Category Archives: Biochemistry

Biochemistry

Atavistik Bio Announces Formation of Scientific Advisory Board – Business Wire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Atavistik Bio, a pre-clinical biotechnology company that is leveraging their scalable and systematic platform to identify novel regulatory sites on proteins to restore function in disease, announced the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) comprised of distinguished leaders in protein sciences, inborn errors of metabolism, and cancer.

We are proud and honored to have these accomplished scientific leaders join our Scientific Advisory Board, said Marion Dorsch, President and CSO of Atavistik Bio. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience for Atavistik Bio as we leverage our powerful screening and analytics platforms to unlock the potential of protein-metabolite interactions with the goal to bring transformative therapies to patients. Atavistik Bio looks forward to the input of these outstanding scientists and their contribution to our research and development efforts. Feedback and collaboration with our SAB will be critical to advance our efforts to develop therapies to patients in need. It is a very exciting time for all of us at Atavistik Bio.

The founding members of the Atavistik Bio Scientific Advisory Board are:

Dr. Ralph DeBerardinis is Chief of Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism at UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) and Director of the Genetic and Metabolic Disease Program at Childrens Medical Center Research Institute at UTSW (CRI). His laboratory studies the role of altered metabolic pathways in human diseases, including cancer and pediatric inborn errors of metabolism. Work from the DeBerardinis laboratory has produced new insights into disease mechanisms in numerous metabolic diseases, including by defining unexpected fuel preferences in human cancer and uncovering new metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer cells. Dr. DeBerardinis is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and has received numerous awards including the William K. Bowes, Jr. Award in Medical Genetics, the National Cancer Institutes Outstanding Investigator Award, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texass Edith and Peter ODonnell Award in Medicine, and the Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine and the Association of American Physicians.

Dr. DeBerardinis received a BS in Biology from St. Josephs University in Philadelphia before earning MD and PhD degrees from the University of Pennsylvanias School of Medicine. He completed his medical residency and post-doctoral training at The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in Pediatrics, Medical Genetics and Clinical Biochemical Genetics.

Dr. Jared Rutter is a Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and holds the Dee Glen and Ida Smith Endowed Chair for Cancer Research at the University of Utah where he has been on the faculty since 2003. His laboratory has identified the functions of several previously uncharacterized mitochondrial proteins, including the discovery of the long-sought mitochondrial pyruvate carrier. This knowledge has demonstrated that this critical metabolic step is impaired in a variety of human diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the Rutter lab is taking multiple approaches to understand how metabolic state influences cell fate and cell behavior decisions. Dr. Rutter has been an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute since 2015 and serves as co-Director of the Diabetes and Metabolism Center at the University of Utah and co-Leader of the Nuclear Control of Cell Growth and Differentiation at Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Dr. Rutter performed undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University and received his PhD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2001, working with Dr. Steve McKnight. After receiving his PhD, he spent 18 months as the Sara and Frank McKnight Independent Fellow of Biochemistry before joining the faculty at the University of Utah.

Karen Allen, Ph.D. is Professor and Chair of Chemistry at Boston University. For over 25 years, she has led research teams at Boston University, in the Departments of Physiology and Biophysics at the School of Medicine, and Chemistry. She is also a Professor of Material Science and Engineering and on the faculty of the Bioinformatics program at Boston University. The structure-aided design approach in the Allen lab encompasses the use of macromolecular X-ray crystallography, small-angle X-ray scattering, molecular modeling, and kinetics.

Karen received her B.S. degree in Biology, from Tufts University and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Brandeis University in the laboratory of the mechanistic enzymologist, Dr. Robert H. Abeles. Following her desire to see enzymes in action she pursued X-ray crystallography during postdoctoral studies as an American Cancer Society Fellow in the laboratory of Drs. Gregory A. Petsko and Dagmar Ringe.

Kivanc Birsoy, Ph.D. is a Chapman-Perelman Associate Professor at Rockefeller University. His research at Rockefeller focuses on how cancer cells rewire their metabolic pathways to adapt to environmental stresses during tumorigenesis and other pathological states. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Special Fellow award, Margaret and Herman Sokol Award, NIH Career Transition Award, Irma Hirschl/Monique Weill-Caulier Trusts Award, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Foundation Scholar Award, March of Dimes Basil OConnor Scholar Award, AACR NextGen award for Transformative Cancer Research, Searle Scholar, Pew-Stewart Scholarship for Cancer Research and NIH Directors New Innovator Award.

