Spring 2007

UPDATE FROM BURNHAM - FLORIDAV

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Burnham Report

Burnham Report

cIRM gRANTs BOOsT BURNHAM’s

stem cell Research

PARTNERs in DIscOVERY: The “Rocket”

Fund

USING Stem cellS tO FIGHt dISeaSe

Drs. Jean-Pyo lee anD evan snyDer

The burnham report is published quarterly by the burnham Institute for medical research. We welcome your input. Please send comments or requests to [email protected].

To subscribe to future issues of the Burnham report, click here.

10901 North Torrey Pines road

la Jolla, CA 92037

www.burnham.org

B U R N H A M R E P O R T

VOLUME 4 * NUMBER 2

JOHN c. REED, M.D., Ph.D.President and Ceo

KARIN EAsTHAMexecutive vice President and Coo

BLAIR BLUMsenior vice President, external relations

EDgAR gILLENwATERsvice President, external relations

cHRIs LEEDirector, external relations

NANcY J. BEDDINgFIELDDirector, Public affairs editor, Burnham report

MALINDA DANZIgERProduction Manager, Burnham report

contributing writers:nancy Beddingfield, Malinda Danziger, Patty Fuller, Karen overklift and Jocelyn Wyndham

contributing Photographers:Martin Mann and Jocelyn Wyndham

PHILANTHROPY MATTERs

A message from blair blum ................................................ 8

Profile of a Donor: ray l. Gordon ....................................... 9

Partners in Discovery: The “rocket” Fund ......................... 10

life Insurance: A Versatile Tool ......................................... 11 for Charitable Giving

Wish list ......................................................................... 11

burnham in the Community ............................................... 12

The legacy Society ............................................................ 13

Calendar of events ............................................................ 13

rock n’ roll with Team burnham ...................................... 14

IN THIs IssUE

President’s Message .......................................................... 1

REsEARcH MATTERs

using Stem Cells to Fight Degenerative Disease ................... 2

CIrm Grants boost burnham’s Stem Cell research ............. 4

News & Notes .................................................................... 6

update from burnham - Florida ........................................... 7

on THe Cover

Drs. Jean-Pyo lee, staff scientist, and evan snyder, Professor and Director of stem Cell research at Burnham, have recently published the first evidence that stem cells can be used to fight a degenerative disease.

PReSIdeNt’S meSSaGe

It is generally agreed that human

embryonic stem cells offer

tremendous potential for diseases

that defy existing medical know-

how, but how long will it take

before we know how to exploit this

for therapeutic benefit? our cover

story offers what we believe is proof

that stem cells can be used to fight

disease. The story reports on a

collaboration directed by Dr. evan

Snyder, showing – in a mouse model

of a human disease – that stem cells

can be used successfully to treat

degenerative brain diseases.

Public funding for stem cell

research recently became a reality

through grants awarded by the

California Institute for regenerative

medicine (CIrm). on page 4 you

will learn how burnham scientists,

aided with the support of CIrm

funding, are exploring new areas

of stem cell research.

When Dr. robert liddington first

became interested in anthrax

more than 20 years ago, it was not

because of bioterrorism. rather, he

was intrigued with the syringe-like,

spring-loaded box that contains

anthrax lethal factor. He mused that

it would be a superb cancer killer

if one could confine its delivery to

tumors. The liddington group recently

found a way to engineer anthrax

toxin to bind preferentially to tumor

receptors, which has allowed them to

selectively target cancerous tumors.

“News and Notes” includes a mention

of this discovery on page 6.

Dr. minoru Fukuda has dedicated

more than 25 years of his career

to cancer research. He helped

pioneer a “sweet” field of medical

research: “glycobiology”, the study

of how sugars affect cell behavior.

His laboratory recently made a

fundamental discovery about the

mechanisms by which white blood

cells exit blood vessels and migrate

into tissues where they cause damage,

thus suggesting a new strategy

for combating inflammatory and

autoimmune diseases. You can read

about of Dr. Fukuda’s discovery under

“News and Notes” on page 7.

No one understands endurance better

than the family of a child who battles

chronic disease. The family of John

Taylor Williams, IV (aka “rocket”,

see page 10) is supporting basic

research on CDG or Congenital

Disorders of Glycosylation, a rare

genetic disease that is the subject of

intensive study by Dr. Hudson Freeze.

We are grateful to rocket’s family for

their commitment to making a better

world for their grandson and other

children challenged with CDG.

Thank you for reading,

John c. Reed, M.D., Ph.D.

