Cell Biology

Severe COVID-19 Outcomes May be Improved With Bevacizumab – Contagionlive.com

Findings included a reduction in fever, an increase in white blood cells and a sharp decrease of c-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

A recent study taking place in Italy and China, led my investigators from the Karolinska Institutet, has found that the anti-cancer therapy bevacizumab may hasten recovery and reduce the rate of mortality in people with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Bevacizumab has been used to treat different types of cancer since 2004, and works by reducing the formation of blood vessels by inhibiting the growth factor signaling protein vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

It has been seen that patients with a severe infection of COVID-19 have related symptoms to VEGF like excess fluid and disorganized blood vessels in the lungs, as well as elevated levels of the growth factor.

The investigators behind the study recruited 26 patients from two hospitals in Italy and China who had a confirmed case of COVID-19 and displayed symptoms of difficulty breathing, pneumonia and low blood oxygen levels. These patients were then retrospectively compared to 26 other patients with similar symptoms who received the current standard of care.

The recruited participants received standard, care as well as a single, low dose of 7.5 mg/kg bevacizumab. Findings showed that within 24 hours of receiving their therapy, the patients had a significant improvement in their blood oxygen levels compared to the control group. After a 28-day follow-up, 92% of the treated arm no longer needed an equal amount of oxygen support as when they began the trial.

Additionally, none of the participants receiving the therapy died, and 65% improved to such a degree that they were able to be discharged from the hospital in comparison to only 46% of the control arm being discharged. The duration of oxygen-support was also shortened to a median of 9 days for the bevacizumab arm.

"To reduce COVID-19 mortality, we aim to develop an effective therapeutic paradigm for treating patients with severe COVID-19," Yihai Cao, a professor of vascular biology at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at Karolinska Institutet and a co-author on the study said. "Our findings suggest that bevacizumab plus standard care is highly beneficial for patients with severe COVID-19 and should be considered as a potential first-line therapeutic regimen for this group."

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Severe COVID-19 Outcomes May be Improved With Bevacizumab - Contagionlive.com

Cell Biology

Synthetic Biology Startup Acquires AI Platform To Disrupt The Drug Industry – Forbes

Sean McClain, Co-Founder and CEO of AbSci.

There has been a lot of recent attention on the challenges of delivering COVID-19 vaccines. But there are also challenges in making them. For some of the newer options like those from Johnson & Johnson and Oxford-AstraZeneca, the modified cells used in vaccine production are struggling under the scale of demand. But synthetic biology company AbScis recent acquisition of the artificial intelligence platform, Denovium, could help mitigate this type of challenge in the future.

Unlike mRNA vaccines, the Johnson & Johnson/Oxford-AstraZeneca class of vaccines rely on a type of virus called adenovirus which is known to cause colds in chimpanzees. To address COVID-19, the adenovirus is genetically altered to express the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein which is what ultimately triggers the bodys immune response. Like mRNA vaccines, adenovirus-based vaccines train the body to recognize and fight COVID-19, foregoing the need to inject a person with a weakened version of SARS-CoV-2.

But producing enough adenovirus cells has been a challenge. To make vaccine doses, large volumes of altered adenovirus are produced by replicating cells in bioreactors. But, the scale of production can also cause the cells to weaken. This can result in a reduced output of adenovirus copies. So while these new vaccines may represent a breakthrough in adenovirus-based therapeutics, the process also highlights some critical roadblocks.

One major issue is that drug discovery and drug manufacturing are often disconnected from one another. Drug discovery typically starts with screeningthe process of finding a set of compounds out of 100,000 combinations that can best neutralize a targeted weak point of a disease. But when a promising protein is identified, it often turns out to be difficult to scale effectively.

Once a therapeutic compound is identified, researchers must then determine if it works well with a group of similar cells called a cell-line. By inserting the compound into the cellswhich then divide and multiply in a bioreactorthe cells act like factories to produce greater volumes of the compound of choice. But, as in the case with adenovirus-producing cells, not all cells can maintain their functions at large volumes. If the protein compound doesnt work well in a scalable cell-line, researchers often have to go back to the drawing board to find a new compound and start again.

