MS Drug Discovered at TSRI Is Safe and Effective in Phase II Study

A compound discovered and synthesized in The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) labs of Professors Hugh Rosen and Edward Roberts has provided positive results for safety and efficacy in Phase 2 clinical trials for relapsing multiple sclerosis, according to Receptos, the biopharmaceutical company developing the drug for approval by the US Food and Drug Administration.

“The Rosen and Roberts laboratories are very gratified to see these direct improvements in the lives of patients and families dealing with this debilitating illness,” said Rosen. “These data support our labs' approach at TSRI—that discovery of fundamental mechanisms in chemical biology provides the foundation for intelligent intervention in disease processes. Meeting the needs of patients and their families is our high calling in biomedical science.”

The drug candidate, RPC1063, was first discovered at TSRI from work in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Molecular Libraries Initiative. The randomized, double-blind Phase 2 study assessed the efficacy, safety and tolerability of two orally administered doses of RPC1063 against placebo in 258 patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis across 77 sites in 13 countries. There was a highly statistically significant 86 percent reduction in MRI measures of disease activity.

A Phase 3 trial—a randomized, double-blind study involving 1,200 patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis—was launched in December 2013.

Cindy Ehlers Named Distinguished Researcher

TSRI Professor Cindy Ehlers has received the Research Society on Alcoholism’s (RSA) 2014 Distinguished Researcher Award, recognizing a senior researcher who has made outstanding scientific contributions to the field.

Cited as a premier translational researcher, Ehlers is being honored for her work addressing the psychosocial and biologically based factors of alcohol and drug dependence. Specifically commended were Ehlers’s studies of the causative genetic and environmental factors underlying alcohol-related problems among Native Americans, physiological attributes related to personality and the risk for alcohol use disorders in adolescence, risk factors for heavy drinking and nonlinear brain activity alterations by low dose alcohol.

Ehlers will receive her award and present a plenary session at the RSA and International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism Scientific Conference this month in Bellevue, Washington. A forum of more than 1,800 scientists, the RSA promotes research and the acquisition and dissemination of scientific knowledge in the broad areas of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems.

Additional information on Ehlers’s research is available on her faculty and lab websites.

Winning Images: ‘Taking Art to the Cellular Level’

Several images by TSRI scientists have been selected for a new BIOCOM-sponsored exhibit, "Taking Art to the Cellular Level," at the San Diego International Airport. The 20-piece exhibit was unveiled this month in Terminal 2 of the newly expanded facility and will remain on display until the end of the year.

The exhibit includes:

• “Our Cellular Genesis (Nucleus and ER)” by Lab Assistant Adam Gardner of the Olson lab.
• “Mycoplasma” by Lab Assistant Adam Gardner and Senior Research Associate Ludovic Autin of the Olson lab.
• “Retinal Architecture” by Research Associate Peter Westenskow and Professor Martin Friedlander of TSRI and Lowy Medical Research Institute and Director of the Core Microscopy Facility Malcolm R. Wood.
• “Glioblastoma Brain Tumor with Macrophage Infiltrate” by TSRI alumnus Michael Dorrell (Class of 2004), associate professor of biology at Point Loma Nazarene University, with students Michael Marcacci, Jack Rusing and Zachary Sedillo.

Also receiving an honorable mention was an image by Research Associate Anita Pottekat of the Balch lab.

Chosen for display in a related exhibition at the San Diego International Airport called "Converg(Ing)enuities"—celebrating the creative intersection of art, science and technology—were additional pieces representing TSRI talent:

• "Ferric Attraction" by Research Programmer Max Nanis of TSRI's Su lab.
• "Suburban Octane" by Nanis in collaboration with Los Angeles-based artist Andrew Dubow.

For more information, see http://ilusart.com/sdairportart , http://ilusart.com/honorable-mention and http://art.san.org

Scripps Florida Hosts BioFlorida Seminar on New Drugs

Scripps Florida will host a BioFlorida seminar, “New Drugs on the Block: The Battle of Biologics,” on the evening of Tuesday, June 17.

Speakers will include:

• Christoph Rader, associate professor, TSRI
• Rina Dukor, president, BioTools
• Michael Paredes, state government affairs for Southeast United States, Genentech, Inc.

Open to statewide trade association BioFlorida members and local biomedical researchers, the presentations will review new drugs for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and other conditions.

The event will begin at 5:30 PM with registration and networking; welcome and introductions will start at 6:30 PM. To register, go to https://m360.bioflorida.com/frontend/event/registration/login.aspx?EventId=102906. For additional information, contact TSRI Assistant Professor Patricia McDonald at mcdonalph@scripps.edu or (561) 228-2222

Small Group Meeting with NIH’s Sally Rockey

Registration is open to California TSRI postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to meet with Sally Rockey, deputy director for extramural research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in a small group forum. Principal scientific leader and advisor to the NIH director on extramural research, Rockey’s office manages the NIH grants policies and operation.

The small group gathering will be held Thursday, June 19, from 1 to 2 PM, in the Kellogg II conference room, the Beckman building fifth floor north, coinciding with Rockey’s appearance on campus as keynoter for the Graduate Career Consortium conference, co-hosted by the TSRI Career and Postdoctoral Services office. Space is limited; registration is required.

Industry Bridge Program to Visit Verenium

The next Industry Bridge Program (IBP) event, sponsored by the California campus’s Society of Fellows (SoF), will be held at Verenium Corporation on Tuesday, June 24. Located at 3550 John Hopkins Court, San Diego, Verenium is a recognized pioneer in the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes for use in industrial processes.

