Podcasts about texas biomedical research institute

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the role of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute—better known as Texas Biomed—in San Antonio's scientific community, the rapidly changing landscape of research funding, and the challenges of combating misinformation in an era of political division.Host Bob Rivard is joined by Dr. Larry Schlesinger, president and CEO of Texas Biomed, for a conversation that touches on Dr. Schlesinger's personal background as the child of Holocaust survivors, his career as an infectious disease researcher, and his reasons for coming to San Antonio eight years ago. Together, they discuss how Texas Biomed has evolved during his tenure, including efforts to diversify funding, expand partnerships with the pharmaceutical sector, and increase the institute's prominence amid public health crises.They discuss:The critical importance of vaccines and ongoing education amid rising rates of vaccine hesitancy and misinformationHow Texas Biomed contributed to the early research and validation of animal models for COVID-19 vaccinesThe impact of recent federal policy changes on international collaboration and research funding for U.S. institutionsEfforts to modernize and expand the Texas Biomed campus, including the complexities around philanthropy and private sector engagementThe relationship between infectious disease and chronic illness—and what chronic disease research could mean for the future of public health in San AntonioThe episode offers context on the state of science in Texas, the pressures facing research institutes in the current political climate, and the ways that local scientific leadership can shape the future of public and community health.-- -- RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:▶️ #106. Tom Slick's Legacy: The San Antonio Institution Studying Consciousness – Discover the fascinating roots of Texas Biomed through the story of Tom Slick, the visionary entrepreneur behind San Antonio's world-class science institutions.  

Dr. Elisha Enabulele, a postdoctoral research associate at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, and Sarah Gregory discuss using targeted DNA enrichment to look for zoonotic pathogens in museum samples.

Andy Anderson, DVM, MBA, Executive Chairman, CityVet, Inc. attended Texas A&M University earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biomedical Science and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. He attended Harvard University and received a Master of Business Administration Degree. Anderson worked in the corporate finance industry and private equity for eight years at firms including Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Goldman Sachs. Dr. Anderson served on the Board and Executive Committee of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and was the organization's Treasurer from 2009-2015. Anderson co-founded multiple veterinary related entities. These entities were merged into BluePearl Veterinary Partners which now operates a network over 80 hospitals nationally. Anderson leads the controlling investment group in Goodside Health, a leading provider of clinic based and telehealth to pediatric patients. The Company's SchoolMed Division provides telehealth through school nurse's offices to districts representing over 1,000,000 Texas and Florida K-12 school children. Anderson is the Vice Chairman of Texas Biomedical Research Institute, one of the leading infectious disease focused research campuses in the nation. Dr. Anderson resides in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife Kim and two dogs, Gunny and Tillie. The Andersons attend Christ Episcopal Church.

GET HEIRLOOM SEEDS & SURVIVAL RESOURCES HERE: https://heavensharvest.com/ USE Code WAM to get FREE shipping in the United States! STOCK UP ON STOREABLE FOODS HERE: http://wamsurvival.com/ OUR GOGETFUNDING CAMPAIGN: https://gogetfunding.com/help-keep-wam-alive/ GET TIM'S FREE Portfolio Review HERE: https://bit.ly/redpilladvisor And become a client of Tim's at https://www.TheLibertyAdvisor.com Josh Sigurdson reports on the most recent coverup to be exposed regarding the death shots we call "vaccines" which were forced unto the public based on obvious lies. The research director who got the Pfizer vaccine approved has been caught in NUMEROUS cases faking number and data to achieve the goal he wants in medical animal testing trials. Deepak Kaushal, director of the Southwest National Primate Research Center at Texas Biomedical Research Institute has admitted to his fraudulent lies. This is simply more evidence that what we've been warning about since day one is 100% factual, while millions essentially kill themselves and poison their children because these liars told them to. Meanwhile, the narrative is collapsing. Fauci is getting booed by entire stadiums while pitching baseball and the CDC is pulling back mask, social distance and jab recommendations finally. Though, we are quite positive they'll be back with more tyrannical enslavement mechanisms very soon. Stay tuned for more from WAM! PURCHASE PART 1 of TipToe To Tyranny HERE: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/tiptoetotyranny/ GET YOUR APRICOT SEEDS at the life-saving Richardson Nutritional Center HERE: https://rncstore.com/r?id=bg8qc1 OUR PODBEAN CHANNEL: https://worldaltmedia.podbean.com/ Or SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/5JWtlXypfL8iR8gGMg9MME FIND US on Rokfin HERE: https://rokfin.com/worldalternativemedia FIND US on SOVREN HERE: https://sovren.media/u/wam/ FIND US on Gettr HERE: https://www.gettr.com/user/worldaltmedia See our EPICFUNDME HERE: https://epicfundme.com/251-world-alternative-media JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER HERE: https://www.iambanned.com/ JOIN our Telegram Group HERE: https://t.me/worldalternativemedia JOIN US On BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/gzFCj8AuSWgp/ JOIN US On Flote: https://flote.app/JoshSigurdson JOIN US On Odysee (formerly LBRY) HERE: https://odysee.com/@WAM:0 BUY WAM NFTs HERE: https://rarible.com/worldalternativemedia JOIN US on Rumble Here: https://rumble.com/c/c-312314 FIND WAM MERCHANDISE HERE: https://teespring.com/stores/world-alternative-media FIND OUR CoinTree page here: https://cointr.ee/joshsigurdson JOIN US on SubscribeStar here: https://www.subscribestar.com/world-alternative-media We will soon be doing subscriber only content! Follow us on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/WorldAltMedia DONATE PAYPAL HERE: ziggy33@mail.com Help keep independent media alive! Pledge here! Just a dollar a month can help us alive! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2652072&ty=h&u=2652072 BITCOIN ADDRESS: 18d1WEnYYhBRgZVbeyLr6UfiJhrQygcgNU World Alternative Media 2022