Many in the biopharma space are aware of this inefficient process. The synthetic biology company AbSci has spent years developing a platform solution that streamlines the workflow. [Our platform] is simultaneously a drug discovery and manufacturing platform that allows you to discover your drug and the cell line that can manufacture [it], says AbSci CEO, Sean McClain. Were finally uniting drug discovery and manufacturing the first time.

AbSci refers to their core process as their Protein Printing platform, not because it uses ink and paper to make proteins but as an analogy for ease and speed. The first technology [in our platform] is our SoluPro E. coli strain. It has been highly engineered to be more mammalian-like to be able to produce mammalian-like proteins that E. coli wasn't previously capable of doing, says McClain. AbSci also uses what the company calls a folding solution to precisely tailor how proteins fold and therefore function.

Imad Ajjawi, Co-Founder and CBO of Denovium

To find the most effective protein, AbSci alters its folding solutions to create as many protein varieties as possible, often to the order of 10s of millions. The more protein types available, which AbSci refers to as libraries, the higher the likelihood of success. But this also creates a challenge: so many options, but which to choose?

To address this, AbSci recently acquired artificial intelligence company, Denovium. By integrating Denoviums AI platform, AbSci can improve its data analysis via AI models. From there, the company can take the best candidates and find the most effective cell-line to produce the chosen compounds at scale. McClain explains that traditional drug discovery and manufacturing typically takes years. But AbScis platform can take that timeline down to weeks. Were actually able to manufacture [therapeutics] because the dirty secret in pharma is that so many drugs get shelved because [pharma companies] can't actually manufacture them, says McClain.

For McClain, acquiring Denovium is a big step forward for AbScis discovery process. Its going to change the paradigm. Its really a perfect marriage of both data and AI technology. If you don't have good data feeding into your AI model, it's worthless. But if you don't have an AI technology, you can't mine [the data] and get all the benefits, says McClain.

Denoviums co-founder and CBO, Imad Ajjawi, also sees the new collaboration as a significant opportunity. It's really exciting to be a part of AbSci because they have all the data, billions of points that the deep learning engine can now analyze, says Ajjawi. AbScis acquisition also comes on the heels of the companys $65 million Series E in late 2020.

Upgrading the union of biology and AI is important for advancing synthetic biology innovation. But the true potential beneficiaries of this advanced discovery platform are those in need of novel drug options.

AbScis main goal as a company is to bring therapeutics to market more quickly. This technology's impact on healthcare is profound because more drugs and biologics can now enter patients' hands faster, says McClain.

McClain believes that AbScis technology will help speed the process of clinically testing new medications. Faster clinical trial turnarounds could increase the number of drugs approved to address a range of diseases. This could be most impactful for patients with rare or difficult to treat conditions as drug discovery is often prioritized based on how long it takes to find a scalable cell-line.

But though AbSci is working to accelerate drug discovery, the process still takes time. Right now, we have six drugs that are in preclinical or clinical trials. And one of them is actually in phase three. So we could have an improved product here in the next couple of years, says McClain.

As Absci and Denovium finalize their technology integrations, McClain is also looking ahead to build as many partnerships as possible. The more partnerships we do, the more patients were able to affect that at the end of the day, says McClain.

In line with that goal, AbSci today announced a continuation of its partnership with Astellas and Xyphos. AbSci will take on screening and identifying an optimal cell-line for a leading variant of Xyphos MicAbody, a bispecific antibody-like adaptor molecule used in the company's immuno-oncology program.

McClain expects more partnership announcements will follow in the first quarter of 2021. We have some really exciting partnerships that are going to be coming out over this next quarter that I think speak to the [range] of the types of disease states we're working on and the breadth of how the technology can be used within biopharma, says McClain.

Im the founder of SynBioBeta, and some of the companies that I write about are sponsors of the SynBioBeta conference and weekly digest, including AbSci. Thank you to Fiona Mischel and Vinit Parekh for additional research and reporting in this article.

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Synthetic Biology Startup Acquires AI Platform To Disrupt The Drug Industry - Forbes

Cell Biology

Gene Linked Between Alzheimer’s Disease and COVID-19 – Contagionlive.com

A study conducted by City of Hope, an independent biomedical research and treatment center, has discovered the gene ApoE4, which increases the risk for Alzheimers disease, can also increase the susceptibility to and severity of an infection with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Results from the research were published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

The study was initially started due to an interest in assessing how a COVID-19 infection impacts the brain. Because the disease presents symptoms like a loss of smell and taste, it was believed that the virus had underlying neurological effects.