Kivanc received his undergraduate degree in Molecular Genetics from Bilkent University in Turkey in 2004 and his Ph.D. from the Rockefeller University in 2009, where he studied the molecular genetics of obesity in the laboratory of Jeffrey Friedman. In 2010, he joined the laboratory of David Sabatini at the Whitehead Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he combined forward genetics and metabolomics approaches to understand how different cancer types rewire their metabolism to adapt nutrient deprived environments.

Benjamin Cravatt, Ph.D. is the Gilula Chair of Chemical Biology and Professor in the Department of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute. His research group develops and applies chemical proteomic technologies for protein and drug discovery on a global scale and has particular interest in studying biochemical pathways in cancer and the nervous system. His honors include a Searle Scholar Award, the Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry, a Cope Scholar Award, the ASBMB Merck Award, the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, and memberships in the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Ben is a co-founder of several biotechnology companies, including Activx Biosciences (acquired by Kyorin Pharmaceuticals), Abide Therapeutics (acquired by Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals), Vividion Therapeutics (Acquired by Bayer Pharmaceuticals), Boundless Bio, Kisbee Therapeutics, and Kojin Therapeutics.

Ben obtained his undergraduate education at Stanford University, receiving a B.S. in the Biological Sciences and a B.A. in History. He then received a Ph.D. from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in 1996, and joined the faculty at TSRI in 1997.

The SAB will be co-chaired by Dr. DeBerardinis and Dr. Rutter, the scientific founders of Atavistik Bio, and work closely with the company to advance their leading-edge metabolite protein screening platform discovery programs. Im delighted to be appointed Co-Chair of Atavistik Bios Scientific Advisory Board, and to be part of such a distinguished group of experts, said Dr. DeBerardinis. Together we aim to guide Atavistik Bio through the development of its pipeline while maximizing the potential of the companys technology platform, stated Dr. Rutter.

About Atavistik Bio

Atavistik Bio is a pre-clinical biotechnology company that is harnessing the power of protein-metabolite interactions to add a new lens to drug discovery with the aim of transforming the lives of patients. By leveraging its optimized Atavistik Metabolite Protein Screening (AMPS) platform and computational approaches, Atavistik Bio aims to evaluate metabolite-protein interactions by screening proteins with their proprietary metabolite library to determine where binding sites with biological relevance might exist. This will enable Atavistik Bio to build an extensive protein-metabolite database map (the Interactome) to reveal unique insights into the crosstalk between metabolite-protein pathways that were previously thought to be unrelated. Utilizing advanced informatics tools, deep expertise in chemistry and computationally rich structure-based drug design, Atavistik Bio will be able to identify and understand the role of these interactions across important biological and disease-relevant pathways to drive the discovery of novel therapeutics with an initial focus on inborn errors of metabolism and cancer. Atavistik Bio is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, visit http://www.atavistikbio.com.

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Atavistik Bio Announces Formation of Scientific Advisory Board - Business Wire

Biochemistry

Improving Student Success with Course-based Undergraduate Research: The UMass Amherst SEA-PHAGES Program – UMass News and Media Relations

The UMass Amherst Inclusive Excellence Program, now in its fifth year, is funded by a $1 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to increase the universitys capacity for inclusion of all students, but especially for students traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.

In 2020, as an important component of Inclusive Excellence, the College of Natural Sciences launched the Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program. SEA-PHAGES is a two-semester, discovery-based undergraduate research course. Through participation in SEA-PHAGES, students gain a wide variety of lab skills that better prepare them for future success as researchers.

In Phage Discovery, the first course in the sequence, students dig soil samples on campus and work throughout the semester to isolate and characterize new bacteriophages. In Phage Bioinformatics, the second course, students annotate the sequenced genome from a phage discovered during the previous semester and publish it in GenBank.

As of the Fall 2022 semester, the SEA-PHAGES curriculum has officially replaced the traditional introductory lab experience in biology. As a result, all 1,200 students who take Introductory Biology are now engaged in authentic research in their first-year experience.

This transformation is the result of the efforts of faculty Jess Rocheleau and Randy Phillis of biology, Sloan Siegrist of microbiology and Peter Chien of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Watch below for student and faculty highlights in the Phage Discovery course.

