Karen Silence is a Belgian national with over 25 years of experience in biotech companies involving antibody development from research through clinical trials. She has managed projects leading antibody therapies from pre-clinical development to clinical studies and has experience in areas such as phage display, antibody expression and characterization, in vitro and in vivo studies, toxicology, clinical operations, and business development.
In 3 sentences or less:
The document analyzes how anthrax and plague biowarfare vaccines interact with human dendritic cells. It finds that while the plague vaccine strongly induces dendritic cell maturation and stimulates immune responses, the anthrax vaccine is a poor stimulator of dendritic cell maturation and cytokine production. However, the anthrax vaccine can stimulate T cell responses when combined with an adjuvant like pertussis, supporting the use of adjuvants to enhance the immune response to suboptimal vaccines.
Explore the cell's role in mediating adverse reactions 7 c09Paul Thiessen
This document discusses the role of neutrophils and macrophages in mediating various physiological and pathological processes. It summarizes several scientific studies that found:
1) Neutrophils can be recruited by substances like gliadin and mediate local inflammatory responses in tissues like the intestine.
2) Neutrophils and macrophages produce reactive molecules that can damage cells and tissues, and their activation levels correlate with conditions like infertility and acute coronary syndrome.
3) Chronic activation of the innate immune system by these cells may underlie metabolic syndrome by stimulating inflammation and hormonal changes.
4) Oxidative stress can increase blood levels of modified lipids implicated in atherosclerosis, coinciding with increased neutrophil counts.
This document summarizes research on using humanized mouse models to study inflammatory skin diseases. Humanized mouse models are generated by transplanting human tissues like skin, immune cells, or organs into immunodeficient mouse strains. This allows the study of human immune cell trafficking and interactions in vivo. Models have been used to investigate processes like T-cell migration and recruitment to skin, as well as test potential anti-inflammatory therapies. Specifically, combining transplants of human immune cells and skin into mice has provided insights into allograft rejection and the effects of immunosuppressants. Overall, humanized mouse models offer advantages over traditional models and clinical research for developing treatments of inflammatory skin disorders and other immunological diseases.
Genetic Resistance to Infectious Diseases in the Era of Personalized Medicine...CrimsonpublishersCJMI
Genetic Resistance to Infectious Diseases in the Era of Personalized Medicine by Andrei Alimov in Cohesive Journal of Microbiology & Infectious Disease
1. The study investigated whether caloric restriction (CR) or resveratrol supplementation could maintain anti-tumor immune responses mediated by an OX40 agonist immunotherapy during aging.
2. Mice were placed on a CR diet or resveratrol-supplemented diet starting at 4-6 months of age and remained on the diet until 12 months of age.
3. CR maintained OX40-mediated anti-tumor immunity in 12-month-old mice, but resveratrol supplementation did not. CR also fully sustained antigen-specific CD4 T cell priming, whereas CD8 T cell priming was only partially maintained compared to young mice.
The influence of reduced oxygen availability on gene expression in laboratory...Santhi Devasundaram
Virtually all dormant
models against tuberculosis tested in animals used laboratory strain H37Rv or Erdman strain. But major
outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB) occur with the strains that have widely different genotypes and phenotypes
compared to H37Rv. In this study, we used a custom oligonucleotide microarray to determine the overall
transcriptional response of laboratory strain (H37Rv) and most prevalent clinical strains (S7 and S10) of
M. tuberculosis from South India to hypoxia.
Yamamoto Efficacy Projection of Obiltoxaximab for Treatment of Inhalational 2016Annette Shadiack
The document summarizes multiple studies that examined the efficacy of obiltoxaximab, a monoclonal antibody against anthrax protective antigen (PA), for the treatment of inhalational anthrax across a range of disease severity. In animal models (rabbits and macaques), a single intravenous dose of obiltoxaximab administered after the onset of symptoms led to significantly higher survival rates compared to placebo, ranging from 17% to 93% survival in rabbits and 6.3% to 78.6% in macaques. Higher pretreatment levels of bacteremia and toxins were associated with lower survival rates. Overall, obiltoxaximab monotherapy was shown to neutralize PA and increase survival
In 3 sentences or less:
The document analyzes how anthrax and plague biowarfare vaccines interact with human dendritic cells. It finds that while the plague vaccine strongly induces dendritic cell maturation and stimulates immune responses, the anthrax vaccine is a poor stimulator of dendritic cell maturation and cytokine production. However, the anthrax vaccine can stimulate T cell responses when combined with an adjuvant like pertussis, supporting the use of adjuvants to enhance the immune response to suboptimal vaccines.
Explore the cell's role in mediating adverse reactions 7 c09Paul Thiessen
This document discusses the role of neutrophils and macrophages in mediating various physiological and pathological processes. It summarizes several scientific studies that found:
1) Neutrophils can be recruited by substances like gliadin and mediate local inflammatory responses in tissues like the intestine.
2) Neutrophils and macrophages produce reactive molecules that can damage cells and tissues, and their activation levels correlate with conditions like infertility and acute coronary syndrome.
3) Chronic activation of the innate immune system by these cells may underlie metabolic syndrome by stimulating inflammation and hormonal changes.
4) Oxidative stress can increase blood levels of modified lipids implicated in atherosclerosis, coinciding with increased neutrophil counts.
