News Archive, 2005

Study of Novel Approach to Treating Muscular Dystrophy at Boston Biomedical Research Institute Receives Noted Grant Award

WATERTOWN, Mass. - December 22, 2005 - An innovative research study at Boston Biomedical Research Institute targeting specialized stem cells in adult muscle known as “satellite cells,” has received a funding award from the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This novel approach by Dr. Xingbin Ai focuses on molecules known as heparan sulfatases, which are critical to maintaining the number of muscle stem cells in normal muscle and regulating stem cell activity in injured or diseased muscle.

Satellite cells are essential for muscle regeneration after injury induced by physiological stress or disease. Although normally a very small group of dormant cells in muscle, satellite cells have extensive capacities to expand themselves in response to muscle injury. During the course of muscle regeneration, a large majority of satellite cells transform to generate new muscle, while a subset of satellite cells remain in the dormant pool of satellite cells in the muscle. The number and regenerative capacities of satellite cells decrease with aging, and decrease much more significantly in patients with muscle dystrophic diseases. Consequently, muscle damage is poorly repaired by the elderly and by muscular dystrophy patients, leading to restricted movement and often, death.

“The therapeutic application of stem cells offers much hope to people suffering from muscular dystrophy and compromised mobility due to aging,” says Dr. Ai, “but this approach is challenged by the technical difficulties of obtaining large numbers of stem cells and systematically delivering them to injured muscles.”

To combat this challenge, Dr. Ai and her colleagues in the laboratory of Dr. Charles Emerson are studying the series of ‘signals’ that control the function of satellite cells during muscle regeneration. Specifically, they are examining the process in which the signals are regulated by heparan sulfatases. By understanding how the sulfatases maintain the number of muscle stem cells in healthy muscle, and how they regulate stem cell activity to repair injured muscle, Dr. Ai and her group hope to provide a basis for the use of heparan sulfate or heparan sulfate derivatives in muscle stem cell engineering for the treatment of Muscular Dystrophy as well as muscle weakness that accompanies normal aging.

This novel study at Boston Biomedical was recognized by a prestigious grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a well-known national funder that combats neuromuscular diseases through worldwide research, medical and community services and public health education.

“We are delighted to have this very promising step forward in the fight against muscular dystrophy and aging-related muscle weakness recognized by such a notable funder of biomedical research,” said Boston Biomedical’s Director, Dr. Charles Emerson. “We are confident that these studies will help build a novel approach to treating this degenerative disease.”

Boston Biomedical Research Institute is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to the understanding, treatment and prevention of specific human diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes and conditions such as obesity and reproductive health problems.  For more information visit www.bbri.org.

Media Contact: Terence McGowan, 617-658-7707, mcgowan@bbri.org

Research Assistant is Lead Author of Published Study at Boston Biomedical Research Institute, Showing Strength of BBRI’s Scientific Training Environment

WATERTOWN, Mass. - September 29, 2005 - The Journal of Cell Science has published important evidence about the function of the human protein MARCKS, which is known to be involved in brain development, post natal survival, cellular migration, adhesion, and neurosecretion.  Cynthia Gallant, the lead author on this study done in the lab of Dr. Kathleen Morgan at Boston Biomedical Research Institute, is a research assistant who holds a bachelor’s degree in biology.  “Being first-author on a paper of this quality is a very notable accomplishment for a research assistant,” said Dr. Charles Emerson, Director of Boston Biomedical, “This is first-rate basic science, with important implications for numerous diseases such as Alzheimer’s, chronic bronchitis, asthma and cystic fybrosis.”

MARCKS (Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase substrate) has been reported to be involved in the etiology of these diseases.  Its role in the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels remains to be clarified.  Ms. Gallant and co-authors Jae Young You, Dr. Yasuharu Sasaki, Dr. Zenon Grabarek, and Dr. Kathleen G. Morgan, have shown that MARCKS may be a master regulator of another protein, calmodulin, which, in turn, controls the use of calcium by blood vessels.  Calcium channel blockers are known to be effective in limiting constriction of blood vessels in hypertension.  This new MARCKS pathway may provide a novel target for the development of drugs with similar effects. 

