Frontiers Connecting the dots—From the immune system to the brain and back again

In Memoriam Salk mourns the loss of Joanne Chory

Observations Talmo Pereira From video game bots to leading-edge AI tools

Insights Kay Watt From Peace Corps to plant science

Next Gen Pau Esparza-Moltó Seeing mitochondria as more than just a powerhouse

Belonging Salk summer programs bring equity and opportunity to the STEM career pipeline

In this issue

Frontiers

Connecting the dots—From the immune system to the brain and back again

By collaborating across disciplines like genetics, neuroscience, and immunology, Salk scientists are uniquely positioned to lead us into a future of healthier aging and effective therapeutics for Alzheimer’s.

In Memoriam

Salk mourns the loss of Joanne Chory

Salk Professor Joanne Chory, one of the world’s preeminent plant biologists who led the charge to mitigate climate change with plant-based solutions, died on November 12, 2024, at the age of 69 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Observations

Talmo Pereira—From video game bots to leading-edge AI tools

Salk Fellow Talmo Pereira was introduced to computer science through the”fantasyland” of video games—now he uses his knowledge to create AI tools to advance our understanding of the body.

Insights

Kay Watt—From Peace Corps to plant science

At the heart of the Harnessing Plants Initiative is Program Manager Kay Watt who tackles all of the strategy, site operations, budgeting, reporting, communication, and outreach that keep the whole program on track.

Next Gen

Pau Esparza-Moltó—Seeing mitochondria as more than just a powerhouse

Pau Esparza-Moltó, a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Gerald Shadel’s lab, finds comfort in the similarities between his hometown in Spain and San Diego, where he now studies cell-powering mitochondria.

Belonging

Salk summer programs bring equity and opportunity to the STEM career pipeline

Each summer, the Salk Institute welcomes groups of high school and college students to campus, where they gain experience and insight into careers in the biomedical sciences.

President’s Letter

“This issue marks the end of our ‘Year of Healthy Aging,’ but our commitment to this cause shows no signs of slowing down. Thanks to our generous supporters, Salk’s Unlocking Healthy Aging Initiative will continue to champion research on this topic for years to come.”

Gerald Joyce

President

View President’s letter

Discoveries

Neuroscience

A new brain-mapping tool may be the “START” of next-generation therapeuticsWhen repairing a car, it’s important to understand its basic blueprint and how all the parts connect. Treating brain disorders is no different, except that scientists are still missing key details of the brain’s wiring diagram. To address this, Salk Professor Edward Callaway, former graduate student Maribel Patiño, and colleagues developed a new brain-mapping technology called START. The cutting-edge tool allows neuroscientists to trace the connectivity between different types of brain cells with unprecedented resolution. Using this technique, the researchers became the first to resolve cortical connectivity at the resolution of transcriptomic cell types. The discoveries made with START will help researchers design new therapeutics that can target certain neurons and brain circuits with greater specificity. Such treatments could be more effective and produce fewer side effects than current pharmacological approaches.See All

Plant Biology

Superior photosynthesis abilities of some plants could hold key to climate-resilient cropsMore than 3 billion years ago, on an Earth entirely covered with water, photosynthesis first evolved in little ancient bacteria. In the following many millions of years, those bacteria evolved into plants, optimizing themselves along the way for various environmental changes. This evolution was punctuated around 30 million years ago with the emergence of a newer, better way to photosynthesize. While plants like rice continued using an old form of photosynthesis known as C3, others like corn and sorghum developed a newer and more efficient version called C4. The difference? C4 photosynthesis is 50% more efficient. Because of this, C4 plants can thrive in hot, dry climates and are among the most productive crop species in the world. However, around 95% of plants still use C3 photosynthesis, a less efficient form that makes them more vulnerable to drought and heat. Now, Professor Joseph Ecker, postdoctoral researcher Joseph Swift, and and collaborators at the University of Cambridge have made a breakthrough in understanding the evolution of C4 photosynthesis. The researchers can now use these findings to drive C4 photosynthesis in important C3 crops like rice, wheat, and soybeans, making them more productive and resilient against our warming climate. See All

Metabolism

fuel-level-low-energy-deficits-harm-athletes-health-new-research-tool-reveals-how-2

Fuel level low! Energy deficits harm athletes’ health, new research tool reveals howIn 2014, the International Olympic Committee named a syndrome affecting many of its athletes: relative energy deficiency in sport, or REDs. Athletes develop REDs when they consistently expend more energy through their physical activity than they take in through their diet. Over time, this prolonged energy deficit can lead to a wide range of symptoms, including hormonal and reproductive issues, insomnia and fatigue, bone weakness and injury, and a higher risk of anxiety and depression. It’s now estimated that more than 40% of professional athletes have REDs, and the rate could be even higher in recreational athletes and exercisers. Despite its high prevalence, little is known about REDs on a cellular and molecular level—until Professor Satchidananda Panda, postdoctoral researcher Laura van Rosmalen, and colleagues created a landmark mouse model of REDs. By studying these mice, they discovered that REDs affects organ size and gene expression patterns across the entire body. What’s more, the syndrome appears to impact male and female mice differently: In males, kidney health was most significantly impacted, while in females, reproductive health and muscle mass were most affected. This work is helping the researchers identify potential biomarkers to improve REDs diagnosis, and also reveals new molecular targets for future therapeutics to halt, reverse, or prevent the syndrome altogether.See All

