News & Publications

News Releases 2007 - 2008

July 9, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Reveal Key Structure from Ebola Virus
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have determined the structure of a critical protein from the Ebola virus, which, though rare, is one of the deadliest viruses on the planet killing between 50 and 90 percent of those infected.
July 2, 2008
Bi-Coastal Collaboration at Scripps Research Uncovers Novel Activators of Key Cell Receptors
Working in close collaboration, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and in Jupiter, Florida, have identified several new molecules that activate cell receptors responsible for the regulation of a number of key physiological processes.
June 29, 2008
Scripps Florida Scientists Find New Clue to Alzheimer's Disease Progression
Scientists from Scripps Florida, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, have shown for the first time that a specialized form of RNA is directly linked to increased levels of amyloid plaque in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
June 27, 2008
Scripps Research Study of Disease-Causing Mutations Uncovers Surprising Pattern
A new Scripps Research Institute survey of genetic mutations definitively tied to diseases has revealed clustering in a specific region of an important class of enzymes. The pattern was so clear it suggests that other mutations contributing to a wide range of diseases are likely to be tied to the region. New searches focused there may therefore lead to a wealth of new targets for drug treatments.
June 24, 2008
Business Executive Amin J. Khoury Elected To Scripps Research Institute Board Of Trustees
International business leader and entrepreneur Amin J. Khoury has been elected to the Board of Trustees of The Scripps Research Institute, a world leader in biomedical science with laboratories in La Jolla, California, and Palm Beach County, Florida.
June 19, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Find Pathogen Uses Unique Strategy to Inhibit Human Immune Response
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a unique strategy used by some common bacteria to disrupt the human immune system, maintaining persistent infections and ensuring the bacteria's survival.
June 10, 2008
Research Unveils New Stabilizing and Signaling Properties of Cholesterol in Key Human Receptors
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have structurally shown for the first time that cholesterol acts as a stabilizing factor for an important family of cell receptors.
June 4, 2008
Researchers Discover Synthetic Chemicals that Create Pluripotent Stem Cells from Adult Cells
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute report that they have significantly improved upon a revolutionary technique that uses genes to turn skin cells from an adult back into pluripotent stem cells.
May 29, 2008
NIH awards $20 million CTSA grant to Scripps Translational Science Institute
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today that Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) is one of 14 research centers to receive a highly competitive $20 million Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) this year. STSI, led by Eric J. Topol, M.D., is a collaborative program between The Scripps Research Institute and Scripps Health, partnering with a number of institutions in San Diego.
May 29, 2008
Scripps Research Crystal Structure Reveals Mystery Behind Three Rare Childhood Disorders
Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have figured out how it is that tiny mutations in a single gene can produce three strikingly different childhood diseases—disorders that increase cancer risk thousands of times in some young patients and premature aging or a complete failure to develop in others. Investigators say that knowing more about the mechanisms of these diseases may provide insights into how therapeutic drugs can be designed.
May 27, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Find Seizure Drug Reverses Cellular Effects of Alcohol Addiction in Models
New findings from scientists at The Scripps Research Institute provide evidence that the drug gabapentin affects certain components of the alcohol addiction cycle in the brain, supporting the idea that the medication, which is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating seizures and pain, also holds potential for the treatment of alcohol dependence.
May 21, 2008
Scripps Florida Scientist Receives Major Infectious Disease Investigator Award
Scripps Florida Assistant Professor Timothy Tellinghuisen has received the prestigious Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease Award for 2008.
May 20, 2008
Scripps Research Institute Awarded Patent for Remarkable Chemical Technology
The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded U.S. Patent No. US 7,375,234 B2, which covers a broad class of chemical reactions that mimic biological efficiency and opens the door to a new world of chemistry. The patent's diverse potential applications include the development of new drugs, bioactive nanomaterials, anti-bacterial and non-immunogenic coatings for medical implants, coatings for semiconductors, coatings and adhesives for ships' hulls, self-healing materials, microelectronics and responsive nanomaterials, and surface-sensitive adhesives, to name a few.
