In Brief

TSRI Screening Center Helps Advance Drug Candidate to Clinical Trials

The Molecular Screening Center at the California campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has played an essential role in advancing to clinical trials a new compound to treat multiple myeloma, the second-most common form of cancer of the blood.

The compound, CB-5083, is produced by Cleave Biosciences, a biotechnology company headquartered in Burlingame, California. CB-5083 is a first-in-class, oral inhibitor of p97, a critical enzyme that controls various aspects of protein homeostasis.

Under the auspices of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Molecular Libraries Screen Centers Network grant, spearheaded by TSRI Professor Hugh Rosen and in collaboration with Professor Raymond Deshaies of the California Institute of Technology, TSRI scientists screened an NIH network library of small molecules (nearly 220,000 at that time) searching for potential p97 inhibitors. They narrowed the field to the top 50 candidates—cutting years off the research process.

The CB-5083 Phase I clinical trial will evaluate the compound’s safety and efficacy in multiple myeloma patients with relapsed/refractory or refractory disease who have not responded to other forms of therapy. According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 70,000 people are living with multiple myeloma in the U.S., and approximately 24,050 new cases will be diagnosed this year.

Karsten Sauer and Stephanie Rigaud Receive Immunology Award

TSRI Associate Professor Karsten Sauer and Stephanie Rigaud, research associate in the Sauer lab, have received a Careers Immunology Fellowship award from the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), a 101-year-old international organization of scientists dedicated to advancing the knowledge of immunology and its related disciplines.

The supported project studies signal transduction mechanisms that ensure the generation of a pathogen-reactive but self-tolerant T cell repertoire. Defects in these mechanisms cause immune deficiencies and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or type 1 diabetes. By elucidating the underlying mechanisms, the Sauer lab hopes to ultimately develop improved therapies for these serious and unpreventable diseases.

TSRI to Celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week

During the upcoming National Postdoc Appreciation Week, September 15 to 19, TSRI will celebrate the institute’s 641 postdoctoral fellows who foster “new ways of approaching and solving challenging research problems,” according to Professor Jamie Williamson, dean of TSRI graduate and postdoctoral studies, who also commended the Society of Fellows (California) and Society of Research Fellows (Florida) for their ongoing leadership, collaboration, networking and community engagement.

“Our vibrant postdoctoral community truly makes Scripps an international leader in basic science,” said Williamson.

Scripps California National Postdoc Appreciation Week activities include:

Free Seated Chair Massage – Monday, September 15, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
Postdocs can sign up for a 10-minute massage; contact Miriam Davis, Miriam@scripps.edu to reserve a time. Appointments are first-come and first-served for postdocs only.
Career and Postdoctoral Services Office Open House and Raffle – Tuesday, September 16, 9 AM to noon. Join the Career & Postdoctoral Services staff for coffee and pastries and visit the new Resource Center at the Hazen Theory Building.
SoF Lightning Talks – Wednesday, September 17, from 1:30 to 5 PM, Beckman building’s Keck Amphitheater. Experience a whirlwind of science in three-minute bursts at the Society of Fellows’ (SoF) and the SOS Toastmasters’ first annual Lightning Talk Competition. During the reception following the talks, the 2014 Outstanding Mentor will be announced.
SoF Distinguished Lecture Series – Thursday, September 18, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM in the Timken Auditorium. Jack Szostak, professor of genetics and chemistry at Harvard University and 2009 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, is the featured speaker. Contact Brian Lamb, bmlamb@scripps.edu to join Szostak on a hike at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve on September 17 or for breakfast, lunch or dinner on September 18.
Social Media Photo Lab – Friday, September 19, from 11 AM to 1 PM, Career & Postdoctoral Services Postdoctoral Office, first floor, Hazen Theory Building. Complimentary professional photos for personal LinkedIn and social media profiles will be offered to the first 30 postdocs who register.

Florida campus events include:

Social Media Photo Lab – Monday, September 15, 5 to 8 PM, classroom B158. Free professional photos for LinkedIn and other career uses. Sign up for a five-minute photo session at http://hris.scripps.edu/training/class/NFS1404CPD
Beer PITCHers – Tuesday, September 16, 5 to 7 PM, Scripps Café. Specialty Beer Cellar will provide the beer tasting while Scripps Florida postdocs practice research elevator pitches. RSVP is requested.
Time Management for Scientists: Doing More Than Just Surviving Thursday – Thursday, September 18, 9:30 AM to noon, conference room B159. Workshop offers time utilization training to become a more effective and efficient scientist. RSVP is required.
Happy Hour and Raffle – Friday, September 19, 5 to 7 PM, Jumby Bay Island Grill, 1203 Town Center Dr. #101, Jupiter. The Postdoc Week finale is sponsored by the Scripps Florida Society of Research Fellows, Scripps Florida Graduate program and the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office.

The week’s activities are co-sponsored by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office. For further details, contact Jean Branan at jbranan@scripps.edu on the California campus or Mike Matrone at matrone@scripps.edu on the Florida campus.

Lunch & Learn: Anger Management

Techniques for responding calmly to stressful situations and frustrating interactions are the focus of the next Lunch & Learn presentation, “Keeping it Cool: Managing your Anger in a Stressful World,” scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, noon to 1 PM, in the Beckman building’s Keck Amphitheater.

