How Far We Have Come: Sanford-Burnham Celebrates 35 Years of Discoveries

Ahead of Their TimeSupporting the Scientists of Tomorrow

S A N F O R D - B U R N H A M M E D I C A L R E S E A R C H I N S T I T U T E

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 4 | FALL 2011

VICE PRESIDENTS, EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Elizabeth Birlet, M.A.Stephanie Boumediene, M.P.H.Edgar GillenwatersPhilip Graham, M.B.A.VICE PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Elizabeth GianiniVICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS

Andrea Moser, M.B.A.PORTAL EDITOR

Kristina Meek, M.A.CONTRIBUTORS

Heather Buschman, Ph.D.Sam ReedDESIGN

Creative Fusion

ON THE COVERCover photos clockwise from upper left: Lillian and Dr. William Fishman (center) unveil the first sign for the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation in 1976 (also pictured are Dr. José Luis Millán, who is still working at the Institute, and Dr. Cole Manes); Dr. Fishman and Dr. Kimimaro Dempo at work in the lab circa 1977; current Institute President Dr. Kristiina Vuori and CEO Dr. John Reed; Dr. Guy Salvesen with students from the Institute’s graduate school; Malin Burnham and T. Denny Sanford unveil the Institute’s new sign following its 2010 name change; Dr. Dan Kelly (right) discusses his work with Alex Martins, CEO of the Orlando Magic; Principal Investigator Dr. Barbara Ranscht, circa 1987, who has been with the Institute for more than 20 years.

A Message from Gregory T. Lucier 1Ahead of Their Time 2Upcoming Events 4Cancer Metabolism: Learning How to Starve a Tumor 5Talking with a Donor: Jeanne Herberger 6Talking with our Scientists: Drs. Jorge Moscat and Maria Diaz-Meco 7Supporting the Scientists of Tomorrow 8SBSN: The Future of Medical Research 9Recent Events 10Board of Trustees News 12Community Outreach 13Partners in Science Back Cover

FOUNDERSDr. William H. and Lillian Fishman

HONORARY TRUSTEESRoberta and Malin Burnham Joe Lewis Conrad T. Prebys T. Denny Sanford

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERSM. Wainwright Fishburn, Jr.CHAIRMAN

John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D.CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERPROFESSOR AND DONALD BREN CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHAIR

Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D.PRESIDENTPROFESSOR AND PAULINE AND STANLEY FOSTER PRESIDENTIAL CHAIRDIRECTOR, NCI-DESIGNATED CANCER CENTER

Gary F. Raisl, M.B.A., Ed.D.EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTCHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERTREASURER

Margaret M. Dunbar, J.D.SECRETARY

Lorenzo Berho Arthur Brody Shehan Dissanayake, Ph.D. Daniel J. Epstein Pauline M. Foster Alan Gleicher David F. Hale Jeanne Herberger, Ph.D. Brent Jacobs James E. Jardon II Robert J. Lauer Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D. Gregory T. Lucier Robert A. Mandell Nicolas C. Nierenberg Douglas Obenshain Peter Preuss Duane J. Roth Stuart Tanz Jan Tuttleman, Ph.D., M.B.A. Andrew J. Viterbi, Ph.D. Bobbi Warren Allen R. Weiss Gayle E. Wilson Diane WinokurEX-OFFICIOTodd Golub, M.D.SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD CHAIRMAN

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037 • 858-646-3100Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona6400 Sanger Road, Orlando, FL 32827 • 407-745-2000Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Santa Barbara2324 Life Sciences Building, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA 93106 • 805-453-0259

www.sanfordburnham.org Toll-free: 1-877-454-5702

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In 2009, I stepped into the role of Chairman of the Board at what was then Burnham Institute for Medical Research. Two years later, I proudly complete my term as Chairman of the Board at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, and am amazed by how much has happened in that time.

