New Faculty Member

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Leonard Lipovich, who works at the interface between computational and experimental genomics, has joined our faculty as an Assistant Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and Assistant Professor of Neurology. Dr. Lipovich, who previously worked as a Research Scientist at the Genome Institute of Singapore and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, uses sequence, expression, and functional tools to understand the impact of primate-specific genes on phenotypes, pathways, and ultimately, human health. His Center office is in room 3228 Scott Hall.

On Dec. 11th, The Center hosted a reception to commemorate and formalize the Henry L. Brasza Directorship of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics. The reception honored the Brasza family, represented by Marie Brasza Pinch, for providing a $1,000,000 gift to study diabetes and its complications at the molecular level. Also honored was Dr. George Grunberger, Director of the Center, 1997-2000, and the first holder of the endowed directorship.

Dr. Henry Heng, Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and of Pathology recently presented, "The New Face of Cancer: How Surprising Discoveries Will Change the Way We Think About and Fight Cancer" before the board of the National Prevent Cancer Foundation in Washington, DC. Dr. Heng has been drawing attention to genome dynamics and variation as illustrating the patterns of cancer evolution.

Dr. Helena Kuivaniemi, Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and of Surgery was recently invited to join the Vascular Wall Biology 1 (VAS 1) Study Group, National Center of American Heart Association. The group reviews grant applications submitted to the AHA. Dr. Kuivaniemi was also an invited speaker for the American Heart Association, Scientific Session 2007 held this past November in Florida.

Dr. David D. Womble, who retired in 2007 as Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and Division Director for Basic Science Education in the Center, received the 2007 College Teaching Award at WSU SoM's Honors Recognition Program.

Roberto Romero, M.D., Chief of the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/National Institutes of Health and Professor of Molecular Obstetrics and Genetics in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics has been elected as a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. This appointment is one of the highest honors bestowed by the scientific community upon one of its members. The Perinatology Research Branch is housed at Wayne State University.

Angela Trepanier, Assistant Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and current President Elect of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, will give her presidential address on Oct. 14, 2007 in Kansas City, MO, at the NSGC Annual Education Conference. Her presidential term will run from Jan.-Dec. 2008. The National Society of Genetic Counselors is the leading voice, authority and advocate of the genetic counseling profession.

MD/Ph.D student John Lillvis recently received an NIH MSTP Fellowship award in support of his project Immunity and the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The award includes a stipend, tuition, and healthcare for six years.

Helena Kuivaniemi, MD, PhD, Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and of Surgery has been invited to speak at the 2nd Annual David Fromm Research Wayne State Surgical Alumni Day on Oct. 17, 2007. Dr. Kuivaniemi's presentation Genetics of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms will be part of the session on translational research.

MBG student Jennifer Nischan has been awarded a Thomas C. Rumble University Graduate Fellowship. The award includes a stipend, tuition scholarship and healthcare for the 2007-2008 academic year.

MBG student Najla Kfoury took first prize in the #3 Oral Session of this year's Graduate Student Research Day. Najla's presentation entitled Identifying the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein b (C/EBPb) regulonin PC12 cells.

Graduate student Amelia Linnemann took 2nd prize in Poster Session #1 in the 11th Annual Graduate Student Research Day held Sept. 20, 2007. The title of Amelia's poster was Modulating Local and Global Gene Expression by Nuclear Matrix Attachment.

Dr. Jeffrey Loeb's research on identifying genes that could be causes of pediatric epilepsy was mentioned in "freep.com," a website powered by the Detroit Free Press. Dr. Loeb is the Associate Director of the Center and Associate Professor of Neurology and of Molecular Medicine and Genetics.

Dr. Henry Heng, Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and of Pathology and an expert in high-order chromosomal structure and function, recently conducted testing in the Center's Spectral Karyotyping (SKY) lab as part of a Discovery Channel program on "Gulf War Illness." PhD. students Josh Stevens, Amy Simpson, and Post Doctoral Fellow Xin Wu were also part of the program.

Nine students recently completed the 2007 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) by formally presenting their research to the University community. More...

2007 SURP Students (from left to right): Lindsay Brownell, Nicholas Bashour, Colin Carlock, Khawar Chaudhry, Ellen Foot, Angelika Girard, Andrew Kocab, Beth Lubeck, Rachel Sullivan, and SURP Director Alex Gow, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics and of Pediatrics and of Neurology.

