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Embryology

Shady Grove Fertility’s (SGF) Fairfax, VA IVF Center Reaches 1500 IVF and Egg Freezing Cycles in its First Full Year Open, Shares How SGF Labs Help…

Shady Grove Fertility Fairfax, VA IVF Center

FAIRFAX, Va. (PRWEB) February 26, 2020

SGF is the largest fertility center in Virginia, and has been serving Northern Virginia with highly specialized and personalized fertility care for over two decades. With seven locations in Northern Virginia, the addition of our newest physician, Nicole Doyle, M.D., brings our state total to 13 reproductive endocrinologists and 1 reproductive urologist. SGF Fairfaxs lab director recently shared just a few of the ways their lab is helping more people conceive.

SGFs embryologists have always undergone a rigorous and comprehensive training program, and at SGFs IVF Center in Fairfax, thats no exception. The SGF program takes 4 to 5 years to complete and requires trainees to progress through a robust series of mentorships, on-the-job training, and scaffolded exposure to different procedures. Our embryologists learn procedures in isolation, and practice them over and over and over again, often taking months to master each one before receiving the necessary clearance to perform the procedure unassisted, shared Jim Graham, MS, Laboratories Director.

SGF, a national network of IVF centers, completed over 15,000 IVF cycles in 2017, according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologys (SART) latest preliminary data available.

The SGF Fairfax IVF Center is home to the ninth lab operated by SGF, joining the largest freestanding IVF laboratory in the United States in Rockville, Maryland as well as Towson, MD; Chesterbrook, PA; Manhattan, NY; Richmond, VA; Atlanta, GA; Tampa, FL; and Santiago, Chile.

The Fairfax office laboratory is accredited by the Joint Commission and operates under the leadership of nationally and internationally known Jim Graham, laboratories director and Michael J. Tucker, BSc, Ph.D., FIBiol, HCLD, director of Shady Grove Fertilitys IVF and embryology laboratories.

While our Fairfax lab is no different in following our already stringent training requirements, having increased space allows us to do even more training. Now, we have double the amount of equipment with which we can train new embryologists more effectively, and we can offer more frequent exposure to a variety of procedures, added Graham.

SGF is known for cultivating a culture of continuous innovation. We have always been dedicated to advancing our technical capacity and knowledge within the area of reproductive science. We dont wait for others in our field to figure out the latest techniques; we actively engage in research ourselves, shared Eric Levens, M.D., board certified reproductive endocrinologist and Medical Director of the Fairfax lab.

Within the Fairfax lab, SGF continually investigates new IVF techniques. If I had to summarize how determined we are to improving embryo cultures, Ive always said, even if our efforts result in one more pregnancy out of 1,000, our time was well spent, as we know that one more pregnancy means another family goes home happy as a result of our combined efforts, added Graham.

Like all SGF labs, the Fairfax IVF Center follows a system of both active and passive patient identification whereby team embryologists verify identities and maintain a one-patient-per-hood rule. This robust chain of custody procedure, which remains the gold-standard in reproductive medicine, has made it possible for SGF to increase its lab capacity and size without compromising the quality of patient care.

Another not so well known advantage that SGFs labs offer is isolated incubator spaces for embryos. The longer we can leave embryos undisturbed to develop, the more likely they are to become high-quality, viable embryos, added Graham. Thanks to a substantially increased number of isolated incubator spaces in the Fairfax lab, we can better leave cultures undisturbed.

The use of isolated chambers at SGF represents a major improvement in the IVF process. In many other labs around the nation, spaces are shared by multiple patientsmeaning the environment for one patients developing embryos would impact another each time an embryologist needs to access the embryos of another patient using the same space.

Because we can keep embryos in a more controlled, consistent environment, we can ensure optimal pregnancy rates for our patients, Graham adds.

Assisted reproductive technology continues to develop daily. Each year, new advancements in techniques, new tools to enhance success, and new procedures and protocols become available. SGF continues to not only develop our services, but also our science so that we can continue to deliver on our promise and provide patients the best possible support, adds Levens.

The SGF Fairfax IVF Center offers patients access to highly specialized, comprehensive fertility care, including fertility and ovarian reserve testing and diagnosis; semen analysis; hysterosalpingogram (HSG); low-tech fertility options; in vitro fertilization (IVF); donor egg, sperm, and embryo; genetic screening and testing; gestational carrier; egg freezing; fertility preservation for patients with cancer; and LGBTQ family building. To schedule an appointment with an SGF physician, please call the SGF New Patient Center at 1-888-761-1967 or submit this brief online form.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and counting. With 38 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, we offer patients individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including treatment guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.

