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Immunology

Life Science Ontario Announces Recipients of the 2021 LSO Awards – BioSpace

The 2021 awardees are as follows:

The LSO Awards are an important part of the organizations mandate to advocate for Ontarios life sciences sector, by celebrating the individuals and companies behind its success.

2020 has been a difficult year for everyone; but COVID-19 has also highlighted the amazing contributions of the life sciences sector to solving some of societies largest challenges, said LSO President and CEO Dr. Jason Field. LSOs awards recognize these contributions annually and this years award recipients represent the many diverse ways our sector impacts the everyday lives of Canadians and the world in which we live through science, innovation and leadership.

To explore sponsorship opportunities, contact: admin@lifesciencesontario.ca

Biographies

Michael Julius, Former Vice President, Research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Michael Julius is past Vice President, Research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (2000-2020). He created an international hub for life sciences dedicated to both discovery and commercialization. This initiative achieved a functional integration of researchers, clinicians, business and patients towards moving discoveries through the marketplace and into the clinic. He shepherded growth to a $125M annual research enterprise which spun off 15 companies over his tenure. Michael is currently partnering in the launch of a life sciences capital management fund.

Ahead of taking on his leadership position at Sunnybrook, Michael Chaired the Department of Immunology at the University of Toronto (1994-2000). He has Chaired both the Canadian Institutes for Health Research review panel for Immunology and Transplantation and Research Canada, an advocacy corporation dedicated to ensuring that the federal government supports and funds the priority of health research in Canada. He serves as a member of Scientific Advisory Boards for a number of companies and has Chaired two of Sunnybrooks spin-off companies.

Michael completed his undergraduate degree in genetics at McGill University and his doctoral work in genetics and immunology at Stanford University. Michael was recruited to the Basel Institute for Immunology supported by Hoffman La Roche, where he remained for the 13 years.

Having published over 200 research papers and reviews in his area of expertise, many of which have achieved citation records, Michael has in-depth knowledge of multiple therapeutic areas, including neuroscience, cancer, cardiovascular and immune system; and expertise across multiple platforms, including high content cellular analyses, AI, health informatics, and imaging-guided interventions and therapeutics.

Eugenia Duodu, CEO, Visions of Science Network for Learning Community Service Award

Eugenia Duodu is the CEO of Visions of Science Network for Learning (www.vosnl.org), a charitable organization that empowers youth from low-income communities through meaningful engagement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). She is an educator, speaker, community organizer and advocate who is passionate about creating equitable opportunities for youth to achieve their full potential. Eugenia Duodu holds both an honours bachelor degree in Chemistry and Biology and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Toronto.

Anne Woods, Managing Director of Life Sciences and Healthcare, Silicon Valley Bank Volunteer Award

Anne Woods is the managing director of the Life Science and Healthcare practice for Silicon Valley Bank in Toronto where she is responsible for leading the banks efforts in this sector across Canada.

Anne has close to 25 years experience in capital markets and life sciences. She began her career as a financial analyst and in 2005, went back to her roots in life sciences. Prior to joining SVB, Anne spent several years as a director with The Pangaea Group bringing insights and strategic direction to life science and healthcare clients.

In 2018, Anne joined the board of Life Sciences Ontario. She holds a BSc from McGill University, a MA from the University of Guelph and is a CFA Charterholder.

VIVE Crop Protection Inc.Life Sciences Company of the Year

Vive Crop Protection creates Precision Chemistry to expand the horizons of Precision Agriculture. Vive products are built on the patented Allosperse Delivery System, which greatly improves the targeting and performance of chemical and biological active ingredients, helping growers achieve real results. Vive Crop Protection commercially launched in 2016 and currently has five unique products available in the US market, with two more awaiting US EPA registration and one awaiting Canadian PMRA registration.

Vive anticipates launching the first-ever combination chemical/biological fungicide product in spring 2021 to US sugarbeet and corn growers. Its head office is in Mississauga and employs nearly 30 chemists, biologists and other professionals.