The education of scientists-in-training is an integral part of BBRI’s mission.  Research assistants and postdoctoral fellows work under the mentorship of senior scientists and partner with other researchers to contribute to the disease-based scientific investigations at the Institute.  Ms. Gallant holds her B.A. from Boston University and has over ten years of experience in research laboratories.  She is currently Manager of Dr. Kathleen Morgan’s laboratory at BBRI, where she is  charged with investigating the mechanisms of contraction in smooth muscle cells and tissue.  “BBRI’s unique educational environment encourages emerging scientists to work collaboratively with fellow scientists, and to take the lead on challenging new projects that will enable them to advance their careers,” said Dr. Emerson, “This important discovery by Ms. Gallant and her colleagues is a tribute to the value of this training model.”

Boston Biomedical Research Institute is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to the understanding, treatment and prevention of specific human diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes and conditions such as obesity and reproductive health problems.  For more information visit www.bbri.org.

Media Contact: Terence McGowan, 617-658-7707, mcgowan@bbri.org.

Scientists at the Boston Biomedical Research Institute Solve Structure of Protein that Powers Cell Movement

WATERTOWN, Mass. - September 9, 2005 - The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science has published the three-dimensional structure of a key part of the molecular motor protein, myosin V.  The structure, which describes a protein responsible for the movement of the inner workings of our cells, was determined by a collaborative team of scientists led by Dr. Roberto Dominguez at the not-for-profit Boston Biomedical Research Institute, including Drs. Zenon Grabarek and Renne Lu.

Few people would argue that motility, or movement, is one of the most characteristic and fundamental attributes of life.  The flexing of a muscle, a heartbeat, digestion, or the much more subtle but immensely important transport that takes place within our cells, are all processes that are different expressions of motility and have one thing in common. All are powered by the protein myosin, or more strictly speaking, by one of the members of the myosin family of molecular motor proteins. 

The scientists at Boston Biomedical combined the power of several techniques including X-ray crystallography, resonance energy transfer and molecular modeling to obtain a three-dimensional, atomic resolution structure of the neck region of myosin V.  This form of myosin is responsible for organelle transport inside the cells.  The neck region was initially thought to be a mere link within the molecule.   The scientists at Boston Biomedical have demonstrated that the myosin's neck region has an unexpectedly complex structure, demonstrating that in addition to the previously recognized function as a rigid link, it is also involved in regulation of function of this important protein and possibly mediates its interactions with other proteins.  Understanding the function of myosin V could shed light on disease states involving inappropriate cell movement, such as cancer metastasis.     

Boston Biomedical Research Institute is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to the understanding, treatment and prevention of specific human diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes and conditions such as obesity and reproductive health problems.  For more information visit www.bbri.org.

Contact: Terence McGowan, 617-658-7707, mcgowan@bbri.org.

Scientist Gets Grant to Study Breast Cancer Therapy
By Dan Atkinson/Staff Writer/Watertown TAB
July 15, 2005
Watertown TAB & Press

A scientist at Watertown's Boston Biomedical Research Institute thinks he has a way to block breast cancer tumors before they start.

Dr. Ruben Gonzalez was recently awarded a grant to continue his work researching leptin, a protein found in greater amounts in obese or menopausal women who have a higher rate of breast cancer. Cancer cells use leptin to grow and develop blood vessels for tumors, but blocking leptin signaling stops their growth, Gonzalez found.

"The first hope is to manipulate this thing, and then decrease, or maybe cure breast cancer," he said.

Gonzalez has created leptin peptide antagonists, or LPAs, that are nontoxic blockers of leptin signaling. So far, he has tested them only on mouse cells, where they have been successful in blocking breast cancer cells. He now wants to move on to using human cells, but BBRI needs more funding to continue its research. Gonzalez recently received the Cancer Research and Prevention Award, which would lead to larger grants, according to BBRI director [of institutional advancement] Terence McGowan.

"One of the reasons grants are so wonderful is that they foster more research and we can go after larger [National Institutes of Health] funding," McGowan said.

And once the "basic science" is done, McGowan said, BBRI can start working with a larger pharmaceutical company to develop a drug that would be available to breast cancer patients. BBRI is in discussions with several companies about Gonzalez's research right now, he said.

"We can produce a drug soon if we have the money," Gonzalez said.

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If you would like to learn more about our cancer research efforts at BBRI, please contact Terence McGowan, Director of Institutional Advancement at mcgowan@bbri.org or 617-658-7707.

Innovative Breast Cancer Study at Boston Biomedical Research Institute Receives Highly Competitive Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation Award

WATERTOWN, Mass. - June 29, 2005 - An innovative research study at Boston Biomedical Research Institute targeting a key protein in the uncontrolled production of breast cancer cells has received the highly prestigious Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation award. This novel approach by Boston Biomedical's Dr. Ruben Rene Gonzalez focuses on leptin, a protein primarily known for its relation to obesity and reproduction. The increased leptin levels which accompany obesity and menopause have been shown to increase the risk for development of breast cancer.

