to solve an age-old debate over African elephants. By sequencing therarer and more complex DNA from the nuclei of elephant cells,instead of the more commonly used mitochondrial DNA, they determined thatAfrican elephants actually comprised two separate speciesthat diverged millions of years ago.

"You can no more call African elephants the same species as you can Asian elephants and the mammoth," David Reich, a population geneticist and lead author on the study, told Nature News.

In the wake of these and other paradigm-shifting discoveries, Mayrs original concept is rapidly falling apart. Those two species of African elephants, for instance, kept interbreeding as recently as 500,000 years ago. Another example falls closer to home: Recent analyses of DNA remnants in the genes of modern humans have found that humans and Neanderthalsusually thought of as separate species thatdiverged roughly 700,000 years agointerbred as recently as 100,000 years ago.

So are these elephants and hominidsstill separate species?

This isn't just an argument of scientific semantics. Pinpointing an organism's species is critical for any efforts to protect that animal, especially when it comes to government action. A species that gets listed on the U.S. Endangered Species Act, for example,gains protectionfrom anydestructive actions from the government and private citizens.These protections would be impossible to enforce without the ability to determine which organisms are part of that endangered species.

At the same time,advances in sequencing techniques and technologyare helping todays scientists better piece together exactly which species are being impacted by which human actions.

"We're capable of recognizing almost any species [now]," saysMary Curtis, a wildlife forensic scientist who leads the genetics team at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service'sForensics Laboratory. Her lab is responsible for identifying any animal remains or products that are suspected to have been illegally traded or harvested. Since adopting DNA sequencing techniques more than 20 years ago, the lab has been able to make identifications much more rapidly, and increase the number of species it can reliably recognize by the hundreds.

"A lot of the stuff we get in in genetics has no shape or form," Curtis says. The lab receives slabs of unidentified meat, crafted decorative items or even the stomach contents of other animals. Identifying these unusual items is usually out of the reach of taxonomic experts using body shape, hair identification and other physical characteristics. "We can only do that with DNA," Curtis says.

Still, Curtis, who previously studied fishes, doesn't discount the importance of traditional taxonomists. "A lot of the time we're working together," she says. Experienced taxonomists can often quickly identify recognizable cases, leaving the more expensive DNA sequencing for the situations that really need it.

Not all ecologists are sold on these advances. Some express concerns about "taxonomic inflation," as the number of species identified or reclassified continues to skyrocket. They worry that as scientists draw lines based on the narrow shades of difference that DNA technology enables them to see, the entire concept of a species is being diluted.

"Not everything you can distinguish should be its own species," as German zoologist Andreas Wiltingtold the Washington Post in 2015. Wilting hadproposed condensing tigers into just two subspecies, from the current nine.

Other scientists are concernedabout the effects that reclassifying once-distinct species can have on conservation efforts. In 1973, the endangered dusky seaside sparrow, a small bird once found in Florida, missed out on potentially helpful conservation assistance by beingreclassified as a subspeciesof the much more populous seaside sparrow . Less than two decades later, the dusky seaside sparrow was extinct.

Hilton-Taylor isnt sure yet when or how the ecological and conservation communities will settle on the idea of a species. But he does expect that DNA technology will have a significant impacton disrupting and reshaping the work of those fields. Lots of things are changing, Hilton-Taylor says. That's the world we're living in.

This uncertainty is in many ways reflective of the definition of species today too, Hilton-Taylor says. The IUCN draws on the expertise of various different groups and scientists to compile data for its Red List, and some of those groups have embraced broader or narrower concepts of what makes a species, with differing reliance on DNA. There's such a diversity of scientists out there, Hilton-Taylor says. We just have to go with what we have.

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What Does it Mean to Be a Species? Genetics is Changing the Answer - Smithsonian

Genetics

Seattle Genetics cancels Immunomedics deal – Chemistry World (subscription)

US biotechnology firms Seattle Genetics and Immunomedics have broken off their planned licensing deal for Immunomedics experimental cancer antibody IMMU-132 (sacituzumab govitecan).

