OPINION/LETTER: Liberal progressives and a focus on feelings – Yahoo News

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Liberal progressives and a focus on feelings

The letter to the editor, Supreme Court is wrong in COVID-19 decision (Jan, 20, 2022), shows why liberal progressives are a danger to this country. The author says the U.S. Supreme Court should have based its recent mask and vaccine mandate ruling on what he feels would be best for the health and safety of the general public.

His letter shows he does not understand or chooses to ignore the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in our democracy. SCOTUS is meant to be a strictly judicial body. It is not supposed to advocate for or against social policy like mandated mask wearing and vaccination. Its job is to dispassionately decide whether government and private sector actions are constitutional.

SCOTUS ruled that the Constitution does not give the Biden administration the authority to force businesses to require employees to be vaccinated.

Liberal progressives who are rapidly gaining influence in Rhode Island politics are dangerous because reality, facts and the U.S. Constitution mean little to them, as the Jan. 20 letter to the editor makes clear. They demand laws and government policies be based on their feelings. Emotion-driven policies dont make for good government.

Rational people gather facts and draw logical conclusions to make sound public policy. Liberal progressives dont so they should never be elected to public office.

Robert King, Middletown

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: LETTER: Liberal progressives and a focus on feelings

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OPINION/LETTER: Liberal progressives and a focus on feelings - Yahoo News

MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross urges liberals to ‘pick up a weapon and get involved’ in ‘war’ for democracy – Fox News

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MSNBC host Tiffany Cross urged fellow progressives to "pick up a weapon and get involved" in the "war" for the survival of the country on Saturday.

Cross was discussing alleged Trump election interference with Democrat state representative Jasmine Crockett, who is running for Congress in Texas, during Saturdays edition of MSNBCs "The Cross Connection" when the duo speculated about how to fend off Republicans who could object to future results.

MSNBC host Tiffany Cross urged liberals to "pick up a weapon and get involved" in the "war" for democracy. (MSNBC)

KAMALA HARRIS MOST MEMORABLE, EMBARRASSING AND BIZARRE MEDIA MOMENTS

"How do we as a country protect this democracywhen these folks don't like the outcome of the next election, and Jasmine, you know, you're running for Congress inTexas where this is a problem, where they have partisan poll watchers,an open-carry state.It's a very fragile situation that we're in right now," Cross said. "What's your message to the people that you're running to represent? And what's your message to our viewers today?"

Crockett responded that "the role that Black women play in democracy" isnt talked about enough by the media, but she will fight for them in the ongoing "war" against people who oppose liberal viewpoints.

"So there's a bigger story that I think is brewing, and that is that Black women have consistently fought for our democracy on every single level," Crockett said. "And I think that Black women will continue to fight for our democracy. And that's exactly what I plan to do. I don't plan to give up. I know that I wouldn't be here but for those that fought before me, so I'm going to continue this fight. We can't let up. If we say we've been defeated, then they have won.This is a war.This isn't a battle, andwe absolutely will win this war."

NBC'S CHUCK TODD: BIDEN 'NO LONGER SEEN AS COMPETENT AND EFFECTIVE'

MSNBCs "The Cross Connection" namesake host agreed that its a "war," and took the analogy a step further.

"It is indeed a war.And I have to say, they have won some battles, Jasmine, but we have to keep our eye on the war.And everybody needs to pick up a weapon and get involvedbecause this is for the safety and lasting of the country," Cross said.

She appeared to be speaking metaphorically, but the language was still striking given the ongoing media conversation about charged rhetoric in politics and the press.

Cross, who has emerged as one of MSNBCs most liberal voices, also recently blastedRepublicanmembers of Congress as "White supremacists."

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MSNBC's Tiffany Cross urges liberals to 'pick up a weapon and get involved' in 'war' for democracy - Fox News

Liberal Boys and Girls Wrestling Teams Win at Atwood – KSCB News.net

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Tommy McClure

The Angry Red wrestling traveled up north to Atwood Kansas to compete in the Buffalo Invitational with an almost complete varsity boys and girls team and a few JV. The Redskins came off a loss to Garden City in their first WAC dual of the season. The Redskins looked more motivated than down going into Atwood. Both Redskin squads would come home with 1st place teams in the boys and girls division with 6 champions and 16 other placers.

The Lady Redskins would only have one individual champion in Mana Chanthasone at 106, but with a large number of girls vs a tournament filled with smaller schools, the lady red would put a placer in every bracket. Chanthasone would dominate her best of three series against Colbys Volger. Isabella Gutierrez would pick up a couple of pins to place 2nd. Leilani Torres would pin 3 of her girls on her way to a second-place finish in the tournament. Other placers were Amelia Alarcon 3rd at 120, Luz Tercero Vargas 2nd at 132, Angelica Quezada 2nd at 143, Alexa Valenzuela 3rd at 143, Rosa Pablo 3rd at 155, Jasmine Rangel 3rd at 170.

The boys would ratchet it up a notch and look the part of a top team. The Redskins big 5 took care of business and all won their brackets with ease. Irving Mendez pinned all three of his foes in the first period all in the first minute. Tommy McClure would pin one and put his other two opponents in grueling matches. Jesus Torres would pin all three of his opponents with his championship being the best of the three, as he would pin Atwoods Withington, who had a record of 23 and 1 record and a number 3 ranking in 3A, in 1 minute 24 seconds. Trystan Juarez, like Mendez, would not let his opponents even get a minute of wrestling in pinning all three. Javon Allen would start off tech falling his first kid in the first period, then made it easier on himself pinning the last 4 opponents.

Liberals biggest surprise came in at their 106-pound bracket with freshman Julian Orrantia, who was Liberals JV and non-scorer. Orrantia, who is almost 20 pounds under weight, broke brackets. He would defeat the number one seed and make it into the championship match. He would fall in the second period but wrestled as a master technician all day. Liberals Big freshman, Hudson Rice, continued his good showing taking 3rd in a round-robin, only getting third because of criteria due to the fact Hudson would beat the one wrestler who had pinned all the other heavyweights, but his early loss to Atwoods Bearley. Other placers were Trey Dinkins 4th at 285, Mathew Trejo 2nd at 195, Yahir Gomez 3rd at 160, Aldo Hernandez 4th at 138, Edgar Landa 4th at 120,

I was very impressed with how both the boys and girls teams bounced back after hard fought losses to Garden City on the previous Thursday night. Our Angry Red girls and boys teams came together to form a unified Liberal Angry Red wrestling team. The girls team are well balanced and a solid team, and they proved it by starting and finishing strong. The boys also had a dominating day from start to finish of the tournament. The boys have built their success on a trio of wrestlers for the 1st half of the season and now have expanded that to the BIG 5. The Angry Red boys wrestling teams BIG 5 consists of: Irving Mendez, Tommy McClure, Jesus Torres, Trystian Juarez, and Javon Allen. We are now focusing on trying to expand the BIG 5 up to the BIG 6 and then the BIG 7, and so on, Coach Fowler.

Liberal will travel to Lamar Colorado for a dual on Wednesday then Varsity Boys and Some Varsity girls will Compete in one of the states toughest tournaments Rocky Welton Friday, while JV boys and other Varsity girls will travel to Larned on Saturday.

Mana Chanthasone (14-2) placed 1st and scored 14.0 team points.

Isabella Gutierrez (12-9) placed 2nd and scored 14.0 team points.

Gisel Tarango (1-8) placed 5th and scored 0.0 team points.

Amelia Alarcon (4-10) placed 3rd and scored 9.0 team points.

Luz Tercero Vargas (5-9) placed 2nd and scored 9.0 team points.

Alexa Valenzuela (8-10) placed 3rd.

Angelica Quezada (6-11) placed 2nd and scored 7.0 team points.

Rosa Pablo (1-5) placed 3rd and scored 4.0 team points.

Jasmine Rangel (0-4) placed 3rd and scored 4.0 team points.

Leilani Torres (9-5) placed 2nd and scored 16.0 team points.

Julian Orantia (8-7) placed 2nd.

Eloy Trujillo (1-11) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.

Amedeus Holler (1-2) place is unknown and scored 1.0 team points.

Edgar Landa (10-10) placed 4th and scored 11.0 team points.

Irving Mendez (20-2) placed 1st and scored 20.0 team points.

Aldo Hernandez (4-6) placed 4th and scored 15.0 team points.

Edgar Dominquez (6-7) place is unknown.

Tommy McClure (29-4) placed 1st and scored 25.0 team points.

Mason Bickerstaff (0-2) place is unknown.

Jesus Torres (20-5) placed 1st and scored 28.0 team points.

Julian Harvey (2-5) place is unknown.

Alex Schwindt (5-11) place is unknown and scored 8.0 team points.

Yahir Gomez (8-3) placed 3rd.

Trystian Juarez (23-2) placed 1st and scored 24.0 team points.

Max Arcos (9-10) place is unknown.

Javon Allen (18-5) placed 1st and scored 23.5 team points.

Mathew Trejo (9-3) placed 2nd and scored 14.0 team points.

Daniel Don Juan (5-13) placed 5th.

Hudson Rice (17-5) placed 3rd and scored 14.0 team points.

trey Dinkins (2-3) placed 4th.

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Liberal Boys and Girls Wrestling Teams Win at Atwood - KSCB News.net

Liberal leadership speculation a distraction, Trudeau should shut it down firmly, say Liberal MPs, political insiders, and pollsters – The Hill Times

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If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is definitely planning to lead his party in the next election, he should put an end to the speculation about the leadership election, or it could become a serious distraction for the government at a time when the country is dealing with the serious health and economic challenges of COVID, say MPs, Liberal political insiders, staffers and pollsters.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Jan. 19, 2022, at a Hill presser in the Sir John A. Macdonald Building. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

If youve got rumours and second guessing and people mobilizing in the background, weve seen this before, and that rarely turns out well, either for the guy in the position [prime minister] or for the competitors to take over, said Frank Graves, president of Ekos Research, in an interview with The Hill Times.

If you dont pay attention, and all the other stuff is going on in the background, it puts you in a very weak position. If he [Trudeau] wants to stay, he should definitely make that point, extremely clear and well-known so that any successors [should be] aware that they can alter their plans or continue with them, but with the assumption that hes going to be there, said Graves.

Graves and others interviewed for this article referred to the infamous Liberal infighting back in 2000-2002 between the Jean Chrtien and Paul Martin camps, which along with the Liberal Sponsorship Scandal and them holding power since 1993 eventually contributed to the Liberals losing power to the Conservatives in 2006. It took the Liberals about 10 years to return back to power. In his first speech after winning the 2013 Liberal leadership election, Trudeau made a point of telling all Liberals that there should not be any divisions in the party and that there were no Chrtienites or Martinites anymore.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is seen as the front-runner in the Liberal leadership potential candidates field whenever the contest opens up. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

If you want to deal with these seeds of a problem, you sort of get rid of them before they start to blossom, said one former senior Liberal. Right now, you could argue some seeds have been planted in a pot. The question: are they going to get some water, sunlight, or not? And Trudeau can make sure that theres no sunlight or water and he has the power to nip it in the bud.

Since the last federal election, political circles have been awash with speculation that Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) will not lead the party in the next election. Some have been arguing that he has won three federal elections in a rowone majority two minoritiesand will not run in a fourth as that could end in a defeat. They point out that in the last two elections, he ran against two different opposition party leaders and ended up with a minority, each time. In each of the three federal elections, the Liberal Partys share of support has gone down consistently which is seen as an indication that Trudeaus best before date is fast approaching.

Since the 2015 election when the Liberals won a landslide majority with 184 seats, the Liberal Partys popular vote support has gone down. Also, it failed to win a majority government in 2019 and 2021 and the number of seats in 2019 and 2021 are almost the same.

Last years election is the first time in Canadian history when a federal party formed government by winning only 32.6 per cent of the popular vote nationally. Prior to this, the lowest popular vote by which a party formed government was in the 2019 election when the Liberals formed government with only 33.1 per cent. And before that, the Joe Clark Progressive Conservatives formed minority government with 35.9 per cent of the votes in 1979.

So, Liberal insiders say that barring a major fundamental change in Canadian federal politics, Trudeau will not seek a fourth term as the party leader.