Brought to you by DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT! A look at the fascinating and adventurous life of millionaire Tom Slick. Inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, science enthusiast, paranormal investigator, and - of course - monster hunter! Southwest Research Institute (1947) - independent and nonprofit applied research and development (R&D) organization. Institute of Inventive Research (defunct) - an applied science and innovation incubator (in a barn at ESSAR) - closed in 57 - Mind Science Institute - (1957) research facility to conduct consciousness studies  Texas Biomedical Research Institute started in 41 - became current name in 52 - largest privately own bio-agents research facility, largest cluster of statistical gene research computing The Argyle Club - run by Tom's sister - was used as a fundraising mechanism for the science institutes including promoting the relatively new idea of memorializing donations instead of sending flows. (Now quite common, but new at the time) … as they say now "in lieu of flowers please donate…" Slick Airways - one of the first cargo transport companies, competed with other early companies and picked up a lot of gov't contracts including some OSS (now CIA) missions Pioneer in developing the Brangus breed of cattle which combined Indian Brahma and Scott Angus breeds for heartier, tastier, heat-resistant breed Books used in the research of this episode (Amazon Links) In Search of Tom Slick - new edition of Catherine Nixon Cooke's book Searching for Sasquatch - by Brian Regal Abominable Science - by Loxton & Prothero Tom Slick: True Life Encounters in Cryptozoology  - by Loren Coleman The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas  (1957) Hammer Film Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Koronavirus je jako důkladné cvičení, vývoj vakcín za jeden rok je podle mě obrovský úspěch vědy a lidstva, podle výsledků fungují výborně a dávají nám naději, že se toho zbavíme, říká molekulární biolog a genetik Michal Gaži, který se podílel na vývoji vakcín Pfizer a Novavax v Texas Biomedical Research Institute. U Sputniku je problém kvalita a průhlednost informací, pokud bych si mohl vybrat, z Ruska bych nebral nic, dodává.