President and Ceo

The journey that leads to breakthroughs

in medical research can many times

be likened to running a marathon.

our scientists pursue four to eight

years of post-graduate studies, followed

typically by at least three to six years

of postdoctoral training to prepare for

a slot in the starting gate as independent

researchers, sometimes making their

most important discoveries after decades

of painstaking research. Several stories

in this issue of the burnham report pay

tribute to exciting discoveries where

endurance, perseverance, and pacing for

the long run paid off to bring us closer

to the finish line in the race to find cures.

REsEARcH MATTERs

Dr. evan Snyder, in collaboration with colleagues at

burnham and university of oxford, has shown for

the first time – in mice – that embryonic stem cells can

be used safely, and without apparent side effects, to treat

a neurodegenerative disease. To determine whether stem

cell biology might play a role in benefiting degenerative

diseases, Snyder, together with Dr. Jean-Pyo lee at

burnham, chose to approach, as proof-of-concept, a

mouse model representative of a neurodegenerative

disease, Sandhoff Disease, a lethal genetic disease

related to Tay-Sachs Disease.

Sandhoff results from a genetic mutation that reduces

the body’s supply of an enzyme, called hexosaminidase

(Hex), used by brain cells to metabolize excess fatty

material called lipids. Disease onset is typically at six

months in human infants. The accumulation of lipids

in brain tissue damages the brain cells instrumental in

controlling and coordinating body movement and results

in progressive deterioration of the brain and spinal cord.

Children suffering with Sandhoff rarely see their sixth

birthday. Sandhoff mice are similarly affected.

In what is believed to be the first head-to-head

comparison of embryonic and “adult” stem cells in the

Using Stem cells to Fight

degenerative diseasesame disease model, Snyder and his colleagues compared

embryonic stem cells with “adult” stem cells, isolated

directly from the developing nervous system in humans

and in mice. When the stem cells were injected into brains

of newborn Sandhoff mice, the onset of symptoms was

delayed, well-being and motor function were preserved,

and lifespan was extended by approximately 70 percent.

The results were similar regardless of the origin of neural

stem cells: embryonic or adult, mouse or human.

The implanted neural stem cells did much more than

replace brain tissue destroyed by Sandhoff–they migrated

extensively throughout the brain. Some of the transplanted

cells replaced damaged tissue and transmitted nerve

impulses, offering the first evidence on record that stem

cell-derived nerve cells may integrate electrically and

functionally into a diseased brain. The transplanted cells

also boosted the brain’s supply of the enzyme Hex, which

reduced the lipid accumulations in the treated mice.

The experimental treatment also dampened the

inflammation that typically occurs in the brains of

Sandhoff-afflicted mice and likely contributes to disease

progression. Inflammation, the culprit behind tissue

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These findings contribute fundamental

basic knowledge about stem cell biology

that will help inform medical scientists

in their quest for understanding diseases

such as Parkinson’s, alzheimer’s, als,

and a host of other neurological diseases.

engrafted neural stem cells travel to different regions of the brain. light staining shows stem cells in cortex (left) and olfactory bulb (right).

Photography Courtesy of Snyder lab at burnham

engrafted neural stem cells travel to different regions of the brain. Green staining shows stem cells in cortex (left) and olfactory bulb (right).

Photography Courtesy of Snyder lab at burnham

rejection, has been thought to be a major barrier for

developing cell replacement therapies.

“These findings raise the possibility that neural stem

cells may inherently exert an anti-inflammatory influence

in this degenerative disease, as it has been postulated they

do in other more classic ‘neuroinflammatory’ conditions,”

said Snyder. “They also indicate that the stem cells’

own anti-inflammatory action may do away with the

need for immunosuppression drugs to enable successful

transplantation in a broader range of diseases.”

“our study offers the first evidence that stem

cells, including human stem cells, employ multiple

mechanisms, not just cell replacement, to benefit

disease,” said Snyder.

Sandhoff is found in all ethnic groups. While Tay-Sachs

is predominant to Ashkenazi Jewish populations, it has

been discovered with increasing frequency in Irish Catholic

and French Canadian populations. both diseases are

marked with deficient Hex enzyme functioning and are

among a known group of about 50 diseases rooted in

the inability to metabolize lipids. While Sandhoff and

Tay-Sachs are relatively rare, one person in 5,000 is

affected by these or related diseases, among a group of

50 so-called lysosomal storage diseases. Currently, there

is no treatment for Tay-Sachs or Sandhoff. because

these diseases originate with a similar genetic flaw, the

researchers believe their findings generated in the study

of Sandhoff mice provide a model for designing clinical

trials for Tay-Sachs.

