Summer/Fall 2013 Center for Clinical and Translational Science e-Newsletter Center News Dr. Christopher Austin, New Director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Visits Rockefeller By Barry Coller not have extensive experience in human subjects research. Ed Barbour described the comprehensive, self-guiding, electronic system (iRIS) used for protocol development, protocol review by the Advisory Committee on Clinical and Translational Science (ACCTS) and the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and protocol conduct. The iRIS program underwent extensive customization by Rockefeller CCTS senior staff to incorporate important information in protocol development and conduct and links to source documents. Dr. Christopher Austin Educational Programs Dr. Elaine Collier Dr. Christopher Austin, the Director Dr. Florian Klein and Dr. Manish Ponda cell malignancies, to the role of microRNAs of the National Center for Advancing discussed their experiences in the in a variety of diseases, to genetic defects Translational Science (NCATS), and Dr. CCTS Clinical Scholars Master’s degree in human odorant receptors and the Elaine Collier, Deputy Director of NCATS, program and the Rockefeller Early Phase preference of mosquitos to feed on some visited the Rockefeller University Center Physician Scientist (REPPS) program, humans. for Clinical and Translational Science respectively. Dr. Klein has conducted pioneering studies on the efficacy of Dr. Robert Darnell discussed Rockefeller (CCTS) on March 22, 2013 to learn more University’s participation in the New York about the programs supported by the broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies in reducing viral replication in a murine Genome Center (NYGC) and his role as University’s Clinical and Translational President of the NYGC. NYGC provides Science Award (CTSA). The day was model of HIV in Dr. Michel Nussenzweig’s laboratory, and those studies have advanced next generation sequencing divided into discussions of a number of and bioinformatics to all participating different topics. laid the groundwork for future human studies. Dr. Ponda has studied the impact institutes at competitive fees and History of Clinical Research at Rockefeller of vitamin D deficiency and repletion on high quality. This is a vital resource for and CCTS Infrastructure plasma lipids in Dr. Jan Breslow’s lab. Rockefeller scientists. Dr. Ponda’s studies call into question Drs. Barry Coller and James Krueger, PI Bringing Science to the Clinical Research the widespread practice of treating and Co-PI of the CTSA, provided Drs. Enterprise patients with low vitamin D levels with Austin and Collier with an introduction oral vitamin D supplement to improve to the history and unique features of the Dr. Barbara O’Sullivan described her novel their lipid profile and offer insights into Rockefeller University CCTS and Hospital role as a Research Hospitalist providing the mechanism of vitamin D’s effects. and the many important translational support to investigators, especially those without a medical background, and discoveries made in the Hospital. Donna Outreach to Basic Investigators and New insuring patient safety through hospital Brassil gave an overview of the CCTS York Science Collaboration Navigation program, a multidisciplinary policies and procedures. Nina Papavasiliou, PhD, Tom Tuschl, PhD, effort designed to assist investigators Dr. Rhonda Kost described the centralized and Andreas Keller, MD and Leslie Bellani, in developing their human subjects research participant recruitment program PhD from the laboratory of Leslie Vosshall, protocols. The program has reduced she has developed to assist investigators PhD, discussed their human subjects the time to protocol approval while in completing their studies rapidly. research projects in the CCTS from the simultaneously insuring the quality of the By centralizing and standardizing the standpoint of basic investigators. Their protocols. It has been especially valuable process, investigators can assess the research spans from studies of immune for trainees and basic scientists who do progress of the recruitment process and, 1 continued on page 5 Michelle Lowes, MD, PhD Promoted to Associate Professor of Clinical Investigation By Michelle Romanick Dr. Michelle Lowes was recently of inflammatory dermal myeloid dendritic promoted to Associate Professor of cells, which are as abundant as T cells in Clinical Investigation in the Laboratory for psoriasis skin lesions. She is the recipient Investigative Dermatology. Dr. Lowes is a of an NIH independent investigator RO1 graduate of the Clinical Scholars Program, grant entitled, “Origin and Function of and is a current member of the Rockefeller Inflammatory Dendritic Cells in Psoriasis.” University