UW Medicine Pathology News, Events & Seminars

Former Grad Student Leslie Caromile Featured in SACNAS Newsletter

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:58:29 PST

Ryan McMahan: The Role of TNF-alpha Converting Enzyme in Liver Injury and Regeneration

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:00:00 PST

Friday, August 12, 2011 - 2:00 PM
Health Sciences Center, Room K-069

2011-12 Autopsy Conference Schedule

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:57:09 PST

Please click on the link below to review the 2011-12 UWMC Anatomic Pathology Autopsy Conference Schedule.

Jennifer Schleit: Mechanisms Underlying Differential Responses to Dietary Restriction

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:00:00 PST

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 - 1:00 PM
Health Sciences Center, K-069

Kalluri Subba Rao, Ph.D.: DNA Damage and its Repair in Young, Adult and Aging Neurons

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:00:00 PST

Friday, August 26, 2011 - 10:00 AM
UW Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
For many years, Dr. Rao has been one of the few scientists who has addressed important questions about DNA repair in non-dividing eukaryotic cells. His focus has been on the repair of oxygen-mediated DNA damage in neurons by base excision repair and the involvement of DNA polymerase beta in this process. He has considered the importance of deficits in DNA repair in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Sound Transit University Link Update

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:01:12 PST

Luis Fernando Santana, Ph.D.: Local Controls of L-type Calcium Channels in Muscle

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:00:00 PST

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 - 9:00 AM
SLU 815 Mercer Street, Admin Bldg C, Orin Smith Auditorium

Jing-Fei Dong, MD, PhD: Platelet Hyperactivity and Inflammation: STAT3 Signaling in Platelets

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:00:00 PST

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - 9:00 AM
SLU 815 Mercer Street, Admin Bldg C, Orin Smith Auditorium

Loren J. Field, PhD : Mechanisms for Cardioprotection and Regeneration

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:00:00 PST

Monday, September 19, 2011 - 9:00 AM
SLU 815 Mercer Street, Admin Bldg C, Orin Smith Auditorium
Distingushed Lecture series

Allison Medical Lecture Series Announcement

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:33:55 PST

UW Medicine and the Seattle Public Library Medical Lecture Series

Microsoft Auditorium/Washington Mutual Foundation Meeting Room, Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 7 PM

The Path of a Breast Cancer Survivor

As director of Breast Pathology at the University of Washington Medical Center, Kim Allison, M.D., uses her experience as a cancer survivor to inspire others. Learn about her observations from the other side of the microscope. See announcement linked below.

For more information call 206-386-4636 or online at www.spl.org

This lecture is free - no tickets required. Parking available in the Central Library Garage ($5).

William C. Parks, PhD: Proteolytic Pathways in Immunity, MMPs as Effectors of Inflammation

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 PST

Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 9:00 AM
SLU 815 Mercer Street, Admin Bldg C, Orin Smith Auditorium

William Stafford Noble, PhD: The one-dimensional and three-dimensional architecture of the genome

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:00:00 PST

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 - 9:00 AM
SLU 815 Mercer Street, Admin Bldg C, Orin Smith Auditorium

Marshall Horwitz's Leukemia Research Featured in the UW Daily

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:34:50 PST

Morayma Reyes, M.D., Ph.D.: Role of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate in Muscle Regeneration: Potential Pharmacotherapy for Muscular Dystrophy

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 - 4:30 PM
UW Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Presently, there is no effective treatment for the lethal muscle wasting disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In collaboration with Dr. Hannele Ruohola-Baker, through an unbiased suppression screen of the dystrophic phenotype in Drosophila, we found suppressors that upregulate the levels of sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) and thereby ameliorate the dystrophic phenotype in the flies. Previously, S1P has been implicated in satellite cell proliferation and myoblast differentiation in vitro. These essential roles for S1P in skeletal muscle enabled us to hypothesize that S1P mechanisms are conserved in mammals. In extending the S1P studies to the mdx mouse, we found that localized elevation of S1P via direct injection into muscle led to an increase in muscle satellite cell proliferation, newly regenerated fibers as well as fiber size. Additionally, we found that the systemic administration of that 2-acetyl-4(5)-tetrahydroxybutyl imidazole (THI), an S1P lyase inhibitor that strongly suppressed dystrophic muscle wasting in Drosophila, led to a significant amelioration of known hallmarks of DMD pathology, fibrosis and fat deposition and dramatic increase in muscle fiber size in mdx mice. Similar results were also observed in the dysferlinopathy mouse model, AJ/SCID mice with direct administration of S1P. This increase in muscle fiber size can be attributed to anabolic pathways as indicated by increased levels of phosphorylated ribosomal S6. Thus, THI holds promise as a new pharmacotherapy to treat muscular dystrophy. I will present a general discussion of S1P metabolism and its role in cellular processes with emphasis on the skeletal muscle. I will also discuss the pathology of muscular dystrophy and current challenges in finding therapies to treat this lethal, devastating disease.