And, because Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff are part

of a much more common group of diseases called

“neurogenetic diseases,” the findings generated by this

study contribute fundamental knowledge about stem cell

biology that will help inform medical scientists in their

quest for understanding more common diseases such

as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, AlS, and a host of other

neurological diseases.

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Published recently in Nature medicine, this work was

the culmination of several years of collaboration, supported

generously by NIH, as well as private sources including

the Children’s Neurobiological Solutions Foundation, A-T

Children’s Project, National Tay-Sachs and Allied Disease

Association, late-onset Tay Sachs Foundation, barbara

Anderson Foundation for brain repair, Project AlS,

march of Dimes and Hunter’s Hope. n

“dr. Snyder’s team has extended the promise of stem cell therapies to children with special-needs, including those with Sandhoff disease. the cNS Foundation is proud to have contributed major funding for this project on behalf of the 14 million special-needs children in this country alone.”

Fia Richmond, cNS Founder and mother of a brain-injured child children’s Neurobiological Solutions www.cnsfoundation.org

“Our funding commitment to dr. Snyder’s work comes as a part of our pursuit of a cure for a-t. His efforts suggest that stem cells can treat a degenerative brain disease of childhood, and I think that gives hope to families of children with a-t.”

Brad margus, co-Founder and Volunteer President

the a-t (ataxia-telangiectasia) childrens’s Project

www.atcp.org

Private Philanthropy Plays a Significant Role in Supporting this Research

click here to learn about Ataxia-telangiectasia.

click here to learn about children’s Neurobiological solutions.

click here to learn more.

sTEM cELL REsEARcH AT BURNHAM

Burnham’s Program on Stem cells and

Regeneration was established in 1997 to

develop a focus on the medical potential of

the emerging field of human embryonic stem

cell research.

Since 2005, Burnham has earned recognition

by the National Institutes of Health as an

“exploratory center for Stem cell Research,”

one of six centers nationwide, and california’s

only such center.

Burnham is a collaborative partner of the San

diego consortium for Regenerative medicine

(SdcRm), founded in march 2006 together

with Uc San diego, the Scripps Research

Institute and the Salk Institute for Biological

Studies, as a non-profit entity to expand San

diego’s collaborative work in stem cell research.

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REsEARcH MATTERs

cIRM gRANTs BOOsT BURNHAM’s sTEM cELL REsEARcH

In 2004, the California Institute for regenerative

medicine (CIrm) was established with the passage

of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell research and

Cures Initiative. CIrm will provide $3 billion in funding

for stem cell research to be distributed to California’s stem

cell researchers over the next decade.

This spring, burnham scientists received several

research grants from CIrm as part of the first public

round of funding for stem cell research projects.

comprehensive grants will support Long-Range

stem cell studies Aimed At Developing New

Treatments for Heart Disease And Brain Repair

burnham received two comprehensive grants with each

project receiving $3,035,000 over four years as part of

the first round of public funding.

mArK merColA, Professor and Associate Director

of burnham’s Del e. Webb Center for Neuroscience

and Aging research

mArCIA DAWSoN, Professor

Chemical genetic approach to production of hesC-derived cardiomyocytes

mercola’s project will develop drugs that stimulate

generation of heart muscle cells from human embryonic

stem cells (heSCs). “Drug-like molecules will be used

to produce heSC-derived cardiomyocytes, ultimately for

clinical application, and potentially as leads to develop

pharmaceuticals to repair the heart through stimulation of

its own stem cells,” said mercola.

STuArT lIPToN, Professor and Director of burnham’s Del e. Webb Center for Neuroscience and Aging research

AleXeY TerSKIKH, Assistant Professor

MeF2C- directed neurogenesis from hesC

“These funds will allow us to use non-NIH-approved

heSC to develop a supply of nerve cells for brain repair,”

said lipton. “We will use these new human nerve cells

to treat stroke and Parkinson’s disease in animal models

with an eye to future human therapy.”

click here to learn more about the san Diego consortium for Regenerative Medicine.

click here to learn more about cIRM.

click here to learn more about Burnham’s comprehensive grants.

ZHuoHuA ZHANG

Assistant Professor

Modeling Parkinson’s disease using human embryonic stem cells

ZIWeI HuANG

Professor

new chemokine-derived therapeutics targeting stem cell migration

sEED grants will Launch Innovative

stem cell Research

CIrm’s Scientific excellence through exploration and

Development or SeeD Grant Program, is intended to

bring new ideas and new investigators into the field of

human embryonic stem cell (heSC) research and offer

an opportunity for investigators to carry out studies

that may yield preliminary data or proof-of-principle

results that could then be extended to full-scale

investigations.