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Shady Grove Fertility's (SGF) Fairfax, VA IVF Center Reaches 1500 IVF and Egg Freezing Cycles in its First Full Year Open, Shares How SGF Labs Help...

Anatomy

TV Ratings: Greys Anatomy and Station 19 Reach Four-Week Viewership High – Variety

February 21, 2020 10:49AM PT

Greys Anatomy and its Station 19 both drew their largest total audiences in four weeks on Thursday night.

Station 19 ticked up from a 0.9 rating among adults 18-49 last week to a 1.0 this time around, drawing 6.3 million total viewers, a 4% bump. One hour later, Greys came in at a 1.1 and 6 million, a 7.5% jump from last week. A Million Little Things rounded off the night even for the Disney-owned network at a 0.6 and 3.7 million viewers.

Young Sheldon scored the largest audience on the night with 9 million total viewers and a 1.0 rating, almost exactly the same numbers as last episode. Both The Unicorn and Mom ticked down from their multi-week high 0.8 rating. The two shows came in at a 0.7 this time around, drawing 6 million and 6.2 million viewers respectively. Carols Second Act and Tommy held steady, scoring a 0.6 and a 0.4.

The majority of the shows in NBCs Thursday night comedy lineup improved week-to-week. Superstore rose to a 0.7 and 2.7 million viewers, Brooklyn Nine-Nine jumped to a 0.6 and 1.9 million, and Indebted ticked up to a 0.4 and 1.6 million. Will & Grace matched Indebted with a 0.4 and just over 2 million pairs of eyeballs. Law & Order: SVU came in even at a 0.7 and 3.4 million viewers.

There wasnt much movement on the Fox front Thursday night, as Outmatched and Deputy posted the same 0.5 rating as last week, with the former drawing 2 million viewers and the latter 3.3 million. Last Man Standing rose fractionally to a 0.7 and 3.6 million viewers.

Finally on the CW, Riverdale spinoff was even week-to-week at a 0.1 rating and around 540,000 total viewers.

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TV Ratings: Greys Anatomy and Station 19 Reach Four-Week Viewership High - Variety

Genetics

Remote collaborative research drives new insights on a rare genetic disorder linked to schizophrenia – USC News

The key to a better understanding of schizophrenia may exist in a genetic disorder so rare that researchers havent been able to conduct an adequate study until now.

The genetic disorder 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), caused by a small segment of missing DNA on chromosome 22, is the strongest known genetic risk factor for developing schizophrenia. About a quarter of people with the disorder develop schizophrenia or experience psychotic symptoms, so studying it provides a unique window into how such psychiatric problems develop over time.

But theres one problem: Only about one in 4,000 people have it. Even a large city like Los Angeles may hold just a few hundred people with the condition.

Fortunately, the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) consortium, led by Paul M. Thompson, PhD, associate director of the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, has spent the past 10 years uniting researchers around the world to pool data and insights on rare diseases. Now, ENIGMA has launched a new working group to study 22q11DS using data collected by researchers across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and South America.

Weve pieced together many of the major research centers studying 22q11DS around the world to create the largest-ever neuroimaging study of the disorder, said Christopher Ching, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the INI and lead author of the working groups latest study.

Thompson, Ching and the ENIGMA 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Working Group published their results in the American Journal of Psychiatry on Feb. 12.

Correlations become clear with advanced neuroimaging

To get a clear picture of the brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia in individuals with 22q11DS, the studys authors examined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 533 people with the disorder and 330 healthy control subjects. Using advanced analytic techniques developed at the USC INI, the authors measured and mapped structural differences between the brains of the two groups.

Overall, individuals with 22q11DS had significantly lower brain volumes, as well as lower volumes in specific structures including the thalamus, hippocampus and amygdala, compared with the control group. They also had higher volumes in several brain structures. The magnitude of these abnormalities, especially in those 22q11DS individuals that had psychosis, was larger than is typical in many other common psychiatric conditions.

Notably, the brain changes seen in people with 22q11DS and psychosis significantly overlapped with the brain changes observed in the largest-ever neuroimaging studies of schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses including bipolar disorder, major depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Thats important because these overlapping brain signatures add evidence to support 22q11DS as a good model for understanding schizophrenia in the wider population, Ching said. And thanks to these large ENIGMA studies, we now have a way to directly compare standardized brain markers across major psychiatric illnesses on an unprecedented scale.

