John Reed

Reflections on a decade of growth

by Kristina Meek on January 29, 2013 at 5:27 am | 0 Comments

Sanford-Burnham benefactor Malin Burnham (left) raises a toast to Dr. Kristiina Vuori and Dr. John Reed, surrounded by faculty and staff

It’s a good idea for the people within an organization to stop and look around once in a while. And there is perhaps no better time for reflection than during a time of transition.

As John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., put it, “All organizations benefit from fresh leadership approximately every decade, and that time is now for Sanford-Burnham.” Reed announced on January 14 that he would be stepping down after 11 years as CEO to accept a position with pharmaceutical company Roche.

This turn of events led to an opportunity to reflect on our past, present and future, when Sanford-Burnham’s leaders presented “Reflections on a Decade of Growth.” Our scientists and staff heard from Reed, as well as distinguished professor and past president (1989-2002) Erkki Ruoslahti, M.D., Ph.D., and president and interim CEO Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D.

Their inspiring presentation including four key observations:

Cancer drug targets hard-to-reach leukemia stem cells

by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. on January 18, 2013 at 5:31 am | 0 Comments

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Potential cancer drug sabutoclax blocks Bcl-2 protein family members that help keep cancer cells alive. This image shows the structure of one Bcl-2 protein, known as Bcl-Xl. (Image courtesy of the Pellecchia laboratory)

Researchers find that certain types of drug-resistant leukemia stem cells are vulnerable to sabutoclax, a novel cancer stem cell-targeting drug based on Sanford-Burnham research.

New experiments show that sabutoclax, a novel cancer stem cell-targeting drug that grew out of research at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, in combination with other therapies, could effectively treat diseases like chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Sabutoclax might also lower the chance of relapse.

“The demonstration of sabutoclax’s preclinical activity in mouse models of CML is exciting and encourages further evaluation of this promising drug candidate for aggressive leukemias. We look forward to continuing our collaborative studies of sabutoclax, as we move this drug closer to the clinic,” said John Reed, M.D., Ph.D., professor and Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair at Sanford-Burnham.

Sabutoclax was first discovered as a result of research in the laboratories of Reed and his Sanford-Burnham colleague, Maurizio Pellecchia, Ph.D. The pair is now working with biotechnology company Oncothyreon Inc to develop sabutoclax into a potential anti-cancer drug. This latest study of sabutoclax’s efficacy, published January 17 in the journal Cell Stem Cell, was led by Catriona Jamieson, M.D., Ph.D., at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, in collaboration with Reed, Pellecchia and others.

John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., resigns as Sanford-Burnham CEO to accept position at Roche

by admin on January 14, 2013 at 10:13 pm | 0 Comments

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Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute Board of Directors (trustees) announced today that John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., has accepted the position of Head of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development and member of the Corporate Executive Committee. Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D., president of Sanford-Burnham, will assume all leadership responsibilities on an interim basis.

“John has led Sanford-Burnham through a decade of tremendous success and growth, particularly in translational research, and we wish him the best as he moves to a new stage of his career,” said M. Wainwright Fishburn, Jr., chairman of Sanford-Burnham’s Board of Trustees. “We have a strong foundation for continued growth, and we have complete confidence in Kristiina’s ability to lead through the management transition.”

Added Dr. Reed, “I am grateful to have led Sanford-Burnham over the past decade, especially in the growth of the Institute’s work in translational research. While I am sad to be leaving the Institute, I look forward to the potential for collaborations in the future between the two organizations. I am confident in the financial strength of the Institute following the strongest year of grant revenue in its history, as well as in Dr. Vuori’s ability to lead through the time ahead. We have worked side-by-side in leading Sanford-Burnham, so she is uniquely qualified to guide a smooth transition and continued excellence.”

Researchers discover mechanism that promotes lung cancer growth and survival

Originally published June 18, 2012

Sanford-Burnham researchers and their collaborators uncovered a new mechanism that may lead to unique treatments for lung cancer, one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

In the study, published May 15 in the journal Genes & Development, the team discovered that a protein called Bax Inhibitor-1 (BI-1) protects lung cancer cells and promotes tumor growth by regulating autophagy, a mechanism by which cells break down their own components and recycle the parts. Autophagy, which literally means “to eat oneself,” is essential to cell survival, particularly when food is scarce.