At burnham, the SeeD funding ($5,925,878)

will help launch innovative projects that will explore

a different aspect of stem cell biology in areas

of medical relevance ranging from heart disease,

Parkinson’s, cancer, and neural development, to the

development of methods for deriving and culturing

human embryonic stem cell lines.

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Generation of hesC lines, under defined conditions, modeling normal and diseased states from material

DAVID SmoTrICH

Clincal Associate

eVAN SNYDer

Professor and Director,

Stem Cell research

JeANNe lorING

Adjunct Associate Professor

VINCeNT CHeN

Assistant Professor

Development of neuro-coupled human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac pacemaker cells

AleXeY TerSKIKH

Assistant Professor

analysis of candidate neural crest cells derived from human embryonic stem cells

GreGG DueSTer

Professor

retinoic acid-FGF antagonism during motor neuron differentiation of human es cells

roberT oSHImA

Professor and Program Director

Trophoblast differentiation of human es cells

HuDSoN FreeZe

Professor and Program Director

role of glycans in human embryonic stem cell conversion to neural precursor cells

click here to learn more about Burnham’s sEED.

News & Notes

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REsEARcH MATTERs

NIH AwARDs $7.39 MILLION TO BURNHAM NEUROscIENTIsTs

A team of neurobiologists at burnham Institute

for medical research has been awarded $7.39

million from the National Institute of Child Health

and Human Development for a five-year study of

“Neuron-glia communication in development.”

“The study of Neuron-glia interactions is a rapidly

emerging field in neurobiology, which has strong

relevance to demylelinating diseases such as multiple

sclerosis,” said project director Yu Yamaguchi, m.D.,

Ph.D. “With this funding, we expect to provide novel

insights into diseases involving other forms of glial

cell dysfunction.”Collaborating with Yamaguchi on

this project are burnham faculty members barbara

ranscht, Ph.D., Professor and Project Deputy

Director, elena Pasquale, Ph.D., Professor, and

William Stallcup, Ph.D., Professor.

ANTHRAx LATcHEs ON TO cANcER REcEPTOR

burnham’s Dr. robert liddington became interested

in anthrax over 20 years ago when he hypothesized

that it would be a superb cancer killer if its

delivery could be confined to tumors. liddington’s

collaborators found that anthrax binds to two

receptors, one of them found on the surface of

endothelial cells lining blood vessels of tumors, at

the site of angiogenesis, the source of nourishment

for cancerous tumors. liddington’s laboratory

recently developed a way to engineer anthrax that

discriminates between the two receptors. using this

information, they designed a form of anthrax toxin

that binds preferentially to the tumor receptor.

These results indicate that it might be possible to

target certain types of tumors using anthrax. This

collaboration with the National Institute for Health

was published recently in the Journal of biological

Chemistry.

THE AMERIcAN HEALTH AssIsTANcE FOUNDATION VIsITs BURNHAM

The American Health Assistance Foundation

(AHAF) recently visited Dr. Huaxi Xu at burnham

to learn first hand about his work on Alzheimer’s

Disease. AHAF has supported Xu’s research for

several years. The Foundation is dedicated to

eradicating age-related and degenerative diseases,

including Alzheimer’s.

American Health Assistance Foundation at burnham.left to right: michael barnett, Peter Feliciano, Kathleen Honaker, executive Director, Dr. Huaxi Xu, burnham, The Honorable Gordon Strauss, Jonathan rice, Nicholas raymond, Dr. brian regan, President of board, American Health Assistance Foundation.

click here to learn more about AHAF.

click here to learn more.

Greg roth, Ph.D. mike Dollar, CPA

BURNHAM sIgNs FIRsT THREE

REcRUITs TO ORLANDOThis summer, burnham will move into 14,000 square feet

of donated laboratory space in Florida’s blood Centers,

while construction is underway on permanent facilities at

lake Nona. burnham is pleased to announce the first three

recruits to orlando.

UPDATE FROM BURNHAM - FLORIDA

NEw ExIT sTRATEgY FOR INFLAMMATION

Traveling at the speed of blood flow, immune cells

called leukocytes are summoned to the site of an

injury. They exit the bloodstream by latching on to

a sugar that appears on the walls of blood vessels

at the site of an injury. The journal Nature medicine

recently published studies by Dr. minoru Fukuda

reporting the discovery of a second gateway, or exit,

from the bloodstream, governed by a different sugar.

This information has implications for the treatment

of many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases

including ulcerative colitis, thyroiditis and gastritis,

which are among the diseases that Fukuda’s team

has shown are affected by this second sugar molecule.