Sufficient vitamin D during gestation and early life can lower susceptibility to allergy in infants Wageningen University (Netherlands), April 5, 2021   According to news originating from Wageningen, Netherlands, the research stated, “Worldwide, the prevalence of allergies in young children, but also vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and in newborns is rising. Vitamin D modulates the development and activity of the immune system and a low vitamin D status during pregnancy and in early life might be associated with an increased risk to develop an allergy during early childhood.” Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Wageningen University and Research: “This review studies the effects of vitamin D during gestation and early life, on allergy susceptibility in infants. The bioactive form of vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D, inhibits maturation and results in immature dendritic cells that cause a decreased differentiation of naive T cells into effector T cells. Nevertheless, the development of regulatory T cells and the production of interleukin-10 was increased. Consequently, a more tolerogenic immune response developed against antigens. Secondly, binding of 1,25(OH)2D to epithelial cells induces the expression of tight junction proteins resulting in enhanced epithelial barrier function. Thirdly, 1,25(OH)2D increased the expression of anti-microbial peptides by epithelial cells that also promoted the defense mechanism against pathogens, by preventing an invasive penetration of pathogens.” According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Immune intervention by vitamin D supplementation can mitigate the disease burden from asthma and allergy. In conclusion, our review indicates that a sufficient vitamin D status during gestation and early life can lower the susceptibility to develop an allergy in infants although there remains a need for more causal evidence.”   Training in compassion improves the well-being of relatives to people with mental illness Aarhus University (Denmark), April 7, 2021 If relatives of people with mental illness become better at accepting the difficult emotions and life events they experience - which is what training in compassion is about - their anxiety, depression and stress is reduced. These are the results of a new study from the Danish Center for Mindfulness at Aarhus University. Being a relative of a person with a mental illness can be very burdensome. It can feel like a great responsibility, and many people struggle with feelings of fear, guilt, shame and anger. A new study from the Danish Center for Mindfulness shows that eight weeks of training in compassion can significantly improve the well-being of relatives.  Compassion is a human quality that is anchored in the recognition of and desire to relieve suffering. In other words, compassion occurs when we come into contact with our own or others' suffering and feel motivated to relieve our own or others pain. "After completing the course, the relatives had increased their well-being on several parameters. They could deal with the illness in a new and more skillful way, and we saw that the training reduced their symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress," says psychologist and PhD student Nanja Holland Hansen, who is behind the study. And the positive results were maintained after a six month follow-up.  Trying to fix what is difficult "The relatives learned that the more they turn towards what is difficult, the more skillful they may act. For example, relatives often try to 'fix' the problem or the challenge - so as to relieve their loved ones of what is difficult. That's a huge pressure to constantly deal with, and very few people can bear it," says Nanja Holland Hansen.  Living with chronic fear She goes on to explain that training in compassion helps people to find the strength and courage to bear pain and suffering when life is difficult. It may seem both sensible and intuitive to guard yourself from the confrontation or avoid what is difficult and unpleasant. But this is the paradox of the training, explains the researcher. Because it is precisely actions and thoughts like these that shut down our compassion and thereby maintain the suffering.  "Fear and grief are emotions that take up a lot space for relatives of people with mental illness. For example chronic fear, which is a real fear that parents of a child with schizophrenia have about whether their child is going to commit suicide, or whether a child with autism will ever enjoy a 'normal life'," explains Nanja Holland Hansen and continues: "Our suffering is maintained inside of us when we don't work with it. To avoid feeling pain, we may resort to behaviour such as working too much or buying things that we don't need. It's therefore in all these everyday actions that our compassion training becomes important and can be used to help alleviate what is difficult," she says. No one escapes The purpose of training in compassion is thus more than just feeling empathy or worrying about another person.  "Not a single person can completely avoid experiencing painful things in their life. In this way we're all the same. But what isn't the same for everyone is our ability to deal with the pain and suffering we experience. Training programmes in compassion have been developed because the research shows that we can train and strengthen our mental health. With systematic training of compassion, we generate more attention - and understanding of - our own thoughts, feelings and behaviour. And this helps us to develop the tools and skills to engage in healthier relations with ourselves and others," she explains.  A total of 161 relatives of people with mental illness participated in the study. This makes the study one of the largest of its kind in the world, and also the first scientific randomised clinical trial carried out with relatives in Denmark. The relatives were between 18 and 75 of age and were family members to people with various psychiatric disorders such as e.g. ADHD, schizophrenia and depression.  Meditation as homework The relatives met once a week in groups of twenty participants over an eight-week period. Each session lasted two hours and was structured with small group exercises, large group discussions, instruction in the theme of the week and meditation. The homework consisted of twenty minutes of daily meditation. "There is definitely a shortage of offers for these relatives. They're often told that they should remember to take care of themselves, but they haven't learned how to. We found that those who were involved in the study received the tools for precisely this," says Nanja Holland Hansen. The results have just been published in the scientific journal JAMA. "My hope is that local authorities and regions can offer this type of intervention for relatives. It should be an option and could easily be incorporated into our healthcare system. Economically and socially, a healthy person going on sick leave solely because he or she is a relative is a huge loss," says the researcher. [Billedtekst:]: "Up to fifty percent of relatives of people with mental illness risk becoming ill themselves. That's why it's important that we also keep them and their well-being in mind," says Nanja Holland Hansen.   Sesaminol prevents Parkinson's disease by activating the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway Osaka City University (Japan), March 331, 2021   Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of substantia nigra neurons due to oxidative stress. Sesaminol has strong antioxidant and anti-cancer effects. We investigated the preventive effect on PD as a new physiological action of sesaminol produced from sesaminol glycoside using in vitro and in vivo PD models. To prepare an in vitro PD model, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was added to human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y cells). The viability of SH-SY5Y cells decreased dose-dependently following 6-OHDA treatment, but the addition of sesaminol restored viability to the control level. 6-OHDA increased intracellular reactive oxygen species production, and the addition of sesaminol significantly suppressed this increase. No Nrf2 expression in the nucleus was observed in the control group, but a slight increase was observed in the 6-OHDA group. The sesaminol group showed strong expression of Nrf2 in the cytoplasm and nucleus. NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) activity was enhanced in the 6-OHDA group and further enhanced in the sesaminol group. Furthermore, the neurotoxine rotenone was orally administrated to mice to prepare an in vivo PD model. The motor function of rotenone-treated mice was shorter than that of the control group, but a small amount of sesaminol restored it to the control level. The intestinal motility in the rotenone group was significantly lower than that in the control group, but it remained at the control level in the sesaminol group. The expression of α-synuclein in the substantia nigra increased in the rotenone group but decreased in the sesaminol group. The rotenone group exhibited shortening and damage to the colonic mucosa, but these abnormalities of the colonic mucosa were scarcely observed in the sesaminol group. These results suggest that sesaminol has a preventative effect on PD.     Study finds connection between lifestyle choices, Alzheimer disease Brigham Young University, April 8, 2021   A recent study out of BYU has linked lifestyle choice to Alzheimer's disease, at least to some degree, through findings that show a possible energy gap between the amount of glucose and ketones being used to power the brain. BYU professor Ben Bikman, who studies diabetes and insulin resistance, thought of a fundamental question surrounding Alzheimer's disease and insulin resistance in the brain. Bikman said there has been growing evidence that the brains in humans with Alzheimer's disease are deficient in the use of glucose. "The brain has a certain energy demand, let's say that is 100%," Bikman said. "In most instances, glucose is providing virtually all of that energy, nearly 100% all of the time. There is a secondary fuel known as ketones, so the average brain is consuming almost all of its energy from glucose with a little bit of energy coming from ketones at any moment. In some individuals, the brain starts to become deficient in its ability to use glucose. So now glucose can only provide about 60% of that energy, and then ketones would be expected to fill up the rest of that energy. The tragedy is that the average individual has almost undetectable levels of ketones and that's entirely a matter of lifestyle." This lack of ketones as well as the brain's resistance to insulin is linked to lifestyle. Insulin is expected to stimulate tissues or cells to take in the glucose and use it for energy. As the brain becomes more insulin resistant, it can't take in glucose anymore and this is something Bikman said has been shown in other research. The BYU research expanded on some of those findings. "We found that indeed the expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism was significantly down, very broad across every cell type we looked at in the brain," Bikman said. "All of the cell types we looked at had significant reductions in glucose-related genes, but the ketone-related genes were almost totally normal." This is key because it shows that if the brain can receive more ketones, there is a possibility that one could overcome that energy gap. While it may not be able to be filled in with glucose, it can be with ketones but ketones need to be produced by one's body. With many people having diets that are high in refined sugars and starches, insulin is elevated all of the time, and ketones are only produced when insulin levels are low. These conditions include fasting or low-carb diets, also known as keto diets. Ph.D. student Erin Saito is another one of the lead authors of the study and is doing this project as her dissertation. Another collaborator included Washington University of Saint Louis, which gave the BYU research team access to various brain banks. "BYU is a wonderfully collaborative environment, not only encouraging collaborations within the university but also outside of the university," Bikman said. "Thus communicating with our internal and external collaborators was very easy and very natural. There was very much a common interest to work on this project together, a common enthusiasm for answering a question that had not been asked