TEN LEADING EINSTEIN RESEARCHERS AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

John Blanchard, Ph.D., has identified a promising new treatment for extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB), a dangerous form of the disease caused by strains of TB bacteria that have become resistant to virtually all antibiotics. In 2009, Dr. Blanchard reported that a combination of two drugs (clavulanate and meropenem) was highly effective in halting the growth of XDR-TB in John Blanchard, Ph.D. John Condeelis, Ph.D. Ekaterina Dadachova, Ph.D. laboratory culture. Since then, his drug combination has saved the lives of several patients with XDR-TB and will soon be formally evaluated in two human trials, in South Africa and Belgium. Dr. Blanchard is professor of and the Dan Danciger Professor of Biochemistry.

Arturo Casadevall, M.D., Ph.D., is one of the world’s leading microbiologists, well known for his diverse and innovative scientific inquiries. His work on Arturo Casadevall, M.D., Ph.D Vern Schramm, Ph.D. Joseph Sparano, M.D. fungal melanin, for example, has opened up the possibility of using this pigment in novel ways to protect against radiation exposure. Thanks to a highly John Condeelis, Ph.D., anatomy and structural biology Casadevall, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. productive research partnership is a leading expert on imaging department, scientific director of Dadachova developed radio- with colleague Ekaterina the tumor microenvironment— the analytical imaging facility, immunotherapy for metastatic Dadachova, Ph.D., he has the microscopic site where tumor co-director of the Gruss Lipper melanoma—a treatment developed a targeted therapy cells interact with surrounding Biophotonics Center, and the strategy that has shown promise for metastatic melanoma that cells. He has found that breast Judith and Burton P. Resnick in human clinical trials. In a has shown promise in human cancer spreads only when a Chair in Translational Research. project supported by the Bill clinical trials. Dr. Casadevall is specific trio of cell types is and Melinda Gates Foundation, professor and chair of microbiol- present together in the tumor; Ekaterina Dadachova, Ph.D., Drs. Dadachova and Casadevall ogy & , professor this “signature” for potential is a nuclear expert are also developing a radio- of medicine (infectious diseases) breast cancer metastasis has who has done pioneering work immunotherapy strategy with and the Leo and Julia Forch- been validated in breast cancer using radioimmunotherapy, a the potential for treating or heimer Chair in patients. A company has technology in which radioiso- perhaps even curing HIV/AIDS and Immunology. licensed Einstein’s patent on Dr. topes are piggybacked onto by targeting HIV-infected cells. Condeelis’s discovery and is . After the antibodies In other novel applications of developing a diagnostic test for deliver the radioisotope to a targeted therapy, Dr. Dadachova pinpointing which breast cancer specific target such as a cancer is testing radioimmunotherapy patients need aggressive therapy cell or disease-causing microbe, against antibiotic-resistant to prevent their cancer from the radioisotope delivers a lethal microbes and as a treatment spreading. Dr. Condeelis is dose of radiation. In partnership for virus-caused such professor and co-chair of the with Einstein colleague Arturo as cervical cancer and

16 THE CAMPAIGN TO TRANSFORM EINSTEIN organizations. He directs PHYSIOLOGY OF AGING ECOG’s nationwide clinical trial to determine which women with Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D., early-stage breast cancer are is one of the world’s leading likely to benefit from chemo- authorities on autophagy, a therapy intended to prevent “garbage disposal” system that cancer recurrence. Dr. Sparano cells use to dispose of and recycle is professor of medicine and their worn-out molecules. Dr. of obstetrics & gynecology and Cuervo’s research has shown that women’s health and co-leader glitches in autophagy play a role of the Breast Cancer Working in numerous diseases (including Group of the Albert Einstein Parkinson’s and Huntington’s) as Cancer Center. well as in age-related conditions such as organ decline and John Greally, M.B., B.Ch., Ph.D. Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D. Vern Schramm, Ph.D., weakened immunity. She is now has pioneered a technology screening for drugs that would for identifying highly potent normalize autophagy as a novel inhibitors of enzymes that play approach for treating or even key roles in human diseases. preventing such problems. Dr. Using this technology, he has Cuervo is professor in the developed enzyme-inhibiting departments of developmental drugs now being tested by and , of Einstein licensees in phase 2 anatomy and structural biology, clinical trials for T cell lymphoma and of medicine (gastroenterol- and gout. Other clinical-trial ogy and liver diseases), and the candidates are drugs developed Robert and Renée Belfer Chair by Dr. Schramm that target for the Study of Neurodegen- malaria, head and neck cancer, erative Diseases. and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Dr. Schramm was elected to the Joe Verghese, M.B.B.S., Ulrich Steidl, M.D., Ph.D. Joe Verghese, M.B.B.S. National Academy of Sciences in is an expert on aging who 2007 and is professor and chair studies how diseases and aging of the biochemistry department affect cognitive ability and and the Ruth Merns Chair in mobility in older adults. He has Biochemistry. shown that older people who hepatitis B–related liver cancer. Since epigenetic changes are engage in brain-stimulating Dr. Dadachova is professor of reversible, his work in identifying Ulrich Steidl, M.D., Ph.D., activities can reduce their risk of radiology (nuclear medicine) epigenetic abnormalities could studies the molecular pathways developing Alzheimer’s and other and of microbiology & immunol- lead to novel therapies for that lead to the development of types of dementia. He has also ogy and is the Sylvia and Robert these conditions. Dr. Greally leukemia. He recently identified done pioneering research S. Olnick Faculty Scholar in is professor of , of a key protein responsible for showing that disturbance in gait Cancer Research. medicine (hematology), and causing acute myeloid leukemia, precedes and is associated with of pediatrics, and the Faculty a particularly lethal and poorly cognitive decline. His work has John Greally, M.B., B.Ch., Ph.D., Scholar for Epigenomics. treated form of cancer. He is now identified simple behavioral is a leader in the field of developing drugs that target and interventions, such as training epigenomics, which involves the Joseph Sparano, M.D., inactivate this protein—an in treadmill walking, that can study of chemicals that attach to is a leading clinical oncologist entirely new approach to improve gait in frail older adults. genes and affect their expres- who is working to tailor breast leukemia treatment. Dr. Steidl is Dr. Verghese is professor and sion. Dr. Greally’s research has cancer treatment to individual assistant professor of director of the division of led to a better understanding patients. He is associate chair for and of medicine (oncology) and cognitive and motor aging in of the epigenetic regulation of disease-oriented research in the the Diane and Arthur B. Belfer the Saul R. Korey Department stem cells and of the epigenetic Eastern Cooperative Oncology Faculty Scholar in Cancer of Neurology, a professor of abnormalities that underlie Group (ECOG), which conducts Research. medicine (geriatrics) and division human diseases including breast clinical trials in all types of chief of geriatrics, the Murray D. cancer, diabetes, Huntington’s adult cancers and is one of the Gross Memorial Faculty Scholar disease, autism and allergies. country’s largest cancer research in Gerontology, and director of the Jack and Pearl Resnick Gerontology Center.

ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE 17