MAY News:

CHORI Scientist Develops Novel Assay to Segregate Chlamydia Clones from Clinical Samples
In the March issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, CHORI clinical scientist Deborah Dean, MD, MPH, reports on a novel shotgun cell culture harvest assay she and her colleagues have developed which has the potential to revolutionize the field of Chlamydia research.

“This method is not foolproof, but it’s one way of knowing that you’ve at least got a single strain of an organism.” explains Dr. Dean. “The methodology is absolutely essential for downstream studies.”

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Results from the First Report on Fracture Prevalence in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease
This month in Bone, CHORI investigators Ellen Fung, PhD and Elliott Vichinsky, MD, chief of the division of Hematology/Oncology at CHRCO, along with CHRCO clinical scientist Paul Harmatz, MD, report the latest results on fracture prevalence in sickle cell disease from a series of analyses conducted as part of the Multi-Center Study of Iron Overload.

“We know that patients with thalassemia have poor bone health, but we didn’t have a lot of information on patients with sickle cell disease, with or without iron-overload,” says Dr. Fung. “This is one of the first studies to look at fracture prevalence in sickle cell disease.”

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New Association Identified between Statin Efficacy and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the HMGCR Gene
In a new study published in Circulation, CHORI senior scientist Ronald Krauss, MD, and his colleagues identified a novel gene variation that provides one more piece of the puzzle in developing personalized medicine. Using genomic sequencing on the gene that codes for hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), the enzyme targeted by statins, Dr. Krauss hoped to find clues as to how to make that group of cholesterol-lowering drugs more effective.

“In the current study we found a series of single neucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs in the HMGCR gene that collectively resulted in a lower statin response,” says Dr. Krauss. “Investigating differences like these is what could lead to a better understanding of some of the mechanisms that modify statin efficacy – and that could ultimately lead to greater clinical benefit for many people.”

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Novel Findings on Engraftment of Stem Cells in Models of Acute Lung Injury
CHORI principle investigator, Vladimir Serikov, PhD, is on a mission, exploring the pathogenesis and possible future clinical impact of stem cells on a variety of different pre-clinical models of acute lung injury.

“Our overall goal is to elaborate new therapies for acute lung injury, including bacterial pneumonia, using different types of stem cells,” explains Dr. Serikov.

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