Lankenau Institute for Medical Research

A federal grant to study a molecule that may be key to preventing life-threatening #diabetes complications including heart and kidney disease and stroke has been awarded to Main Line Health scientists. Recent research has shown that intensive glucose control does little to reduce complications for most diabetic patients," said George Prendergast (left), PhD, President and CEO of Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (part of Main Line Health). "Innovative drugs that safel...y lower a molecule called 3DG may hold the key to preventing diabetes complications, such as heart attacks, kidney failure, liver disease, and wound healing that proceeds slowly or not at all. More than 34 million Americans overalljust over 1 in 10have diabetes. An estimated one-third of them have chronic kidney disease. Melvin Reichman, PhD (right) is co-principal investigator. https://bit.ly/3KtDHOx

If you have peripheral artery disease below the knee, you may be eligible for a clinical trial to ease your pain through a minimally invasive treatment. For more, see: https://bit.ly/3FkvLM4

The Clinical Research Program Manager oversees all aspects of clinical trials for the oncology research program. Join us and make an impact on our research! https://mainline.referrals.selectminds.com//clin-research-

SIGN OF THE TIMES: #OTD in 1969, Jose Hernandez-Rebolla, Mexican electrical engineer and inventor of the AcceleGlove, a glove-like device that translates sign language into written words for deaf individuals, was born. https://www.cbsnews.com//talking-glove-speaks-for-the-deaf/

Patients being treated for cancer may be more likely to have severe illness from COVID-19. If you fit this profile, you can help scientists learn about the interplay of these two diseases. For more, see https://bit.ly/3zsCFNP.

GENETICS REVEALED: #OTD in 1949, the first photographs of chromosomes and genes were published in Science journal. The article was written by Dr. Daniel Chapin Pease and Dr. Richard Freligh Baker of USC.

Sharon Larson, PhD, was lead author of a study on depression handled by primary care physicians. The study found: Variation in care exists. Addressing these gaps may improve patient management and maintaining of treatment. Reduced variation in care may also lower usage of health resources. Larson is executive director of the Main Line Health Center for Population Health Research at Lankenau Institute for Medical Research.... https://bit.ly/3F2whOF See more

If you require mitral valve replacement, you may be eligible for a clinical trial involving the implantation of a new device through minimally invasive surgery. For more, see: https://bit.ly/3p1HBWk

Wishes for a happy and healthy New Year from our institute, part of Main Line Healrh.

A VIRAL RESCUE: #OTD in 1993, the last research samples of the smallpox virus were scheduled to be destroyed. The plan was stopped and samples exist today at the CDC in Atlanta and in Russia. The last case of naturally acquired smallpox was in 1977.

Main Line Health researchers seek patients diagnosed with esophageal or gastric cancer for a treatment study. Eligible patients are those whose cancer is deemed oligometastatic in which cancer cells from the original (or primary) tumor travel through the body and form a few new tumors in one or two other parts of the body. For more on clinical trial EA2183, visit www.mainlinehealth.org/research/clinical-trials/ea2183

In this week’s #LIMRStories, meet the Institute’s internationally renowned President & CEO George Prendergast, PhD

Main Line Health is participating in a clinical study of an implant device for patients who have scarring of the left ventricle due to a heart attack. The trial seeks to determine if the device could help improve blood flow. For more, visit www.mainlinehealth.org/research/clinical-trials/alive-cip

In this week’s #LIMRStories, meet Hector Barajas-Martinez, PhD, of LIMR’s cardiovascular research team

You can help to advance cancer care. For more on this important clinical study, visit: www.mainlinehealth.org/resear/clinical-trials/hemp-for-cipn

As #HeartMonth comes to a close, we want to thank Philadelphia International Medicine for featuring members of our Lankenau Heart Institute team who are also pa...rt of the PIM network. PIM connects patients from around the world with clinicians from Philadelphia’s leading hospitals to provide them with the advanced, expert care they need and help them navigate the American health care system. We are proud to be a PIM member, and to be able to offer expert, compassionate care to patients from across the globe. Learn more about PIM: https://bit.ly/3r3QZHn

A new study from LIMR Deputy Director Susan Gilmour, PhD, and her team showed promising results of treating chemo-resistant melanoma with a novel therapeutic approach.

