Case for Support - Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Sanford-Burnham MedicalResearchInstitute Challenging Disease, Revolutionizing the Understanding of Human Health

It’s hard to imagine results that will matter more.

We are honored by your interest in Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.

Whether you come from the business world, as we do, or from any other walk of life, results are what matter.

Results are equally important to the scientists who work at Sanford-Burnham. Their pioneering spirit has produced valuable breakthroughs, and their success inspires researchers around the world.

Your generous support will accelerate research that holds the power to cure. You can help hasten the discoveries that can change the lives of millions.

Join us!

Sincerely,

T. Denny Sanford

Malin Burnham

Revolutionizing the understanding You are invited to invest in a truly distinctive philanthropic opportunity.

Through your support of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, you will help revolutionize the way disease is treated, diagnosed, and prevented— improving the lives of millions of people.

Sanford-Burnham is one of the few research institutes in the world expressly focused on narrowing the distance between fundamental laboratory research and patient care.

There is no time to lose.

Even though biomedical researchers have decoded the human genome and unlocked many of the intricate mysteries of cell biology, the pipeline of new treatments and diagnostic tests is drying up. Unfortunately, it can take 15 years and more than $1.5 billion to move a promising therapy from the laboratory into clinical use.

Patients suffer when promising research is so slowly translated into new therapies.

of human health.

Sanford-Burnham is accelerating innovation in a dynamic environment free of distractions and untainted by bureaucracy. Sanford-Burnham’s collaborative culture builds bridges between cutting-edge laboratory research and the discovery of innovative new medicines and informative diagnostics that match the right therapy to the right patient. Sanford-Burnham achieves improved healthcare outcomes with efficiency never before attained. Their research will help patients battling chronic or life-threatening conditions— sooner, rather than later.

In short, SanfordBurnham scientists are achieving results and putting them to work to save lives.

From research, the power to cure.

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is: Driven Impactful Collaborative Innovative Compelling

Driven

Drive. Duc Dong, Ph.D., and his lab study diabetes at its fundamental molecular level.

Sanford-Burnham is driven by the quest to understand human disease at its fundamental molecular and genetic level. Finding answers about how cells behave in diseased versus healthy states is essential to developing new strategies for treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of disease. There is palpable energy at Sanford-Burnham that inspires people to explore the unknown and dare to challenge conventional approaches.

Impact. Brandon Nelson is Manager of the Stem Cell Core, one of the Institute’s shared technology centers.

Impactful The discoveries unfolding at Sanford-Burnham impact scientists worldwide.

The Institute’s impact in science and medicine is evident in our impressive track record of inventing breakthrough medicines and diagnostics.

The impact of our research is evident in that our publications have been cited more often in peer-reviewed biology and biochemistry journals during the past decade than any other organization worldwide—including all medical centers, research institutions, companies, and universities. What’s more, the vast majority of our journal articles illuminate key facets of translating research into prototype treatments for patients.

To date, inventions by SanfordU.S. government statistics rank Sanford-Burnham among the very best in the nation in capital efficiency of generating intellectual property, defined by the number of patents issued per grant dollars spent. More than anything we do at Sanford-Burnham, patents help to stimulate the economy, serving as the foundation upon which new companies are built and jobs are created.

Take a moment to look at our track record of inventing new breakthrough medicines and diagnostics. Much has been accomplished, especially when considering that the workforce at Sanford-Burnham is a fraction of the size of major research universities.

Among noteworthy highlights of Sanford-Burnham research with clinical impact are: • Invention of the underlying technology for the PSA test, the first blood test for early detection of prostate cancer.

• Contribution of enabling technology used to produce the first “biotech drug” (recombinant protein) for anemia.

• Invention of tumor-targeting drug technology, now in Phase III clinical trials, the final step toward FDA approval.

• Discovery of the first DNA-based drug for cancer treatment to successfully complete Phase III clinical trials.

• Generation of prototypes of two drugs used to prevent heart attack and stroke by inhibiting blood clotting.

• Development of a technique to pull cancer-fighting medications deep into hard-to-penetrate solid tumors.

Burnham have resulted in over 600 issued patents.

• Discovery of the neuroprotective actions of the first FDA-approved drug for Alzheimer’s disease that actually prevents cell death, rather than merely masking the symptoms of nerve cell loss like other currently available medicines.

