Posted on | CategoriesCancer / Dermatology | PI: Martin McMahon, PhD

Combination Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Pancreatic Cancer

McMahon and colleagues reported that simultaneous combined inhibition of MEK plus autophagy displayed synergistic anti-proliferative effects against cultured pancreatic cancer cell lines and promoted regression of xenografted patient-derived pancreatic tumors in mice. Continue reading → Combination Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Pancreatic Cancer
Posted on | CategoriesDrug Discovery / Molecular Pharmaceutics | PI: Mingnan Chen, PhD

A New Strategy for Treating Autoimmune Disease While Maintaining Immune Function

The Chen Lab discovered a new therapeutic strategy that avoids immune deficiency while treating autoimmune disease. Specifically, they identified immune cells that express a key immune checkpoint receptor that drives type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. The Chen Lab then created an immunotoxin that selectively depletes these cells. Continue reading → A New Strategy for Treating Autoimmune Disease While Maintaining Immune Function
Posted on | CategoriesImmunology, Inflammation, Infectious Disease / Pathology | PI: Ryan O'Connell, PhD

MicroRNA Regulation of Inflammation and Immunity

MicroRNAs provide a crucial level of control for cell development and function through their post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Their importance is highlighted by their diverse functions in a range of cell types, including immune cells. Continue reading → MicroRNA Regulation of Inflammation and Immunity
Posted on | CategoriesBiochemistry / Diabetes and Metabolism | PI: Helena Safavi-Hemami, PhD & Danny Hung-Chieh Chou, PhD

Fast-acting Insulins from Cone Snails

Faster acting human insulins are needed to improve the efficacy of diabetic insulin pumps. Over the past few years, collaborating teams led by Olivera, Safavi-Hemami, Schlegel, Yandell, and Chou have made the remarkable discovery that fish-hunting cone snails use fast-acting insulins to inactivate their prey by inducing hypoglycemia. Continue reading → Fast-acting Insulins from Cone Snails
Posted on | CategoriesPopulation Health / Population Health Sciences | PI: Adam Bress, PharmD

Assessing and Enhancing Blood Pressure Control Protocols

Adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease who receive intensive systolic blood pressure control have significantly lower rates of death and cardiovascular disease events than those who receive standard control. However, the lifetime health benefits and health care costs associated with intensive control are not known. Continue reading → Assessing and Enhancing Blood Pressure Control Protocols
Posted on | CategoriesCancer / Population Health Sciences | PI: Jennifer A. Doherty, PhD

Ovarian Cancer Subtyping to Understand Risk, Treatment, Survival, and Racial/Ethnic Disparities

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer, with a five-year survival of only 47%. Doherty and colleagues have focused on deciphering heterogeneity in ovarian cancer tumors, as a guide to the understanding of risk, treatment, survival, and racial/ethnic disparities. Continue reading → Ovarian Cancer Subtyping to Understand Risk, Treatment, Survival, and Racial/Ethnic Disparities
Posted on | CategoriesGenomics / Human Genetics | PI: Aaron Quinlan, PhD

Defining Essential Regions of the Human Genome

There is a longstanding interest in identifying the subset of our genome that is the most essential to life and normal development. Quinlan and colleagues studied genetic variation detected among >120,000 human exomes to reveal focal coding regions that lack variation in healthy individuals. Continue reading → Defining Essential Regions of the Human Genome
Posted on | CategoriesCancer / Oncological Sciences | PI: Trudy G. Oliver, PhD

Improved Genetic Models for Non-small-cell Lung Cancer

Oliver and colleagues developed a genetic model of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-squamous cell carcinoma and used the model to show how lineage-defining transcription factors such as Sox2 and NKX2-1 activate genes and pathways that determine different tumor immune microenvironments. Continue reading → Improved Genetic Models for Non-small-cell Lung Cancer
Posted on | CategoriesBiochemistry / Diabetes and Metabolism | PI: Jared P. Rutter, PhD

Sensing and Regulating Cellular Energy Production

Cells must decide when to expand mitochondrial capacity to accommodate increased energy demands. Rutter, Winge, and colleagues have shown that the ancient mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis system has a profound and unexpected regulatory role in driving mitochondrial biogenesis. Continue reading → Sensing and Regulating Cellular Energy Production
Posted on | CategoriesHealth and Disease / Human Genetics | PI: Gabrielle Kardon, PhD

Diaphragm Development and Congenital Hernias

The diaphragm is an essential mammalian skeletal muscle, as it is required for respiration and serves as a barrier between the thoracic and abdominal cavities. The Kardon lab used sophisticated mouse genetic studies to establish that the diaphragm arises from multiple embryonic tissues. Continue reading → Diaphragm Development and Congenital Hernias
Posted on | CategoriesObstetrics & Gynecology / Prevention | PI: Robert M. Silver, MD

