sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
The Burnham Institute for Medical Research celebrates its 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary this year. Founded in <st1
lace><st1:city>La Jolla</st1:city>, <st1:state>California</st1:state></st1lace>, as a non-profit medical research institute focused on cancer research, the Burnham has grown to a 750 person effort, with an annual operating budget of $87 million.
Our objective at Burnham is to reveal the fundamental molecular mechanisms of disease, and to use that knowledge to devise the prototype therapies of tomorrow. This aim is undertaken through a highly collaborative style of research, that merges the talents of biologists with chemists, biophysicists, engineers, and computer scientists, creating a symphony of scientific synergy that emphasizes team-based approaches for tackling the great unmet medical challenges of today. Our mantra is ?From Research, the Power to Cure.?
The Burnham consistently ranks among the top 20 organizations for the impact of its research publications, and is among the top 0.04% organizations worldwide for citations received per publication, according to the Institute for Scientific Information. Though journal publications are our chief product, during our 30 year history, Burnham scientists have also contributed directly or indirectly at least 5 approved therapies and several diagnostic tests that are currently in use, saving and extending lives; plus, another 9 innovative therapies are currently in clinical testing at over 50 medical centers around the world.
The Burnham Institute for Medical Research ranks 5<sup>th</sup> in the nation among all private research institutes in terms of NIH funding. According to the Center for Advanced Research (CFAR), the Burnham is the most efficient private research institution in the nation, covering over 90% of its operating costs through competitive grants awarded to its scientists. Research at the Burnham is organized into 3 disease-focused research centers, bolstered by 3 technology centers.
The Cancer Research Center constitutes approximately half the effort. The Burnham has been a member of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) designed Cancer Centers program for 27 years, in the category of ?basic science? cancer centers. The Cancer Research Center has also been designed by the NCI through special grants we receive as: (1) one of eight centers for cancer drug discovery; (2) one of four centers for cancer bioinformatics, (3) one of six centers for defining the molecular signatures of cancer for generating more powerful diagnostic test, in partnership with neighboring organizations including SKCC, and (4) one of four centers for cancer bionanotechnology, also in partnership with neighboring organizations.
Among the accomplishments to come from Burnham scientists for cancer are: (1) the laboratory technique known as the ELISA, which forms the basis for the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test and many other clinical laboratory tests; (2) the enabling technology for the world?s first biotech drug for cancer, Epogen<sup>TM</sup>, used to support blood cell production in patient undergoing cancer therapy; (3) one of the first vitamin-based drugs (Targretin<sup>TM</sup>) for cancer, that taps into natural biopathways for fighting cancer; and (4) the world?s first DNA-based drug for cancer to successfully complete final Phase III clinical trials (decision on approval due this summer from FDA).
The Del E. Webb Center for Neurosciences & Aging Research (NSAR) focuses on degenerative diseases associated with aging, particularly neurodegeneration (Alzheimer?s; Parkinson?s; ALS), stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Research in this Center is aimed at either protecting cells from age-associated loss, or replacing lost cells through stem cell technologies. Cell protection strategies to emerge from the laboratories of Burnham scientists include: (1) Memantine (Namenda<sup>TM</sup>), a cytoprotective drug approved for Alzheimer?s disease and in testing for glaucoma and stroke (2) two drugs used to prevent stroke and heart attack by inhibiting blot clot formation; and (3) a nerve repair therapy (Neuroguard<sup>TM</sup>) anticipated to gain FDA-approval this year. Through special grants awarded by the NIH, the Burnham has been designated as one of four centers for devising new therapies for cardiovascular disease using bionanotechnology. With regards to cell replacement, the Burnham was an early entrant into the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, launching a research division dedicated to this exciting but young field of medical inquiry 9 years ago.