I was first drawn to “The Burnham” in the mid-2000s. It was a place that had already accomplished great things and was poised to accomplish even greater goals. As CEO of a rapidly expanding global business, Life Technologies, I pride myself on the ability to recognize potential. A new initiative from the NIH, the Roadmap for Medical Research, seemed tailor-made to the Institute’s collaborative, entrepreneurial culture. For the Institute, this meant impressive growth in grant revenue. Major gifts also increased as individuals eager to invest in the promise of medical research envisioned the future. We are grateful, in particular, for generous contributions from Joe Lewis, James Seneff, Donald Bren, Conrad Prebys, Arthur Brody, and Pauline Foster. The biggest celebration, of course, took place in January 2010 with the announcement of T. Denny Sanford’s transformational gift, now reflected in the Institute’s name. As I began my tenure as a trustee, the Institute opened the doors to its state-of-the-art facility in Orlando.

As a supporter of Sanford-Burnham, you are no doubt aware of the Institute’s ever-growing impact. This issue of Portal just scratches the surface of its accomplishments. If you would like to learn more about any specific

area of discovery, the researchers and staff at Sanford-Burnham are always eager to share with their community. Perhaps that is what I have enjoyed most about my time serving as Chairman—the Institute makes you feel like a part of their success.

Stepping in as Chairman of the Board is Wain Fishburn, who believes as strongly in the mission of the Institute as I do. Exciting advances are sure to be made during his tenure, as they were during mine. I wish him all the best and I promise him, and you, that I will continue to support the Institute, eager to witness the exciting successes that the future brings.

Sincerely,

Gregory T. Lucier

A Message from Gregory T. Lucier

The researchers and staff at Sanford-Burnham are always welcoming and eager to share with their community.

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Dr. Fishman had found an enzyme that is normally produced during the first trimester of pregnancy is also elevated in certain lung tumors. He realized that cancer development is inextricably linked with how the body develops. Though the term had yet to be coined, the Fishmans had discovered cancer “stem cells,” from which cancer arises. Armed with this breakthrough in understanding, the Fishmans founded the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation.

At this fledgling organization, develop-mental biologists worked alongside cancer biologists to seek the fundamental roots of cancer and help devise new strategies to conquer it. The cross-discipline cooperation they fostered is part of what makes the Institute unique today. For instance, scientists in Sanford-Burnham’s NCI-Designated Cancer Center and Diabetes and Obesity Research Center join forces to understand how altered metabolism drives cancer and vice versa. (See page 5 for more on cancer metabolism.) The cross-

fertilization of ideas brings our researchers closer every day to treatments and cures.

Thanks to the talent and dedication of hundreds of scientists from different disciplines working collaboratively, insights from our cancer research have enabled findings in a number of other conditions, including degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Our drug discovery programs put us at the forefront of translating these insights from the laboratory into innovative new medicines with the potential to save millions of lives.

Now 35 years old, the Institute is a powerhouse in medical research. The same entrepreneurial spirit that motivated William and Lillian Fishman to launch a new institute is alive and well at Sanford-Burnham today.

Please visit our blog and website, or call us to learn about progress in a specific area that interests you. Join us in our quest to revolutionize the understanding of human health.

Ahead of Their TimeWhen William and Lillian Fishman dreamed of establishing an independent institute to explore a new frontier in cancer research, they were already far ahead of their contemporaries.

Some Sanford-Burnham

Milestones

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2009On the heels of NIH’s and NCI’s selections of Sanford-Burnham as a national center of excellence for drug discovery, Conrad Prebys donates $10 million to support the Institute’s drug discovery center, creating the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics.

1976Sanford-Burnham is founded as the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation by Dr. William and Mrs. Lillian Fishman. In 1996, the name is changed to The Burnham Institute following a generous gift from the Burnham Foundation.

2006Sanford-Burnham establishes a collaboration with UC Santa Barbara to pursue the field of bionanotechnology. The resulting Center for Nanomedicine is led today by Dr. Jamey Marth.