This document summarizes research on using humanized mouse models to study inflammatory skin diseases. Humanized mouse models are generated by transplanting human tissues like skin, immune cells, or organs into immunodeficient mouse strains. This allows the study of human immune cell trafficking and interactions in vivo. Models have been used to investigate processes like T-cell migration and recruitment to skin, as well as test potential anti-inflammatory therapies. Specifically, combining transplants of human immune cells and skin into mice has provided insights into allograft rejection and the effects of immunosuppressants. Overall, humanized mouse models offer advantages over traditional models and clinical research for developing treatments of inflammatory skin disorders and other immunological diseases.
Genetic Resistance to Infectious Diseases in the Era of Personalized Medicine...CrimsonpublishersCJMI
Genetic Resistance to Infectious Diseases in the Era of Personalized Medicine by Andrei Alimov in Cohesive Journal of Microbiology & Infectious Disease
1. The study investigated whether caloric restriction (CR) or resveratrol supplementation could maintain anti-tumor immune responses mediated by an OX40 agonist immunotherapy during aging.
2. Mice were placed on a CR diet or resveratrol-supplemented diet starting at 4-6 months of age and remained on the diet until 12 months of age.
3. CR maintained OX40-mediated anti-tumor immunity in 12-month-old mice, but resveratrol supplementation did not. CR also fully sustained antigen-specific CD4 T cell priming, whereas CD8 T cell priming was only partially maintained compared to young mice.
The influence of reduced oxygen availability on gene expression in laboratory...Santhi Devasundaram
Virtually all dormant
models against tuberculosis tested in animals used laboratory strain H37Rv or Erdman strain. But major
outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB) occur with the strains that have widely different genotypes and phenotypes
compared to H37Rv. In this study, we used a custom oligonucleotide microarray to determine the overall
transcriptional response of laboratory strain (H37Rv) and most prevalent clinical strains (S7 and S10) of
M. tuberculosis from South India to hypoxia.
Yamamoto Efficacy Projection of Obiltoxaximab for Treatment of Inhalational 2016Annette Shadiack
The document summarizes multiple studies that examined the efficacy of obiltoxaximab, a monoclonal antibody against anthrax protective antigen (PA), for the treatment of inhalational anthrax across a range of disease severity. In animal models (rabbits and macaques), a single intravenous dose of obiltoxaximab administered after the onset of symptoms led to significantly higher survival rates compared to placebo, ranging from 17% to 93% survival in rabbits and 6.3% to 78.6% in macaques. Higher pretreatment levels of bacteremia and toxins were associated with lower survival rates. Overall, obiltoxaximab monotherapy was shown to neutralize PA and increase survival
Obiltoxaximab, a monoclonal antibody against the protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis, was tested in animal models for its ability to prevent anthrax infection when given as pre- or postexposure prophylaxis. In rabbit and macaque models, a single dose of obiltoxaximab given up to 3 days before or up to 24 hours after exposure to aerosolized B. anthracis spores improved survival rates compared to controls. When given after systemic infection had begun, obiltoxaximab was still protective but resulted in lower survival rates. These results support the potential use of obiltoxaximab for pre- and postexposure prophylaxis against inhalational anth
Presentation from the 2014 Waterloo iGEM team at the Giant Jamboree in Boston. Read more about Staphylocide, our microbe engineered to silence antiobiotic resistance, on our 2014 wiki: http://2014.igem.org/Team:Waterloo.
This presentation is also available on the iGEM website: http://2014.igem.org/files/presentation/Waterloo_Championship.pdf
Arif Jamal Siddiqui is currently a postdoctoral research associate at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock, Texas. He received his PhD in biological sciences from the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research in New Delhi, India. His research focuses on immunology, molecular cell biology, and drug discovery for diseases like malaria and schistosomiasis. Currently, he is working on developing vaccines for schistosomiasis using the Sm-P80 vaccine in baboons.
This document summarizes a study demonstrating that the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio cholerae secretes biologically active proteases via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that play roles in cytotoxicity and inflammation. Specifically, it was shown that OMVs carry the proteases HAP and VesC in active forms, and that OMV-associated HAP induces apoptosis in intestinal cells while OMV-associated VesC causes necrosis, hemorrhage, and increased interleukin-8 responses. The proteases were also found to contribute to intestinal colonization in mice. Overall, the study reveals a mechanism by which V. cholerae secretes virulence factors via OMVs to cause disease.
This document summarizes a research article that studied the relationship between obesity, diabetes, and immune responses against gut bacteria. The key findings were:
1) Obese patients with diabetes had higher levels of IgG antibodies against pathogenic E. coli compared to lean controls, while IgG levels against other bacteria were unchanged.
2) Circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels were elevated in obese diabetic patients and correlated with IgG levels against E. coli.
3) Mice fed a high-fat diet developed glucose intolerance, inflammation, and higher IgG levels against pathogenic E. coli, mirroring the human findings.
The results suggest that specific gut bacteria may contribute to metabolic inflammation and diabetes associated with
1. Mast cells develop from hematopoietic stem cells and differentiate under the influence of SCF and the microenvironment. They are found throughout connective tissues and mucosa where they play roles in inflammation, repair, and homeostasis.
2. Mast cell activation can occur through immunoglobulin E-dependent or independent mechanisms and results in the release of preformed and newly synthesized mediators.
3. Mastocytosis represents a spectrum of disorders characterized by abnormal mast cell accumulation in one or more organ systems. Symptoms range from cutaneous involvement to serious end-organ damage and can be caused by genetic mutations leading to mast cell proliferation.