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Improving Student Success with Course-based Undergraduate Research: The UMass Amherst SEA-PHAGES Program - UMass News and Media Relations

Biochemistry

Will rapid COVID tests be able to detect new variants? – Futurity: Research News

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New research evaluates how rapid tests will perform when challenged with future SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The availability of rapid antigen tests has significantly advanced efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. But every new variant of concern raises questions about whether diagnostic tests will still be effective.

The new study in Cell attempts to answer these questions.

The researchers developed a novel method for evaluating how mutations to SARS-CoV-2 can affect recognition by antibodies used in rapid antigen tests.

Because most rapid antigen tests detect the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N protein), the team directly measured how mutations to the N protein affected diagnostic antibodies ability to recognize their target.

Based on our findings, none of the major past and present SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern contain mutations that would affect the capability of current rapid antigen tests to detect antibodies, says first author Filipp Frank, an assistant professor in the department of biochemistry at Emory University. Further, these data allow us to look one step ahead and predict test performance against almost any variant that may arise.

The study used a method called deep mutational scanning to evaluate all possible mutations in the N protein in a single, high-throughput experiment. Researchers then measured the impact of the mutations on their interaction with antibodies used in 11 commercially available rapid antigen tests and identified mutations that may allow for antibody escape.

Accurate and efficient identification of infected individuals remains a critically important strategy for COVID-19 mitigation, and our study provides information about future SARS-CoV-2 mutations that may interfere with detection, says senior study author Eric Ortlund, a professor in the department of biochemistry. The results outlined here can allow us to quickly adapt to the virus as new variants continue to emerge, representing an immediate clinical and public health impact.

Findings show that its relatively rare for variants to have mutations to the N protein that allow them to evade diagnostic tests, but there are a small proportion of sequences that could affect detection. Researchers, public health officials, and test manufacturers can use these data to determine if a diagnostic test needs to be evaluated for its ability to detect these mutations or to inform future test design.

Considering the endless cycle of new variants, the data from this study will be useful for years to come, says Bruce J. Tromberg, director of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and lead for the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech program at National Institutes of Health.

While many variants of concern contain multiple mutations to the N protein, the study authors note that their method does not evaluate how multiple mutations could affect diagnostic antibody recognition, representing a limitation of the study.

Support for the project came from NIBIB as part of the RADx initiative.

Source: Emory University

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Will rapid COVID tests be able to detect new variants? - Futurity: Research News

Biochemistry

BU investigator wins highly competitive awards to study the role of proteases in regulation of cellular defenses – News-Medical.Net

Mohsan Saeed, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), has received a five-year, $2 million R35 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, as well as a five-year, $2.5 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It is extremely rare for an early-stage investigator to win these highly competitive awards during the same funding cycle.

Human cells respond to foreign agents such as pathogens and toxins by initiating a strong innate defense response that creates a protective environment in the cells and incapacitates the invading pathogens and foreign substances. The initiation, activation and resolution of this innate defense response is a carefully regulated process designed to avoid both hyperactivation and underactivation of the immune system, either of which can lead to tissue damage, organ dysfunction and microbial diseases.

With his R35 award, Saeed and his colleagues hope to generate new knowledge about the role of proteases (enzyme which breaks down proteins and peptides) in the regulation of cellular defenses and inform the development of strategies to improve the performance of innate defense mechanisms against escalating microbial and environmental threats.

Enteroviruses are human pathogens that replicate in multiple organs and cause a variety of diseases, including gastroenteritis, pneumonia, myocarditis and encephalitis. Currently, little is known about how enteroviruses alter the biology of infected cells. Using his R01 grant, Saeed plans to clarify the role of enteroviral proteases in changing the host cell environment during infection.

Saeed received his MPhil in microbiology from Quaid-e-Azam University, Pakistan, where he studied the molecular epidemiology of polio-like viruses in patients suffering from paralysis. He then joined the University of Tokyo, receiving his PhD in pathology, immunology and microbiology. During his doctoral studies, he developed novel cell culture systems for the study of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and investigated various aspects of this virus in diverse in vitro and in vivo settings.