John Kelly, Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs LSO Leadership Award

Dr. John Kelly currently serves as Deputy Minister for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He was recently Chief Innovation Officer for Bioenterprise Corporation. Dr. Kelly has an extensive background working with entrepreneurs and innovation in human health and life sciences, agriculture, food and bio-economy sectors in domestic and international markets, with focus on innovation development and implementation, actively advancing products and technologies. An extensive publisher, he has authored hundreds of research and extension publications throughout his career, attracted several million dollars in investment and been a serial entrepreneur and investor. He has a wealth of experience in the private and public sector and has held various executive positions with start-ups, venture capital, multinational companies and not-for-profits, including KeliRo Company Inc., Bioenterprise Capital, DNAstack, KiKi Maple Water, Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, MaRS Landing, Land OLakes, Rhone-Poulenc Canada Inc. and Aventis CropSciences Inc. He has also served on numerous Board of Director appointments including with Life Sciences Ontario, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Genomics, Ontario Hazelnut Association, Ontario Lavender Association and others. Dr. Kelly holds a B.Sc. (Agr). and Ph.D. from the University of Guelph and a Master of Science from the University of Alberta. He has also held Adjunct Professorships in the Department of Animal Biosciences and the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph.

ABOUT LIFE SCIENCES ONTARIO (LSO)

Life Sciences Ontario (LSO) is a member-funded, not-for-profit organization with a legacy of more than 30 years advancing the success of Ontarios life sciences sector. LSO collaborates with government, academia, industry, and other life sciences organizations in Ontario and across Canada to promote and encourage commercial success throughout the sector. The organization provides a wide range of networking and educational events and operates a mentorship program that is helping to develop highly skilled talent and build new business opportunities for the life sciences sector. In addition, LSO launched the Life Sciences Ontario Scholarship Program, the program awards students financial benefits and an opportunity to connect with a professional from the life sciences sector. LSO is an effective conduit for delivering policy options to governments, and its dedicated to promoting Ontarios life sciences sector internationally. For more information, please visit https://lifesciencesontario.ca.

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Life Science Ontario Announces Recipients of the 2021 LSO Awards - BioSpace

Neuroscience

Virtual meets: Poppy Crum on the path from music through neuroscience to technology – E&T Magazine

Watch Poppy Crum discuss with E&T how everyone experiences the world differently and what that means for technology development.

"We have different experiences of the same stimulus, whether it's a physical stimulus or it's a sensory stimulus," says Poppy Crum, chief technologist for Dolby Laboratories, yet "a lot of technology has been built frankly for white men." So engineers and developers need to think about everyone, just as an artist would, or a Hollywood producer wants as manypeople as possible to enjoy their work. "If you're going to build something, don't you want it to work the way it should?"

Crum talks toE&T science writer Hilary Lamb about her transition from violinist to technology (and why they may have more in common than you might think), absolute pitch and neuroscience, innovation and awards. Crum is also on the advisory panel for the E&T Innovation Awards, which take place online this evening (19 November).

Sign up to the E&T News e-mail to get great stories like this delivered to your inbox every day.

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Virtual meets: Poppy Crum on the path from music through neuroscience to technology - E&T Magazine

Immunology

November: Antibody study results | News and features – University of Bristol

Press release issued: 10 November 2020

Children of the 90s, a health study based at the University of Bristol, has today published results from a study testing almost 5,000 participants for COVID-19 antibodies. 4.3% reported a positive result, of which a quarter were asymptomatic and did not report any symptoms in previous questionnaires.

Whilst a positive result does not indicate immunity to the virus, the results are an important step in helping scientists to answer vital questions about who is affected, how it spreads through the community, and possible immune responses.

Key findings were:

Professor Nic Timpson, Children of the 90s Principal Investigator said: We want to understand how many people in our study have had a COVID-19 infection, especially those who had an infection without even knowing it or with only mild symptoms. With decades of valuable health data to provide background to this pandemic, longitudinal research is key to learning more about COVID-19.

The research will now form part of a national collaboration with the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC) which is led by Professor Paul Moss at the University of Birmingham. 300 Children of the 90s participants are being invited to take part in the ongoing study over the next 12 months, which will offer a unique insight into how people respond to the virus and the condition known as Long Covid.

The immune system is critical to determining the outcome of all infections and indeed understanding so many of the unknowns about the pandemic Professor Paul Moss, University of Birmingham.

Professor Timpson continued: We hope to learn more about how the immune system responds and how long it takes for people to fully recover from COVID-19. As one of only two longitudinal studies invited to take part, our data is particularly important as we study young people who may be entirely asymptomatic but carrying the virus.

Participants can get back in touch to take part in future studies even if they havent done anything for a while. Simply send your name and date of birth to info@childrenofthe90s.ac.uk or text 07772 909090 to check if you are eligible.