How to participate in a clinical trial: Without selfless patients willing to help advance healthcare, today’s medicines including the COVID-19 vaccines would not have been developed. The safety of patients in clinical trials is of utmost importance. If you want to participate in clinical trials and have questions about how to get started, don’t miss this free talk by a LIMR clinical study professional. To register: https://ccls.libcal.com/event/7266698

How do we know that foods are classified into 3 categories of carbohydrates, fats and proteins? For that we can thank William Prout (born on this date 1785; died 1850), an English biochemist and physiologist noted for his discoveries about digestion, metabolic chemistry and atomic weights. He was the first to classify components of food into the 3 major food groups. For more on his life and work: https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Prout

Please join me in welcoming to LIMR the first two investigators named to the new Andrew Norton, M.D. Faculty Scholar’s Fellowship Program. They will be working with LIMR’s esteemed Population Health Research team.

A company co-founded by LIMR Professor Scott Dessain, MD, PhD, makes a huge leap forward in COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Read the exciting news below.

In this week’s #LIMRStories, meet our newest principal investigator, Dr. William Gray.

In this week’s #LIMRStories, meet Liz Scimeca, biomedical research assistant

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, COVID-19, cardiovascular disorders or gastrointestinal disease, you may qualify to participate in one of dozens of clinical trials being offered at Main Line Health. To learn more about the trials or read FAQs about study participation, visit https://www.mainlinehealth.org//lankenau-institut/patients

If you’ve been diagnosed with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and you are age 70 or older, you can help to advance clinical care by participating in an important trial at Main Line Health. Researchers seek to determine if there are any side effects of the FDA-approved medication Keytruda with or without chemotherapy in treating older patients. For more, talk with your doctor or visit: https://www.mainlinehealth.org/rese/clinical-trials/a171901

A new study from LIMR Clinical Professor Robert Sataloff, MD, found that physicians’ concerns about a scoring system for laryngopharyngeal reflux disease may be warranted. They noted: This widely used clinical score should be interpreted with caution. For more, click here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33353768/

Triscend II is a randomized clinical trial comparing a system to replace a heart valve, along with optimal medical therapy (OMT), to OMT alone for treatment of patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). TR is a condition in which blood flow through the tricuspid valve moves in the incorrect direction during part of the cardiac cycle. For more, visit: https://www.mainlinehealth.org//clinical-trials/triscend-ii

Justin Beaupre, EdD, of our Population Health Research group coauthored The Unafforable, Affordable Care Act in the winter edition of the Journal of Health Care Finance. He noted that the challenges with the ACA include: ineffective penalties, insurance that doesn’t guarantee access, and a lack of sufficient focus on prevention. The issue is available as PDF here: https://bit.ly/3arIhNw

From all of us at LIMR:

Congratulations to LIMR Associate Professor Laura Mandik-Nayak, PhD, who was named associate editor for the journal Frontiers in Immunology: B Cell Biology. Dr. Mandik-Nayak is a researcher who studies autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and type I diabetes.

Patients with #AtrialFibrillation are being sought for a clinical trial of an FDA-approved implantable device. Researchers seek to determine if the device, the Watchman FLX, is a safe and effective alternative to oral anticoagulants. For more, visit: https://www.mainlinehealth.org/resea/clinical-trials/option

In this week’s #LIMRStories, meet Jose Di Diego, MD, cardiac researcher

If you were diagnosed with a severe blockage in an artery below the knee, you may qualify for a leading-edge clinical trial. The LIFE-BTK randomized trial is studying a fully resorbable device to treat advanced stages of peripheral artery disease. For more, visit www.mainlinehealth.org/research/clinical-trials/life-btk

Congratulations to Marie Webster, PhD, assistant professor, (left) who was awarded a grant from the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust for her proposal Mechanisms of wild type p53 in metastatic melanoma and drug resistance. Dr. Webster’s team includes Jasim Giles (center) and Maria Biancaniello.

Basel Ramlawi, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Main Line Health, & LIMR clinical professor, co-authored an editorial in the Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The authors noted: Paravalvular leaks (PVLs) have been a major critique against transcatheter aortic valve replacement since its inception. Substantial research has been produced over the past decade, aiming to understand PVLs in terms of causes, predictors, impact on outcomes and potential solutions. Read more here:

Recent experiments at LIMR show that the natural flavone acacetin may be a promising new therapeutic for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias called J Wave syndromes. Charles Antzelevitch, PhD, distinguished emeritus professor at LIMR, was one of the authors of the new manuscript Acacetin suppresses the electrocardiographic and arrhythmic manifestations of the J wave syndromes published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS One.

In this week’s #LIMRStories, meet Rama Puligedda, PhD, assistant investigator in the lab of Scott Dessain, MD, PhD.

You can help to advance #COVID19 research. Please give today at www.mainlinehealth.org/ways-to-give/covid-research-fund