He then entered the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Charles M. Rice at the Rockefeller University, New York, for his postdoctoral training. Although his research in the Rice Lab mainly focused on HCV, he also gained expertise with a number of other positive-strand RNA viruses, including enteroviruses, flaviviruses and alphaviruses. In addition, Saeed developed a novel "viral degradomics" technique that allows an unbiased identification of cellular proteins cleaved during viral infections.

Saeed joined BUSM in 2019; his group explores the role of viral and host proteases in disease mechanisms of positive-strand RNA viruses at the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL). In early 2021 when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, his lab pivoted to SARS-CoV-2 research and has since made contributions to the molecular understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 establishes infection in various tissues and interacts with the human innate and adaptive immune systems.

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BU investigator wins highly competitive awards to study the role of proteases in regulation of cellular defenses - News-Medical.Net

Biochemistry

8 Jobs To Pursue With a Biochemistry Degree | Indeed.com

By Indeed Editorial Team

Published April 13, 2021

If science is your favorite school subject, consider a biochemistry role. This lab-based science studies why certain substances cause reactions in the cells of various living beings. There are many specialties you can pursue within this degree that can ready you for careers like biochemists, chemical engineers or professors. In this article, we review what biochemistry is, tips for becoming a biochemist and the different roles you can pursue with a biochemistry degree.

Biochemistry is the combination of chemistry, physics and biology. Biochemistry professionals study how these different elements of science affect various living beings and organisms. Many students looking to explore the chemical processes that take place within a living system typically major in biochemistry. Most of the careers you can earn in this degree vary according to your preferred responsibilities and work environment. This degree allows you to specialize in a wide variety of fields, including chemistry, biology and research.

To become a biochemist or to work in the biochemistry field, you must have impressive scientific skills, knowledge and capabilities. You can earn these qualifications by taking the proper courses and gaining relevant experience in your field. Follow these tips to become a successful biochemist:

Earn a high school diploma: You should first graduate high school with your diploma or a GED. Try to take courses like physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology to familiarize yourself with the basic scientific concepts you may later go in-depth on in your bachelor's program.

Get a bachelor's degree: Most employers require biochemistry candidates to earn at least a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, biology, chemistry or another related field.

Select elective courses: Many programs offer elective courses depending on the area of the biochemistry field that you'd like to pursue. You can take courses that help you advance your education further into the medical, biotechnology or veterinary master's degree programs.

Participate in lab work: A majority of biochemistry careers take place in a laboratory. You may complete lab work during your courses to familiarize yourself with the tools and overall lab atmosphere. You can also pursue an internship in a lab to gain hands-on lab training and experience.

There are a wide variety of fields you can pursue, such as forensic science, chemistry and biology, after you earn a biochemistry degree. Common jobs people with biochemistry degrees typically pursue include:

National average salary: $51,544 per year

Primary duties: A forensic science technician assists forensic scientists in criminal investigations to perform tests and report their results. Common job responsibilities include collaborating with law enforcement at crime sciences to collect DNA, running DNA profiling and chemical analysis tests, testifying as an expert witness in court and handling hazardous and contaminated pieces of physical evidence safely and responsibly.

Related: Learn About Being a Forensic Science Technician

National average salary: $63,734 per year

Primary duties: Forensic scientists process various pieces of evidence to help law enforcement prosecute suspects in criminal cases. Other responsibilities include interpreting blood spatter patterns at crime scenes, tracing drugs and other illegal substances in tissues and bodily fluids, managing and preserving crime scenes until the necessary personnel arrives and conducting post-mortem investigations on crime scene victims.

National average salary: $63,908 per year

Primary duties: A chemical engineer uses their advanced knowledge of mathematics and different areas of science to enhance the processes used in chemical experiments. They also work to find solutions to problems that scientists in the chemical industry may regularly undergo. Other key job duties include building, proposing and implementing plans to reach chemical companies' goals, increasing the quality and efficiency levels of chemical processes and compiling and analyzing data gained from on-site visits.

Related: Learn About Being a Chemical Engineer

National average salary: $65,066 per year

Primary duties: A biochemistry professor works for a university, college or other academic institution teaching students about different elements of biochemistry. Their main duties include providing lectures, administering tests, quizzes and assignments, conducting office hours to address students' questions about the lectures, overseeing lab experiments students conduct and developing syllabi that reflects the program's required curriculum.