May 15, 2008
Scripps Research Team Devises Innovative Method to Produce Highly Sought-After Drug
A team of Scripps Research Institute scientists has developed an inexpensive and in many ways astonishing new method for economically producing a promising pharmaceutical steroid. The molecule, called cortistatin A, which was isolated in 2006 from a marine sponge discovered over 100 years ago, has shown huge promise for treating conditions ranging from macular degeneration to cancer.
May 12, 2008
Graduate Students Accept Scripps Florida Offer in Record Numbers
A record number of new graduate students have selected Scripps Florida, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, as their school of choice to pursue their doctoral degrees.
May 7, 2008
New International Agreement Advances Scripps Research Study of Alcoholism
The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and the Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC) in Strasbourg, France, have entered into an agreement that aims to advance research on the biological basis of alcohol abuse. The research may uncover keys to vulnerability to alcoholism and help to develop new approaches for treating the condition.
May 6, 2008
Scripps Florida Receives Grant to Improve and Expand Science Teaching in Palm Beach County Schools
Scripps Florida, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, has been awarded a $110,000 grant to provide Palm Beach County middle and high school teachers with a summer program of instruction in basic science and advanced laboratory-based techniques and give them special portable teaching units for future classroom use.
May 5, 2008
New Test Helps Identify Cancer Drug Candidates
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute's Scripps Florida facilities have developed a novel method to help determine the probable effectiveness of drug candidates for the treatment of estrogen-dependent disorders such as breast cancer and osteoporosis.
May 1, 2008
Scripps Research Study Identifies Protein Critical for Iron Absorption
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have pinpointed an important protein that is essential for the normal absorption of iron in the body. The discovery could lead to novel therapies to block anemia during chronic diseases or to treat hemochromatosis, a genetic disease caused by an overabundance of iron.
April 29, 2008
Three Scripps Research Scientists Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Three members of The Scripps Research Institute faculty have been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, it was announced today. Scripps Research is the only independent research institution in the nation to have three faculty members chosen this year.
April 22, 2008
No Boring Summer Vacation Here! Three Palm Beach County Teachers Selected for Scripps Florida Research Internships
Three high school science teachers from Palm Beach County schools will start their six week summer internships on June 16 in the research laboratories of Scripps Florida in Jupiter.
April 14, 2008
Scientists Create First Successful Libraries of Avian Flu Virus Antibodies
An international group of American and Turkish research scientists, led by Sea Lane Biotechnologies, has created the first comprehensive monoclonal antibody libraries against avian influenza (H5N1) using samples from survivors of the 2005/2006 "bird flu" outbreak in Turkey. These antibody libraries hold the promise for developing a therapy that could stop a pandemic in its tracks and provide treatment to those infected, as well as potentially pointing the way towards the development of a universal flu vaccine. The expanded treatment and containment options offered by Sea Lane's antibody libraries could help provide healthcare officials, researchers, and governments with unprecedented resources to combat this serious global health threat.
April 11, 2008
New Scripps Research Study Finds T Cell Multiplication Unexpectedly Delayed After Infection
In a surprising outcome that overturns the conventional wisdom on the body's immune response to infection, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have shown that T cells do not begin proliferation until up to three days after infection.
April 10, 2008
Small RNAs May Play Big Role in Embryonic Stem Cells
An international team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has used a new method to discover an unusual molecular signature in human embryonic stem cells that may lead to development of new cell-based therapeutics.
April 8, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Automate Molecular Evolution
Under the control of a computer at The Scripps Research Institute, a population of billions of genes morphed through 500 cycles of forced adaptation to emerge as molecules that could grow faster and faster on a continually dwindling source of chemical fuel—a feat that researchers describe as an example of "Darwinian evolution on a chip."
March 26, 2008
Renowned Stem Cell Researcher Jeanne F. Loring Heads New Center at The Scripps Research Institute
Professor Jeanne F. Loring, Ph.D., has been named founding director of the newly created Center for Regenerative Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.
March 20, 2008
Scripps Florida Scientists Develop a Process to Disrupt Hepatitis C Virion Production
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute's Scripps Florida facilities have discovered a method to disrupt the production of infectious virus particles that cause hepatitis C, a blood-borne liver disease. This discovery might be a first step in developing new and more effective therapies against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Current anti-virals are ineffective for many patients infected with the viral strains most prevalent in the United States.
