Sanford Burnham Prebys is a nonprofit

biomedical research Medical research (or biomedical research), also known as health research, refers to the process of using scientific methods with the aim to produce knowledge about human diseases, the prevention and treatment of illness, and the promotion of ...

institute located in

La Jolla, California La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood in San Diego, California, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. The climate is mild, with an average daily temperature o ...

. The institute conducts

basic research Basic research, also called pure research, fundamental research, basic science, or pure science, is a type of scientific research with the aim of improving scientific theories for better understanding and prediction of natural or other phenome ...

and

translational research Translational research (also called translation research, translational science, or, when the context is clear, simply translation) is research aimed at translating (converting) results in basic research into results that directly benefit humans ...

focused on human disease. Research at the institute focuses on

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

neurodegeneration A neurodegenerative disease is caused by the progressive loss of neurons, in the process known as neurodegeneration. Neuronal damage may also ultimately result in their cell death, death. Neurodegenerative diseases include amyotrophic lateral sc ...

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

infectious diseases infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...

inflammatory diseases Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or Irritation, irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and Functio laesa, loss of funct ...

, and

pediatric Pediatrics (American English) also spelled paediatrics (British English), is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, pediatrics covers many of their youth ...

conditions. Additional areas include

stem cell In multicellular organisms, stem cells are undifferentiated or partially differentiated cells that can change into various types of cells and proliferate indefinitely to produce more of the same stem cell. They are the earliest type of cell ...

research and

drug discovery In the fields of medicine, biotechnology, and pharmacology, drug discovery is the process by which new candidate medications are discovered. Historically, drugs were discovered by identifying the active ingredient from traditional remedies or ...

technologies. Sanford Burnham Prebys includes a

National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...

-designated Cancer Center and other specialized programs in

genomics Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of molecular biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. A genome is an organism's complete set of DNA, including all of its genes as well as its hierarchical, ...

, stem cell research, and pediatric health. The institute employs more than 500 scientists, staff, and trainees, and collaborates with academic and industry partners.

History

Sanford Burnham Prebys originated in 1976 as the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Dr. William H. Fishman and Lillian Waterman Fishman after his retirement from

Tufts University School of Medicine The Tufts University School of Medicine is the medical school of Tufts University, a Private university, private research university in Massachusetts. It was established in 1893 and is located on the university's health sciences campus in down ...

. The institute was renamed the Burnham Institute in 1996 after a $10 million contribution from philanthropist Malin Burnham and an anonymous donor. In 2006, the name was change to the Burnham Institute for Medical Research. In 2007, T. Denny Sanford pledged $20 million through

Sanford Health Sanford Health is a nonprofit, integrated health care delivery system headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with additional offices in Fargo and Bismarck, North Dakota, and Bemidji, Minnesota. History Sanford Health has its roots in ...

, supporting the creation of the Sanford Children's Health Research Center in La Jolla, California, and

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls ( ) is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha Coun ...

. A $97.9 million grant from the

National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in 1887 and is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Service ...

in 2008 supported the development of a small-molecule screening center. Following a $50 million gift from Sanford in 2010, the institute was renamed Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. In 2014, a $275 million pledge was announced but later reduced to $200 million. In 2015, a $100 million gift from Conrad Prebys resulted in the institute's current name: Sanford Burnham Prebys. Dr. David Brenner became President and CEO in 2022.

Research

Sanford Burnham Prebys was founded with its primary focus on cancer research. As of June 2024, Sanford Burnham Prebys employed 45 Principal Investigators and a total of 500 staff members. The staff is made up of postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and administrative and support personnel. The institute is home to six research centers: * NCI-designated cancer center * Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center * Center for

genetic disorders A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosome abnormality. Although polygenic disorders are ...

and aging research * Sanford Children's Health Research Center * Conrad Prebys Center for chemical genomics * Center for Stem Cells and

regenerative medicine Regenerative medicine deals with the "process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human or animal cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function". This field holds the promise of engineering damaged tissues and organs by st ...

It also partners with the San Diego Nathan Shock Center for Aging Research alongside the

Salk Institute The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is a scientific research institute in the La Jolla community of San Diego, California. The independent, non-profit institute was founded in 1960 by Jonas Salk, the developer of the polio vaccine; among th ...

and

UC San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Sc ...

. There are seven research programs at Sanford Burnham Prebys:

Degenerative Diseases Program

Understanding how cells discriminate between functional and nonfunctional proteins. Discoveries about the damaging impact of oxidative stress on protein structure and function in the

neurodegenerative diseases A neurodegenerative disease is caused by the progressive loss of neurons, in the process known as neurodegeneration. Neuronal damage may also ultimately result in their death. Neurodegenerative diseases include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, mul ...

Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...

and

Parkinson's Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become more prevalen ...

, metabolic diseases of diabetes and liver failure, and inflammatory disease and cancer. Findings are translated into new therapies that improve protein folding and preserve cell function in diseases that have global health impact.