Hes done, he cannot go into another election, he will lose the next election, said one well-connected Liberal in an interview. People are going to want change. Even in a pandemic election, he could not win a majority. This is after the biggest spending boom, this is where you, your dog, and your cat, and your cousin, and everyone else got money. And if you cant get people to vote for you by giving them money, Im not sure how you can ever get them to vote for you.

Industry Minister Franois-Philippe Champagne will run in the next Liberal leadership election. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Since the election, Trudeau has said a number of times that he will lead the party in the next election. But political insiders say he has no option to say otherwise because he would be a lame duck prime minister. They expect him to stick around for about 18 months and leave after that.

Because of this speculation, a number of potential candidates from within and outside of the caucus have been quietly putting together their teams and reaching out to potential supporters across the country. Some of the potential candidates expected to throw their hat in the ring include Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.); Industry Minister Franois-Philippe Champagne (Saint-Maurice Champlain, Que.); Defence Minister Anita Anand (Oakville, Ont.); Foreign Minister Mlanie Joly (Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Que.); and Diversity Minister Ahmed Hussen (York South-Weston, Ont.). Other MPs might also throw their hat in the ring when the contest opens up.

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and former Montreal Liberal MP Frank Baylis are also said to be testing the waters.

Liberal staffers interviewed for this article said that their colleagues have already been talking about the post-Trudeau Liberal Party, and are in the process of deciding which leadership candidate they will work for. Prior to the Christmas break, one of the most talked about subjects among staffers and MPs at social gatherings was the Liberal leadership election. The Globe and Mails Bob Fife and Steven Chase also reported on the Liberal leadership speculation on Nov. 24, 2021. But because of the recent lockdown as a result of Omicron variant, almost everyone has been working from home and this subject has been on the back-burner for about a month. But they expect things to change when the House returns for the winter sitting.

Omicron has really killed a lot of that because now nobody is in the same room, said a Liberal insider. Im hearing a lot less right now. Quite frankly, [because of] the holidays people were busy, or busy keeping themselves safe and doing their own thing.

Some Liberal Hill staffers and backbench MPs told The Hill Times that since the election, most of the cabinet ministers and their staffers, especially potential leadership candidates, have been very prompt in returning their calls and unusually accommodating. Also, they find them unusually pleasant, respectful and deferential, making backbench MPs feel very special.

Everyones now suspicious about why these ministers are so nice all of a sudden, said one MP.

Meanwhile, Graves said that in the coming weeks and months, Trudeau and his cabinet will have to make some major decisions on issues like economy and health. But, if theres jockeying going on behind the scenes when the prime minister has no plans to leave, the government would not be able to do its job.

Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, said that if Trudeau is staying on and the party does not put a stop to the leadership speculation, it could end up in the same divisive situation Erin OTooles (Durham, Ont.) Conservatives are in now.

Just as it is for Erin OToole, where theres a lot of talk about inside baseball, and people are focused on things happening inside the caucus room, instead of being focused on trying to take on their opponents, or present a vision for the country looking like theyre not worried about that situation, said Bricker. To the extent that theyre distracted by it, theyll have the same problems as the Conservatives.

Nik Nanos, founder and chief data scientist for Nanos Research, said that with Trudeau as party leader, the Liberals can theoretically win another election. He said it would likely be a minority. If Trudeau decided to leave and theres a leadership election, things would become complicated as leadership elections are, by definition, divisive. Right now, its anybodys guess how divided the Liberals would be after the next leadership election, but a divided Conservative Party and a divided Liberal Party would be a good news for the NDP, said Nanos.

After each federal election, it becomes hard mathematically for the incumbent party to win the next election because every government has its best before date. So, in order for the Liberals to win the next election, not only do they have to do well, but also the opposition parties will have to make mistakes giving an opening to the Liberals. Also, they will have to give a convincing reason to Canadians why they should choose the Liberals over the other parties.

Stephen Harper was a successful prime minister and won a number of elections, but in the election that Stephen Harper lost, it was because he had been in power for a number of years and hadnt articulated why he still needed to be in power, said Nanos.

For the Liberals to win the next election, they have to hope that the Conservatives are disorganized, and Jagmeet Singh doesnt have a great campaign. And then they need to articulate especially if Justin Trudeau was the prime minister, whats left to be done to explain why Canadians should give Justin Trudeau and the Liberals another mandate, said Nanos.

The Hill Times

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Liberal leadership speculation a distraction, Trudeau should shut it down firmly, say Liberal MPs, political insiders, and pollsters - The Hill Times

Liberal media members heap praise on Biden following first solo press conference in months: ‘Quite the change’ – Fox News

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Media top headlines January 20

In media news today, Biden appears to lose his cool after a reporters question on divisiveness, NPR stands by mask report as three SCOTUS justices refute its claims, and MSNBCs Rachel Maddow says Biden used his long press conference to show Putin he has stamina.

President Biden was met with heaping praise from members of the liberal media Wednesday following a rare White House press conference that lasted nearly two hours.

Although Biden took heat for remarks suggesting Russia could get away with a "minor incursion" into Ukraine, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the 2022 elections, and lashing out at a reporter for questioning his stark rhetoric at his Georgia speech on voting, various reporters and commentators who are known for boosting Democrats were quick to applaud Biden.

They argued the nearly two-hour event was evidence he wasn't "senile," and they continued to contrast him with former President Donald Trump, despite the latter having been out of office for a year.

President Biden gestures as he speaks during a news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

BIDEN'S PRESS CONFERENCE GETS PANNED BY CRITICS: TOTAL DISASTER

"To go for an hour and 50 minutes and not screw up, really demonstrably not screw up really at all. Really hard to do that," MSNBC analyst John Heilemann said during an appearance on "Deadline: White House" following Biden's press conference.

"The best answer to that real jerk who thought that you could make news by asking the President of the United States, Hey, are you senile? You're not going to make news on that. And the president did the right thing, which was to say, I dont know what you're talking about. Let's move on,'" Heilemann said.

President Biden listens to a question during a news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

"But the best answer was, Hey, if you think Im senile, and I'm doddering, you get up here and try and do an hour and 45 minutes in front of you and your colleagues and not screw up. He didn't. I thought it was the best demonstration of the fact that the president's mind is perfectly fine," he added.

Heilemann's obsequious remarks came after Biden drew criticism for suggesting Russia could make a "minor incursion" into Ukraine and cast doubt on the 2022 elections, which both drew criticism and required walkbacks.

TRUMP ON BIDEN'S FIRST YEAR, SAYS HE HAD NO IDEA THE COUNTRY COULD GO DOWN SO BADLY AND SO QUICKLY

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow guessed Biden was trying to show Russian President Vladimir Putin a sign of his own stamina with the lengthy conference.

Left-wing MSNBC correspondent Yamiche Alcindor fawned over Biden's press conference in tweets applauding him for pushing back on his critics and taking responsibility for his mistakes. Like others, she framed Biden's performance against Trump, with whom she often sparred, gushing it was "quite the change."

Trump was known for pushing back heavily on media in hostile exchanges with liberal reporters like Alcindor and CNN's Jim Acosta.

Former President Trump and President Biden (James Devaney/GC Images | Alex Wong/Getty Images)

"Pres Biden, in the longest news conference in presidential history, made news, pushed back on critics, called out lies, took responsibility for mistakes he believes he made, expressed surprise at GOP, talked foreign policy and didn't lash out on reporters. Quite the change," Alcindor wrote.

BIDEN APPEARS TO LOSE HIS COOL AFTER REPORTER'S QUESTION ON DIVISIVENESS: GO BACK AND READ WHAT I SAID

Left-wing MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin criticized Trump more directly as he commended Biden.

"President Biden did not praise or defend Putin during his press conference. President Biden did not tout unproven treatments for COVID during his press conference. President Biden did not insult journalists during his press conference. President Biden did not lie about the 2020 election during his press conference," he tweeted.

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Other reliable Biden boosters like Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin, journalist Brian Karem, and commentator Tom Nichols also fawned over him afterward; Karem proclaimed, "He never once tried to belittle us."

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Liberal media members heap praise on Biden following first solo press conference in months: 'Quite the change' - Fox News

Tiley’s plan to ride out the Open storm – Daily Liberal

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Craig Tiley plans on riding out the storm and staying on as both Australian Open boss and Tennis Australia chief executive. Despite having the backing of the TA board, Tiley has come under intense pressure to step down following the Novak Djokovic visa scandal that has engulfed the Australian Open. But as the blame game drags on and fingers continue to be pointed at Tiley, TA, the Victorian and federal governments, Australian Border Force and Djokovic himself, the long-standing tournament director refuses to be drawn on who is ultimately responsible for the saga. "It's fair to say that everyone was committed to doing the right thing to get the event up and running - and that includes all forms of government, ourselves," Tiley told AAP at Melbourne Park. "Yes, it has been a distraction for the players and of course there's going to be lessons to be learned. "But we've bounced back and delivered a great event so far. "It's proof again that the Australian Open is bigger than anybody and anything." And, to many, too big an event for someone to control while doubling as TA chief executive and the demanding day-to-day duties involved with that enormous gig. "No, not at all," Tiley said when asked if it was unreasonable for anyone to juggle the twin commitments. "It's the same job. To be clear on that - it's one job. "It's one job because you're running the company." Tiley's dual role is in stark contrast to the situation at the other three grand slams, none of which are run by people who also double as the CEO of their national tennis federations. While refusing to accept any responsibility for the Djokovic drama, which came to a head when the world No.1 and nine-times champion was sensationally deported on the eve of his title defence, Tiley did admit to one big regret of TA's handling of the affair. That the locker rooms inside the one-time "Happy Slam" aren't so happy. "The regret I have is (we have) 256 main-draw players, 256 qualifying players and the feedback we're getting from them is that the environment here at the time was a distraction for them," Tiley said. "And also not just for the players but everyone. "So, yeah, that's the regret I have." Despite the Djokovic saga straining relations between the Serbian and Australian governments and drawing global attention, Tiley didn't necessarily agree that running the 2022 Open was any more challenging than other years. "We've had four years of pretty challenging times - from heat to smoke haze to the beginning of COVID," he said. "Remember COVID hit the 2020 event, at the end of it, and then 2021 - 14 days of quarantine (for overseas players). "This year all the variables we've put into it. I'm lucky we've got a great team and they've done an unbelievable job delivering what they have.". Asked if Djokovic deserved an apology from anyone after being led to believe he'd been granted the necessary paperwork - in the form of a medical exemption - to enter the country and the Australian Open, Tiley only wished to "talk from TA's point of view". "There'll be some lessons in this for us and probably starting from Tuesday of next week, we'll definitely review everything that we've done, like we do every year," he said. "What have we done well? What didn't we do well and then set it up for 2023. "So looking at the future, we'll make an assessment at the right time. "But at this point in time we're focused on getting on with the event and not be drawn into what happened." Australian Associated Press

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/f8b4f9af-77be-4ff9-ac39-0b24efc2a526.jpg/r0_74_800_526_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

Craig Tiley plans on riding out the storm and staying on as both Australian Open boss and Tennis Australia chief executive.

Despite having the backing of the TA board, Tiley has come under intense pressure to step down following the Novak Djokovic visa scandal that has engulfed the Australian Open.

But as the blame game drags on and fingers continue to be pointed at Tiley, TA, the Victorian and federal governments, Australian Border Force and Djokovic himself, the long-standing tournament director refuses to be drawn on who is ultimately responsible for the saga.

"It's fair to say that everyone was committed to doing the right thing to get the event up and running - and that includes all forms of government, ourselves," Tiley told AAP at Melbourne Park.

"Yes, it has been a distraction for the players and of course there's going to be lessons to be learned.

"But we've bounced back and delivered a great event so far.

"It's proof again that the Australian Open is bigger than anybody and anything."

And, to many, too big an event for someone to control while doubling as TA chief executive and the demanding day-to-day duties involved with that enormous gig.

"No, not at all," Tiley said when asked if it was unreasonable for anyone to juggle the twin commitments.

"It's the same job. To be clear on that - it's one job.

"It's one job because you're running the company."

Tiley's dual role is in stark contrast to the situation at the other three grand slams, none of which are run by people who also double as the CEO of their national tennis federations.

While refusing to accept any responsibility for the Djokovic drama, which came to a head when the world No.1 and nine-times champion was sensationally deported on the eve of his title defence, Tiley did admit to one big regret of TA's handling of the affair.

