News

Self-plugging Microneedles Offer Potential to Improve Delivery of Drugs into the Eyeball

Published research on new eye treatment delivery shows improvement over hypodermic needles



June 17, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– A collaborative team, including scientists from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), has developed a novel, self-plugging microneedle for injecting therapeutics into the eyes, potentially solving one of the major challenges of treating eye diseases – accurate delivery of therapeutic drugs to the retina, while guarding against possible complications at the injection site.

Western diets rich in fructose and fat cause diabetes via glycerate-mediated loss of pancreatic islet cells

Scientists find a new link between fructose and diabetes aggravated by dietary fat



June 9, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– Those who are habitually inclined to consume burgers, fries and soda may think twice about their dietary choices following scientists’ latest findings about high-fat, high-fructose diets.

As reported in their recent publication in Cell Metabolism, a collaborative team, led by Xiling Shen, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), discovered that a high-fat diet can increase fructose metabolism in the small intestine, leading to release of a fructose-specific metabolite called glycerate into circulation. Circulating glycerate can subsequently cause damage of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells, increasing the risk of glucose tolerance disorders, such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation’s New Facility: Progress Report



May 20, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation’s (TIBI’s) new facility in Woodland Hills has begun in earnest. Workers have installed new plumbing underneath the building and have reinforced the historic building’s 50-year-old structure. They’ve also laid down a new roof, replaced existing glass-front walls, and are working on new skylights and an elevator pit.

In order to minimize vibration in the facility’s second-floor laboratories, the second story was shored up with steel-beamed supports and framing for some of the internal walls have already gone up. In addition, the building’s electrical and heating/cooling/ventilation systems are being installed.

The remaining work will take an estimated time of six months to complete, at which time TIBI employees, along with much of their equipment and supplies, will move from their current West Los Angeles facility to Woodland Hills.

Repairing Tendons with Silk Proteins



May 3, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– Just mentioning a ruptured Achilles tendon would make anyone wince. Tendon injuries are well known for their lengthy, difficult and often incomplete healing processes. Sudden or repetitive motion, experienced by athletes and factory workers, for example, increases the risk of tears or ruptures in the tendons; thirty percent of all people will have a tendon injury, with the risk being highest in women. What’s more, those who suffer from these injuries are more prone to further injuries at the site or never recover fully.

Flexible Printable Electrical Patches for Accelerated Wound Healing

Flexible, antibacterial conductive hydrogel-ePatch enables personalized, high efficiency wound treatment



April 19, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– There are myriad ways in which people can experience physical wounds – from minor scrapes and abrasions to the effects of surgery, critical injuries, burns and other major traumas. The healing process for these wounds can also vary among individuals and may be adversely affected by underlying health conditions such as vascular insufficiencies, diabetes, obesity and advanced age. In severe cases, abnormal wound healing processes can result in chronic wounds, a condition which can dramatically affect mobility, quality of life and healthcare costs.

Localized Melanoma Treatment Using pH-Dependent Drug Delivery



March 24, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– In chemotherapeutic treatment of localized malignant tumors, it is desirable to administer targeted, controlled delivery of anti-tumor drugs. As these tumors are known to exist in an acidic environment, it is also desirable that these delivery methods be responsive to pH and that the drugs are released in a pH-dependent manner.

Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation Welcomes New Member to Leadership Board



March 23, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) is pleased to announce the addition of Nazli Azimi, Pharm.D., Ph.D., to its Leadership Board. Until its recent acquisition by Equillium Inc, Dr. Azimi was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bioniz Therapeutics, Inc., and co-inventor of its platform technology that was focused on developing novel therapies for treating immune system diseases and cancer.

Terasaki Institute For Biomedical Innovation is Awarded Grant From METAvivor



February 21, 2022

(LOS ANGELES)
– Vadim Jucaud, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), has been awarded an Early Career Investigator grant from METAvivor. This volunteer-led, non-profit organization supports vital research to benefit stage IV metastatic breast cancer (mBC) patients. METAvivor is dedicated to improving the longevity and quality of life of these patients and is the only organization in the United States that annually funds this type of research. The grant will fund a project titled

“Microengineered Approach to Develop Personalized Monoclonal Antibodies for Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment.”