Videos
After a 15-year focus on the biology of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) family, the modern-day microbe hunter Don Ganem turned his attention to KSHV, the herpes virus that is the cause of the AIDS-related neoplasm Kaposi sarcoma (KS). His lab at UCSF was the first to cultivate and develop tests for KSHV. In 2010, after nearly 30 years in academia, Ganem left for industry and is currently the Vice President and Global Head for Infectious Disease for the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. View the full interview for many more stories about flunking algebra to hold hands with a girl, what Martians with golf clubs can teach you about drawing conclusions, and taking a turn as Dr. Dolittle.
Vitamin A and its active metabolite retinoic acid (RA) are essential for lung formation, though it is not clear if prenatal vitamin A deficiency influences postnatal lung development and function. In this episode, Wellington Cardoso provides evidence that prenatal disruption of RA signaling results in aberrant, overly differentiated smooth muscle in airways. RA deficiency-associated defects persisted, regardless of the adult vitamin A status, and manifested in airway hyperresponsiveness and structural changes in the bronchial smooth muscle. The study indicates that RA signaling in the developing lung prevents excessive smooth muscle formation.
Sir Marc Feldmann’s research over the last 30 years has focused on the understanding of autoimmune disease, specifically the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Sir Marc, now at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology at Oxford University, championed the importance of antigen presentation and cytokines in autoimmunity, a concept that led to TNF-α blockade. This idea was considered heretical in the 1980s until he and Sir Ravinder Maini led clinical trials showing that blocking TNF-α effectively treated rheumatoid arthritis refractory to previous therapy. The TNF-α antibodies Remicade, Humira, and Enbrel are now the cornerstone of a $25 billion industry. For stories about getting Pharma to speed delivery to patients and the power of persistence, watch the full interview.
Nonsense mutations that lead to PAX6 haploinsufficiency cause congenital aniridia, a panocular condition that results in severe vision defects. Cheryl Gregory-Evans and colleagues hypothesized that suppression of nonsense mutations could increase PAX6 levels and prevent post-natal eye damage. They developed a topical formulation of ataluren that not only inhibited disease progression, but also reversed ocular malformations and restored retinal responses in Pax6-deficient mice.
The simple fact that you can understand the words on this page, and that you might remember any of this interview tomorrow, is thanks to the simultaneous and precise coordination of communication between the billions of neurons in your brain and peripheral nervous system. Herein, the JCI speaks with Thomas Südhof of Stanford University, who has been at the center of unlocking the secrets of neurotransmission. His work over the last 30 years has elucidated much of what we know about the molecular mechanisms of neurotransmission in synaptic signaling. For this body of work, Südhof has recently shared in the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and the 2013 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award.
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