Key statistics

In total, 206 (4.3%) of participants reported a positive result in the antibody test. This breaks down as follows:

Positive antibody tests

Total

Total participants

206 (4.3%)

Original Fathers

20 (2.7%)

Original Mothers

63 (3.2%)

Young people male (age 28-19)

96 (6.2%)

Young people female (age 28-29)

27 (5.2%)

About Children of the 90s

Based at the University of Bristol, Children of the 90s, also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), is a long-term health-research project that enrolled more than 14,000 pregnant women in 1991 and 1992. It has been following the health and development of the parents and their children in detail ever since and is currently recruiting the children and the siblings of the original children into the study. It receives core funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Bristol. Find out more at http://www.childrenofthe90s.ac.uk.

About the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium

The UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium brings together UK immunology centres of excellence to research how the immune system interacts with SARS-CoV-2 to help us develop better diagnostics, treatments and vaccines against COVID-19.

UK-CIC is jointly funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)

Website: http://www.ukcic.org

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November: Antibody study results | News and features - University of Bristol

Immunology

Top experts in healthcare, science appointed to committee to make recommendations on Singapore’s Covid-19 vaccination strategy – The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - A 14-member committee has been appointed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to make recommendations to the Government on its Covid-19 vaccination strategy, and ensure the safe and effective use of vaccines against the coronavirus here.

On Thursday (Nov 12), MOH said in a news release that the committee is chaired by Associate Professor Benjamin Ong, senior adviser to the director of medical services. He is also senior vice-president (health education and resources) at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The committee comprises experts in infectious diseases, immunology and other relevant fields. Its members include the chief health scientist and executive director of MOH's Office for Healthcare Transformation, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan; the chief executive at the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation Singapore, Dr Danny Soon; and the vice-president of healthcare and wellness at the Economic Development Board, Dr Lisa Ooi.

"The expert committee will leverage scientific and clinical expertise to assess vaccine candidates, and recommend the appropriate vaccines for use against Covid-19 in Singapore when they become available," said MOH.

The Ministry added that the committee's role is to consider the most up-to-date information and assessment of Covid-19 vaccines, including closely monitoring the global vaccine development landscape and stance of agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

As the latest clinical data of vaccine candidates emerges, the expert committee will assess their safety, efficacy and suitability for use by the different segments of Singapore's population.

It will then make recommendations regarding the administration of vaccines to specific segments of the population and the overall vaccination strategy for Singapore.

The committee was first announced to the public at a press conference on Nov 10. MOH said on Thursday that the expert committee's appointment came into effect on Oct 5.

It convened its first meeting on Oct 13 and has met regularly in the past month to discuss the profiles of various vaccine candidates, as well as the conditions for their deployment in Singapore's context.

Prof Ong said on Thursday that as more vaccine candidates are made available for clinical use, ensuring that they are safe and effective will be a top priority for the committee - especially since not all vaccines are suitable for all segments of the population.

He added: "The safety of Singaporeans is our top priority, and the diverse range of expertise among my colleagues in the Expert Committee will put us in good stead as we deliberate on strategies for the implementation of Covid-19 vaccination in Singapore."

The committee comprises:

ChairAssociate Professor Benjamin Ong, senior advisor to the director of medical services, MOH, and senior vice-president (health education and resources), NUS

Members1) Dr Cheong Wei Yang, deputy secretary (special projects), MOH2) Associate Professor Chong Chia Yin, director of clinical quality and patient safety at the Division of Medicine and senior consultant at the Infectious Disease Service at KK Womens and Childrens Hospital3) Professor Nicholas Gascoigne, from the Immunology Programme and Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine4) Associate Professor Lim Poh Lian, director of the High Level Isolation Unit at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and head of the Travellers Health and Vaccination Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital5) Associate Professor David Lye, director of the Infectious Diseases Research and Training Office at NCID6) Associate Professor Helen Oh, senior consultant at the Department of Infectious Diseases at Changi General Hospital7) Dr Lisa Ooi, vice-president of healthcare and wellness at the Economic Development Board8) Dr Anuradha Poonepalli, regulatory consultant at the Therapeutic Products Branch, Health Products Regulation Group, Health Sciences Authority9) Associate Professor Ren Ee Chee, principal investigator at the Singapore Immunology Network and adjunct associate professor at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicines Department of Microbiology and Immunology10) Professor Laurent Renia, executive director and senior principal investigator, Infectious Diseases Laboratories,Agency for Science, Technology and Research(A*Star) and senior principal investigator, Singapore Immunology Network, A*Star11) Dr Benjamin Seet, group chief research officer at the National Healthcare Group12) Dr Danny Soon, chief executive officer at the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation Singapore13) Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, chief health scientist and executive director at the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation

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Top experts in healthcare, science appointed to committee to make recommendations on Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination strategy - The Straits Times

Human Behavior

4-OCEANS Project: Assessing the Importance of Marine Life to Human Societies – SciTechDaily

Two researchers from Trinity College Dublin are among a four-strong team of principal investigators spearheading a new 10.4 million project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) to assess the importance of marine life to human societies during the last two millennia, with a focus on understanding the consequences of marine resource exploitation for societal development.