Presented by Daphne Lurie, director of the TSRI Counseling and Psychological Services Office, the session will offer tools to help cope with challenging circumstances. The session will cover:

The realities of anger.
Personal responses to anger.
Positive anger-management strategies.

For more information about Lunch & Learn events and other resources offered by Counseling and Psychological Services, visit the office’s website.

FL NWiS Sponsors Business Etiquette Seminar

Today’s etiquette rules for women, particularly in the workplace, differ from those of just a few decades ago. To explore and help master today’s business world behaviors, the Scripps Florida Network for Women in Science (NWiS) will present a seminar on Tuesday, September 23, from 4 to 6 PM, in the Board Room, B252.

Conducted by Jacqueline Whitmore, author, etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, the seminar will provide guidance on confident business and social interactions, effective communication and how to leverage personal power and presence in the workplace.

Faculty, students and staff are invited to attend the seminar. For additional details, contact Briana Weiser, research associate in the Tellinghuisen lab, at (561) 228-2444 or bweiser@scripps.edu.

ScrippsAssists Supports Coastal Cleanup Day

ScrippsAssists invites Scripps California faculty and staff, their families and friends to spend a morning outdoors with Mother Nature at the Carmel Mountain Preserve for the I Love a Clean San Diego’s 30^th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, September 20, from 9 AM to noon.

At this year’s cleanup day, an expected 8,000 San Diego County volunteers will beautify 100 locations throughout the region, including beaches, bays, trails, parks and neighborhoods, removing litter and debris, painting, planting and removing invasive plants.

Volunteers must sign a waiver, provided prior to the event. All ages may participate, but minors under the age of 18 require the signature of a parent or guardian. Participants should carry a reusable water bottle and wear comfortable closed-toed shoes and long pants. While cleanup supplies will be provided, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own buckets or burlap bags to minimize plastic bag waste at the event.

Car pools can be arranged for volunteers. Directions and a location map are available on the Coastal Cleanup Day website. To participate or for additional details, contact Scripps Assists project coordinator Jess Sheu-Gruttadauria at jgruttad@scripps.edu.

Beckman Building Coffee Cart Enhances Services

Beckie’s Coffee Cart, located on the first floor of the Beckman building on the California campus, has enhanced its offerings and now accepts credit cards.

In addition to coffee and tea, the cart now offers iced and blended drinks, new lunch items and an expanded selection of pastries, cookies and muffins, including gluten-free products. A new vendor, Adam’s Lunchbox, supplies sandwiches, salads, parfaits and other fare. Hot lunch dishes, such as quiches and potpies, will be added soon, said cart manager Beckie Schweizer.

A Beckman building fixture for 18 years, the cart is open Monday through Thursday, 8 AM to 4 PM, and Friday, 8 AM to 3 PM. Schweizer also provides catering for business meetings, events, breakfasts and lunches. For more information, contact her at beckieschweizer@yahoo.com

Onsite Clinic Scheduled September 24 on CA Campus

The next onsite immunization clinic on the California campus will be held Wednesday, September 24, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, in building 3366, room 150. Appointments are not needed.

Conducted by Sharp Rees-Stealy staff, the clinic will provide hepatitis B vaccination free of charge to all TSRI employees. Environmental Health & Safety Occupational Medicine must pre-authorize all other procedures based on the employee's working conditions. These procedures include tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines and other titers, immunizations and procedures.

TB testing is provided for employees who, in the scope of their TSRI positions, provide human health care, such as registered nurses, or who work with human subjects. For further details, contact Rachel Longville, rachellv@scripps.edu or x4-8457.

CA Biosafety Committee Meeting Materials Due September 26

The TSRI Institutional Biosafety Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, October 8, 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, September 26.

Emergency Numbers Reminder

In addition to information posted on the TSRI website, the following hotlines are available in an emergency situation:

CALIFORNIA

The California Campus Status Hotline at (858) 784-7000. California employees can call the hotline in any regional emergency for a recorded message on the work status of the campus. The institute's website and email system serve as additional sources of information.

In case of an emergency on the California campus, dial "77." The call is connected automatically with the security operator located at the Beckman Center front entrance. The security operator will answer, take preliminary information and then ask caller to hold as he/she is transferred to the 911 operator. It is important not to disconnect the call during this transfer; the line will be silent until the 911 operator answers (this may take more than a minute). During the call, other members of the TSRI Emergency Response Team will be alerted to provide additional assistance.

FLORIDA

The Florida Campus Status Hotline at (561) 228-2999. Florida employees can call the hotline in any regional emergency, such as a hurricane, for a recorded message on the work status of the campus.

In case of a Florida campus emergency, call "911." Dialing 911 from a TSRI phone automatically connects the caller to Scripps Florida Security desk in Building B reception. Security will obtain the critical information and immediately contact the TSRI Emergency Response Team and the Palm Beach County emergency center, which will dispatch the appropriate team from Jupiter Police, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and/or EMS to the Florida campus.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

coffee
Beckie Schweizer, manager of the coffee cart on the first floor of Scripps California's Beckman building, has expanded the cart’s beverage and lunch fare and now accepts credit cards. (Photo by Cindy Brauer.)

SEARCH NEWS & VIEWS

Professor Dennis Burton: In Search of an Effective HIV/AIDS Vaccine

Donor Eleanor Mosca: Explorer, Caregiver, Educator—and TSRI Supporter

Graduate Student Sany Hoxha: Captivated by Complexity