BURNHAM’s 29TH ANNUAL sYMPOsIUM

Superman had x-ray vision that allowed him

to see through walls. Thanks to innovations in

imaging technology, scientists are also able to see

through things, too, namely the skin and muscle to

view organs inside the body. each year, burnham

scientists organize a special symposium for the

scientific community, featuring guest lecturers from

around the world and covering emerging fields in

biomedical research. This year’s symposium,

“In Vivo molecular Imaging Frontiers”, focused

(no pun intended) on technology developments that

are allowing scientists to not only ascertain the

size and shape of structures, but also to localize

and measure biochemical activity of disease-

relevant processes in the body. The symposium

was sponsored by Invitrogen Corporation, Cri,

and olympus, and organized by Drs. Jeff Price

and Giovanni Paternostro of burnham.

björn Tyrberg, Ph.D.

GreG roTH, PH.D., will join burnham as the Director

of medicinal Chemistry. He brings over 19 years of post-

graduate experience in chemistry. He has authored over 40

publications and holds 14 patents. most recently, roth was

the Associate Director of medicinal Chemistry at Abbott

bioresearch Center in Worcester, massachusetts, working

in the area of immunology and inflammatory disease. roth

is an adjunct professor at boston university’s Department

of Chemistry and Center for methodology and library

Development.

bJörN Pär TYrberG, PH.D., has been recruited as

Assistant Professor and will open burnham’s diabetes

studies in orlando. Dr. Tyrberg trained with Dr. Fred levine

for several years at burnham in la Jolla. He contributed

to the collaboration directed by levine, which discovered

adult stem cells in the pancreas and turned them into

insulin-producing cells.

mIKe DollAr, CPA, has been promoted to the position

of Vice President and Chief Financial officer for burnham’s

operations in orlando. He joined burnham in July 2004 as

Controller. Prior to joining burnham, he was the Director

of Finance at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in la Jolla.

Dollar worked for several years with Deloitte and Touche

prior to focusing his career in the non-profit sector.

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click here to learn more about AHAF.

PHILANTHROPY MATTERs

amessage from Blair Blum

Dear Burnham supporters:

I am pleased to announce

that planning for the 2007

Gala is well underway. our

Gala co-chairs, ms. Jeanne

Jones and ms. Cathryn

ramirez, are planning

a spectacular evening

for you, our dedicated

donors and friends of

the burnham Institute for

medical research.

Jeanne Jones, a

celebrated cookbook author, syndicated columnist, menu

and kitchen design consultant, and popular lecturer, has

been a proud supporter of burnham for many years, along

with her husband, Don breitenberg. Jeanne’s column, “Cook

It light,” reaches approximately 30 million readers each

week. She is often called the “Dear Abby” of the food

section because she’s as concerned about improving her

reader’s recipes and eating habits, as Abby is about fixing

broken hearts. She has authored over 30 books, lectured at

hundreds of conferences all over the world, and appeared as

a regular guest on numerous radio and television shows.

Cathryn ramirez, regional Vice President for Tiffany

& Co., will join Jeanne as co-chair. A graduate gemologist,

Cathryn joined Tiffany & Co. in 1988 after gaining

experience in her family’s 100-year-old jewelry store in

Huntsville, Texas. She is very active in the local philanthropic

community, a member of San Diego Junior league, and

serves on the steering committee of the la Jolla

Playhouse. In 2000, she received a “Tribute to

Women in Industry Award,” and a year later, received

the San Diego metropolitian’s “40 under 40” award,

recognizing 40 of the best young professionals in San

Diego, who are under 40 years of age, for their career

triumphs and civic contributions.

Please mark your calendar today for the annual

Burnham Gala on saturday, november 17, 2007.

Step into an elegant vineyard and experience

California’s finest selection of wines perfectly paired

with gourmet cuisine in the ballroom of the new

Grand Del mar resort. our guests will be among

the first to experience the grandeur of this five-star

resort nestled in the idyllic countryside of Del mar.

The evening’s entertainment will be provided by the

San Diego opera, one of the top 10 operas in the

country, as ranked by oPerA AmerICA, followed

by a live auction. The evening will conclude with

our Fund-a-Need auction to support the Institute’s

Cancer Center.

We need your support to make this night a success.

We would like to express a very special thank you to

our sponsors: Tiffany & Co., betsy and Papa Doug

manchester, and Invitrogen.

For sponsorship information, please contact

Jocelyn Wyndham at [email protected] or

(858) 795-5216. Seating is extremely limited – don’t

miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as we toast

to a promising future of improved health thanks to

the research of the burnham Institute for medical

research. remember, “From research, the Power

to Cure!”