Early Phase Physician-Scientist Her research focuses on identifying (REPPS) group. She obtained her medical the precursors of these inflammatory degree, PhD and dermatology training dendritic cells. These precursor cells offer in Australia. Dr. Lowes has been an NIH- an attractive therapeutic target since funded investigator since 2006, and has inhibiting entry of dendritic cells into also received funding from The Doris the skin could prevent inflammatory Duke Foundation, The Dana Foundation, skin lesion development, as well as treat the National Psoriasis Foundation, and existing lesions. Her experiments will the Rockefeller University Clinical and enhance our knowledge of monocyte Translational Science Awards (CTSA). populations and the dendritic cells and macrophages they give rise to, and Michelle Lowes MD, PhD Dr. Lowes is studying the chronic provide insights into the development of inflammatory skin disease psoriasis, new treatment protocols that target these mainly from a “dendritic cell-centric” point cells in psoriasis and potentially other of view. The lab first described a population autoimmune diseases. Dr. Edgar Charles, Clinical Scholar Graduate, Joins Merck Research Laboratory By Michelle Romanick Dr. Charles’s research interest was largely When I joined, the program was one of only driven by his clinical experiences during several in the country that offered clinicians internal medicine residency and infectious a significant amount of protected time in diseases fellowship at NYU/Bellevue. He had the lab. During fellowship, I worked on HIV the opportunity to care for patients with immunopathogenesis in Fred Valentine’s hepatitis C virus infection, many of whom lab at NYU. I knew that I wanted to continue had serious complications from their disease, at the bench after fellowship, and when I with no prospect of effective treatments in heard about Rockefeller’s Clinical Scholars’ sight. He conducted translational research on Program, I was intrigued. I had been the immunopathogenesis of HCV infection, following the work of Charles Rice and with a view to improving the lives of those Lynn Dustin, and given my clinical interests, suffering from chronic viral infections. it was a great fit for me to join their labs. Edgar Charles, MD, PhD Dr. Charles joined the Merck Research Dr. Edgar Charles came to Rockefeller in Laboratories in the winter of 2012 as Director, In addition to providing me with an 2004 as a Clinical Scholar in the laboratories Clinical Research, Infectious Diseases, intensive laboratory experience and access of Charles Rice, Ph.D. and Lynn B. Dustin, Emerging Markets. In this role, Dr. Charles to the Hospital’s extraordinary clinical Ph.D. His studies focused on patients who designs and executes clinical trials of novel research facilities, the programs provided are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and therapeutics for the treatment of infectious an exciting milieu of dedicated translational who subsequently developed autoimmune diseases. Additionally, he authors the clinical researchers. Through this group of peers disease. Dr. Charles received his B.A. from sections of regulatory filings, supports and mentors, I learned how to conduct the University of Chicago and his M.D. from document filing activities and interactions rigorous translational research. The the University of Alabama. He completed with regulatory agencies, and evaluates didactic program formally introduced me his residency in Internal Medicine and scientific and business development to many topics pertaining to commercial fellowship in Infectious Diseases at New opportunities in emerging markets with the drug development; this training has been York University School of Medicine. goal of improving human health through very relevant to my activities at Merck.” Dr. Charles then joined the Rockefeller the development of better medicines. University Clinical Scholars Program and When asked how the Clinical Scholars earned a Master’s degree in Clinical and and REPPS programs prepared him for his Translational Science. Thereafter, Dr. Charles current position, Dr. Charles commented, helped launched the Rockefeller Early Phase Physician Scientist (REPPS) program, “The Clinical Scholars program and REPPS designed to help junior investigators program provided me with an unparalleled achieve scientific independence. opportunity to train as a physician-scientist. 2 New Clinical Scholars Join the Center for Clinical and Translational Science By Michelle Romanick Five new Clinical Scholars joined the Rockefeller University Clinical Scholars Program on July 1, 2013: Drs. Jose Aleman, Avi Levin, Lotta von Boehmer, Taia Wang, and Ethan Weinberg. Additionally, with support from the Center for Clinical and Translational Science,