Kim Allison's Battle with Breast Cancer Featured in NY Times

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:05:19 PST

Ian N. Crispe, M.D., Ph.D.: Distinctive Features of Liver Immunology

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - 4:30 PM
UW Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
The liver is the site of common infectious diseases (HAV, HBV, HCV), essential in the development of malaria parasites, and subject to metabolic diseases with an immuno-inflammatory component. There is increasing recognition that immune responses have distinctive local features, and in the liver these are shaped by constitutive exposure to trace levels of bacterial products from the intestinal microbiota. In the presentation, some distinctive features of liver immunology will be discussed. Specifically, we will address: the distinctive lymphocyte populations in the liver; the presentation of hepatocellular antigens to T cells; recruitment of T cells to the liver; and the nature of hepatic immune failure. Experimental models to be discussed include primary human liver leukocytes, AAV gene therapy vectors, and genetically-altered malaria parasites.

Fausto Symposium

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:32:03 PST

Nelson Fausto Symposium
Thursday, October 27 from 12:30 – 5:30 PM
University of Washington Medical Center
Hogness Auditorium

Please join us in celebrating the scientific legacy and clinical leadership of…

Nelson Fausto, M.D.
Professor & Chair
UW Medicine Pathology
1994-2011

The symposium will feature scientific and personal presentations from many of Dr. Fausto's colleagues and friends, including:

Paul Ramsey, M.D., Dean, UW School of Medicine
Charles Alpers, M.D., UW Medicine Pathology
Irwin Arias, M.D., National Institutes of Health – NICHD
Nobuyoshi Shiojiri, Ph,D., Shizuoka University, Japan
Yock Young Dan, M.D., Ph.D., National University of Singapore
David Shafritz, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Arnold Rabson, M.D., Rutgers University
Lopa Mishra, M.D., MD Anderson Center
Jean Campbell, Ph.D., UW Medicine Pathology
Jordi Bruix, M.D., University of Barcelona
Priscilla Markwood, CAE, American Society for Investigative Pathology
Vinay Kumar, M.D., Pritzker Medical School
Robert Pierce, M.D., Merck Research Labs
Polly Olsen, UW Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
Tom Montine, M.D., Ph.D., Alvord Professor and Interim Chair, UW Medicine Pathology

Reception to immediately follow the symposium in the Health Sciences Lobby.

Fausto Symposium program schedule is attached below.

Hazel Szeto, M.D., Ph.D.: Fixing the Furnace: A Mitochondrial Targeted Therapy for Energy-deficient Diseases

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Room K-069

Why Attend?
Dr. Szeto is co-discoverer of a class of mitochondrially targeted peptide drugs that have increasingly wide potential application. Originally thought to behave a simple antioxidant, it is now apparent that the tetrapeptide agent SS-31 directly enhances mitochondrial respiration under diverse conditions of mitochondrial energetic stress. It has been found to have benefits, for example, in attenuating ischemia reperfusion injury to the kidney, heart and brain, and to improve heart and muscle function under oxidative challenge. SS-31 is now in phase II clinical trial for prevention of cardiac injury following acute myocardial infarction.