The investigators employed pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a type that easily becomes any kind of cell, to create neurons and helper cells called astrocytes. They infected both cells with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and found that they were susceptible to the disease. They then created 3D brain tissue models called organoids, one with and one without the astrocytes, also infecting them with COVID-19 and discovered that the astrocytes actually amplified the infection.

Additionally, the team used reprogrammed iPSCs to generate neurons from the cells of an Alzheimers patient containing ApoE4. Modifying the iPSCs with a gene editing tool so that they contained ApoE3, a neutral gene type, they created more astrocytes and neurons.

Findings showed that in comparison to the ApoE3 cells, the ApoE4 cells showed a significantly higher susceptibility to COVID-19 and had more damage inflicted on their neurons and astrocytes.

"Our study provides a causal link between the Alzheimer's disease risk factor ApoE4 and COVID-19 and explains why some (e.g., ApoE4 carriers) but not all COVID-19 patients exhibit neurological manifestations," Yanhong Shi, director of the Division of Stem Cell Biology at City of Hope and co-corresponding author said. "Understanding how risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases impact COVID-19 susceptibility and severity will help us to better cope with COVID-19 and its potential long-term effects in different patient populations."

The next step in the process will be to continue studying the impact that COVID-19 has on the brain to further understand the potential long-term neurological impacts like severe headaches experienced by some months after the initial infection.

"COVID-19 is a complex disease, and we are beginning to understand the risk factors involved in the manifestation of the severe form of the disease" said Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, a co-corresponding author said. "Our cell-based study provides a possible explanation as to why individuals with Alzheimer's' disease are at increased risk of developing more severe COVID-19 symptoms."

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Cell Biology

Researchers unlock mysteries of protein that plays key regulatory role in cancer therapies – News-Medical.Net

Researchers from the University of Virginia, Lehigh University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are pooling their respective labs' expertise to unlock the mysteries of a protein that plays a critical regulatory role in human health and disease. Knowing how the protein works could lead to improved therapies for cancers and other diseases.

UVA associate professor of chemical engineering Matthew Lazzara and Lehigh University associate professor of chemistry Damien Thvenin is the project principal investigators. Forest White, a professor of biological engineering at MIT, is also a collaborating investigator.

The project, "Promoting Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Activity by Targeting Transmembrane Domain Interactions," is funded by a $1.6 million Project Research Grant (R01) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

The protein at the center of the project is known as protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type J (PTPRJ), also sometimes referred to as density-enhanced phosphatase-1 (DEP-1). PTPRJ is a member of the family of receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTP), which target and dephosphorylate, or deactivate, proteins involved in cell proliferation and survival.

The team anticipates that their work on the PTPRJ protein could yield insights that are relevant across the receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase family.

"The importance of RPTPs in normal cell function is clear, but we don't yet know much about the structure-function relationships that underpin the regulation of their activity," Lazzara said. "If we knew more, we might be able to design ways to augment their activity in settings, such as cancer, where RPTP substrates need to be turned off."

One goal of the project is to understand how to promote the activity of PTPRJ -- and eventually other RPTPs -- by interfering with the ability of the phosphatase to bind to itself, a process called homodimerization in which two identical proteins form a structure.

"Our collaborators at Lehigh have designed small peptide binders that disrupt PTPRJ homodimerization as a way to promote phosphatase activity," Lazzara said. "Because the phosphatase acts on, and effectively turns off, certain receptors that can promote tumor growth, we think this could eventually lead to a new method to interfere with signaling in cancer cells in a way that would not be circumvented by the common forms of drug resistance we see over and over again in oncology."

"Our approach has all kinds of exciting consequences on cell behavior and therapeutic applications," Thvenin said.

"Indeed, one of the main substrates of RPTPs are receptor tyrosine kinases, which are over-activated, or phosphorylated, in many cancers," Thvenin said. "Existing methods to target tumor-promoting kinases are limited to pharmacological inhibitors and antibodies. While some drug treatments can be highly effective, at least initially, resistance to these inhibitors virtually always arises through mutations or bypass signaling via alternative receptor tyrosine kinases. Promoting the activity of RPTPs could be an effective alternative approach to overcoming common acquired resistance mechanisms, as it should be immune to the effects of gatekeeper mutations."