Dr. Gonzalez has found compelling evidence that blocking leptin signaling could be a novel approach to preventing breast cancer. He began by designing novel and non-toxic inhibitors of leptin signaling called leptin peptide antagonists, or LPAs. In experiments, he found that the LPAs were effectively able to block the leptin-induced signaling and development of breast cancer cells in tissue culture.  LPAs also block angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels necessary for tumor growth. “Our results showed that blocking leptin activity in malignant breast cancer cells in mice could reduce the possibilities for tumor development and metastasis,” said Dr. Gonzalez. Tamoxifen, a drug of choice for treatment of estradiol responsive breast cancer, is known to have drawbacks. Dr. Gonzalez will also investigate if a combination of LPAs and tamoxifen could significantly decrease establishment of estradiol responsive mammary tumors.

This study at Boston Biomedical represents the first effort to target leptin signaling for breast cancer prevention. The proposed investigation could generate novel ways to prevent breast cancer especially in high risk populations: obese and menopausal women. The promise of this approach was recognized by the grant from Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, a national, non-profit health foundation whose mission is the prevention and early detection of cancer through scientific research and education. The Foundation focuses its energies and resources on those cancers, including lung, breast, prostate, colorectal, cervical, skin, oral and testicular, that can be prevented through lifestyle changes or detection and treatment in their early stages. Dr. Gonzalez also presented his findings at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research held in Anaheim, California.

“It is very encouraging to have Dr. Gonzalez‚s innovative research acknowledged by the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation,” said Boston Biomedical’s Director, Dr. Charles Emerson. “His preliminary results show great promise for a potent new therapeutic approach to treating and preventing breast cancer.”

Boston Biomedical Research Institute is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to the understanding, treatment and prevention of specific human diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, muscular dystrophy, diabetes and conditions such as obesity and reproductive health problems. When appropriate, the Institute collaborates in clinical studies of patients to apply the results of basic research to the cure of disease. 

Groundbreaking Breast Cancer Study at Boston Biomedical Research Institute Receives Prestigious Susan G. Komen Foundation Grant Award

WATERTOWN, Mass. - May 26, 2005 - An innovative research study at Boston Biomedical Research Institute targeting a key protein in the uncontrolled production of breast cancer cells has received the highly prestigious Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation award.   This novel approach by Boston Biomedical’s Dr. Ruben Rene Gonzalez focuses on leptin, a protein which has been shown to promote both the proliferation of cancer cells and the formation of new blood vessels necessary for cancer growth, a process known as angiogenesis.

Although primarily known for its roles in obesity and reproduction, the protein leptin has recently been linked to breast cancer.  “Because of leptin’s active role in recruiting blood vessels for tumor growth, we theorized that blocking leptin’s biological activity could be a novel approach to treating breast cancer,” said Dr. Gonzalez.

To test this theory, the scientists designed non-toxic inhibitors of leptin ‘signalling’ – or communication – which they called leptin peptide antagonists, or LPAs.  In their experiments, they found that the LPAs were able to block leptin-induced proliferation, adhesion and invasion of mammary cancer cells grown in tissue culture, and also in experimental mice.  “Our results showed that LPAs significantly reduced the number and size of mammary tumors in these mice, and also reduced the incidence of metastasis to the liver,” said Dr. Gonzalez.

This study at Boston Biomedical represents the first time that a therapeutic agent targeting leptin signaling has been tested to treat breast cancer, and the promising results did not go unnoticed by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a well-known national funder based in Dallas, Texas that is dedicated to eradicating breast cancer by advancing research, education, screening and treatment.  Dr. Gonzales also presented his findings at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research held in Anaheim, California.

“We are delighted to have this very promising step forward in the fight against breast cancer recognized by such a notable funder of cancer research,” said Boston Biomedical’s Director, Dr. Charles Emerson.  “We are confident that these studies will lead to potent new therapeutics against this devastating disease.”

