Lankenau Institute for Medical Research

Yoshiyuki Yamashita, MD, PhD, is senior author of a study finding that valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement with newer-generation self-expanding Evolut valves was associated with worse early and midterm outcomes for small bioprostheses than for large ones. Basel Ramlawi, MD, was senior author of the single-center study conducted at Lankenau Medical Center. LIMR coauthors include Massimo Baudo, MD; Serge Sicouri MD; Scott Goldman, MD; and William Gray, MD. https://bit.ly/3PnxdER

Héctor Barajas-Martínez, PhD, is corresponding author of a study finding a likely new disease-causing mutation in ACTC1 in coexpression of a TTN variant as possible causes of an early onset of a severe malignant dilated cardiomyopathy and premature death. Such structural or electrophysiologic cardiac anomalies may compromise cardiac function, leading to sudden cardiac death. https://bit.ly/4gDGqVg

A Florida tech magazine reports progress on a trial initiated at Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR) aimed at treating metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Biotech startup Syncromune, sponsor of the trial, has raised $100 million in the effort to support its costs. According to the report, "Part of a new generation of vaccine-like approaches to the oncology field, Syncromune is working on an experimental procedure that freezes a tumor and then blasts it with a cocktail of multiple immunotherapies. By freezing some of the tumor, its innards spill out and the patient’s T cells then go after the tumors. 'This lets the body sort it out, rather than having to figure it out,' (said) George Prendergast, CEO of LIMR and scientific advisor to Syncromune." Syncromune medical oncologists Charles J. Link, MD, and Jonathan Lewis, MD, are adjunct faculty in the Program of Cancer Research at LIMR. https://bit.ly/4fJnQKd

During her three decades as a nurse, Main Line Health’s Colleen Rogers has cared for diabetic patients too weak to lift their leg to allow her to change the dressing on foot or limb wounds by herself. The registered nurse wondered why there wasn’t a device to cradle the limb instead of having to find another nurse to hold it up. So she came up with an idea for a simple-to-operate, adjustable device but dropped it for lack of time or know-how to make it happen. It is now available from Lankenau Ventures: https://lnkd.in/ey7NeVvT

Charles Antzelevitch, PhD, and his Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR) team partnered with the Mayo Clinic on preventing a pair of rare, deadly causes of sudden cardiac death. A recent breakthrough showed that a traditional Chinese medicine from plants such as safflower may be an answer. LIMR is the research division of Main Line Health. https://bit.ly/3l5oMSD

Scientists from Lankenau Institute for Medical Research wanted to wake up the immune system to fight cancer by targeting a specific enzyme. Logically, however, cancer patients with autoimmune diseases would be unable to benefit. Surprisingly, preclinical studies showed the reverse to be true. The treatment was turning off the disease—in this case, rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Laura Mandik-Nayak, PhD, believes patients with RA and numerous other autoimmune diseases will benefit if the right drug targeting the enzyme is found.

Read in Oncology Issues abpit Just ASK!, a new program aimed at ensuring patients with cancer in underrepresented groups have equitable access to care and clinical trials at Main Line Health. Marisa Weiss, MD, director of breast radiation oncology at Lankenau Medical Center, is a champion of the program. Also quoted are top leaders of the health system: Katie Galbraith, MBA, FACHE, president of Lankenau; George Prendergast, PhD, president/CEO of LIMR, and Deric C. Savior, MD FCPP, chief of hematology-oncology for Main Line Health.

William Gray, MD, is senior author of a Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions publication on the challenges of bringing carotid artery stenting to more patients. The article, developed during a session at the society’s annual meeting, said that after the easing of years of federal restrictions on the procedure, the interventional community must establish a formal, uniform curriculum to educate less experienced practitioners and train new ones on the three carotid revascularization technologies. https://bit.ly/41MbuO7

We are hiring at Lankenau Institute for Medical Research! We are looking for a full time Research Pharmacist for our Oncology, Cardiovascular and Research Center trials. 💊🏥! Please apply below or share with anyone who may interested! We have some very exciting novel, first in the USA therapies coming soon that you would be an integral part of!

George Prendergast, PhD, President and CEO, discusses how both he and LIMR are always on the lookout for "the most provocative science at the edge of a field." His own interest is in the genes and metabolism that control cancer and ways to manipulate them to fight the disease.