That the locker rooms inside the one-time "Happy Slam" aren't so happy.

"The regret I have is (we have) 256 main-draw players, 256 qualifying players and the feedback we're getting from them is that the environment here at the time was a distraction for them," Tiley said.

"And also not just for the players but everyone.

"So, yeah, that's the regret I have."

Despite the Djokovic saga straining relations between the Serbian and Australian governments and drawing global attention, Tiley didn't necessarily agree that running the 2022 Open was any more challenging than other years.

"We've had four years of pretty challenging times - from heat to smoke haze to the beginning of COVID," he said.

"Remember COVID hit the 2020 event, at the end of it, and then 2021 - 14 days of quarantine (for overseas players).

"This year all the variables we've put into it. I'm lucky we've got a great team and they've done an unbelievable job delivering what they have.".

Asked if Djokovic deserved an apology from anyone after being led to believe he'd been granted the necessary paperwork - in the form of a medical exemption - to enter the country and the Australian Open, Tiley only wished to "talk from TA's point of view".

"There'll be some lessons in this for us and probably starting from Tuesday of next week, we'll definitely review everything that we've done, like we do every year," he said.

"What have we done well? What didn't we do well and then set it up for 2023.

"So looking at the future, we'll make an assessment at the right time.

"But at this point in time we're focused on getting on with the event and not be drawn into what happened."

Australian Associated Press

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Tiley's plan to ride out the Open storm - Daily Liberal

Realizing Gene Therapy and Cell Regeneration in Heart Disease – BioSpace

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Only a few companies are using gene therapy to treat heart disease. One of them, Tenaya Therapeutics, is using adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) to deliver healthy copies of select genes to target cardiac tissue and express the protein of interest at high levels. Whats particularly interesting is that it also has a cell regeneration program that at least in animal models shows the potential toregrow cardiomyocytes (which die after heart attacks).

Were heart disease specialists with multiple approaches. We saw early opportunities for gene therapy to address genetic forms of heart disease, so we had good reason to go in that direction, Tenaya CEO Faraz Ali told BioSpace, emphasizing that Tenaya is modality agnostic. Its approaches include programs from three platforms, including cellular regeneration, gene therapy and precision medicine.

With three of its gene therapy programs in preclinical development, Ali said he expects TN-201 to be the first to enter the clinic, and Tenaya anticipates filing an IND for that program in 2022. It treats the leading genetic cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (gHCM). For many, this gHCM program is particularly exciting. It would be the first example of a disease-modifying therapy for that indication, Ali said.

TN-201 delivers a functional MYBPC3 gene via AAV9 to address gene mutations that lead to thickening heart walls, arrhythmia, dysfunction, heart failure and sudden cardiac death. There are approximately 115 thousand people in the U.S. with this disease. Disease symptoms can occur with only a single mutation in a single allele, but when two mutations occur, it is life-threatening within the first few months of life.

Weve shown, in animal models, that we can reverse the declining heart function, Ali said, as well as the arrhythmia and the hypertrophy (thickness of the heart), returning it to normal size after a single dose. In animals, prevention or reversal of symptoms leads to extended survival. To be clear, whether (such symptoms) can be returned to normal in humans is yet to be determined, but we think some symptoms could be significantly improved, he stressed. TN-201 was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This, and Tenayas other gene therapies are possible because of the revelation by multiple gene therapy pioneers that AAV9 vectors have a propensity to go to the heart.

They showed that AAV9 does a good job with broad distribution and transduction of the cells, Ali said. So, although not every target cell receives a healthy copy of the gene, the vector copy number, on average, is sufficiently high that each cell has a shot at being functionally corrected.

The other factor is the growing body of knowledge regarding the genetic forms of heart disease. We asked several leading gene therapy experts about the most attractive genetic forms of heart diseases, but couldnt get a good answer, Ali recalled. There was a gap in either their knowledge or their imagination.

Now, we have much better insight into the genetic forms of heart disease, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (gHCM) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (gARVC). Once we started to ask the right questions, we found several opportunities. In Tenayas case, the technology to answer those questions coincided with advancements in delivery and manufacturing, which also created new opportunities.

Gene therapy isnt Tenayas only approach, though.

Some forms of heart disease are caused by the loss of cardiomyocytes, for example, after a heart attack, Ali pointed out. Once they are lost, no therapy exists today to bring those cells back. Our approach is to create new cells in vivo, using AAV to deliver proprietary combinations of genes.

That program is based on work by the company co-founders Deepak Srivastava, M.D., president of the Gladstone Institutes, and Eric Olson, Ph.D., at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Srivastava took Shinya Yamanakas work on induced pluripotent stem cells (for which he won the 2012 Nobel Prize) a step further, finding, with Dr. Olson, a combination of factors that could turn cardiac fibroblasts into new cardiomyocytes. By altering those factors, they found they also could induce existing cardiomyocytes to divide and create new cells.

Both of these approaches have achieved proof of concept in large animal models with human-sized hearts, Ali said. This means, potentially, that hearts may possibly be returned to normal function after heart attacks.

Another Tenaya program dubbed TYA-11631 uses a small molecule to treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and Tenaya also expects to file an IND for that program in 2022. HFpEF disease involves a thickening and stiffening of the heart's ventricles (the major pumping chambers) that restricts the heart's ability to fill up with blood in between heartbeats. There are approximately 3 million people in the U.S. with this disease.

Each of our programs is built on strong scientific foundations. Were not a me-too company, Ali said.

The future of heart disease is changing dramatically with the steady advance of precision medicine approaches, doing for cardiac patients what has been done so successfully for oncology patients. After decades oftreating the big categories of heart disease hypertension, for example the ability to address the genetics of heart disease is within sight.

As Ali said, We have better tools now, and better delivery methods, and can begin to apply them to the leading cause of death throughout the world to address heart disease in a more precise way, thus turning large categories into ever-smaller categories of disease. As in oncology, the desired result with this approach is more precise and less expensive clinical trials, faster approvals and ultimately more hope and better therapies for patients.

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Realizing Gene Therapy and Cell Regeneration in Heart Disease - BioSpace

Bionano Genomics Announces its Support for the AGMG – GlobeNewswire

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SAN DIEGO, Jan. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bionano Genomics, Inc. (BNGO), pioneer of optical genome mapping (OGM) solutions on the Saphyr system and provider of NxClinical, the leading software solutions for visualization, interpretation and reporting of genomic data, today announced that it will financially support the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine and its Next Generation Fellowship & Residency Training Awards Program in genetics and genomics.

Patients with genetic and genomic disorders require access to medical professionals who are qualified to analyze and treat their often extremely rare conditions. Due to shortages in medical professionals in specialty areas of clinical genomics, it can be difficult for a patient to connect with board-certified PhDs or MDs in medical genetics and genomics. The Next Generation Fellowship & Residency Training Awards Program has been helping fill that gap for the past twenty years.

As the chief executive officer for the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine (ACMGF) and in support of the Next Generation Fellowship & Residency Training Awards Program, I want to personally thank and recognize Bionano Genomics. Their generous commitment to three years of support for our Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) fellowships will be critical to bringing new talent to our specialty field. We believe Bionanos support will contribute to the future of clinical genomics, and Im glad that Bionano Genomics recognizes the importance of supporting ACMGF and the program in laboratory genetic medicine, said Dr. Max Muenke, FACMG.

The Next Generation Fellowship & Residency Training Awards Program is focused on expanding the workforce pipeline by attracting excellent physicians and PhD laboratorians to genetic and genomic medicine. Bionanos three years of financial support in this program is expected to play a significant role in the ACMGFs work to add more experts to the field and expand the reach of genetic and genomic medicine.

Bionano is honored and proud to support theACMGF and the laboratory geneticists who will be supported by these fellowships, commented Erik Holmlin, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bionano. Bionanos mission is to transform the way the world sees the genome so we can elevate the health and wellness of all people. Supporting the development of the next generation of leaders in the practice of laboratory genetic medicine through theACMGF Next Generation Fellowship & Residency Awards Program is important in achieving that objective and we are thankful to theACMGF for the opportunity to be a part of their efforts.

About Bionano Genomics

Bionano Genomics is a provider of genome analysis solutions that can enable researchers and clinicians to reveal answers to challenging questions in biology and medicine. The Companys mission is to transform the way the world sees the genome through OGM solutions, diagnostic services and software. The Company offers OGM solutions for applications across basic, translational and clinical research. Through its Lineagen business, the Company also provides diagnostic testing for patients with clinical presentations consistent with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Through its BioDiscovery business, the Company also offers an industry-leading, platform-agnostic software solution, which integrates next-generation sequencing and microarray data designed to provide analysis, visualization, interpretation and reporting of copy number variants, single-nucleotide variants and absence of heterozygosity across the genome in one consolidated view. For more information, visit http://www.bionanogenomics.com, http://www.lineagen.comor http://www.biodiscovery.com.

Forward-Looking Statements of Bionano Genomics

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as may, will, expect, plan, anticipate, estimate, intend and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes and are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things, the benefits of Bionanos support of ACMGF and its Next Generation Fellowship & Residency Awards Program, Bionanos anticipated role in advancing ACMGFs work and building the future of clinical genomics, and the contributions of Bionanos support toward bringing talent to the clinical genomics field. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and the global economy; general market conditions; changes in the competitive landscape, including the introduction of competitive technologies or improvements in existing technologies; failure of ACMGF or its Next Generation Fellowship & Residency Awards Program to meet expectations; changes in our strategic plans; our ability to obtain sufficient financing to fund our strategic plans; and the risks and uncertainties associated with our business and financial condition in general, including the risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and in other filings subsequently made by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on managements assumptions and estimates as of such date. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.

CONTACTSCompany Contact:Erik Holmlin, CEOBionano Genomics, Inc.+1 (858) 888-7610eholmlin@bionanogenomics.com

Investor Relations:Amy ConradJuniper Point+1 (858) 366-3243amy@juniper-point.com

Media Relations:Michael SullivanSeismic+1 (503) 799-7520michael@teamseismic.com

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Bionano Genomics Announces its Support for the AGMG - GlobeNewswire

Small children getting less sick from Omicron; Genetic mutation protects against severe COVID – Reuters

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A child is seen near a syringe containing a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at Smoketown Family Wellness Center in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., November 8, 2021. REUTERS/Jon Cherry

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Jan 21 (Reuters) - The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review.

Small children are getting less sick from Omicron

In very young children, the Omicron variant of the coronavirus causes less severe disease than the Delta variant, according to a new study.

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Researchers reviewed data on nearly 80,000 U.S. children under age 5 with a first infection, including 7,201 infected in late December or early January when Omicron was causing more than 90% of cases. After accounting for other risk factors, including medical conditions and socioeconomic circumstances, researchers found children infected during the Omicron surge had a 29% lower risk of emergency department visits, a 67% lower risk of hospitalization, a 68% lower risk of needing intensive care, and a 71% lower risk of needing machines to breathe, compared to children infected with Delta. However, "because of Omicron's increased transmissibility, the overall number of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and mechanical ventilator use in children may still be greater" with Omicron than with Delta, according to a report posted on medRxiv ahead of peer review.

The investigators have also observed that infection rates were disproportionately higher in Black and Hispanic children for both Omicron and Delta for this age group, and the gap widened for infections with Omicron, said study leader Rong Xu of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Not yet published data shows that "children under 5 had the highest infection rate with Omicron" compared to older children and adults in all age groups, she said.

Genetic mutation protects against severe COVID-19

New findings add to evidence that people with a certain version of a gene are less likely to develop severe COVID-19.

Earlier research had identified a specific group of genes, called the OAS1/2/3 gene cluster, as being involved in the risk for severe COVID-19. One version of a gene in that cluster - passed down from Neanderthals - appeared to protect against severe disease, reducing the risk by about 23%. The earlier research was done mainly in people of European ancestry. According to a report published in Nature Genetics, researchers now see the same association of this genetic variant with less severe COVID-19 in people of African ancestry.

"The fact that individuals of African descent had the same protection allowed us to identify the unique variant in the DNA that actually protects from COVID-19 infection," coauthor Dr. Jennifer Huffman of said in a statement. OAS genes are involved in a cascade of effects that help cells fight viruses, the researchers said. Understanding of these genes and their effect on COVID-19 risks could aid development of future drugs, they added.

