Discovery Drive
News and Information from the Research Centers of Roseman University of Health Sciences
2 0 1 4 SUMMER 2014 PUBLISHING SEMIANNUALLY VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
INSIDE: • Q&A with Dr. Oscar Goodman, Jr. • Substance Abuse and Depression • College of Medicine Update
SUMMER 2014 1
“Roseman scientists are conducting research that will revolutionize treatments for life-threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.”
2 DISCOVERY DRIVE
Dear Friend, Since Roseman University merged with Nevada Cancer Institute Foundation last fall, we have been developing and refining our plan to serve Southern Nevadans. We are excited to fill you in on our progress! The scientists at the University are continuing their efforts in translational medical research within the 184,000 square foot Ralph and Betty Engelstad Cancer Research Building, now our Summerlin campus. Translational medical research is often referred to as the “bench to bedside” approach. It improves the health of individuals and the community by translating findings into new diagnostic tools, medicines, procedures, policies and education. Roseman scientists are conducting research that will revolutionize treatments for life-threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. You can read more about the newest developments inside. Preparations for Roseman’s allopathic College of Medicine are underway and our Summerlin campus provides the ideal facility to house the college. We have named Mark A. Penn, MD, MBA as Founding Dean of the College of Medicine and Chancellor of the Summerlin campus, and we have begun the accreditation process. We are poised to accept our first class of medical students in the fall of 2017. We invite you to join our researchers, faculty, alumni and friends to play an integral role in strengthening our community. As Roseman University continues to address our region’s needs, your support is more important then ever. We hope we can count on you to make a donation using the enclosed envelope or by visiting www.roseman.edu/donate. I invite you to see our progress first-hand. Please call 702822-5330 to register for a tour of our Summerlin campus. These are exciting developments for our community, and we would love to share them with you. Sincerely,
Renee Coffman, PhD President Roseman University of Health Sciences
SUMMER 2014 3
Roseman University of Health Sciences
HISTORY AT A GLANCE 2007
University of Southern Nevada established its College of Dental Medicine to offer an Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics/ MBA residency program.
38
2001
2004
The Nevada College of Pharmacy enrolled its inaugural class of 38 students.
1999
Roseman University was founded as the Nevada College of Pharmacy, offering the only Doctor of Pharmacy degree program in Nevada. Its offices were located at the Painter’s Union Building on Whitney Mesa in Henderson.
The Nevada College of Pharmacy was renamed University of Southern Nevada to reflect its expanded degree offerings. A Master of Business Administration program was added that same year.
2002
The Nevada College of Pharmacy moved to a 30,000 square-foot temporary facility at Eastern Ave. and Russell Road.
2006
2003
The growing College moved into its “home,” a 100,000 square-foot facility at 11 Sunset Way in Henderson. The inaugural class of pharmacy students graduated.
4 DISCOVERY DRIVE
University of Southern Nevada established its College of Nursing, launching a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The University opened a campus in the Salt Lake City, Utah suburb of South Jordan, offering the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
2009
2013
The first class of nine orthodontic residents enrolled. The University announced plans to expand the College of Dental Medicine to the South Jordan, Utah campus to offer the first Doctor of Dental Medicine program in the state.
The Board of Trustees approved development of the College of Medicine. The University completed a merger with Nevada Cancer Institute Foundation, securing the Engelstad Research Building to bolster medical research and house the College of Medicine.
2011
The University’s name was changed to Roseman University of Health Sciences. The inaugural class of dental students was enrolled at the South Jordan, Utah campus.
The University hired Founding Dean, Dr. Mark A. Penn, MD, MBA.
2008
University of Southern Nevada achieved regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
2014
2012
2010
The College of Nursing was expanded to the South Jordan, Utah campus.
Roseman University of Health Sciences initiated a feasibility study to explore the potential of establishing an allopathic medical school in Southern Nevada.
The University applied for accreditation for the College of Medicine with the LCME.
SUMMER 2014 5
QA &
Dr. Oscar Goodman, Jr.
A native of Las Vegas, Dr. Oscar B. Goodman, Jr. is a physician-scientist. He earned his MD at Jefferson Medical College and his PhD at Thomas Jefferson University, and as an oncologist focusing on prostate and genitourinary cancers, practices at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada. Dr. Goodman holds an adjunct research faculty appointment at Roseman University of Health Sciences, and his research in circulating tumor cells focuses on using these cells as the basis for personalized therapies against prostate and other cancers. In this interview, he expands on the potential impact of his research and on his affiliation with Roseman University.