A second project goal is to identify the circumstances under which interfering with PTPRJ dimerization might be most effective for changing how cells function.

"In cell biology, everything is about context," said Lazzara, who holds a courtesy appointment in biomedical engineering and is a member of the UVA Cancer Center. "The function of a protein in one cellular setting may be different than in another. That can happen for lots of reasons, including differences in the expression of interacting proteins. My lab's main role in the project is to execute a set of experiments designed to capture that complexity and then to use systems biology computational modeling approaches to interpret the data."

White, a former postdoctoral researcher at UVA, will contribute by using mass spectrometry to quantify protein phosphorylation events that change in response to modulating PTPRJ function in the lab. The use of mass spectrometry to quantify signaling protein phosphorylation is an area of expertise for which White is well known, Lazzara said.

Forest's approach can measure hundreds to thousands of unique phosphorylation events at a time in cells, which is substantially greater bandwidth than you can do with many other techniques. There are some other techniques that can measure hundreds of sites, but they are much less quantitative than his approach. Forest has used this method to study many different signaling processes in cancer."

Matthew Lazzara, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia

Lazzara noted for prolific and often collaborative research in cell signaling and cellular decision-making has received numerous grants from the National Science Foundation, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and the American Cancer Society.

His work contributes significantly to UVA chemical engineering's research programs, also providing graduate researchers with opportunities to engage in fundamental and potentially groundbreaking science.

"This project is a great example of how biological researchers are increasingly working collaboratively and integrating multiple areas of expertise to make advances," Lazzara said. "I expect we will continue to see that in cancer research especially."

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Researchers unlock mysteries of protein that plays key regulatory role in cancer therapies - News-Medical.Net

Embryology

TMRW Launches World’s First Automated Platform to Safeguard Millions of Frozen Eggs and Embryos Used in IVF – PRNewswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TMRW Life Sciences(TMRW) announces that it has launched the world's first automated cryo specimen management solution for embryos andeggsused in in vitro fertilization (IVF). TMRW's proprietary platform has been installed in multiple premier fertility clinics in the U.S., launching the modern era of integrated, software-enabled management of the millions of eggs and embryos central to modern IVF.

The TMRW platform arrives at a critical moment: during the COVID pandemic, with record numbers of patients initiating egg freezing, and some U.S. fertility clinics reporting as much as 50% increases in cycle volume over the same period last year. Clinics accounting for more than 30% of all U.S. IVF cycles are scheduled to install the TMRW platform in 2021.

The CDC estimates that by 2025,22 million fertilitypatients globally will require egg and embryo storage.TMRW's platform offers a groundbreaking answer to a challenge the global IVF community is now facing: how to safely manage, track and store hundreds of millions of frozen eggs and embryos.

Until today, the IVF community worldwide has employed the same manualstorage methods developed over 40 years ago.This system is characterized by the handwritten labeling of specimens and a reliance on analog tracking and record keeping. In addition, there has been no cloud-based, electronic monitoring, or sensor technologydeployed to safeguard the containers holding the eggs and embryos which must be kept consistently at cryogenic temperatures.

"No one undertaking IVF should ever have to worry about the safety of their embryos and eggs," said Joshua Abram, Founder and Co-CEO of TMRW. "300 million babies are expected to be born via IVF globally by 2100. With TMRW we have brought the safe storage and management of life's most precious cells into the 21st Century."

Each TMRW platform safeguards the fertility specimens of as many as 4,000 patients. The system brings an unprecedented level of safety to every phase of the management of eggs and embryos, from accurate identification and chain of custody of every patient's samples via radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking, to continuous monitoring through TMRW's data-encrypted and HIPAA-compliant software. Taken together, TMRW's solutionprovides patients and clinicians alike transparency and peace of mind about the careof their eggs and embryos.

Vios Fertility Institute is the first fertility clinic to bring TMRW's platform online.

"As we see a substantial increase in patients seeking IVF and egg freezing -- up 41% percent and 31.5%, respectively, over last year -- I am thrilled that we are the first fertility clinic in the world to offer TMRW to its patients," said Dr. Angie Beltsos, CEO & Chief Medical Officer of Vios. "IVF patients and those wanting to preserve their fertility deserve the most sophisticated care available, and there is nothing more powerful than combining our top-notch embryology services with TMRW's game-changing technology. TMRW gives doctors, embryologists, and patients great reassurance."