This document summarizes the mechanisms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It discusses genetic and environmental risk factors for SLE, including a stronger prevalence in females which implicates a role for sex hormones. It describes the diverse clinical presentations of SLE and important autoantibodies involved, such as anti-double stranded DNA antibodies. The document also discusses how these autoantibodies can cause tissue damage by binding to antigens in organs and activating the complement system, as seen in lupus nephritis. Overall, it provides an overview of the pathogenesis of SLE by involving genetic, environmental, and immunological factors.
This research article describes the development of a high-throughput fluorescence-based assay to test inhibition of Trypanosoma cruzi CYP51, an enzyme essential for the parasite. The assay uses recombinantly expressed T. cruzi CYP51 and allows prioritization of compounds from phenotypic screens that are active against T. cruzi but likely through a mode of action other than CYP51 inhibition. This is important because two drugs in clinical development for Chagas disease that target CYP51, posaconazole and ravuconazole, recently failed in clinical trials. The assay provides a way to diversify the drug discovery portfolio and reduce risk.
Ryan Sanni contributed research on adjuvants and vaccines at Windsor University School of Medicine. Adjuvants help enhance the immune response to vaccines, allowing for lower doses of antigen or fewer immunizations. Common adjuvants include aluminum salts, emulsions, and toll-like receptor agonists. Ongoing research is exploring new delivery systems and immune potentiators to induce stronger and longer-lasting immunity through cellular and humoral responses.
Mast cells play important roles in allergic diseases through their development, activation, and release of mediators. They develop from hematopoietic stem cells under the influence of stem cell factor and local tissue factors. Activated through IgE-dependent or non-IgE dependent mechanisms, mast cells degranulate and release preformed mediators like histamine and proteases, as well as synthesize new mediators. They contribute to allergen sensitization by influencing dendritic cells and promoting Th2 responses. In anaphylaxis, mast cell tryptase is the predominant mediator released systemically.
This document discusses antibodies, vaccines, and adjuvants. It provides information on monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, how they are produced, and their applications. It also discusses vaccines, including how traditional vaccines are prepared and different vaccine categories. Specific topics covered include hepatitis B vaccines, the impact of genetic engineering on vaccines, peptide vaccines, vaccine vectors, AIDS vaccine development and challenges.
Study Demonstrates Effectiveness of combination therapy for breast cancer cel...emmanuel0915
The document discusses two studies: 1) A combination therapy for breast cancer cells that was shown to be effective in vitro, targeting genes that promote cancer cell growth. 2) A safer alternative gene therapy for HIV infection that uses zinc finger nucleases to eliminate the CCR5 receptor in T cells, making them resistant to HIV. The therapies show promise for treating cancers resistant to chemotherapy and providing an effective treatment for HIV infection.
This document provides an overview of transplantation immunology. It defines key terms like transplantation, donor, recipient, graft, and alloantigens. It discusses that transplantation between non-identical individuals leads to rejection by the adaptive immune system. It describes the direct and indirect pathways of alloantigen recognition by T cells. It also outlines the activation and effector functions of alloreactive T lymphocytes, including their role in rejection through direct killing of graft cells or production of cytokines. Costimulation is also noted as important for full activation of alloreactive T cells.
This document summarizes key advances in neurogastroenterology and motility research from 2011. Three main points are:
1) Studies showed that gut microbes and nutrients can affect mood and food intake through the vagus nerve and endocannabinoid signaling. Stress was also found to exacerbate visceral pain through changes in primary afferent neurons and spinal glia.
2) Two studies provided evidence that enteric glia can generate new neurons in the gut after injury, indicating they may serve as neuronal precursors.
3) Research found that neuronal serotonin protects the enteric nervous system and regulates motility and inflammation, while mucosal serotonin contributes to visceral pain. A new
COMPUTER AIDED PERSPECTIVE OF SELECTION OF PLANTS AGAINST VIRUSESManik Ghosh
This document discusses using computer-aided docking studies to select plants that may contain compounds effective against viruses. Key points:
1) Docking studies of phytochemicals from 20 plants against protein targets of influenza, dengue, HIV, and chikungunya viruses identified compounds like flavonoids, curcumin, and gallic acid that gave good docking scores and estimated inhibition constants, suggesting potential antiviral activity.
2) This rational in silico approach could help medicinal chemists more efficiently explore natural products for antiviral leads without random plant selection.
3) Some compounds identified in the docking studies like curcumin, quercetin, and gallic acid were
Adjuvant is an immunological agent which enhances the body's immune response to an antigen.
Adjuvants may be added to a vaccine to boost the immune response to produce more antibodies and longer-lasting immunity, thus minimizing the dose of antigen needed to the vaccine.
Adjuvants are used in combination with a specific antigen that produced a more robust immune response than the antigen can do alone.
This document discusses cancer immunology and immunotherapy. It defines tumor antigens that can be recognized by the immune system, including tumor-specific antigens unique to cancer cells and tumor-associated antigens normally expressed on fetal cells. The immune response to tumors is mainly mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and macrophages. Cancer immunotherapy aims to activate the patient's own immune system to fight tumors, using approaches like cytokine therapy, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, monoclonal antibodies, and cancer vaccines.
estrategies infection, c. albicans and c. glabrataIPN
This document compares the infection strategies of two common pathogenic yeasts - Candida albicans and C. glabrata. While their strategies share some concepts, they differ significantly. C. albicans uses aggressive hyphal growth and host cell damage to obtain nutrients, triggering a strong inflammatory response. In contrast, C. glabrata relies on stealth, evasion and persistence without severe damage, interacting with macrophages inside non-acidified phagosomes. Both fungi are successful commensals and pathogens through independent evolutionary paths.
