We are advancing research to transform the treatment and understanding of chronic illnesses.
Dr. Naeha Subramanian, center, and members of her lab, working at ISB. Image credit: Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures.
Nearly 60 percent of adults in the U.S. live with at least one chronic illness, highlighting the need for innovative solutions. At ISB, we are advancing research to improve early detection, personalized treatments, and prevention strategies, aiming to enhance outcomes and the quality of life for those living with long-term health challenges.
Dr. Jeff Ranish in the mass spectrometry lab at ISB. Image credit: Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures.
“Chronic illnesses typically result from complex biological interactions, not single factors. By taking a systems approach, we can better understand these interactions and develop targeted treatments that address the root causes, leading to more effective and personalized interventions for patients.”
Dr. Jeff Ranish, ISB Professor
Searching for better prevention and treatments for this chronic disorder
Developing precision diagnosis and treatments for PTSD and traumatic brain injury
Improving lung function and quality of life for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients
Exploring innovative therapies for genetic disorders such as inherited forms of anemia
Enhancing our knowledge of protein interactions and their role in disease
Studying the immune system to understand chronic inflammation and autoimmunity
ISB researchers are committed to discovering new approaches to prevent and treat Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Through cutting-edge research on the immune system’s role and innovative diagnostic tools, our teams are working to unlock insights that could lead to more effective treatments and improve the lives of those who suffer from T1D.
Members of Dr. Naeha Subramanian’s lab hold a slide with a section of mouse pancreas. It is being imaged for T1D research. Photo credit: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1.7 million adults and 300,000 children have type 1 diabetes, a chronic pancreatic condition where the immune system destroys insulin producing cells. How and why this occurs is unknown. The Subramanian Lab, with NIH funding, is investigating what they believe to be the critical role of an immune protein NLRP3 in this process. Understanding this could unlock new avenues for treatment and prevention.
Senior Research Engineer Christopher Lausted working in the lab at ISB. Photo credit: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures.
Early detection of Type 1 diabetes is crucial for reducing the risk of potentially life-threatening complications. The Hood Lab’s Christopher Lausted with the University of Utah is developing a new type of blood test for Type 1 diabetes that analyzes individual blood particles called extracellular vesicles that promises to improve early diagnosis and accelerate research for improved treatment.
The Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) is a nonprofit scientific research organization located in Seattle. We believe that science has the power to transform health. You have an opportunity to play an essential role in the future of human health. When you get involved, you enable our researchers to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. Together we can build a better, brighter, healthier future.
Our researchers are pioneering new ways to improve the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD and traumatic brain injury. By studying the underlying causes of these conditions and developing more personalized approaches, we aim to better predict, diagnose, and treat the mental health challenges faced by military veterans and others affected by trauma.
Combat helmets. Photo credit: Unsplash.
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) – in large part from repeated exposure to high explosive blasts – is considered the signature injury of Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans and can lead to lifetime neurological problems. To improve prediction, prevention and treatment of mTBI, the Defense Department is supporting research by the Hood Lab’s Lee Inyoul and Kai Wang with the Puget Sound VA Health Care System.
Close-up of blood samples. Photo credit: Robin Layton.
Physiological assessments to diagnose Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have significant uncertainty and there is no way to predict who might experience it. With an estimated 11-20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experiencing PTSD there is an urgent need to improve diagnosis and prognosis, the goal of research by the Hood Lab’s Inyoul Lee and Kai Wang with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
Black and white close-up image of a human eye. Photo credit: Unsplash.
An estimated 11-20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with only one-third of them successfully treated. A key contributor to this low success rate is the variability in PTSD. To move away from one-size-fits-all therapies to more precise and effective psychiatric treatments, the Hood Lab’s Inyoul Lee and Kai Wang with Defense Department support are helping identify PTSD sub-types.
"PTSD is a debilitating condition, especially common among veterans and the military community. We are leveraging advanced scientific strategies to better predict those at risk and to develop more precise treatments, improving outcomes for individuals – military and civilian – affected by this serious mental health challenge."
