Pamela Itkin-Ansari

Wanted: patrons of science

by Kristina Meek on November 19, 2012 at 8:47 am | 0 Comments

A moment from the Art in Science/Science in Art panel. L to R: Dr. Thomas Albright, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; Dr. Pamela Itkin-Ansari, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute; Dr. Santiago Horgan, UCSD School of Medicine.

Science and art have a lot in common. That was the clear conclusion drawn by a panel of experts at the world-renowned La Jolla Playhouse on November 11, at an event titled The Art in Science/The Science in Art. Collaboration, the willingness to take risks, and the making of what one panelist called “intuitive leaps” all rose to the fore as shared traits. Although perhaps the most significant thing the two disciplines have in common, they realized, is the ongoing need for funding.

“You hear a lot about patrons of the arts,” remarked Sanford-Burnham adjunct faculty member Dr. Pamela Itkin-Ansari. “I think we also need more patrons of science.” Based on their enthusiastic applause, the audience agreed.

Stem cells 101

by Communications Staff on October 8, 2012 at 10:52 am | 2 Comments

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Sanford-Burnham's Stem Cell Research Center

Congratulations to John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka on winning the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine! They received the award today for their “discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent.” In other words, these scientists figured out how to turn a normal adult cell, such as a skin cell, into a stem cell that has the potential to become any other type of cell in the body. Read below to learn more about stem cells and how they are revolutionizing medical research.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are special because each is like a blank slate. Once it’s given the proper instruction, a stem cell can specialize and become any type of cell in the body—brain, heart, muscle, and more. Stem cells also have the ability to reproduce themselves indefinitely, renewing the supply.

Are there different types of stem cells?

Embryonic stem cells only exist during an organism’s development, when it is an embryo. These cells are pluripotent, meaning they have the capacity to become any cell type in the body.

Adult stem cells exist in fully developed organisms. They are more limited than embryonic stem cells—they are multipotent rather than pluripotent. These stem cells usually can only become a few types of specialized cells, based on the tissue from which they originate.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are pluripotent, much like embryonic stem cells. iPSCs are produced in the laboratory by genetically reprogramming any adult cell, such as a skin cell.

From Diabetes to Pancreatic Cancer

by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. on June 6, 2011 at 8:52 am | 1 comment

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Pancreatic cells from a mouse. Ductal cancer cells are stained red and the Id3 protein is shown in green. (Image courtesy of the Itkin-Ansari lab)

Dr. Pamela Itkin-Ansari is an expert on diabetes – especially type 1 diabetes, the kind that mostly affects children. Type 1 diabetes is caused by a person’s own immune system, as they attack the insulin-producing beta-cells in the pancreas.

But, as it happened, observations made while researching one area of biology can inform another. That’s how Dr. Itkin-Ansari and her team found themselves studying pancreatic cancer.

“During the course of our diabetes studies, we noted that a particular growth stimulus we were investigating pushed pancreatic duct cells into the cell cycle – essentially converting them from quiet, complacent cells to cells that divide and proliferate,” explains Dr. Itkin-Ansari, adjunct assistant professor in Sanford-Burnham’s Development and Aging Program. “And since duct cells are the precursors of pancreatic cancer, we knew immediately that this could have important implications for pancreatic cancer.”

Spotlight on disease: type 1 diabetes

by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. on December 22, 2010 at 9:44 am | 3 Comments

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Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder – a person’s own immune system attacks beta cells found in the pancreas. Beta cells normally respond to high levels of sugar in the blood by releasing insulin, a protein hormone that acts like a key binding to a lock (or receptor) that is present on every cell in the body. When insulin binds to its receptor, it unlocks a door in cells that allows this sugar—known as glucose– to enter and be used for energy.Since type 1 diabetics lack insulin-producing beta cells, glucose remains in the blood and cells starve. Even with insulin therapy, the level of blood glucose in type 1 diabetics is not normal. Glucose is a highly reactive molecule that damages the cells and tissues that it contacts, particularly the cells that line blood vessels. As a result, diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney disease, limb amputation and heart disease. Because type 1 diabetes commonly manifests in childhood, it has traditionally been called “juvenile” diabetes. Type 1 diabetes treatment is life-long; diabetics must carefully monitor their blood sugar and receive daily insulin injections or wear an insulin-delivering pump.

Protecting Beta Cells from the Immune System

by Josh Baxt on December 20, 2010 at 12:08 pm | 11 Comments

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Type 1 diabetes is caused by an overactive immune response that kills off insulin-producing beta cells. While beta cells can be transplanted to replace the ones that have been lost, the immune system will eventually kill those off as well.

For transplantation to be a viable treatment, the immune system must be controlled. Current transplant recipients take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent their T cells from attacking replacement beta cells, presenting patients with a stark choice between diabetes and a suppressed immune system.

Sanford-Burnham adjunct assistant professor Dr. Pamela Itkin-Ansari is taking a different approach. Her laboratory has placed human pancreatic precursor cells in an immuno-protective device and transplanted them into mice. She was testing whether precursor cells will mature into productive beta cells in the body and whether the encapsulation device, made from a material akin to Gore-Tex, could prevent the immune system from attacking transplanted cells.

Four ways patient advocates help drive research

by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. on December 16, 2010 at 2:53 pm | 5 Comments

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How can patient advocates help drive basic research?

Last week I attended the Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa, an annual event organized by CONNECT. The meeting included all the stellar scientific panels I expected and one I didn’t expect: “Patient Advocacy 2.0 – Can they participate?”

The panel discussed opportunities for patient participation and the ethics involved. I was captivated by panel member Dani Grady’s story of surviving breast cancer and her advocacy for increased cancer research funding, education, improved patient care and more patient participation in clinical trials. It was interesting to hear how a patient’s perspective can improve clinical trials and the drug approval process. But as I sat there, I couldn’t help wondering… how can patients participate in basic research – the earliest phase of biomedical discovery, during which the molecular underpinnings of disease are only just beginning to be understood?

So I did a little research of my own.

Wanted: patrons of science

Stem cells 101

What are stem cells?

Are there different types of stem cells?

Read More

From Diabetes to Pancreatic Cancer

Spotlight on disease: type 1 diabetes

Protecting Beta Cells from the Immune System

Four ways patient advocates help drive research

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Wanted: patrons of science

Stem cells 101

What are stem cells?

Are there different types of stem cells?

Read More

From Diabetes to Pancreatic Cancer

Spotlight on disease: type 1 diabetes

Protecting Beta Cells from the Immune System

Four ways patient advocates help drive research

Search

Find more information

Please take a quick survey

Which of these items describes you?

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