1) The document discusses innate immunity, which provides the first line of host defense against infection through recognition of microbial and damaged self molecules. (2) It describes the cellular and soluble components of innate immunity, including phagocytes, dendritic cells, NK cells, complement proteins, and antimicrobial peptides. (3) Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play a key role in innate immunity by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to initiate inflammatory responses and stimulate adaptive immunity.
Vaibhav Shinde has over 10 years of experience in experimental biology. He has contributed to the development of targeted molecules for cancer and stem cell models for developmental toxicity. His education includes a Ph.D. from the University of Cologne in stem cell biology and establishment of a stem cell-based teratogenicity prediction system. He has over 10 publications and expertise in stem cell biology, cancer biology, and drug discovery. Currently, he is seeking new opportunities to apply his skills in leading scientific discoveries into clinical cures.
This document summarizes the credentials and experience of Dun Li, Ph.D., a cancer biologist and research scientist. Li has over 10 years of experience in molecular biology, cancer research, and drug development. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Boston University developing transgenic zebrafish models of breast cancer, leukemia, and neuroblastoma. Previously, Li received his Ph.D. from Stony Brook University studying mutant p53 and cancer drug resistance. He has authored 7 peer-reviewed publications and received NIH training grants. Li is seeking a position where he can apply his expertise in cancer biology, molecular biology techniques, and animal model development.
Obiltoxaximab, a monoclonal antibody against the protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis, was tested in animal models for its ability to prevent anthrax infection when given as pre- or postexposure prophylaxis. In rabbit and macaque models, a single dose of obiltoxaximab given up to 3 days before or up to 24 hours after exposure to aerosolized B. anthracis spores improved survival rates compared to controls. When given after systemic infection had begun, obiltoxaximab was still protective but resulted in lower survival rates. These results support the potential use of obiltoxaximab for pre- and postexposure prophylaxis against inhalational anth
Presentation from the 2014 Waterloo iGEM team at the Giant Jamboree in Boston. Read more about Staphylocide, our microbe engineered to silence antiobiotic resistance, on our 2014 wiki: http://2014.igem.org/Team:Waterloo.
This presentation is also available on the iGEM website: http://2014.igem.org/files/presentation/Waterloo_Championship.pdf
Arif Jamal Siddiqui is currently a postdoctoral research associate at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock, Texas. He received his PhD in biological sciences from the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research in New Delhi, India. His research focuses on immunology, molecular cell biology, and drug discovery for diseases like malaria and schistosomiasis. Currently, he is working on developing vaccines for schistosomiasis using the Sm-P80 vaccine in baboons.
This document summarizes a study demonstrating that the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio cholerae secretes biologically active proteases via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that play roles in cytotoxicity and inflammation. Specifically, it was shown that OMVs carry the proteases HAP and VesC in active forms, and that OMV-associated HAP induces apoptosis in intestinal cells while OMV-associated VesC causes necrosis, hemorrhage, and increased interleukin-8 responses. The proteases were also found to contribute to intestinal colonization in mice. Overall, the study reveals a mechanism by which V. cholerae secretes virulence factors via OMVs to cause disease.
This document summarizes a research article that studied the relationship between obesity, diabetes, and immune responses against gut bacteria. The key findings were:
1) Obese patients with diabetes had higher levels of IgG antibodies against pathogenic E. coli compared to lean controls, while IgG levels against other bacteria were unchanged.
2) Circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels were elevated in obese diabetic patients and correlated with IgG levels against E. coli.
3) Mice fed a high-fat diet developed glucose intolerance, inflammation, and higher IgG levels against pathogenic E. coli, mirroring the human findings.
The results suggest that specific gut bacteria may contribute to metabolic inflammation and diabetes associated with
1. Mast cells develop from hematopoietic stem cells and differentiate under the influence of SCF and the microenvironment. They are found throughout connective tissues and mucosa where they play roles in inflammation, repair, and homeostasis.
2. Mast cell activation can occur through immunoglobulin E-dependent or independent mechanisms and results in the release of preformed and newly synthesized mediators.
3. Mastocytosis represents a spectrum of disorders characterized by abnormal mast cell accumulation in one or more organ systems. Symptoms range from cutaneous involvement to serious end-organ damage and can be caused by genetic mutations leading to mast cell proliferation.
This document summarizes the mechanisms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It discusses genetic and environmental risk factors for SLE, including a stronger prevalence in females which implicates a role for sex hormones. It describes the diverse clinical presentations of SLE and important autoantibodies involved, such as anti-double stranded DNA antibodies. The document also discusses how these autoantibodies can cause tissue damage by binding to antigens in organs and activating the complement system, as seen in lupus nephritis. Overall, it provides an overview of the pathogenesis of SLE by involving genetic, environmental, and immunological factors.
This research article describes the development of a high-throughput fluorescence-based assay to test inhibition of Trypanosoma cruzi CYP51, an enzyme essential for the parasite. The assay uses recombinantly expressed T. cruzi CYP51 and allows prioritization of compounds from phenotypic screens that are active against T. cruzi but likely through a mode of action other than CYP51 inhibition. This is important because two drugs in clinical development for Chagas disease that target CYP51, posaconazole and ravuconazole, recently failed in clinical trials. The assay provides a way to diversify the drug discovery portfolio and reduce risk.
Ryan Sanni contributed research on adjuvants and vaccines at Windsor University School of Medicine. Adjuvants help enhance the immune response to vaccines, allowing for lower doses of antigen or fewer immunizations. Common adjuvants include aluminum salts, emulsions, and toll-like receptor agonists. Ongoing research is exploring new delivery systems and immune potentiators to induce stronger and longer-lasting immunity through cellular and humoral responses.
