Scintillon Institute

05/25/2024

Maybe you know about -1, or at least and . How exactly hunger and appetite work is actually not that clear. Our brainiacs at and will look into it from a new angle:

Scintillon Institute Associate Professor Albert I. Chen has been awarded a grant from The National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to study the link between the cerebellum, dopamine signaling and obesity.

The dramatic increase in obesity presents a major public health concern with significant medical, societal, and workplace productivity consequences. Although it is well appreciated that energy balance is seeded in the brain, pharmacological treatments targeting the central nervous system are often i...

05/19/2024

La Jolla at 9pm. What's making the neon blue light? Scintillon.
Something of life that is beautiful.

04/13/2024

Scintillon research job opening

03/19/2024

The Pedersen lab has been awarded a $5M Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program grant from the United States Department of Defense (TP230352), titled: “The Role of Genetic Risk Factors and Immune Response on NVU Function in post-TBI Cognitive Impairment”. This is a collaboration between the Scintillon Institute, San Diego (Lead PI: Irene Munk Pedersen, Ph.D.), and our colleagues at The Johns Hopkins University (PI: Jessica Gill, Ph.D.), Columbia University (P*s: Dritan Agalliu, Ph.D. & Adam Brickman, Ph.D.) and Boston University (PI: Michael Alosco, Ph.D. & Ann McKee, M.D.).
, , , more about Dr. Pedersen's Lab: https://www.scintillon.org/pedersen-home
www.Scintillon Institute

12/28/2023

Year-End Report from Office of the President

Dear friends,
In 2023, the Scintillon Research Institute has continued to earn federal and California research grants at significant levels. This remarkable feat is a testament to the resilience and dedication of our faculty and staff, who persevered through the hinderance of progress by the COVID pandemic. While most private research institutions in San Diego boast close to a century of experience, Scintillon has only been pursuing biomedical research for a decade, yet we are already making impactful strides. Our institute has attracted leading experts in their respective fields, evidenced by recent publications in top scientific journals. We have also forged strong collaborations with prominent institutions like Columbia, Harvard, UCSD, UPenn, Salk, and Scripps. We are confident that our research activities will continue to grow rapidly in 2024.

This year, we proudly widened the scope of our renowned Summer Research (SURE) program at Scintillon to embrace inclusivity. Aspiring high school students from diverse backgrounds had the opportunity to train under esteemed professors and immerse themselves in real-world research projects within labs aligned with their interests. The impact? Many participants now express having had their eyes opened to the boundless possibilities within science and research careers.

This year's Scintillon year-end philanthropy campaign has been a resounding success, driven by the overwhelming generosity of our community. We are deeply grateful to the families of our students and collaborators, whose unwavering support fuels our progress. A special thank you also goes to the societies of rare diseases whose hope inspires our research. Your contributions amplify Scintillon's impact, enabling us to push the boundaries of science. In the spirit of the season, consider making a gift before the end of the year and help ensure Scintillon's continued groundbreaking research.

Sincerely,
Jiwu Wang, Ph.D.
President
Scintillon Institute

Make your year-end tax-deduction donation now! https://lnkd.in/gJ_Z2s7f

12/07/2023

We are looking forward to a visit from students and teachers of Brawley Union High School this Friday! The students will have a chance to learn about our research as it relates to the brain, join us in the laboratory, and chat with previous and current students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors. We are also excited to introduce the students to our annual SUmmer REsearch internship program (SURE) for high school students, which provides a foundation for young minds to initiate their career path in biomedical sciences.

11/28/2023

Today is GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement! Mark this day by making an impact on scientific development for a brighter future! Make a donation to The Scintillon Research Institute today!

Donate Now — The Scintillon Research Institute: https://lnkd.in/ggjWV8U3

Your collective generosity and philanthropy enable Scintillon scientists and their labs to cultivate new scientific breakthroughs, inspire and train young scientists, and develop next-generation breakthroughs and medicines, and much more. We’re proud to be a part of hashtag —a global celebration of giving and its impact.

Be part of a life-changing team.
Make a gift today:

Anti-Aging:
https://lnkd.in/gVJ82uWW
Student Training:
https://lnkd.in/gy8BEtK9
Diverse Talents:
https://lnkd.in/gqGtBgD5
With gratitude,
Your friends at The Scintillon Research Institute

Scintillon Institute, 6868 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego, CA, United States

11/22/2023

Scintillon publications describe how CRISPR and new antibody technologies could lead to HIV cure

Dr. Amber Khan and Dr. Nandagopal Paneerselvam in Prof. Brian Lawson's lab review challenges and successes of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) and antiretroviral therapy for HIV treatment.

11/19/2023

New Tool Sheds Light on Reductive Stress and Its Implications for Aging

An overabundance of NADH, a molecule crucial for energy production, can trigger reductive stress, a phenomenon less well understood than oxidative stress (caused by an excess of oxidized NAD+). Researchers led by Prof. Valentin Cracan at the Scintillon Institute and Scripps Research in San Diego, California, in collaboration with other institutions, have developed a novel genetically encoded tool called EcSTH, which allows them to elevate cellular NADH/NAD+ ratio, enabling them to study how cells respond to NADH excess.

Utilizing EcSTH, the researchers discovered that the impact of reductive stress varies across cell types. In certain cells, reductive stress stimulated the activity of specific metabolic pathways and promoted the production of GDF15, a signaling molecule involved in energy stress response. In other cells, reductive stress led to the accumulation of toxic sugar phosphates.

The researchers believe that EcSTH holds immense potential for investigating reductive stress in diverse contexts, including aging and multiple diseases.

Check out the full version of the paper below for details:
https://rdcu.be/dpypb or https://lnkd.in/gqmHbaNe

Supported by:




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11/18/2023

The researchers found a particularly strong association between glaucoma and two classes of lipids (fats): triglycerides and diglycerides. Patients with elevated triglycerides and diglycerides were more likely to develop glaucoma, and the association was strongest in a subtype of glaucoma that causes early loss of central vision.

Glaucoma remains one of the most common causes of vision loss and blindness in the U.S. and much of the world, disproportionately affecting older people, African Americans, and Hispanics and Latino…

11/07/2023

Join us on Nov 8th, Wednesday, for a day of learning about single cell analysis and extracellular vesicles at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine.

2023 Cytometry Development Workshop in San Diego, sponsored by UC San Diego and The Scintillon Research Institute.