Allison Sees Cancer from Both Sides

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:01:36 PST

Norm Wolf, D.V.M., Ph.D.: What Leads to Age-Related Changes in the Lenses of Our Eyes? Some Factors Related to Increasing Lens Opacity Leading to Cataract

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, October 26, 2011 - 4:30 PM
UW Heatlh Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend
My laboratory studies age-related changes in the lens in several species. I will present our studies on changes in mouse, rat, dog, monkey, human and bovine lenses. We also study the long known but, we believe, never satisfactorily explained replication condition of two adjacent regions of the lens surface cells- the non-replicating central zone, and the continuously replicating germinative zone next to it. I also will briefly touch on the role of the Sirt1 gene as it directly or indirectly affects age-related lens opacity.

Pathology Faculty Research Featured in Nature Genetics

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:33:13 PST

Xinxian Deng and Christine Disteche, both faculty members in Pathology, together with colleagues in Genome Sciences and at other Institutions published a study in Nature Genetics in which they show that expression of genes on the X chromosome in three model organisms, mammals, C. elegans, and Drosophila, is upregulated to balance expression between X-linked and autosomal genes. The evolution of a specific set of sex-determining chromosomes has led, in many species, to a single X chromosome in males and two in females, while autosomes are present in two copies. The new study shows that there is compensation of gene expression between the X and autosomes in mammals, C. elegans, and Drosophila.

Keith Blackwell, M.D., Ph.D.: Diverse Functions of SKN-1/Nrf Proteins in Stress Defenses and Aging

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 - 4:30 PM
UW Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Most chronic diseases can be considered to be aging-related, in that they manifest themselves primarily in older individuals. In model organisms both lifespan and healthspan can be increased dramatically by dietary restriction or manipulation of certain metabolic or stress defense pathways, holding promise that an understanding of these mechanisms may ultimately be of great benefit for human health. We study aging in the nematode C. elegans, an advantageous organism for pathway discovery. In the seminar I will describe how a protein that protects against oxidative stress (the SKN-1/Nrf transcription factor) also defends against various other metabolic and proteotoxic stresses. I will also describe how SKN-1/Nrf plays a critical role in an opposing relationship between growth and nutrient signals on one hand, and stress defense mechanisms on the other. This relationship may be of critical importance in dietary restriction, and other growth/nutrient-related mechanisms that influence aging.

John D. Scott, Ph.D.: Cell Signaling in Space and Time

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, November 9, 2011 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Room K-069

Why Attend?
Dr. John Scott is a Howard Hughes Investigator and the Edwin G. Krebs-Speights Professor of Cell Signaling and Cancer Biology with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington. Dr. Scott is a fellow of the Royal Society, London, the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He's the author of over 200 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and books. He is interested in the specificity of signal transduction events that are controlled by anchoring proteins, which facilitate rapid signal transduction by optimally positioning protein kinases and phosphatases in the vicinity of their activating signals and close to their substrates. His research program focuses on defining the intracellular communication networks that promote specificity in signal transduction events. Dr. Scott's lab has identified a family of A-kinase-anchoring proteins (AKAPs) that target the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and other signaling enzymes to specific subcellular sites. AKAPs influence the regulation of physiological processes by bringing enzymes close to their appropriate effectors and substrates at precisely the right moment. Dr. Scott and his lab have made significant progress on establishing the AKAP model, the functional consequences of PKA anchoring, and the bigger role of AKAP signaling networks in the coordinate regulation of cellular signaling.

April Stempien-Otero, M.D.: Bone Marrow Derived Cells in Cardiac Repair: From Mouse to Man

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Room K-069

Why Attend?
Bone marrow-derived cells are critical to myocardial repair contributing directly to cardiac components such as endothelium and fibroblasts and providing paracrine factors that direct neovascularization and collagen production by resident cells. Current data support a model in which bone marrow monocyte-derived macrophages are at the crux of these repair processes in acute injury. Thus, macrophages are an attractive target for cell-based therapies to improve myocardial repair and prevent progression to heart failure. Our interest is in the role of a specific macrophage protease–urokinase plasminogen activator–in directing macrophage phenotype in the heart in mouse models. Moreover, we have initiated human studies of bone marrow cell therapy to the heart to elucidate the role of macrophages and bone marrow derived stem cells in end-stage human heart disease.