Development, Aging and Regeneration Program

Using model organisms—mice, fish, flies, worms, and human stem cells to * Unravel gene functions linked to

mutations In biology, a mutation is an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA. Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA. Mutations result from errors during DNA or viral replication, mitosi ...

and

epigenetic In biology, epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression that happen without changes to the DNA sequence. The Greek prefix ''epi-'' (ἐπι- "over, outside of, around") in ''epigenetics'' implies features that are "on top of" or "in ...

factors; * Explore the development and regenerative capacity of the brain, heart, muscles, pancreas, limbs, liver and other organs; and * Probe the biology of aging and organ/tissue maintenance to maintain a well-functioning organism. Insights provide the tools needed to uncover novel therapeutic targets for

cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina, heart attack), heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumati ...

, muscle disorders, diabetes, cancer and other debilitating diseases.

Human Genetics Program

Research of new genetic disorders and improving understanding of those with previous knowledge. Using

zebrafish The zebrafish (''Danio rerio'') is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Danionidae of the order Cypriniformes. Native to South Asia, it is a popular aquarium fish, frequently sold under the trade name zebra danio (an ...

, mouse models, patient cells and stem cell technologies, probe the pathological mechanisms of genetic disorders to address unanswered questions. This research has led to diagnostic tests and novel therapies for patients.

Immunity and Pathogenesis Program

Research to understand the regulation and interplay of host immune responses and

microbial pathogenesis Microbial pathogenesis is a field of microbiology that started at least as early as 1988, with the identification of the triune Falkow's criteria, aka molecular Koch's postulates. In 1996, Fredricks and Relman proposed a seven-point list of "Molecul ...

; also studying viral-host interactions, innate and

humoral immunity Humoral immunity is the aspect of immunity (medical), immunity that is mediated by macromolecules – including secreted antibodies, complement proteins, and certain antimicrobial peptides – located in extracellular fluids. Humoral immunity is ...

, inflammation and T cell checkpoint regulation. This research provides therapeutic opportunities to address medical needs, including the treatment of endemic and pandemic infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, cancer and inflammatory diseases.

Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program

Focus on RNA biology and the signaling pathways that regulate cell growth and cell fate; what drives cancer cell growth, to lead to treatments for brain, breast and prostate cancers, as well as melanoma and leukemia.

Aging, Cancer and Immunology Program

Studies the interplay between cancer cells, the microenvironment, and immune cells that regulates the growth and

metastasis Metastasis is a pathogenic agent's spreading from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host's body; the term is typically used when referring to metastasis by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, ...

of solid and

hematologic malignancies Tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues (American English) or tumours of the haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues (British English) are tumors that affect the blood, bone marrow, lymph, and lymphatic system. Because these tissues are all ...

. Focus on the

microbiome A microbiome () is the community of microorganisms that can usually be found living together in any given habitat. It was defined more precisely in 1988 by Whipps ''et al.'' as "a characteristic microbial community occupying a reasonably wel ...

, cell migration/invasion, cell signaling,

angiogenesis Angiogenesis is the physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels, formed in the earlier stage of vasculogenesis. Angiogenesis continues the growth of the vasculature mainly by processes of sprouting and ...

, and immunology.

Educational Programs

In addition to its research mission, Sanford Burnham Prebys has a broad educational mission. Established in 2005, the institute's Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers a Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Sciences. In 2015, Sanford Burnham Prebys achieved

accreditation Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

with the

Western Association of Schools and Colleges The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC ( )) provided accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in California and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Samoa and Northern ...

. Sanford Burnham Prebys also trains and employs postdoctoral fellows; there are typically around 125 postdocs training at the Institute at any time. The graduate school is focused on biomedical research and is supplemented by the technologies developed to facilitate development in medical practices. The program offers a foundation in biomedical science with project opportunities in biology, chemistry, bioinformatics, and engineering, with a focus on one of the main foundations of biomedical science within a laboratory specializing in the area. It is a small program with eight openings per year and a steady state of thirty students. Entering graduate students are admitted to their thesis labs on day one and do not perform laboratory rotations. The graduate school has a short time to degree, averaging 4.7 years. In the first two years, students complete five core courses, six tutorials, and one elective. Instruction is accompanied by extensive practical laboratory training under the supervision of faculty.

Funding

In January 2020, Sanford Burnham Prebys reported $117M in annual revenue. The sources of funding in 2019 were: 58% federal; 22% private philanthropy; 8% biopharmaceutical partnerships; 8% licensing and other; and 4% other grants. Donations from the Whittaker Corporation and the California Foundation enabled the acquisition a five-acre site on the La Jolla mesa. Donations from philanthropists and the institute's namesakes—T. Denny Sanford, Malin and Roberta Burnham, and Conrad Prebys—have helped to ensure the institute's continued growth.