yet. It would not have been possible without that mutual collaboration and enthusiasm." He added that managing the project with enthusiastic students was a delight, making it easy because of the enthusiasm surrounding the project. Bikman said it is gratifying for him to be able to contribute to what little is known about Alzheimer's disease, because traditional strategies and approaches have continued to fail. "Looking at Alzheimer's disease as a metabolic problem, I would say, is the greatest breakthrough in our understanding of the disease in decades," Bikman said. Looking at it through the metabolic side of things allows people to possibly detect the problem years in advance, looking at changes in brain glucose metabolism long before Alzheimer's sets in. Bikman believes that someday the metabolic approach to Alzheimer's will be the standard of care. Moving forward, Bikman said he hopes that people feel empowered when it comes to Alzheimer's disease. He wants people to not look at it as a passive process where they are the victim, but rather acknowledging that their lifestyle choices can either act as the culprit or the cure. "For too long we have viewed Alzheimer's disease as a disease that is no respecter of person, no respecter of choices and that is simply not true," Bikman said. "We have long known that people with metabolic disorders, like type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, are at significantly greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and we have more evidence suggesting that dietary choices and changes do make significant improvements in someone's cognition." Even someone in the midst of Alzheimer's disease can see improvements in memory and learning with a lifestyle change, according to Bikman, and he added that he hopes this evidence will help to strengthen that view and empower individuals to take matters into their own hands.     New Study Shows Broad Benefits Of High-CBD Cannabis Health Canada Research Institute, April 6, 2021 With CBD exploding in popularity, new studies continue to reveal its potential benefits. A new study published in the journal Aging-US reported that high-CBD cannabis has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties and may even help reduce COVID symptoms. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis and is legal in all 50 states. “Cannabis sativa, especially those high in the anti-inflammatory cannabinoid cannabidiol, has been found to alter gene expression and inflammation and harbour anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties,” the researchers at Health Canada concluded. As such, they say specific CBD extracts “may become a useful and safe addition to the prevention/treatment of COVID-19 as an adjunct therapy.” Researchers hypothesized that high-CBD C. sativa extracts may be used to down-regulate ACE2 expression in target COVID-19 tissues. Using artificial 3D human models of oral, airway and intestinal tissues, they identified 13 high-CBD C. sativa extracts that decrease ACE2 protein levels. Some C. sativa extracts down-regulate serine protease TMPRSS2, another critical protein required for SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. This is not the first study to suggest that CBD could combat respiratory illnesses like COVID. In April 2020, researchers at the University of Nebraska and the Texas Biomedical Research Institute published a peer-reviewed article suggesting that CBD could be included in the treatment regimen for the COVID-19 coronavirus as THC and CBD both appeared to reduce the severe lung inflammation associated with the virus. In July 2020, researchers at the Dental College of Georgia and Medical College of Georgia found early evidence that Cannabidiol, or CBD, may help reduce the cytokine storm and excessive lung inflammation that killed many patients with COVID-19. “Our laboratory studies indicate pure CBD can help the lungs recover from the overwhelming inflammation, or cytokine storm, caused by the COVID-19 virus, and restore healthier oxygen levels in the body,” says co-author Dr. Jack Yu, physician-scientist and chief of pediatric plastic surgery at MCG. In October 2020, the same research group published a follow-up peer-reviewed study identifying the mechanism they believe was responsible for the encouraging results of using CBD to reduce lung inflammation. “One way CBD appears to reduce the “cytokine storm” that damages the lungs and kills many patients with COVID-19 is by enabling an increase in levels of a natural peptide called apelin, which is known to reduce inflammation and whose levels are dramatically reduced in the face of this storm,” they concluded. While this is incredibly encouraging news for relief from COVID, businesses that sell CBD edibles and oils are not allowed to mention these benefits in advertising because the FDA has not officially approved it for any specific treatment. Apparently, experimental vaccines are okay to advertise but natural plant extracts aren’t. The new study above is just another to suggest cannabis and CBD can help fight cancer. There have been many studies as well as countless confirmed anecdotal accounts. In 2018, a 44-year-old UK mom refused chemo for her aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. She opted for CBD oil instead and was declared cancer-free five months later. In 2019, an 81-year-old diagnosed with lung cancer shrunk his tumors in half by taking CBD oil. The case study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Sage. More recently, a Colorado State University study showed that CBD extract can slow growth and kill cancer cells in aggressive brain cancer. “Our experiments showed that CBD slows cancer cell growth and is toxic to both canine and human glioblastoma cell lines,” said Chase Gross, a doctoral student participating in the study. “Importantly, the differences in anti-cancer affects between CBD isolate and extract appear to be negligible.” That’s not all, CBD has shown potential for treating a variety of other ailments such as arthritis, seizures, chronic pain, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s and more – with little to no severe side effects that are common with leading pharmaceuticals. Big Pharma hopes more people don’t discover natural treatments to common health issues, like CBD, because it could severely impact their profits and influence.     Polyphenol pills counter inflammation in women on hormonal contraceptives: RCT Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), April 7, 2021 Supplements containing a mixture of polyphenols may counter increases in pro-inflammatory markers in women of childbearing age using combined hormonal contraceptives, says a new study. The supplements, formulated with resveratrol, catechin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid and cyanidin, were also found to prevent the increases in markers of systemic oxidative stress like F2-isoprostane, according to findings published in Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids . “The increase in biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress observed in the present study were possibly caused by the use of hormonal contraceptives, as verified in the [control group], and this change was not observed in the group that used polyphenols,” wrote researchers from the Institute of Cardiology and the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. “Therefore, the results of this polyphenol supplementation showed that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects observed in the studied population is due to the reduction in plasma levels of PGE2, supporting the conceptual hypothesis, by its action on the inflammatory cascade, probably by COX inhibition.”   Study details The Brazil-based researchers recruited 40 women aged between 25 and 35 using contraceptives, and randomly assigned them to receive either placebo or polyphenols (3,000 mg per day) for 15 days. “A higher dosage was chosen in order to reduce the risk of food ingestion of control group to overcome the dosage of polyphenol supplementation in the [polyphenol group],” they explained. Data from the 28 women who completed the study indicated that, as expected, markers of inflammation (PGE2 and C-reactive protein) and oxidative stress (F2-isoprostane) increased significantly in women in the placebo group. However, no such increases were observed in the polyphenol group. “Among participants of the polyphenols group, an inverse correlation was observed between the consumption of polyphenols estimated by the [food frequency questionnaire] with PGE2 levels at the end of the study. This finding had not yet been previously described in the literature and reinforces the hypothesis of the present study regarding the action of polyphenols in reducing PGE2 levels,” wrote the researchers. “The liver is the main organ involved in the metabolism of polyphenols, and metabolites are secreted in bile and urine. Excretion of polyphenols in participants of the [polyphenol group] was significantly higher than in the [control group], confirming the effective ingestion of capsules and absorption of compounds, which can vary depending on the amount ingested, the chemical structure of the substance and the intestinal flora of the subjects.”   Childhood diet and exercise creates healthier, less anxious adults University of California Riverside, April 9, 2021 Exercise and a healthy diet in childhood leads to adults with bigger brains and lower levels of anxiety, according to new UC Riverside research in mice.  Though diet and exercise are consistently recommended as ways to promote health, this study is the first to examine the long-lasting, combined effects of both factors when they are experienced early in life. "Any time you go to the doctor with concerns about your weight, almost without fail, they recommend you exercise and eat less," said study lead and UCR physiology doctoral student Marcell Cadney. "That's why it's surprising most studies only look at diet or exercise separately. In this study, we wanted to include both." The researchers determined that early-life exercise generally reduced anxious behaviors in adults. It also led to an increase in adult muscle and brain mass. When fed "Western" style diets high in fat and sugar, the mice not only became fatter, but also grew into adults that preferred unhealthy foods. These findings have recently been published in the journal Physiology and Behavior. To obtain them, the researchers divided the young mice into four groups -- those with access to exercise, those without access, those fed a standard, healthy diet and those who ate a Western diet.  Mice started on their diets immediately after weaning, and continued on them for three weeks, until they reached sexual maturity. After an additional eight weeks of "washout," during which all mice were housed without wheels and on the healthy diet, the researchers did behavioral analysis, measured aerobic capacity, and levels of several different hormones. One of those they measured, leptin, is produced by fat cells. It helps control body weight by increasing energy expenditure and signaling that less food is required. Early-life exercise increased adult leptin levels as well as fat mass in adult mice, regardless of the diet they ate. Previously, the research team found that eating too much fat and sugar as a child can alter the microbiome for life, even if they later eat healthier. Going forward, the team plans to investigate whether fat or sugar is more responsible for the negative effects they measured in Western-diet-fed mice. Together, both studies offer critical opportunities for health interventions in childhood habits.  "Our findings may be relevant for understanding the potential effects of activity reductions and dietary changes associated with obesity," said UCR evolutionary physiologist Theodore Garland.  In other words, getting a jump start on health in the early years of life is extremely important, and interventions may be even more critical in the wake of the pandemic.  "During the COVID-19 lockdowns, particularly in the early months, kids got very little exercise. For many without access to a park or a backyard, school was their only source of physical activity," Cadney said. "It is important we find solutions for these kids, possibly including extra attention as they grow into adults."  Given that exercise was also shown to reduce adult anxiety, Cadney believes children who face these challenges may face unique physical and mental health issues as they become adults in the coming decade.