William Parks, Ph.D.: Proteolytic Pathways in Innate Immunity

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 4:30 PM
UW Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Innate immunity involves the action of resident cells and leukocytes to maintain and restore healthy tissues challenged by injury and infection. As for most biological processes, the extent, pattern, and duration of inflammation are controlled by a balance between positive and negative factors. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) have emerged as important effector enzymes that act on diverse proteins to promote or moderate various immune processes. This presentation will highlight two MMPs-MMP7 and MMP10-that control distinct and somewhat opposing immune processes in response to injury and infection. In acute injury, matrilysin (MMP7) controls the transepithelial advancement and activation of neutrophils by shedding the ectodomain of syndecan-1, a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Similar to MMP7, stromelysin-2 (MMP10) is not expressed in resting tissues; however, in response acute or chronic insults, this proteinase is induced by infiltrated macrophages. In models of acute and chronic inflammation, Mmp10–/– mice have an exaggerated inflammatory response, indicating that the enzyme functions normally to repress inflammation. However, whereas Mmp10–/– mice are susceptible to lethality from acute insults, they are protected against tissue damage associated with prolonged inflammation. Data from both models indicate that MMP10 impact macrophage functions by promoting differentiation into immunosuppressive M2 (alternatively activated) cells. Together, these findings demonstrate both pro- and anti-inflammatory functions of distinct MMPs.

Jeffrey Macklis, M.D.: Molecular Logic of Neocortical Projection Neuron Development, Degeneration, and Regeneration

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 - 4:30 PM
UW Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Jeffrey D. Macklis' laboratory is directed toward both 1) understanding molecular controls over neuron sub-type specification and development in the cerebral cortex, and 2) applying developmental controls toward brain and spinal cord repair - specifically, the cellular repair of complex cerebral cortex and cortical output circuitry (in particular, cortico-spinal motor neuron (CSMN) circuitry that degenerates in ALS and other "upper motor neuron" degenerative diseases, and whose injury is centrally involved in loss of motor function in spinal cord injury). The Macklis lab focuses on neocortical projection neuron development and sub-type specification; neural progenitor / "stem cell" biology; induction of adult neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons from within); and directed neuronal differentiation and development of connectivity via molecular manipulation of neural progenitors within murine neocortex. The same biology informs understanding of neuronal subtype specificity of involvement in human neurodegenerative and developmental diseases, in particular ALS / motor neuron disease, PLS, HSPs, Huntington's disease, autism spectrum disorders, and Rett Syndrome.

Ingrid Harten: An Analysis of the Extracellular Matrix in Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:30:00 PST

Thursday, December 8, 2011 - 4:30 PM
UW Medicine South Lake Union, Orin Smith Auditorium

2012 Benditt Endowed Lectureship

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:27:53 PST

Brian Hawkins, Ph.D.: Deciphering the Mitochondrial Contribution to Intracellular Signaling

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, December 14, 2011 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Room K-069

Why Attend?
Mitochondria are ubiquitous organelles that are the primary source of energy for most eukaryotic organisms. Aside from ATP generation, mitochondria contribute to intracellular signaling pathways during growth, differentiation, proliferation, and even cell death. Perturbations in mitochondrial function consequently influence a number of conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration. Due to this almost universal impact on multiple cellular processes and diseases, defining the precise molecular mechanism(s) by which mitochondria decode and transmit cellular metabolic cues into downstream signaling has proven difficult. Our laboratory specializes in delineating how mitochondria direct intracellular signaling by focusing on the delicate relationship between calcium and redox homeostasis. This seminar will highlight our current understanding of mitochondrial-initiated signaling cascades via calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and will introduce a novel means in which mitochondria initiate intracellular signaling through physiologic mitochondrial permeability transition. We anticipate that the identification of unique mitochondrial signaling molecules and pathways will serve as attractive therapeutic targets aimed at combating human disease.

Larry True, M.D.: The Challenge of Finding a Clinically Useful Tissue-Based Prostate Cancer Biomarker: A Personal Perspective

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Based on my multi-year investigation of tissue-based cancer biomarkers, I will discuss some of the challenges that we all face in identifying prognostic and predictive markers, and proposed solutions. Although I'll focus on markers specific to the prostate, the challenges are common to all cancers. Issues to be discussed include sampling, tumor heterogeneity, observer-variability, prognostic and predictive transcriptomes and proteomes, and quantitative tissue assays.

