- Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor:
An IPRD-funded research team, led by Qing-Xiang Amy Sang, Ph.D., at the FSU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is making groundbreaking progress in research on the treatment of rare pediatric brain tumors, including Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) and Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Sang’s lab is pioneering the development of innovative therapies offering new hope for ATRT and DIPG patients.
Drishty Sarker, Yue Xue, and Sonia Kiran, PhD students in the Sang lab present their research on gene expression patterns in ATRT and DIPG and cell-cell interactions within the tumor microenvironment. The team’s work includes contributions from other students, including Faiza Mahmud, Uvindu Thilanka Dasili Wickramasinghe, Jonathan Jocelyn, Marian Gonzalez, Sophia Martinez, and Fiona Dininger.
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Join IPRD-funded scientist Michelle Parvatiyar, Ph.D., from the FSU Department of Health, Nutrition and Food Sciences, as she unveils exciting new findings from her research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This rare pediatric disease leads to severe muscle weakness, muscle degeneration, respiratory issues, and, ultimately, heart failure. Discover how support from the Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases has paved the way for a novel project aimed at examining the role of inflammatory genes associated with the disease. Parvatiyar and her Ph.D. students, Bolade Olateju and Nazanin Mohammadipour are making significant strides in this critical area of research.
- Pediatric Glioblastoma: IPRD-funded research team led by Jerome Irianto, Ph.D., at the FSU College of Medicine, along with Gengqiang Xie, Research Faculty I, and Ph.D. candidates Hyeje Sumajit, Chaity Modak, and Olalekan H. Usman, and Research Assistant Pamela Sandoval Sanchez share groundbreaking updates on their work with pediatric glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive cancer with a survival rate under 20%. Through collaboration with Branko Stefanovic, Ph.D., the team has discovered a small molecule drug that shows promise in suppressing glioblastoma invasion.
- Illumina NovaSeq X revolutionizes genomics at IPRD: Our state-of-the-art genomics facility is taking a giant leap forward with the NovaSeq X, powering our rare disease research program and paving the way for a new CLIA-certified lab. This will enable us to translate groundbreaking research into real-world treatments and, ultimately, find cures for challenging rare disorders.
- Pediatric high-grade glioblastoma : Join IPRD-funded scientist Akash Gunjan, Ph.D., from the FSU College of Medicine as he shares groundbreaking updates on his research into pediatric high-grade glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood tumor that is currently 100% fatal, creating an urgent need for new therapies. See hands-on experimentation by Akash Gunjan and postdoctoral scholar Konan Kanga, Ph.D., that are making a difference.
- Fish odor syndrome : IPRD-funded scientist Cesar Rodriguez, M.D., at the FSU College of Medicine describes the latest developments on his research on Fish odor syndrome (trimethylaminuria), a rare pediatric disorder. This research collaboration with FSU iGEM is breaking new ground in pediatric rare disease research.
- Rare disease AI knowledge hub : Cesar Rodriguez, M.D., Research Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at FSU College of Medicine, unveils the latest developments on the Pediatric Rare Disease AI Knowledge Hub. Powered by IPRD funding and collaboration with Professor Xiuwen Liu, along with students from FSU Department of Computer Science & FSU CoM, this project is breaking boundaries in rare disease research. Catch a sneak peak of the Knowledge Hub answering essential questions about a rare disease known as fish odor syndrome such as “What is the latest research on a cure?” and “Where can I find support groups?”
- Tay-Sachs disease: Deirdre McCarthy, Research Faculty II of Biomedical Sciences at FSU College of Medicine talks about her research on Tay-Sachs Disease and how IPRD funding has fueled this groundbreaking work. See hands-on experimentation with Assistant Professor, Devon Graham, Senior Research Associate and IPRD Associate Director, Cynthia Vied, and laboratory technician, Elizabeth Wasson.
- Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy : Stephen Chelko, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biomedical Sciences at FSU College of Medicine talks about his research on Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy and how IPRD funding has fueled this groundbreaking work. See hands-on experimentation with Postdoctoral Scholar, Ann Centner, and Lab Technician, Nicole Cannon. Also hear from student speakers Emily Shiel and Waleed Fara, to learn more about the lab’s research. Citation for the image at 0:20 (MacRae et al., 2006; Lin et al., 2021).
- Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies : Yi Zhou, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the FSU College of Medicine was awarded a grant by the Florida Department of Health via its Rare Pediatric Diseases Research Grant Program. Zhou describes his research on Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies, a rare pediatric disease and the role IPRD funding played in the development of this innovative research program.