Open to TSRI postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, the IBP provides opportunities to learn about industry careers, obtain industry exposure, interact with industry scientists and learn how to effectively transition to industry.

Event application eligibility, procedures, guidelines and registration can be found on the IBP webpage. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis with preference given to biochemists, enzymologists, molecular biologists and microbiologists and first-time IBP participants. Only fully completed applications are eligible. Cancellation within 72 hours of the event will count as attending the visit and will affect future IBP visits.

A typical IBP visit consists of a facilities tour, presentations by the company employees (research, company mission, etc.) and a networking event. For information on other SoF activities and resources, visit the group’s website.

Career Workshops: Creative Poster Design, Social Media for Scientists

Effective communications is the focus of two upcoming professional development workshops presented by the TSRI Career and Postdoctoral Services Office at Scripps California.

“Convey Your Science with Posters,” offering guidance on creating compelling and instructive posters, is scheduled for Monday, June 16, from 9 to 10:30 AM, in the HR training room, 3377 building, suite 205. Conducted by Mike Matrone, the Florida campus Career and Postdoctoral Services program coordinator, the workshop will cover the importance of poster layout, rules for textual content, data and graphics display and best practices in poster presentation. RSVP [http://hris.scripps.edu/training/class/SSS1203APD] is required.

“LinkedIn and Social Media for Scientists,” the topic of the second session of the workshop series Introduction to Networking, will be held Wednesday, June 25, from 1 to 2:30 PM, also in the HR training room. Participants will learn how to build and maintain professional relationships via social media and to construct a professional online presence on different social networking sites, particularly LinkedIn. Jean Branan, the California campus Career and Postdoctoral Services program coordinator, will conduct the session. Registration is required.

Information on other Career and Postdoctoral Services Office resources and programs is available on the office website.

Twitter Chat on Immunotherapy: June 18

TSRI faculty and staff are invited to participate in a Twitter chat on the “Promise of Immunotherapy,” Wednesday, June 18, from 10 to 11 AM. The Cancer Research Institute, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and the American Association for Cancer Research present the chat, to be moderated by Time magazine senior health reporter Alice Park. Join the chat at #CIMchat on Twitter.

Lunch & Learn: The Power of Fun

The stress-reducing and energizing vitality of simple pleasures is the topic of the next Lunch & Learn presentation, “The Power of Fun, Laughter and Play,” scheduled for Thursday, June 26, noon to 1 PM in the Beckman building’s Keck Amphitheater, California campus.

Arranged by the TSRI Office of Counseling and Psychological Services, the session will feature John Smith, employee assistance counselor at the University of California, San Diego, and “laughter leader.” The presentation will cover strategies to reduce workplace tension, energizing tools for mind and body and resources to uncover the potential for joy in life.

TSRI Healthcare Spending Account Deadline: June 30

Participants in the TSRI Healthcare Spending Account or Dependent Care Spending Account during the 2013 plan year must submit 2013 claim reimbursements by June 30. Claim forms are available on the TSRI benefits website. For additional information, contact benefits administration at x4-8487 or benefits@scripps.edu

ScrippsAssists Goes to the Fair for San Diego Food Bank

California campus faculty, staff, family and friends are invited to help with special San Diego Food Bank (SDFB) fundraising efforts at the San Diego County Fair, now under way at the Del Mar Fairgrounds until July 6. Participation includes admission to the fair after working a volunteer shift.

Two volunteers per shift are needed to collect donations and distribute information at the SDFB booth on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the fair season. Shift times are:

• Fridays – 11 AM to 3 PM or 2:30 to 6:30 PM.
• Saturdays and Sundays – 10 AM to 2 PM or 1:30 to 5:30 PM.

High school students and Scouts can receive school community service credit. Children seven years and older may participate with a parent.

In addition, 30-50 volunteers are also needed for work shifts during the Gospel Festival on Saturday, June 28, 10 AM to 10 PM, to collect donations at the festival’s various stages. Shift times for this event will be assigned as volunteers sign up for 2-4 hour shifts.

To volunteer for either activity, contact Mishelle McClanahan-Shinn at mshinn@scripps.edu or 858-784-2738.

Annual CA Golf Tournament Reservations Deadline: July 1

Reservations to play in the California campus’s 19^th Annual Golf Tournament and Dinner are due Tuesday, July 1. The tournament will tee off Thursday, July 24, from 1 to 8 PM, at the Riverwalk Golf Club.

The $66 per-person tournament fee includes green fees, warm-up/driving range balls, dinner and prize opportunities. Thirty-six four-person teams will play in the scramble-format tournament. Team slots are available on a first-paid, first-play basis and are open to family or friends, but must include at least one TSRI employee. Less-than-full foursomes and single players may be matched to complete a team.

Reservations must include full payment. Additional details and a reservation form are available at http://intranet.scripps.edu/california/sports/. For further information, contact tournament chair Patrick Skog, x4-9545 or pskog@scripps.edu, or Todd Maxwell, x4-9566 or toddmax@scripps.edu.

CA Biosafety Committee Meeting Materials Due June 20

The TSRI Institutional Biosafety Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, July 9, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, in the DAR Conference Room. To receive committee consideration, registration documents must be submitted to Environmental Health and Safety via email to rachellv@scripps.edu by Friday, June 20.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

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