National average salary: $79,272 per year

Primary duties: A biochemist conducts studies and experiments on the composition and functions of different life forms to determine how various chemical processes affect them. Other key job responsibilities include designing and executing scientific experiments, analyzing and recording large data sets and results, making recommendations on chemical processes based on their findings and refining chemical compounds for medical professionals or the public to use.

National average salary: $80,831 per year

Primary duties: A biologist studies plant life and other organisms to make discoveries about their behaviors, compositions and habitats. They also conduct research on these living beings to determine how other beings or organisms affect their environments. Other job duties include identifying, studying and classifying animals, plants and ecosystems, taking samples and measurements of organisms, learning more about organisms' diets and behaviors and maintaining detailed and accurate records related to their scientific research.

National average salary: $94,755 per year

Primary duties: A medical scientist conducts research on human illnesses and diseases to uncover ways to improve the health of humans. Other job responsibilities include conducting studies to investigate human diseases and potential treatment methods, analyzing medical data and samples to determine causes and dangers of certain chronic diseases or pathogens, building and testing various medical devices and writing research grant proposals for funding applications from private funding and government sources.

National average salary: $111,143 per year

Primary duties: A research scientist conducts experiments on different scientific concepts to prove or disprove certain scientific theories or insights. Other job responsibilities include proposing innovative scientific research ideas, spearheading data collection processes and efforts and publishing important findings in scholarly and academic journals.

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8 Jobs To Pursue With a Biochemistry Degree | Indeed.com

Biochemistry

Carleton University and Turnstone Biologics Extend partnership for Research and Training in Biosciences – Carleton Newsroom

Carleton University today announced the extension of its partnership with Turnstone Biologics (Turnstone), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation immunotherapies to treat and cure solid tumours. The partnership, renewed for a second term, further supports Carletons growing biosciences programs and the development of scientific talent, and augments the universitys expertise in novel oncology research.

This is an opportune time to extend our partnership with Turnstone as we prepare to launch our Life Sciences 2030 Plan, said Maria DeRosa, PhD, Dean of Science and Professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University. Our vision of positioning Carleton as the premier Canadian post-secondary institution for training, talent development and research in the life sciences sector is significantly enhanced through our innovative and productive relationship with Turnstone.

Since 2019, Turnstone has conducted internal development work and sponsored research at Carleton University. The research being undertaken at Carleton includes generating new insights into how cancer therapies regulate immune cells and their effects on new candidate treatments, and how viruses and environmental toxins contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Additionally, representatives of Turnstone have mentored students and participated in life sciences events on campus.

Carleton University offers a wonderful and vibrant academic community. The partnership with Carleton allows us to interact with a variety of excellent researchers and promising students to create opportunities to collaborate, foster scientific ideas and invest in the brilliant minds of the future, said David Stojdl, PhD, Scientific Co-Founder, Senior Vice President and Senior Scientific Fellow, Turnstone Biologics.

The extension of the partnership enables Turnstone to continue engaging graduate students and to provide them with support to conduct research in the areas of immunology, microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology and bioinformatics. The partnership promotes integration with students through Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), job shadowing and experiential education. Graduates will also have the opportunity to closely interact with Turnstones researchers to receive guidance and mentorship.

Talent development is a key objective of this exciting and mutually beneficial research partnership. Together through our partnership, Carleton University and Turnstone are preparing the next generation of life sciences researchers to continue advancing immunotherapies with the aim of improving the survival rate of people with cancer, said Rafik Goubran, PhD, Vice-President (Research and International) and Chancellors Professor, Carleton University.

About Carleton University

Carleton is a dynamic, research-intensive institution that engages in partnerships to addressthe worlds most pressing issues. The universitys corporate collaborations bring together world-class companies, researchers and a new generation of talent with 32,000 students to deliver innovations and results that are driving a more prosperous, sustainable future.

About Turnstone Biologics

Turnstone Biologics, a clinical stage biotechnology company, is developing new medicines to treat and cure solid tumours by pioneering differentiated approaches with two clinically-validated technologies, tumour infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy and viral immunotherapy. Turnstones innovative TIL therapy, which is designed to extend the efficacy of TILs to multiple solid tumour indications by selecting and manufacturing the most potent tumour-reactive T-cells (Selected TILs) for tumour eradication, represents the Companys foundational therapeutic modality driving its cancer immunotherapy pipeline. The Companys lead Selected TIL therapy candidate, TIDAL-01, is expected to enter clinical trials in 2022. Turnstone is developing additional strategies to further potentiate the clinical benefit of Selected TILs, including use in combination with their novel viral immunotherapy.