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Today, the stem cell effort at Burnham constitutes the activities of nearly 100 scientists, perhaps the largest in the nation. Through special grants awarded by NIH, the Burnham has been designated as one of six national exploratory centers for human embryonic stem cell research, and one of five centers for training the nation?s scientists how to work with human embryonic stem cell research. To establish a safe-haven for performing research on all types of stem cells, we established in 2002 the <st1lace><st1lacename>Stem</st1lacename><st1lacename>Cell</st1lacename><st1lacename>Research</st1lacename><st1lacetype>Center</st1lacetype></st1lace>, which includes the complete infrastructure for deriving new embryonic stem cell lines and making them available to the general research community for regenerative medicine research.
The Infectious & Inflammatory Disease Center (IIDC) studies infectious agents and the immune system?s mechanisms for defense. Research in this new Center at Burnham focuses both on devising new treatments for incurable infectious diseases, where the immune response fails to eradicate pathogens, and on investigations of autoimmune diseases (e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Lupus; Multiple Sclerosis) where the immune response is excessive and turns on the patient?s own tissues. Discoveries to come from this Center include (a) elucidation of the genetic basis for familial susceptibility to juvenile diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, finding a genetic difference in an immunoregulatory gene and (b) determination of the 3D-structure of the Anthrax Toxin and generation of the world?s most potent chemical inhibitors of Anthrax Toxin using NMR-based drug design, providing a rapid means of neutralizing this agent of bioterrorism.
The Burnham?s technology centers include: (1) the Center for Chemical Genomics, one of ten NIH-funded national centers for establishing high-throughput robotic systems for screening large collections of chemicals and enabling rapid drug discovery; (2) the Center for Proteolytic Pathways, one of four NIH-funded national research resources devoted to developing innovative proteomics technologies for discovering new biopathways and new targets for diagnostics and drug discovery; and (3) the Center for Computational Modeling, one of two national centers funded by NIH for devising innovative computer algorithms for predicting the 3-dimensional structures of proteins and generating computational tools for molecular modeling, thus providing insights into the functions of the genome and laying a foundation for drug discovery.
http://www.burnham.org/default.asp?contentID=15
lace><st1:city>La Jolla</st1:city>, <st1:state>California</st1:state></st1lace>, as a non-profit medical research institute focused on cancer research, the Burnham has grown to a 750 person effort, with an annual operating budget of $87 million. Our objective at Burnham is to reveal the fundamental molecular mechanisms of disease, and to use that knowledge to devise the prototype therapies of tomorrow. This aim is undertaken through a highly collaborative style of research, that merges the talents of biologists with chemists, biophysicists, engineers, and computer scientists, creating a symphony of scientific synergy that emphasizes team-based approaches for tackling the great unmet medical challenges of today. Our mantra is ?From Research, the Power to Cure.?
The Burnham consistently ranks among the top 20 organizations for the impact of its research publications, and is among the top 0.04% organizations worldwide for citations received per publication, according to the Institute for Scientific Information. Though journal publications are our chief product, during our 30 year history, Burnham scientists have also contributed directly or indirectly at least 5 approved therapies and several diagnostic tests that are currently in use, saving and extending lives; plus, another 9 innovative therapies are currently in clinical testing at over 50 medical centers around the world.
The Burnham Institute for Medical Research ranks 5<sup>th</sup> in the nation among all private research institutes in terms of NIH funding. According to the Center for Advanced Research (CFAR), the Burnham is the most efficient private research institution in the nation, covering over 90% of its operating costs through competitive grants awarded to its scientists. Research at the Burnham is organized into 3 disease-focused research centers, bolstered by 3 technology centers.
The Cancer Research Center constitutes approximately half the effort. The Burnham has been a member of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) designed Cancer Centers program for 27 years, in the category of ?basic science? cancer centers. The Cancer Research Center has also been designed by the NCI through special grants we receive as: (1) one of eight centers for cancer drug discovery; (2) one of four centers for cancer bioinformatics, (3) one of six centers for defining the molecular signatures of cancer for generating more powerful diagnostic test, in partnership with neighboring organizations including SKCC, and (4) one of four centers for cancer bionanotechnology, also in partnership with neighboring organizations.