Elective Labor Induction in First-Time Moms at 39 Weeks of Gestation

The optimal timing of delivery for low-risk pregnancies is not known. Risks of complications increase after 39 weeks of gestation, but inducing labor may increase the need for cesarean delivery, leading to policies prohibiting elective induction before 41 weeks. To address this dilemma, Robert Silver, MD, and colleagues at the University of Utah Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology randomized 6,106 low-risk, first-time pregnant women to either induction of labor at 39 weeks or expectant management. Continue reading → Elective Labor Induction in First-Time Moms at 39 Weeks of Gestation
Posted on | CategoriesMental Health / Psychiatry | PI: Perry F. Renshaw, MD, PhD , Shami Kanekar, PhD & Douglas G. Kondo, MD

Chronic Hypoxia Exposure Worsens Depression

University of Utah Health investigator Perry Renshaw, MD, PhD, and colleagues combine epidemiology, animal models, and human neuroimaging to study how impaired brain bioenergetics affect psychiatric disorders. They first reported a link between altitude and suicide in the U.S., a finding since replicated in three other continents. Continue reading → Chronic Hypoxia Exposure Worsens Depression
Posted on | CategoriesCardiovascular / Internal Medicine | PI: Paul F. Bray, MD

A Genetic Mechanism Contributing to Racial Differences in Vascular Disease

Heart attacks and strokes result from clots formed in the blood vessels of the heart or brain, respectively. The laboratory of Paul Bray, MD, demonstrated that platelets from Black individuals were more reactive than those from White individuals, suggesting a genetic basis for some of the racial discrepancy observed in vascular diseases associated with clotting. Continue reading → A Genetic Mechanism Contributing to Racial Differences in Vascular Disease
Posted on | CategoriesBiochemistry / Health and Disease | PI: Erhu Cao, PhD & Peter Shen, PhD

Structure and Function of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Channel

The kidney senses and responds to physiological changes, such as pH, ionic strength, pressure, and nutrient levels. Sensing is mediated by a coupled sensor/ion channel complex called the Polycystic Kidney Disease Channel, which is composed of two subunits, the PKD1 (the primary sensor) and PKD2 (the channel). Continue reading → Structure and Function of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Channel
Posted on | CategoriesObstetrics & Gynecology / Prevention | PI: David Turok, MD

HER Salt Lake City Contraceptive Initiative and Family Planning Elevated

The U.S. Healthy People 2020 initiative aims to improve pregnancy planning and increase access to the full range of contraceptive methods. Utah presents unique barriers to contraceptive services, including limited public funding and geographical regions with limited family planning services. Continue reading → HER Salt Lake City Contraceptive Initiative and Family Planning Elevated
Posted on | CategoriesFundamental Biology / Oncological Sciences | PI: Bradley R. Cairns, PhD

Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance

A central issue in epigenetics is whether and how epigenetic information in gametes (sperm and egg) is inherited. Cairns and colleagues discovered that “Placeholder” nucleosomes, containing histone variants, occupy DNA regions lacking methylation in both sperm and early embryos. Continue reading → Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance
Posted on | CategoriesHealth and Disease / Pathology | PI: Tracey J. Lamb, PhD

Vascular Inflammation in Malaria Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis of malaria is characterized by vascular inflammation exacerbated by immune cells that travel to areas where red blood cells infected with parasites stick to the endothelium lining the blood vessels. The Lamb lab has made significant discoveries demonstrating a key role for receptor tyrosine kinase family Eph receptors in malaria pathogenesis. Continue reading → Vascular Inflammation in Malaria Pathogenesis
Posted on | CategoriesBiochemistry / Fundamental Biology | PI: Brenda L. Bass, PhD , Peter Shen, PhD & Janet Iwasa, PhD

Identifying RNAs from Invading Viruses

Biochemical and structural studies from Bass, Shen, Iwasa, and colleagues revealed how Dicer-2, an RNA processing, and antiviral defense enzyme, distinguishes and differentially processes double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) substrates by sensing the unique chemistry at their termini. Continue reading → Identifying RNAs from Invading Viruses
Posted on | CategoriesDiabetes and Metabolism / Internal Medicine | PI: Simon J. Fisher, MD, PhD , Owen Chan, PhD & Candace M. Reno, PhD

Neural and Cardiac Responses to Hypoglycemia

The laboratories of Simon Fisher, MD, Owen Chan, PhD, and Candace Reno, PhD, demonstrated that brain glucose sensing was impaired in rats with recurrent hypoglycemia as a result of defective glucose and lactate metabolism within the neurons and astrocytes in the hypothalamus. The resultant abnormal release of neurotransmitters—such as GABA, glutamate and dopamine—led to inadequate activation of hormonal responses to hypoglycemia. Continue reading → Neural and Cardiac Responses to Hypoglycemia
Posted on | CategoriesHealth and Disease / Internal Medicine | PI: Weiquan Zhu, PhD , Shannon J. Odelberg, PhD & Dean Y. Li, MD, PhD

ARF6 Plays Key Role in Diabetes-Induced Blindness

University of Utah Health researcher Weiquan Zhu, PhD, and colleagues identified a protein, known as ARF6, which regulates the effects of VEGF by maintaining and amplifying its receptor signaling, thus stimulating a series of cascading responses that lead to diabetic retinal edema. Continue reading → ARF6 Plays Key Role in Diabetes-Induced Blindness