Maria Tretiakova, M.D., Ph.D.: Novel Approaches to GU Cancers: - Is microvessel density significant in prostate cancer biology? - Renal Tumor Subtyping by Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) Assay

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:30:00 PST

Friday, January 13, 2012 - 12:30 PM
UWMC, NE-110 Conference Room

Speaker is a faculty candidate in Pathology

Christine Disteche Science in Medicine Lecture

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:26:32 PST

UW Medicine School of Medicine Presents the 2011-2012 Science in Medicine Lecture Series

Christine Disteche, Ph.D.
Department of Pathology and Division of Medical Genetics
University of Washington School of Medicine

XY Males and XX Females: The Epigenetics of Dosage Compensation in Mammals

Thursday, January 26, 2012
12:00-1:00pm | Foege Auditorium
William Foege Building
University of Washington

The lecture will also be video-televised at the following locations:

Harborview Medical Center Ninth & Jefferson Building (NJB), Rm. 1360
Seattle Children's Research Institute: Pearl Jam Room 806
Washington State University: Riverpoint Campus – SAC 501 & Pullman Campus – Morrill Hall 108

This lecture is open to all faculty, staff and students. No registration is required.

For information regarding the lecture series, please e-mail us at somevent@uw.edu or visit the 2011-2012 Science in Medicine website.

To request disability accommodations contact the Disability Services Offices at (206) 543-6452, or dso@u.washington.edu.

Andrew Dillin, Ph.D.: Humoral Control of Proteostasis and its Impact Upon Aging

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:30:00 PST

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - 4:30 PM
UW Genome Sciences Building, Foege Auditorium

Sinchita Roy Chowdhuri, M.D., Ph.D.: Molecular Diagnostic Cytopathology in an Era of Targeted Therapeutics

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:45:00 PST

Friday, January 27, 2012 - 12:45 PM
University of Washington Medical Center, NE-110 Conference Room
Speaker is a faculty candidate in pathology.

Wei-Zhong Zhu: Electrophysiology and Calcium Handling of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) have tremendous promise as a cell source for regenerative medicine. To optimize host-graft electromechanical integration and minimize the risk of arrhythmias following transplantation, however, hESC-CMs must have the appropriate electrophysiological properties and mechanisms of excitation-contraction coupling. Toward that end, I will present our recent work on two topics related to the electrical behavior of hESC-CMs in vitro. First, I will describe advances in the derivation of specialized cardiac subtypes (e.g., pacemaker cells) from hESCs, using genetic selection and pharmacological manipulation of neuregulin-ErbB signaling. Second, I will review our current understanding of the mechanisms of excitation-contraction coupling and calcium handling in hESC-CMs, which seem to be surprisingly adult-like given their relatively immature structure and mechanical properties.

F. Zahra Aly, MD, BDS, PhD: Head and Neck Tumors - Emerging Diseases

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 PST

Thursday, February 2, 2012 - 12:00 PM
University of Washington Medical Center, NE-110 Conference Room

Speaker is a faculty candidate in Oral Pathology

Stan McKnight, Ph.D.: PKA Mutations Regulate Energy Homeostasis in Mice

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
We count on neurons in the hypothalamus to integrate signals from the rest of our body and balance energy intake with our energy expenditure. For most of us, this means we are not constantly gaining or losing weight. The system works reasonably well in humans and in mice until faced with highly palatable, calorie dense foods and an environment where exercise is discouraged by elevators, cars, and in the case of mice, small cages. The result in the US population is that ~60% of us are overweight and ~30% are classified as obese with all of the adverse health effects associated with obesity. Our lab is studying mice with genetically engineered defects in the cAMP/PKA system that protect animals from diet-induced obesity and also have stimulatory effects on voluntary exercise. Our hypothesis is that these changes in signal transduction pathways in leptin-responsive neuronal circuits have produced mice that are hyper-sensitive to leptin, suppressing the normal tendency to store more fat in adipose tissue.