Chicago couple Mayrav Dolgin and Renee Genova have received fertility treatments at Vios resulting in two healthy sons -- Jonah (age 2) and Elan (age 6 months). They are the first patients to have their remaining frozen embryos stored with the TMRW platform.

"The fertility journey can be difficult enough without having to worry about the safety of your embryos," explained Dolgin. "Mayrav and I were ecstatic to learn that ours would be the first to be stored in TMRW," added Genova. "Knowing that our remaining embryos will be cared for and looked after with the most advanced technology available gives us tremendous reassurance that our ability to continue building our family in the future is protected."

The TMRW platform key proprietary features include:

TMRW is expanding globally and will be in UK-based fertility clinics in the summer of 2021.

About TMRW Life Sciences:TMRW has created the world's first automated platform designed specifically for cryo-management of eggs and embryos used in IVF. TMRW's RFID-enabled, complete digital chain of custody SaaS technology radically improves on the error-prone manual and analog methods that have gone unchanged throughout the history of IVF, significantly reducing the chances of implantation mix-ups or loss of eggs and embryos. The TMRW team includes many of the world's most celebrated innovators in fertility, embryology, cryo-management, automation, software development and robotics to name a few of the disciplines involved. TMRW's co-founders, Joshua Abram, Alan Murray, and Dr. Jeffrey Port, are serial tech and life sciences entrepreneurs. Their immediate prior ventures sold for a combined sum of more than $1 billion. For more information, please visit TMRW.org.

About ViosFertility Institute:Established in 2015, Vios Fertility Institute is one of the fastest growing fertility clinics in the U.S., with 11 locations in the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis regions. Woman owned, the Vios mission is to help patients find their way to fertility health with the highest chances of success. Vios offers innovative, scientific, and cutting-edge treatment options along with an unparalleled patient experience. http://www.ViosFertility.com

Media Contact:Emily GrosserDini von Mueffling Communications[emailprotected]757-645-5190

SOURCE TMRW Life Sciences

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TMRW Launches World's First Automated Platform to Safeguard Millions of Frozen Eggs and Embryos Used in IVF - PRNewswire

Embryology

PLU’s Lathiena Nervo discusses her work and being named one of the 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America – The Suburban Times

By Zach Powers, Marketing & Communications.

Pacific Lutheran University Assistant Professor of Biology Lathiena Nervo was recently named one of Cell Mentors 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America. A developmental biologist in her second year at PLU, Nervo is equally passionate about teaching, biological research, and increasing diverse representation in science. She recently spoke with PLU News about her recent honor, her motivations as an educator and scientist, and her experience thus far at PLU.

Congratulations on being included on Cell Mentors list of 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America. What did that mean to you?

It meant a lot. I was really surprised to end up on that list. Theres some pretty impressive people on that list that are doing amazing work in their respective fields, so I was incredibly honored and really humbled to be on it. It was also really nice to see people on that list that I know and that Ive met, either at conferences or I actually went to grad school with, or who are in my little niche of developmental biology. Being a Black woman in science, and being a hyper minority in that sense, sometimes you tend to feel very isolated and alone. But this list made me think of all the different individuals across the country and made me feel like we are a tight-knit community.

How has being such a hyper minority in your field impacted your experience as a student, graduate student and now as a university faculty member?

It has had a major impact and still continues to have one. You are pretty much constantly fighting against stereotype threat and wanting to be valued for what you do and not necessarily what you look like. It definitely has impacted the focus on my work in a way, because I was raised with a certain set of values I like to bring those to my work as well.

What are you most interested in as a biologist?

I am a developmental biologist. The thing I love about developmental biology is that youre a jack of all trades. Its a mix of molecular, genetics, cell biologies, anatomy and physiology. Its all these different biology disciplines merged into one. A few decades ago it would have been called embryology.

Im really interested in cell interactions and how cells actually communicate with each other while an embryo is developing. And so, how do they communicate with each other to create tissues? We have all these different tissues within our bodies that could be grouped into four categories. You have muscle, nerve, connective tissue, and epithelial tissue. Im really interested in how the embryo decides to make all those different tissues.