March 14, 2008
Scripps Research Team Wins $4 Million Grant to Study Effects of Chronic Marijuana Use
A group of investigators led by The Scripps Research Institute's Professor Barbara Mason has won a $4 million grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the effects of chronic marijuana use, including influence on brain function and the consequences of withdrawal.
March 12, 2008
Scripps Florida Awarded $7.6 Million Grant to Develop Novel Treatment for Parkinson's Disease
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded a $7.6 million multi-year grant to Scripps Florida, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, to develop the next generation of medication to treat Parkinson's disease.
March 10, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Identify Potential New Target for Treating Metastatic Cancer
A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have identified a human protein that may be a new target for future cancer therapies. By experimentally blocking the action of this protein, called CD151, the team showed they could stop cancer cells from metastasizing, or spreading from one tumor to establish new tumors elsewhere.
February 28, 2008
Bright Lights: Mystery of Glowing Antibody Solved by Scripps Research Scientists
A chance discovery of a uniquely luminescent monoclonal antibody nearly ten years ago has proven to be far more interesting—and far more tenacious—than anyone might have suspected. Now, a group of Scripps Research scientists have shown that EP2-19G2, one of a panel of fluorescent monoclonal antibodies that were first reported in 2000, produces its distinctive bright blue glow through a rare and highly complex recombination of electrical charge.
February 27, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Devise Approach that Stops HIV at Earliest Stage of Infection
Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have developed a new two-punch strategy against HIV and they have already successfully tested aspects of it in the laboratory.
February 27, 2008
Scripps Research Institute Scientists Studying Sepsis in Mice Find Potential Drug Targets for Deadly Disease
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a connection between blood coagulation and the immune system that may have important implications for people with sepsis, a severe and difficult to treat disease that kills tens of thousands of Americans a year.
February 21, 2008
Scripps Research Study Uncovers New Mechanism of Long-Term Memory Formation
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have identified specific features of neurons that are critical components of the learning process and the development of long-term memory.
February 13, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Find Protein May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute report that a protein capable of producing what has been called "Alzheimer's of the heart" has been found to protect against development of Alzheimer's disease in the brain in rodent models.
February 8, 2008
In Memoriam: Frank J. Dixon, 1920-2008
Frank J. Dixon, pioneering immunologist and founder of The Scripps Research Institute, died in San Diego, California, on Friday, February 08, 2008. He was 87.
February 7, 2008
Scripps Research Team Finds Genetic Mutation May Lead to Increased Autoimmunity
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered that a mutation in a known DNA recombination mechanism may result in the onset of autoimmunity and an overexpression of autoreactive antibodies—molecules that attack the host—in animal models.
February 4, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Find That Calcium Channel Blockers Help Normalize Lysosomal Storage Disease Patient-Derived Cells
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered that two widely available prescription drugs restore partial cellular folding, trafficking, and function to a variety of mutant enzymes responsible for three distinct lysosomal storage diseases, maladies involving multiple organ system failure.
January 23, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Develop New Method for Creating Self-Assembling, Nanoscale Materials
While biomedical, electronics, and other branches of research are marching steadily into the realm of the smaller-than-small nanometer scale, building needed materials at this scale has been problematic. A team from The Scripps Research Institute unveiled a novel approach to the problem that yields a material with novel properties, which some might find reminiscent of Flubber. The material is produced using naturally occurring proteins as templates for uniform, self-assembled, nano-scale construction.
January 23, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Discover New Gene Linked to Fragile X Syndrome
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a new gene involved in fragile X syndrome, a condition that often shares many symptoms of autism. The discovery may lead to new tests or treatments for several neurological disorders.
January 17, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Find New Genetic Mutation that Halts the Development of Lupus
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a specific genetic mutation that suppresses the development of systemic lupus, an incurable autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack itself. The research suggests potential targets for future drug development.
January 16, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists: Naturally Occurring Peptide Inhibits Common Viral Infection
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that a naturally occurring peptide known for its antibacterial action can also inhibit viral infection.