Fewer Delta breakthroughs with Moderna vs Pfizer/BioNTech

When the Delta variant of the coronavirus was prevalent in the United States, recipients of two doses of Moderna's (MRNA.O) mRNA vaccine were less likely to experience a breakthrough infection - and if they did, were slightly less likely to be hospitalized - than recipients of two doses of the mRNA vaccine from Pfizer (PFE.N) and BioNTech , a large study found.

Researchers analyzed health records of more than 637,000 vaccine recipients who were not previously infected with the virus and had not gotten a booster shot. As reported on Thursday in JAMA, breakthrough infections steadily increased every month from July to November 2021, with higher rates in the Pfizer/BioNTech group. In November, there were 2.8 cases among every thousand people vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech shots, compared to 1.6 cases per thousand recipients of the Moderna vaccines. The vaccines protected equally well against death, but the hospitalization rate was 12.7% for infected Moderna recipients and 13.3% for Pfizer/BioNTech recipients. When the researchers compared 62,584 Moderna recipients to a closely-matched equal-sized group of Pfizer/BioNTech recipients, the risk for breakthrough infection was 15% lower in the Moderna group.

"Although there is a difference in breakthrough infections, both vaccines are highly protective against SARS-COV2 infection and especially against the most severe consequences of infection," said coauthor Pamela Davis of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in a statement.

Click for a Reuters graphic on vaccines in development.

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Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Small children getting less sick from Omicron; Genetic mutation protects against severe COVID - Reuters

Discovery of hundreds of genes potentially associated with ALS may steer scientists toward treatments – Stanford Medical Center Report

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In addition to finding many genes that could contribute to the ALS, the researchers believe the study has settled a few important questions about the disease.

Theres a long-standing debate about where ALS originates in the cell, said Johnathan Cooper-Knock, a Stanford visiting scholar and lecturer at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. This new technique has surfaced genetic evidence that really pins down the axon of motor neurons as the place of disease origin. (The axon of the neuron is a long cord that helps transmit electrical signals from one neuron to another.)

A paper describing the study was published Jan. 18 in Neuron. Snyder, the Stanford W. Ascherman, MD, FACS, Professor of Genetics, is the senior author. Zhang and Cooper-Knock are co-lead authors.

Typically, ALS researchers investigate one gene at a time, performing in-depth analyses to tease out if and how that gene might contribute to the onset of the disease. The Stanford teams approach was to cast a net far and wide for genes that may play a role in ALS. Zhang trained the algorithm to sift through millions of data points from studies known as genome-wide associated screens, which contain anonymized genetic information from thousands of patients with and without ALS. The strategy was to look for genetic mutations that often occur in people who have ALS.

The team narrowed the search further: Sorting through ALS patients data, the algorithm looked for mutations only in genes that support motor neuron function. Searching only in motor neurons allowed our approach to discover more risk genes compared with previous methods, Zhang said. The analysis spit out 690 candidate genes, some that were already known to be implicated in ALS.

We can use this information to learn more about how and why motor neurons fail in ALS, Cooper-Knock said. As an example, he added, Many of the genes we uncovered pointed to the disease originating in the axon of the cell, rather than the cell body.

Previously it was not clear if axon defects were an effect of the disease, but our results indicate these defects are likely causative, added Snyder.

One gene, which repeatedly showed up in the data analysis, caught the researchers attention: KANK1, which is involved in functions at the very end of the axon. Through a series of experiments using stem cells and gene editing, the team showed that mutations in this gene lead to loss of a protein called TDP-43 from the nucleus of motor neurons, a hallmark of ALS.

If you were to look in the brains of 100 people with ALS and analyze the motor neurons, youd see this loss of TDP in something like 98, Cooper-Knock said. Its almost the definition of ALS. If this phenomenon isnt occurring, you probably dont have ALS.

The finding is an exciting discovery, but its too early to consider KANK1 a drug target. Zhang said. More research will be needed to determine if reversing the effects of a mutated KANK1 gene can help treat the disease.

The team also plans to do some experimental work on other hits from their dataset to determine whether any of the other hundreds of genes identified in the analysis could lead to ALS pathology.

Other Stanford co-authors of the study are life science researchers Minyi Shi, PhD, and Annika Weimer, PhD.

Researchers from the University of Sheffield; UC San Francisco; the Montreal Neurological Institute; Lund University; the Weizmann Institute of Science; and the University Medical Center in Utrecht, the Netherlands, contributed to this study.

This study was funded by the European Research Council, Health~Holland, the ALS Foundation Netherlands, the National Lottery of Belgium, the KU Leuven Opening the Future Fund, the Kingsland Fellowship, the My Name5 DoddieFoundation, the Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health Research.

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Discovery of hundreds of genes potentially associated with ALS may steer scientists toward treatments - Stanford Medical Center Report

Ceptur Therapeutics Launches with $75M Series A Financing to Advance RNA Therapeutics Based on Proprietary U1 Adaptor Technology – Business Wire

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PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ceptur Therapeutics, Inc. (Ceptur), a biotechnology company focused on developing targeted oligonucleotide therapeutics based on U1 Adaptor technology, today announced the completion of a $75M Series A financing. The round was co-led by venBio Partners and Qiming Venture Partners USA with participation by new investors Perceptive Xontogeny Venture (PXV) Fund, Bristol Myers Squibb and Janus Henderson Investors along with existing Seed investors Affinity Asset Advisors, Boxer Capital and LifeSci Venture Partners.

We are extremely grateful for the support of our new and existing investors, said Ceptur Therapeutics co-founder, President and CEO P. Peter Ghoroghchian, MD, PhD. In 2021, we in-licensed and internally expanded our foundational IP portfolio on U1 Adaptor technology; we further recruited a world-class scientific advisory board, comprising academic and industry leaders in oligonucleotide therapeutics. Moving forward, Ceptur will use the proceeds of this financing round to advance our broad discovery pipeline of differentiated genetic medicines.

U1 Adaptors are bivalent oligonucleotides that engage sequence-specific mRNA and the U1 small nuclear ribonuclear protein (U1 snRNP), which is a ubiquitous intracellular machine that regulates transcription and splicing. U1 Adaptor therapeutics control gene expression at the pre-mRNA level within the nucleus, affording advantageous properties for drugging difficult targets.

Therapeutic approaches that target RNA have become an essential treatment modality for patients with genetic diseases and a priority for many biopharma companies; we believe that the U1 Adaptor technology is a differentiated approach to RNA regulation that has multiple potential advantages over current technologies, said Aaron Royston, M.D., M.B.A., Managing Partner at venBio Partners. We are excited to further build out Cepturs team and capabilities, to demonstrate these unique applications, and, ultimately, to advance novel therapeutics for patients with genetic diseases.

Colin Walsh, Ph.D., Partner at Qiming Venture Partners USA, added, RNA-based drugs have already become an essential tool in our therapeutic arsenal; and, we strongly believe that this modality will continue to deliver meaningful new therapies for patients. Cepturs use of synthetic oligonucleotides that engage U1 snRNP offers the ability to co-opt this master regulator of the transcriptome to regulate mRNA in a highly targeted fashion. We are thrilled to support Cepturs next phase of growth as they apply this disruptive approach for novel therapeutic applications.

With this financing, Aaron Royston, M.D., M.B.A., and Colin Walsh, Ph.D., join Cepturs Board of Directors.

Daniel Heller, M.S., M.B.A., General Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Affinity Asset Advisors, continued, In leading the Series Seed round, we identified early the potential of U1 Adaptor technology. Over the past year, we have worked closely with Peter and the Ceptur team and are delighted at the progress that has been made towards establishing the platform. In this financing round, we have significantly expanded upon our initial commitment and are inspired to partner with our new investor syndicate to advance U1 Adaptors for unmet patient needs.

To realize the revolutionary potential of the U1 Adaptor technology, several new members join Samuel Gunderson, Ph.D., co-founder of Ceptur, Professor of Molecular Biology at Rutgers University, and a leading expert on U1 snRNP biology, on Cepturs Scientific Advisory Board:

Thomas Andresen, Ph.D.Dr. Thomas L. Andresen is the CEO of T-Cypher Bio and the former CSO of Torque Therapeutics, now Repertoire Immune Medicines. While at Torque, he led the companys cellular immunotherapy programs from early-stage discovery to CMC scaling and through to clinical development. Dr. Andresen is a serial entrepreneur, having founded several US and EU life-science companies that further include Nanovi A/S and Monta Biosciences. His company creation track record spans early discovery to commercial and maps across multiple immunotherapy approaches for oncology. Dr. Andresen sits on several boards/advisory boards, including for Tidal Therapeutics (acquired by Sanofi), Monta Biosciences, and Nanovi; in academia, hes further founded the Institute of Health Technology at the Technical University of Denmark, where he maintains a professorial position. Dr. Andresen has co-authored over >200 research articles, has been listed as an inventor on >45 patent applications, and has received multiple research prizes, including the Elite Research Price from the Danish Ministry of Science.

Dennis Benjamin, Ph.D.Dr. Dennis Benjamin is the former SVP of Research at Seagen where he was a key developer of the companys ADC technology and clinical pipeline. Prior, he worked at Praecis Pharmaceuticals and Genetics Institute, advancing DNA encoded libraries and working in protein and small molecule discovery. Over his career, he has led teams that have discovered 25 biologics and small molecules that entered clinical trials and has contributed to 4 drug approvals. He is currently an advisor and SAB member at several start-up biotechnology companies.

Steven Dowdy, Ph.D.Dr. Steven F. Dowdy is a Professor of Cellular & Molecular Medicine at the UCSD School of Medicine and a cancer biologist, specializing in the development and delivery of RNA therapeutics as well as in G1 cell cycle control in cancer. The Dowdy lab is focused on the molecular details of delivery of RNA therapeutics across the endosomal lipid bilayer as well as the synthesis of endosomal escape domains to overcome this rate-limiting and billion year-old delivery challenge; its members were the first to synthesize bioreversible, charge neutralizing phosphotriester backbone RNAi prodrug triggers that increase metabolic stability, that augment pharmacokinetics and that enhance endosomal escape. Dr. Dowdy currently serves on five Science Advisory Boards for biotech companies and is an elected member of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS) Board of Directors.

Sridhar Ganesan, M.D., Ph.D.Dr. Shridar Ganesan is the Associate Director for Translational Science, Chief of the Section of Molecular Oncology, and the co-Leader of the Clinical Investigations and Precision Therapeutics Program at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey; he is also the Omar Boraie Chair in Genomic Science and Professor of Medicine at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Ganesan is a medical oncologist with clinical expertise in triple-negative breast cancer, hereditary breast cancer and rare cancer. His research interests include the characterization of DNA repair abnormalities in cancer with a focus on the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene, the multi-modal molecular characterizations of different cancers, and the identification of biomarkers of response and resistance in early phase clinical trials. He has authored or co-authored over 120 publications, serves on multiple national and international grant review committees and is an Associate Editor of JCO-Precision Oncology.

Adrian Krainer, Ph.D.Dr. Adrian Krainer is the St Giles Professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and Deputy Director of Research of the CSHL Cancer Center. A world-renowned biochemist recognized for his basic work on RNA splicing and the development of its mechanism-based therapeutic applications, his seminal work with antisense oligonucleotides in mouse models of spinal muscular atrophy led to the development of nusinersen (Spinraza), which is the first FDA-approved drug for this disease; he is also a co-founder and a member of the Board of Directors at Stoke Therapeutics (NASDAQ: STOK). Dr. Krainer is the recipient of the Life Sciences Breakthrough Prize, the RNA Societys Lifetime Achievement Award, the Reemtsma Foundation International Prize in Translational Neuroscience, the Speiser Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine, amongst others. He previously served as the President of the RNA Society and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Inventors, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Iain Mattaj, Ph.D.Dr. Iain Mattaj is the founding Director of Fondazione Human Technopole in Milan, Italy. Dr. Mattaj has made seminal contributions to the fields of transcription, RNA metabolism, nucleocytoplasmic transport and cell division. His prominent standings in these fields are underlined by his election as the past President of the RNA Society, Fellow of the Royal Society (London), Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, elected Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Member of Academia Europea, Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Science, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (London) and Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences (US). Dr. Mattaj was previously awarded the prestigious Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine in 2001. He is further a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and helped to make The EMBO Journal a highly successful international publication, acting as Executive Editor from 1990 to 2004. Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Mattaj was a member of EMBL Heidelberg, Germany, serving as Group Leader (1985-1990), Coordinator of the Gene Expression Unit (1990-1999), and, subsequently, as the institutes Scientific Director (1999-2005) and Director General (2005-2018).