Immunobiology

Cooperative proteins help the immune system identify and attack invadersAt the front line of the human immune response are cells called macrophages, which are responsible for identifying intruders and then directing how the entire immune system responds. Associate Professor Diana Hargreaves, postdoctoral researcher Jingwen Liao, and colleagues have now discovered a molecular mechanism that helps macrophages mount a coordinated response tailored to a specific immune challenge. Activating macrophages requires the work of three versions of a protein complex called SWI/SNF: cBAF, ncBAF, and PBAF. The researchers discovered that each variant plays a distinct role in initiating macrophages’ responses to intruders and, consequently, how the immune system regulates inflammation. By delineating these SWI/SNF variants, the team has revealed new immune system mechanisms that could be targeted with therapeutics to regulate inflammation associated with conditions like sepsis, cytokine storm, COVID-19, and many more.See All

Biochemistry/ Biophysics

Through the looking glass: A cross-chiral reaction challenges our definition of lifeJust like your left and right hand exist as mirror images of each other, many biological molecules have their own form of left- and right-handedness, called chirality. On Earth, all RNA exists in a right-handed chiral form. Even when scientists make synthetic left-handed versions, the two groups behave as if on opposite sides of a mirror, unable to interact with each other. But what if they could? What if a molecule could reach through the mirror and interact with the reflected world on the other side? What if this set off a chain reaction that got molecules on both sides working together in ways we’ve never seen before? Using sophisticated bioengineering techniques, Salk President and Professor Gerald Joyce, senior staff scientist David Horning, and colleagues engineered a chemical system in which left- and right-handed versions of an RNA enzyme could effectively “reach through the mirror” and replicate each other exponentially and indefinitely. This is the first evidence of a life-like chemical system that operates on both sides of the mirror of chirality, creating the opportunity to study an entirely new form of biochemical evolution. The achievement could also advance the development of cross-chiral therapeutics, diagnostics, and other biotechnologies.See All

Spotlight

2024 Kavli Small Equipment Grant Program awards 15 scientists

The program supplies Salk Faculty and Research Professors working in neuroscience and related fields with funds to purchase or build small equipment necessary for their research. Three proposals were awarded: Pallav Kosuri, Dmitry Lyumkis, and Aga Kendrick’s Atomic Force Microscope; Satchidananda Panda, Rusty Gage, Alan Saghatelian, Christian Metallo, Dannielle Engle, Christina Towers, Pamela Maher, Joseph […]

Salk awarded $3.6 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to advance research on brain aging

The state agency dedicated a total of $27 million to establish six new Shared Resources Laboratories designed to foster collaboration among California researchers. Salk Professor Rusty Gage will lead the new Shared Resources Laboratory at Salk, which will train other scientists to use his state-of-the-art stem cell-based models of aging and neurodegeneration. This initiative will […]

New Salk Science Network (SciNET) enables research collaborations with swift data transfers

The Salk Institute has launched SciNET, a new state-of-the-art, high-speed network that enhances scientific data transfer between research collaborators. This offering is the latest advancement enabled by Salk’s Biocomputation Initiative, which aims to provide the funding, technology, and expertise required for the increasingly data-intensive research in biological sciences, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Natanella Illouz-Eliaz wins 2024 Women’s Postdoctoral Career Development Award in Science

A postdoctoral researcher in Salk Professor Joseph Ecker’s lab, Illouz-Eliaz is this year’s recipient of the Weizmann Institute of Science award. The program “supports Israeli women scientists during their postdoctoral training at leading institutions and laboratories abroad at a crucial stage in their career development.” Illouz-Eliaz will receive career coaching and $70,000 over two years.

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Events

Salk Institute appreciates pre- and postdoctoral researchers

During the week of September 16-20, Salk celebrated National Postdoc Appreciation Week by thanking both pre- and postdoctoral trainees, who collectively make up approximately one-third of the Institute. To celebrate the week, Salk’s Pre- & Postdoctoral Office, led by B. Bea Rajsombath, planned a variety of activities for Salk trainees, including an ice cream social, […]

Science and art converged at the 28th annual Symphony at Salk

The Salk Institute is grateful to the many generous sponsors who contributed to the spectacular night, and who continue to support life-changing research. The 28th annual Symphony at Salk welcomed more than 400 attendees to the Salk Institute’s iconic Courtyard on August 17. The concert under the stars showcased an outstanding performance by the San […]