CMMG Researchers Co-Author Paper in PNAS on a genetic marker that could help to predict the risk of an unexpected premature birth.

Read the BBC News Story about their discovery: Gene clue to premature birth risk.

Comments by Derek Wildman in "The Scientist" regarding "The ancestors of humans and chimpanzees may have interbred and exchanged significant numbers of genes after the initial split between the species."

Complexity of primate gene regulation revealed in ß-type globin expression and distance, report Wayne State researchers in PNAS

Phylogenetic comparisons suggest that the locus control region (LCR)—the area that regulates transcription—interacts with primate ß-type globin genes to mediate different developmental expression patterns in different branches of the evolutionary tree.

CMMG Researchers to Move into State of the Art Laboratories

The Wayne State University School of Medicine is renovating the entire 3rd floor of Scott Hall, creating new state of the art research facilities for the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics. CMMG faculty, students, and staff are expected to move into the newly renovated space during the summer of 2006.

CMMG labs open up new horizons for eleven undergraduates from Boston to Houston

See what undergraduate research student Megan Hurt learned during her summer while participating in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics Summer Undergraduate Research Program - SURP.

Dr. Feldman wins MDCH award

Gerald Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., WSU associate professor in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, recently received the Director's Recognition Award from the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Dr. Finley receives Tech Tri-Corridor award

Dr. Russell Finley, WSU associate professor in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, received $501,000 for "Tools for Drug Target Discovery and Development of Diagnostics and Vaccines for Pathogenic Bacteria."

Derek E. Wildman, Ph.D., appointed Assistant Professor in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics.

KEM concert benefits CMMG research

The Aneurysm Genetic Study Group, which is part of the WSU Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, recently received a $5,000 gift from the proceeds of R&B singer KEM's sold-out concert at the Detroit Opera House Dec. 29. The group, which is led by Drs. Helena Kuivaniemi and Gerard Tromp, both WSU associate professors, is conducting research on genetic factors associated with aneurysms.

CMMG study published in Trends in Genetics

"Accelerated evolution of the electron transport chain in arthropoid primates," a study by four members of the WSU Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, was published in the November issue of Trends in Genetics. Authors of the paper include Drs. Lawrence Grossman, interim center director; Derek Wildman, a research scientist; Timothy Schmidt, a research assistant; and Morris Goodman, WSU distinguished professor of anatomy and cell biology and CMMG.

Dr. Gow reports accomplishments

Alexander Gow, Ph.D., associate professor in the Center for Molecular Medicine & Genetics as well as the departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, recently presented "Gamete-Somatic Interactions Blood/Testis and Epididymal Barriers and Tight Junctions" at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's recent meeting in Seattle on the future of male contraception. In addition, his manuscript entitled "CNS Myelin Paranodes Require Nkx6-2 Homeoprotein Transcriptional Activity for Normal Structure" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Neuroscience.

WSU School of Medicine researcher to establish center of excellence on environment, fertility

With a three-year, $1 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a new multi-institution Center for Excellence hopes to turn the recent discovery of sperm in the genetic material called RNA into a variety of screening tests that will check men for PCBs, pesticides and similar pollutants that are believed to impede fertilization and/or normal fetal development, according to center director Stephen Krawetz, Ph.D.

WSU benefits from Michigan Proteome Consortium grant

The $11.9 million grant awarded to the Michigan Proteome Consortium from the National Center for Research Resources was good news for the Wayne State University node of the consortium and its director, Russell Finley, Ph.D. Although the consortium's main facilities are at the University of Michigan, the group was created as a partnership among U-M, WSU, Michigan State University and the Van Andel Research Institute through the Michigan Life Sciences Corridor in 2001. The five-year grant will be shared by the four institutions.

WSU Gets Early Access To Corning Technologies

Environmental toxins combined with particular genetic factors may predispose individuals to specific diseases. Wayne State has partnered with Corning to develop biosensors and investigate the relationship between gene expression and the environment.

Combining Technology and Expertise to Discover New Genes in Epilepsy

Amy Jalon's seizures when undiagnosed for nine years. Within 10 minutes of her first visit to Wayne State's Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, doctors assured her they could "catch her seizure," pinpoint its location in the brain, and repair it surgically. Jalon hasn't had a single episode since her treatment and she thanks WSU faculty members for vastly improving her life.