1992Dr. John Reed discovers the connection between cancer chemoresistance and Bcl-2, a protein involved in cell suicide (apoptosis), leading to two new cancer therapeutics currently in clinical trials. Today, Dr. Reed serves as Institute CEO and is the most cited researcher in the world in the field of apoptosis.

2010T. Denny Sanford pledges $50 million to support and accelerate the Institute’s medical research. To honor him, the Institute is renamed Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.

1981National Cancer Institute designates the Founda-tion as a Basic Science Cancer Center. Today, under the leadership of Institute President Dr. Kristiina Vuori, Sanford-Burnham’s Cancer Center is one of only seven such centers in the country.

2007Sanford Health donates $20 million for the creation of the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center. The gift formalizes the Institute’s dedication to research in rare diseases, type 1 diabetes, muscular dystrophy, and other conditions affecting young people. The new center is led by Dr. Fred Levine.

2006With an investment from Tavistock Group and support from state and local governments totaling more than $300 million, Sanford-Burnham launches plans for a new facility in Orlando’s Medical City at Lake Nona. Joe Lewis pledges $10 million to support the effort. The East Coast campus opened in 2009 and today, under the leadership of Dr. Daniel Kelly, the Diabetes and Obesity Research Center is pioneering personalized medicine technologies and innovative therapies for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer.

1999Sanford-Burnham opens the Del E. Webb Neuroscience and Aging Research Center to expand the therapeutic applications of cell death research in the Institute’s Cancer Center. The new center is led by Dr. Stuart Lipton, who developed Memantine, the latest FDA-approved drug for Alzheimer’s disease.

1984Dr. Erkki Ruoslahti discovers molecular basis for cell adhesion, later leading to two FDA-approved heart disease drugs. Dr. Ruoslahti served as Institute President from 1989 to 2002 and won a Japan Prize in 2005. Today, he is a distinguished professor and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

2001The Neuroscience and Aging Research Center expands to provide a safe haven for stem cell research. Today, Dr. Evan Snyder leads that program and the Stem Cell Research Center, which provides resources and expertise to the entire scientific community.

2001Dr. Robert Liddington solves the 3-D structure of the anthrax toxin in the aftermath of a bioterrorist attack, leading to the creation of the world’s most potent chemical inhibitor of anthrax. The Institute launches the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center. Today, the center is headed by Dr. Carl Ware, a pioneer in protein drugs for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Some Sanford-Burnham

Milestones

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming

Stay up-to-date about our events by following us on Twitter: @SBI_Events.

September 22, 2011MomentumSanford-Burnham at Lake Nona in Orlando will host a cocktail reception recognizing those who have supported the Institute’s research as we celebrate 35 years of scientific breakthroughs. Call (407) 745-2010 for more information.

October 15, 2011Annual Gala: Mining for a CureHitch up your wagon and join us for a memorable evening! Down some moonshine, kick up your heels, and help rustle up some funds for groundbreaking medical research. For tickets or sponsorship information call (858) 795-5239 or visit www.sanfordburnhamevents.org/gala.

October 17-19, 2011The Atlantic Meets the PacificSanford-Burnham is pleased to be part of this extraordinary three-day forum to address new frontiers in science, medicine, art, technology, and energy. Attendees will experience an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Sanford-Burnham’s La Jolla campus. On October 19, our CEO, Dr. John Reed will participate in a panel discussion on “The Future of Health.” For more information, visit http://events.theatlantic.com.

November 3, 2011Bring It! Orlando: Game on for Medical ResearchBe a superhero! Join us for our second annual Bring It! Orlando event and contribute your powers to help transform scientific discoveries into new therapies. Take part in a bold and boisterous “game show” event supporting cutting-edge medical research. Meet, greet and compete with some of Orlando’s most spirited team players. For tickets or sponsorship information, visit www.bringitorlando.org or call (407) 745-2010.