At what point in your journey as a student did you realize that biology was something special for you?

I think it was my senior year of high school. That was the first year my high school actually had AP Biology. I had an amazing teacher who taught the class, essentially, like a college course. She gave us a lot of freedom, she let us guide how we could learn, what was best for us. Also let us guide what we covered, which was fantastic. That class is what really opened my eyes to majoring in biology.

College was always important to my parents. Neither of them went to college and it was always clear growing up that the expectation was that we were going to go to college. But during high school, I didnt have any idea what I was going to go to college for and what my passion was for, until that AP Biology class.

What made you decide on research and teaching, as opposed to medical school or the many other careers a biology student can pursue?

Its a roundabout story, but essentially I thought I wanted to go to medical school. I wanted to be a pediatrician, and that was to be my focus. But then I had a research experience as an undergraduate that really opened my eyes to what experimentation is, how to think about big questions, and how to figure out what experiments will help get you closer to the answers to those questions.

Then, after finishing my undergrad, I started teaching high school biology and I realized how much I loved to teach. I taught at a Catholic school with a very small minority population. I didnt realize going into it how much my presence would mean to those students.

How did teaching in that high school shape how you teach now?

Well, soon after I started there I had a lot of the underrepresented minority students in my classroom after school and during lunch. Just wanting to talk about their experiences in life. For many of them, I was their first Black teacher that theyve ever had, and I taught 10th graders. That experience really opened my eyes to what Ias a Black woman in science and as an educatorrepresent. That was the moment where I started thinking that I really love science and I wanted to do experimentation, but I also wanted to focus on mentorship. I wanted to be a mentor, I wanted to increase underrepresented minority participation in science, and get those students loving science. And that was the spark that started that. I then worked for a couple of years for a NASA-funded program, where that was actually their focusto increase the underrepresented groups participation in science.

I realized that I wanted to teach and conduct research at a primarily undergraduate institution. So I went into grad school with that goal in mind. I was a non-traditional student, going back several years after completing my bachelors degree. I received grants through my graduate school department and the US Department of Education. I participated in a postdoctoral fellowship thats specific for teaching scientists to be better educators. When I finished my PhD, I went into that fellowship program. And now Im excited to be here at PLU, focussed on these three core elements of teaching, increasing representation in my field, and conducting research.

Coming to PLU from the East Coast is a big switch. What made you pick PLU?

One of the things that really struck me when I researched the biology department and interviewed here was the curriculum. Its essentially the curriculum I wish I had as an undergraduate, where students are really able to create their own focus. The way the program is organized gives students a lot of freedom to choose what direction they want to go. If they have more interest in the really small things, like molecular work, or virology, or microbiology, they can take classes on that. If they want to go bigger with the systems, in terms of ecology and organisms, they can do that too, and everything in between. I found it really amazing that students were able to create their own focus in that way.

I also had a really good experience talking with students. I had lunch with three students during my interview here, and all of them were double majoring. At my undergrad institution thats not a thing that was really possible for biology majors because the curriculum was so rigid. The fact that PLU students were still able to pursue their interests outside of biology, and get a degree and take classes they wanted outside of that, was incredibly impressive to me. I just thought, theyre doing something right here, in a pedagogical sense. And that was one of the things that I found really exciting about coming to PLU.

Were there any other aspects of the job that drew you to PLU?

The individual faculty members that I talked with during my phone interview, and then my in-person interview, seemed so supportive. I was really looking for that in the next stage of my career. I really wanted a department that was collegial, that didnt just talk about being supportive, actually was supportive and was willing to step in and help in any way they could.

I was also really impressed with the multiple mentorship programs we have for first-year and early-career faculty members. Thats not something most institutions have, not even some of the other big name liberal arts schools that I was interviewed at. And those have been really helpful in my first few semesters here.

Whats been your first impression of the PLU students youve had in class?

I think PLU students are really well-rounded and theyre really thinking about their position in their communities and in the world. A lot of them have really amazing goals, beyond just, Oh, I want to be a biologist. Theyre thinking about their impact in their communities and in the larger sense, which is incredible.