January 16, 2008
Florida Philanthropists Phillip and Patricia Frost Give $1 Million to Scripps Florida
Miami physician, businessman and philanthropist Phillip Frost and his wife, Patricia Frost, an ardent supporter of education and the arts, have donated $1 million to Scripps Florida, the biomedical research campus under construction in Jupiter, it was announced today.
January 3, 2008
Renowned Immunologist Richard Ulevitch Retires from Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute today announced the retirement of Professor Richard Ulevitch, chairman of the Immunology Department and an internationally renowned researcher in the field of innate immunity.
January 2, 2008
Scripps Research Scientists Discover Remarkable Editing System For Protein Production
Even small mistakes made by cells during protein production can have profound disease effects, but the processes cells use to correct mistakes have been challenging to decipher. Recent work by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, however, has uncovered two surprising new methods for such editing.
December 20, 2007
Scripps Research and St. Jude's Team Finds a Widely Used Anti-Malarial Drug Prevents Cancer Development
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital have found that a commonly prescribed anti-malarial drug effectively prevents the development of certain types of human cancer in mouse models.
December 18, 2007
Scripps Research Discovery Leads to Broad Potential Applications in CovX-Pfizer Deal
A catalytic antibody discovery made at The Scripps Research Institute has formed the basis of the upcoming acquisition of biotechnology venture CovX by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc.
December 6, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Discover Chemical Triggers for Aggression in Mice
A group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has discovered specific pheromone compounds responsible for eliciting aggressive behavior in mice. They have also identified the first step in the neurological pathway that triggers the aggressive response.
December 5, 2007
Richard Lerner to Receive Research!America Advocacy Award
Richard A. Lerner, MD, president of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, has been named Research!America's 2008 Builders of Science award recipient. He will accept the award at Research!America's 12th Annual Advocacy Awards Gala on March 18, 2008, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC.
December 5, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Find White Blood Cells Deliver Boost to Tumors
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that a specific type of white blood cell carries with it an unusually potent catalyst of tumor growth. The catalyst promotes angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, which are critical to tumor growth.
December 4, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Develop New Tests that Identify Lethal Prion Strains Quickly and Accurately
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Florida, have developed two new tests for prions, infectious proteins that cause a number of diseases including "mad cow disease," and a human counterpart, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. These advances open the door to better understanding and diagnosis of these troubling conditions.
November 14, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Develop Modeling Method that Increases Our Understanding of Diseases like Cystic Fibrosis and Alzheimer's
A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has come up with a simple but comprehensive way of probing the parts of our biological machinery that controls protein folding, packaging, and export from our cells.
October 30, 2007
Scripps Research Team Blocks Bacterial Communication System to Prevent Deadly Staph Infections
In hopes of combating the growing scourge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, in particular drug-resistant staph bacteria, a team of scientists from The Scripps Research Institute has designed a new type of vaccine that could one day be used in humans to block the onset of infection. The advantage of the new vaccine is that it would work not only on current bacterial resistant stains but also would not induce the potential for new bacterial resistance because, rather than killing bacterial cells, it blocks their communication system, preventing the shift from harmless to virulent, thus allowing the body's natural defenses to combat the bacteria.
October 30, 2007
Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics Unveils Unique Markers for Childhood Disorders
For the first time, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have applied untargeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to uncover a number of unique molecular markers in two inherited childhood metabolic disorders. This new method could prove useful in diagnosis and patient clinical evaluation.
October 26, 2007
Scripps Research Wins $51 Million Contract to Study Critical Immune Response Mechanisms
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a $51 million five-year contract to The Scripps Research Institute to study innate and adaptive immune responses to a number of pathogens, including the influenza virus. Richard Ulevitch, Scripps Research professor and chairman of the Department of Immunology, will lead the project as principal investigator.
October 25, 2007
New Scripps Research Mass Spectrometry NanoTechnology Delivers Significant Advances
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have developed a new mass spectrometry technology for studying small biomolecules. The new highly sensitive and robust technology, called Nanostructure-Initiator Mass Spectrometry (NIMS), enables the analysis of single cells, tissue imaging, and rapid blood and urine analysis with no advanced sample preparation.
