It’s World Rare Disease Day and supporters of all ages are coming together to raise awareness. From my point of view, the next generation makes the future look bright.
Today, I find myself back at the University of Michigan Medical School talking with pharmacology graduate students. Many of these future researchers will dedicate their careers to developing the very drugs and therapies needed to help those struggling with unmet medical needs.
I talk about my Michigan history and the career path that took me from grad student, to post doc, to industry researcher and ultimately entrepreneur. From the CorDynamics point of view, I discuss the extensive preclinical and discovery studies done for clients researching treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension—an orphan disease.
Meanwhile, back in Illinois, kids at Spencer Loomis Elementary School are helping other kids in the hopes of eradicating some of these diseases in their lifetimes. For Dollar Denim Days, the students are purchasing denim ribbons as well as wearing their favorite pair of jeans in a nod to the Global Genes Project. The proceeds will go toward research on Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder of the nervous system and the diagnosis given to the 3-year-old daughter of a former teacher at the school.
Inspired, CorDynamics pledged to match the funds raised by the Spencer Loomis Elementary students.
In the interest of full disclosure, the teacher was my oldest son’s kindergarten teacher and my youngest son still attends the school. Not to mention, Rett Syndrome is often associated with a dangerous heart condition that we regularly research—long QT syndrome.
In honor of RARE Disease Day on February 29th, CorDynamics was looking for a way to contribute, participate and make a difference.
Little did I know the ideal opportunity was right in my backyard. I would learn that I was connected to it in more ways than one.
Connection 1: My youngest son came home from school excited about “Dollar Denim Days” in honor of RARE Disease Day and in support of the Global Genes Project. The Spencer Loomis Elementary students would make and purchase denim ribbons as well as wear their favorite pair of jeans to school.
Connection 2:Two Hearts Rock, the non-profit organization we collaborated with in July for The Beat Batten & Rock Rare Disease concert given by Jesse Malin, was orchestrating the Dollar Denim Days event.
Connection 3: The proceeds would go toward research on Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder of the nervous system and the devastating diagnosis given to Amelia “Emmy” Foster, the 3-year-old daughter of Colleen Foster, who was a former teacher kindergarten teacher at the school. My oldest son had been one of Mrs. Foster’s students.
Connection 4: Upon further investigation, I learned Rett Syndrome robs children of their verbal and motor skills and is often associated with a dangerous heart condition that CorDynamics regularly researches—long QT syndrome.
Connection 5: CorDynamics jumped on board and pledged to match the funds raised by Spencer Loomis Elementary students in their Dollar Denim Days fundraiser next week.
With millions of Americans suffering from rare diseases, these connections are everywhere—perhaps in your backyard too.
Make the most of February’s bonus day on the 29th…get connected to Rare Disease Day.
It’s National Heart Month! I think about my cardiovascular fitness a lot. Kind of hard not to when training for road races. But I also think about it because of the company I work for, cardiovascular health is our business. I always felt it ironic that I was constantly maintaining my heart health in order to never have to take the drugs that I am helping to develop, oh well!
I recently had my blood pressure and heart rate taken for a yearly health screening and I was very happy with the results. Blood pressure: 110/70 and Heart Rate: 60 (and that was after my morning cup of coffee, LOL)!
For the most part I have always had a high resting heart rate (between 70-80) and it wasn’t until last year when I started training for my first half-marathon that I noticed this start to change. My training had started to drop my resting heart rate. I have always read that increasing your heart rate during physical exertion would cause this but I didn’t really believe it until I lived it.
“According to the American Heart Association website, increasing your heart rate 2 and a half hours a week will have beneficial effects to your cardiovascular system.”
The physical activity doesn’t have to be running, it could be walking vigorously, riding a bike, swimming etc. Check out their website they have loads of heart healthy tips!
Eeny Meeny Miney Mo…Where Should My R&D Dollars Go?
Do you have compounds with promise, but not enough resources to investigate all of them? I know I did when I managed projects teams and it’s a daily concern for our current clients.
This is why lead optimization screening in drug discovery and safety assessment became a cornerstone of the CorDynamics services and capabilities offerings when we started the company 10 years ago.
GLP Telemetry Vs. Lead Optimization Telemetry
Determining which lead compounds to put your R&D dollars behind is even more imperative in today’s environment. Based on this premise, our team has taken the telemetry models we use for GLP examinations of test articles and transformed the concept to create physiologically relevant screening models for lead compounds early in preclinical development.
Typical GLP dog or non-human primate telemetry studies average around six to eight subjects per interrogation and include a full protocol and report. Clients go back to their project teams with high fidelity assessments of effects on blood pressure, heart rate, ECG (including QT interval) and other parameters.
At the point of lead compound selection, however, project teams are trying to identify the most promising compound for advancement—thus we often compare one compound to another by rank order.
As a result, it’s often not necessary to invest in eight subjects on a screening study, nor have a full protocol or report. With lead optimization in mind, we design customized telemetry studies:
>> Generates data detecting subtle changes in CV parameters (such as QT interval) for screening purposes.
>> Leveraged in five species: dog, non-human primate, rabbit, rat and guinea pig telemetry.
>> Requires fewer animal subjects.
>> Efficient results with minimal paperwork.
The Bottomline
Telemetry screening allows clients to save money, use less test article and get results back to their colleagues in few days.
We’ve always known that time is money. But I believe our industry is also learning that good science decisions help us make better business decisions.
Maybe it stems from my time as an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin, where the school colors fly red and white and one of the favorite anthems is “Go Big Red.”
Or maybe, it’s because working for CorDynamics, I’m consumed with all things cardiovascular, have learned about heart disease and the startling statistics as they relate to women.
Do You Know These Heart Facts?
Heart disease—including heart attacks and strokes—is the number 1 killer of women.
Heart disease is the cause of death for 1 in 3 women.
Women are dying at the rate of 1 per minute—many of whom never knew heart disease kills.
Many women think they are too young, too healthy or even too busy to have a heart attack. That’s what my petite, energetic mother thought when she had a stroke at 54. She fully recovered, and is now making 68 look like the new 40, thanks to those around her who knew the warning signs of a stroke and acted quickly.
Do You Know the Warning Signs of a Stroke?
Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
So on National Wear Red Day, Friday, February 3, I’ll being wearing red, to raise awareness for heart disease and in honor of my mom. I hope you join me.
