Center for Global Infectious Disease Research: Difference between revisions
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Seattle BioMed formalized a long-standing affiliation with the [[University of Washington]] in 1992, which permitted reciprocal teaching and training programs. By 1993, all principal investigators at Seattle BioMed were appointed as faculty members in the Pathobiology Department at the [[University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine]]. From 80 employees in the early 1990s, to 80 full-time employees in 2001, Seattle BioMed continues to grow and currently employs 360+ employees, who represent over 20 countries around the world, with a budget of over $50 million from a variety of funding agencies including the national government, foundations, and private donors.<ref>http://seattlebiomed.org/sites/default/files/+SBM_AR22FF_E1.pdf/</ref> |
Seattle BioMed formalized a long-standing affiliation with the [[University of Washington]] in 1992, which permitted reciprocal teaching and training programs. By 1993, all principal investigators at Seattle BioMed were appointed as faculty members in the Pathobiology Department at the [[University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine]]. From 80 employees in the early 1990s, to 80 full-time employees in 2001, Seattle BioMed continues to grow and currently employs 360+ employees, who represent over 20 countries around the world, with a budget of over $50 million from a variety of funding agencies including the national government, foundations, and private donors.<ref>http://seattlebiomed.org/sites/default/files/+SBM_AR22FF_E1.pdf/</ref> |
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In January 2012, [[Alan Aderem|Alan Aderem, Ph.D.]] became president of Seattle BioMed, only the second in its 36 year history, with Dr. Stuart remaining in an active role as President Emeritus and Founder. As part of the Institute's plan for scientific expansion, Dr. Aderem is leading the implementation of integrating [[systems biology]] approaches to understanding infectious disease.<ref>http://www.genomeweb.com/alan-aderem-joins-ken-stuarts-seattle-biomedical-research-institute/</ref> |
In January 2012, [[Alan Aderem|Alan Aderem, Ph.D.]] became president of Seattle BioMed, only the second in its 36 year history, with Dr. Stuart remaining in an active role as President Emeritus and Founder. As part of the Institute's plan for scientific expansion, Dr. Aderem is leading the implementation of integrating [[systems biology]] approaches to understanding infectious disease.<ref>http://www.genomeweb.com/alan-aderem-joins-ken-stuarts-seattle-biomedical-research-institute/</ref> |
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==Current Research== |
==Current Research== |
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Revision as of 21:25, 7 November 2012
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2012) |
| Company type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biomedical research, Global health, Infectious disease |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Ken Stuart  |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington |
Key people | Alan Aderem, President |
Number of employees | 360+ |
| Parent | Seattle Children's Research Institute |
| Website | http://www.seattlebiomed.org/ |
Seattle BioMed, known prior to 2010 as Seattle Biomedical Research Institute or SBRI, is the largest independent, non-profit organization in the United States focused solely on infectious disease discovery research. The mission of Seattle BioMed's 360+ employees is to eliminate the world's most devastating infectious diseases through leadership in scientific discovery. Seattle BioMed is headquartered and has research labs in the South Lake Union area of Seattle, WA and has field labs in Tanzania. Seattle BioMed's research focuses on four areas of infectious disease: HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosos (TB), and Emerging & Neglected Diseases (END) like African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and toxoplasmosis. Seattle BioMed is engaged in early stages of the scientific pipeline including bench science and clinical trials and has expertise in immunology, vaccinology, and drug discovery.
History
In 1976, founders Ruth W. Shearer, Ph.D., and Kenneth Stuart, Ph.D., set up a research laboratory in Issaquah, WA. Originally called the Issaquah Group for Health and Environmental Research, the name was soon changed to Issaquah Biomedical Research Institute. Scientists at the Institute studied parasites including ones that cause malaria and African sleeping sickness. In 1986, the Institute relocated to Seattle, Washington to enhance its scientific programs and became Seattle Biomedical Research Institute.[1]
Seattle BioMed formalized a long-standing affiliation with the University of Washington in 1992, which permitted reciprocal teaching and training programs. By 1993, all principal investigators at Seattle BioMed were appointed as faculty members in the Pathobiology Department at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. From 80 employees in the early 1990s, to 80 full-time employees in 2001, Seattle BioMed continues to grow and currently employs 360+ employees, who represent over 20 countries around the world, with a budget of over $50 million from a variety of funding agencies including the national government, foundations, and private donors.[2]
In January 2012, Alan Aderem, Ph.D. became president of Seattle BioMed, only the second in its 36 year history, with Dr. Stuart remaining in an active role as President Emeritus and Founder. As part of the Institute's plan for scientific expansion, Dr. Aderem is leading the implementation of integrating systems biology approaches to understanding infectious disease.[3]
Current Research
Seattle BioMed employs some of the brightest scientists in the world to perform research on four areas of infectious disease:HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and Emerging & Neglected Diseases (END) like African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and toxoplasmosis. Seattle is a hug for global health research, and in July 2012, Seattle Magazine honored two Seattle BioMed leaders (Dr. Stuart and Theresa Britschgi, Director of BioQuest) as "Top Docs" for the work they're doing in research and scientific training.[4]
HIV/AIDS
With a focus on discovering safe and effective HIV/AIDS vaccines, Seattle BioMed's researchers are experts in neutralizing antibodies, which are antibodies that block HIV infection. These antibodies bind to the surface of HIV and prevent it from attaching itself to a cell and infecting it.