This powerful connection means that studying 22q11DS may provide a clear path toward finding a biomarker, or a reliable biological indicator, of schizophrenia. Because of the large sample size used in the analysis, the researchers also found that larger segments of missing DNA in 22q11DS are linked to more extensive brain abnormalities.

Next steps in research

Looking forward, the studys authors aim to explore the similarities between brain abnormalities in individuals with 22q11DS and those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, drawing on data from other ENIGMA groups to better understand whether various psychiatric illnesses may share common origins and affect similar or distinct brain circuits.

The group also plans to use these new analytic tools to explore 22q11DS in animal models, where they can conduct more controlled experiments to better understand the effects of the missing DNA segments across development.

We can even experimentally manipulate specific genes within the locus to better understand how and when they are affecting the development of these brain structures, said Carrie Bearden, PhD, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral science and psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, chair of the working group and corresponding author of the study.

Zara Greenbaum

The study was funded by NIHgrantU54EB020403 from the Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) Program, NIMH Grant RO1 MH085953, and NIA T32AG058507.

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Remote collaborative research drives new insights on a rare genetic disorder linked to schizophrenia - USC News

Immunology

Allergy & Asthma Center Celebrates 25th Anniversary with the Launch of New Website – P&T Community

ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Allergy & Asthma Center, the largest specialty practice serving pediatric and adult patients across the DMV, today unveiled its redesigned website commemorating its 25 years of dedication to delivering state-of-the-art allergy and asthma care for patients in a new up-to-date, highly-engaging website.

The new launch of premierallergist.com comes at a critical time when a patients' experience with a medical practice's website is just as important as their experience with the care they receive. Allergy & Asthma Center understood this, which prompted them to make an array of changes, not only in where their site lives and how it functions, but how visitors interact with content and, most important, the safety of patient information.

The most noted changes include:

"Launching the new website alongside celebrating our 25 years in business has been a great way to start the year," said Dr. Prasad Nataraj, Medical Director for Allergy & Asthma Center. Prospective patients deserve the best of both worlds their experience with our practice online and when they walk through our doors. This patient-centric thinking is what we strive to improve so that we can thrive for another 25!"

The new website was developed by PracticeBeat's best-in-class patient access, acquisition, and retention platform. For more information visit http://www.practicebeat.com.

About Allergy & Asthma CenterAllergy & Asthma Center, one of the largest single allergy, asthma and clinical immunology practices in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., was established by Prasad M. Nataraj, M.D. in 1995. Our experienced team of healthcare professionals offer treatment to both adults and children of all ages, and our 20 convenient locations span across Maryland and the DC Metro area. Both our staff and our specialists are passionate about adhering to core principles that make our practice exceptional, including: Patient-centered care, accessibility and availability, compassionate medical council, innovative medicine, attention to the underlying source of the problem, and patient empowerment and education. http://www.premierallergist.com

Media Contact:

Kathy Ruxton703.340.6343 234034@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Allergy & Asthma Center

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Allergy & Asthma Center Celebrates 25th Anniversary with the Launch of New Website - P&T Community

Genetics

Is the consumer genetics fad over? – MIT Technology Review

The CEO of 23andMe told CNBC her company will lay off 100 people as sales of its direct-to-consumer gene tests slump.

This has been slow and painful for us, CEO Anne Wojcicki told the website, which estimated the cuts would pare about 15% of the company's staff.

Boom times: Sales of DNA tests that tell people their ancestry and health facts started booming a few years ago, propelled by TV and Internet ads hawking the promise that people could gain unique insights from their genes.

During 2018, the total number of people who had ever bought the tests doubled, swelling the databases of 23andMe, Ancestry, and several smaller companies to over 26 million people altogether.

The bust: Now, all signs are that sales of the $99 consumer tests slowed dramatically in 2019.

Our own calculations suggest the largest companies sold only four to six million of them, meaning the databases would have grown by just 20% during the year. That would have been the slowest growth rate for the DNA test industry ever.

Uncertain causes: It's not clear why consumers stopped buying tests in droves. It could be that the market is tapped out, and there aren't many people left curious to learn what percent French or Nigerian they are, or whether they are at risk for going bald.

Others may have concerns about their DNA data staying private, since police have started accessing smaller ancestry databases to carry out genetic manhunts.

Ancestry, which maintains the largest database with more than 16 million people, did not answer questions about whether it had seen a sales slowdown. Last year, Ancestry introduced new health offerings in what some analysts saw as a bid spark a "re-testing" market, or coaxing consumers to pay for an additional test.