The project, 4-OCEANS, has been funded via an ERC Synergy Grant. These highly prestigious grants support transformative work that addresses major research challenges that would fall beyond the scope of any single ERC award and can only be tackled by collaborative approaches spanning multiple disciplines.

This project will bring together leaders with expertise in marine environmental history, climate history, natural history, geography, historical ecology, and zooarchaeology, nurturing a unique collaboration and integration of researchers from the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Professor Poul Holm, Trinity College Dublin, talks about the 4-OCEANS project. Credit: Trinity College Dublin

The 4-OCEANS team is comprised of principal investigators, Poul Holm, Professor of Environmental History, and Francis Ludlow, Assistant Professor of Medieval Environmental History, from Trinity; James H Barrett, Reader in Medieval Archaeology and Deputy Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge; and Cristina Brito, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences and the Deputy Director of CHAM Centre for the Humanities, at NOVA University Lisbon.

Professor Holm said:

We are excited to have secured this grant to embark on a fascinating and important project that will provide us with an unparalleled understanding of humanitys recent interactions with the oceans, which will likely inform future symbioses with the many, varied aspects of marine ecosystems that enrich and support us.

Specifically, combining history and archaeology with marine science and socioeconomics, the 4-OCEANS team will examine when and where marine exploitation was of significance to human society; how selected major socio-economic, cultural, and environmental forces variously constrained and enabled marine exploitation; and what were the consequences of marine resource exploitation for societal development.

Professor Ludlow added:

There are many avenues of research that we look forward to pursuing, but the most important goal of the project is to conduct the first-ever globalized evaluation of the role of marine resources for societal development across two millennia, and thereby advance our understanding of the role of ocean life in human history.

Long-term data and an understanding of changes in ecosystems and human behavior over many centuries is critical to informing the continued development of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals and the Decade for the Oceans, from which the historical dimension is still missing. The 4-OCEANS project will ultimately introduce much-needed chronological depth to how we view urgent societal and environmental issues across the globe, through the understanding of our past.

Dr. Barrett said:

By combining archaeology, history and environmental science we aim to map, date, and measure past harvests of marine life. Untangling human and natural drivers, 4-OCEANS will explain how diverse historical trajectories created global networks, fuelling major centers with the products of distant ecosystems with lasting consequences for both societies and the sea.

Professor Brito added: The project 4-OCEANS will deepen our understanding of the oceans past and the relationships that different human societies established with this environment and their resources, helping to bridge the gap in knowledge about and the emotional connection of people with the oceans. By addressing the human history of marine life, our interdisciplinary research will emphasize the importance and value of the humanities for the study of the ocean and address current environmental and societal issues.

Professors Holm and Ludlow will oversee 5.4 million of the 10.4 million research funding total allocated to 4-OCEANS. Over the course of H2020, Trinity researchers have secured 37 ERC Investigator grants to date (valued at approximately 68 million), which equates to around 50% of all H2020 ERC awards in Ireland.

Dr. Patrick Prendergast, Provost of Trinity, said:

Synergy Grants are regarded as the most competitive of the ERCs awards, all of which are awarded on the basis of research excellence. We are very proud of Poul and Francis success in this regard and are particularly pleased that they will form a unique collaboration that brings together world-leaders in multiple disciplines spanning the humanities, natural, and social sciences. We look forward to tracking the progress of the 4-OCEANS project, and the many important and varied contributions it promises to make.

###

4-OCEANS is Professor Holms second ERC award after his ERC Advanced Grant NorFish: North Atlantic Fisheries: An Environmental History, 1400-1700, while Professors Ludlow, Barrett, and Brito were also all previously funded under the Excellence Pillar of H2020 through Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

Professor Ludlow received an MSCA Individual Fellowship before going on to win an Irish Research Council Starting Laureate Award for his project CLICAB: Climates of Conflict in Ancient Babylonia.

Dr. Barrett, who led pioneering work on the incorporation of scientific methodologies into humanistic research, is a co-leader of the MSCA International Doctoral Training Network SeaChanges: Thresholds in human exploitation of marine vertebrates.