Sincerely,

Blair Blum Sr. Vice President, external relations

[email protected]

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Ray Gordon, born September 12, 1921 in

monticello, Arkansas moved to San Diego in

1997 after his wife of 46 years died of cancer. The

move to California marked the beginning of a new era

for ray – a chance to live near his grown son, ray l.

Gordon III, and the opportunity to reflect on his lifelong

fascination with the world of science and technology.

As a young boy, ray suffered through four serious

illnesses. He was near death several times and endured

long recovery periods. During that time, ray escaped

through books. He became fascinated with stories of

science of the day – books that emphasized the drive of

human beings to solve the problems of life.

As a young man, he observed and was impressed by

a couple of men in his community. one neighbor built a

hand radio and communicated with people in far away

places. The other constructed an observatory in his

back yard and studied the stars with his telescope.

ray was intrigued to find that science could answer

many of mankind’s questions, and then discover that

the very answers created further questions. Since that

Portrait of a donor:

Ray l. Gordon, Jr.

time, he has followed science with interest. Today, ray

subscribes to Scientific American and Science News.

His search for the unknown is as exciting for him today

as it was a half century ago.

“During my four score and five years of life, I’ve

become aware of my own mortality,” says ray. “over

half of my college graduation class has died. Causes

have been many, including cancer, heart attacks, strokes,

and Alzheimer’s. I lost my wife to lung cancer and two

of my friends have Parkinson’s. every day, I appreciate

the need for medical discovery to combat so many areas

of attack on the human race.”

He adds, “I am proud to join others supporting

the exploration of life at the burnham Institute for

medical research. I feel that I am watching the future

of medicine arrive. To date, they have made many

discoveries. later I will be able to say, ‘I was there!’ ”

If you would like to make a donation to

burnham, please contact Karen overklift at

[email protected] or (858) 795-5288. n

“I consider the efforts of the scientists at the Burnham

Institute for Medical research – to unlock the secrets

of biological life – just as exciting as the explorations

of great captains like Magellan and Cabrillo. The goals

today are every bit as hidden and obscure; but the value

to the civilized world is as great or even more valuable.”

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click here to make a donation.

Partners in discovery: the “Rocket” Fund

F ailure to thrive: it was the first indication

that four-month-old John Taylor Williams

IV had a problem. His body was unable to absorb

protein, gain weight, and grow as expected. John’s

parents took him to a leading research hospital

where a simple blood test revealed the devastating

news: John had inherited one of the 25 known types

of a rare, but expanding group of diseases called

Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation or CDG.

Patients with these diseases have highly variable

mental and motor retardation, seizures, failure

to grow, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), blood

clotting and digestion abnormalities, to name just

a few of the many challenges.

John’s CDG was identified with a blood test

developed from discoveries by Hudson Freeze,

Ph.D., a biochemist and Director of burnham’s

Glycobiology Program. Freeze and other scientists

at burnham are blending basic and translational

research with new ideas, working toward new types

of therapy and diagnosis for diseases, like CDG.

more than 500 cases of these inherited metabolic

diseases have been identified worldwide, but the

number could be far greater because CDG remains

largely under-diagnosed. Freeze is currently exploring

a technology to streamline the diagnostic process.

Along with helping to develop therapies for John (a.k.a.

“rocket”) and other children affected by CDG, Freeze’s

ultimate goal is to find new ways to understand the

molecular basis of the CDG diseases in hopes of laying

the groundwork for designing a treatment.

recently, rocket’s grandparents bill and Dinah

ruch, together with other family members, have

donated $375,000 to support research on CDG

at burnham.

If you would like to make a donation to CDG

research or another program at burnham, please

contact Karen overklift at [email protected]

or (858) 795-5288. n

PHILANTHROPY MATTERs

John Taylor Williams IV was recently diagnosed with one of the Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation (CDG), a group of 25 rare diseases under intensive investigation by Dr. Hudson Freeze.

bill ruch, John’s grandfather, with Drs. Hudson Freeze (left) and Nicholas Cosford (right), on a recent visit to the CDG laboratory at burnham. Cosford, Project manager, San Diego Center for Chemical Genomics at burnham, collaborates with Freeze who directs burnham’s Glycobiology Program.

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10click here to learn more about cDg.

When you first purchased a life insurance policy,

you were most likely securing a future for your

family in the event of your premature death. If you still

own a policy, but don’t need all that coverage today, please

consider making a charitable gift to the burnham Institute

for medical research, which will have a tremendous impact

on the progress of medical research.