October 11, 2007
Novel Yeast Protein Plays a Key Role in Repairing Double-Strand DNA Breaks
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a novel protein in yeast that plays a key role in controlling the repair of double-strand breaks in DNA. The discovery of the protein, Ctp1, and its role, strongly suggests that the same mechanism works in regulating DNA damage repair in human cells and may point the way to future cancer therapies.
October 4, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Develop Innovative Dual Action Anthrax Vaccine-Antitoxin Combination
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and The Salk Institute for Biological Studies have developed a new and highly effective agent that provides protection against anthrax by combining a fast-acting anthrax toxin inhibitor with a vaccine in a single compound.
October 4, 2007
New Pearson Family Chair at Scripps Research to Support Forward-Looking Alcohol and Addiction Research
The Scripps Research Institute has announced that Professor Barbara Mason, Ph.D., has been appointed the first recipient of The Pearson Family Chair, a newly endowed position in alcohol and addiction research at the institute.
October 4, 2007
Structure of HIV Capsid Protein Reveals Potential Weakness at Inner Core of Virus
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have published a detailed molecular model of the full-length HIV CA protein—a viral protein that forms a cone-shaped shell around the genome of HIV. This structure reveals a never-before-seen molecular interaction that may be a weakness at the core of the virus.
October 1, 2007
Scripps Research Study Reveals Mechanism Behind Nicotine Dependency
Many more people try to quit smoking than succeed in giving up this nicotine-delivering habit. Now, a group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has identified one neurobiological mechanism that contributes to nicotine dependence, and to the anxiety and craving experienced upon withdrawal. The findings also suggest a new approach to developing drugs that could help smokers quit.
September 5, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Shed New Light on How Antibodies Fight HIV
Leading an international team of scientists, immunologists at The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered the first evidence that an HIV antibody is most effective when it binds not only to the virus, but also to host immune cells. The findings suggest that antibody efficiency depends on both directly neutralizing the virus and activating the host immune response.
September 5, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Reveal Pivotal Hearing Structure
A team of scientists made up of two laboratory groups from The Scripps Research Institute and one from the National Institutes of Health has shed light on how our bodies convert vibrations entering the ear into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain. Exactly how the electrical signal is generated has been the subject of ongoing research interest.
September 4, 2007
Scripps Research Institute Scientist Bruce Beutler Awarded 2007 Balzan Prize
Bruce Beutler, M.D., chair of the Genetics Department at the Scripps Research Institute, has been awarded the prestigious 2007 Balzan Prize for his work in innate immunit. He shares the $827,000 prize with Jules Hoffmann of the Academie des Sciences in Paris.
August 31, 2007
Scripps Research Study Identifies Intermediate-Stage Prion Protein Aggregates as Primary Cause of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Working in close collaboration with an international group of researchers, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have shown for the first time that small clumps of abnormal prion proteins called oligomers cause the widespread death of neurons. In contrast, much larger prion aggregates known as fibrils proved to be far less toxic.
August 30, 2007
New Study Pinpoints Specific Neurons Involved In Memory Formation
In a remarkable new study, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have unlocked one of the secrets of how memory is formed. Working with a unique breed of transgenic mice, the new study has shown for the first time that the same neurons activated during fear conditioning are, in fact, reactivated during memory retrieval.
July 19, 2007
Renowned Chemist Roy Periana Appointed Professor at Scripps Florida
The Scripps Research Institute announced today the appointment of internationally recognized chemist Roy A. Periana, Ph.D., as professor of chemistry at the Institute's Scripps Florida facilities.
July 17, 2007
New "Checkmate" Method from The Scripps Research Institute Provides Powerful New Tool for Preventing Spread of Future Epidemics
Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have developed a breakthrough methodology that can be used to rapidly predict how viruses such as avian influenza H5N1, a dangerous strain of "bird flu," will mutate in response to attacks by the immune system. The new approach, dubbed "checkmate analysis," may also predict which antibodies or small molecule therapeutics will best neutralize these viral mutations before they can develop into global epidemics.
June 25, 2007
Scripps Research Study Links Chronic Methamphetamine Abuse and Cardiovascular Disease
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that chronic abuse of the highly addictive drug methamphetamine may be an unrecognized risk factor in the development of a number of potentially serious cardiovascular disorders frequently reported by methamphetamine abusers.