“Cancer cells are remarkably adaptive and depend on a variety of mechanisms to ensure their survival and continued growth when challenged by their environment,” says John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., Sanford-Burnham’s CEO and senior author of the study. “By reducing levels of BI-1, it appears we were able to modulate intracellular signals and starve lung cancer cells of the energy needed to carry out one of their most important survival mechanisms—autophagy.”

Translational Research Institute establishes new research paradigm for metabolic diseases

Originally published March 27, 2012

Florida Hospital and Sanford-Burnham today celebrate the opening of the Florida Hospital – Sanford-Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes’ (TRI) new state-of-the-art facility in downtown Orlando, Fla., dedicated to the advancement of a new paradigm of personalized approaches to researching and treating diabetes and obesity.

“We are witnessing the rise of personalized medicine, most notably in cancer. Our goal at the TRI is to accelerate the advancement of personalized medicine in diabetes and obesity,” said Steven Smith, M.D., Sanford-Burnham professor and scientific director of the TRI. “We are working to rapidly expand knowledge of complex genetic and molecular causes of diabetes and obesity so that we can better define disease subpopulations. By working independently and in partnership with industry, we hope to develop therapies and treatment approaches tailored to those subpopulations. Our ultimate goal is that our discoveries will someday lead to cures for certain patients.”

Disease in a dish: the ultimate personalized medicine

by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. on December 7, 2012 at 5:15 am | 0 Comments

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The latest episode of Developments to Watch, our collaborative video series produced by Medscape, is now available online: Disease in a Dish: The Ultimate Personalized Medicine.

In the video, Sanford-Burnham CEO John Reed, M.D., Ph.D., talks to Michael Jackson, Ph.D., vice president of drug discovery and development, about the Institute’s work on creating personalized “disease in a dish” models using stem cells derived from patients. They also talk about drug repurposing—finding new applications for existing therapeutic drugs in order to get treatments to patients faster.

Here’s an excerpt:

Lake Nona Impact Forum: health care technology of the future

by Patrick Bartosch on November 3, 2012 at 11:00 am | 0 Comments

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Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky spoke about health as a strategic investment at the Lake Nona Impact Forum

More than 100 health care leaders from across the country came together last week for the first Lake Nona Impact Forum. The Forum was initiated by the Lake Nona Institute to create an opportunity for industry leaders to exchange ideas on ways to accelerate the impact of health innovation. Speakers included Alex Gorsky, CEO of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, John Chambers, CEO of Cisco, and Cavan Redmond, CEO of WebMD, among others.

Sanford-Burnham’s CEO, Dr. John Reed, moderated a panel that discussed the obstacles and opportunities in accelerating health innovation, which included Vicki Seyfert-Margolis, Senior Advisor for Science, Innovation and Policy at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Margaret Anderson, Executive Director at FasterCures.

A recurrent theme throughout the three-day event was the impact of technology on health care. J&J’s Gorsky spoke about health being a strategic investment for businesses, communities, and our planet.

“Health care and how it is being delivered is the biggest challenge of our generation,” he said. “And technology is an important aspect of that.”

Spotlight on disease: breast cancer

by Bruce Lieberman on October 29, 2012 at 5:07 am | 0 Comments

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Breast tumor (blue) surrounded by blood vessels (red) [Image provided by Dr. William Stallcup]

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women. In 2007 (the most recent year for which data is available), 202,964 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,598 women died from the disease, according to the CDC. Approximately 12 percent of women in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives.

The most common types of breast cancer include ductal carcinoma, which begins in the cells that line the milk ducts of the breast, and lobular ductal carcinoma, which originates in the breast lobes.

A variety of genetic and environmental influences can increase a person’s risk of breast cancer. However, some breast cancers are associated with inherited mutations in a few specific genes. The best known are mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA stands for breast cancer susceptibility gene), which account for five to 10 percent of all breast cancer cases.

Depending on the type of breast cancer and its progression, treatments can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapy aimed specifically at disrupting the molecular underpinnings of the disease.