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Is the consumer genetics fad over? - MIT Technology Review

Cell Biology

Where Are They Now? Top 3 Biotech Startups From NextGen Bio Class of 2018 – BioSpace

Every year, BioSpace analyzes the biotech industry, looking for the hot new biotech startups to watch. We then produce the NextGen Bio Class of, twenty companies ranked based on several categories, including Finance, Collaborations, Pipeline, and Innovation. The companies were typically launched no more than 18 months before the list was created.

We thought it would be insightful to look back at our previous lists to see where some of those companies are today. Heres a look at the top three companies from the Top 20 Life Science Startups to Watch in 2018.

#1. BlueRock Therapeutics. Founded in 2016, BlueRock was #1 on our list of companies to watch in 2018. With facilities in Ontario, Canada; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and New York, New York, BlueRock launched in December 2016 with a $225 million Series A financing led by Bayer AG and Versant Ventures. The company focuses on cell therapies to regenerate heart muscle in patients who have had a heart attack or chronic heart failure, as well as therapies for patients with Parkinsons disease.

In October 2017, BlueRock and Seattle-based Universal Cells entered into a collaboration and license deal to create induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines that can be used in the manufacture of allogeneic cellular therapies. Shortly afterwards, the company established its corporate headquarters in Cambridge, and in April 2018, established a research-and-development hub in New York City, as well as formalizing a sponsored research collaboration with the Center for Stem Cell Biology at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center. The collaboration focuses on translating Ketterings expertise in creating multiple types of authentic neural cells from stem cells to address diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. BlueRock also received $1 million from the State of New York and Empire State Development under its economic development initiatives program.

In April 2019, BlueRock partnered with Editas Medicine (which was on BioSpaces NextGen Bio Class of 2015 list) to combine their genome editing and cell therapy technologies to focus on novel engineered cell medicines. Part of the deal was to collaborate on creating novel, allogeneic pluripotent cell lines using a combination of Editas CRISPR genome editing technology and BlueRocks iPSC platform.

And finally, in August 2019, Bayer AG acquired BlueRock for the remaining stake in the company for about $240 million in cash and an additional $360 million in pre-defined development milestones.

#2. Prelude Fertility. Prelude Fertility is a bit of an outlier from the typical BioSpace NextGen company, because it isnt quite a biopharma company. It is a life sciences company whose business model is aimed at in vitro fertilization and egg freezing. It was founded with a $200 million investment by entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky. The investment was in the largest in vitro fertilization clinic in the Southeast, Reproductive Biology Associates of Atlanta, and its affiliate, My Egg Bank, the largest frozen donor egg bank in the U.S.

Since then it has expanded in various parts of the country, including adding San Francisco-based Pacific Fertility Center (PFC) to its network in September 25, 2017; partnering with Houston Fertility Institute and acquiring Vivere Health; partnering with the Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago; and in October 2018, partnered with NYU Langone Health.

In March 2019, Prelude merged with Inception Fertility to establish the Prelude Network as the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics and largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in the U.S. Inception is acting as the parent company, with the Prelude Network, both having board representatives from the previous organizations.

#3. Relay Therapeutics. Ranking #3 on our list for 2018, Relay Therapeutics launched in September 2016 with a $57 million Series A financing led by Third Rock Ventures with participation form D.E. Shaw Research. On December 14, 2017, it closed on a Series B round worth $63 million, led by BVF Partners, with new investors GV (formerly Google Ventures), Casdin Capital, EcoR1 Capital and Section 32.

The company focuses on the relationship between protein motion and function. It merges computational power with structural biology, biophysics, chemistry and biology. In December 2018, the company completed a $400 million Series C financing. It was led by the SoftBank Vision fund and included additional new investors, Foresite Capital, Perceptive Advisors and Tavistock Group. Existing investors also participated.

The company announced at the time it planned to use the funds to accelerate the implementation of its long-term strategy, expanding its discovery efforts, advancing existing programs into the clinic and improving its platform.

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Where Are They Now? Top 3 Biotech Startups From NextGen Bio Class of 2018 - BioSpace

Genetics

Second Annual Medical Genetics Awareness Week Will Be Celebrated March 17-21, 2020 – P&T Community

BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The second annual Medical Genetics Awareness Week will be celebrated March 17-21, 2020. Through Medical Genetics Awareness Week, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) aims to promote awareness of the importance of medical genetics professionals, including medical geneticists, laboratory geneticists, genetic counselors, nurses and physician assistants, on the healthcare team. The theme of Medical Genetics Awareness Week is "Celebrating the Contributions of the Entire Medical Genetics Team to Patient Care."