Genetic Studies Underway for Inherited Aneurysms

The progress made by Helena Kuivaniemi is remarkable, given the elusive nature of her subject. Dr. Kuivaniemi is performing genetic research related to candidate genes for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Why is this a problem? First, AAAs rarely produce symptoms until they rupture, and then survival rates are very low. Furthermore, few individuals develop aneurysms before the age of 50, and although aneurysms are hereditary, by the time an individual has been diagnosed, his or her parents have generally died and the children are still too young to be tested, making familial studies difficult.

Scientific Computing Program Offers Training in New Skill Sets

The newly established Institute for Scientific Computing offers Wayne State students a specialized graduate certificate in medicine, genetics and biochemistry. The focus areas of the program include biological databases, diagnostic developments, drug design, simulated biology, computerassisted surgery, and computational issues in medicine.

Multiple Sclerosis Research Focuses on Axons

Dr. James Garbern has uncovered some good news and some bad news in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. The good news is a novel approach to studying the disease. Previously, researchers thought of MS as a disease that exclusively affected myelin, the membranes surrounding axons, which are the nerve fibers connecting different parts of the nervous system. New evidence shows that the disease actually destroys the axons themselves. This information allows Dr. Garbern to attack the problem from a new front. The bad news is that there are no current therapies to repair axonal damage, so new treatment regimens need to be developed to prevent or slow this process.

Training Researchers in Genomics

The Michigan Center for Genomic Technologies at Wayne State University hosted the first in a planned series of symposia dealing with the nuts and bolts of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. The first symposium focused on DNA microarrays and hosted people from across the campus and the state. It was jointly sponsored by Affymetrix Inc. and the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics.

Michigan Center for Genomic Technologies at WSU

The Michigan Center for Genomic Technologies, one of five core Life Sciences Corridor facilities, will operate at Wayne State University with satellite offices at Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the Van Andel Research Institute. Funding for this center was awarded at $6 million.

Genetic and environmental factors interact for disease susceptibility

According to Dr. Craig Giroux, assistant professor in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, the Human Genome Project has yielded remarkable insights into single gene disease models, but there is still much to be discovered about the diseases which are influenced by a combination of genetic factors.

CMMG introduces children to world of science

A group of sixth-graders from Detroit's University Preparatory Academy departed from the usual course of science textbooks and frog dissection to get a glimpse of the wonders of science from Wayne State University researchers who work with it every day.

Single gene controls many signaling pathways

Production of the signaling molecules dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, and nitric oxide within the brain is dependent upon a single enzyme and the gene that encodes it, according to Gregory Kapatos, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences and the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics.

Neuregulins Play Pivotal Role in Development and Disease

When Jeffrey Loeb, MD, PhD, began studying neuregulins, he was simply interested in synapse formation in the brain. What he discovered, however, were the multiple roles they play in everything from cardiac growth to spinal cord development, to ovarian and breast cancer, and a variety of neurological disorders, including epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

Programmable cells open window of opportunity for gene therapy

"Any cell can be reprogrammed, and this process is reversible. You do not need to start with the stem cell." These remarks and the research behind them, which could have a profound impact on gene therapy, come from Stephen Krawetz, PhD, who reported his findings in the December 1998 issue of Development.

Smooth muscle cells provide CV clues

Li Li, PhD, assistant professor of internal medicine, is conducting research to learn more about the molecular mechanisms for the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, she is characterizing regulation of SM22, a gene that is highly expressed in smooth muscle cells.

Cerebrovascular disease may be all in the family

For Gerard Tromp, PhD, a family tree is more than just a hobby; it's a valuable medical tool. Dr. Tromp, assistant professor in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, is identifying patients with intracranial aneurysms (IA) and investigating whether their family members may be at high risk for cerebrovascular disease.

Neuroscience program builds partnerships

One of Wayne State University's most promising medical researchers has just scored another noteworthy accomplishment. The Janssen Research Foundation and its parent corporation, Johnson and Johnson, recently awarded Kenneth Maiese, MD, a five-year grant to investigate and develop new treatments for neurodegenerative disorders such as stroke, cerebrovascular disease, cerebral trauma, and Alzheimer's disease.

Genetic Medicine

Issue 1.1, Fall, 2003.

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Advances

Issue 5.3, Sept., 2000.

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Issue 4.2, August, 1999. This issue is available in 2 formats:

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Issue 3.1, June, 1998. This issue is available in 2 formats:

• Normal Web version
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Issue 2.1, March, 1997

Issue 1.2, September, 1996

Issue 1.1, March, 1996