Breast cancer research at Sanford-Burnham

Sanford-Burnham is home to one of just seven National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated basic cancer centers in the United States. Researchers in this center aim to preempt cancer before it develops, detect the disease at its earliest point, and eliminate its spread.

Historically, our scientists have made seminal contributions to breast cancer. Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D., now director of Sanford-Burnham’s Cancer Center, and others published early findings on cellular communication networks in breast cancer cells. John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., now Sanford-Burnham’s CEO, and his laboratory made seminal contributions to the understanding of how certain proteins direct programmed cell death (a process called apoptosis) in breast cancer cells and how these proteins allow breast tumors to resist chemotherapy.

While many researchers in Sanford-Burnham’s Cancer Center study cellular growth and lifespan—work that impacts almost every type of cancer—our scientists are also pursuing several strategies for finding new treatments that specifically target breast cancer.

Here are a few current breast cancer studies at Sanford-Burnham:

Celebrating Science in Washington, D.C.

by Patrick Bartosch on September 6, 2012 at 8:48 am | 0 Comments

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A Celebration of Science is a three-day event highlighting the economic and social benefits of scientific research

Beginning tomorrow, scientists of all backgrounds will come together in Washington, D.C., for the first Celebration of Science event, organized by the Milken Institute and FasterCures. The three-day event (September 7-9) will highlight the economic and social benefits of scientific research and honor scientific achievements that are improving lives around the world.

The event will include panels and presentations, activities on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and a working meeting on accelerating innovation in the biosciences. During an evening event at the Kennedy Center on Saturday, the organizers will honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science.

Xconomy: the state of Sanford-Burnham’s drug discovery pipeline

by Patrick Bartosch on September 4, 2012 at 6:35 am | 0 Comments

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Earlier this month, Dr. John Reed, CEO and the Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair at Sanford-Burnham, spoke with Bruce Bigelow of Xconomy—a network of biotechnology-related blogs, events, and other initiatives—about how our drug discovery capabilities and the Institute as a whole have developed in the decade since he became CEO. The article points out that Dr. Reed led the development and implementation of a 10-year plan to extend the Institute’s work beyond basic research, with a focus on discovering and developing new drug candidates. Today, Sanford-Burnham identifies between two and four compounds each year that are considered valid clinical candidates.

Prominent San Diego philanthropists fund new Neuroscience Research Initiative

by Kristina Meek on August 8, 2012 at 10:21 am | 0 Comments

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Sanford-Burnham is grateful to prominent San Diego philanthropist and businessman Andrew Viterbi, his wife Erna, and their family, who recently presented us with a $1 million gift to establish the Neuroscience Research Initiative.

Dr. John C. Reed, Sanford-Burnham CEO and the Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair, and Dr. Evan Y. Snyder, director of the Institute’s Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Program, will lead the research. Combining expertise in cellular behavior and innovative stem cell research, their collaboration is an example of Sanford-Burnham’s cross-disciplinary approach to medical science.

Sanford-Burnham CEO Dr. John C. Reed named editor-in-chief of “Molecular Cancer Therapeutics” journal

by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. on August 1, 2012 at 8:45 am | 0 Comments

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John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D.

John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D. was named editor-in-chief of the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Reed is chief executive officer, professor, and Donald Bren Executive Chair at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, where he has worked as a scientist and leader for nearly 20 years. He will formally assume the editorship on August 1.

“The AACR welcomes Dr. Reed to the appointment of editor-in-chief of our journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, which publishes the best science research in therapeutic discovery, preclinical development, and molecular medicine,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Dr. Reed possesses the experience, background, and vision to successfully drive the journal forward, and we are excited to work with him in meeting this goal.”

Going for the Au

by Kristina Meek on July 27, 2012 at 8:40 am | 0 Comments

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Ryon Graf's bicycle helmet expressing the importance of cancer research; Rachel Zarndt Ellison on a climb of Mt. Whitney; Christine Gould during a triathalon.