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Cancer cells are greedy and wasteful. Normal cells are generally efficient at using resources and generating energy, but cancer cells are different—they take more than their fair share of nutrients. Chemical reactions then convert these nutrients into the extra energy cancer cells need to drive growth, outcompete other cells, and survive. In a nutshell, that’s cancer metabolism. Fifty years ago, cancer biologists were convinced that understanding this process would lead to a cure, until discoveries about cancer genetics shifted the research focus in other directions. But now the pendulum is swinging back, renewing interest in metabolism’s role in cancer.

Dr. Jorge Moscat, who recently joined Sanford-Burnham’s faculty, has spent the last 20 years trying to understand the mechanisms that allow cancer cells to break all the metabolism rules. His investigations have led to the discovery of a network of proteins that control inflammation, cellular communication and nutrient sensing—all key drivers of cancer growth.

One such protein is an enzyme called protein kinase C zeta (PKCz), which is often missing in human cancers. PKCz is a tumor suppressor that prevents inflammation and ensures that cells remain sensitive to nutrient levels. Cells without PKCz get reprogrammed to endure fuel scarcity.

“If cells lack this gene, they don’t care if glucose is unavailable,” says Dr. Moscat, “they just use other nutrients.”

Dr. Moscat hopes that learning more about PKCz and related proteins will help reveal new ways to fix these malfunctioning processes and slow tumor growth.

Although he’s only been at the Institute for a few months, Dr. Moscat has already developed a fruitful collaboration with Dr. Adam Richardson, a research assistant professor at Sanford-Burnham. Together, they are trying to better understand metabolic pathways in cancer cells. In other words, when a tumor cell takes up a nutrient, what happens to that nutrient during each step of the metabolic process and how is that impacted by cancer genes and tumor suppressor genes?

Here’s where sophisticated technologies pay off. Working with others at Sanford-Burnham, Dr. Richardson helped adapt a method used to study metabolism in bacteria to study human cells. He uses mass spectrometry to follow stable isotopes incorporated into various nutrients. When the cell takes up a nutrient, he can then track what happens to these molecules and the metabolites (molecules created by biochemical

reactions) they ultimately produce. This method produces highly specific information about how cells process nutrients.

These studies should greatly increase the understanding of cancer metabolism by providing step-by-step snapshots of how cancer cells defy poor nutritional environments, what happens to the nutrients they take in, and how that process can be detected. Ultimately, these basic discoveries will help Sanford-Burnham scientists and others pinpoint and exploit vulnerabilities in cancer cells.

Cervical cancer cell model. Nutrient-sensing proteins are shown in red and green.

Cancer Metabolism Learning How to Starve a Tumor

Dr. Moscat hopes that learning more

about PKCz and related proteins

will help reveal new ways to fix these malfunctioning

processes and slow tumor growth.

Upcoming

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TALKING WITH A DONOR

Jeanne Herberger is such an active person it’s no wonder that the rate of action at Sanford-Burnham is what drew her attention. Jeanne and her husband Gary have supported the Institute for many years. Jeanne has served on the Board of Trustees for the last three years and has just accepted a second, three-year term. Next month, the two of them will co-chair the Institute’s annual gala, Mining for a Cure.

“The scientific leadership, and the great people throughout the Institute know how to make things happen,” she says. “Their lack of bureaucracy, combined with the passion for what they do, make them unstoppable.”

Jeanne holds a Ph.D. in Communications and has remained integrally involved with her alma mater, Arizona State University. She and Gary co-own, with another couple, the upscale Hidden Meadow Ranch in Arizona, where Jeanne is Chairman of the Board. Jeanne stays fit by horseback riding,

ice skating, and doing yoga. While staying active and healthy is important, she knows that disease can sometimes strike unexpectedly. “Early diagnosis and preventive care are crucial. Sanford-Burnham is really moving in the right direction, learning how we can arrest cancer and other diseases before they spread.”

In particular, Jeanne has developed a relationship with Institute President Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D., and follows Dr. Vuori’s work with metastasis. Jeanne believes that Dr. Vuori can unlock the key to halting metastasis—the spread of cancer to multiple tissues and locations in the body—making cancer treatable by surgery.

