APRIL 12 • 2013 The Weekly theweekly.usc.edu PUBLISHED FOR THE USC HEALTH SCIENCES CAMPUS COMMUNITY VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 12 Author talks bioethics in the case of Henrietta Lacks

By Ryan Ball Auditorium about the ethi- In 1951, a poor, black cal dimensions of medical tobacco farmer named discovery as they relate to Henrietta Lacks was this story. ‘She kept saying, diagnosed with cervical Taken without her cancer and died shortly after consent or knowledge, ‘How do I know at the age of 30. At a time Lack’s remarkable cells have when scientists were trying been reproduced at the rate you’re really a unsuccessfully to grow of about six trillion cells a human cells outside of the week, Skloot noted. Among writer? How do I body, researcher George Gey other applications, they were obtained a sample of her used in developing the polio know you’re not tumor and discovered that and HPV vaccines, as well as her cells could be kept alive. leading cancer medications. coming to steal Dubbed HeLa cells, they Biotech companies made were replicated and mass- millions of dollars from my cells?’” produced, contributing to HeLa cells before Lacks’ numerous breakthroughs husband and children were that transformed medicine. even aware that part of her But were ethics ignored in was still alive. —Rebecca Skloot, pursuit of this progress? In the 1950s, Skloot The story of Lacks and remarked, there was no such

author of The her extraordinary legacy thing as informed consent. Jon Nalick is chronicled in Rebecca She said the real ethical Author Rebecca Skloot discusses the ethical dimensions of medical Immortal Life of Skloot’s best-selling book, dilemma arose in the 1970s, discovery to an overfl ow audience in Mayer Auditorium on April 4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta when scientists began taking Henrietta Lacks Lacks. At an April 4 event cells from Lacks’ children them that people were buy- tacted Deborah Lacks, sponsored by Visions and without clearly explaining ing and selling HeLa cells Henrietta’s daughter, and Voices, Skloot spoke to an why. for as much as $10,000 a vial. said she wanted to write a overfl ow audience in Mayer They certainly didn’t tell When Skloot fi rst con- See LACKS, page 3

Team helps USC Norris scientists help uncover medical genetic risks for three cancers By Leslie Ridgeway Department of Preventive center staff USC Norris Compre- Medicine at the Keck work smarter, hensive Cancer Center School of Medicine of researchers are joining USC, who contributed to not harder hundreds of scientists the fi nding of new risk worldwide in reporting the regions for breast and By Sara Reeve discovery of more than 80 prostate cancer. “This A multidisciplinary team new regions of the human study demonstrates the strategically composed of genome that indicate risk power of international clinical and non-clinical for breast, ovarian and team science that will health care professionals is prostate cancer. ultimately provide major empowering medical center This milestone achieve- health benefi ts on a global departments to pave their ment was announced scale.” own paths to operational Chatila Tania March 27, through the Large-scale genome- excellence. Sophia Lee, front, design and development project manager for the USC coordinated release of 13 wide association studies The Performance Man- hospitals, takes notes during a recent USC Lean Academy class hosted by the papers in fi ve different (GWAS) served as the agement offi ce, consisting Performance Management offi ce, which aims to help medical center departments journals—Nature Genetics, basis for the research. The of two health administration improve quality and effi ciency through homegrown solutions. Nature Communications, the scientists were looking for professionals, a pharmacist, a American Journal of Human genetic variations known nurse and a graduate student need to enhance their jobs.” tect. “Together, we come up Genetics, PLoS Genetics and as single nucleotide poly- intern, opened in November In coordination with the with collaborative solutions Human Molecular Genetics. morphisms, or SNPs, that 2012 and functions much medical center’s executive that enhance how a task or Among them, these pa- indicate an increased risk like an in-house, boutique team and the newly unveiled process is completed. For ex- pers describe the fi ndings for cancer. They found consulting fi rm. Its main strategic plan, the Perfor- ample, cutting out needless of a large international 49 new SNPs associated goal is to help departments mance Management offi ce steps so that an employee effort, the Collaborative with risk of breast cancer, improve