Stephen Schmechel, MD, PhD: Association of Hyaluronan Metabolic Biomarkers and Inflammation with Aggressiveness in Prostate Cancer

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Room K-069

Why Attend?
Steve Schmechel is Assistant Professor and Director of Cytopathology in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Minnesota (UMN), and founding Director of the UMN Academic Health Center's Biological Materials Procurement Network (BioNet), a central biobank, research histopathology, and digital imaging resource. BioNet supports research by 71 UMN principal investigators and additional studies at other universities and companies in the medical device, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries. The Schmechel laboratory utilizes BioNet functions to identify and validate gene products and other metabolic biomarkers of aggressive biologic behavior of prostate cancer. Recent results support a model that a mechanism of aggressive prostate cancer biology is the synthesis of hyaluronan (by HAS2), accumulation of hyaluronan, degradation (presumably) of some hyaluronan (by Hyal1) into hyaluronan fragments*, and upregulation of signaling via the Rhamm pathway that promotes a response including CD45-positive) inflammation.

Alan Aderem, Ph.D.: A Systems Approach to Dissecting Immunity

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Alan Aderem, co-founder of the Institute for Systems Biology, is a pioneer in the field of systems biology and is an internationally recognized immunologist and cell biologist. His research focuses on the innate immune system – how it recognizes and formulates responses to infectious agents, and how it instructs the adaptive immune system to provide long-lived immunity to the pathogen. The Aderem laboratory also applies the tools of systems biology to the study of diseases that significantly impact global health with an emphasis on rational vaccine design. He has recently taken over the helm of Seattle BioMed.

Joe Beavo, Ph.D.: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Klemens Hertel, Ph.D.: The Influence of Alternative pre-mRNA Processing in Gene Expression and Disease

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, March 21, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Research in the Hertel laboratory focuses on elucidating the regulation of alternative splicing with the ultimate goal to faithfully predict pre-mRNA processing changes in disease models. With the realization that most diseases are molecularly heterogeneous, novel high throughput technologies have been employed to identify gene expression markers that could be used for early detection and improved prognosis. However, gene expression levels alone cannot fully explain a cellular phenotype or gene functions without considering alternative pre-mRNA processing. Dr. Hertel’s presentation will discuss the prevalence, mechanisms, and potential implications of alternative pre-mRNA processing in maintaining cellular homeostasis.

Stan Hamilton, M.D.: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, April 4, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. TBA

Stuart Schnitt, M.D,: Molecular Classification of Breast Cancer: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
Stuart Schnitt is the Director of the Division of Anatomic Pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School. He is also a Past President of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. Dr. Schnitt is an internationally recognized expert in breast pathology, author of a highly acclaimed breast pathology textbook (Biopsy Interpretation of the Breast), and an editor of the 4th Edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours of the Breast. His research interests in the area of breast diseases is broad and in recent years has focused increasingly on the integration of traditional pathology with newer molecular techniques to refine breast tumor classification, assessment of breast cancer risk in women with benign breast disease, and risk of local recurrence in women with invasive breast cancer and DCIS treated with breast conserving therapy.

Michael Gale, Ph.D.: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Gabriel Nunez, M.D.: Function of Nod-like Receptors in Intestinal Immunity

Wed, 02 May 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Why Attend?
The Nunez laboratory is interested in mechanisms regulating innate immunity, the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease and the interaction of the microbiota with the host. Specifically, the research focuses on mechanistic studies to understand the role of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and in particular Nod-like receptors (NLRs) in the immune response against microbial pathogens and endogenous damage signals. Several NLR proteins including NOD2 and NLRP3 are mutated in patients with inflammatory diseases, Crohn's disease and autoinflammatory syndromes, respectively. However, the function of NLRs in host defense and the mechanisms by which NLR mutant proteins lead to disease remain unclear. Dr. Nuñez's presentation will present and discuss ongoing studies that attempt to understand the role of NLRs in host defense aqainst bacterial pathogens and inflammatory disease in the intestine.

Thomas Rando, M.D., Ph.D.: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Eddie Fox, Ph.D.: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Dan Stetson, Ph.D.: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069

Hannah Kinney, MD: 10th Annual Alvord Lecture: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, June 6, 2012 - 4:30 PM
TBC, TBC

Nenad Bursac, Ph.D.: Presentation Title TBA

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:30:00 PST

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 - 4:30 PM
Health Sciences Center, Rm. K-069