Henrik Oerum, Ph.D.Dr. Henrik Oerum the co-founder and CSO of Civi BioPharma and has previously founded 3 other oligonucleotide companies. Dr. Oerum has over 25 years of experience in the development and commercialization of oligonucleotide therapeutics, has authored >70 peer reviewed publications, and has been listed as an inventor on numerous patents in the field. In 1993, he founded PNA Diagnostics A/S, where he was also the CSO until 1999. During his tenure at PNA, the company was sold to Boehringer Mannheim (1994) and later to Hoffman-La Roche (1997). In 1996, Dr. Oerum cofounded Exiqon A/S, a nucleic acid diagnostics company that was floated on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange in 2007 (CSE:EXQ). In 2000, he co-founded the LNA-oligotherapeutics company Santaris Pharma A/S, where he served as CSO and VP of Business Development until its acquisition by Roche in 2014. Thereafter, he worked for Roche Pharma as Global Head of RNA therapeutics until March 2016, where he left to pursue new opportunities, leading to his founding of CiVi.

Thomas Tuschl, Ph.D.Dr. Thomas Tuschl is a Professor of RNA Molecular Biology at Rockefeller University. Dr. Tuschl is world renown for his research on the regulation of RNA and has discovered small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). He is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences and the recipient of numerous awards, including the NIH Directors Transformative Research Project Award, the Ernst Jung Prize, the Max Delbrck Medal, the Molecular Bioanalytics Prize, the Meyenburg Prize, the Wiley Prize and the AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize. He is also the co-founder and a former Director of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALNY).

About Ceptur Therapeutics, Inc.Headquartered in Hillsborough New Jersey, Ceptur Therapeutics is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted oligonucleotide therapeutics based on U1 Adaptor technology. For more information about Ceptur Therapeutics, please visit http://www.cepturtx.com or follow http://www.linkedin.com/company/ceptur-therapeutics/ on Linkedin.

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Ceptur Therapeutics Launches with $75M Series A Financing to Advance RNA Therapeutics Based on Proprietary U1 Adaptor Technology - Business Wire

EdiGene Enters Strategic R&D Collaboration with Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem to Develop Hematopoietic Stem Cell Regenerative Therapies and…

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BEIJING & CAMBRIDGE, Mass., January 24, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EdiGene, Inc., a global biotechnology company focused on translating gene-editing technologies into transformative therapies for patients with serious genetic diseases and cancer, announced a research and development collaboration with Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem to develop hematopoietic stem cell regenerative therapies and platform technology by combining resources and expertise from both sides.

The Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, run by the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, is focused on conducting fundamental research, innovation, and translation in the cell ecosystem.

Under the agreement, both parties will jointly develop hematopoietic stem cell regenerative therapies, including the development of innovative genetically-modified hematopoietic stem cell therapies and the exploration of novel biomarkers to optimize quality control for stem cell production.

"With top-notch resources and industry-university-research cooperation, well facilitate the development of cell-based medicine and therapies," said Professor Tao Cheng, Deputy Director of Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem and President of the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, a leading hematology researcher who has made a series of discoveries relating to the regulatory and regenerative mechanisms of hematopoietic stem cells. "Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have the potential for long-term self-renewal and can differentiate into various types of mature blood cells. These stem cells can be harnessed to provide treatment for a broad range of diseases such as hematological tumors, autoimmune diseases, and hereditary blood disorders. We believe that this collaboration with EdiGene will accelerate the innovation and translation in the field of HSCs, thus enabling healthier patients with new therapies."

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Professor Cheng was awarded the second prize of the National Natural Science Award 2020 as the first author of work on basic and translational research that advanced the development of adult hematopoietic stem cells for therapeutic applications.

EdiGene is scaling up clinical translation and development of the first gene-editing hematopoietic stem cell therapy in China following the 2021 approval by the China National Medical Products Administration its IND for its investigational therapy ET-01. "Our team has extensive experience in the development and translation of cutting-edge technologies including hematopoietic stem cell and gene editing," said Dong Wei, Ph.D., CEO of EdiGene. "This collaboration with Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem will further our exploration in the field of hematopoietic stem cells. The partnership with this leading academic institute and our translational know-how enable us to move forward in bringing more innovative treatment options to patients in China and around the world."

In 2021, EdiGene initiated a Phase I multicenter clinical trial of ET-01, its gene-editing hematopoietic stem cell therapy for transfusion-dependent -thalassemia. EdiGene has enrolled the first patient at the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College. Currently, the clinical trial is being conducted in Tianjin and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area). EdiGene also presented its latest research on new surface markers and migration of hematopoietic stem cells at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in 2021.

About Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem

The Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem ("the Laboratory"), run by the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, is one of the five registered Haihe Laboratories approved by Tianjin Municipal People's Government. With the goal of promoting population health with cell ecosystem, the Laboratory adheres to developing technological frontier, enhancing peoples health, and promoting research, innovation, and development of cell ecosystem in five key areas: cellular ecosystem, cellular ecology and immunity, cellular ecological imbalance and major diseases, cellular ecological reconstruction and frontier technology of cellular ecological research.

About Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital (IH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CAMS/PUMC)

Founded in 1957, IH is a tertiary specialty hospital under the National Health Commission of China and is the supporting unit of the National Clinical Research Center of Hematologic Diseases and the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology. It is also the main founding unit of Tianjin Base, the core base of the Chinese medical science and technology innovation system with the goal of becoming "the innovation hub of hematology in China." IH mainly engages in basic research, applied research, clinical diagnosis and treatment of hematological diseases, standard-setting, new technology research, new drug evaluation, and translation in hematology and related fields. IH is leading in the diagnosis and treatment of hematological diseases in China and a global scale and has made original achievements. Since 2010, IH has been awarded first place in the Hospital Specialty Reputation Ranking (Hematology) for 12 consecutive years. It has won first place in the Hematology Specialty Ranking for ten consecutive years since 2010 and ranked the first in hematology by the Scientific and Technological Evaluation Metrics (STEM) for Chinese hospitals for eight consecutive years since 2014.

About EdiGene, Inc

EdiGene is a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on translating gene editing technologies into transformative therapies for patients with serious genetic diseases and cancer. The company has established its proprietary ex vivo genome-editing platforms for hematopoietic stem cells and T cells, in vivo therapeutic platform based on RNA base editing, and high-throughput genome-editing screening to discover novel targeted therapies. Founded in 2015, EdiGene is headquartered in Beijing, with offices in Guangzhou and Shanghai, China and Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. More information can be found at http://www.EdiGene.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220124005428/en/

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Xiaomeng ZhangEdiGene, Inc.+86 10-80733899media@edigene.com

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EdiGene Enters Strategic R&D Collaboration with Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem to Develop Hematopoietic Stem Cell Regenerative Therapies and...

Roche revives a closely watched Huntington’s disease drug – BioPharma Dive

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Dive Brief:

As 2021 began, Huntington's drug research appeared to be on the verge of turning a corner.

Both Roche and Wave Life Sciences were advancing drugs that were similarly designed to block production of a protein implicated in disease progression. For Roche, the stakes were particularly high: A successful result could've led to an approval application for the first drug that might slow the march of the deadly, inherited disease.

By the end of the first quarter, however, both companies reported negative data, raising questions about their drugs as well as researchers' understanding of Huntington's. It also dialed up pressure on companies with earlier stage projects, such as UniQure and Passage Bio.

But it turns out Roche isn't done with tominersen after all, a decision that could have implications for others. While the new clinical trial will be a small, Phase 2 test that will require follow-up studies, tominersen remains one of the most advanced disease-modifying drug in clinical development for Huntington's.

The Swiss drugmaker is in "the early stages" of designing the new trial, Ionis said, which will evaluate different doses of tominersen in younger patients with less severe disease. Roche will share the design of the trial with Huntington's disease specialists in medical meetings later this year, according to Ionis.

Ahead of the trial design presentations, Roche later this week will begin a series of webinars to discuss with Huntington's specialists the after-the-fact analysis of GENERATION-HD1 that hinted at a benefit for the younger, less severe patients.

Roche's Huntington's collaboration with Ionis dates back to 2013, when the big drugmaker acquired initial licensing rights for $30 million and promised up to $362 million in future payouts. Following positive signs in early testing, Roche paid $45 million to license tominersen and cover clinical development as well as commercial costs.

As a disease caused by an identifiable genetic defect, Huntington's seems to be a good target for a medicine that can block the mutation, which results in a flawed version of a protein called huntingtin. Tominersen is a type of medicine known as antisense oligonucleotide and works by going after the RNA that encodes for the protein.

Gene therapies are also aimed at the disease's genetic cause, but work by replacing the defective gene with what could in theory be a one-time treatment. Tominersen, by comparison, was given to patients once every eight or 16 weeks in GENERATION-HD1.

An estimated 41,000 people in the U.S. have Huntington's disease, although many are undiagnosed.

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WashU part of $65 million NIH study of schizophrenia in young people Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis – Washington University…

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Teens, young adults needed for study aimed at improving early diagnosis

Daniel Mamah, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received a grant as part of an international study focused on young people at high risk of schizophrenia. Mamah and his colleagues plan to characterize symptoms that can help diagnose schizophrenia early, as well as identify biomarkers in the blood and brain that may help predict risk.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is part of a major international study aimed at identifying causes and effects of the early stages of schizophrenia in young people, with the goal of improving early diagnosis and treatment.

The mental illness is characterized by alterations in thoughts, feelings and behaviors, which may include psychosis, a loss of contact with reality.

By studying young people at high risk of schizophrenia, the researchers plan to characterize the variety of symptoms that can help diagnose schizophrenia early, as well as identify biomarkers in the blood and brain that may help predict risk. Such information could help identify drug targets that have potential for treating schizophrenia early or even preventing problems, such as disordered thinking, that are associated with the disease.

For the study, the researchers are seeking adolescent and young adult volunteers, ages 12 to 30, who have experienced symptoms of psychosis such as hallucinations, delusions or intrusive disturbing thoughts suggesting they may be at risk for developing schizophrenia.

About 100,000 young people in the United States experience a first episode of psychosis every year, and over 1 million children and adolescents experience other problems in perception, thinking, mood and social functioning that put them at risk for schizophrenia, said Daniel Mamah, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and the lead investigator at the Washington University clinical site. Those problems tend to get worse over time, especially when untreated, so the goal here is to identify problems at the earliest possible stage.

The Psychosis-Risk Outcomes Network (ProNET) study is funded by a grant of more than $65 million from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Overall, the study will recruit 1,040 young people at high risk of schizophrenia at 26 sites around the world. There are 18 U.S. sites, with other sites in Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Germany, China and South Korea. About 50 patients will be enrolled in the study at the Washington University site.

The grant is a component of an NIH public-private partnership designed to meet the urgent need for early therapeutic interventions for people at high risk of developing schizophrenia. The effort brings together the NIH, the Food and Drug Administration, and a number of nonprofit and private universities and other organizations, including Washington University.

The groups involved are working toward the shared mission of discovering promising biological markers to help identify those at high risk for schizophrenia as early as possible, track the progression of their symptoms and other outcomes, and identify targets for treatment.

Schizophrenia is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, but it often goes undiagnosed until symptoms have become disruptive in a persons life. Treatment delays can be associated with long-term problems, such as alcohol and drug abuse, difficulty holding a job and homelessness.

Just being at high risk of schizophrenia is increasingly recognized as a public health problem that affects adolescents and young adults, Mamah said. To develop more effective therapies, we must characterize the substantial variations of symptoms among those at risk, as well as untangle the roots of those differences.

Many experts think that by detecting schizophrenia earlier and starting treatment sooner, it may be possible to relieve, postpone or even prevent some of the long-term difficulties associated with the disorder.