quality and become works with departmental can spend more time focused Oncological Gene-envi- 23 for prostate cancer and more effi cient through leadership and frontline staff on the most important part ronment Study (COGS) 11 for ovarian cancer. One homegrown solutions. at Keck Hospital of USC and of the job.” involving investigators of the most intriguing “No one knows our USC Norris Cancer Hospital One of the offi ce’s earliest from North America, Eu- fi ndings is that different business better than the to examine work processes, clients was the hospitals’ rope, Australia and Asia, SNPs predict the risk of people working the front build upon successes and laboratory. According to and more than 150,000 different types of breast or lines every day,” said streamline operations. The Sharon Lee, associate men and women world- ovarian cancer. Kevin Kaldjian, director of department is overseen by administrator of hospital wide who participated in “Our study found performance management. Sanjit Mahanti, executive operations, the lab was the study. several SNPs that increase “They know what needs administrator of hospital challenged with meeting “This is far and away the chance of women improvement and what performance for the USC the needs of nurses and the largest genetic study developing more aggres- solutions work best. We hospitals. physicians for timely lab of cancer ever to be sive estrogen negative don’t need to give them “The people who are most results. It also faced the reported,” said Brian breast cancer rather than answers—they are the affected by our projects are challenge of appropriately Henderson, distinguished estrogen positive breast experts. We are here to the frontline staff,” said deploying phlebotomists professor in the See COGS, page 2 simply provide the tools they Tyler Woolsey, process archi- See TEAM, page 2 APRIL 12 • 2013 Whitehall Foundation grant aids research on retinal connections

By Amy E. Hamaker mapping the connectivity of This stimulates individual The Whitehall Foun- The retina of the eye is the mammalian retina. photoreceptors, allowing dation is a not-for-profit a highly complex structure. “The retina has layers like Field to measure the output corporation that celebrated This thin membrane of those in a cake,” explained of the retina from the retinal its 75th year in 2012. nerve cells detects light en- Field. “Photoreceptors at ganglion cells. The foundation focuses tering the eye and converts the front respond to light, “We can basically map exclusively on assisting it to electrical impulses, interneurons in the middle how each photoreceptor basic research in vertebrate which are sent through the process the information, and we stimulate is connected (excluding clinical) and optic nerve to the brain to ganglion cells at the back to each ganglion cell,” invertebrate neurobiology in interpret what we see. send the information to the Field said. “This allows the United States. Finding how this circuitry brain. My research is really us to understand how the “This grant is helping is interconnected is the goal about trying to understand architecture of some circuits to fund a graduate student Field D. Greg Courtesy of research being conducted exactly how all, or nearly all, relates to their function. In full time for three years, as Greg D. Field, assistant professor at by Greg D. Field, assistant of the types of neurons in retinal degenerative diseases well as a large portion of the the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, professor at the Keck School the retina are wired to each like macular degeneration, data storage infrastructure is using a new grant from the of Medicine of USC’s Zilkha other.” photoreceptors begin to die, required for the study,” said Whitehall Foundation to further his Neurogenetic Institute, To do this, Field and his and so the retina begins to Field. “We collect a tremen- research on the neural connectivity Department of Cell and team place a retina on a rewire. We’d like to un- dous amount of data—from among parts of the retina. Neurobiology. Field recently bed of electrodes to record derstand that process and a half to 1 terabyte in one received a grant from the ganglion cell impulses, and identify ways of slowing experiment, which equals research just wouldn’t be Whitehall Foundation to then project an image from a or reversing it and identify around 30 terabytes of possible without the founda- help further his work into video display onto the cells. promising therapies.” data in a year. This type of tion’s help.” TEAM: Collaboration helps improve workflow, communication in hospitals

