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February / March, 2009 |
If you have not been on a bus tour of the
facilities at Sylvester to meet some of the doctors who work down there,
you are missing a treat. On a recent visit I heard the following doctors
after a greeting from Dr. W. Jarrard Goodwin, our Director.
Scientists have discovered that cancer cells are able to escape the programmed cell death induced by chemotherapy once the chemicals are removed. This will create new routes to explore in the search for new therapy targets. Margaret Pericak-Vance, M.D., director of the Miami Institute for Human Genomics, has led a study which identified nine genes that may raise susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease. More work is needed to predict, diagnose and treat the neurological condition. Then they will be able to prevent or delay the disease by diet, lifestyle or use of drugs. The recent death of the world's oldest person, aged 115, has prompted renewed speculation that hard work and self discipline are the keys to a long and healthy life. Researchers say traits associated with industriousness, persistence, being organized and conscientious were linked to longevity and health. Researchers have uncovered how metastatic cancer cells relocate. The cells secrete substances to precondition target tissue and make it more amenable to subsequent invasion. Understanding how cells do this will lead to an effective way to treat the disease. Scientists have discovered a key protein that plays a critical role in two processes affecting the development of cancer. The DNA can cause cancer to either help detect the damage and warn the rest of the cell, or help repair the damage. The FDA recently approved the injectable drug, Degarelix, the first new drug in several years for prostate cancer. It is intended to treat patients with advanced prostate cancer. Carlos Singer, M.D., professor of neurology and director of the Division of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, is quoted in an article about the largest study of its kind examining deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's. Those with advanced Parkinson's were helped with the deep brain stimulation, after six months. Their quality of life and physical function was improved, however, there are some serious risks associated with the treatment. Implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICD's), which deliver an electric shock to prevent sudden death when a heart stops beating properly, improve survival in people 75 and older. Two new studies indicate that doctors are moving closer to new treatments for obesity. In one study, scientists coaxed the brains of obese mice to process a hormone called leptin that helps control appetite. In another study, researchers gained new insight into a genetic trait that's linked to leanness in skinnier people. New research suggests that eating less can pay off as you get older. The body's requirements decline with age and our intake should mirror that or we will face weight gain and the health risks that can bring. Scientists have unraveled the structure of Aromatase, and the other two enzymes involved in controlling estrogen levels that can serve as drug targets for estrogen -dependent breast cancer tumors. Being able to pinpoint this disease subtype could help guide treatment decisions and improve outcomes. Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Miller School of Medicine; Jeffery Vance, M.D., chair of the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation of Human Genetics and director of the Center for Genomic Medicine at the Miami Institute for Human Genetics; and Liyong Wang, M.D., research assistant professor of human genetics are co-authors of a multi-center NIH funded study which identified a variation in a gene that increases a person's susceptibility to early coronary artery disease. Up to now scientists have known that the devastating early onset of coronary disease was inherited, but knew little about which gene was responsible for causing this disease. Jay Skyler, M.D., professor of medicine and associate director for academic programs at the Diabetes Research Institute has been quoted about a shift in focus to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, rather than intense blood sugar control for people with longstanding diabetes. Michael L. Cuccaro, M.D., associate professor of human genetics, has written about environmental factors leading to an increase in autism cases in California. EyeGate Pharma, founded with technology licensed from Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA, for its lead clinical compound EGP-437 for the treatment of corneal graft rejection. UM's Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, led by Joshua Hare, M.D., professor and chief of the Cardiovascular Division, has two ongoing clinical trails involving mesenchymal stem cells to treat heart disease. The scientists have discovered a way of fooling bone marrow into making extra adult stem cells. This opens the door to new treatments that stimulate the body to produce its own repair kit of stem cells to mend damaged heart tissue or even a broken bone. The most common strain of flu this season is resistant to the popular antiviral drug, Tamiflu. After nearly a year of review, the FDA says it supports the continued use of the controversial cholesterol-lowering drug, Vytorin. Cancer scientists have created the first complete model of a molecule, protein kinase B, which captains a key cell signaling network to prevent cancer and exposed the secret of how a highly selective drug can intervene to control its activity. A new study has found that certain measles virus vaccine strain derivatives, including one known as mV-CEA, may prove to be an effective treatment for advanced prostate cancer. In a research milestone, the FDA has approved the world's first clinical trail using a therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells. The Phase 1 clinical trail will be conducted with spinal cord injury patients. One in seven Americans under age 65 went without prescribed medicine in 2007 due to spiraling drug costs in the U.S. Brain hemorrhage patients have better outcomes when they're treated quickly and in hospitals that handle many brain attack emergencies. A drug may be able to dampen part of the body's immune response so infections can be fought without a resulting overkill that may cause the person to perish. Your ears appear to be able to automatically turn down certain frequencies to protect your hearing, and a new study provides more details about how this mysterious process works. A British study has uncovered a disturbing find. More than half of family members looking after people with dementia admit that they have behaved abusively toward their relative. Young bilingual children have a heightened risk of stuttering and also have less of a chance of recovery from stuttering than children who speak one language. Naomi Prever - VP - Education - naomirltr@bellsouth.net - 561-997-6020 |