Among the accomplishments to come from Burnham scientists for cancer are: (1) the laboratory technique known as the ELISA, which forms the basis for the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test and many other clinical laboratory tests; (2) the enabling technology for the world?s first biotech drug for cancer, Epogen<sup>TM</sup>, used to support blood cell production in patient undergoing cancer therapy; (3) one of the first vitamin-based drugs (Targretin<sup>TM</sup>) for cancer, that taps into natural biopathways for fighting cancer; and (4) the world?s first DNA-based drug for cancer to successfully complete final Phase III clinical trials (decision on approval due this summer from FDA).
The Del E. Webb Center for Neurosciences & Aging Research (NSAR) focuses on degenerative diseases associated with aging, particularly neurodegeneration (Alzheimer?s; Parkinson?s; ALS), stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Research in this Center is aimed at either protecting cells from age-associated loss, or replacing lost cells through stem cell technologies. Cell protection strategies to emerge from the laboratories of Burnham scientists include: (1) Memantine (Namenda<sup>TM</sup>), a cytoprotective drug approved for Alzheimer?s disease and in testing for glaucoma and stroke (2) two drugs used to prevent stroke and heart attack by inhibiting blot clot formation; and (3) a nerve repair therapy (Neuroguard<sup>TM</sup>) anticipated to gain FDA-approval this year. Through special grants awarded by the NIH, the Burnham has been designated as one of four centers for devising new therapies for cardiovascular disease using bionanotechnology. With regards to cell replacement, the Burnham was an early entrant into the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, launching a research division dedicated to this exciting but young field of medical inquiry 9 years ago.
<o
></o>Today, the stem cell effort at Burnham constitutes the activities of nearly 100 scientists, perhaps the largest in the nation. Through special grants awarded by NIH, the Burnham has been designated as one of six national exploratory centers for human embryonic stem cell research, and one of five centers for training the nation?s scientists how to work with human embryonic stem cell research. To establish a safe-haven for performing research on all types of stem cells, we established in 2002 the <st1
lace><st1lacename>Stem</st1lacename><st1lacename>Cell</st1lacename><st1lacename>Research</st1lacename><st1lacetype>Center</st1lacetype></st1lace>, which includes the complete infrastructure for deriving new embryonic stem cell lines and making them available to the general research community for regenerative medicine research. The Infectious & Inflammatory Disease Center (IIDC) studies infectious agents and the immune system?s mechanisms for defense. Research in this new Center at Burnham focuses both on devising new treatments for incurable infectious diseases, where the immune response fails to eradicate pathogens, and on investigations of autoimmune diseases (e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Lupus; Multiple Sclerosis) where the immune response is excessive and turns on the patient?s own tissues. Discoveries to come from this Center include (a) elucidation of the genetic basis for familial susceptibility to juvenile diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, finding a genetic difference in an immunoregulatory gene and (b) determination of the 3D-structure of the Anthrax Toxin and generation of the world?s most potent chemical inhibitors of Anthrax Toxin using NMR-based drug design, providing a rapid means of neutralizing this agent of bioterrorism.
The Burnham?s technology centers include: (1) the Center for Chemical Genomics, one of ten NIH-funded national centers for establishing high-throughput robotic systems for screening large collections of chemicals and enabling rapid drug discovery; (2) the Center for Proteolytic Pathways, one of four NIH-funded national research resources devoted to developing innovative proteomics technologies for discovering new biopathways and new targets for diagnostics and drug discovery; and (3) the Center for Computational Modeling, one of two national centers funded by NIH for devising innovative computer algorithms for predicting the 3-dimensional structures of proteins and generating computational tools for molecular modeling, thus providing insights into the functions of the genome and laying a foundation for drug discovery.
http://www.burnham.org/default.asp?contentID=15