One of Seattle BioMed's viral vaccines researchers, Dr. Helen Horton, and collaborators recently discovered how long-term nonprogressors can control HIV without antiretroviral therapy.[5]
Malaria
As part of a broad global initiative to fight malaria, Seattle BioMed developed its malaria program in 2000, with an initial grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With a three-pronged approach, Seattle BioMed's malaria program is focused on vaccine discovery for pregnancy malaria, severe malaria in children, and liver-stage malaria. In 2005, Seattle BioMed received two Grand Challenges in Global Health grants to accelerate its malaria research.[6] And in 2011, Seattle BioMed was granted another $9 million from the Foundation to support malaria vaccine efforts.[7]
In 2010, Dr. Stefan Kappe developed his own malaria vaccine candidate which is a weakened form of the malaria parasite, and tht vaccine candidate is undergoing clinical trials at Walter Reed near Washington, D.C.[8] Soon after, in collaboration with PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Seattle BioMed became home to one of four malaria clinical trial centers in the world where treatments and vaccines can be safely tested in humans using the human challenge model.[9]
Tuberculosis
Through its tuberculosis (TB) research, Seattle BioMed seeks to uncover the strategy the TB bacterium uses for long-term survival with the goal of providing better insight on how to improve drugs to act more quickly against the disease. In 2002, Seattle BioMed initiated the Pacific Northwest Tuberculosis Straining Typing Center in order to assist the Seattle King County Public Health Department in pinpointing the origins of local tuberculosis outbreaks. This rapid diagnosis aided the health department in 2003 when King County suffered its biggest surge in TB in 30 years.[10]
BioQuest
One of Seattle BioMed's most talked-about science education training programs is BioQuest. BioQuest began in 1999 as a modest outreach program for pre-college youth at Seattle BioMed's second facility, which was located in the Fremont area of Seattle. Since formally launching the BioQuest program in the South Lake Union location in 2004, over 12,000 students have participated in tours and intensive programming. BioQuest is one of the only education programs in the country to be hosted within the footprint of an infectious disease research facility.[11]
Site Explorations
Schools in the Puget Sound area gain unique, engaging, and interactive access to Seattle BioMed's life-saving mission through Site Explorations. During the school day, a class of up to 32 students visits BioQuest for half-day, mini job shadows. Following a biosafety overview, students take a tour of Seattle BioMed, learning about infectious disease research directly from Seattle BioMed's scientists and complete their global health exploration with a hands-on lab investigation in the Discovery Lab.[12]
BioQuest Academy is a STEM pipeline, and sometimes even "hooks" students into science by accident.[13]
References
- ^ http://humanosphere.kplu.org/2011/06/working-class-kid-builds-a-world-class-research-institute-in-seattle-after-starting-in-a-strip-mall/
- ^ http://seattlebiomed.org/sites/default/files/+SBM_AR22FF_E1.pdf/
- ^ http://www.genomeweb.com/alan-aderem-joins-ken-stuarts-seattle-biomedical-research-institute/
- ^ http://seattlemag.com/gallery/top-doctors-2012-global-health-awards/
- ^ https://www.fhcrc.org/en/news/center-news/2011/07/control-HIV.html/
- ^ http://www.grandchallenges.org/Pages/GCGHGrantsAwarded.aspx?TDate=Grand%20Challenges%20Grants%20%E2%80%93%20May%202005/
- ^ http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2011/04/27/seattle-biomed-nabs-9m-gates-foundation-grant-to-develop-malaria-vaccines/
- ^ http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v484/n7395_supp/full/484S24a.html/
- ^ http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2010/03/26/nine-years-in-the-making-seattle-biomeds-malaria-vaccine-on-verge-of-first-human-trial/
- ^ "Seattle-King County Annual Tuberculosis Report, 2004" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-11-17.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGM5pbiDm-A/
- ^ http://humanosphere.kplu.org/2011/05/students-dissecting-mosquitos-tracking-down-malaria/
- ^ http://humanosphere.org/2012/04/hooked-on-science-by-accident-kimberly-choi-puts-it-to-work-in-the-global-community/