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Farewell, 2018… A year marked by many firsts and milestones achieved by NYU Langone’s research community—the opening of a new state-of-the art research facility; the launch of the Center for Human Genetics and Genomics and the NYU Langone Vaccine Center; the development of Big Purple, the nation’s largest academic high-performance computing facility for biomedicine; a record number of practice-changing clinical trials; and the comprehensive status designation of our cancer center—to mention just a few.
Welcome, 2019… A year to be marked by leveraging our talent for breakthroughs in biomedical sciences, championing our early-career investigators to pursue their passion for discovery, supporting our clinical researchers in the mission to find new cures, and integrating our diverse capabilities to build innovative cross-disciplinary programs.
Wishing you and yours a very happy and fulfilling new year.
Dafna Bar-Sagi, PhD
Vice Dean for Science and Chief Scientific Officer
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Transcriptional Profiling of Human Blastocysts with Different Karyotypes
Fetal development doesn't always go according to plan, and the reasons behind it are often unclear. Using RNA-seq on pre-implantation embryos, Aristotelis Tsirigos, PhD, Adriana Heguy, PhD, Frederick Licciardi, MD, and colleagues, have recently conducted the first comprehensive transcriptome analysis of human aneuploidies (Scientific Reports, September 2018). The study revealed significant transcriptional dysregulation, suggesting that the majority of associated abnormalities occur very early in development. The findings may guide new pre-implantation genetic screening methods and shed light on developmental malfunctions.
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Faith-Based Approaches
in the Treatment of Hypertension
Hypertension and heart disease pose serious health issues to many, especially among African Americans. A new study led by Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH, revealed that community-based intervention programs can help (Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, October 2018). Working with trained advisors in predominantly black churches, Dr. Ogedegbe's team found that a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure can be achieved through weekly group sessions and monthly motivational interviews. The findings suggest that faith- and community-based approaches can have a significant impact on public health and can help reduce racial health disparities.
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New Class of Macromolecules Effectively Block Protein-Protein Interactions
Many cancer therapies aim to hinder biological pathways; however small molecule inhibitors and small peptides often fall short of robustly disrupting protein-protein interactions (PPIs). In this study, Susan Logan, PhD, Kent Kirshenbaum, PhD, and colleagues, demonstrate the effectiveness of a new class of molecules—macrocyclic peptoid–peptide hybrids—specifically constructed to target β-catenin/TCF interactions, a driving force in multiple types of cancers ( Nature Communications, October 2018). The team's effective in silico design suggests that computer-assisted solutions could be applied to address a vast number of different PPIs relevant to human health and disease.
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Oxytocin Modulation in the CA2 Region Facilitates Hippocampal Information Transfer
Known as the "social peptide," the neuromodulator oxytocin is important for promoting complex social behaviors in humans, and its disruption is linked to neurological disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. In this study, Richard Tsien, DPhil, Robert Froemke, PhD, Moses Chao, PhD, and colleagues, show that oxytocin modulation in the CA2 region of the hippocampus generates high-frequency action potential bursts in pyramidal cells (Neuron, November 2018). The team's findings shed new light on how CA2 tunes excitatory and inhibitory output onto CA1 and on the role of oxytocin modulation in facilitating information transfer within the hippocampal network.
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Judith S. Hochman, MD, received a U01 award for $7.9M for one year from the National Heart, Lunch, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) as part of the Ischemia Trial.
Charles R. Marmar, MD, received a P50 for $6M over a period of five years from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to fund his project, "Leveraging Biomarkers for Personalized Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder Comorbid with PTSD"
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Leon Axel, MD, PhD, delivered the prestigious Charles T. Dotter Memorial Lecture at the 2018 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. The honor was presented to him for his seminal contributions to the fields of cardiovascular Radiology and intervention.
Luis Chiriboga, PhD, was awarded the 2018 Jules Elias Excellence in Immunohistochemistry Award by the National Society for Histotechnology for his work in the field.
Videos of "walking" skate, generated as part of a collaboration between Jeremy Dasen, PhD, and David Schoppik, PhD, were featured among the Best Science Images of the Year by Nature magazine.
Edward Fisher, MD, MPH, PhD, received the 2018 ATVB Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. This honor is given to recognize individuals who have made major contributions to the affairs of a scientific council over a continuing period, and who have made substantial professional contributions to the field represented by the council.
Biyu He, PhD, received the Janet Rosenberg Trubatch Career Development award in recognition of her originality and creativity in research. This award is given to early career scientists whose accomplishments in their pre-tenure work has been particularly impactful.
Judith S. Hochman, MD, was given the 2018 James B. Herrick Award by the American Heart Association. This award honors a physician whose scientific achievements have contributed profoundly to the advancement and practice of clinical cardiology.
Rodolfo Llinás, PhD, was presented with the Gerard Prize, the highest recognition bestowed by the Society for a scientist who has made significant contributions to the field.
Shruti Naik, PhD, was named the 2019 Innovators in Science Award Early-Career Scientist winner for her pioneering work in the field of regenerative medicine.
Bhama Ramkhelawon, PhD, was given the American Heart Association Early Career Investigator Award. The honor was offered in recognition of her work on the molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of aortic aneurysms and the events that trigger early and persistent inflammatory responses in artery diseases.
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