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Leroy Hood: Leading the systems biology revolution
ISB Co-founder Dr. Lee Hood won the Lasker Award in 1987. The Lasker Foundation recently published a profile of Hood, writing: “The highlights Hood’s scientific career are like peaks in a mountain range spanning diverse fields, from molecular immunology and engineering, to genomics, to systems medicine.”
It’s ‘Either/Or’ for Two Common Gut Microbiome Genera, and Switching Teams Is Tougher Than Expected
There is a dichotomy between Bacteroides- and Prevotella-dominated guts — two common gut bacterial genera — and there is a significant barrier when it comes to transitioning from one to the other.
For Cancer Cells, There Is More Than One Path to Drug Resistance
In findings published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers show that cancer cells can take more than one path to reach a drug-resistant cell state. These findings could have promising implications for the future of cancer care.
Unveiling the Guerrilla Warfare Tactics of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
ISB researchers have unveiled new insights on how Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis, enters and exits a dormant state in human hosts. About a quarter of the world’s population has latent TB, so these important findings will enable and accelerate the discovery of more effective TB drugs.
Merck and ISB Collaborate to Understand and Treat SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Merck is collaborating with ISB and its partners to analyze blood samples and nasal swabs from Swedish Medical Center patients with SARS-CoV-2. Blood samples will be examined using proteomic, metabolomic, transcriptomics and genetic techniques to evaluate the impact of infection on different organs, and to identify potential biomarkers to predict the risk of severe disease.
Mysteries of Cell Fate Unlocked with New Measurement and Modeling Techniques
In the cellular process of differentiation, information about the concentrations of an important class of proteins residing in a cell’s nucleus has been lacking, a missing link needed for scientists to fully understand how the process works. ISB researchers have quantified this important class of proteins that play a key role in the formation of red blood cells.
Molecular Biologist Dr. Sui Huang: We Should All Be Wearing Masks
ISB’s Dr. Sui Huang has been a powerful voice in a growing chorus contending that masks are an effective tool to stop the spread of COVID-19. Huang calls guidelines from the CDC and other public health agencies “unfortunate,” as they sweep aside a potentially powerful measure that could help “flatten the curve.”
ISB’s Dr. Nathan Price Inducted into AIMBE’s College of Fellows
Dr. Nathan Price has been inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering’s (AIMBE) College of Fellows. Price was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows for his contributions deriving medical and biological insights from large-scale data analysis and network modeling, and translating those insights to society.
Merck, ISB, Swedish Collaborate In Trial to Understand, Treat COVID-19
ISB and Swedish Medical Center launched a study to follow hundreds of patients who contract COVID-19 to learn why those infected have drastically different outcomes. “Each of the COVID-19 patients has a unique lesson to teach us about how the medical and scientific community can respond most effectively to this pandemic,” said ISB President Dr. Jim Heath, who co-leads the study.
During Coronavirus Outbreak, Free Online Resources for Stuck-At-Home K-12 Students
ISB Education is continually working to identify effective resources to support student learning. In response to the coronavirus outbreak and the closure of K-12 schools across the nation, we recognize that many schools and families are looking for resources to meet the needs of students.
ISB Statement Concerning the Ongoing Coronavirus Outbreak
ISB is committed to the health and safety of our research and administrative staff. Some of our scientists are conducting important COVID-19 research. Otherwise, ISB is adhering to Governor Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home orders. For the latest coronavirus information, please monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) webpage linked from this news item.
Metabolomics Reveals Connection Between Gut Microbiome and Blood
Alpha diversity in the gut microbiome holds many clues to understanding human health. This blog post by Metabolon details how those clues are more accessible because ISB researchers can predict the diversity of an individual’s gut microbiome by examining metabolites in the blood. These findings were recently published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
ISB Researchers Seek a Better Way to Identify Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been a frequent injury among U.S. combatants, and blast-related mTBI has been called the “signature injury” from military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. ISB researchers are working to develop new methods to identify molecular changes in the blood of war veterans diagnosed with chronic mTBI.
New Modeling Tool Allows Microbiome Researchers to Map Community Ecology to Ecosystem Function
A promising new open-source metabolic modeling tool provides microbiome researchers a path forward in predicting ecosystem function from community structure. News of the software package, called MICOM, was developed in part by researchers in ISB’s Gibbons Lab, and its uses were published in the journal mSystems.
ISB Marking 20th Anniversary with Year-Long Celebration
Letter from the president: Dr. Jim Heath announces the kickoff of a 2020 celebration marking ISB’s 20th anniversary. The year-long celebration will include an ISB-Town Hall Seattle speaker series focusing on some of the most important topics in science and health care.
A Scientist-Approved Science-Themed Holiday Gift Guide
When putting together a science-themed gift guide, you have to go to the source. So we asked ISB’s researchers for their ideas and to share what’s on their lists. Whether you’re buying for a scientist or wanting to give the gift of science, this gift guide is for you.
How Old Are You? Your Body Might Disagree With That Answer
Researchers at ISB harnessed deep molecular and physiological information to determine an individual’s biological age, which they found was reflective of overall health compared to chronological age. The findings were published in the Journals of Gerontology: Series A.
‘Innovation to Impact:’ 8th Annual Valerie Logan Luncheon Shines Light on ISB Education
The 8th Annual Valerie Logan Luncheon celebrated ISB Education’s mission of engaging entire school systems — from principals and administrators to teachers and students — to ensure all students are STEM literate. Nearly 100 people attended the event at ISB, and generously gave more than $100,000 for ISB Education.