6 DISCOVERY DRIVE
What is your area of research?
My area of research examines mechanisms for therapeutic resistance in prostate cancer, which we cannot cure once it spreads outside of the prostate despite the fact that we have perhaps the most effective of all cancer therapeutics, hormonal therapy. We are learning about several important determinants of resistance including epigenetic (non-genetic influences of gene expression), metastasis (cancer spread, which occurs by way of circulating tumor cells), tumor angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) and novel androgen-receptor (male hormone receptor) controlling metabolic pathways (e.g. CYP3A5).
How long have you been conducting this research?
This research was initiated about seven years ago beginning with mechanisms for resistance to hormonal therapy, focusing on one aspect called angiogenesis and has evolved and expanded as data have accumulated. Our experiments not only have answered outstanding questions but raise therapeutically relevant new ones, which when answered will lead to additional advances. The background of our laboratory members, Drs. Ranjana Mitra and Olivia Chao have proven invaluable to the success of our research.
Why did you choose your area of research?
I wanted to help as many people as possible. Cancer is the most common cause of death worldwide and prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. When I was a clinical fellow, I gravitated towards patients in GU malignancies and then spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow establishing the eventual foundations of this research. Prostate cancer as a disease is a challenge in that it runs the gambit from extremely indolent and not of any clinical significance (in fact over-treated) to aggressive and rapidly lethal. Today while clinically focusing in GU malignancies and prostate cancer in particular, I have the privilege of seeing individuals with other diagnoses, and appreciate the relevance of our findings across different tumor types. For example, we are investigating breast and lung cancers which may, like prostate cancer, also express androgen (male hormone) receptors. What we are learning in prostate cancer may have direct therapeutic relevance in breast cancer.
How does your research at Roseman relate to patient care you provide at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada?
Much of the work we are doing is translational, meaning laboratory observations can be utilized to develop and bring new treatment approaches (bench to bedside) or hypothesis generated from clinical observations can be evaluated in the laboratory (bedside to bench). The lab at Roseman serves as an overarching catalyst to develop and
evaluate new clinical therapeutic approaches for our patients. Much of the research done at Roseman is directly inspired and conceived as a result of the patient care and observations made therein. For example, we are near to opening up a clinical trial at CCCN based on research into prostate cancer angiogenesis performed at Roseman University.
What are your thoughts on Roseman’s academic philosophy and the College of Medicine?
Roseman's academic philosophy is unique, pursuing perfection in real time that will guarantee its alumni career-long excellence. The College of Medicine will be a vital resource to all Southern Nevadans, patients and physicians alike. No longer will local aspiring physicians have to leave the Las Vegas Valley to pursue an MD degree. The College of Medicine will serve as a nidus for the Valley’s talented medical professionals to collaboratively benefit our fellow Southern Nevadans, as well as attract new talent.
What is your vision for medical research/health care in Southern Nevada in the coming 10 years?
I expect Roseman's efforts to contribute to and spur new efforts that will collectively lead to higher quality and cost effective health care, and provide additional resources to ensure that patients can receive top-notch care without having to leave the Las Vegas Valley to receive it. This in turn will spur additional human and biotechnological capital to move to Las Vegas, further strengthening the health care infrastructure and overall economy.
Olivia Chao, postdoctoral research associate from Dr. Oscar Goodman’s lab, recently presented at the American Association for Cancer Research-Prostate Cancer Foundation Conference in San Diego. Her work provides evidence for the effectiveness of a new treatment for a currently incurable form of prostate cancer, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). SUMMER 2014 7
Roseman University
RESEARCH BRIEFS Roseman University’s research team at the Summerlin campus includes 13 researchers, research associates, post-doctoral associates, and technicians organized into laboratories focusing on diabetes and obesity; cancer; Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s & other neurodegenerative diseases; and substance abuse and depression. Below are some recent highlights from their investigations.