The deal had been hampered by legal action from Immunomedics shareholders, including investment fund venBio. Immunomedics has proposed to settle this litigation following cancellation of the deal. As part of the settlement agreement, Immunomedicss chief executive, Cynthia Sullivan, will leave the company. Founder David Goldenberg will also step down as chief science officer, although he will retain a seat on the board. Behzad Aghazadeh from venBio has assumed the role of Chairman.

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Seattle Genetics cancels Immunomedics deal - Chemistry World (subscription)

Genetics

Do we know enough about genetics for personalized DNA tests to improve our health, fitness? – Genetic Literacy Project

The latest health and fitness trend involves taking a DNA test to find out more about how our bodies respond to different types of food and exercise.

A growing number of start-ups, such as 23andMe, FitnessGenes, UBiome, DNAFit, Orig3n and Habit, are moving into this space, promising that mail-order genetic tests can change your life for the better.

Avi Lasarow, chief executive of DNAFit, explains that everything about who we are is the unique combination of what we are born with our genetics and how we live our environment.

The biggest environment factor that we can control in our day-to-day lives is our diet, he says, so by understanding more about the static part, the genetics, we can better tweak the bit in our control.

[S]ome genetic experts are concerned that the efficacy of such kits may be overhyped.

I do think that the amount of useful information that personalised health tests can offer is very limited at present because we still know very little about the effect of most SNPs [genetic variations called single nucleotide polymorphisms] and other types of genetic variation on a persons health, [says Dr Jess Buxton, a geneticist at University College London.]

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Can knowing your genetic make-up lead to a healthier life?

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Do we know enough about genetics for personalized DNA tests to improve our health, fitness? - Genetic Literacy Project

Embryology

Study sheds light on how different families relate to each other following open embryo adoption – News-Medical.net

May 19, 2017

EXPERTS at the University of Huddersfield are researching the emergence of a new style of family creation that sees couples "adopt" embryos and, after the child is born, remain in contact with the donors and in many cases develop a special relationship with them.

Some of the couples who have experienced the system - so far available only in the USA and New Zealand - have given highly positive responses to the UK-based research team.

One comment from a recipient who had made contact with an embryo donor was: "Not only were we given our daughter, but a whole family too - two families actually, or one big family."

The researchers are Dr Lucy Frith, who is Reader in Bioethics at the University of Liverpool; University of Huddersfield Professor Emeritus Eric Blyth, an authority on social work who has a long track record of research into infertility treatments; and University of Huddersfield senior lecturer Dr Steve Lui, who has a background working and researching in the field of embryology.

The team has been examining the policies of the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program, operated in the USA by the organization Nightlight Christian Adoptions. In 1997, when it discovered that thousands of human embryos were being stored in fertility clinics, this group began to connect couples who had stored embryos that they did not plan to use themselves with couples who could not conceive and it encourages them to remain in contact.

The pairings have resulted in the birth of over 500 babies, and a number of the children have met the women and men whose genetic material they carry, and their full genetic siblings living in donor families. This summer, many of them will attend an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the scheme.

In the UK, children who are born as the result of egg, sperm and embryo donation have the right, once they reach 18, to ask the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to disclose the identity of their biological parents.

Therefore, the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program in the USA proved to be a valuable research opportunity for the UK researchers. They hope to continue the project - monitoring developments as the children who resulted from adopted embryos become older. Their current findings have been reported in a new article.

Titled Family building using embryo adoption: relationships and contact arrangements between provider and recipient families, it appears in the leading journal Human Reproduction.

The Snowflakes organization offered its clients the opportunity to participate in the research, conducted by email. The article describes study participants' responses and the statistical data that it yielded. Phase Two of the project provided participants in the embryo adoption program with the opportunity to give their appraisal of the scheme and several comments from both recipient and donor couples are relayed in the article. They include:

To be able to have an open adoption so our children could know each other and we could watch our biological children grow up; that option was priceless for us.

It is extremely important to us that some kind of contact is maintained with the adopting family. We would like our own children to know of their distant siblings, and, if possible, develop a relationship with them.

We want [child] to have a positive sense of identity. We want her to know her story and history (as complete as possible). Understanding her history and where she comes from will help her to understand who she is.