Our scientists are working to uncover the biological factors driving Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). By exploring how the disease develops and progresses, we aim to pave the way for more effective treatments and improve the quality of life for those living with this serious lung condition.
A sample tray and autosampler at ISB lab facilities. Photo credit: ISB.
COPD, a group of lung diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. It is strongly affected by cigarette smoking and genetic predisposition, but how and why COPD evolves is not clear. The Moritz Lab with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital is investigating the underlying biology of COPD to suggest new treatments and potential clinical trials.
“By using advanced techniques to study how cells work, we are uncovering new insights into disease. These discoveries have the potential to transform treatments and improve the lives of patients living with chronic conditions like COPD.”
Dr. Robert Moritz, ISB Professor
Our scientists are working to find new treatments for genetic conditions like inherited forms of anemia. By studying how the body makes red blood cells and how genes work, we hope to develop better therapies for disorders like thalassemia, helping improve the lives of people affected by these challenging conditions.
Blood samples in a sterile hood at ISB. Photo credit: Victorial Uhl / ISB.
Thalassemia, an inherited disorder that affects the production of healthy red blood cells causing mild to severe anemia, is treated with blood/iron transfusions or stem cell transplants. The Ranish Lab, with NIH funding, is investigating the red blood cell creation process to develop new therapeutic strategies for fetal and adult thalassemia and other red blood cell disorders.
Dr. Omar Arias-Gaguancela working in the Ranish Lab. Photo credit: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures.
Gene expression – the process that controls which genes are turned on in a cell – is regulated so that specialized cell types and structures are created and responsive to change. Unregulated gene expression can lead to a wide range of diseases. The Ranish Lab and Northwestern, with NIH support, is generating an unprecedented, detailed view of the initiation of this critical and highly complex process.
Disruptions in protein interactions are a key factor in many diseases. ISB scientists are developing innovative technologies to better understand these interactions and their role in disease. By improving protein mapping and sharing this knowledge widely, we aim to drive breakthroughs that lead to more effective therapies and improved patient outcomes.
Dr. Jeff Ranish with his lab at ISB. Photo credit: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures.
Proteins – among the most abundant molecules in our bodies – interact with one another in protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks to allow information flow through biological systems. Alterations to PPIs underlie all diseases, so it is critical to understand normal and variant PPIs. The Ranish Lab, with NIH support, is creating technologies that will allow researchers to quickly and inexpensively map PPIs transforming biomedical research.
Illustration of proteins and puzzle pieces. Image credit: ISB.
Understanding proteins and their interactions in networks is critical in biomedical and biological research. Eric Deutsch in the Moritz Lab with NSF funding is leading an international collaboration using new methods to: extract more information from existing data, including the abundance of specific proteins; improve the mapping of protein networks; and ensure all is available to and useable by researchers.
3D rendering of a protein. Image credit: RSCB Protein Databank, recolored by ISB.
Understanding proteins – around 20,000 – that control many biological processes is critical in researching disease therapies. The Moritz Lab’s Eric Deutsch with the University of San Diego is developing a database of human proteins that have been deeply characterized, allowing researchers worldwide to freely share, find, access and reuse data on currently 17,000 and eventually all proteins.
“Unlocking the vast biological information within the human proteome is essential for understanding and treating diseases. Our goal is to ensure that protein data is easily accessible and shareable for researchers worldwide, accelerating scientific discoveries.”
Dr. Eric Deutsch, ISB Principal Scientist
Our scientists are studying how the immune system functions, with a focus on understanding autoimmune disorders and other immune-related conditions. By uncovering the biological mechanisms that drive immune responses, we aim to develop new insights that could lead to more effective treatments for a wide range of diseases.
Dr. Naeha Subramanian working int he lab at ISB. Photo credit: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures.
Inflammation is associated with most human diseases, including autoinflammatory, autoimmune, metabolic and infectious diseases. The Subramanian Lab, with NIH funding, studies one of the most critical parts of our innate immune system – a protein NLRP3 – whose activation triggers our immune response. Understanding how it does this, which is not well known, is key to future inflammation targeted therapies.