Mast cells play important roles in allergic diseases through their development, activation, and release of mediators. They develop from hematopoietic stem cells under the influence of stem cell factor and local tissue factors. Activated through IgE-dependent or non-IgE dependent mechanisms, mast cells degranulate and release preformed mediators like histamine and proteases, as well as synthesize new mediators. They contribute to allergen sensitization by influencing dendritic cells and promoting Th2 responses. In anaphylaxis, mast cell tryptase is the predominant mediator released systemically.
This document discusses antibodies, vaccines, and adjuvants. It provides information on monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, how they are produced, and their applications. It also discusses vaccines, including how traditional vaccines are prepared and different vaccine categories. Specific topics covered include hepatitis B vaccines, the impact of genetic engineering on vaccines, peptide vaccines, vaccine vectors, AIDS vaccine development and challenges.
Study Demonstrates Effectiveness of combination therapy for breast cancer cel...emmanuel0915
The document discusses two studies: 1) A combination therapy for breast cancer cells that was shown to be effective in vitro, targeting genes that promote cancer cell growth. 2) A safer alternative gene therapy for HIV infection that uses zinc finger nucleases to eliminate the CCR5 receptor in T cells, making them resistant to HIV. The therapies show promise for treating cancers resistant to chemotherapy and providing an effective treatment for HIV infection.
This document provides an overview of transplantation immunology. It defines key terms like transplantation, donor, recipient, graft, and alloantigens. It discusses that transplantation between non-identical individuals leads to rejection by the adaptive immune system. It describes the direct and indirect pathways of alloantigen recognition by T cells. It also outlines the activation and effector functions of alloreactive T lymphocytes, including their role in rejection through direct killing of graft cells or production of cytokines. Costimulation is also noted as important for full activation of alloreactive T cells.
This document summarizes key advances in neurogastroenterology and motility research from 2011. Three main points are:
1) Studies showed that gut microbes and nutrients can affect mood and food intake through the vagus nerve and endocannabinoid signaling. Stress was also found to exacerbate visceral pain through changes in primary afferent neurons and spinal glia.
2) Two studies provided evidence that enteric glia can generate new neurons in the gut after injury, indicating they may serve as neuronal precursors.
3) Research found that neuronal serotonin protects the enteric nervous system and regulates motility and inflammation, while mucosal serotonin contributes to visceral pain. A new
COMPUTER AIDED PERSPECTIVE OF SELECTION OF PLANTS AGAINST VIRUSESManik Ghosh
This document discusses using computer-aided docking studies to select plants that may contain compounds effective against viruses. Key points:
1) Docking studies of phytochemicals from 20 plants against protein targets of influenza, dengue, HIV, and chikungunya viruses identified compounds like flavonoids, curcumin, and gallic acid that gave good docking scores and estimated inhibition constants, suggesting potential antiviral activity.
2) This rational in silico approach could help medicinal chemists more efficiently explore natural products for antiviral leads without random plant selection.
3) Some compounds identified in the docking studies like curcumin, quercetin, and gallic acid were
Adjuvant is an immunological agent which enhances the body's immune response to an antigen.
Adjuvants may be added to a vaccine to boost the immune response to produce more antibodies and longer-lasting immunity, thus minimizing the dose of antigen needed to the vaccine.
Adjuvants are used in combination with a specific antigen that produced a more robust immune response than the antigen can do alone.
This document discusses cancer immunology and immunotherapy. It defines tumor antigens that can be recognized by the immune system, including tumor-specific antigens unique to cancer cells and tumor-associated antigens normally expressed on fetal cells. The immune response to tumors is mainly mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and macrophages. Cancer immunotherapy aims to activate the patient's own immune system to fight tumors, using approaches like cytokine therapy, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, monoclonal antibodies, and cancer vaccines.
estrategies infection, c. albicans and c. glabrataIPN
This document compares the infection strategies of two common pathogenic yeasts - Candida albicans and C. glabrata. While their strategies share some concepts, they differ significantly. C. albicans uses aggressive hyphal growth and host cell damage to obtain nutrients, triggering a strong inflammatory response. In contrast, C. glabrata relies on stealth, evasion and persistence without severe damage, interacting with macrophages inside non-acidified phagosomes. Both fungi are successful commensals and pathogens through independent evolutionary paths.
1) The document discusses innate immunity, which provides the first line of host defense against infection through recognition of microbial and damaged self molecules. (2) It describes the cellular and soluble components of innate immunity, including phagocytes, dendritic cells, NK cells, complement proteins, and antimicrobial peptides. (3) Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play a key role in innate immunity by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to initiate inflammatory responses and stimulate adaptive immunity.
Vaibhav Shinde has over 10 years of experience in experimental biology. He has contributed to the development of targeted molecules for cancer and stem cell models for developmental toxicity. His education includes a Ph.D. from the University of Cologne in stem cell biology and establishment of a stem cell-based teratogenicity prediction system. He has over 10 publications and expertise in stem cell biology, cancer biology, and drug discovery. Currently, he is seeking new opportunities to apply his skills in leading scientific discoveries into clinical cures.
This document summarizes the credentials and experience of Dun Li, Ph.D., a cancer biologist and research scientist. Li has over 10 years of experience in molecular biology, cancer research, and drug development. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Boston University developing transgenic zebrafish models of breast cancer, leukemia, and neuroblastoma. Previously, Li received his Ph.D. from Stony Brook University studying mutant p53 and cancer drug resistance. He has authored 7 peer-reviewed publications and received NIH training grants. Li is seeking a position where he can apply his expertise in cancer biology, molecular biology techniques, and animal model development.