Your gift would support ongoing needs that are not

funded through scientific grants, such as recruitment of

top scientists, new research initiatives and technological

advances.

There is a simple way to arrange this gift with additional

tax advantages: name burnham as the beneficiary on

your policy, or the contingent beneficiary to secure your

family’s needs first. When the gift is made to burnham,

you will receive an estate tax deduction in the amount

of the proceeds.

The second option offers a tax advantage if you own the

policy (i.e. it’s not part of your company benefits package).

In that case, you can name burnham as the owner and

beneficiary of the policy. You will receive an income tax

deduction for the fair market value (or cost basis) of the

policy on the date of the gift. If the policy is not paid off,

you make the annual gift to burnham in the amount of the

premium payments, accompanied by a letter indicating the

donation is to be used to pay the premium. This provides you

with an annual charitable tax deduction, which rises as the

dividends increase.

You can also use life insurance to replace the value of a

different gift. If you have highly appreciated stocks or real

estate, you can donate any portion of the asset to burnham,

avoid capital gains tax and get a charitable income tax

deduction. You could then purchase a life insurance policy

to benefit your heirs in the amount they would have received

from the other asset, but without the estate tax liability.

We invite you to discuss these options with your insurance

agent. Please contact Patty Fuller at the burnham Institute

for medical research at [email protected] or (858)

795-5231 for more information.

A Versatile Tool for Charitable Givingl ife Insurance

giant smartboard touch-screen monitor $10,000

To enhance scheduling, presentations, and public education about drug discovery and chemical genomics.

Four channel optical filter set $3,200 for high content screening

Allows the measuring of several drug targets in a single screen, speeding discovery, while reducing costs.

High content screening remote work station $3,800

Computer analysis of complex image-based screening data without tying up expensive imaging instruments.

Micro-wash reservoir for 384 well tip washing $2,500

Allows for multiple uses of expensive plastic tips used for screening assays.

Ultra-cold (-80°) freezer $8,200

For storing the chemicals and small rNAs used for high throughput screening

Robot positive positioning station $750 each (need two)

Allows current instruments to perform ultraminiaturized assays (1536 well plates)

stacked cO2 water-jacketed incubator $9,000

For culturing human and mouse cells used in cell-based screens.

wish ListThe Chemical Library Screening Shared

Resource at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research is a part of the San Diego Center for

Chemical Genomics (SDCCG). This facility allows

researchers to screen many thousands of different

chemical compounds for activity in changing

important biological processes, the first step in

making new medicines. Information is made

available to medical researchers worldwide

through public databases accessed via the

Internet. Burnham is just one of nine centers in

the nation that receives special support from NIH

to perform advanced robotic drug screening for

our country’s non-profit researchers.

For more information about supporting equipment needs, please contact chris Lee at [email protected] or (858) 795-5232.

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B urnham in the community

BURNHAM HOsTs REcEPTION IN sANTA BARBARA HONORINg DR. ERKKI RUOsLAHTI

The burnham Institute for medical research honored Distinguished Professor and former President and

Ceo, Dr. erkki ruoslahti, at an intimate evening reception on Saturday, march 3, on the ocean Terrace of one

of Santa barbara’s premier hotels, bacara resort & Spa. burnham recently announced a partnership with

the university of California, Santa barbara (uCSb). At burnham-uCSb,

ruoslahti has opened the Vascular mapping Center which is developing

applications, using the body’s own “zip code system” to target cancer cells

and develop methods to deliver therapeutic agents using nanotechnology.

Guests enjoyed spectacular ocean views and sampled local cuisine and

wines. malin burnham, the Institute’s namesake, addressed the group, as well

as Dr. John reed, burnham President and Ceo, and ruoslahti.

Among the distinguished guests were Dr. eva engvall, Adjunct

Professor and one of the inventors of the elISA test; milt and marilyn

Honea, owners of Honea Vineyards; meg and Dan burnham, former Ceo

of raytheon and founder of the burnham engineering and Applied Science

Scholarship Program at uCSb; burnham Trustee bill Grant and his wife,

mary; Dr. martin moskovits, Dean of uCSb’s Division of mathematical,

life and Physical Sciences; and Dr. Dennis Clegg, Chair of uCSb’s

Department of molecular, Cellular and Developmental biology.

From left to right: Harvey massey; The Honorable buddy Dyer, mayor of orlando; Dr. John reed, President and Ceo, burnham Institute for medical research; Dr. John Hitt, President of the university of Central Florida; and Toni Jennings, former lt. Governor of Florida.

