Congratulations Hartwell Fellow Dr. Sarah Olguin!

The Hartwell Foundation recently announced its 2023 class of Hartwell Fellows, which provides funding to US citizens for postdoctoral training in biomedical science at select research institutions in the United States. The Fellowships offer support for two years at $50,000 direct cost per year to support scientists in the early stages of biomedical research careers by enabling them to pursue further specialized training as part of their professional development. 

 

For each Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award that a participating institution receives in the annual Hartwell competition, the institution may designate one postdoctoral candidate of their choice from areas of biomedical science that exemplify the values of the Foundation. With ten (10) Hartwell Investigators in the Class of 2023 representing eight (8) institutions, eight Fellowships were awarded. Erin Brown, MD, Associate Professor Pediatric Surgery, University of California, Davis received one Individual Biomedical Research Award made to and therefore UC Davis received funding for one Fellowship, designating Sarah L. Olguin, Ph.D., a behavioral neuroscientist in the lab of Jill Silverman, Ph.D. 

 

Sarah seeks to design and implement effective translational science to characterize and treat rare neurodevelopmental disorders associated with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, and pediatric epilepsy. Sarah is planning to use her fellowship to expand her work in single gene mutation models of pediatric epilepsy using electroencephalogram (EEG). Additionally, Sarah will receive specialized training in bioinformatics for handling of large EEG data sets. 

Webinar: Jill Silverman makes case for rat models of autism

https://youtu.be/QH2vjvTS2Qk?si=QpG6oDBbS-Qdp5At

On 20 March 2019, Jill Silverman discussed using rat models to study neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism.

You can watch a full replay of the webinar above.

Here’s how Silverman describes what she talks about in this webinar:

Autism has no single underlying cause, and there are no treatments available for its core traits. Animal models are indispensable for investigating not only what might cause autism but also for developing effective treatments. Our laboratory investigates autism biology and traits using ‘in vivo’ models — awake and behaving animals that have mutations similar to those found in people with genetic forms of autism. The animal models we use need to be sophisticated enough to reliably reflect the social-communication problems, cognitive difficulties and other autism traits seen in people.

In this webinar, I will describe why rats are an informative animal model for studying the core traits of autism, including differences in social communication and in learning and memory. I will explain why work in rats can provide clinically relevant results. I will also demonstrate that, compared with other models, rats are more amenable to studies that involve in vivo electroencephalography, neuropathology and drug testing. Ultimately, rat models provide us with an opportunity to investigate the complex behaviors that define autism and have been difficult to consistently capture in mouse models of the condition.

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Video produced by Spectrum All rights reserved, Spectrum 2019.

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Funding and Grants!

$4 Million Research Program Seeks Therapy for Rare Genetic Condition ADNP Syndrome

UC Davis MIND Institute investigates gene therapies through partnership with ADNP Kids Research Foundation, Simba Global

Silverman Role: Co-Investigator (PI, Fink, Segal)

TOTAL FUNDING: $4,000,000

Researchers awarded $1.4 million to develop gene therapy for rare genetic condition

Grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine will fund research to study CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder (CDD).

Silverman Role: Co-Investigator (PI, Fink)

TOTAL FUNDING: $1,400,000

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), DISC2, 11/1/2021-10/31/2023

AAV9-Cas13 gene therapy for Angelman syndrome

Silverman Role: co-Investigator (PI, Segal)

**This grant was scored as the top grant in the State of California, competing against > 100 applications**

TOTAL FUNDING: $1,364,903

 

R01 (NIA/AG074709) Bein, Lein (Contact), Van Winkle (M-PI) 05/01/2021– 04/30/2026

Traffic-related air pollution exacerbates AD-relevant phenotypes in a genetically susceptible rat model via neuroinflammatory mechanism(s)

Silverman Role: co-Investigator MPIs (Lein, Van Winkle, Wexler)