¿Se puede tener obesidad y estar metabólicamente sano? Escucha la interesante información que nos comparte el Dr. Raúl A. Bastarrachea, es Investigador de Base del Texas Biomedical Research Institute y del US National Primate Research Center, en San Antonio, Texas. Sus áreas de interés son las bases genómicas y moleculares de la nutrición, inmunometabolismo, obesidad, disfunción del tejido adiposo, diabetes y enfermedades cardiovasculares. Actualmente se encuentra laborando en protocolos de investigación relacionados con terapia génica no viral en obesidad y diabetes, y estudios pertinentes a COVID-19, replicación viral y metabolismo celular.

Dr. Ricardo Carrion, a virologist at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, leads us on a deep dive into coronaviruses, this mutation, and what it may mean for the newly developed coronavirus treatments and vaccines.

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 14 with Dr. Christopher Chen from Texas Biomedical Research Institute Help us out by leaving us a rating or review on iTunes | Stitcher - we might even read your review on our next episode!In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Danielle and I talked with Dr. Christopher Chen, Southwest National Primate Research Center Assistant Director for Research Support at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. We had an interesting conversation about his lab’s recent development of a new incredible animal model in the squirrel monkey, for the purpose of studying Hepatitis B. In this episode you’ll learn everything you need to know about Hepatitis B and the important ongoing research working toward cures and treatments for this disease.Topics discussed in this episode:Dr. Chen’s extensive background and experience throughout his education and career.Hepatitis B background information, including what it is, what it does to the body, how long the disease can last, and much more.The storied history of hepatitis B and C research, including the development of a vaccine for hepatitis B and a cure for hepatitis C, at Texas Biomedical Research Institute.The process of developing a squirrel monkey animal model for hepatitis B research and why the squirrel monkey makes for such a great model.Future directions for hepatitis B research now that the squirrel monkey model has been developed.Notable quotes:“The goal is to find some related monkey to wooly monkeys that would support the infection of this wooly monkey HBV chronically, so squirrel monkeys are closely related, and they have conserved residues of other receptors.”“Took the viral genome from wooly monkey HBV and inserted into another virus that infects the liver quite readily, it’s called adeno-associated virus…we essentially gutted the adeno-associated virus genome and replaced it with this wooly monkey HBV genome and that allowed us to get the virus to very readily infect the liver cells of the squirrel monkey, and once it was in the liver cells, it would naturally replicate and you would get wild-type wooly monkey HBV being produced.”Follow us on Twitter! Facebook! Instagram! https://twitter.com/thelabratchat https://www.facebook.com/labratchat https://www.instagram.com/thelabratchat Sign up for the Lab Rat Chat newsletter!https://www.amprogress.org/raising-voices/lab-rat-chat/Resources & Links:Texas Biomedical Research Institute (https://www.txbiomed.org/)Texas Biomed Squirrel Monkey Animal Model for Hepatitis B article (https://www.txbiomed.org/news-press/news-releases/new-animal-model-identified-to-research-hepatitis-b-virus/)Americans for Medical Progress (https://www.amprogress.org/) Americans for Support the show (https://www.amprogress.org/donate/)

Dr. Anderson' research focuses on the interaction between genetics, evolutionary biology, and tropical diseases. He works with the two most dominant parasites that infect humans and cause particularly high mortality in children:  those species that cause malaria and schistosomiasis.  In this podcast, he discusses How genome sequencing methods play a major role in understanding infection patterns, Why genome sequencing benefits research by informing region-specific drug cocktails, and Why drug resistance in parasites is a daunting problem and how tools like linkage analysis genetics tell scientists about the related fitness cost of resistance. Tim Anderson is a professor and co-leads the Disease Intervention and Prevention Program at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. He helps listeners understand the basics of how genome sequencing techniques are used to determine relatedness and other factors in parasites that can then help scientists understand their life cycle, population genetics evolution, and how drug resistance develops and might be combatted. He works specifically in the Myanmar border region but discusses the differences in infection rates between areas to explain parasite infection characteristics. For example, they've found that people who get bit very rarely tend to get extremely sick whereas there seems to be some immunity in areas of higher infection bit rates. However, ultimately, this translates to a U-shaped mortality between these two extremes and he explains why. Dr. Anderson also discusses some important work by colleagues and how these different areas of research come together to create a greater understanding of parasite activity. He describes what drug resistance looks like and gives several examples as the resistance mechanics varies with the action of the drug. After explaining the basics in more detail and some exciting finds, he describes his end goal as to better understand the evolution of drug resistance alongside the fitness cost of drug resistant genes. This has progressed to following how parasites eventually get around those fitness costs.  For more, see his information page, txbiomed.org/scientists/timothy-j-c-anderson/, and search his name in PubMed for publications. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 13 with Dr. Joanne Turner and Dr. Luis Martinez-Sobrido from Texas Biomedical Research Institute Follow us on Twitter! Facebook! Instagram! https://twitter.com/thelabratchat https://www.facebook.com/labratchat https://www.instagram.com/thelabratchat In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Danielle and I had the pleasure of talking to two guests, another first for us, with Dr. Joanne Turner and Dr. Luis Martinez-Sobrido from Texas Biomedical Research Institute. We chatted about their recent development of humanized mice to help us understand some of the many complexities surrounding SARS-CoV-2, as well as simply talking about some general mysteries about this COVID-19 disease that we hear about in the media. For a more in-depth read on their COVID-19 research, check out the link below in the 'Resources & Links' section.Topics discussed in this episode:Dr. Turner’s and Dr. Martinez-Sobrido’s extensive backgrounds and experiences throughout their education and careers.Details regarding the humanized mice they’ve developed and why they’re a good model to study COVID-19.Information about the infectious dose of COVID-19 and why children seem less susceptible, and how using this mouse model may help give clues on these mysteries.Ways to approach talking about animal research with the public and how the public should perceive the field of biomedical research.Notable quotes:“Altogether what we find is these transgenic mice pretty much represent a very nice and good small animal model to study COVID-19 pathogenesis and to study some of these approaches that we are trying to develop at Texas Biomed in terms of vaccine development and therapeutics for the treatment of these viral infections”“These transgenic mice will be a great model to study if you can get re-infected once you have primarily been infected with the virus.”“I think some of those apparent contradictions are because it’s a new virus, it’s unknown, and we’re working at it very quickly and we’re putting information out as we find it, so often our initial observation get modified when we learn more. So that’s why it seems like, in science, we’re sometimes changing our minds, but that’s because we gathered new information in a robust way.”Sign up for the Lab Rat Chat newsletter!https://www.amprogress.org/raising-voices/lab-rat-chat/Resources & Links:Texas Biomedical Research Institute (https://www.txbiomed.org/)Texas Biomed Humanized Mice Press Release (https://www.txbiomed.org/news-press/news-releases/sars-cov-2-rodent-study/)Americans for Medical Progress (https://www.amprogress.org/) Americans for Medical Progress COVID-19 Resources (https://www.amprogress.org/covid-19-resources/)All Lab Rat Chat episodes are edited by Audionauts: https://audionauts.pro/

In the midst of a global pandemic, we have one of the world's leading experts in infectious diseases right here in our backyard. Dr. Larry Schlesinger is the President & CEO of Texas Biomedical Research Institute. Founded in 1941 by San Antonio inventor, businessman and adventurer Tom Slick Junior, who dreamed of building a "City of Science", Texas Biomed employs over 65 doctorate level scientists who lead over 200 research projects each year. In this episode, San Antonio Business Journal Editor-In-Chief Tony Quesada profiles Dr. Schlesinger and the critical work of Texas Biomed.