Professor Brito, coordinator of the UNESCO Chair on Oceans Cultural Heritage, is also the coordinator of the MSCA Research and Innovation Staff Exchange project CONCHA: The construction of early modern global Cities and oceanic networks in the Atlantic: An approach via OceaNs Cultural HeritAge (2018-2021).

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4-OCEANS Project: Assessing the Importance of Marine Life to Human Societies - SciTechDaily

Immunology

Transforming coronavirus proteins into nanoparticles may hold the key to an effective COVID-19 vaccine – McGill Newsroom

Changing makeup of a specific protein has the potential to neutralize the virus

Researchers from McGill University are part of an international team led by the University of Buffalo, which has discovered a technique that could help increase the effectiveness of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The groups study was published recently online in the journal Advanced Materials.

COVID-19 has caused a disruptive global pandemic, infecting at least 40 million and causing more than 1 million deaths worldwide. Since it began spreading in early 2020, biomedical researchers have been in active pursuit of an effective vaccine. Now, researchers suggest that one approach that may be effective is designing vaccines that partially mimic the structure of the virus.

The critical contribution of this paper is that it opens a new approach for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, says Joaquin Ortega, a professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University and a co-author of the study. We found that presenting one of the most important antigens in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the receptor-binding domain (RBD), in the surface of nanodevices called liposomes, which are used extensively for drug delivery in cancer, induces a much stronger antibody response than when the RBD antigen is administered by itself. The researchers report the creation of a flexible COVID-19 vaccine development platform - a new approach that works efficiently when adsorbing the RBD antigen to the liposome's surface but can be extended to other antigens as well. We still do not know which of the viral antigens are causing the most robust immunity and would therefore be most beneficial for vaccine development , notes Prof. Mike Strauss, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill, and a co-author on the paper. Besides, specific antigens may generate adverse effects, including lung tissue damage, a significant issue encountered in the past during the attempts to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-1 in the 2000s. Having a flexible platform for vaccine development, such as the one described in our paper, allows us to create a-la-carte vaccines that only incorporate those antigens triggering a beneficial immune response but excluding those responsible for adverse effects.

Leveraging McGills advanced microscopes for vaccine platform development

McGills contribution to this vaccine platform's development was in the structural characterization of the nanoparticles used to deliver the antigen to the immune system, using the Facility for Electron Microscopy Research (FEMR) at McGill, the largest and most versatile cryo-electron microscope platform in Canada. This facility houses the most advanced and fastest electron microscopes in the world, producing extremely high resolution imaged that are essential for the characterization of nanoparticles, such as those used as antigen carriers in these vaccines. Cryo-electron microscopy images constitute the gold standard technique to ensure the liposomes carrying the antigens in the vaccine have the desired size and structure to induce a robust immune response.

Professors Strauss and Ortega, who are respectively the FEMR Technical Director and Scientific Director, loaded approximately three microlitres of the vaccine mixture into the Titan Krios microscope at FEMR. In the span of one hour, the Krios microscope produced over 300 images of the small lipidic vesicles contained on the vaccine. These images verified that the RBD antigen was being adsorbed in the lipidic surface of the liposome, which is the optimal location for antigen presentation to the immune system.

FEMR cryo-electron microscopy images showing the structure and location of the RBD antigen in the surface of the lipidic vesicles was essential data for the development of this SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, says Prof. Ortega. There is no other method that allows for the direct visualization of the antigen adsorbed to the liposomes' surface. Other biophysical methods can produce an indirect measurement suggesting the antigens may have been incorporated. Still, only cryo-electron microscopy is capable of visualizing these antigens on the surface of the liposomes directly.

While the paper shows that this SARS-CoV-2 vaccine induces a robust immune response in mice animal models, the researchers say that like any other vaccine, it must undergo extensive additional testing and clinical trials before it can be administered to human communities. They also note that the evidence presented in this study that shows the RBD antigen benefits from being in particle format could help inform future vaccine design that targets this specific antigen.

Authors on the study include Jonathan Lovell, Wei-Chiao Huang, Shiqi Zhou, Xuedan Heand Moustafa T. Mabrouk, all from the University of Buffalo Department of Biomedical Engineering; Kevin Chiemand Luis Martinez-Sobrido, both from Texas Biomedical Research Institute; Ruth H. Nissly, Ian M. Bird and Suresh V. Kuchipudi,all from the Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at Pennsylvania State University; Mike Straussand Joaquin Ortegafrom the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University; Suryaprakash Sambharafrom the Immunology and Pathogenesis Branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Elizabeth A. Wohlfertfrom the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at UB; and Bruce A. Davidsonfrom the Department of Anesthesiology and the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences at UB.