Continued from Page 1 draw processes and resulted in quicker response due to what was best for any one department, but during the overnight shift. times. And it’s that fostering of collaboration that what was best for all departments collectively.” Members of the Performance Management team Lee found most remarkable. Some of the other projects the team is working on spent time in the lab and in nursing units, watch- “The lab started viewing things from the nurses’ include improving inpatient throughput and imple- ing staff perform their duties. “They interviewed a eyes, and vice versa,” she said. “Every decision along menting an interactive patient feedback and request variety of staff to get a full understanding of what the way was discussed and vetted with nursing and system through televisions in patient rooms. Hospital the work flow and processes were,” said Lee. “They information technology, and then—and only then— leaders say they hope departments will continue to impressed me with how quickly they were able to was a collaborative decision made. Shortly after our reach out to the office and use the staff as a valuable absorb and understand some of the complexities, and collection redesign and at various points afterwards, resource for enhancing service and care. use the data from our system to drive recommenda- nursing staff actually spent time in the lab and got to “Ultimately, everything comes down to the pa- tions on how to improve our workflow and efficien- see first hand what it takes to deploy a phlebotomist tient,” said Mahanti. “How we perform as a hospital cies.” and what happens after a specimen is sent to the lab. directly impacts the care and service we provide. If By working with both lab personnel and nurses, Nursing, lab and IT were like a three-legged stool in we can enhance our individual jobs by even a frac- the Performance Management team helped both the process, and the Performance Management office tion, that speaks volumes to our mission of providing make collaborative decisions that streamlined blood held us all together. Our decisions were not made the best possible care.” COGS: Finding of common genetic features in cancers could help reduce mortality

Continued from Page 1 assistant professor in the of this disease and provided jects could have a significant targets for breast, ovarian cancer,” said Chris Haiman, Department of Preven- the basis for exploring new impact on cancer mortality. and prostate cancers, which professor in the Department tive Medicine at the Keck pathways in the causes of “Ovarian cancer patients have the potential to save of Preventive Medicine School, discovered some- ovarian cancer.” usually have a very poor countless lives.” at the Keck School whose thing similar for ovarian More than 2.5 million chance of surviving their USC researchers came research contributed to find- cancer. people throughout the disease,” said Susan Ramus, from the Department of ings on breast and prostate “The biggest surprise world are diagnosed every associate professor in the Preventive Medicine and cancer. “This tells us that was finding SNPs affecting year with one of the three Department of Preven- the USC Epigenome Center these two different types of the risk of two subtypes of hormone-related cancers tive Medicine at the Keck and were co-authors on all breast cancer have different ovarian cancer, but with dif- studied in these papers. The School, who led one of the 13 papers. The contributing underlying biology, and this ferent variants affecting each finding of genetic features ovarian cancer studies. “By co-authors from USC are could affect how we treat the subtype,” Pearce said. “The more common in individuals using genetic information Doerthe Bruggmann, Gary disease.” research has fundamentally affected with these cancers to identify the women at K. Chen, Gerhard Coetzee, Celeste Leigh Pearce, changed our understanding compared to healthy sub- greatest risk of ovarian Roman Corral, Ye Feng, cancer, and with improved Simon Gayther, Christopher screening, we could detect Haiman, Brian Henderson, the disease at its earliest, Sue Ingles, Rod Karevan, The most treatable stages, when Peter Laird, Kate Law- Weekly Next Issue: April 19 it’s curable.” renson, Alice Lee, Celeste Genetic risk variants ulti- Leigh Pearce, Malcolm Pike, mately affect one or several Susan Ramus, Suhn Kyong The Weekly is published for the faculty, staff, students, volunteers and visitors in the genes that affect the biology Rhie, Fredrick Schumacher, University of Southern California’s Health Sciences campus community. It is written and of normal cells, leading to Ahva Shahabi, Howard Shen, produced by the Health Sciences Public Relations and Marketing