HARVEY AND cAROL MAssEY wELcOME BURNHAM TO FLORIDAHarvey and Carol massey graciously hosted a lovely cocktail

reception in their Winterpark, Florida home to welcome and

introduce Dr. John reed and members of burnham’s executive

team to over 50 community leaders in orlando. Dr. reed briefly

addressed the group regarding future plans for burnham at

lake Nona, orlando and thanked the local champions who

worked tirelessly to make burnham’s expansion to Florida a

reality, setting the stage for exciting new research initiatives.

Front row (left to right): burnham Trustee malin and roberta burnham, Dr. eva engvall, muffy Walker and meg burnham.back row (left to right): Dr. John reed, President and Ceo, burnham Institute for medical research, with Dr. erkki ruoslahti and Dan burnham.

PHILANTHROPY MATTERsw

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click here to learn more about the Vascular Mapping center.

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P rivate support for the burnham Institute for

medical research has never been more critical

than in coming years. burnham scientists need your

help to forge new frontiers in the war against disease.

our scientists depend on the generosity of individuals

passionate about eradicating diseases – not just in our

lifetime, but for future generations.

The legacy Society is made up of a group of

benefactors that have made provisions in their wills to

support research at burnham. Your planned gift

today will place financial resources in the pipeline for

the discoveries of tomorrow. No membership fees or

minimum gifts are required. You may choose to designate

your gift to help find a cure for a specific disease that has

touched your life, or that of a loved one.

There are many creative ways to leave a legacy to

society. Whether you choose to donate after your income

is no longer needed, or would like to find out more about

tax-saving gifts that return income today, please contact

Patty Fuller at (858) 795-5231 or [email protected].

the legacy Society

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jocelyn wyndham at [email protected] or (858) 795-5216.

* by invitation only.

calendar of Events

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June 5, 2007 cONNect lecture with dr. Stuart lipton, director, del e. Webb center for Neurosciences and aging Research at Burnham12:00 p.m.

ConneCT Frontiers in science and Technology lecture series: new Drug Treatments and the Future of stem Cells for the aging Brain and alzheimer’s Disease

For more information, please visit www.connect.org.

July 19, 2007 Burnham Night at the BallparkPETCO Park, San Diego, California – 7:05 p.m.

Join the Burnham Institute for Medical research for a night at the ballpark as the san Diego Padres take on the Philadelphia Phillies. Burnham’s own Dr. Hudson Freeze, Glycobiology Program Director, will be throwing out the first pitch!

July 29, 2007 President’s council annual event: “exploring the late Phases of creativity”San Diego Museum of Art, Balboa Park – 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (lecture), 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (reception)

Based on the book, “late Thoughts” by Karin Painter, this panel will include Dr. stuart lipton, Director of the Del e. Webb Center for neurosciences and aging research at Burnham; Derrick Cartwright, sDMa executive Director; John Henry Waddell, 86-year-old sculptor, painter and teacher from arizona; and Cecil lytle, professional pianist and Professor of Music at UCsD. The program will include a panel discussion on the different phases of creativity and will conclude with a private tour of Impressionist Giverney, followed by a cocktail reception and performance by lytle.

October 3, 2007 Groundbreaking at lake Nona, Orlando, Florida

November 17, 2007 Burnham Institute for Medical Research’s annual GalaSaVe tHe dateThe Grand Del Mar, Del Mar, CaliforniaCo-chairs: Jeanne Jones and Cathryn Ramirez

10901 North Torrey Pines road

la Jolla, CA 92037

(858) 646-3100

www.burnham.org

Nonprofit organizationu.S. Postage

PAIDThe burnham Institute

are yoU reaDy To MaKe a DIFFerenCe In THe FUTUre oF MeDICal researCH In san DIeGo?

Everyone is welcome! If you’ve never run a step, or you’re a seasoned marathoner who wants

to improve your personal best, this program will help you succeed. Team burnham for medical

research is for ordinary people willing to make an extraordinary commitment. And, best of

all, it’s a great way to get fit and have fun while making a tremendous difference in the fight

against disease.

Team burnham provides weekly training runs/walks, race support, and travel assistance. Team

members are asked to raise $3,000 for world-class, innovative medical research underway at the burnham Institute for

medical research. Team burnham funds are used to support scientists in a variety of research areas including all forms of

cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, stem cell research and others.

For more information about the team or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.burnham.org/teamburnham or call chris Lee at (858) 795-5232. You can make a difference!

Team Burnham is looking for new members to race in P.F. chang’s Arizona Rock n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon on sunday, January 13, 2008.

ROcK N’ ROLL wITH TEAM BURNHAM FOR MEDIcAL REsEARcH

click here to sign-up today!