2023 Fall/Winter Highlights of Hope

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RESEARCH VAI, WashU scientists to lead genome center under $140M NIH initiative Van Andel Institute’s Dr. Hui Shen and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis’ Dr. Ting Wang will co-lead a collaborative project supported by the Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Network, a new $140 million National Institutes of Health–led effort to better understand the genetic differences between individual cells and tissues in the body. Somatic mosaicism occurs when DNA, which houses the genetic code, accumulates slight changes throughout a person’s lifetime. Some variations may impede cells’ ability to function. Somatic mosaicism is a key contributor to cancer, but its role in other diseases is not well understood. SMaHT aims to identify and catalog these somatic variants in different individuals and enable new research into development, aging and a host of disorders. Together, Van Andel Institute and Washington University will operate one of five SMaHT-supported Genome Characterization Centers, which will conduct leading-edge genomic analysis for the network. Wang will serve as the project’s director; Shen will serve as co-director. The project is supported by a $15 million grant from the NIH Common Fund as part of SMaHT. DR. HUI SHEN “We all carry such genetic mosaicism in our bodies, but the extent and implications of these variations remain unclear. Establishing an accurate picture of its role in the body is a massive undertaking that only can be achieved through collaboration,” Shen said. “I am thrilled to partner with Dr. Wang and the SMaHT Network, and look forward to contributing to a fuller understanding of this important and yet very much uncharted aspect of our cells.” Funding Acknowledgement Research reported in this publication is supported by the NIH Common Fund under award no. UM1DA058219. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. VAI scientists develop improved method for studying metabolism Groundbreaking research is fueled by advances in technology and techniques. Thanks to a collaboration between VAI’s Core Technologies and Services and Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, scientists at the Institute and beyond can more efficiently investigate the role of metabolism in health and disease. Together, the research team developed and validated a new protocol for a commonly used test that reduces variation, improves efficiency, maintains data fidelity and maximizes use of precious samples — key developments that will streamline workflows and empower breakthroughs. 6 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE HIGHLIGHTS OF HOPE “Our new protocol offers an important proof of concept for our ongoing efforts to enhance research tools and strategies, which in turn enables new discoveries in health and disease,” said Dr. Ryan Sheldon, director of VAI’s Mass Spectrometry Core and senior author of the study, describing the project. “This work would not have been possible without the exceptional Core Technologies and Services team here at VAI and the Institute’s commitment to collaboration and rigorous science.” Funding Acknowledgement Research reported in this publication was supported by Van Andel Institute.
Working together for a cure: VAI, Cure Parkinson’s renew funding for Parkinson’s disease clinical trials Clinical trials are critical steps toward treatments that slow or stop Parkinson’s progression, a feat not possible with current therapies. That’s why, since 2014, Van Andel Institute and Cure Parkinson’s have partnered to support the International Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) program, which identifies potential new therapies for Parkinson’s disease primarily from drugs approved or being developed to treat other conditions. By using drugs that already have passed rigorous safety and toxicology trials, iLCT aims to significantly cut the amount of time it takes for a potential treatment to move from the lab to clinical trials and, ultimately, to people with Parkinson’s. iLCT is now the world’s largest drug repurposing clinical trial program for Parkinson’s. As of spring 2023, iLCT has completed 20 trials of 15 iLCT-evaluated drugs involving 1,439 people with Parkinson’s. Twenty-one trials of 17 iLCT-evaluated drugs are currently underway, including a Phase III trial of a cough medicine being investigated for its potential to impede disease progression. Earlier this year, VAI and Cure Parkinson’s reaffirmed their commitment to iLCT by renewing our co-funding agreement for three years. The agreement pledges $4.5 million in match funding to Parkinson’s research, strengthening an already long-standing partnership. “We are thrilled to continue partnering with Cure Parkinson’s to support the International Linked Clinical Trials initiative and our collective pursuit of new treatments that could slow or stop Parkinson’s progression,” said Dr. Darren Moore, chair of VAI’s Department of Neurodegenerative Science and a member of the iLCT Scientific Committee. “Together, we are committed to finding life-changing therapies that give people more years with improved quality of life.” VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE HIGHLIGHTS OF HOPE | 7
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