Select scientific achievements

The Institute initially focused on the commonalities between

and fetal development, known as onco-developmental biology. Significant early discoveries include development of

monoclonal antibody A monoclonal antibody (mAb, more rarely called moAb) is an antibody produced from a cell lineage made by cloning a unique white blood cell. All subsequent antibodies derived this way trace back to a unique parent cell. Monoclonal antibodie ...

-based 'two-site'

ELISA The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (, ) is a commonly used analytical biochemistry assay, first described by Eva Engvall and Peter Perlmann in 1971. The assay is a solid-phase type of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect the presence of ...

. In the 1980s, the Institute became known for its work on

fibronectin Fibronectin is a high- molecular weight (~500-~600 kDa) glycoprotein of the extracellular matrix that binds to membrane-spanning receptor proteins called integrins. Fibronectin also binds to other extracellular matrix proteins such as col ...

and other

extracellular matrix In biology, the extracellular matrix (ECM), also called intercellular matrix (ICM), is a network consisting of extracellular macromolecules and minerals, such as collagen, enzymes, glycoproteins and hydroxyapatite that provide structural and bio ...

components, and

cell adhesion Cell adhesion is the process by which cells interact and attach to neighbouring cells through specialised molecules of the cell surface. This process can occur either through direct contact between cell surfaces such as Cell_junction, cell junc ...

. This work includes the discovery of the RGD tripeptide as the cell attachment site in fibronectin, fibrinogen, and other adhesive proteins, and the discovery of integrins, the cell surface receptors that recognize the RGD sequence in matrix proteins. In the 1990s, Institute scientists made contributions to research on

programmed cell death Programmed cell death (PCD) sometimes referred to as cell, or cellular suicide is the death of a cell (biology), cell as a result of events inside of a cell, such as apoptosis or autophagy. PCD is carried out in a biological process, which usual ...

prominence with the discovery of several previously unknown pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, namely

caspases Caspases (cysteine-aspartic proteases, cysteine aspartases or cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases) are a family of protease enzymes playing essential roles in programmed cell death. They are named caspases due to their specific cystei ...

, IAPs, and Bcl-2 family members. The demonstration by Institute scientists that cells deprived of attachment to extracellular matrix commit suicide by

apoptosis Apoptosis (from ) is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms and in some eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms such as yeast. Biochemistry, Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes (Morphology (biol ...

, named

Anoikis Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in anchorage-dependent cells when they detach from the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). Usually cells stay close to the tissue to which they belong since the communication between proxima ...

, connected the cell adhesion and apoptosis fields. These findings essentially explained why normal cells stay in their appropriate place, whereas cancer cells spread and metastasize. Reduced integrin function in malignant cells makes it possible for them to leave their original tissue and increased expression of anti-apoptotic proteins prevents

anoikis Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in anchorage-dependent cells when they detach from the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). Usually cells stay close to the tissue to which they belong since the communication between proxima ...

, enabling cancer invasion and metastasis. Several drugs have been brought to the clinic for the treatment of cancer and other diseases based on the fundamental RGD/

integrin Integrins are transmembrane receptors that help cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion. Upon ligand binding, integrins activate signal transduction pathways that mediate cellular signals such as regulation of the cell cycle, o ...

and apoptosis studies at the institute. More recently, the institute has expanded its research to several additional areas, including

neuroscience Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions, and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, ...

cardiovascular diseases Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina, heart attack), heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheuma ...

, rare diseases of sugar and phosphate metabolism. The common trend is discovery of proteins that are linked to the development of a disease and identification of chemical compounds (or antibodies) that bind to those proteins and inhibit or enhance their function. Such compounds become candidate drugs for the treatment of the disease. Several compounds developed either at the Institute or by biopharmaceutical companies are now in clinical trials. Pioneering studies at the Institute showed that simple sugars such as D-mannose, L-fucose, and D-galactose are effective therapies for a set of rare genetic disorders. Some are currently in clinical trials.

Collaboration and partnerships

Sanford Burnham Prebys has working relationships with the

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...

The Scripps Research Institute Scripps Research is a nonprofit American medical research facility that focuses on research and education in the biomedical sciences. Headquartered in San Diego, California, the institute has over 170 laboratories employing 2,100 scientists, tec ...

, the

Salk Institute for Biological Studies The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is a scientific research institute in the La Jolla community of San Diego, California. The independent, non-profit institute was founded in 1960 by Jonas Salk, the developer of the polio vaccine; among th ...

, and the

Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic () is a Nonprofit organization, private American Academic health science centre, academic Medical centers in the United States, medical center focused on integrated health care, healthcare, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science ...

. Sanford Burnham Prebys also collaborates with pharmaceutical industry to move research breakthroughs from the lab out to wide adoption in clinical trials.

References

External links

Official website
* https://sbpdiscovery.org/research/ {{authority control Medical research institutes in California Cancer organizations based in the United States Stem cell research La Jolla, San Diego Independent research institutes 501(c)(3) organizations