This is the first episode of a multi-part series exploring the recent surge in scientific research on cannabis as medicine to treat coronavirus. Len May has extensive experience in the field of cannabis genetics and how the intricacies of the plant interact with our DNA. We lay the groundwork of the Endocannabinoid System (or, ECS) and what it does in our body. As well as discuss studies out of Israel, the University of Nebraska and Texas Biomedical Research Institute (among others) suggesting CBD may help reduce inflammation in the lungs, a major symptom of covid positive patients and much more findings.    For more information or to purchase your own cannabis genetics test, head over to www.endodna.com  Follow Len and his company EndoCanna Health on IG: @lenmaydna & @endodna On Facebook: Endocannahealth   Visit www.ebenbritton.com for more from me.     Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 08 with Dr. Ricardo Carrion, Jr., Professor at Texas Biomedical Research Institute Follow us on Twitter! Facebook! Instagram! https://twitter.com/thelabratchat https://www.facebook.com/labratchat https://www.instagram.com/thelabratchat $100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway! Simply rate and review the podcast to be entered to win one of FIVE $100 Amazon gift cards! In this eighth episode of Lab Rat Chat, Dr. Ricardo Carrion, Jr., from Texas Biomedical Research Institute, talks to us about the research they are doing down at their institute in San Antonio, TX to help combat COVID-19. Topics discussed in this episode:Dr. Carrion’s journey through his education and career leading to his current position at Texas Biomedical Research Institute.The details behind various high containment laboratories that allow scientists to work safely with deadly pathogens.The use of various animal models to help understand and study SARS-CoV-2, the causative virus behind the COVID-19 disease.Notable quotes:"Individuals are actually suited into a space-suit type uniform, it's a single, continuous jump-suit, if you will, that has a zipper...they are tethered to a breathing air-supply line, and they work in the BSL-4 laboratory in that suit."“The level of collaborations seen in this outbreak, this pandemic, is greater than any other type of collaboration that I’ve seen in the 20 years that I’ve been doing science.”“If you look at vaccine development, if you look at Ebola for instance, as an example, it was about 7-10 years to license that vaccine. So that in one year, we’re talking about possibly having an FDA licensed vaccine for COVID-19, it’s pretty remarkable”Resources & Links:Texas Biomedical Research Institute (www.txbiomed.org)Americans for Medical Progress (https://www.amprogress.org/)AMP's COVID-19 Resources (https://www.amprogress.org/covid-19-resources/)PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (https://olaw.nih.gov/policies-laws/phs-policy.htm) Animal Welfare Act (https://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/animal-welfare-act) All Lab Rat Chat episodes are edited by Audionauts: https://audionauts.pro/

Dr. Larry Schlesinger, CEO & president of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, explains the scientific race to find COVID-19 cure. He explains how the institutes preparedness led them to the front of the global quest to a vaccine. He shares his frustration with the spread of misinformation and urges us to be patient with science if we want it done right.

The novel Coronavirus is raging through communities around the world. It’s a virus never before seen in humans, and therefore, not recognized by our immune systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions are at the highest risk. There is no vaccine or drug therapy to prevent or treat the illness caused by the virus, known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The heroes of this battle are the healthcare workers on the frontlines and the scientists and researchers in the labs developing a weapon to take down this persistent enemy. On this episode, we talk to two scientists joining the fight against COVID-19. SwRI scientist Dr. Jonathan Bohmann is using the Rhodium™ Software to analyze drug compounds that could successfully fight COVID-19. He’s working closely with Dr. Ricardo Carrion and his team from SwRI’s neighboring, San Antonio-based R&D organization Texas Biomedical Research Institute. Dr. Carrion explains how scientists everywhere are joining forces to eradicate the virus. Listen now as we discuss the global pandemic that has rapidly changed the way we live.

Assistant Professor Diako Ebrahimi, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Diako Ebrahimi, Ph.D., is one of the newest faculty members at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. He’s a quantitative biologist.  His job is to take massive amounts of data from different disciplines to develop new ways to research virology and cancer. Dr. Ebrahimi joins Texas Biomed from the University of Minnesota where he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics. He is currently the principal investigator on a National Institutes of Health grant focused on Molecular Determinants of HIV Hypermutation that runs through 2020 and another study that concludes this year. For nearly 10 years, Dr. Ebrahimi has focused his research efforts on combining data and information from a variety of scientific disciplines, from chemistry and virology to cancer, genomics, evolution and bioinformatics to develop new research initiatives in viral and cancer genomics using quantitative biology. Big data is changing the way biomedical research is conducted. Dr. Ebrahimi received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Chamran University in Ahvaz, Iran and his Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry from Razi University in Kermanshah, Iran. He obtained his Ph.D. in Quantitative Chemistry in 2007 from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

In this podcast, Nicole Loo, MD, from Texas Liver Institute, and Christopher Chen, PhD, from Texas Biomedical Research Institute, discuss the current management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, obesity as a risk factor for NAFLD, the importance of screening and prevention, and more.

Deepak Kaushal, PhD, from Texas Biomedical Research Institute, talks about new treatments for HIV, how they will change the way we treat HIV, and other medications for HIV on the horizon. More athttps://www.consultant360.com/specialty/infectious-diseases/hivaids.

Dr. Larry Schlesinger visited India in Feb. 2019. The President and CEO of Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Dr. Larry Schlesinger, is a physician researcher who is a leader in his field – infectious diseases and tuberculosis in particular. He recently traveled to India to visit one of the many places across the globe where TB has a huge impact. The 8th annual RePORT India Joint Leadership Meeting was held in Chennai, India, February 4-6, 2019.