For more information, please visit http://www.turnstonebio.com, and follow Turnstone on LinkedIn.

Media ContactSteven Reid (he/him)Media Relations OfficerCarleton University613-265-6613Steven.Reid3@carleton.ca

Follow us on Twitter:www.twitter.com/CunewsroomCOVID 19 Updates:https://newsroom.carleton.ca/coronavirus-covid-19/messages/

Wednesday, August 31, 2022 in News ReleasesShare: Twitter, Facebook

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Carleton University and Turnstone Biologics Extend partnership for Research and Training in Biosciences - Carleton Newsroom

Biochemistry

Expert In Biochemistry Dr. Yesu Addepalli Works On A Micro Level To Bring Macro Changes To The Development Of Novel Therapeutics – Tech Times

(Photo : Dr. Yesu Addepalli)

In addition to studying the complex chemical and physical properties of living things, dissecting their cellular structures, and understanding how they interact with different compounds, biochemists play a key role in providing the foundational knowledge and science used to develop health treatments and medical drugs.

Dr. Yesu Addepalli is a renowned expert in the field of biochemistry, having played a critical role in the drug discovery and synthesis of biologically active small molecules. This work has the potential to be revolutionary for the biopharmaceutical industry, as our society battles a wide variety of viruses and diseases. The PHD holder has a unique and valuable perspective thanks to his multifaceted education in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology.

Dr. Addepalli was instrumental in the development of antiparasitic drugs for leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis. When asked about his methods, he explains: "My efforts were geared towards the utilization of chemical derivatization and forward genetic approaches to study a class of compounds that selectively test derivatives for selective activity on Leishmania tubulin and trypanosomatids. [From there, I] assessed their stability, solubility, cell permeability, and in vivo PK properties. [I] performed proof-of-concept testing in the mouse model of leishmaniasis and used a modular synthetic strategy, and Cryo-EM techniques to discover the binding site of a class of pyrimidinone derivatives. [Finally I] optimized promising agents for oral administration and performed dose response testing in animal models."

This work, at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center's Ready laboratory, will allow the development of compounds with a high therapeutic index for the treatment of trypanosomatid infections, based on the identification of molecules that inhibit targeting parasite tubulin polymerization. The newly found understanding of the drug target and mechanism brings promise for the treatment of these arthropod-borne diseases.

Dr. Yesu Addepalli earned his Master of Science degree in organic chemistry from the Government College (Autonomous), Rajahmundry in India before going on to complete his doctoral degree in organic chemistry under the guidance of Research Advisor Prof. Yun He at Chongqing University in China. Most recently, he has been working in a postdoctoral position with esteemed-researcher Professor Joseph Ready at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, which provides him with both the tools and community to evolve and deepen his studies.

"I find bioactive small molecules to be fascinating. The design, synthesis, purification, and characterization of viruses and [their] treatment drugs are a wonder to behold, study, and develop." Dr. Addepalli shares, "Some people find beauty in the world around [them], but I see beauty in the microscopic world of viruses and find great pleasure in being instrumental in halting the spread of viruses through synthesizing biopharmaceuticals."

Although the work is rewarding,Dr. Yesu Addepalli recognizes that it is also a great responsibility, as each challenge is fundamentally a battle between life and death. He is grateful for the diversity of knowledge and skills that his team holds, as it brings them closer to streamlined bioactive molecule development. He is also currently collaborating with biologists at UT Southwestern, and elsewhere, using high-throughput screening strategies to discover small molecules with promising biological activity in an effort to identify compounds and molecules that will push the boundaries of genetic studies. The characterization of biologically active small molecules is a breakthrough for the development of novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative and infectious diseases, as well as for cancer.

Dr. Addepalli's esteemed work has been featured in a variety of reputable publications, and he also has a US patent for his team's work specifically with novel antiparasitic compounds and methods. He is an active member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, as well as the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer. In his free time, he also enjoys reviewing for publications such as Tetrahedron and Heterocyclic Chemistry.