The study was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity (MI4), and the Facility for Electron Microscopy Research (FEMR) at McGill University. FEMR is supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Quebec Government and McGill University.

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Transforming coronavirus proteins into nanoparticles may hold the key to an effective COVID-19 vaccine - McGill Newsroom

Immunology

Transforming coronavirus protein into a nanoparticle could be key to effective COVID-19 vaccine – UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff -…

A UB-led research team has discovered a technique that could help increase the effectiveness of vaccines against the novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Jonathan F. Lovell, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is the primary investigator on the research, titled SARS-CoV-2 RBD Neutralizing Antibody Induction is Enhanced by Particulate Vaccination, which was published online today in Advanced Materials.

COVID-19 has caused a disruptive global pandemic, infecting at least 40 million worldwide and causing more than 220,000 deaths in the United States alone. Since it began spreading in early 2020, biomedical researchers have been in active pursuit of an effective vaccine.

According to Lovell, one answer might lie in designing vaccines that partially mimic the structure of the virus. One of the proteins on the virus located on the characteristic COVID spike has a component called the receptor-binding domain, or RBD, which is its Achilles heel. That is,he says, antibodies against this part of the virus have the potential to neutralize the virus.

It would be appealing if a vaccine could induce high levels of antibodies against the RBD, Lovell says. One way to achieve this goal is to use the RBD protein itself as an antigen; that is, the component of the vaccine that the immune response will be directed against.

The team hypothesized that by converting the RBD into a nanoparticle (similar in size to the virus itself) instead of letting it remain in its natural form as a small protein, it would generate higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and its ability to generate an immune response would increase.

Lovells team had previously developed a technology that makes it easy to convert small, purified proteins into particles through the use of liposomes, or small nanoparticles formed from naturally occurring fatty components. In the new study, the researchers included within the liposomes a special lipid called cobalt-porphyrin-phospholipid, or CoPoP. That special lipid enables the RBD protein to rapidly bind to the liposomes,forming more nanoparticles that generate an immune response, Lovell explains.The team observed that when the RBD was converted into nanoparticles, it maintained its correct, three-dimensional shape and the particles were stable in incubation conditions similar to those in the human body. When laboratory mice and rabbits were immunized with the RBD particles, high antibody levels were induced. Compared to other materials that are combined with the RBD to enhance the immune response, only the approach with particles containing CoPoP gave strong responses.

Other vaccine adjuvant technology does not have the capacity to convert the RBD into particle-form, Lovell notes.

We think these results provide evidence to the vaccine-development community that the RBD antigen benefits a lot from being inparticle format, he says. This could help inform future vaccine design that targets this specific antigen.

Lovells co-authors on the study include Wei-Chiao Huang, Shiqi Zhou, Xuedan He and Moustafa T. Mabrouk, all from the UB Department of Biomedical Engineering; Kevin Chiem and Luis Martinez-Sobrido, both from Texas Biomedical Research Institute; Ruth H. Nissly, Ian M. Bird and Suresh V. Kuchipudi, all from the Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at Pennsylvania State University; Mike Strauss and Joaquin Ortega from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University; Suryaprakash Sambhara from the Immunology and Pathogenesis Branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Elizabeth A. Wohlfert from the UB Department of Microbiology and Immunology; and Bruce A. Davidson from the Department of Anesthesiology and the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences at UB.

Lovell founded the Lovell Lab at UB in 2012. It is focused on developing novel nanomedicine approaches to meet unmet needs in treating and preventing disease. He is also a co-founder of POP Biotechnologies Inc., a preclinical stage biotechnology company developing next-generation drug and vaccines products.

The study was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Facility for Electron Microscopy Research (FEMR) at McGill University. FEMR is supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Quebec Government and McGill.

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Transforming coronavirus protein into a nanoparticle could be key to effective COVID-19 vaccine - UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff -...

Human Behavior

Scientists use gene therapy and a novel light-sensing protein to restore vision in mice – National Institutes of Health

News Release

Thursday, October 22, 2020

NIH-funded therapy will now be tested in humans.

A newly developed light-sensing protein called the MCO1 opsin restores vision in blind mice when attached to retina bipolar cells using gene therapy. The National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, provided a Small Business Innovation Research grant to Nanoscope, LLC for development of MCO1. The company is planning a U.S. clinical trial for later this year.

Nanoscopes findings, reported today in Nature Gene Therapy, show that totally blind micemeaning they have no light perceptionregain significant retinal function and vision after treatment. Studies described in the report showed that treated mice were significantly faster in standardized visual tests, such as navigating mazes and detecting changes in motion.