I would also say theyre really interested in learning. Its not just about end goals for them. I dealt with students at other institutions where some classes are just boxes they need to check off, just to earn their bachelors degree. I dont get that same sense at all from PLU students. Theyre really focused on learning and really show their interest in the subject. Im really impressed by that.

The post PLUs Lathiena Nervo discusses her work and being named one of the 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America was first publishing on the Pacific Lutheran University website.

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PLU's Lathiena Nervo discusses her work and being named one of the 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America - The Suburban Times

Embryology

Merck Foundation partners First Lady to mark World Cancer Day – The Point – The Point

Through this program, the Foundation provided scholarship of one-year Fellowship to Dr Fatoumata Jaiteh, Gambian doctor, at theTata Memorial Centre, India,to be the first oncologist in The Gambia.

Merck Foundation has provided scholarship of oncology training for more than 70 doctors from 24 African countries, many of them becoming the first oncologists in their countries.

We have also provided scholarships to more than 25 Gambian Doctors in different specialties including Diabetes, sexual and reproductive medicines, Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, Respiratory medicine ones and Acute medicines and Fertility specialty training, said Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation.

Launched in 2016, the Merck Cancer Access Program provides One-, two- and three-years fellowship, master degree, and Diploma programs for African doctors in India, Egypt, Kenya, and Malaysia.

Merck Foundation also recently introduced 2 years online PG Diploma in Cancer and Clinical Oncology from the UK.

Merck Foundation through its Merck Cancer Access Program has till date trained 70 Oncology Care Specialists from 24 countries such as Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and The Gambia.

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Merck Foundation partners First Lady to mark World Cancer Day - The Point - The Point

Embryology

Egg freezing is on the up but new research raises questions about how clinics advertise – The Conversation UK

More women in the UK than ever before are considering freezing their eggs, with the sharp rise in inquiries at some of Londons largest clinics attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. No wonder perhaps, since social restrictions have impacted single people wishing to couple-up, making it significantly more difficult to go on dates or meet potential partners.

The current prolonged uncertainty about the future has exacerbated the concerns that many single childless women especially those in their mid-30s were already reporting, including anxieties about the ticking of their biological clocks and fears over age-related fertility decline.

Sarah, a 36-year-old HR manager who recently came out of a four-year relationship, feels the pandemic could not have come at a more costly time in her personal life. She told me: I have this constant underlying worry that by the time this all blows over and I can finally meet someone, I might have missed the boat to become a mother.

It is easy to see why women like Sarah might opt for egg freezing. Yet while this technology can certainly be useful for some women, new research reveals that it may not always be as straightforward as it appears.

Many aspects of egg freezing have been discussed in the media, yet to date, there has been almost no attention paid to the ways in which fertility clinics advertise, market and promote their egg freezing services on their websites, and the quality of information that is available to potential patients considering their options.

In order to address this gap, my colleague Emily Tiemann and I analysed the websites of the UKs 15 largest fertility clinics offering egg freezing. Our recently published findings make uncomfortable reading.

Our research suggests that fertility clinic websites in the UK, taken in general, provide a poor standard of information and, we argue, need to be urgently improved, for reasons of both medical ethics and consumer rights. Of course, as websites are dynamic entities some of them may have already improved or changed since we took our snapshot (in June 2019), but our findings nevertheless raise concerns for potential patients.

We found that most of the clinics we looked at presented what we believe is an unbalanced view of egg freezing on their websites, highlighting its potential benefits and failing to adequately discuss its potential risks. Clinics websites were also not sufficiently clear and transparent about the cost of an egg freezing cycle, with the average true cost exceeding the advertised costs by approximately a third (on average an additional 923).

Finally, we came to the view that clinics did not always provide accurate data or success rates. In fact, of the 15 analysed, we only rated one clinic website as good in terms of its quality of information.

We reached out to all 15 clinics for comment. Harley Street Fertility Clinic responded:

We welcome the Gurtin and Tiemann paper because it aims to improve the quality of information provided to patients. However, we do not necessarily agree with all the metrics and indicators used by the authors as part of their review [] As a clinic, we strive to be clear and transparent in our communications. Hence, we will use the suggestions made in the paper to improve our communications with patients.