This document provides a summary of Patricia Grutkoski's professional experience and qualifications. She has over 20 years of experience in research and diagnostic laboratories, including launching laboratory developed tests and implementing new FDA-approved assays. Her areas of expertise include clinical studies using animal and human subjects under various regulatory guidelines. She has a Ph.D. in molecular biology and has held several leadership roles supervising staff and projects at various research institutions and companies.
Mechanisms and applications of apoptosis based and molecularDrSatyabrataSahoo
The document discusses apoptosis, or programmed cell death, and strategies for targeting apoptosis for disease treatment. It notes that apoptosis is regulated by various molecules and caspase activation plays a key role. Cancer development involves evading apoptosis, so targeting apoptosis is a promising strategy. Several therapeutic agents targeting different apoptosis regulators are in clinical trials, alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Strategies include targeting caspases, death receptor signaling, or modulating other apoptosis components. Successful targeting of apoptosis has been demonstrated in experimental models and holds potential for treating various diseases.
Hao Liu has over 15 years of experience in drug discovery research. He has developed biochemical and cell-based assays to screen for oncology and metabolic disease targets. He is skilled in developing and optimizing high throughput screening assays, cell signaling studies, and molecular biology techniques. Liu has authored several publications and presented at conferences.
Xiumei Cao is a Chinese scientist currently working as an associate professor in Shanghai Jiaotong University. She has a Ph.D. in Biological Regulation from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and extensive experience in immunology and cancer research. Her work has focused on the regulation of signaling pathways like TLR, TNF, and Sonic Hedgehog that are important in innate immunity and cancer. She has published numerous papers investigating the roles of various molecules in these pathways.
The document discusses the history and early studies of transfer factors, which are immune system regulators found in colostrum that can transfer immunity. Early studies showed transfer factors from blood were effective against various infections and diseases but posed contamination risks. Researchers then found transfer factors in bovine colostrum that were non-species specific and more effective. Later studies showed bovine colostrum transfer factors reduced relapse in Burkitt's lymphoma, showed preliminary benefits for AIDS patients, and helped treat recurrent cystitis.
The document provides a resume for Sandra Sharpe Cohen detailing her extensive experience in virology and immunology research since 1980, including her current role as Assistant Research Scientist at NYU School of Medicine since 1999. It outlines her responsibilities in areas such as research project design, data analysis, assay development, and supervision of lab personnel. Her education and skills in various laboratory techniques are also summarized.
Avanti Gokhale is an Assistant Professor at Emory University specializing in defining disease pathways and biomarkers. She has extensive experience researching schizophrenia and other complex diseases using systems biology and human samples. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented nationally and internationally.
This document provides a summary of Douglas Ivey's expertise and qualifications. Ivey has extensive experience in molecular discovery, genetics, and biochemistry. He has a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and has worked on projects involving drug screening, vaccine development, and identifying genetic mutations and proteins in various organisms. Ivey has strong technical skills and is well-suited for leading high-value research projects.
Discovery of new form of dystrophin protein could lead to therapy for some Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients
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Genetics, lifestyle have a strong impact on biomarkers for inflammation, cancer
The document discusses four main strategies for monitoring the efficacy of oncolytic viruses via gene expression analysis: 1) analyzing overall gene expression in tumor cells before and after virus treatment, 2) looking at specific genes in tumor cells, 3) focusing on transgenes introduced into viruses, and 4) following viral gene expression. Several studies utilized these approaches in animal models and human cell lines. Gene expression changes provided insights into mechanisms like apoptosis, immune response, and signaling pathways affected. The most informative monitoring may integrate analysis of tumor cell and viral gene expression over time.
This resume is for Jon Vermeire, who has extensive experience in biological research focusing on parasitic helminths like hookworms. He is currently an Assistant Researcher at the University of California, San Francisco researching hookworm disease models. Previously he held positions at Yale University and the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Vermeire has a wide range of expertise including pathology, epidemiology, immunology, and parasitology. He has published several papers and is a member of professional organizations like the American Society of Parasitologists.
John Nixon has over 15 years of experience evaluating biological targets for therapeutic monoclonal antibody projects at MedImmune and CAT. He rapidly assesses new target proposals, coordinating expert input to support project initiation. Additionally, he has successfully organized large internal scientific symposia across continents. Nixon also provides strategic input, helping scope key target opportunities in multiple sclerosis and atopic dermatitis. He has strong expertise in small molecule drug discovery from his previous role at Roche.
This document summarizes Jie Jean Wei's research experience over 15+ years working in biotech industries. She has experience with antibody purification, characterization, conjugation, cell culture, ELISA, flow cytometry, and more. She holds a Master's degree in biochemistry and has worked on projects related to islet cell proliferation, Her-2/neu overexpression and angiogenesis, DNA methyltransferase regulation, and human genome mapping. Her diverse experience qualifies her for continued research pursuits focused on disease mechanisms and cancer.
This document summarizes the qualifications and experience of Shumei Ren, a biomedical research investigator specializing in oncological diseases. Ren has over 15 years of experience in molecular biology, pharmacology, and various techniques including flow cytometry, in vitro assays, and high throughput methods. Ren's professional experience includes positions at Thomas Jefferson University, Albany Medical College, and Hokkaido University investigating topics such as gastric cancer, prostate cancer, fibrosis, and hematopoietic malignancies.