This technology would help clinicians tailor therapies. (Photo courtesy of Josh Parks) A collaboration of scientists including Texas Biomedical Research Institute’s Professor Jean Patterson, Ph.D., are working on a new way to detect Zika virus that will help guide clinicians in their treatment of patients with the disease. The new technology will screen bodily fluids such as blood, urine or semen, for the presence of the virus. The experimental diagnostic tool will also help pinpoint the stage of the disease in those infected. Researchers at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Brigham Young University, and the University of California at Berkeley developed the technology that is now being tested to see if it is effective. Electrical engineering Professor Holger Schmidt, Ph.D., of UC Santa Cruz is one of the leading researchers testing the technology, which he describes as “a lab on a chip.” Texas Biomed’s role in this scientific advancement is to provide knowledge about the virus and viral material to the team of researchers. “What this technology will do is tell us, first of all, if you’ve already been infected,” Dr. Patterson explained. “If you have antibodies, you wouldn’t be at risk for a new infection. It will also tell us where you are in your infection.” Knowing the stage of the disease is critical since many antivirals only work early in infections and are not effective later in the course of the disease. This particular diagnostic test would tell clinicians if the patient is showing a sign of recent infection or if the disease has progressed. The mosquito-borne illness was first identified in Uganda in 1947, but Zika roared into international headlines in 2014 when cases of the virus in Brazil were shown to have a connection to devastating birth defects in babies born to mothers who had Zika while pregnant. The study into a new diagnostic technology to pinpoint Zika started two years ago. Patterson is confident her work will contribute to more effective diagnostics. “We’ve got this,” Patterson stated. The same test is being developed for another pathogen Texas Biomed researches: Ebola virus. Dr. Schmidt is hopeful this technology would be helpful for people in remote areas affected by Ebola, such as parts of Africa. The collaboration of scientists working on the project have applied for another scientific grant and they plan to apply for a grant to commercialize the experimental Zika test.

Raul Bastarrachea, MD, and Jack Kent, Ph.D. Texas Biomedical Research Institute scientists have been granted funding from the National Institutes of Health to pursue a promising study on the ultimate causes of heart disease and metabolic disorders. Principal Investigators Raul A. Bastarrachea, MD, and Jack W. Kent Jr., Ph.D., of Texas Biomedical Research Institute have designed the GEMM Family Study (Genetics of Metabolic Diseases in Mexico or Genética de las Enfermedades Metabólicas en México). The GEMM Family Study examines volunteers from 10 university hospital sites in Mexico. Blood samples and tissue samples collected from participants are analyzed at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Healthy adults provide baseline blood samples and muscle biopsies at fasting. Then, they are given what’s called a meal challenge. The volunteers eat 30 percent of what their bodies need for their individual daily energy needs based on their Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) and activity level. If their metabolism is working correctly, that food – a balanced mix of proteins, carbohydrates, fat and micronutrients – should be metabolized, oxidized, or stored within five hours. By taking another muscle biopsy and blood samples at several points during the five hours following the meal, the researchers hope to find out why some otherwise healthy people may have an impaired response to a meal which can lead to cardiovascular disease over time. “The idea behind the GEMM Family Study is to pinpoint novel biomarkers of metabolic responses that could be early predictors of cardiovascular disease,” explained Dr. Bastarrachea. Distinguishing those biomarkers could lead to earlier diagnoses and interventions based on individual results. Heart disease is a major health problem for Hispanic Americans. High rates of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure put them at great risk for cardiovascular problems like strokes and heart attacks. The scientists anticipate that findings from the GEMM Family Study will have implications for diagnosing and treating cardiovascular disease on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded the GEMM Family Study researchers $544,803 over two years to study data from 40 people in Mexico. Using that preliminary data, Texas Biomed scientists plan to apply for a larger NIH grant that would fund the study of data collected from 400 individuals. Texas Biomed has a long history of researching genetic contributors to heart disease risk in family studies, including ongoing collaboration in the StrongHeart Study of American Indians. The GEMM Family Study is being supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R56DK114703. This study will involve collaborative research by scientists at TBRI and UT Health San Antonio. Molecular analyses of gene expression will be conducted by the laboratory of Dr. Shelley Cole and the TBRI Genomics Sequencing Core. Other molecular profiling will be conducted at the UT Health Mass Spectrometry Laboratory under the supervision of Drs. Susan Weintraub and Xianlin Han. The locations in Mexico where volunteers are taking part in the GEMM Family Study are: MONTERREY, Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición (Faspyn), UANL, Hospital Metropolitano Monterrey (Dr. Esther Gallegos and Dr. Edna Nava) MERIDA, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Marista de Mérida (Dr. Hugo Laviada and LN Maria Fernanda Molina) CUERNAVACA, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (Dr. Jesús Santa-Olalla and and Dr. Jose Ángeles Chimal) CHIHUAHUA, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (Dr. Irene Leal) MORELIA,

Dr Marcel Daadi, from Texas Biomedical Research Institute, talks about his life-long research into dopaminergic neurons for treating Parkinson disease and whether it is possible to replenish dopamine loss in the brain.

Dr Shelley Cole, from Texas Biomedical Research Institute, answers our questions about her ongoing study, "The Strong Heart Study in American Indians," and how those results impact practice.

Dr Eusondia Arnett, from Texas Biomedical Research Institute, talks about her research on apoptosis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and how cancer drugs might be able to fight the infection.

Dr Varun Dwivedi, from Texas Biomedical Research Institute, discusses his research on the role of IL-10 in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, the potential for a new MTB vaccine, and how this vaccine could be effective in HIV-positive patients.

Dr Marie-Claire Gauduin from Texas Biomedical Research Institute discusses her research on developing a vaccine for HIV-tuberculosis co-infection.

Dr Marie-Claire Gauduin from Texas Biomedical Research Institute discusses her research on developing an effective HIV vaccine using a person's own skin cells.

Dr Jean Patterson from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute discusses the challenges of zika virus, as well as the hope for a vaccine in the near future.

Deepak Kaushal, Ph.D. The Southwest National Primate Center's Mission is to improve the health of our global community through innovative biomedical research with nonhuman primate. The newest member of the team who will direct this program -- one of only seven of its kind in the country -- is Deepak Kaushal, Ph.D. He comes to Texas Biomedical Research Institute from the Tulane National Primate Research Center in Louisiana. Dr. Kaushal specializes in tuberculosis (TB) research in nonhuman primates. "I think this is a tremendous opportunity for me to bring my research here and build collaboration with what is already a very strong tuberculosis research team at Texas Biomed," Dr. Kaushal said. "I am also looking forward to the chance to administer a large research center like the SNPRC." Most of Dr. Kaushal's TB research with animals has involved macaques, but he plans on expanding that work using the baboons and marmosets that are also housed at the SNPRC. Dr. Kaushal begins his new job as Director of the SNPRC on January 2, 2019. © Clem Spalding

Tom Slick, Jr., is the founder of Texas Biomed The founder of Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Tom Slick, was a man of great vision and curiosity. His niece, Catherine Nixon Cooke, wrote a fascinating book about him title Tom Slick Mystery Hunter. We talked with Cooke about her uncle who lived some larger-than-life adventures and planted to seeds of scientific research in San Antonio that has yielded many breakthroughs in diagnostics, therapies and vaccines. Cooke says Tom Slick would have been delighted at what his vision in the early 40s has become in 2018.