staff. Comments, suggestions cancer, and several of these Hui Shen, Mariana Stern, and story ideas are welcome. Permission to reprint articles with attribution is freely given. papers report novel gene tar- Daniel O. Stram, Douglas gets that may represent the Stram, Claire Templeman, Executive Director of Communications: Ina Fried root cause of breast, ovarian Chiu-Chen Tseng, David and prostate cancers. Van Den Berg and Anna Wu. Assistant Director of Publications: Sara Reeve “Together, these stud- Funding for the research Editor: Jon Nalick ies indicate a multitude of came from Cancer Research previously unknown molecu- UK, the National Institutes Contributors: Ryan Ball, Eva Blaauw, Tania Chatila, Josh Grossberg, Amy E. Hamaker, Carol lar targets that may cause of Health, the Congres- Matthieu, Leslie Ridgeway, and Alison Trinidad cancer,” said Simon Gayther, sionally Directed Medical Senior Vice President, University Relations: Tom Sayles professor in the Department Research Program, the Ovar- Vice President, Public Relations and Marketing: Brenda Maceo of Preventive Medicine at ian Cancer Research Fund, the Keck School who identi- COGS (from European fied several novel genes Union Seventh Framework), reported in these papers. the NIH Genetic Association Phone: (323) 442-2830 Fax: (323) 442-2832 “This represents an unprec- Mechanisms in Oncology Email: [email protected] Web: theweekly.usc.edu edented discovery of clinical (GAME-ON) consortium biomarkers and therapeutic and others. Keck School professor examines how cells self-organize into complex tissues

By Josh Grossberg Chuong and pathology in the April issue of discovered is that when Li said the trick is Stem cells have an Ph.D. student Ang Li are Proceedings of the National feathers begin to form, a learning how the cells do amazing ability to develop now a bit closer to finding Academy of Sciences (PNAS). network of molecules tells what they do to finally grow into different kinds of cells the answer. The two The research was assisted them exactly where to into feathers. of varying shapes and sizes. designed research to see by grants from the National start growing and in what “Nature is very smart,” How do a group of cells how stem cells form specific Institutes of Health and direction to grow. Li said. “Every process become a thighbone or a shapes—specifically chicken the California Institute of “Stem cells are equal,” involves many molecular kidney or anything else? feathers. They uncovered a Regenerative Medicine. Chuong said. “Some event regulators. We want to figure Without guidance, stem cells collection of molecules that Also contributing to will determine if they out why this happens so will only divide into a mass trigger the process that turns the study were Ting- become feather or skin.” robustly. It’s very precise. of more formless cells. dome-like primordium into Xin Jiang, Ping Wu and Chicken feathers start as a When the bud is elongated, “Organs have to take a highly oriented feather Randall Widelitz, all faculty mere bud of cells. But as the it needs cells to move in a a shape,” said Cheng- filament. members in the Keck feather begins to grow, that specific direction.” Ming Chuong, professor Their findings—a joint School’s Department of bud begins to take on sharp, Chuong said great strides of pathology at the Keck effort between the Keck Pathology. defined features. And that are being made in the field School of Medicine of USC. School’s Department The process of cells taking nascent plume must grow of regenerative biology, “This process is unknown. of Pathology and the shapes—morphogenesis— in a particular way before and he sees the day coming We are trying to find the Department of Mathematics is at the center of their it turns from an amorphous when humans can grow new principles.” at UC Irvine—are published research. What they mass to something limbs as easily as lizards recognizable. grow new tails. Getting “People take it for there will require a lot of The Weekly NEWSMAKERS granted,” Chuong said. “But work and study, but Chuong they should not.” is optimistic.