Often, when doctors first see young patients who may have experienced a psychotic episode, its not possible to know whether they are on the path to more serious problems, partly because the early symptoms of schizophrenia can vary so much between individuals, Mamah said. By studying brain structure and function, psychopathology and cognition, genetics, behavior and other factors, this project is designed to identify patients at high risk so that when we have available treatments, they can begin receiving those treatments more quickly.

Mamah is director of the Washington Early Recognition Center, a Washington University clinic that treats young people experiencing the earliest signs of mental illness involving psychosis and those in early stages of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia and some forms of bipolar disorder.

The study is enrolling young people who may be at risk for schizophrenia after experiencing an episode of psychosis or other symptoms for example, a young person who previously was outgoing but suddenly becomes more introverted and withdrawn, who stops doing as well in school as in the past, or who begins to behave in a suspicious or paranoid manner or seems to respond to voices that no one else hears.

Young people experiencing such symptoms can be referred by doctors, parents or teachers who worry that the adolescent or young adult may be developing problems. Those under 18 must have a parents or guardians consent to participate in the study. Young men and women over age 18 who think they may qualify can refer themselves to the study. A short screening on the groups website gives young people the option to provide information if they might be interested in clinical services or in participating in the study.

Researchers will follow study volunteers for two years, assessing genetic and clinical biomarkers that may be linked to hallucinations or intrusive thoughts. The researchers also will conduct imaging studies of brain structure and function and collect blood and saliva samples. In addition, subjects will be assessed for psychopathology, language, speech and cognitive ability.

For more information about the study, call Carli Ryan at 314-362-5216, e-mail carli.ryan@wustl.edu, or visit the clinics website.

This work is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Grant number U01 MH124639.

Washington University School of Medicines 1,700 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, and is among the top recipients of research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

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WashU part of $65 million NIH study of schizophrenia in young people Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - Washington University...

UTSW researchers take new approach to fight viral infections – UT Southwestern

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An immunofluorescence micrograph of cells infected by RSV (RSV is green, cells are red)

DALLAS Jan. 24, 2022 A new approach that targets the cellular machinery that viruses need to reproduce rather than the virus itself appears to stem replication of a common childhood pathogen known as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), UT Southwestern researchers report in a new study. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, could offer a novel strategy to fight this virus and others, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Jeffrey Kahn, M.D., Ph.D.

RSV is far and away the major respiratory pathogen in infants and children, said study leader Jeffrey Kahn, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at UT Southwestern, and Director of Infectious Diseases and Medical Director of Research at Childrens Medical Center Dallas. The approach weve discovered turns the tables on this virus and potentially others in a whole new way.

RSV is a leading cause of pediatric deaths worldwide, killing an estimated 160,000 children each year, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. But although 65 years have passed since its discovery, there are still no effective treatments or a vaccine. Although some promising antiviral drugs have been explored that target components of this and other viruses, explained Dr. Kahn, viruses inevitably evolve to develop resistance against these compounds.

Taking a completely new approach, Dr. Kahn and his colleagues used genetic and pharmacological inhibition to search for vulnerable cellular pathways that RSV hijacks to replicate itself. Their experiments showed that inhibiting various components of a protein network known as the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway prevented RSV from replicating in human cells. They also showed that this same strategy inhibited OC43, a human coronavirus in the same viral subfamily as SARS-CoV-2.

Because some of the drugs shown to inhibit mTOR components and block viral replication in this study are already approved by the Food and Drug Administration, they could offer hope for quick approval as antivirals against RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and other viral infections if further research confirms their utility, Dr. Kahn said.

Dr. Kahn holds the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay Chair in Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

Other scientists who contributed to this study include HoangDinh Huynh and Ruth Levitz of UTSW, and Rong Huang of Childrens Medical Center.

This research was funded by UTSWs Department of Pediatrics and the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay Chair in Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

About UTSouthwestern Medical Center

UTSouthwestern, one of the nations premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institutions faculty has received six Nobel Prizes and includes 25 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 16 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 2,800 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UTSouthwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 117,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 3 million outpatient visits a year.

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UTSW researchers take new approach to fight viral infections - UT Southwestern

Promising ALS therapy moves closer to clinic – EurekAlert

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NEW YORK, NY (Jan. 24, 2022)--An experimental drug, first tried at Columbia University Irving Medical Center as a last-ditch effort to help a 25-year-old woman withjuvenile ALS, is now being tested in ALS patients in a global, phase 3 clinical trial, based on promising results from a new study at Columbia.

The study found that the druginformally named jacifusenlowered levels of FUS, a toxic protein in the womans neurons and in mice with the disease.

The clinical trial will be pivotal in determining if the drug can slow the progression of the disease.

Though the drug was possibly too little, too late, to help the young woman who first received it, the study found that it had a profound effect, virtually eliminating the toxic proteins in the central nervous system and reducing the burden of FUS pathology dramatically, says study leader Neil Shneider, MD, PhD, the Claire Tow Associate Professor of Motor Neuron Disorders in the Department of Neurology and director of the Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Together with our animal data, this study suggests that the drug has the potential to delay or prevent ALS caused by mutant FUS before symptoms appear or slow clinical progression after disease onset.

The story of Jacifusen

Jacifusen gets its name from Jaci Hermstad, the first person to receive the drug, but it was already in development before Jaci was diagnosed with ALS.

ALS is usually associated with adults, but a rare and aggressive form of the disease can affect individuals, like Jaci, in their teens or 20s. The disease attacks the patients motor neurons, which control the bodys muscles, until the patient can no longer move or breathe unassisted.

Several years ago, researchers discovered that most adolescents and young adults with ALS have mutations in a gene calledFUS.

In a study of a series of mouse models with ALS-relatedFUSmutations published in 2016, and in another series in the current study, Shneider found that the mutant FUS protein is toxic to motor neurons, suggesting that lowering FUS levels by silencing the gene that makes the protein might protect neurons in ALS patients with the mutation.

In 2018, Shneider met Jaci, a young woman from Iowa whose identical twin sister had died of ALS caused by a genetic mutation in theFUSgene.Soon after, Jaci began to show signs and symptoms of ALS. Shneider immediately reached out to Ionis Pharmaceuticalsa leading developer of antisense therapeuticslooking for a drug that shuts down production of the FUS protein, which might slow the progression of Jacis disease. This led to the identification of ION363, a compound that effectively lowered FUS levels in the mouse brain and spinal cord and prevented disease onset in the mouse model of FUS-related ALS. However, this drughad never been tested in humans.

With remarkable speed, Shneider won special permission from the Food and Drug Administration to give the drug to Jaci through its compassionate use program, which makes experimental treatments available to seriously ill patients outside of clinical trials. There was no time to waste. People with these mutations usually die within a year of diagnosis, Shneider says.

Jaci received the first of several doses of the drug in 2019. We saw a significant slowdown in her functional decline, suggesting that the drug was working as intended, but sadly, her disease was already advanced by the time she began the treatment and she died about a year later, Shneider says.

New study suggests jacifusen eliminates toxic proteins

In his new study, published Jan. 24, 2022, in Nature Medicine, Shneider found that a single infusion of jacifusen at birth in a mouse model effectively silenced theFUSgene, reduced FUS protein levels in the brain and spinal cord, and delayed motor neuron degeneration in the miceall with no apparent side effects.

In Jaci, jacifusen also caused profound changes in the brain. Examination of Jacis brain tissue, donated by Jaci and the Hermstad family, found that treatment with the eponymous drug markedly reduced FUS protein clumpsa hallmark of the diseasein her brain cells. At a cellular level, jacifusen was extremely effective at doing what we hoped it would do, he said.

The findings, along with encouraging signs from 10 other patients who received jacifusen under the compassionate use program, convinced Ionis to sponsor a pivotalphase 3 clinical trialatColumbia and multiple other sites in the United States, Europe and Asia. The trial, led by Shneider, will enroll at least 64 patients.

This trial will determine if jacifusen is safe, and if it can effectively slow disease progression in symptomatic FUS-ALS patients.If approved, jacifusen would be the first treatment for this highly aggressive form of early-onset ALS, Shneider says.

Future studies will determine if jacifusen works if given to people with ALS-associated FUS mutationsbeforethey become symptomatic, as it did in the mouse studies.

This study is an example of truly personalized medicine in the 21stcentury.

More information

The study was published online [January 24, 2022] inNature Medicine.

The study is titled, Antisense oligonucleotide silencing of FUS expression as a therapeutic approach in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The other contributors are:Vladislav A. Korobeynikov(CUIMC), Alexander K. Lyashchenko(CUIMC),Beatriz Blanco-Redondo(Columbia andLeipzig University, Leipzig, Germany), and Paymaan Jafar-nejad (Ionis Pharmaceuticals).

The study was supported by grants fromthe National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS106236) and the Tow Foundation. Support for the FUS ASO (ION363) expanded access program was provided by Project ALS and the ALS Association. Additional funding was provided by Nancy Perlman and Tom Klingenstein and the Judith and Jean Pape Adams Charitable Foundation.

The authors declare no competing interests.

###

Columbia University Irving Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, preclinical, and clinical research; medical and health sciences education; and patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Columbia University Irving Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and State and one of the largest faculty medical practices in the Northeast. For more information, visit cuimc.columbia.edu or columbiadoctors.org.

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Antisense oligonucleotide silencing of FUS expression as a therapeutic approach in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

24-Jan-2022

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Promising ALS therapy moves closer to clinic - EurekAlert

5 Slides We’re Discussing: Gene therapy and the promise for rare disease – State of Reform – State of Reform

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Gene therapies have yielded promising results for individuals experiencing rare diseases. However, these groundbreaking therapies come with their own unique set of challenges regarding who will be able to access them, how much they will cost, and how the policymaking and scientific processes will conflict as more and more therapies undergo clinical trials.

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Last week, we convened a panel of experts to address these questions and discuss potential solutions in our latest 5 Slides Were Watching conversation, led by State of Reforms DJ Wilson. The panel featured Danny Seiden, president & CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Jennifer Hodge, U.S. DMD Gene Therapy Lead at Pfizer, Dr. Rafael Fonseca, chief innovation officer at Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Sharon Hesterlee, chief research officer at the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Hesterlee brought a slide showing the prevalence of rare diseases in Arizona, noting that 5,500 Arizonans were estimated to be living with rare genetic neuromuscular diseases that were potentially treatable with gene therapy. She highlighted that Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Myotonic dystrophy were the most prominent, and that both diseases currently have gene therapy treatments in preclinical development.

She emphasized that ethics need to be an important part of the conversation, and that it will be critical to educate patients and families about the treatments irreversible implications as more and more therapies begin to launch.

Its a permanent change to someone. What we see in particular with parents of a child who has a pediatric disease, they are put in a very difficult position because they have to make a decision without always understanding all of the science and all of the implications.

So I think there is a huge requirement for the physician [who does the informed consent] to be very clear, and then the parents have to decide if it doesnt work, my child cannot be redosed, my child may not be eligible for another trial I think thats been a big challenge and something that weve tried to help our community in the neuro-muscular disease space navigate.

Seiden brought a slide displaying the economic benefits that would come with the increased prevalence of gene therapies. He noted that outdated systems of payment would not be applicable to this kind of treatment, and that these therapies would allow for one-time costs as opposed to a lifetime of treatment for patients with rare diseases.

When you deal with rare diseases, you need to look at it on an annualized basis over the cost of a lifetime, because gene therapy has the potential to save money and a lot of heartache for the patients and the families involved with it Arizona is one of a handful of states that allows for value-based purchasing when it comes to Medicaid contracts With the [Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)], which is by far the largest provider, theyve recognized that you have to look at patient outcomes. Its not just about that initial upfront cost.

Hodge presented a slide illustrating the unmet needs of individuals with rare diseases and the potential impacts that gene therapies can have on these individuals. She emphasized the urgent need for innovative treatments for these diseases, as 95% of rare diseases worldwide have limited or no approved treatment options, and 80% of those rare diseases have a genetic cause. She said this makes patients with rare disease collectively one of the most underserved communities in medicine today.

She said educating every organization involved in the process of developing these therapies on the stories of real patients affected by these diseases will be critical as gene therapies move through both scientific and legislative processes.

Its really to address the underlying cause of rare diseases at the root, meaning the genetics, not the symptoms It cant be a line item in a bill, it cant be something on a piece of paper that you hear about, it has to be someone telling their story [and] thinking about the patient and what theyre going through.