For Jeanne, this year’s gala exemplifies what makes Sanford-Burnham distinct. Mining for a Cure celebrates the pioneering spirit that keeps the Institute on the cutting edge of research. Attendees will be immersed in the early California gold-mining zeitgeist, encouraged to dress the

part and help the Institute unearth new scientific discoveries. Jeanne points out that the people who join the planning committee each year do so many months in advance, demonstrating their commitment to the cause and to the Institute. “I am honored to be organizing this fabulous event with such talented and fun co-chairs as Jeanne Jones, Pam Wygod and Karen Tanz,” she says. “We are having a grand time working together to create a memorable event for our guests and for this outstanding Institute!”

“The gala is always a fun, uplifting environment,” Jeanne continues. “Although we are raising funds for serious research, we do it in such a positive atmosphere. That is why my husband and I are proud to guide the direction of this year’s event. We look forward to seeing many friends there.”

Living Life to the Fullest:Jeanne Herberger

Jeanne and Gary Herberger at the 2010 Sanford-Burnham gala, Speakeasy.

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TALKING WITH OUR SCIENTISTS

Dr. Jorge Moscat and Dr. Maria Diaz-Meco just joined the faculty in Sanford-Burnham’s NCI-Designated Cancer Center last January. Though each runs an independent lab, they have worked in tandem for more than 20 years. The chemistry they share for their research in cancer metabolism is evident even in their casual conversation. They laugh and talk together like the best of friends and believe strongly that they can accomplish more together than they could separately. “One plus one is not two, it’s more than that,” says Dr. Moscat.

Dr. Diaz-Meco adds, “We believe that by working together we move things forward much faster and in a much more creative, synergistic way.”

These two researchers see collaborative opportunities everywhere they look—in their own labs, throughout the Institute, the San Diego research community, and across the country. They came to the Institute from the University of Cincinnati, where they spent the last five years since leaving their home country of Spain.

Drs. Moscat and Diaz-Meco were attracted to Sanford-Burnham because it offers them the possibility to focus on the really important questions in cell biology. The chance to work across disciplines was the key to their decision to move to La Jolla.

“We felt this would be a good opportunity to build projects that serve as an interface between two fields—cancer and obesity,” Dr. Moscat says. “This is also a priority for the National Cancer Institute, since obesity is a risk factor for aggressive tumors. We thought that working here, in connection with our colleagues in Lake Nona in Orlando [at Sanford-Burnham’s Diabetes and Obesity Research Center], would be the perfect place to do these across-the-board projects.”

Drs. Moscat and Diaz-Meco aim to fight cancer by better understanding cancer metabolism. (Learn more about cancer metabolism on page 5.) Metabolic processes are affected by a number of factors, including inflammation, how cells communicate, and how cells sense and use

nutrients. Cancer cells manage to survive and proliferate even in adverse conditions.

“The biological problems we have to address are so complex that, unless you can work together with your colleagues, they will be impossible to solve,” Dr. Moscat explains. “The amount of work, the combined expertise you have to bring together to make an impact is enormous. Maria and I are a microcosm of that kind of collaboration.”

“We found that it also creates a richer environment for our trainees and for everyone in the lab,” Dr. Diaz-Meco adds.

So how is it that the two researchers, in a field that can sometimes be very competitive, have formed such a harmonious partnership?

“Because one of us is a saint,” Dr. Moscat laughs, gesturing to his colleague.

These two feel fortunate to be working in La Jolla for personal as well as professional reasons. Although they have been very busy setting up their labs, they have managed to fit in a little time to enjoy their surroundings. “You just need one free hour to go take a walk on the beach,” says Dr. Diaz-Meco, an activity that leaves her energized as she returns to her research.

They are appreciative not just of the region, but of the United States in general, as a place to pursue science. Dr. Moscat cites an article in The Economist describing the U.S. as not just a country, but a hub.