Opsins are proteins that signal other cells as part of a cascade of signals essential to visual perception. In a normal eye, opsins are expressed by the rod and cone photoreceptors in the retina. When activated by light, the photoreceptors pulse and send a signal through other retinal neurons, the optic nerve, and on to neurons in the brain.

A variety of common eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, damage the photoreceptors, impairing vision. But while the photoreceptors may no longer fully function, other retinal neurons, including a class of cells called bipolar cells, remain intact. The investigators identified a way for bipolar cells to take on some of the work of damaged photoreceptors.

The beauty of our strategy is its simplicity, said Samarendra Mohanty, Ph.D., Nanoscope founder and corresponding author of a report on the mouse study that appears today in Nature Gene Therapy. Bipolar cells are downstream from the photoreceptors, so when the MCO1 opsin gene is added to bipolar cells in a retina with nonfunctioning photoreceptors, light sensitivity is restored.

The strategy could overcome challenges plagued by other approaches to retinal regeneration, according to the researchers. Gene replacement therapy has thus far worked principally in rare diseases that leave photoreceptors intact, such as Luxurna for Leber congenital amaurosis. Bionic eyes, such as the Argus II retinal prosthesis, require invasive surgery and wearable hardware. Other opsin replacement therapies require the intensification of light in order to reach the threshold required for signal transduction. Intense light risks further damage to the retina. Nanoscopes therapy requires a one-time injection into the eye and no hardware. MCO1 is sensitive to ambient light, so no need exists for strong light to be shined into the eye. And therapy with MCO1 could treat a wider range of degenerative retinal diseases, since photoreceptor survival not required.

The researchers found no concerning safety issues in treated mice. Examination of blood and tissues found no signs of inflammation due to treatment and the therapy had no off-target effect only bipolar cells expressed the MCO1 opsin.

Under a best-case scenario, the therapy could help patients achieve 20/60 vision, according to the researchers; however, no one knows how the restored vision will compare to normal vision.

A clinical study in people will help us understand how signaling through bipolar cells affects vision quality; for example, how well treated eyes can pick out fast-moving objects., said Subrata Batabyal, Ph.D., lead author of the manuscript. The therapy will likely be limited for treatment of patients with severe retinal disease.

If this optogenetic approach using cells spared in degenerated retina can prove to be effective in vision restoration in humans, beyond light perception, it could offer a valuable alternative to the retinal prosthesis approach for people with late-stage retinitis pigmentosa, said PaekGyu Lee, Ph.D., NEIs program officer for the Small Business Innovation Research program.

This press release describes a basic research finding. Basic research increases our understanding of human behavior and biology, which is foundational to advancing new and better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Science is an unpredictable and incremental process each research advance builds on past discoveries, often in unexpected ways. Most clinical advances would not be possible without the knowledge of fundamental basic research.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a competitive awards-based funding mechanism that supports U.S.-based small businesses engaged in research and development that has the potential for commercialization. The NEI SBIR program specifically provides funding to companies developing technologies and innovations relating to blinding eye diseases, visual disorders preservation of sight, and addressing the special health problems and requirements of individuals with impaired vision.

NEI leads the federal governments research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs to develop sight-saving treatments and address special needs of people with vision loss. For more information, visit https://www.nei.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nations medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit https://www.nih.gov/.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

DOI is 10.1038/s41434-020-00200-2

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Scientists use gene therapy and a novel light-sensing protein to restore vision in mice - National Institutes of Health

Physiology

Two University of Chicago researchers elected to National Academy of Medicine – UChicago News

University of Chicago faculty members Melody Swartz and Holly J. Humphrey have been elected members of the National Academy of Medicineone of the highest honors in the field.

Swartz, the William B. Ogden Professor of Molecular Engineering at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, was honored for pioneering contributions to the fields of lymphatic physiology, cancer research and immunotherapy. She holds a joint appointment in the Ben May Department for Cancer Research and is co-founder of the Chicago Immunoengineering Innovation Center.

Swartzs research focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of how the lymphatic system regulates immunity in homeostasis and disease, particularly in cancer and chronic inflammation. Her lab applies this knowledge to develop novel immunotherapeutic approaches to cancer, including lymph node-targeting vaccines. Her quantitative and interdisciplinary approach draws on bioengineering, immunobiology, physiology, cell biology and biomechanics.

Swartzs many honors include a MacArthur Fellowship (2012), as well as her election to the National Academy of Arts and Sciences (2018).