We are all family now. No other questions or decisions are needed. They are great folks and the girls are sisters which is what is most important to me.

In their conclusion, the article's authors acknowledge that: "The use of embryos provided by a third party for family building is a contested form of reproductive technology. A conditional program of embryo donation, such as that which operates in New Zealand and of which Snowflakes is an example, is even more contentious and couching embryo donation as adoption has caused controversy".

But they add that "conditional or embryo adoption programs could provide an alternative to an anonymous, clinic-based model and give those who have unused embryos the opportunity to choose who they wish to donate to and if they wish to have and maintain contact in the longer term".

Dr Steve Lui, one of the researchers, said that an open adoption system could prove to be better. It enables children to learn about genetic factors that could be important for medical reason.

"Also, the issue of 'where do I come from?' is very important for the child in the long term. If you are open about it, then it won't come as a shock at a later point in their life."

Professor Blyth added: "Our study sheds light on how different families that become connected to each other following open embryo donation/adoption relate to each other. This is likely to become a more common pattern of family relations as policies and practices regarding gamete and embryo donation embrace increased transparency."

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Study sheds light on how different families relate to each other following open embryo adoption - News-Medical.net

Embryology

Ovation Fertility Presenting One Embryo-One Baby Success … – PR Web (press release)

We are pleased to share industry-recognized, pioneering IVF research performed by Ovation Fertility and to provide continuing education to clinical and medical laboratory professionals across the nation. Nate Snyder, CEO, Ovation Fertility

LOS ANGELES, CA (PRWEB) May 19, 2017

Ovation Fertility scientists work is being showcased at the annual meeting and educational conference of the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB) and the College of Reproductive Biology (CRB) today and Saturday (May 19-20) at the Galleria Hotel in Houston. The conference reinforces AABs commitment to excellence in clinical laboratory services and regulations.

We are pleased to share industry-recognized, pioneering IVF research performed by Ovation Fertility and to provide continuing education to clinical and medical laboratory professionals across the nation, says Nate Snyder, CEO, Ovation Fertility. Attendees benefit from learning about the successes brought about by the collaborative mindshare of Ovation Fertility IVF and genetics labs, working in tandem with our partner physician practices.

Mitchel C. Schiewe, Ph.D., HCLD, who directs Ovation Fertilitys IVF lab in Newport Beach, notes that by working together across its network of experts, Ovation Fertility developed reproductive technology solutions that make achieving pregnancy through IVF more effective, affordable and financially accessible.

Ovation Fertility IVF Labs, Partner Practices Join Forces

The two abstracts being presented at the conference show research performed by Ovation Fertility in conjunction its partner physician practices.

1. Striving for One Embryo-One Baby: How the Integration of Vitrification and Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) Technologies Has Impacted Society

Technical Supervisor Shane Zozula of Ovation Fertility Newport Beach is presenting a poster based on Ovation Fertilitys founding philosophy to achieve successful pregnancy one healthy baby at a time. Although advanced embryo culturing has led to favorable pregnancy results using fresh embryo transfers, they often were the result of multiple embryo transfers, resulting in high-risk pregnancies with twins and triplets. Through elective vitrification and the adoption of blastocyst biopsy/PGS, Ovation Fertility has improved the quality of patient care by transferring fewer embryos, reducing miscarriages and increasing healthy singleton live births.

The findings were produced collaboratively by researchers at Ovation Fertility labs in Newport Beach and Las Vegas, Southern California Center for Reproductive Medicine, and The Fertility Center of Las Vegas. They include Shane Zozula; John Whitney; Robert E. Anderson, M.D.; and Schiewe. Forest Garner provided study design and statistics support.

2. Comparative Human Blastocyst Repeat Vitrification (rVTF): Effect of Device Type (Cryolock versus microSecure) by Solution Used (DMSO/EG versus Glycerol/EG) on Post-warming Viability

Vitrification of human embryos has evolved into a highly reliable and efficient process in many assisted reproductive-technology laboratories worldwide. Over the past several years, Schiewe has strived to better understand the physical and chemical relationships of vitrification treatments by using a revitrification model to define tolerance thresholds for post-warming survival/viability. At the AAB/CRB conference, embryologist RaeAnne vanTol is making the oral presentation showing the resiliency of human blastocysts to various cryopreservation agents and devices. The subset of data being presented is part of a larger collaborative study between Ovation Fertility labs in Newport Beach and Nashville that will be presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology annual conference in July.