“People from different countries come here and bring the best that they have, creating connections with people in their own countries,” he says. “I’m happy that we have this chance to connect with others here at Sanford-Burnham.”

Dr. Jorge Moscat & Dr. Maria Diaz-Meco

Biologists withChemistry

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Supporting the Scientists of TomorrowWhat do you want to accomplish and be known for?Questions like this form the application for the Fishman Fund Award, which CEO Dr. John Reed considers “probably the most significant thing we do to honor the memory of Dr. Fishman and the Fishman family for everything they’ve done — not only for this institution, but in the lives of young scientists, helping them pursue careers in this honorable profession.”

Supporters of the Fishman Fund gathered on September 8 to honor this year’s winners: Gregory Aubért, M.D., Ph.D.; Caroline Kumsta, Ph.D.; Aman Mann, Ph.D.; Martina Pröll, Ph.D.; and Roberto Tinoco, Ph.D. 

At a post-award cocktail reception, guests met the talented young people whose careers they’re helping to foster, and caught up with old friends and winners from previous years.

Established a decade ago by Mary Bradley and Reena Horowitz, each year the Award recognizes five of Sanford-Burnham’s best and brightest for both their accomplishments and their potential. Winners receive a $6,000 fellowship they’ll use to open up career

development opportunities they would otherwise be unable to pursue.

Dr. Reed recalls that the life of a postdoctoral fellow isn’t easy. “It takes more than a decade of dedication, and that’s just for the chance to really land their first job. During this time they make very little money and work very long hours. It takes a special person with a passion for science, and a deep commitment to stick it out and stay the course.”

Yet as with everything worth pursuing, the quest is more important than the sacrifices involved. Reed continues, “It’s a very special time in life because the classrooms are behind you, and you’re really in the lab learning how to do science at a new level.”

Dr. Stefan Grotegut, a 2010 winner, says, “It feels fantastic that the hard work is being recognized — something you sometimes forget while spending long hours in the lab.” Dr. Grotegut used his award to attend a prestigious career development conference organized by the German Scholar Organization. Outstanding researchers and engineers from all scientific fields applied; the 100 selected to

attend met German President Christian Wulff at Bellevue Palace in Berlin.

Dr. Jochen Maurer, a winner in 2008, was selected for that same conference. “I’m very thankful I won the Award; it’s been substantial for my career. It helped me secure a fellowship and allowed me to take a course in mouse pathology, which gave me insight in a field completely new to me.”

It will be exciting to see what this year’s winners go on to accomplish. Dr. Reed reminds us, “They need our encouragement because truly, they are our future, and we really depend on them for their dedication and their creativity. We here at Sanford-Burnham simply could not fulfill our mission without them.”

Please check the December issue of Portal to see photos from the award ceremony and reception. Learn how you can support the Fishman Fund at www.fishmanfund.org.

Reena Horowitz, Randy Woods, and Cristull Hasson, enthusiastic supporters of the Fishman Fund, at the 2010 awards ceremony.

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You Are Invited You are invited to SBSN’s 10th Annual Poster Symposium to meet Sanford-Burnham’s postdoctoral fellows and hear what innovative ideas they are pursuing.Sanford-Burnham donor Jeanne Jones says, “Young postdoctoral scientists are the backbone of all major scientific institutions. These young people do most of the lab work, on entry-level salaries. They deserve to be honored as frequently as possible.” The 10th Annual Poster Symposium will be held October 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego. SBSN members look forward to meeting you at a wine and cheese reception at 4 p.m. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Chelsea Luedeke at (858) 795-5239 or cluedeke@sanfordburnham.org.

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SBSN: The Future of Medical Research

Rachel Wilkie and Caroline Kumsta, this year’s SBSN Co-Chair and Chair, respectively.

Dr. Caroline Kumsta has been contemplating big picture ideas. “I’ve been thinking about this a lot: What is innovation? I don’t think you just wake up one day and have a brilliant idea out of nowhere. It comes out of something that already exists, in small increments; you develop something a little bit further, or you get input from others, and you figure out the next little step—or big step.”