An April 8 article in the India Tribune (India) quoted Uttam Sinha, associate professor of otolar- LACKS: Author discusses medical ethics yngology and residency program director for the Department of Otolaryngology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, about the ACGME accreditation for hospitals across the U.S. “We must develop Continued from Page 1 A press release issued by a workforce policy, ultimately through more ACGME Accreditation programs through hospitals that book about her mother, she EMBL stated, “We can- support training the right mix of primary care and specialist physicians to meet the current and was taken aback by the icy not infer anything about projected health care needs of the population,” Sinha said. reception. Henrietta Lacks’ genome, “The only thing I got or of her descendants, from An April 5 article in Health AIM, quoted David I. Quinn, associate professor of medicine in the from that phone call with the data generated in this division of cancer medicine and blood diseases at the Keck School of Medicine and medical director her was that she was ecstatic study.” That claim was of the USC Norris Cancer Hospital, about a new study that found men with high-risk prostate about the idea of someone disproven, and the Lacks cancer who undergo hormone therapy for 18 months live just as long as those who undergo a writing about her mother, family saw that the genome more standard 26 months of treatment. “The results were contrary to some previous studies that but terrified to talk to me,” was removed from the web. suggested that more is better,” Quinn said. “This will change the approach for men who’ve got the Skloot said. “She kept say- “They’re very happy that worst localized prostate cancer that we see.” ing, ‘How do I know you’re HeLa cells have done so really a writer? How do I much good,” Skloot said of An April 3 story in the United Press International featured research by Neeraj Sood, associ- know you’re not coming to the Lacks family. “They ate professor of clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical economics and policy at the USC School steal my cells?’” just want people to ask [for of Pharmacy, and colleagues, that found health plans with high deductibles don’t motivate U.S. Being the test case for permission], and they’re patients to shop around for the cheapest medical services. California Healthline also covered the the bioethics debate has not hoping this will lead to research. been easy on the Lacks fam- people having to ask others ily, according to Skloot. Just as well.” An April 3 article on KPCC-FM quoted Marc Weigensberg, associate professor of clinical weeks ago, they found their Skloot concluded by pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine, about his research on teen heart disease. “There’s no privacy being violated once asserting that scientists need doubt we’re seeing a huge increase in heart disease risk factors in teenagers today, particularly in again when the European to do a better job of making teenagers with obesity,” Weigensberg said. He added that intervention strategies will have to look Molecular Biology Labora- their work more accessible at factors like the availability and affordability of healthy foods, safe and adequate areas for physical tory (EMBL) published to the general public. “Had activity, and stress and community connections. the DNA sequence of the anybody done that at any genome of HeLa cells. point, I think things would APRIL 12 • 2013

Calendar of Events Saturday, Apr. 13 Medicine at USC Seminar. “Heart Repair by Direct 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. CME 2013. Reprogramming of Cardiac “Update on Deep Brain Cell Fate,” Young-Jae Stimulation,” Various Nam, University of Texas speakers. KAM Mayer Southwestern Medical Auditorium. Info: (323) Center at Dallas. BCC 442-2555 Seminar Rm. Info: (323) 442-8084 Monday, Apr. 15 Friday, Apr. 19 Bringing the 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Research Seminar. 6:30 a.m. Anesthesiology “Certain Spermatogonial Grand Rounds. “Challenges ‘Fight On’ to HSC Stem Cell Mutations & Opportunities for can Disproportionately Leading into the Future,” Increase the Frequency of Patricia Kapur, UCLA. MCH The USC Football Team, Marching Band and Song Human Genetic Diseases,” 256. Info: (323) 409-6856 Girls took over at Harry and Celesta Pappas Quad on Norman Arnheim, USC. April 5, attracting crowds with music, dancing and NRT Aresty Auditorium. 8:30 a.m. Surgical Grand autograph signing. Info: (323) 442-7732 Rounds. “Digital Medicine and Body Computing,” Right, USC Spirit Leader Kendall punctuates the end 4 p.m. Diabetes & Obesity Leslie Saxon, USC. DOH Research Institute 100. Info: (323) 442-9064 of a song with a victory sign. Seminar. “Metabolic Medicine Signaling Through FAS- 8:30 a.m. Above, Andrea Robles, administrative assistant Grand Rounds. “Chronic Mediated Lipogenesis,” at the Keck School of Medicine Office of Research Irfan Lodhi, Washington Thromboembolic University. CSC 2211. Info: Pulmonary Hypertension,” Advancement, gets a photo taken with USC football (323) 442-2500 Hyong (Nick) Kim, UCSD. defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow. IRD 732-734. Info: (323) 226-7923 Tuesday, Apr. 16