The symbol for "gold" on the periodic table. (Image from Wikimedia Commons)

What makes someone a great athlete? As the 2012 Summer Olympics open, that’s a question that people worldwide might be pondering. Here at Sanford-Burnham it led us to wonder, do exceptional minds and exceptional bodies tend to co-exist? Perhaps competing in sports informs scientific pursuits, and vice-versa. For example, Sally Ride—who, sadly, the world lost this week—was a nationally ranked tennis player before she became a physicist and astronaut.

We turned to our own scientists to find out what’s in the intersection between science and sports. “San Diego County is filled with scientist-athletes,” one of them told us. Below, meet just a few.

Where are they now? Meet three entrepreneurial alumni

by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. on July 19, 2012 at 5:38 am | 0 Comments

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Left to right: Quinn Deveraux, John Timmer, and Brendan Eckelman

Brendan Eckelman, Quinn Deveraux, and John Timmer are three Sanford-Burnham alumni who turned to the entrepreneurial side of science, with a goal to translate research findings into new therapies. Eckelman (2003-2007) and Timmer (2004-2009) both conducted their graduate research in Guy Salvesen’s laboratory, while Quinn Deveraux was a postdoctoral fellow (1996-2000) in the laboratory of Sanford-Burnham’s CEO, John C. Reed. During their time at Sanford-Burnham, all three made contributions to the apoptosis field—the study of programmed cell death, a process that can malfunction in cancer and other diseases.

After earning his Ph.D., Eckelman joined Deveraux’s group at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF). At GNF they were tasked with generating therapeutic antibodies for the Novartis pipeline. Ready to leave the pharma environment in late 2009, the two were introduced to Mark Lappe by Reed. Shortly thereafter, Eckelman, Deveraux, and Lappe founded Inhibrx, a biotechnology company dedicated to discovering new therapeutic antibodies for cancer, inflammatory diseases, and metabolic disorders.

Inhibrx focuses on one of the biopharma industry’s greatest needs—translation of validated and novel drug targets into clinical candidates.

Summertime in the lab

by Kristina Meek on June 27, 2012 at 5:07 am | 0 Comments

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High school interns at Sanford-Burnham’s Lake Nona campus, with their mentors Greg Roth (right), John Shelley (center), Sheila Collins (front row), and Darrin Kuystermans (left)

As summer begins, books get shelved and schools close, but for many teens and young adults, leaving the classroom doesn’t mean learning stops. On the contrary, they pursue internships that allow them to advance their education in a hands-on way, often taking steps toward a career.

Sanford-Burnham opens its doors to a large number of interns, at various stages of their education, throughout the year, but summer is an especially busy time. The enthusiastic voices of young people, some making their own scientific discoveries for the first time, emanate through the hallways, reminding everyone how exciting science can be.

Last week, Sanford-Burnham at Lake Nona in Orlando welcomed five students from area high schools including Trinity Preparatory School and Seminole High School. Forty students participating in a Junior Achievement summer program visited the institute to learn about medical research career paths. Each one is paired with a mentor in a research laboratory or the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics for two to four weeks. Eight college interns will soon be arriving as well. Throughout the summer, a number of aspiring scientists will be scattered throughout the Institute’s La Jolla laboratories for anywhere from one week to the entire summer.

Reflections on a decade of growth

Cancer drug targets hard-to-reach leukemia stem cells

John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., resigns as Sanford-Burnham CEO to accept position at Roche

Top 10 most-read blog posts of 2012: #3

Researchers discover mechanism that promotes lung cancer growth and survival

Top 10 most-read blog posts of 2012: #9

Translational Research Institute establishes new research paradigm for metabolic diseases

Disease in a dish: the ultimate personalized medicine

Lake Nona Impact Forum: health care technology of the future

Spotlight on disease: breast cancer

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer research at Sanford-Burnham

Read More

Celebrating Science in Washington, D.C.

Xconomy: the state of Sanford-Burnham’s drug discovery pipeline

Prominent San Diego philanthropists fund new Neuroscience Research Initiative

Sanford-Burnham CEO Dr. John C. Reed named editor-in-chief of “Molecular Cancer Therapeutics” journal

Going for the Au

Where are they now? Meet three entrepreneurial alumni

Summertime in the lab

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Researchers discover mechanism that promotes lung cancer growth and survival

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