Taconic Insights

Epigenetics of FLM, Stress, and Neuro-Degenerative Disease The epigenetic post-translational modifications of histone (hPTMs) is a notable cellular response mechanism to environmental stimuli2. Emerging reports point to the sexual dimorphism of epigenetic hPTMs within the neurobehavioral context of fear, learning, and memory (FLM), in neuro-degenerative diseases, as well as stress- and trauma- related disorders3,4. Developmental and Functional Roles of Cdk5 One important protein in cognitive functions is...  Read More

Figure 1: HER2 CAR T cell efficacy in vivo is only observed in the hIL-2 transgenic NOG. Combined data of tumor growth curves of 5 different PDX models of cutaneous melanoma (MM11, 24, 29, 33, 46) in NOG or hIL-2 NOG. All 5 patient PDXs were responsive to HER2 CAR T cell therapy with a significant reduction in tumor volume, however, this efficacy was only present in...  Read More

Researchers who regularly work with mice and rats understand that incorrect handling practices creates unnecessary stress for the animal. If one is new to working with preclinical animal models, or is introducing a new strain to their work, a quick refresher on the benefits of correct handling procedures could be very useful. Improper Animal Handling Causes Stress Certain stressors that affect mice and rats cannot be avoided....  Read More

In a recent article in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Khot et al. examined the pharmacokinetics (PK) of exogenously administered T cells in a syngeneic tumor model. As immuno-oncology therapeutics expand into cell-based therapies, such as CAR-T cells, this type of research is needed to support their development. Khot et al. provide valuable insight into the PK of T cell-based therapeutics in this new paper....  Read More

Figure 1: Companies actively pursuing immunotherapies. Source: Trends in the Global Immuno-oncology Landscape (2018) The approval of Ipilimumab (Yervoy®, BMS) in 2011 finally offered hope to metastatic melanoma patients — and set off a revolution in cancer treatment. Since 2011, regulatory agencies have approved eleven more immunotherapy drugs. Immunotherapy research continues to explode. There are close to thirty approved drugs that stimulate the immune system to kill...  Read More

The EACR Conference on Immuno-Oncology attracted academic and pharmaceutical researchers from all over the world to the Casa Milà in Barcelona, Spain. Attendees shared their recent findings in fundamental and translational research and discussed clinical studies in immuno-oncology and immunotherapy. EACR 2019 Immuno-Oncology Conference Series This Insight only highlights a small fraction of the discussions, seminars and presentations from this year's conference series. Speakers Richard Flavell and...  Read More

The first genetically-modified mouse capable of transferring its modified genome to offspring was developed in the early 1980s. Since then, multiple genetic modification techniques have been developed to modify rodent genomes and are still commonly used today. Random and targeted transgenesis are commonly used today to study the effects of incorporating exogenous DNA for the purposes of expressing proteins not normally present in mice and rats, while...  Read More

The glial cells play pivotal roles in the central nervous system (CNS) by supporting its development, maintaining homeostasis, producing myelin, and providing support and protection for neurons1. These cells are increasingly under scientific scrutiny in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders (ND). The activated microglia, a subset of glial cells, have been demonstrated to be the main determinant of neuroinflammation that contributes to neurodegeneration2. Increasing evidence supports the...  Read More

The human gut microbiome is a complex, highly-evolved commensal community with an integral role in your response to disease and how well you maintain homeostasis. While commensal bacteria vary from person to person, a person's specific microbiome should contain the same relative percentage of bacterial species over their lifespan. The balance of this community can be altered for weeks, months, and even years depending on diet, environmental...  Read More

Most researchers know the pain of trying and failing to replicate a published experiment. This can result from something as simple as a poorly written methods section, in which important experimental details have been omitted. Barnett and Gibson recently called out the importance of an in vivo experimental detail that is commonly left out and could alter the experimental performance of your research animals: subtle differences in...  Read More