11 a.m. Institute for Nalick Photos/Jon Psychiatry Grand Noon. Emerging Pathogens Rounds. “Psychiatry & Immune Diseases Maintenance of Molecular Microbiology Jones named fellow of the American Assn. of Cancer Research Academy Certification: Unraveling & Immunology Seminar. the Mystery,” Jonathan “Restriction Factor By Josh Grossberg have had an extraordinary 30,000 members. Meyer, UC San Diego. ZNI Recognition of their Peter Jones, Distinguished impact,” AACR Executive “The Academy has 106 112. Info: (323) 442-4065 Retroviral Targets,” Professor of Urology and Officer Margaret Foti said in members, 25 percent of Jonathan Stoye, National Biochemistry & Molecular a statement. “Membership whom are Nobel laureates,” Noon. Eli and Edythe Institute for Medical Biology at the Keck School in the Fellows of the AACR he said. “It’s pretty strik- Broad Center for Research. NRT LG Regenerative Medicine and 503/504. Info: (323) 442- of Medicine of USC, has Academy will be the most ing.” Stem Cell Research at USC 1713 been inaugurated into the prestigious honor by the There are 106 Fellows as a Seminar. “Transcriptional first class of Fellows American Asso- way to honor the founding of Control of Telencephalic Tuesday, Apr. 23 Interneuron Development,” of the American ciation for Cancer the association, which is now John Rubenstein, UC San Association of Cancer Research.” 106 years old. Noon – 2 p.m. USC Francisco. BCC Seminar Research Academy. Jones, who has Only 11 new Fellows Center for Excellence Rm. Info: (323) 442-8084 in Research Workshop. Jones, who served been with USC will be selected each year “Interdisciplinary Team as director of the since 1977, said from now on to honor the Wednesday, Apr. 17 Leadership,” George USC Norris Com- he is honored 11 founding members of Tolomiczenko and Azad prehensive Cancer to be among the association. They will 8:30 a.m. Medicine Grand Madni, USC. UPC: CUB Rounds. “Approach to End 329. Info: (213) 740-6709 Center for 17 years, the first group, be selected by a vote of all of Life Core Issues in the was among only 106 chosen from the the Fellows in the AACR ICU,” P. Close, USC. IRD 4 p.m. Women’s Cancers scientists across the Peter Jones organization’s Academy. 732-734. Info: (323) 226- Program Research country recognized 7923 Seminar. “Can Antifungal April 5 at the AACR’s an- Agent Be the Next nual meeting in Washington, USC Health Sciences 10 a.m. – noon. USC/UCLA/ Potential Therapeutic Public Relations and Marketing Non-Profit Organization CalTech Nanotechnology Drug For Endometrial D.C. 1975 Zonal Ave. KAM 400 U.S. POSTAGE PAID University of Southern California – Nanomedicine Group Cancer Patients?” Paulette The Academy was created Los Angeles, CA 90033 Mini-symposium. Various Mhawech-Fauceglia, USC. as a way of “recognizing speakers. PSC 104. Info: NOR 7409. Info: (323) scientists whose contribu- (323) 442-8288 865-0801 tions to the cancer field Noon – 2 p.m. USC Center Wednesday, Apr. 24 for Excellence in Research HSC celebrates Well-U Workshop. “Strategizing 8:30 a.m. Medicine Grand Week with free workouts Survival in the Current Rounds. “Interstitial Lung USC students, faculty and Research Funding Climate: Disease,” Michael Koss, A Collegial Discussion for USC. IRD 732-734. Info: staff can get free access and the USC Health Sciences (323) 226-7923 free workout classes at the Campus,” Various HSC Fitness Center from speakers. NRT Aresty 11 a.m. Institute for April 16-19 as part of Pac-12 Auditorium. Info: (323) Emerging Pathogens Well-U Week 2013. 442-7732 & Immune Diseases Molecular Microbiology Located in the 2001 Soto Thursday, Apr. 18 & Immunology Seminar. Street Building, the HSC “Biochemical Dissection Fitness Center houses a 10 a.m. Eli and Edythe of Bacterial Virulence variety of cardiovascular and Broad Center for and Macrophage Innate strength training equipment, Regenerative Medicine Immunity,” Feng Shao, and Stem Cell Research National Institute of two group exercise rooms, in conjunction with the Biological Sciences. ZNI locker rooms, towel service, Division of Cardiovascular 112. Info: (323) 442-1713 and day-use lockers. For more information, Notice: Deadline for calendar submission is 4 p.m. visit http://usc.edu/13q. Monday to be considered for that week’s issue—although three weeks’ advance notice of events is recommended. In case of an emergency... Please note that timely submission does not guarantee an item will be printed. Send calendar items to The Call the Emergency Information Phone: (213) 740-9233 The emergency telephone system can Weekly, KAM 400 or fax to (323) 442-2832, or email to handle 1,400 simultaneous calls. 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