June 20, 2007
Scripps Research Institute President Richard A. Lerner Receives Honorary Degree from Oxford University
Richard A. Lerner, M.D., president of The Scripps Research Institute, was recognized today with an honorary doctor of science degree from the University of Oxford for his innovative work as a chemist.
June 19, 2007
Kristin Baldwin of Scripps Research Institute Named To Highly Selective Pew Scholars Program
The Pew Charitable Trusts and the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) announced today that Kristin K. Baldwin, Ph.D., was named one of 20 exceptional researchers selected as 2007 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences. As a Pew Scholar, each scientist will receive a $240,000 award over four years to help support his or her research, as well as gain inclusion into a unique community of scientists that encourages collaboration and the exchange of ideas. The program is funded by Pew through a grant to UCSF.
June 19, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Show Protein Accelerates Breast Cancer Progression in Animal Models
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have shown for the first time that a cytokine called pleiotrophin stimulates the progression of breast cancer in both animal and cell culture models. The study, which tested three separate models to determine the role of inappropriate expression of pleiotrophin, found that it produced striking increases in aggressiveness of the breast cancer cells themselves.
June 18, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Discover Mouse Appetite Suppressant
A protein called interleukin-18 (IL-18), previously known mainly for its role in the immune system, is also a powerful appetite suppressant for mice once they reach the equivalent of adulthood, according to scientists at The Scripps Research Institute. Members of the research team hope the work will eventually lead to the development of new treatments for preventing obesity in humans. Unlike similar proteins, IL-18 suppresses appetite without unwanted side effects such as fever or sickness behavior, suggesting it might be a particularly good target for further study.
May 29, 2007
Scripps Research Institute Team Awarded $17 Million Grant to Develop Therapeutic Use of Adult Stem Cells to Treat Eye Diseases
A group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded a five-year, $17,037,185 grant from the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. The grant, starting June 1, 2007, will support the development of the use of adult stem cells as a therapy for treating the most common types of vision loss.
May 23, 2007
Study Reveals Process Linking Disordered Protein Folding and Binding
A group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology have uncovered one of the processes by which disordered or unstructured proteins become bound to specific cellular sites. The findings offer valuable insights into how proteins carry out their genetically encoded functions, and may provide promising new targets for future drug development.
May 3, 2007
Study Led by Scripps Research Scientist Reveals Little-Known Cell Networks Vital to Circadian Rhythm
In a wide-ranging systems biology study of circadian rhythm, a multi-institutional collaboration led by Scripps Research Institute Professor Steve Kay has uncovered some little-known cellular mechanisms for sustaining circadian rhythm and limiting the impact of genetic clock mutations in mammals. The new findings could have important implications for future circadian studies, and point researchers toward new ways to manipulate human circadian rhythm at the molecular level to treat diseases such as bipolar disorder.
May 2, 2007
Scripps Research Team Sheds Light on Long-Sought Cold Sensation Gene
Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute and the Novartis Research Foundation have shown that a gene called TRPM8 is responsible for the bulk of this ability in mice. The discovery, reported in the May 3 issue of the journal Neuron, might one day lead to the development of drugs that induce cold sensation as an analgesic, or block it to prevent certain forms of chronic pain associated with cold sensation.
April 10, 2007
Scripps Research Team Unravels Drug Target for Parasitic Diseases
The ongoing search for better treatments for devastating parasitic diseases such as Chagas' disease and African sleeping sickness now has a new target, thanks to research by a team from The Scripps Research Institute. The group now understands better a critical DNA-protein binding event that, if blocked, can kill the parasites that cause the diseases. The researchers are already working to screen drugs that will block this mechanism.
April 9, 2007
Study Shows Humans and Plants Share Common Regulatory Pathway
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have shown for the first time that humans and plants share a common pathogen recognition pathway as part of their innate immune systems. The data could help shed fresh light on how pathogen recognition proteins function and the role they play in certain chronic inflammatory diseases.
April 5, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists Identify New Regulatory Mechanism for Critical Protein Signaling Domain
In a study with far-reaching implications, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and other institutions have for the first time identified a new in vivo regulatory mechanism for the PH Domain, a component of many proteins that allows them to move from a cell's interior to the cell membrane in response to stimulation of cell surface receptors. The findings offer a promising avenue for the development of novel therapies for immunodeficiency or autoimmune diseases.