The document discusses the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism in biomedical research. Some key points:
- Zebrafish are becoming a popular alternative to mammalian models due to their small size and low costs.
- They have been successfully used in developmental biology research employing genetic and molecular methods.
- Extensive past research has established zebrafish as a favored genetic model, providing brain anatomy and physiology similar to humans.
Nicholas Grammatikakis is a Research Director at the Institute of Biosciences and Applications in Greece. He has over 30 years of experience in cellular and molecular biology research focusing on signal transduction in cancer and stress response. His research has studied mechanisms of kinase regulation, chemotherapeutic inhibition of oncogenic kinases, regulation of chaperone proteins and stress response, and identification of novel molecular chaperones. He has supervised many laboratory staff and students.
1. Karen Silence
Born 22 March 1969
Married, two children (18-21 ys old)
Belgian Nationality
Introduction
I have been actively involved in the start-up of two biotech companies (Ablynx and arGEN-x).
I was project leader in both companies for the lead projects, taking them from research into
pre-clinical development and eventually in clinical trials. I also participated in business
discussions and grant writing. I have supervised and managed small and large teams of
technicians and scientists.
Professional experience
Phage display
Humanization/germlining and formatting of antibodies
Expression and purification of antibodies
Assay development and validation for efficacy testing, pharmacokinetic and
immunogenicity testing, cross reactivity analysis, biomarker analysis….
Characterization of antibodies in in vitro assays (FACS, ELISA, Biacore, qPCR, ex vivo
studies….)
In vivo characterization of antibodies in
o monkeys/pigs/guinea pigs: thrombosis model (Folts), restenosis model, stroke
model
o mouse Xenograft models
Pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity testing in different species, PK-PD modeling
Tissue cross reactivity studies
Toxicology
CMC/fill and finish
CTA filing for phase I studies
PK-PD modeling clinical studies
Discussion with clinicians and other consultants (KOLs) on clinical development strategy
Manage outsourcing of activities to CROs
Writing/reviewing of study plans, protocols, reports, SOPs, grants
Recruitment/growth and training of the team
Planning and tracking of progression
FTE allocation
Budgeting
BD discussions/due dilligence
Project and people management
2. Studies
Bachelor of Chemistry: (October 1987-July 1989: distinction)
Free University of Brussels
Licentiate in Chemistry: (October 1989-July 1991: distinction)
Catholic University of Leuven, Prof. Dr. Y. Engelborghs
Ph.D. in Science: (September 1991-December 1995)
Catholic University of Leuven, Gasthuisberg, Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology,
Prof. Dr. D. Collen, Prof. Dr. H.R. Lijnen
Title thesis: Mechanism of the interaction between plasmin(ogen), 2-antiplasmin and
staphylokinase. I did the full preclinical characterization of staphylokinase and was involved
in the enrolment of the first patients.
Title of joint thesis: “Phage Display” a useful technique to produce more active enzymes
Work experience
September 2009- December 2015: arGEN-X: research fellow: initiated the companies lead
project (ARGX-110) six years ago and took it from pre-clinical to clinical studies as project
manager. Currently responsible for PK-PD modeling and clinical operations. ARGX-110 is an
anti-CD70 monoclonal antibody with ADCC enhanced properties, currently in phase I studies
in cancer patients. Project manager for Fn14, another autoimmune and cancer target.
Involved in partnering discussions, due dilligence and responsible for all academic
collaborations.
August 2008- June 2009: Tibotec-Virco, Johnson&Johnson, Generaal de Wittelaan,
Mechelen, Belgium: Associate director Virology lab operations. Responsible/supervision of
the diagnostics labs in Virco.
December 2001-July 2008: Ablynx, Technologiepark 4, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium:
associate director pharmacology. I was heavily involved in the start up of the company
Ablynx. My initial role in the company was to manage the development and characterization
of Nanobodies against some potentially interesting clinical targets. One of these targets was
von Willebrand factor. I managed this program from the research phase till development-
early clinical phase. In February 2007 I was promoted to associate director pharmacology. I
was heading a group of 24 technicians and 11 (senior) scientists in the pharmacology
department. My department was responsible for PK-PD studies (animal-human), toxicity
studies, development and transfer of assays for clinical studies to CROs, animal efficacy
models, tissue cross reactivity testing….
September 1997-November 2001: Department of Immunology, Parasitology and
Ultrastructure, Free University of Brussels, VIB: post-doc. I was responsible for different
projects regarding Nanobodies and supervising 2 technicians. I was actively involved in the
start-up of a spin-off company (Ablynx) where I was the first employee
3. February 1996-June 1996: Centre for Human Genetics, Prof. J.J. Cassiman, Gasthuisberg,
Leuven
June 1996-August 1997: University Fertility Center, Gasthuisberg, Leuven
Values-strengths
I value a good team spirit: we work on a project as a team and will jointly do
everything possible to bring it to a good end and this within the timelines
The results from the team I am responsible for should be of excellent quality
I am enthusiastic, very efficient and motivated
I value good communication and sharing of information to the whole team
Training of people, explaining the goals of the project and decisions taken by senior
management is very important to get the best out of them
Publications
1. Silence K., D’Hoore A., Engelborghs Y. Fluorescence stopped-flow study of the
interaction of tubulin with the antimitotic drug MDL 27048. Biochemistry 1992; 31:
11133-11137.
2. Collen D., Silence K., Demarsin E., De Mol M., Lijnen H.R. Isolation and
characterization of natural and recombinant staphylokinase. Fibrinolysis 1992; 6:
203-213.