IVI Midland responded by pointing out that since 2019, the clinic had been acquired by CARE Fertility and therefore the website we analysed is no longer active. CARE Fertility, meanwhile, replied:

The number of egg freezing cycles we carry out is very small, and as success rate data is only available once a woman returns for fertility treatment (often many years later), we have even less success rate data [] At the time of the study in June 2019, the egg freezing page of our website could have more clearly explained the costs involved with egg freezing, but we have since updated the page to further help patients access the information they need.

The other clinics we approached for comment did not respond. But it is welcome news that some have been working to improve their website content.

We have issued an urgent recommendation for clinic websites to be improved, but it is difficult for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to enforce such changes when much of the economic or commercial aspects of fertility treatments fall outside its remit.

But the issue is pressing, since we contend that the lack of good quality information compromises the ability of women like Sarah to make truly informed decisions, and leaves them inadequately informed or misinformed about crucial aspects, such as costs to plan for or potential risks to weigh up.

Justine*, a journalist who lives in London, froze her eggs two years ago, aged 38. She told me that although she went to some lengths to research the technology, she still felt unprepared for the reality of how it would feel to freeze her eggs.

Justine found herself in considerably more physical discomfort than she had expected, feeling bloated, uncomfortable and in pain despite having been told she would be able to go about her normal life before the procedure. Her physical discomforts continued and even worsened after egg collection:

As the hours passed, I still felt incredibly weak, bloated and short of breath. I called the clinic who just said if you continue to feel bad, then go to A&E. It was at that point I felt very alone.

She felt that the clinic had relinquished all responsibility. I went to A&E and was admitted overnight, with a series of tests and observations confirming that I had OHSS, she said.

While Justine was unlucky to suffer from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a rare complication of the IVF and egg freezing processes caused by the production of too many eggs, she felt she lacked information about this potential risk and that the clinic didnt offer adequate follow-up care.

The fertility industry is becoming increasingly commercialised, a consideration that is particularly pertinent in the case of egg freezing, which takes place primarily in the private sector. This is an aspect that Lucy van de Wiel, a researcher at Cambridge Universitys Reproductive Sociology Research Group, focuses on.

Her new book, Freezing Fertility, draws attention to the potential conflicts between clinical decision-making or patients best interests on the one hand and business and profit motives on the other. Market forces in the fertility industry, political interests underlying regulations, and age-old cultural narratives of gender and motherhood play a role in our reproductive decision-making.

Given this, I would urge women considering egg freezing to look beyond the information on clinic websites. In particular, women may wish to ask clinics for specific and verified data regarding the number of cycles they have performed each year or their success rates.

They may want to ask questions about exactly what is and is not included in advertised pricing, and to consult the HFEA website for an unbiased discussion of the benefits and risks of the technology. It can also be extremely helpful to discuss egg freezing with others who have been through the process, to gain a realistic impression of what it involves.

Despite her difficulties, overall Justine feels a sense of comfort knowing that she has frozen eggs in storage, but she does offer a note of caution:

While the process is presented as being fairly straightforward, it does have powerful physical, emotional and psychological impacts so it is important not to gloss over it as a procedure and make sure you have support available.

*Name and identifying details have been changed.

Excerpt from:
Egg freezing is on the up but new research raises questions about how clinics advertise - The Conversation UK

Anatomy

We like the stock! The Anatomy of a Meme – The Wall Street Journal

Traders on Reddits raucous WallStreetBets forum have their own language. Unlike other internet communities, their jokes can be just for fun or signals of investing strategies.

Memes, in-group messages that are repeated and altered, are often offensive and evolve in significance over time. For these social media users, a rose isnt a rose isnt a rose.

Heres the anatomy of a notorious meme on WallStreetBets.

Like stockbrokers who have used the phrase for decades, the surface sentiment is liking a stock. On Reddit, this is often accompanied with a rocket emoji, which means the person using it thinks buying the stock will make it go up.

But on WallStreetBets, memes never stop at face value.

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We like the stock! The Anatomy of a Meme - The Wall Street Journal

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ book ‘How to Save a Life’ to reveal new details about the ABC drama – EW.com

Grey's Anatomy book How to Save a Life to reveal new details about the ABC drama | EW.com Skip to content Top Navigation Close View image

Grey's Anatomy book How to Save a Life to reveal new details about the ABC drama

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Continued here:
'Grey's Anatomy' book 'How to Save a Life' to reveal new details about the ABC drama - EW.com