April 4, 2007
Scripps Research Team Reveals Major Role for Novel Neurotransmitter System in Regulating Drug Intake
A team of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute has provided strong new evidence that a novel neurotransmitter system in the brain is involved in alcohol and opiate addiction. The group found that levels of endogenous cannabinoids increase or decrease in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol or opiates consumed. By providing insight into possible new targets for drug therapy, this work opens up novel avenues for regulating addiction.
March 28, 2007
Scripps Research Institute Presents Latest on Treatments for Cardiovascular Diseas, Stroke, Alzheimer's, and Arthritis
Three leading scientists at the Scripps Research Institute will give a free lecture titled "Current Research and Developing New Treatments for Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, Alzheimer's, and Arthritis—On the Front Lines of Hope," Wednesday evening, April 25 in La Jolla.
March 19, 2007
Synthetic Production of Potential Pharmaceuticals Dramatically Simplified by Scripps Research Team
A team of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute has developed new techniques that dramatically reduce the time, complexity, and cost of synthesizing natural products with pharmaceutical potential. The work dislodges previously entrenched beliefs in the organic chemistry field about how such products must be produced, and could help to advance and expand the use of natural products in drug discovery programs.
March 9, 2007
Scripps Florida Campus Dedicated to Promoting Biomedical Science, Education, and Better Human Health
The Scripps Research Institute today officially dedicated its Scripps Florida campus in Jupiter to "increasing human knowledge, advancing biomedical science, educating the researchers of the future, and improving the health of humanity."
February 27, 2007
New Scripps Research Monoclonal Antibody Destroys Methamphetamine In Vitro
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have developed a new monoclonal antibody that destroys the highly addictive drug methamphetamine. These new findings suggest an entirely new way to treat the global epidemic of methamphetamine abuse.
February 12, 2007
Scripps Research Study Reveals Structural Dynamics of Single Prion Molecules
Using a combination of novel technologies, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have revealed for the first time a dynamic molecular portrait of individual unfolded yeast prions that form the compound amyloid, a fibrous protein aggregate associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease—the human version of mad cow disease.
February 12, 2007
Scripps Research Team Discovers a Chemical Pathway that Causes Mice to Overeat and Gain Weight
Researchers from The Scripps Research Institute who are studying how body temperature and energy metabolism are regulated have discovered a pathway that appears to play a critical role in the onset of obesity. Further study of the pathway could lead to better understanding of the physiological foundation of obesity in humans and even the discovery of new treatments for the condition.
February 5, 2007
Scripps Research Scientists: Compounds Show Significant Promise Against Potential Bioweapon Toxins
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the University of Wisconsin have identified two small molecules with promising activity against neurotoxins produced by the Clostridium botulinum, a compound so deadly it has been labeled one of the six highest-risk bioterrorism agents by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
January 25, 2007
Scripps Research Study Reveals New Function of Protein Kinase Pathway in Tumor Suppression
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a surprising new function of a well-known signaling pathway that, when activated, can inhibit tumor development. This finding may lead to the development of drugs that can serve as an effective cancer therapy by artificially activating this pathway in cancer cells.
January 21, 2007
Scripps Research Study Reveals New Activation Mechanism for Pain Sensing Channel
A group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has identified a mechanism that enables certain compounds to activate a pain sensing protein. The findings could lead to the development of potential new therapies for managing acute and chronic pain.
January 9, 2007
Scripps Research Combination Therapy Obliterates New Vessel Growth in Tumors and Retinopathy
Using a new and dramatically effective treatment approach, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have for the first time achieved complete inhibition of new blood vessel growth in animal models of a highly vascular brain tumor and of neovascular eye diseases with little or no effect on normal tissue vasculature.
January 4, 2007
Study Reveals Dynamic Interface of Molecular Clutch in Cell Migration
Using a remarkable new technology, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have identified a number of key protein interactions that allow cells to migrate throughout the body. These findings, which describe in detail how cells transmit molecular information into physical movement, provide the first direct analysis of cellular movement and may point the way to potential treatments for a variety of diseases including cancer.

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