His work revolves around molecules and compounds that are far too small to see with the naked eye, but the impact of his work has a very large scope. As our society has recently been reminded of the threat that these microscopic elements can bring, the work of Dr. Addepalli is perhaps more important than ever before. Gaining a stronger understanding of how these microscopic molecules create disease will help us to understand how to reverse and treat the disease. As they say, knowledge is power.

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Expert In Biochemistry Dr. Yesu Addepalli Works On A Micro Level To Bring Macro Changes To The Development Of Novel Therapeutics - Tech Times

Biochemistry

New Program Honors Effective Teachers and Rekindles Joy in Education | College of Human Medicine | Michigan State University – Michigan State…

August 30, 2022

In the midst of the pandemic, with teaching and many other parts of life disrupted, Randi Stanulis decided it was time to rekindle the joy that College of Human Medicine faculty members find in helping students grow and succeed.

I know that coming out of the pandemic, we found that many of us were experiencing burnout and people feeling we were stretched too thin, said Stanulis, PhD, assistant dean for faculty development and director of the colleges Office of Medical Education Research and Development (OMERAD). It made me think we needed to do something about it.

Thus, a year ago was born Finding Joy in Teaching, an honorific program based on the belief that the best teachers love what they do. Research shows that the most effective teachers not only like what they do, but are flexible and focused on student growth, Stanulis said.

There are a lot of people who say, I teach biochemistry, she said. I say, No, you teach students about biochemistry. That shift is significant.

A year ago, College of Human Medicine department chairs and directors nominated faculty members known for their effective teaching skills and enthusiasm. Stanulis then led the recording of a series of 10 short audio presentations offering the honorees perspectives and suggestions on the joy of teaching. The episodes were posted online and celebrated at the inaugural Joy in Teaching reception, funded in part by the Dr. Ruth Allen Endowment in OMERAD.

The idea for this movement is to elevate a culture where teaching effectiveness is valued and where peers can see what others are doing and be inspired by that, Stanulis said, adding that it really raised awareness to another level that teaching is joyful, is recognized, and is valued at the College of Human Medicine.

While research is an important part of the colleges mission, skillful teaching is equally essential, she said.

In October, department chairs and directors will nominate a second cohort of faculty members to be recognized for their teaching excellence in Finding Joy in Teaching. Those chosen will add their perspectives to the audio series collection and will be honored in the spring. For most, it is clear through listening to their audio episodes, teaching is its own reward.

For 18 years, Stanulis was a professor in MSUs Department of Teacher Education in the College of Education before becoming director of OMERAD.

I enjoy the energy that comes from students when they are actively involved, she said. I enjoy their curiosity. I enjoy seeing them light up as they learn.

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New Program Honors Effective Teachers and Rekindles Joy in Education | College of Human Medicine | Michigan State University - Michigan State...

Biochemistry

Researchers use nitric oxide scavengers to target triple-negative breast cancer – Newswise

Newswise Researchers are exploring a potential new therapeutic approach for triple negative breast cancer treatment. Amir Abdo Alsharabasy, a CRAM doctoral candidate working in the laboratory of Professor Abhay Pandit, is working on the design of nitric oxide scavengers to form a new treatment approach for this aggressive form of breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer is invasive breast cancer that does not respond to hormonal therapy medicines or the current medicines that target the HER2 protein. Triple-negative breast cancer is usually more aggressive, harder to treat, and more likely to recur than cancers that are hormone receptor-positive or HER2-positive.

Nitric oxide is one of the prominent free radicals produced by the tumor tissue, explains Amir, It, at certain concentrations, plays a significant role in breast cancer progression by inducing the cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body Our goal is to develop injectable hydrogel formulations, which can reduce the levels of, or scavenge the nitric oxide, while enhancing the generation of carbon monoxide, so that we can potentially design a new treatment approach for triple negative breast cancer.

Nitric oxide interacts with different components of the large network of proteins and other molecules that surround, support, and give structure to tumor cells and tissues in the body. Hyaluronic acid is one of the main components of this network and is the material of choice for fabricating these hydrogels.

HA plays multiple roles in tumour tissues says Amir. However, its interactions with nitric oxide have not been thoroughly investigated. The study, recently published inBiomacromolecules,attempts to understand the mechanism of these interactions and the different effects on nitric oxide levels and migration of breast cancer cells.