3. Ueshima S., Silence K., Collen D., Lijnen H.R. Molecular conversions of recombinant
staphylokinase during plasminogen activation in purified systems and in human
plasma. Thrombosis and Haemostasis 1993; 70: 495-499.
4. Silence K., Collen D., Lijnen H.R. Interaction between staphylokinase, plasmin(ogen)
2-antiplasmin. Recycling of staphylokinase after neutralization of the plasmin-
STAR complex by 2-antiplasmin. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 1993; 268:
9811-9816.
5. Silence K., Collen D., Lijnen H.R. Regulation by 2-antiplasmin and fibrin of the
activation of plasminogen with recombinant staphylokinase in plasma. Blood 1993;
82: 1175-1183.
6. Silence K., Hartmann M., Gührs K.H., Gase A., Schlott B., Collen D., Lijnen H.R.
Structure-function relationships in staphylokinase as revealed by “clustered charge-
to-alanine” mutagenesis. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 1995; 270: 27192-
27198.
7. Collen D., Bernaerts R., Declerck P., De Cock F., Demarsin E., Jenné S., Laroche Y.,
Lijnen H.R., Silence K., Verstreken M. Recombinant staphylokinase variants with
altered immunoreactivity. I. Construction and characterization. Circulation 1996; 94:
197-206.
8. Lijnen H.R., Silence K., Hartmann M., Gührs K.H., Gase A., Schlott B., Collen D.
Fibrinolytic properties of staphylokinase mutants obtained by “clustered charge-to-
alanine” mutagenesis. Fibrinolysis 1996; 10: 177-182.
4. 9. De Genst E., Silence K., Ghahroudi MA., Decanniere K., Loris R., Kinne J., Wyns L.,
Muyldermans S. Strong in vivo maturation compensates for structurally restricted H3
loops in antibody repertoires. The Journal Biological Chemistry 2005; 280: 14114-
14121.
10. Hulstein JJ., de Groot PG, Silence K., Veyradier A., Fijnheer R., Lenting PJ., A novel
nanobody that detects the gain of function phenotype of von Willebrand factor in
ADAMTS13 deficiency and von Willebrand disease type 2B. Blood 2005: 106: 3035-
3042.
11. De Genst E., Silence K., Decanniere K., Conrath K., Loris R., Kinne J., Muyldermans
S., Wyns L. Molecular basis for the preferential cleft recognition by dromedary heavy-
chain antibodies. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006: 103: 4586-4591.
12. Hulstein JJ., van Runnard Heimel PJ., Franx A., Lenting PJ., Bruinse HW., Silence
K., de Groot PG., Fijnheer R. Acute activation of the endothelium results in increased
levels of active von Willebrand factor in hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low
platelets (HELLP) syndrome. J Thromb Haemost. 2006: 4:2569-2575.
13. Coppieters K., Dreier T., Silence .K, de Haard H., Lauwereys M., Casteels P.,
Beirnaert E., Jonckheere H., Van de Wiele C., Staelens L., Hostens J., Revets H.,
Remaut E., Elewaut D., Rottiers P. Formatted anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha VHH
proteins derived from camelids show superior potency and targeting to inflamed joints
in a murine model of collagen-induced arthritis.Arthritis Rheum. 2006: 54:1856-1866.
14. Ulrichts H, Silence K, Schoolmeester A, de Jaegere P, Rossenu S, Roodt J, Priem
S, Lauwereys M, Casteels P, Van Bockstaele F, Verschueren K, Stanssens P,
Baumeister J, Holz JB. Antithrombotic drug candidate ALX-0081 shows superior
preclinical efficacy and safety compared with currently marketed antiplatelet drugs.
Blood. 2011: 118:757-765.
15. Silence K, Dreier T, Moshir M, Ulrichts P, Gabriels SM, Saunders M, Wajant H,
Brouckaert P, Huyghe L, Van Hauwermeiren T, Thibault A, De Haard HJ. ARGX-110,
a highly potent antibody targeting CD70, eliminates tumors via both enhanced ADCC
and immune checkpoint blockade. MAbs. 2014:523-532.
16. Trebing J, El-Mesery M, Schäfer V, Weisenberger D, Siegmund D, Silence K,
Wajant H. CD70-restricted specific activation of TRAILR1 or TRAILR2 using scFv-
targeted TRAIL mutants. Cell Death Dis. 2014: 30-35
17. Trebing J, Lang I, Chopra M, Salzmann S, Moshir M, Silence K, Riedel SS,
Siegmund D, Beilhack A, Otto C, Wajant H. A novel llama antibody targeting Fn14
exhibits anti-metastatic activity in vivo. MAbs. 2014: 297-308.
18. Jacobs J, Zwaenepoel K, Rolfo C, Van den Bossche J, Deben C, Silence K,
Hermans C, Smits E, Van Schil P, Lardon F, Deschoolmeester V, Pauwels P.
Unlocking the potential of CD70 as a novel immunotherapeutic target for non-small
cell lung cancer. Oncotarget. 2015: 6:13462-75.
19. Hultberg A, Morello V, Huyghe L, De Jonge N, Blanchetot C, Hanssens V, De Boeck
G, Silence K, Festjens E, Heukers R, Roux B, Lamballe F, Ginestier C, Charafe-
Jauffret E, Maina F, Brouckaert P, Saunders M, Thibault A, Dreier T, de Haard H,
Michieli P. Depleting MET-Expressing Tumor Cells by ADCC Provides a Therapeutic
Advantage over Inhibiting HGF/MET Signaling. Cancer Res. 2015:;75:3373-83.