These things are on Dr. Kumsta’s mind because, as Chair of the Sanford-Burnham Science Network (SBSN), she’s one of the organizers of the group’s 10th Annual Poster Symposium, October 7 in San Diego (see more below). This all-volunteer organization fosters career development for Sanford-Burnham’s postdoctoral scientists and graduate students by coordinating events such as the Poster Symposium. Built by and for postdocs and graduate students, SBSN also hosts career development seminars, classes, visiting lecturers, and networking events open to the entire Sanford-Burnham community.

While SBSN has been active at the San Diego campus for ten years, the Orlando campus postdocs have built their SBSN group just in the last few years, learning as they go from their West Coast counterparts.

Fostering a supportive environment for emerging scientists is a value built into Sanford-

Burnham’s 35-year history. The Institute’s founders, Dr. William and Lillian Fishman used to host picnics and dinner parties to welcome postdoctoral researchers, particularly those from overseas, to the “family.” SBSN continues this tradition. Volunteers get a chance to hone leadership and organizational skills they can’t often practice in their daily routine, but which will prove valuable as they transition to independence and lead their own laboratories.

SBSN was recently nominated for a 2011 Community Builder Award, which recognizes Sanford-Burnham employees whose efforts embody the Institute’s Core Values. Lillian Fishman was the inaugural winner when the award was established two years ago. Just as she reminds us of the Institute’s proud past, SBSN represents the future of medical research.

The 2010 Poster Symposium

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Recent Events

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Look for our next issue of Portal to see photos from the Fishman Fund Awards, a special donor event at a San Diego Padres game, and more!

Preuss School Interns From July 11-15, a group of interns from The Preuss School UCSD, a charter school that provides rigorous college prep for students from under-served communities, worked side-by-side with researchers in Sanford-Burnham labs.

Above: Terrance Bruggeman and Dianne Dyer-Bruggeman with Mac and Tricia Clarke.

Left: Peter Mace, the Eric Dudl Scholarship Award Recipient for 2011.

Presidents’ Circle A panel of experts spoke on the topic “Discovering the Future Now” at a special event for members of the Institute’s President’s Circle in La Jolla. CEO Dr. John Reed also awarded the Eric Dudl Scholarship, named for a cancer researcher who lost his own battle with the disease, to postdoctoral fellow Dr. Peter Mace.

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Recent Events

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RECENT EVENTS

Central Coast Wine ClassicSanford-Burnham was an honored guest at this year’s Central Coast Wine Classic, held at multiple venues throughout the Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo region. Proceeds from the rare and fine wine auction, which had its most successful year ever, benefit the Institute.

Gala VIP Party Gala Chairs Jeanne and Gary Herberger hosted a party for the members of this year’s gala Honorary Committee. This dedicated group is helping to make Mining for a Cure Sanford-Burnham’s most successful fundraiser yet.

Above left: Gala Honorary Chairs Pam and Marty Wygod.

Left: Gala Honorary Committee Members Joan Jacobs and Marleigh Gleicher.

Right: Sara Miller McCune and her guests enjoy the live auction.

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The Board of Trustees welcomes a new Chairman, three new members and one returning member this fall. Wainwright Fishburn Jr., current Vice Chairman, will assume the role of Chairman on September 14. Fishburn is a partner in the business department of the law firm Cooley Godward Kronish. He is a founding board member of the Corporate Directors Forum and BIOCOM San Diego, and is a founder of two publicly traded companies. He has been active with the CONNECT program in entrepreneurship, having served as President of the CONNECT San Diego Technology Financial Forum. Mr. Fishburn has been a strong advocate for Sanford-Burnham for several years now, particularly in support young and aspiring scientists.

