Melanoma cells stained with PTRF (in red), RPA194 (in green) and nucleus stained in blue. RPA194 is the main subunit of the RNA polymerase I (POL 1) enzyme. Our lab discovered a first-in-class small molecule that inhibits POL 1 enzyme and causes the destruction of RPA194 protein. Here, we are investigating how these proteins are(...)
The Link Between Metabolism and Anti-Tumor Immunity: Implications for Glioma Therapy
Posted by | Recently PublishedAs a callow biochemistry student, I often grappled with the onerous task of memorizing metabolic pathways. Gradually, however, I came to appreciate the underlying simplicity: Complex macromolecules are broken down to the same simple molecule. Metabolism is the workhorse of the cell — efficiently mining nutrients for energy, shunting surplus nutrients to build cellular structures,(...)
Understanding the Epidemics of Today to Prevent Those of Tomorrow
Posted by | Perspectives in Research, Recently PublishedThough it may seem distant now, 2014 was a tumultuous year for the global health community. One of the worst Ebola epidemics in history was ravishing communities in West Africa, spreading to health care workers, sparking superstitions among locals and demonstrating how devastating a single virus can be on the world stage. Many likely remember(...)
Advancing the Manufacturing of Human Cell and Gene Therapies
Posted by | Events and HappeningsCellular and gene therapy-related research in the United States is growing at a fast pace, with many products moving forward in clinical development. Applications of these cellular and gene therapies range from using a person’s own cells and genetically altering them to fight cancer, to replacing a gene in the eye to restore vision in(...)
Electronic Health Records Shape the Medical Student Experience
Posted by | A Day in the LifeWhile entering a clinic room one day, I closely followed the attending physician as she greeted the patient and made introductions. That morning I was participating in a form of learning that is all too common in medical school: passive observation. “Now let me just pull up the note,” the doctor said to the patient,(...)
Lessons from the Wards
Posted by | A Day in the LifeAt the end of May, I finished graduate school and resumed medical school. Returning to clinical rotations with a fresh perspective, I have been able to more clearly reflect on the many lessons we learn from everyday interactions with patients, caregivers and colleagues. I would like to share a few valuable lessons. My first rotation(...)
The Universal Lab Language
Posted by | A Day in the LifeOn the floor where I work in the preclinical teaching building at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, there are a variety of postdoctoral fellows, students, technicians and faculty from all over the world. We have postdoctoral fellows from China, Portugal and Israel, and graduate students from Germany, Canada and Taiwan. You can always(...)
A New Animal Model for Bad Decisions
Posted by | Recently PublishedHumans are constantly making decisions about how to spend time, yet we are pretty terrible at doing so effectively. We sit through boring movies, stay in line at a crowded restaurant and continue to pursue low-return projects, because we simply cannot bear to see the time we have already invested in these activities go to(...)
The Organization of Student Representatives: A Student Government of Medical Education
Posted by | A Day in the LifeThe Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is well known to premedical students. Founded in 1876, the AAMC — comprised of all 151 accredited U.S. medical schools and 17 Canadian medical schools — is a not-for-profit organization that coordinates medical school applications, the Medical College Admission Test and the Electronic Residency Application Service, which is(...)
Open Access: Making Scientific Findings Available to All
Posted by | A Day in the Life, Perspectives in ResearchMost would agree that a principal goal of scientific research is to enhance society’s understanding of the world around us. In biomedical research, we are particularly interested in discovering the workings of the body to find better treatments for disease and enact better guidelines and policies for healthy living. A crucial element of this endeavor(...)