The study is supervised by Prof Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CRAM, and was published with collaborators Dr Sharon Glynn from the Lambe Institute for Translational Research and Dr Pau Farras from the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences in the Ryan Institute at the National University of Ireland Galway,

The work investigated the ability of HA to scavenge nitric oxide. The team found that the conversion of nitric oxide to certain nitrogen centred free radicals causes the HA to break down, which further inhibits the nitric oxide induced migration of cancer cells in the tumor environment.

Collectively, these results help toward understanding the involvement of HA in nitric oxide induced cell migration and suggests the potential use of modified HA, as a key material in different biomedical applications.

Commenting on the study, Professor Abhay Pandit, said: While the recent progress in research about the roles of nitric oxide with tumour progression resulted ultimately in a number of ongoing clinical trials for evaluating the effects of NO-synthase inhibitors, we are focusing on NO itself trying to avoid the side effects/reactions of these inhibitors.

Amir Abdo Alsharabasy received a BSc in Chemistry & Biochemistry, Mansoura University, Egypt, MSc in Biochemistry, Helwan University, Egypt and MSc in Biological and Bioprocess Engineering, Sheffield University, U.K. He spent some time working as a research assistant in Radiation Chemistry Department at NCRRT, Egypt. He was recently awarded two awards for his research. The first was a presentation award from the Second International Conference Therapeutic Applications of Nitric Oxide in Cancer and Inflammatory-related Diseases for his talk on the interactions between nitric oxide and hemin and their implications in the nitration of proteins in breast cancer cells. The second was an EMBO Scientific Exchange Grant to support a visit of the laboratory of Dr. Lasse Jensen in Linkping Univ., Sweden.

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Researchers use nitric oxide scavengers to target triple-negative breast cancer - Newswise

Biochemistry

Research on the Road | The UCSB Current – The UCSB Current

Call it lucky number 10.

Six graduate students, three faculty members and one staff member from UC Santa Barbara have received Fulbright Awards from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to conduct research and/or teach abroad for the upcoming academic year.

The highly competitive fellowship is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

Students are selected for Fulbright Fellowships on the basis of their academic and professional achievements, as well as their record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.

Every year the Graduate Division, along with the Office of Undergraduate Education and faculty reviewers from across campus, support applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program who seek to do research, teach or study for a year in places all over the globe, said Shawn Warner, Graduate Divisions director of professional development.We are so excited that over a third of our campus 15 applicants to the program for the upcoming year were selected as awardees. These 6 students will spend the upcoming academic year carrying out their projects in 5 different countries, all while supporting the Fulbright mission of cultural exchange and ambassadorship.

The winning fellows, their departments, projects and host countries are:

Clara Bailey, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Engineered Microbiomes for Soil Pollutant Remediation (Switzerland)

Sabra Harris, East Asian Language and Cultural Studies, Emergent Indigeneities within Public-Facing Ainu Performance (Japan)

Johanna Krukowski, Theater and Dance, Spectral Frequencies: Recovering the Lost History of Australian Horror Radio (Australia)

Jackson Stephenson, Religious Studies, The Afterlife of Indian Esoteric Buddhist Poetry (India)

Felicity Stone-Richards, Political Science, The Search for Acknowledgment: Anti-Racist and Pro-Immigration Praxis in Japan (Japan)

Kira Weiss, Music, A Contested Symbol with a Dynamic Voice: The Cello and Egyptian Cultural Policy (Egypt)

In addition, three faculty members and one UCSB staff member have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards:

Professor Paul Amar, Global Studies (Brazil) Associate Professor William Elison, Religious Studies (India)Professor Paul Leonardi, Technology Management (Austria) Regional Advisor Megan Pankratz, Education Abroad Program (Korea)

Fulbright Scholars engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for future partnerships. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. Fulbright Scholar alumni include 61 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 40 who have served as a head of state or government.

Over its 75-year history, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world. More than 800 U.S. scholars, artists and professionals from all backgrounds annually teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Additionally, over 1,900 diverse U.S. students, artists and early career professionals in more than 100 different fields of study receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants annually to study, teach English and conduct research overseas.

As the U.S. governments flagship international educational exchange program, the Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support.

In the United States, the Institute of International Education supports the implementation of the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.

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Research on the Road | The UCSB Current - The UCSB Current