**This grant was the result of preliminary data collected from 2 R21s from NIEHS, one was awarded to Drs. Silverman, Lein and Berg to investigate the role of Traffic-related air pollution and neurodevelopmental phenotypes in rats via neuroinflammatory mechanism(s); another one was awarded to Drs. Lein, Silverman and Berg to investigate the role of Traffic-related air pollution and neurodegenerative phenotypes in rats via neuroinflammatory mechanism(s); another one was awarded to Drs. Lein, Silverman and Berg**

TOTAL FUNDING: $3,843,246

 

Foundation for Angelman Syndrome for Therapeutics (FAST), 09/01/2023-2/28/2023

FDA enabling studies from IND application on expression of UBE3A via lentivector delivery in blood cells to treat Angelman Syndrome

Silverman Role: co-Investigator (PI, Anderson)

TOTAL FUNDING: $893,842

 

Children’s Miracle Network

CNKSR2-RELATED DISORDER IN MOUSE AND ZEBRAFISH ANIMAL MODEL SYSTEMS, pending NOA

Silverman and Copping Roles: co-Investigator (PI, Dr. Joseph Shen)

TOTAL FUNDING: $150,000

 

ULTRAGENYX PHARMACEUTICAL INC. 05/01/2021-10/31/2022

Assessment of Antisense Oligonucleotides for Dup15q Syndrome

Silverman and Copping Roles, PIs

TOTAL FUNDING: $139,000

 

NIH/NIMH 1R13MH126604-01 $20,000 05/01/2021-04/30/2022

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion for the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society

Silverman Role: co-Investigator (PI, Dr. Jared Young, UCSD Anderson)
TOTAL FUNDING: $20,000

 

Foundation for Angelman Syndrome for Therapeutics (FAST) 9/01/2020-3/31/2022

Translational Analysis of Gait as a Primary Outcome Measure in Angelman Syndrome 

Silverman Role: contact PI (co-PIs Duis, Silverman)

TOTAL FUNDING: $282,870

 

Foundation for Angelman Syndrome for Therapeutics (FAST) 01/01/2020-12/31/2025

FAST Research Infrastructure Grant: Training the Next Generation of Angelman Syndrome Scientists

Silverman and Berg Roles, co-Investigators (PI, Segal)

TOTAL FUNDING:$2,976,004

 

NIH/NINDS 1R01NS097808-01A1 4/15/2017-1/31/2022 NCE until 01/31/2023

Phenotypic Characterization of Novel Models of Dup15q Syndrome

Silverman Role: contact PI

TOTAL FUNDING: $1,715,000

 

NIH/NIMH 1R01MH116244-A01 01/01/2019-12/31/23

Chromatin remodeling factor dosage-sensitivity in neurodevelopmental disorders

Silverman Role: Co-Investigator

TOTAL FUNDING: $2,491,615

 

NIH/NICHD, P50HD103526 10/1/2013-5/31/2025

MIND Institute Center for Excellence for Intellectual Disabilities IDDRC

TOTAL FUNDING: $1,300,000

Silverman Roles: Co-Investigator and Co-Director, Rodent Behavioral Core and Director, Mouse Behavioral Core, (PI Abbeduto)

 

NIH/NINDS 1U54NS079202-01 09/1/2012 – 8/31/27

UC Davis Counter ACT Center of Excellence  

Novel Anticonvulsant and Neuroprotective Therapies for TETS and OP Intoxication

Mitigation of Neurological Damage Following Seizures

Silverman Roles: Co-Investigator Project 3 PI: (co-PIs Gurkoff, Silverman) Center PI (PI, Lein)

TOTAL FUNDING: $3,778,502

 

NIH/NIA 5P01AG062817-03 10/01/2023-09/30/20

Investigations of targets, mechanisms, and optimal delivery of therapeutic ketosis for functional longevity and treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Elucidating biomarkers and mechanisms of the Ketogenic longevity mechanism

         Silverman Role: Consultant (PI Cortopassi)