Dr. Judah Folkman, BBRI Trustee, Shares New Directions in Cancer Research at the Spring 2005 Exploring Science Lecture

WATERTOWN, Mass. - May 27, 2005 - Dr. Judah Folkman, a world renowned pioneer in cancer research and member of Boston Biomedical Research Institute’s Board of Trustees, was the featured speaker at the Spring 2005 Exploring Science Lecture on May 12.  Dr. Folkman’s talk, entitled “Can Human Cancer be Treated Before it is Symptomatic or Anatomically Located?” described his most recent research to detect the earliest signs of cancer in the human body, and his theory that some cancers may be able to be treated before becoming established as tumors.  His work focuses on finding biomarkers, which are molecules in the urine, saliva or blood that signal the presence of disease.   Dr. Folkman’s search for cancer biomarkers is the latest front in the battle for early detection and treatment.  He shared several success stories in patients who have received this novel treatment, and he predicts this approach will be the beginning of a revolution in cancer therapy.

Dr. Folkman is Surgeon-in-Chief, Emeritus and Director of the Vascular Biology Program at Children’s Hospital Boston and Andrus Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Professor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School.

Nearly 100 of Boston Biomedical’s supporters and friends, faculty and staff gathered for Dr. Folkman’s lecture, and they also learned about the very promising cancer biology programs currently in progress here at Boston Biomedical.  If you would like to learn more about our cancer research efforts at BBRI, please contact Terence McGowan, Director of Institutional Advancement at mcgowan@bbri.org or 617-658-7707.

Thomas E. Leggat Elected Trustee of Boston Biomedical Research Institute

WATERTOWN, Mass. - February 2, 2005 - Lincoln resident Thomas E. Leggat was recently elected Trustee of Watertown-based Boston Biomedical Research Institute. Mr. Leggat had been a Corporator at BBRI since 2001. He is a founder of Leggat, McCall and Werner, and Founder of The Leggat Company, Inc. Mr. Leggat is a longtime board member of the Boys & Girls Club, and was on the Board of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry and is a longtime member of the Board of the Adolescent Consultation Services, Inc.

"We are fortunate to have someone as dedicated as Tom Leggat join our Board of Trustees," remarked Dr. Charles Emerson, Jr., BBRI's Director. "Tom's business experience, financial knowledge and connections in the greater Boston community will be of great benefit to BBRI's ongoing efforts to raise vital support for our biomedical research programs which seek to shed new light on the underpinnings of human disease and to identify and develop novel therapeutics and curative treatments."
 
The Boston Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI) is an independent, not-for-profit institution dedicated to basic biomedical research to promote the understanding, treatment and prevention of human disease (including but not limited to Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Muscular Dystrophy and Cardiovascular Diseases) and to the training of research scientists. Investigations focus on structure and function of proteins that control cellular communication, muscle contractility, cell movement, growth and differentiation and on the underlying causes of human disease from the study of disease models and development of novel therapeutics. In a uniquely collaborative environment that fosters innovative, multidisciplinary research, our mission is to advance the frontiers of human knowledge in the biomedical sciences and to develop cures for disease.

Terence McGowan to Lead Development Effort at Boston Biomedical Research Institute

WATERTOWN, Mass., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Watertown based Boston Biomedical Research Institute has recently recruited Terence F. McGowan as Director of Institutional Advancement. Mr. McGowan will lead the fundraising and public relations efforts for BBRI, an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute of 26 scientists doing discovery research in biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology to uncover the causes of human disease. Mr. McGowan comes to BBRI from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, where he was Associate Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. Prior to that he served as Vice President of a multi-faceted healthcare organization,  and was Executive Director of a national eldercare resource and consultation program.  "Terry is an outstanding professional with a breadth of experience in the healthcare field with a track record of success in securing funding for scientific research," says Dr. Charles Emerson, BBRI's Director.  "We are delighted to have Terry aboard. His expertise in building productive strategic alliances for organizations will help us to expand the base of support for our disease-based biomedical research programs."

Prior to his position at Dana-Farber, Mr. McGowan was Vice President of Specialized Health Management of Newton, MA, Executive Director of SeniorLink, and held positions in hospital administration at Brigham & Women's and Charles River Hospitals. He received his BA from University of Massachusetts, Amherst from the BDIC Program including an Administrative Residency at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA.

About Boston Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI)
BBRI is an independent, not-for-profit institution, dedicated to basic biomedical research to promote the understanding, treatment and prevention of specific human diseases. The areas of investigation concern the structure and function of muscle proteins, the mechanism of membrane transport processes, and the control of cell growth and gene  function. A major focus is muscle cell biology, which has implications for neuromuscular and other muscle-related diseases such as asthma, hypertension, malignant hyperthermia and gastrointestinal disorders. When appropriate, the Institute collaborates in clinical studies of patients to apply the results of basic research to problems of human health and the cure of disease.