Developing vaccines and therapies to successfully treat some of the world’s deadliest diseases for which there are no known treatments or vaccines requires the safest laboratory in the world in which to study them. Texas Biomedical Research Institute is home to one of only six such labs in North America and the only operational BSL-4 lab owned by a private institution. Designed for maximum containment, BSL-4 labs offer a safe setting for scientists and the surrounding environment. This unique resource has allowed scientists in Texas Biomed’s Department of Virology and Immunology to become world leaders in the fight against emerging diseases and bioterror agents, such as SARS, Anthrax, Ebola virus and more. Our Biosafety Level 3 lab works on contagious pathogens that are treatable, but contagious. Right now, scientists are focusing on findings new treatments and vaccines for Mycobacterium tuberulosois (M.tb) which causes tuberculosis, one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases.

A baby rhesus macaque basks in the sunshine with its mother. Rhesus macaque monkeys are nonhuman primates that originate from the jungles of India. Hundreds of them live at the Southwest National Primate Research Center on the Texas Biomedical Research Institute campus. Macaques are useful for studying diseases from HIV to Ebola. While the macaques live in indoor/outdoor housing, the scientific work performed on their samples takes place in a lab setting.   Hundreds of rhesus macaque monkeys are housed at the Southwest National Primate Research Center.

The Texas Biomedical Forum started in 1970 as a group of women on a mission – to support the hope and promise of life-saving research at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. What started as the brainchild of a handful of women has turned into an organization that is more than 300 members strong. The Forum raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in support of the science at Texas Biomed. From left to right: Jody Lutz, Tena Gorman, Ruth Eilene Sullivan, Courtney Percy The purpose of the Texas Biomedical Forum continues to be to support the Texas Biomedical Research Institute through community relations,volunteer services and fundraising. The Forum hosts student tours of the 200-acre Texas BioMed campus for a handful of high school science programs each year. These tours of San Antonio’s biomedical research jewel expose these bright young students to the exciting possibilities of a career in science. The student tours are a fantastic opportunity for area high school students, and a rewarding experience for Forum volunteers. For the past 21 years, the Texas Biomedical Forum and the V.H. McNutt Memorial Foundation have joined forces for the Science Education Awards. Local public and private high school teachers are invited to participate. The awards are given to the top six teachers whose proposals demonstrate the strongest commitment to the scientific process and the further development of progressive science education programs. The Forum’s commitment to educating its membership and the community about Texas Biomed’s research is highlighted at the fall and spring Lecture Luncheon events featuring Texas Biomed scientists discussing timely research topics. Held at The Argyle, the lectures inform members and guests about innovative medical topics and the cutting-edge research taking place at Texas Biomed and its positive impact on human health. All Forum members as well as guests are invited to participate in these educational events.   The Forum in partnership with Texas Biomed hosts a Roundtable Discussions evening event annually at The Argyle. These events feature the work being done by a handful of the Texas BioMed research scientists. Attendees are afforded the incredible opportunity of sitting alongside a scientist with the ability to ask questions regarding their current project. This is truly a unique experience where anyone can learn about the exciting research that in ongoing at Texas BioMed in a congenial environment. Forum members and guests are welcome to attend. The first Saturday in May annually marks the occasion of the Forum Gala. One of the most sought after event gala tickets in the city. This is the primary fundraising tool of the Forum. Every summer, the Forum presents Texas Biomed with a sizable check from that year’s Gala proceeds. These funds are then distributed to select scientists in support of their research needs. The Forum sponsors a series of one-year pilot projects that can lead to subsequent and often significant federal research funding. Over the last sixteen years, the Forum has provided over $3 million. The results of those pilot studies has generated an additional $60 million in grant funding for Texas Biomed. The impact of the Forum’s fundraising efforts through the Gala and Forum Grants is a valuable component in furthering Texas Biomed’s mission of enhancing lives through research.

Dr. Mark Gorelik holds a mouse bred to have symptoms of Kawasaki disease. Kawasaki disease is a rare childhood illness that can cause serious heart trouble for patients later in life. Now, Texas Biomedical Research Institute and Children's Hospital of San Antonio are teaming up to research possible interventions to cut down on the serious side effects of the disease. Dr. Mark Gorelik is a pediatric rheumatologist. He uses a mouse model now housed at Texas Biomed. Jean Patterson, Ph.D., is helping him on the project. Listen to learn more about this exciting collaborative project. Having trained veterinarians taking care of animals at Texas Biomed made it a good fit for the Kawasaki research project.

Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio is a new focal point for TB research, with scientists studying the disease from dozens of angles, researching new therapies and a better way to vaccinate people against the insidious infection that targets the lungs. Tuberculosis is an ancient health threat that’s still claiming several thousand lives each day around the globe. It’s the world’s deadliest infectious disease. And TB isn’t just a third world concern. It’s an American problem, too. The World Health Organization Global TB Strategy aims to eradicate TB by 2035. In 2016, Bexar County had one of the four highest rates of TB in the state, along with Harris, Dallas, and Hidalgo Counties. Texas, California, Florida and New York have the highest rates of tuberculosis in the U.S. Eusondia Arnett, Ph.D., and a team of researchers are working on TB at Texas Biomed. The new President/CEO of Texas Biomed, Larry Schlesinger, M.D., is a globally-recognized expert researcher in the TB field. He is joined at Texas Biomed by Joanne Turner, Ph.D. and Jordi Torrelles, Ph.D. Between the three of them and their team members, these scientists are poised to make real progress in their collaborative work. With their expertise in both lab and animal research, the new Tuberculosis research team at Texas Biomed is a unique asset for South Texas.

Dr. Anthony Griffiths and Dr. Ricardo Carrion are scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute who work on some of the most dangerous viruses in the world under Biological Safety Level 4 (BSL4) containment. BSL4 is the highest form of biological containment that is required for viruses that have a high level of lethality and for which there is no cure. The ebola virus caused a huge outbreak in Western Africa in 2014 that led to over 11,000 deaths, and when an ebola-infected patient arrived in the United States it led to widespread panic.  Dr. Griffiths and Dr. Carrion are performing research with the ebola virus within a BSL4 laboratory, and are developing therapeutics and vaccines against ebola infections. Dr. Griffiths and Dr. Carrion discuss what it’s like to work in a BSL4 laboratory, what is the outlook for an effective ebola vaccine, and how to work with ebola-infected fruit bats in a BSL4 lab.  The MicroCase for listeners to solve is about Prickly Pete, a crusty ranch hand who comes down with a mysterious disease after Mrs. Butterworth, his favorite cow dies. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Dr. Anthony Griffiths Dr. Ricardo Carrion