TOTAL FUNDING: $2,342,299

Trends in Neuroscience did a Spotlight piece on our recent publication by my postdoc Liz Berg in Journal of Neuroscience

https://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/fulltext/S0166-2236(21)00253-8?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0166223621002538%3Fshowall%3Dtrue#.YeK5EJA8xiE.twitter

Cross-species considerations in models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Summary: Advances in genetic technologies have facilitated the development of new animal models of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), enabling cross-species validation of disease-related phenotypes and exploration of species-specific behaviours. In a recent study, Berg et al. used a rat model of Angelman Syndrome (AS) to identify Ube3a-dependent social behaviours, highlighting potential cross-species convergence and divergence between rodent models.

Trends in Neuroscience spotlights Berg et al. paper on AS rat

The Cell Press publication Trends in Neuroscience recently spotlighted the Silverman Lab’s latest work with the Ube3a deletion rat model of Angelman Syndrome. The article, authored by Dr. Peter Kind and colleagues affiliated with the Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB), discusses cross-species considerations in modeling neurodevelopmental disorders and uses Berg et al. (JNeuro, 2021) as an exemplary study in taking advantage of species-specific behaviors. Read the article here: Trends in Neuroscience Spotlight

Congrats to Anna for Graduating!

Congratulations to Dr. Anna Adhikari for graduating with a PhD in Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology in December 2021!

Dissertation:

Advances in Measuring Therapeutic Efficacy: Optimizing Translational Outcome Measures in Genetic Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

$1.3 million CIRM grant awarded to Drs. Segal, Fink, and Silverman

UC Davis Professors David Segal, Kyle Fink, and Jill Silverman were awarded a $1.3 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to develop a molecular therapy for Angelman Syndrome using the Ube3a deletion rat model. Their application was ranked #1 in a list of over 100 applicants. The award was covered by several news outlets:

UC Davis Office of Research Announcement

UC Davis Health Newsroom Announcement

Cal Aggie News Article

Congrats to Anna and Liz!

Congratulations to Anna and Liz who were awarded Trainee Speaker Awards at the Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Neurodevelopmental Disorders Conference courtesy of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)!

Congrats to Liz for graduating!

Congratulations to Dr. Liz Berg for graduating with a PhD in Biological Psychology in June 2021!

Dissertation:

Behavioral and Neurobiological Outcomes Following Genetic and Environmental Insults to the Developing Brain

Congrats to Nyc for graduating!

Congratulations Dr. Nycole Copping for graduating with a PhD in Biological Psychology in March 2021!

Dissertation:

Effect of the E3 Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase on Translational Neurophysiology Phenotypes in Preclinical Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Congrats to Stela for graduating!

Congratulations Dr. Stela Petkova for graduating with a PhD in Neuroscience in March 2021!

Dissertation:

Addressing an Unmet Need: Rigorous Examination of Motor as a Translational Outcome in Preclinical Models for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Awards!

Nycole Copping:

2020 Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Annual Conference Travel Award

Liz Berg:

2020 Travel Award, International Behavioral Neuroscience Society

2020 Spring Travel Award, UC Davis Graduate Student Association

Anna Adhikari:

2020    Barbara Horwitz & John Horowitz Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Award. U.C. Davis. 

2020    Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation Award.  

Stela Petkova:

2021 INSAR Dissertation Award “Addressing an Unmet Need: Rigorous Examination of Motor as a Translational Outcome in Preclinical Models for Neurodevelopmental Disorders”

2020 Ling-Lie Chau Graduate Student Award for Brain Research

2019 IBNS Travel Award

Berg et al. paper on AS rat selected as a Translational Psychiatry Highlight of 2020!

Translational Psychiatry publishes the latest research and review articles on current topics in a wide range of specialty areas. In 2020, the journal published over 400 articles and Editor-in-Chief Julio Licinio handpicked just 12 as highlight papers of the year. Among the handful he chose was the Silverman Lab’s first publication on their work with the Ube3a deletion rat model of Angelman Syndrome”. Read the official announcement here: 2020 TP Highlights