You can learn so much by just sitting and talking and just hearing their story, and little things that you didnt even know affected them We need to bring that to more of the audience thats involved in making some of these decisions so they can see it as more than just a line on a piece of paper when theyre deciding something.

Fonseca showed a slide explaining some specific uses of gene therapy that could potentially provide individualized, life-saving treatment to people with red blood cell diseases, as well as preventive genetic interventions for diseases like cancer.

When you think about this approach in looking at the rare disorders, it turns out that by extrapolation, a lot of the diseases that we consider common also become more and more individualized, and therefore, theyre more and more unique. More and more, we see approaches that have to be very, very much [a] tailored design for patients

To have someone who is born with [a red-blood cell disorder] return to normal red blood cell function is just enormous. This is a worldwide problem, its a problem thats associated with pain, serious medical problems, a shorter lifespan, and great expenditures for the health system, and so [Im very excited about where were at with this].

Wilson highlighted that while few gene therapies have been officially launched in the market, many are currently in pre-clinical and clinical trials and are expected to provide promising health solutions for the future.

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5 Slides We're Discussing: Gene therapy and the promise for rare disease - State of Reform - State of Reform

Worldwide Genomic Cancer Panel and Profiling Industry to 2024 – Next Generation Sequencing Fuels a Revolution – PRNewswire

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DUBLIN, Jan. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Genomic Cancer Panel and Profiling Markets by Cancer, by Application, by Tissue and by Gene Type with Screening potential Market Size, Forecasting/Analysis, and Executive and Consultant Guides" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report provides data that analysts and planners can use. Hundreds of pages of information including a complete list of Current 2021 United States Medicare Fee Payment Schedules to help understand test pricing in detail. Forecast demand for new testing regimes or technologies. Make research investment decisions. Existing laboratories and hospitals can use the information directly to forecast and plan for clinical facilities growth.

Cancer Gene Panels and Genomic Profiling are quickly changing the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. The market is moving out of a specialized niche and going mainstream as Oncologists begin routinely using information on the hundreds of genes related to cancer. The market is exploding as physicians use all the information they can get in the battle against cancer.

While Pharmaceutical Companies see the potential to make nearly any therapy viable. The report has data on how test volumes have grown for the biggest players. Find out how this new way of understanding cancer will change cancer diagnostics forever.

Comprehensive panels, genomic profiling, high risk breast cancer panels. Learn all about how players are jockeying for position in a market that is being created from scratch. And some players are pulling way out in front and expanding globally. It is a dynamic market situation with enormous opportunity where the right diagnostic with the right support can command premium pricing. And the science is developing at the same time creating new opportunities with regularity. And the cost of sequencing continues to fall.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Market Guides1.1 Cancer Panel Market - Strategic Situation Analysis & COVID Update1.2 Large Comprehensive Cancer Panel Market - Situation Analysis1.3 Guide for Executives, Marketing, Sales and Business Development Staff1.4 Guide for Management Consultants and Investment Advisors1.5 Market Size and Shares - Large Comprehensive

2 Introduction and Market Definition2.1 What are Cancer Gene Panels and Profiling?2.2 The Sequencing Revolution2.3 Market Definition2.3.1 Revenue Market Size2.4 Methodology2.4.1 Authors2.4.2 Sources2.5 A Spending Perspective on Clinical Laboratory Testing2.5.1 An Historical Look at Clinical Testing

3 Market Overview3.1 Players in a Dynamic Market3.1.1 Academic Research Lab3.1.2 Diagnostic Test Developer3.1.3 Instrumentation Supplier3.1.4 Distributor and Reagent Supplier3.1.5 Independent Testing Lab3.1.6 Public National/regional lab3.1.7 Hospital lab3.1.8 Physician Office Labs3.1.9 Audit Body3.1.10 Certification Body3.2 Oncogenomics3.2.1 Carcinogenesis3.2.2 Chromosomes, Genes and Epigenetics3.2.2.1 Chromosomes3.2.2.2 Genes3.2.2.3 Epigenetics3.2.3 Cancer Genes3.2.4 Germline vs Somatic3.2.5 Gene Panels, Single Gene Assays and Multiplexing3.2.6 Genomic Profiling3.2.7 The Comprehensive Assay3.2.8 Changing Clinical Role3.2.9 The Cancer Screening Market Opportunity3.3 Cancer Management vs. Diagnosis3.3.1 The Role of Risk Assessment3.3.2 Diagnosis3.3.3 Managing3.3.4 Monitoring3.4 Phases of Adoption - Looking into The Future3.5 Structure of Industry Plays a Part3.5.1 Hospital Testing Share3.5.2 Economies of Scale3.5.2.1 Hospital vs. Central Lab3.5.3 Physician Office Lab's3.5.4 Physician's and POCT3.6 Currently Available Large Comprehensive Assays3.7 Pricing Profiling vs. Whole Exome (or Genome) Sequencing3.7.1 Medicare Profile Pricing3.7.2 Whole Exome Sequencing

4 Market Trends4.1 Factors Driving Growth4.1.1 Level of Care4.1.2 Companion Dx4.1.3 Immuno-oncology4.1.4 Liability4.1.5 Aging Population4.2 Factors Limiting Growth4.2.1 State of knowledge4.2.2 Genetic Blizzard4.2.3 Protocol Resistance4.2.4 Regulation and coverage4.3 Instrumentation and Automation4.3.1 Instruments Key to Market Share4.3.2 Bioinformatics Plays a Role4.4 Diagnostic Technology Development4.4.1 Next Generation Sequencing Fuels a Revolution4.4.2 Single Cell Genomics Changes the Picture4.4.3 Pharmacogenomics Blurs Diagnosis and Treatment4.4.4 CGES Testing, A Brave New World4.4.5 Biochips/Giant magneto resistance based assay

5 Cancer Panels & Profiles Recent Developments5.1 Recent Developments - Importance and How to Use This Section5.1.1 Importance of These Developments5.1.2 How to Use This Section5.2 Dante Labs Acquires Cambridge Cancer Genomics5.3 Celemics, Strand Partner on Integrated Platform for NGS Analysis5.4 Myriad Genetics Recalibrates Breast Cancer Panel for All Ancestries5.5 Burning Rock Revenues Rise5.6 Caris Life Sciences to Expand Liquid Biopsy Testing5.7 OncoDiag Announces Multiplex Test for Bladder Cancer Recurrence5.8 Intermountain and Myriad Combine Test Offering5.9 Illumina, Geneseeq to Offer Cancer Testing Kits in China5.10 Exact Sciences to Offer End-to-End Cancer Testing5.11 Guardant Health Turns to Tumor Tissue Sequencing5.12 Tempus Inks Oncology Testing Collaboration With Bayer5.13 Biocartis Collaborating With GeneproDx, Endpoint Health on Tests for Idylla Platform5.14 Wales to Routinely Screen Cancer Patients With Yourgene Elucigene Test5.15 Metastatic Cancer Markers Identified in Clinical WGS Study5.16 Stitch Bio Bets on CRISPR Tech5.17 Bayer, LifeLabs Launch Free NTRK Genetic Testing Program5.18 Foundation Medicine Liquid Biopsy Gets FDA Approval for Multiple Companion Dx5.19 Progress, Challenges in Liquid Biopsy Reimbursement5.20 Israeli Startup Curesponse Raises $6M5.21 Invitae, ArcherDX Merge to Advance Precision Oncology Offerings5.22 MD Anderson Precision Oncology Decision Support to Use Philips' Informatics Solution5.23 NeoGenomics, Lilly Oncology Partner for Thyroid Cancer Testing Program5.24 Germline Results Guides Precision Therapy in Advanced Cancer5.25 FDA Clears Cancer Genomic Profiling Kit From Personal Genome Diagnostics5.26 ArcherDX, Premier Collaborate to Evaluate Genomic Sequencing Assay for Cancers5.27 Labs Reporting Cancer Risk Mutations from Tumor Testing5.28 Users Begin Integrating Genomics Data for Clinical Decision Support5.29 Fujitsu Improves Efficiency in Cancer Genomic Medicine5.30 Thermo Fisher's automated sequencer to offer same-day, pan-cancer test results5.31 Universal Genetic Testing for All Breast Cancer Patients5.32 Exact Sciences buys Genomic Health5.33 Multi-Gene Liquid Biopsy Breast Cancer Panel5.34 Thrive to Develop Earlier Detection of Multiple Cancer Types5.35 New Gene Panel Identifies High Risk Prostate Cancer5.36 Guardant Health Liquid Biopsy Test to be Covered by EviCore5.37 Biocept Partnership Offering for Liquid Biopsy Adds Several Key Services5.38 Natera Commercializes Tumor Whole Exome Sequencing from Plasma5.39 Inivata Completes 39.8M Series B Funding Round5.40 Bio-Rad Clinical ddPCR Test, Diagnostic System Get FDA Clearance5.41 CellMax, Medigen Biotech Partner in Colorectal Cancer Clinical Trials5.42 Biodesix Acquires Integrated Diagnostics5.43 Predicine, Kintor Pharmaceuticals Partner on Clinical Trials, CDx

6 Profiles of Key Players6.1 10x Genomics, Inc6.2 Abbott Diagnostics6.3 AccuraGen Inc6.4 Adaptive Biotechnologies6.5 Aethlon Medical6.6 Agena Bioscience, Inc6.7 Agilent/Dako6.8 Anchor Dx6.9 ANGLE plc6.10 ApoCell, Inc.6.11 ArcherDx, Inc6.12 ARUP Laboratories6.13 Asuragen6.14 AVIVA Biosciences6.15 Baylor Miraca Genetics Laboratories6.16 Beckman Coulter Diagnostics6.17 Becton, Dickinson and Company6.18 BGI Genomics Co. Ltd6.19 Bioarray Genetics6.20 Biocartis6.21 Biocept, Inc6.22 Biodesix Inc6.23 BioFluidica6.24 BioGenex6.25 BioIVT6.26 Biolidics Ltd6.27 bioMerieux Diagnostics6.28 Bioneer Corporation6.29 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc6.30 Bio-Reference Laboratories6.31 Bio-Techne6.32 Bioview6.33 Bolidics6.34 Boreal Genomics6.35 Bristol-Myers Squibb6.36 Burning Rock6.37 Cancer Genetics6.38 Caris Molecular Diagnostics6.39 Castle Biosciences, Inc.6.40 Celemics6.41 CellMax Life6.42 Cepheid (Danaher)6.43 Charles River Laboratories6.44 Chronix Biomedical6.45 Circulogene6.46 Clinical Genomics6.47 Cynvenio6.48 Cytolumina Technologies Corp6.49 CytoTrack6.50 Datar Cancer Genetics Limited6.51 Diagnologix LLC6.52 Diasorin S.p.A6.53 Enzo Life Sciences, Inc6.54 Epic Sciences6.55 Epigenomics AG6.56 Eurofins Scientific6.57 Exact Sciences6.58 Exosome Diagnostics6.59 Exosome Sciences6.60 Fabric Genomics6.61 Fluidigm Corp6.62 Fluxion Biosciences6.63 Foundation Medicine6.64 Freenome6.65 FUJIFILM Wako Diagnostics6.66 GeneFirst Ltd.6.67 Genetron Holdings6.68 GenomOncology6.69 GILUPI Nanomedizin6.70 Grail, Inc.6.71 Guardant Health6.72 HalioDx6.73 HansaBiomed6.74 HeiScreen6.75 Helomics6.76 Horizon Discovery6.77 HTG Molecular Diagnostics6.78 iCellate6.79 Illumina6.80 Incell Dx6.81 Inivata6.82 Integrated Diagnostics6.83 Invitae Corporation6.84 Invivogen6.85 Invivoscribe6.86 Janssen Diagnostics6.87 MDNA Life SCIENCES, Inc6.88 MDx Health6.89 Menarini Silicon Biosystems6.90 Millipore Sigma6.91 Miltenyi Biotec6.92 MIODx6.93 miR Scientific6.94 Molecular MD6.95 MyCartis6.96 Myriad Genetics/Myriad RBM6.97 NantHealth, Inc.6.98 Natera6.99 NeoGenomics6.100 New Oncology6.101 NGeneBio6.102 Novogene Bioinformatics Technology Co., Ltd.6.103 Oncocyte6.104 OncoDNA6.105 Ortho Clinical Diagnostics6.106 Oxford Nanopore Technologies6.107 Panagene6.108 Perkin Elmer6.109 Personal Genome Diagnostics6.110 Personalis6.111 Precipio6.112 PrecisionMed6.113 Promega6.114 Qiagen Gmbh6.115 Rarecells SAS6.116 RareCyte6.117 Roche Molecular Diagnostics6.118 Screencell6.119 Sense Biodetection6.120 Serametrix6.121 Siemens Healthineers6.122 Silicon Biosystems6.123 simfo GmbH6.124 Singlera Genomics Inc6.125 Singulomics6.126 SkylineDx6.127 Stratos Genomics6.128 Sysmex Inostics6.129 Tempus Labs, Inc6.130 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc6.131 Thrive Earlier Detection6.132 Todos Medical6.133 Trovagene6.134 Variantyx6.135 Volition6.136 Vortex Biosciences