Additional authors include Shane Zozula, Kelley Waggoner and Schiewe, all of Ovation Fertility Newport Beach.

Collaboration Leads to Success

According to Snyder, We are proud of the collaborative efforts among Ovation Fertility labs and partner practices. The greatest advances in reproductive medicine result from the collective knowledge and shared experience of fertility professionals, working as a cohesive team rather than as individuals. The research presented by Ovation Fertility in Houston will benefit all patients who are considering using IVF to build their families.

About Ovation Fertility Ovation Fertility Founded in 2015 by a coalition of thought-leading reproductive endocrinologists and scientists, Ovation Fertility is a national fertility service provider offering a suite of state-of-the-art assisted reproductive technology services to aspiring parents, including embryology, andrology and genetic testing as part of the in vitro fertilization process. Ovation Fertility partners with physicians who are committed to reducing the average cost of a live birth through IVF by advancing industry standards in fertility treatment. For more information, visit http://www.ovationfertility.com.

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Ovation Fertility Presenting One Embryo-One Baby Success ... - PR Web (press release)

Embryology

Using genomics to fight deadly parasitic disease – UNM Newsroom

An international team of researchers, led by University of New Mexico Associate Professor Coenraad Adema, is now one step closer to eliminating a deadly parasitic disease responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year.

The research article, Whole genome analysis of a schistosomiasis-transmitting freshwater snail, published in Nature Communications this week, gives the scientific community an in-depth look of the sequenced genome of Biomphalaria glabrata, a tropical Rams Horn snail.

Sequencing and characterizing the genome of this snail has given us a lot of information into its biology, said Adema, who is also part of UNMs Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology (CETI) that has played a pivotal role in this project. It has informed us on animal evolution and supports the drive to minimize the impact of infectious disease on global health.

This snail, which lives only in tropical climates, plays a significant role in the lifecycle of a parasitic disease called schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever or bilharzia. The parasite infects the snail early on its life, essentially taking over the snails body, impacting its reproductive and metabolic processes. Once fully developed, the parasite leaves the snail, later infecting a human host through contact in water.

After malaria, this is the worst parasitic disease on the planet. So, being able to do work that may help improve global human health outcomesis a very important motivation for my research. Dr. Coen Adema, Dept. of Biology

According to Adema, if researchers can better understand how the snail/parasite interaction works, they may be able to stop it altogether, cutting the snail out of the parasites lifecycle. And, because the snail is a critical part of the organisms development; without it, the parasite cannot fully mature and infect humans.

Understanding the animals genetic makeup is a critical component in being able to understand these interactions something that is now possible thanks to this international team of researchers and support from the National Human Genome Research Institute of NIH for the sequencing effort.

Understanding the snails genome gives us many avenues to cut the snail out of this parasites lifecycle, Adema said. Which one day may lead to the elimination of this disease."

Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 66 million people were reported to have been treated for the disease in 2015, with another 218 million people requiring preventative treatment. On top of that, nearly a quarter of a million people die from snail fever every year, just in sub-Saharan Africa.

The disease is also extremely easy to contract, which is part of the reason why it impacts so many people. Once the parasite leaves its host snail, its able live in a body of water before breaking through skin to infect a human body. In Africa for example, simply putting your hand in the Nile River can lead to infection. The WHO hopes to eliminate snail fever by 2025 a goal that is made increasingly more likely because of this investigation led by UNM.

After malaria, this is the worst parasitic disease on the planet, said Adema. So, being able to do work that may help improve global human health outcomes it is a very important motivation for my research.

More than 100 researchers from 50 institutions around the world are a part of this study and latest publication a testament to how significant and wide-reaching this disease and its overall impact is. The international expertise in parasitology and invertebrate biology at UNM is underscored by important contributions of nearly a dozen different faculty, graduate students and research scientists from the Biology Department that are also part of this effort.