• Generation of one of the first “vitamin-based” drugs for cancer, tapping into naturally occurring cancer defense mechanisms in the body.

• Invention of seminal technology for a new nerve repair treatment drug.

• Development of monoclonal antibody technologies for preventing fibrosis (scarring), now in advanced clinical testing.

• Discovery of protein drugs that neutralize tumor growth factors, now in Phase II clinical trials.

• Invention and development of innovative imaging agents that bind tumor blood vessels for improved detection of cancer.

• Demonstration in patients with chronic HIV infection of the brain that a neuroprotective drug used for Alzheimer’s disease can slow progression of dementia.

Collaborative

Collaborate. Jose Luis Millán, Ph.D., and postdoctoral researcher Nadia Borowski Scott share their thoughts on an experiment in Dr. Millán’s lab.

Collaboration is the cornerstone of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. Sanford-Burnham recognizes that tackling the world’s greatest medical challenges demands a team approach, where diverse skills, talents, and resources are organized akin to a “Manhattan Project” in a coordinated effort to conquer specific diseases. The Institute’s commitment to collaboration as a fundamental strategy for achieving superior results is so strong that the word “collaborative” appears in the Sanford-Burnham mission statement.

Collaboration is built into the DNA of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. We extend our collaborative spirit beyond the Institute to benefit from partnerships with scientific and medical colleagues around the world. We are as collaborative externally as we are internally. Collaboration saves money, and even more important, collaboration saves time and delivers results faster.

Leveraging the power of five discovery research centers.

The Institute’s structure is designed to achieve results through a multi-disciplinary approach that brings scientists and other professionals together to build “dream teams” that take on the most difficult diseases. This approach leverages the power of five discovery research centers that work closely together in partnership, fueling crossfertilization of ideas that yield new insights and spark innovations: • NCI-designated Cancer Center One of the preeminent cancer research centers in America, the Center investigates the causes of cancer and translates these discoveries into new ways to diagnose and treat it. The Cancer Center is one of only seven basic science research centers, as selected by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and has maintained this designation since 1981. Sanford-Burnham is one of only three organizations specifically chosen by NCI to lead the nation’s efforts in producing the next generation of cancer medicines, serving as a “comprehensive” drug discovery center for the NCI Chemical Biology Consortium.

• Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research Center The Center studies degenerative diseases and seeks to find new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological conditions. The Center also investigates the cellular mechanisms underlying aging to help people enjoy better quality of life as they age. One of the hallmarks of the Center is its world-class stem cell research, which studies ways to regenerate diseased tissues for a variety of maladies, including heart disease, diabetes, paralysis, stroke, and many other conditions. Among other distinctions, the Center is designated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a national center of excellence for Parkinson’s disease and a regional resource for neuroscience research.

• Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center The Center investigates a wide variety of chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Crohn’s disease, in which the immune system inadvertently attacks the body. Researchers are also investigating infectious diseases with a focus on “emerging” pathogens. One of the Center’s goals is to develop new medicines to attack bacteria and viruses that have become resistant to current treatments.

• Diabetes and Obesity Research Center With obesity now at epidemic proportions, this Center seeks to understand why people develop metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and ultimately type 2 diabetes.

Researchers are also investigating various causes of cardiovascular disease. A major goal of the Center is to use genomics and metabolomics to help devise personalized treatments for patients with diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

• Sanford Children’s Health Research Center Researchers here are working to solve some of the most pressing childhood medical problems, such as type 1 (juvenile) diabetes, autism, and muscular dystrophy.

The Center is also a world leader in the study of rare hereditary diseases. Using high-throughput chemical screening to find medicines that reverse inborn defects, Sanford-Burnham brings hope to children affected with devastating “orphan” diseases that are largely ignored by the pharmaceutical industry. This Center works in collaboration with Sanford Health, a large healthcare organization with cutting-edge pediatric medicine programs.

Innovative

Innovate. Sanford-Burnham scientists strive to transform the way research is conducted.

We strive to transform the way medical research is conducted, overcoming barriers and creating new models that improve efficiency of the discovery research process.

We are not afraid to assume the risks necessary to realize the rewards of leadership in promising new areas of medical research.

We attract researchers who are creative, daring, and dedicated to working together on the biggest challenges in medicine. Importantly, unlike for-profit company environments, Sanford-Burnham scientists are free to pursue discoveries wherever insights lead.