7 The Global Market for Cancer Gene Panels and Profiles

8 Global Cancer Gene Panels & Profiles Markets - By Type of Cancer

9 Global Cancer Gene Panels & Profiles Markets - By Type of Application

10 Global Cancer Gene Panels & Profiles Markets - By Tissue Type

11 Global Cancer Gene Testing Markets - Germline and Somatic11.1 Global Market Somatic11.1.1 Table Somatic - by Country11.1.2 Chart - Somatic Testing Growth11.2 Global Market Germline11.2.1 Table Germline - by Country11.2.2 Chart - Germline Testing Growth

12 Potential Market Opportunity Sizes12.1 Potential Cancer Screening by Country: Lung, Breast & Colorectal12.2 Potential Cancer Screening by Country: Prostate, Other Cancer & All Cancer12.3 Potential Market Size - Cancer Diagnosis12.4 Potential Market Size - Therapy Selection

13 Appendices

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qwgvdr

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Genetic Research Shows Rapid Immune Response in Children Protects Them From COVID-19 – SciTechDaily

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Discovery of importance of interferon response in preventing serious infection will underpin new diagnostics and therapeutics.

Fundamental differences in the immune response of adults and children can help to explain why children are much less likely to become seriously ill from SARS-CoV-2, according to new research from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University College London, and their collaborators.

The study, published in the journal Nature, is the most comprehensive single-cell study to compare SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults and children across multiple organs. Researchers found that a stronger innate immune response in the airways of children, characterized by the rapid deployment of interferons, helped to restrict viral replication early on. In adults, a less rapid immune response meant the virus was better able to invade other parts of the body where the infection was harder to control.

As part of the Human Cell Atlas1 initiative to map every cell type in the human body, the findings will be a valuable contribution to predict personal risk from SARS-CoV-2. A nasal swab to measure the immune response in newly infected adults could be used to identify those at higher risk who may be candidates for pre-emptive monoclonal antibody treatment. Recent research has also suggested inhalation of interferons could be a viable therapy2.

The immune system that we are born with is not the same as the one we have as adults. The innate immune system of children is better able to recognize dangerous viruses or bacteria automatically, triggering nave B and T cells that can adapt to the threat. Adults have a more adaptive immune system containing a huge repertoire of memory B and T cell types, which have been trained through past exposure to respond to a particular threat3. Though the adult immune system also has an innate response, it is more active in children.

One of the key mechanisms of both immune systems is a group of proteins called interferons, which are released in the presence of viral or bacterial threats and tell nearby cells to tighten their defenses. Interferons are proteins with strong anti-viral activity and their production will typically lead to the activation of B and T cells, which kill infected cells and prevent the pathogen from spreading further.

For this study, researchers at University College London (UCL) and affiliated hospitals4 collected and processed matched airway and blood samples from 19 pediatric and 18 adult COVID-19 patients with symptoms ranging from asymptomatic to severe, as well as control samples from 41 healthy children and adults.

Single-cell sequencing of the samples was done at the Wellcome Sanger Institute to generate a dataset of 659,217 individual cells. These cells were then analyzed, revealing 59 different cell types in airways and 34 cell types in blood, including some never previously described.

Analysis showed that interferons were more strongly expressed in healthy children compared to adults, with a more rapid immune response to infection in childrens airways. This would help to restrict viral replication early on and give children an immediate advantage in preventing the virus from infecting the blood and other organs.

Because SARS-CoV-2 is a new virus, it isnt something that the adaptive immune system of adults has learned to respond to. The innate immune system of children is more flexible and better able to respond to new threats. What we see at a molecular level are high levels of interferons and a very quick immune response in children that helps to explain why they are less severely affected by COVID-19 than adults.

Dr. Masahiro Yoshida, University College London

The study also detailed how the immune system of adults, with its high numbers of killer immune cells such as B and T cells, can work against the body once SARS-CoV-2 has spread to other parts of a patient.

Compared to children, adult blood has a greater number and variety of cytotoxic immune cells, which are designed to kill infected cells to prevent an infection spreading. But it is a fine line between helping and hindering. Once the virus has spread to several areas of the body, organ damage can be caused by the immune system trying and failing to control the infection. Our study shows that not only do children respond better initially, if the virus does enter the blood the cytotoxic response is less forceful.

Dr. Marko Nikolic, University College London

Knowing exactly how and why the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 can fail to control the infection or start to harm the body provides scientists with the means to start asking why certain individuals may be at greater risk of serious illness.

These data suggest that newly diagnosed adults could be tested to check interferon levels in the airway. Higher interferon levels, similar to those found in children, would suggest a lower risk of severe disease, whereas low interferon levels would suggest higher risk. Higher risk patients could then be considered for pre-emptive treatments such as monoclonal antibodies, which are expensive and can be in limited supply.

To put it simply, the innate immune response is better at fighting COVID-19 and children have stronger innate immunity, but immunity is also a complex ballet involving many types of cells. The timing and the types of cells that are triggered will influence how an infection develops, and this will vary between individuals for all sorts of reasons in addition to age. Some of the differences we observe between children and adults may help us to think about how we gauge personal risk for adults as a way of mitigating serious illness and death.

Dr. Kerstin Meyer, Wellcome Sanger Institute

In addition, there is growing evidence of the therapeutic benefits of inhaled interferon beta 1a. Based on the study results, this should be particularly the case for patients with weak or absent interferon activation.

The results are insightful not only for addressing COVID-19, but more broadly for understanding changes in the airway and blood throughout childhood. They demonstrate the power of single-cell resolution to reveal differences in the biology of children and adults, while pointing to very different considerations when thinking about how a specific disease arises and may be treated.

Jonah Cool, Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative

Reference: Local and systemic responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adults by Masahiro Yoshida, Kaylee B. Worlock, Ni Huang, Rik G. H. Lindeboom, Colin R. Butler, Natsuhiko Kumasaka, Cecilia Dominguez Conde, Lira Mamanova, Liam Bolt, Laura Richardson, Krzysztof Polanski, Elo Madissoon, Josephine L. Barnes, Jessica Allen-Hyttinen, Eliz Kilich, Brendan C. Jones, Angus de Wilton, Anna Wilbrey-Clark, Waradon Sungnak, J. Patrick Pett, Juliane Weller, Elena Prigmore, Henry Yung, Puja Mehta, Aarash Saleh, Anita Saigal, Vivian Chu, Jonathan M. Cohen, Clare Cane, Aikaterini Iordanidou, Soichi Shibuya, Ann-Kathrin Reuschl, Ivn T. Herczeg, A. Christine Argento, Richard G. Wunderink, Sean B. Smith, Taylor A. Poor, Catherine A. Gao, Jane E. Dematte, NU SCRIPT Study Investigators, Gary Reynolds, Muzlifah Haniffa, Georgina S. Bowyer, Matthew Coates, Menna R. Clatworthy, Fernando J. Calero-Nieto, Berthold Gttgens, Christopher OCallaghan, Neil J. Sebire, Clare Jolly, Paolo de Coppi, Claire M. Smith, Alexander V. Misharin, Sam M. Janes, Sarah A. Teichmann, Marko Z. Nikolic and Kerstin B. Meyer, 22 December 2021, Nature.DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04345-x

This research was funded by Wellcome, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Rosetrees Trust, Action Medical Research, Medical Research Council and the European Unions Horizon 2020 program.

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Genetic Research Shows Rapid Immune Response in Children Protects Them From COVID-19 - SciTechDaily

British Labs Supply the World with Genetic Information about COVID-19 – VOA Learning English

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British scientists have created a fast, less costly process for genome sequencing each coronavirus case they examine.

Britain is now a world leader in COVID-19 sequencing. This helps public health officials follow the spread of new variants, develop vaccines and decide when restrictions on movement are necessary.

Researchers at the Sanger Institute in Cambridge and other laboratories in Britain have a new mission. They are sharing what they have learned with scientists around the world.

The Omicron variant now spreading in many countries shows the need for worldwide cooperation, said Ewan Harrison. He is a top researcher at Sanger.

Omicron was first found by scientists in southern Africa who quickly informed the world and gave officials time to prepare.

Since dangerous mutations of the virus can happen anywhere, scientists must continually watch its development to protect everyone, Harrison said.

We cant just kind of put a fence around an individual country or parts of the world, because thats just not going to cut it, he said.

Cambridge University Professor Sharon Peacock understood the importance of sequencing the virus early in the pandemic. She knew sequencing would be important to fighting the virus. She received British government money for a national organization of scientists, laboratories and testing centers known as the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium.

The consortium is now working to increase knowledge of sequencing around the world. It has built training programs for researchers in developing countries. The programs include planned online classes on information sharing and working with public health officials. The goal is to help researchers build national programs to sequence COVID-19 viruses.

There is inequity in access to sequencing worldwide, the group said, adding that it wants to end the unequal situation.

By sequencing as many cases of the virus as possible, researchers hope to identify variants of concern as quickly as possible. They can then follow their spread and give early warnings to health officials.

Britain has supplied more COVID-19 sequences to researchers around the world than any country other than the United States. It has also sequenced a bigger percentage of its cases than any large nation.

Researchers in Britain have released about 1.68 million sequences, or about 11 percent of reported cases, said GISAID. GISAID is an international organization that works for quick sharing of virus information.

Over the past two years, labs around Britain have refined the process of gathering and studying COVID-19 viruses.

This has helped cut the cost of examining each genome by 50 percent. It has also reduced the time is takes to sequence from three weeks to five days, said the research group Wellcome Sanger.

Increasing sequencing ability is like building a pipeline, said Dr. Eric Topol. He is head of innovative medicine at Scripps Research in San Diego, California. In addition to buying costly sequencing machines, countries need supplies of reactive chemicals for the machines. They also need trained people to do the work and who understand the sequences. They also need systems to share the information quickly.

Meeting those needs has been difficult for many nations, including the U.S. It is even harder for developing nations, Topol said.

Many of these low- and middle-income countries dont have the sequencing capabilities, particularly with any reasonable turnaround time, he said. So, the idea that theres a helping hand there from the Wellcome Center is terrific. We need that.

Virus samples arrive from around the country. Lab assistants carefully prepare the genetic material. It is placed into the sequencing devices that read each samples unique DNA. Scientists then examine the information and compare it with other identified genomes to follow mutations. They want to see how the virus is developing.

Because COVID-19 mutates all the time, it is important to look for new, more dangerous variants that might be resistant to vaccines, Harrison said. This information will help researchers change existing vaccines or create new ones to fight the virus.

Harrison praised South Africa for quickly informing the world about the Omicron variant. But other countries, he said, punished South Africa by restricting travel and harming its economy. All nations must be permitted to publish new variant information without fear of being punished, he said.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English.

__________________________________________

genome n. the entire set of genetic instructions found in a cell

sequencing n. a process of finding out the order of the amino acids forming the genetic material of an organism

variant n. something that is different in some way from others of the same kind

mutation n. a permanent change in the genes of an organism

consortium n. a group of people or companies that agree to work together

access n. the ability to get something, enter a place or meet someone

refine v. to improve (something) by making small changes

sample n. a small amount of something that is used to give information about what it was taken from

unique adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else

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British Labs Supply the World with Genetic Information about COVID-19 - VOA Learning English