New for 2020 are dedicated medical genetics awareness web pages available at http://www.acmg.net/medicalgeneticsawareness. These pages offer a wide range of resources including tips on how to become an ambassador for medical genetics in your workplace and community; a resource tool kit with suggestions for medical genetics-related activities and tools for use on social media; and information on careers in medical genetics.

Medical Genetics Awareness Week is celebrated to recognize the invaluable contributions that medical genetics healthcare professionals make in the diagnosis, management and prevention of genetic diseases, and the difference these professionals make in the lives of patients and families. Medical Genetics Awareness Week is also intended to educate other healthcare professionals, students and trainees on who medical geneticists are, how they are trained and what they do in the clinic and laboratory.

"As medical genetics and genomics finds a home in healthcare systems across the country, remember the valuable role that the medical and laboratory geneticist plays in delivering high quality high value care," said Anthony R. Gregg, MD, MBA, FACOG, FACMG. "Some in our community have more than 10 years of laboratory and/or clinical training after college. Our disciplines attract the "best in class." As we speak with and care for our patients, we are reminded that it is a privilege to be a part of the medical genetics teama team that includes care providers across the clinical spectrum."

Events related to Medical Genetics Awareness Week will be held during the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in San Antonio, Texas (www.acmgmeeting.net) March 17-21, 2020. The ACMG Annual Meeting is the largest conference specifically for clinical geneticists in the United States. Those interested in collaborating with ACMG to celebrate Medical Genetics Awareness Week, holding their own event or becoming an "ambassador" for medical genetics are invited to email rsantos@acmg.net for more information.

"As a practicing clinical geneticist I have been working with individuals dealing with a genetic issue in their family for over three decades," said Maximilian Muenke, MD, FACMG, ACMG'schief executive officer. "It has been a privilege to meet and accompany families over the years and learn from their challenges and how many of them grow in the process. Even though the overall numbers of healthcare professionals in medical genetics have grown, the demand for genetics services has grown even faster. Based on the preliminary data analysis of the NCC Medical Genetics Workforce Survey, a study initiated by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, wait times to make an appointment with a medical geneticist are too long in many parts of the US. It is my hope that the Medical Genetics Awareness Week will increase knowledge of our profession in the general population and compassion for those affected by genetic conditions."

In 2019, the first ever Medical Genetics Awareness Week brought together people from across the globe to raise awareness of the important work of medical geneticists. The success of the 2020 celebration will once again rest on the participation of people everywhere. ACMG invites you to help 2020's celebration set new records for engagement by visiting the new Medical Genetics Awareness Week web pages and using the resources and tools we offer to support your celebrations. Be sure to tag @TheACMG on social media and include the following hashtags in your social media posts related to Medical Genetics Awareness Week:

#MedicalGeneticsAwareness#IamaMedicalGeneticist#FutureGeneticsProfessional#IamaLabGeneticist#IamaGeneticCounselor#IamaNurseinGenetics#IamaGeneticsPA

About the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and ACMG Foundation

Founded in 1991, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) is the only nationally recognized medical society dedicated to improving health through the clinical practice of medical genetics and genomics and the only medical specialty society in the US that represents the full spectrum of medical genetics disciplines in a single organization. The ACMG is the largest membership organization specifically for medical geneticists, providing education, resources and a voice for more than 2,300 clinical and laboratory geneticists, genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals, nearly 80% of whom are board certified in the medical genetics specialties. ACMG's mission is to improve health through the clinical and laboratory practice of medical genetics as well as through advocacy, education and clinical research, and to guide the safe and effective integration of genetics and genomics into all of medicine and healthcare, resulting in improved personal and public health. Four overarching strategies guide ACMG's work: 1) to reinforce and expand ACMG's position as the leader and prominent authority in the field of medical genetics and genomics, including clinical research, while educating the medical community on the significant role that genetics and genomics will continue to play in understanding, preventing, treating and curing disease; 2) to secure and expand the professional workforce for medical genetics and genomics; 3) to advocate for the specialty; and 4) to provide best-in-class education to members and nonmembers. Genetics in Medicine, published monthly, is the official ACMG journal. ACMG's website (www.acmg.net) offers resources including policy statements, practice guidelines, educational programs and a 'Find a Genetic Service' tool. The educational and public health programs of the ACMG are dependent upon charitable gifts from corporations, foundations and individuals through the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine.

Kathy Moran, MBAkmoran@acmg.net

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SOURCE American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics

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Second Annual Medical Genetics Awareness Week Will Be Celebrated March 17-21, 2020 - P&T Community