Sanford-Burnham also teaches innovation—the lifeblood of future economic growth and the key to cures. The Institute nurtures the next generation of researchers. For example, recognizing that great breakthroughs often come from the convergence of technologies originating from different fields, we offer an innovative graduate program in Biomedical Sciences. This graduate degree (Ph.D.) program gives students a foundation in four disciplines (biology, chemistry, biophysics, and either engineering or computational biology), aiming to create a next generation of bridge-building scientists who will spearhead crossfertilization of ideas and catalyze communication among diverse groups of scientists.

The pioneering spirit inspires everything that happens at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. Our scientists are creative, courageous, confident, and motivated by the passion to improve human health.

Compelling

Compel. Salvatore Abani, Ph.D., M.D., exhibits a passion found throughout the Institute, for translating basic research into treatments and cures.

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute presents a compelling opportunity for maximum philanthropic impact.

Your generous support has the potential to save the lives of millions of people. Imagine what your gift means to those who suffer from lifethreatening diseases—conditions that may be cured tomorrow thanks to your generosity today.

Accelerating innovation and improving human health, your gift will fulfill the promise of research with the power to cure.

Specifically, your support will make a significant difference by: • Providing the necessary resources to form world-class scientific teams committed to tackling daunting diseases and spearheading strategies for significant progress. • Promoting research in promising, high risk/high reward areas not currently funded by conservative government or industry sponsors. • Prompting new drug development by funding the gaps that impede translation of discoveries into cures.

And, your gift will be leveraged ten-to-one (10:1), enormously expanding its impact.

At Sanford-Burnham, every dollar of philanthropic support is historically parlayed by our researchers into ten dollars of competitive grant funding. Moreover, because Sanford-Burnham does not practice academic traditions such as tenure, where faculty past their prime exhaust much of the organizational resources, you can rest assured that your gift will fuel cutting-edge science that moves the world forward in our quest for cures.

Please make your gift today.

Join us in our extraordinary quest to challenge disease and revolutionize the understanding of human health.

History of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute From the moment of its founding, the Institute has been blazing trails.

In 1976, Dr. William Fishman and his wife Lillian left their comfortable life at a prestigious university in Boston to become the founders of what would eventually emerge as Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. The Fishmans discovered that many cancers have a “fetal” signature, suggesting that perhaps malignant cells revert back to the more primitive state from which adult cells emerge during fetal development. In fact, they had discovered that many cancers arise from adult stem cells, now recognized as a central tenant in cancer biology. They staked everything on their belief that the secret to cancer treatment lay in studying developmental biology in tandem with oncology.

They called this new enterprise the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation.

In 1996, honoring the generosity of Malin Burnham and family, the Foundation was rededicated as The Burnham Institute, later updated to Burnham Institute for Medical Research.

In 2009, the Institute’s Florida campus debuted at Lake Nona in Orlando, made possible by funding from the State of Florida, the City of Orlando, Orange County, the Tavistock Group and numerous philanthropic gifts. Situated at the crossroads of a new “medical city,” it provides additional momentum for research matched to urgent patient needs.

On January 26, 2010, during a ceremony presided over by Malin Burnham, the Institute became Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in recognition of the transformational support of T. Denny Sanford.

Throughout its history, the Institute has benefitted from dynamic leadership of prominent physician scientists.

John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., is currently Chief Executive Officer and holder of the Donald Bren Chief Executive Chair. Dr. Reed is a world leader in cell biology and cancer research. He was recognized by the Institute for Scientific Information as the biomedical researcher whose work was cited most often by other researchers during the decade 1995-2005. Dr. Reed has authored more than 800 papers and 50 book chapters; his work has culminated in more than 100 patents and several medicines now in clinical testing.

Under Dr. Reed’s leadership, Sanford-Burnham has evolved to become a world-leading biomedical research institute with over 1,200 employees working at three locations.

Serving as Sanford-Burnham’s President and holder of the Pauline and Stanley Foster Presidential Chair, Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D., is renowned for her research on metastasis, the most-life threatening aspect of cancer. While continuing to manage her laboratory as well as heading the NCI-designated Cancer Center, Dr. Vuori also oversees scientific programs and operations at Sanford-Burnham.

Sheila Collins, Ph.D., is part of the dynamic faculty in the Institute’s Diabetes and Obesity Research Center, located in Orlando, Florida.

From research, the power to cure.

www.sanfordburnham.org