Humphrey, the Ralph W. Gerard Emeritus Professor in Medicine at the University, is currently president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. The academy honored Humphrey, MD83, for transforming medical education learning environments by creating cultures of equity, diversity, and belonging that prepare future health professionals to care for diverse populations and address social determinants of health.

Following an internal medicine residency, pulmonary and critical care fellowship, and chief residency at the University of Chicago, she served for 14 years as director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program. During her tenure as dean for medical education, her signature programs focused on equity, diversity and inclusion, mentoring, and professionalism.

She is also the chair of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicines Board of Directors, chair emeritus of the American Board of Internal Medicine and of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, and a past president of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine.

Established originally as the Institute of Medicine in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy and inspires positive actions across sectors. Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

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Two University of Chicago researchers elected to National Academy of Medicine - UChicago News

Cell Biology

USC biological imaging innovator elected to National Academy of Medicine > News > USC Dornsife – USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and…

Provost Professor Scott Fraser is recognized for developing technology that provides unprecedented views of live organisms, from embryonic development to old age. [3 min read]

Provost Professor Scott Fraser, a recognized innovator whose inventions have found wide use in both scientific and clinical settings, is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. (Photo: No Montes.)

Scott Fraser, Provost Professor of Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Physiology and Biophysics, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Pediatrics, Radiology and Ophthalmology, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

Fraser, who holds joint appointments at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and USC Viterbi School of Engineering as well as the Elizabeth Garrett Chair in Convergent Bioscience, is one of just 90 researchers chosen from among the worlds leading scientists to become members of the academy.

Professor Scott E. Fraser is a brilliant biophysicist and innovator, said USC Provost Charles F. Zukoski. He is being recognized for groundbreaking advancements in biology and medicine. His research, which centers on imaging and molecular analyses of intact biological systems, serves as inspiration for future generations of engineers, scientists and medical professionals.

Among the reasons for his election, the academy noted Frasers work integrating biophysics, quantitative biology, and molecular imaging to enable unprecedented views of normal function and disease in live organisms, from embryonic development to old age.

Ive always been fascinated by interdisciplinary teams that can bring new insights into old problems by combining the insights from science, engineering and medicine, Fraser said.

Applying tricks from other fields

Fraser, who earned his bachelors degree in physics and his Ph.D. in biophysics, says he gravitated toward research in biology because there are so many open questions, and so many things that have been thought to be impossible to answer but tricks from other fields make the impossible possible, if the team is willing to tackle it together.

Frasers research delves into early development, organogenesis (the process by which internal organs emerge and develop) and medical diagnostics. His work has spawned several start-up companies and has been used in a number of instruments and FDA-approved diagnostics.

We keep our eyes open to translation of the work in the lab to industrial and clinical utility, he said, adding that USCs Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering and USC Viterbis National Science Foundation-funded Innovation Corps node have both played key roles and offered important instruction on how to best bring their work to potential customers.

In the last year, our IP (intellectual property) has been licensed by a half-dozen different companies, he said. So, we know the work can lead to new instruments, new diagnostics and new techniques.

Fraser said his team works diligently to ensure collaborators in scientific and clinical fields also benefit from their efforts.

We have built the Translational Imaging Center on the University Park campus and the Translational Biomedical Imaging Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles to help support users with interests in fields ranging from regenerative medicine to cancer and diabetes. This is already empowering them to make new insights into their research challenges.

What we hope to do is to make it possible for researchers and clinicians to have aha moments, when they can see things for the first time.

A career highlighted by innovation

After earning his Ph.D. in 1979, Fraser joined the faculty at the University of California, Irvine, where he rose through the ranks to become chair of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. In 1990, he moved to Caltech to serve as the Anna L. Rosen Professor of Biology and the director of the Biological Imaging Center. There, he served as the founding director of both the Caltech Brain Imaging Center and the Rosen Center for Biological Engineering and helped found the Kavli Nanoscience Institute.

In Fall 2012, Fraser moved to USC as Provost Professor at USC Dornsife and USC Viterbi, with formal links to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and Keck School of Medicine of USC. He serves as the director of science initiatives for USC as well as co-director of the Bridge Institute at the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience.

A prolific author and inventor, Fraser has more than 240 peer-reviewed articles and more than 75 issued patents to his credit. He is the recipient of numerous honors and has been elected to the National Academy of Inventors, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the European Academy of Science.

About the National Academy of Medicine

The National Academy of Medicine, established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, is an independent organization of professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine, and the natural, social and behavioral sciences. Election to the academy recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

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USC biological imaging innovator elected to National Academy of Medicine > News > USC Dornsife - USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and...