Joining the Board are Lorenzo Berho, founder, chairman, and president of VESTA, a real estate holding and development company based in Mexico; Dan Epstein, founder and chairman of the ConAm Group; and Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT. Sanford-Burnham is grateful to have their expertise added to the diverse talent pool already serving on the Board. Returning to the Board is Alan Gleicher, who served as Vice Chairman from 2009-2010. Mr. Gleicher

currently manages Gleicher Capital, LLC and previously served as senior vice president of Global Operations at Intuit. A full list of members can be found on the inside front cover of this publication.

The Institute also wishes to congratulate Trustee Robert Mandell on his recent appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg. Mandell is a real estate developer based in Orlando and a strong supporter of Sanford-Burnham Lake Nona. In light of the appointment, he will be stepping down as a Trustee.

Board of Trustees News

Partnering with Medscape

Wain Fishburn with a group of high school interns.

Medscape, a physician-oriented website run by WebMD, visited Sanford-Burnham’s La Jolla campus this summer to record interviews with researchers from both Orlando and San Diego for a new online video program “Developments to Watch.” The talk show-format discussions were hosted by Dr. Evan Snyder, who directs the Stem Cells and Regenerative Biology Program at Sanford-Burnham. He spoke with Dr. Stuart Lipton, director of the Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research Center;

Dr. Steven Smith, professor at Sanford-Burnham in Lake Nona, Florida and director of the Florida Hospital – Sanford-Burnham Translational Research Institute, and Dr. Robert Wechsler-Reya, Director of Tumor Development in the Cancer Center.

The first installment, “A New Frontier in Alzheimer’s Disease,” is now available at www.medscape.com. A user name and password are required but the site and content are free to view. New installments will be added monthly.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Sanford-Burnham laboratories on both coasts were filled with local high school and college students who opted to give up the beach for lab time this summer. Interns returned home from the University of Notre Dame, Yale University, University of Florida and MIT to work alongside world-class researchers in Orlando. In San Diego, more than 50 interns spent time at the Institute this summer, including a group of high school students from The Preuss School UCSD.

♦

Lake Nona scientists shared stories of their day-to-day challenges and successes with students enrolled in MeD Camp, a unique summer camp for Orlando-area high school kids. More than 200 aspiring students joined roundtable conversations with physicians, nurses, and researchers to learn about the variety of career opportunities available to life science enthusiasts.

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The Orlando Science Museum’s Annual DNA

Day program featured John Shelley, a Sanford-Burnham histotechnologist, who explained to parents and children how scientists evaluate cells and tissues affected by disease.

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Sanford-Burnham scientist Dr. Greg Roth serves on the Advisory Committee for “Art’s the Spark” at The Orlando Museum of Art, a program that includes interactive tours for Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers. Art’s the Spark is the only program of its kind in Florida.

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Sanford-Burnham partnered with the Orlando chapter of the American Cancer Society to sponsor a summer externship for a high-achieving high school student who put her knowledge of cell biology to work in the Institute’s imaging laboratory.

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University of Florida veterinary medicine students spent a day with Sanford-Burnham scientists in Lake Nona to learn how they study human disease using mouse models.

Opening our Doors to the CommunityAs Sanford-Burnham has grown over the past 35 years, to communities beyond San Diego, it has made a point of giving back to those communities. Here are just some of the ways the Institute is making a difference, especially at our newest campus in Orlando, Florida.

T. Denny SanfordT. Denny Sanford dreams of seeing type 1 ( juvenile) diabetes eradicated. He invests in Sanford-Burnham and its partner, Sanford Health, because he believes they can make that dream a reality. Many new discoveries have been made to that end in recent months and years.

In July, Dr. Fred Levine, director of the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center at Sanford-Burnham, led a discussion among key researchers in the fight against type 1 diabetes to update Mr. Sanford on their progress. In attendance were (L to R) Dr. Linda Bradley, Dr. Michael Jackson, Dr. Pamela Itkin-Ansari, T. Denny Sanford, Institute President Dr. Kristiina Vuori, Dr. Fred Levine, and CEO Dr. John Reed.

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