Adema says several of his international colleagues are already exploring new, different ways to use the snails genome to fight the disease. And while the parasite and corresponding illness are the main target of this research, there is also much more to learn from the genome.

This is an important contribution to better understanding infectious disease, he said. It also gives us information on regulation of gene expression, comparative immunology, embryology, general biology of snails, animal evolution and many other things."

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Using genomics to fight deadly parasitic disease - UNM Newsroom

Cell Biology

Cancer immunotherapy may work in unexpected way – Medical Xpress

May 18, 2017 Researchers have found that a cancer therapy may prompt a type of immune cell called a macrophage (illustrated above) to attack cancer. Credit: Sciencepics/Shutterstock

Antibodies to the proteins PD-1 and PD-L1 have been shown to fight cancer by unleashing the body's T cells, a type of immune cell. Now, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that the therapy also fights cancer in a completely different way, by prompting immune cells called macrophages to engulf and devour cancer cells.

The finding may have important implications for improving and expanding the use of this cancer treatment, the researchers said.

A study describing the work, which was done in mice, was published online May 17 in Nature. The senior author is Irving Weissman, MD, professor of pathology and of developmental biology. The lead author is graduate student Sydney Gordon.

PD-1 is a cell receptor that plays an important role in protecting the body from an overactive immune system. T cells, which are immune cells that learn to detect and destroy damaged or diseased cells, can at times mistakenly attack healthy cells, producing autoimmune disorders like lupus or multiple sclerosis. PD-1 is what's called an "immune checkpoint," a protein receptor that tamps down highly active T cells so that they are less likely to attack healthy tissue.

How cancer hijacks PD-1

About 10 years ago, researchers discovered that cancer cells learn to use this immune safeguard for their own purposes. Tumor cells crank up the production of PD-L1 proteins, which are detected by the PD-1 receptor, inhibiting T cells from attacking the tumors. In effect, the proteins are a "don't kill me" signal to the immune system, the Stanford researchers said. Cancer patients are now being treated with antibodies that block the PD-1 receptor or latch onto its binding partner, PD-L1, to turn off this "don't kill me" signal and enable the T cells' attack.

"Using antibodies to PD-1 or PD-L1 is one of the major advances in cancer immunotherapy," said Weissman, who is also the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor for Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research, director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and director of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine at Stanford. "While most investigators accept the idea that anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies work by taking the brakes off of the T-cell attack on cancer cells, we have shown that there is a second mechanism that is also involved."

What Weissman and his colleagues discovered is that PD-1 activation also inhibits the anti-cancer activity of other immune cells called macrophages. "Macrophages that infiltrate tumors are induced to create the PD-1 receptor on their surface, and when PD-1 or PD-L1 is blocked with antibodies, it prompts those macrophage cells to attack the cancer," Gordon said.

Similar to anti-CD47 antibody

This mechanism is similar to that of another antibody studied in the Weissman lab: the antibody that blocks the protein CD47. Weissman and his colleagues showed that using anti-CD47 antibodies prompted macrophages to destroy cancer cells. The approach is now the subject of a small clinical trial in human patients.

As it stands, it's unclear to what degree macrophages are responsible for the therapeutic success of the anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies.

The practical implications of the discovery could be important, the researchers said. "This could lead to novel therapies that are aimed at promoting either the T-cell component of the attack on cancer or promoting the macrophage component," Gordon said.

Another implication is that antibodies to PD-1 or PD-L1 may be more potent and broadly effective than previously thought. "In order for T cells to attack cancer when you take the brakes off with antibodies, you need to start with a population of T cells that have learned to recognize specific cancer cells in the first place," Weissman said. "Macrophage cells are part of the innate immune system, which means they should be able to recognize every kind of cancer in every patient."

Explore further: Potential new cancer treatment activates cancer-engulfing cells

More information: Sydney R. Gordon et al. PD-1 expression by tumour-associated macrophages inhibits phagocytosis and tumour immunity, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature22396

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Cancer immunotherapy may work in unexpected way - Medical Xpress