Lasker Award winners' research in mice, chickens identified T, B cells | Annual award for life-saving discoveries go to animal researchers | Mouse study yields clues to vaping illnesses
Max Cooper and Jacques Miller -- two scientists who were instrumental in the discovery of B and T cells -- won this year's Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award. Miller's research on mice demonstrated the thymus' role in replenishing T-lymphocytes, or T cells; Cooper's research on chickens identified the role of B cells in immunity.
This year's Golden Goose Awards, which Congress bestows on federally funded researchers whose work may have been perceived as obscure but has significantly benefited society, go to David Sachar, whose research on frog skin led to life-saving cholera treatments; Jack Levin and Frederik Bang, whose research on horseshoe crabs led to discoveries about endotoxins and a standard test to ensure pharmaceuticals do not contain endotoxins. Research on rabbits by awardees Noel Rose and Ernest Witebsky improved our understanding of autoimmune diseases and enabled potential treatments.
The vapor from electronic cigarettes, regardless of whether they contain nicotine or cannabis, causes lipids to accumulate in lung cells, potentially increasing susceptibility to viruses and pneumonia, according to the results of a study in mice published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. "I cannot imagine the process in humans would be very different," said senior author Farrah Kheradmand. Hundreds of people have been sickened in illnesses that may be linked to vaping, according the CDC.
Researcher Mahesh Mohan will be studying the effects of cannabinoids on chronic inflammation linked to HIV in his new role at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute's Southwest National Primate Research Center. Mohan intends to expand his research to include tuberculosis, aging, and Parkinson's and celiac diseases.
The lifespan of domestic dogs has lengthened, and, like elderly humans, 40% of dogs that live to 14 develop cognitive dysfunction. Veterinarians and researchers in Australia are experimenting with skin-derived stem cells to treat dogs with dementia, and "if it works in dogs, it stands a very high chance of working in humans just because of the close similarity between the dog and the human brain," says researcher Tom Duncan of the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Center.
At least two dozen dogs in 13 of Norway's 18 administrative regions have died and 200 others have been sickened by an unidentified agent, health officials say. Providencia alcalifaciens and Clostridium perfringens were found in some of the dogs' guts, and other possible culprits include viruses, wild mushrooms, parasites or environmental factors, according to the Veterinary Institute, which has sent surveys to 2,000 veterinarians.
EPA Administer Andrew Wheeler directed the agency to reduce requests and funding for research on live animals by 30% by 2025, with the goal of eliminating all funding for research on live mammals, with limited exceptions, by 2035. Natural Resources Defense Council scientist Jennifer Sass said the move could hinder efforts to identify toxic chemicals and protect human health, and former EPA scientist Penelope Fenner-Crisp said no substitute exists for animal research in determining complex and sophisticated toxicities.
Lawmakers in Massachusetts scheduled a public hearing on a bill that would require research institutions to offer healthy dogs and cats for adoption after studies they're involved in end. Labs would be required to work with rescue organizations to place the animals.
Animal rights groups mislead the public about animal research, but FBR is fighting back with facts. In this resource, highly respected neuro-oncologist and FBR Board Vice-Chair Dr. Henry S. Friedman refutes myths surrounding animal research with scientific evidence and sets the record straight on the reality and benefits of animal research. Check it out.
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The Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) is the nation’s oldest and largest non-profit dedicated to improving human and animal health by promoting public understanding and support for biomedical research. Our mission is to educate people about the essential role animal research plays in the quest for medical advancements, treatments and cures for both people and animals.