Aurelio Lorico, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Director of the Cancer Research team at Roseman Unviersity has been invited to give a lecture on cancer stem cells at the International Conference on Stem Cells and Extracellular Vesicles. The conference will be held October 29-31, 2014 in Providence, RI, and is organized by Brown University. Recently, several members of the Roseman University cancer research team were published in Molecular Cancer in an article entitled “Biochemical and biological characterization of exosomes containing prominin-1/ CD133” (Germana Rappa, Javier Mercapide, Fabio Anzanello - pictured above, Robert M Pope and Aurelio Lorico). The article describes in detail the composition and function of cancer microvesicles, named exosomes, released by melanoma cells, that play an important role in the capacity of melanoma to form distant metastases. The scientists at Roseman University are currently studying exomes released from those suffering from melanoma, 8 DISCOVERY DRIVE
breast cancer, brain cancer and prostate cancer. They are actively pursuing strategies to interfere with their formation and function to block the formation of cancer. The article, which has already been downloaded over 3,500 times, can be found at http://www.molecular-cancer.com/ content/12/1/62. At a January 2014 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting on prostate cancer in San Diego, CA, Dr. Ranjana Mitra presented a poster titled, “CYP3A5 regulates prostate cancer growth by facilitating nuclear translocation of AR.” Dr. Olivia Chao presented a poster titled, “HDAC inhibition sensitizes prostate cancer cells to PARP inhibitor through downregulation of DNA repair proteins." Dr. Ronald Fiscus and Dr. Janica Wong presented a poster titled, “Resveratrol causes biphasic apoptotic and proliferative effects and at higher/proapoptotic/antiangiogenesis concentrations causes suppression of nitric oxide/cGMP/protein kinase G signaling and decreased expression of prosurvival proteins c-IAP1, c-IAP2, livin and XIAP in human umbilical vein endothelial cells” at the annual AACR conference in San Diego, CA, April 5-9, 2014. At the same meeting, Dr. Fiscus and Dr. Priyatham Gorjala presented a poster titled, “Resveratrol alters the kinase activity of PKG-Iα and Src family in A2780cp cells (ovarian cancer cell line with mutated p53) resulting in growth inhibition. “Enhanced detection of metastatic prostate cancer cells in human plasma with lipid bodies staining,” by Dr. Mitra and Dr. Oscar Goodman, Jr. was published in BMC Cancer 2014.
ROSEMAN UNIVERSITY
Pharmacy Faculty Researcher
MAKES ANTIDEPRESSANT BREAKTHROUGH For someone with depression in the midst of a crisis, there is no time to waste. Yet time is exactly what currently-available antidepressants require to take effect—often on the order of weeks. A new study, featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek and The Independent (UK), suggests a fast-acting antidepressant may be on the horizon. In mice, the drug produces evidence of a mood lift within 24 hours and then continues working for sustained relief. “What makes this study unique and exciting is that in the same drug we seem to have both of the properties you want in an antidepressant—both rapid and sustained effects,” said Jeffery Talbot, Ph.D., director of the Research Center on Substance Abuse and Depression at Roseman University of Health Sciences and one of the study’s lead investigators. Though many drugs are currently available to treat people with depression, existing drugs do not work quickly, and they do not work for everyone. “Many people with depression simply don’t respond to available medications,” said Talbot. “There’s still a real need for new antidepressants.”
pharmacology working on this aspect of the study at Duquesne University. Following the virtual screening, the researchers tested MI-4’s effects in cell cultures and then in mice. In addition to providing new evidence of its antidepressant properties, the study shows MI-4 would be unlikely to become addictive. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world, affecting about 20 million people in the United States. Causing persistent sadness and loss of energy, it can take an enormous toll on a person’s ability to work or have healthy personal relationships and is a leading cause of suicide. Antidepressants are some of the most commonly prescribed medications, with 264 million prescriptions written for antidepressants in 2011 totaling more than $11 billion in sales. Talbot presented the findings during the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting on April 30, attended by more than 14,000 scientists and researchers focused on anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, nutrition and pharmacology. The study was funded by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the U.S. Department of Education and the Bower, Bennett & Bennett Research Endowment.
The drug, referred to by Talbot as its coded name MI-4 and better known among scientists as Ro-25-6981, has been shown by previous researchers to cause a rapid antidepressant effect in animals by blocking one of the brain’s signaling chemicals. But until now, researchers were not aware of the full spectrum of its antidepressant properties. The new study bolsters the evidence for MI-4’s rapid effect and adds an exciting twist: MI-4 also works in the long term. Moreover, it may accomplish its long-term effects through a three-pronged approach known as triple reuptake inhibition, which refers to a drug’s ability to simultaneously increase the levels of three key chemicals in the brain that are known to affect mood and feelings of pleasure—dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Most depression drugs only target one of these chemicals, which may explain why they are not effective in all patients. The researchers found MI-4 via “virtual screening,” a method that uses computer modeling to find drugs that are likely to interact with particular receptors in the brain. “From looking at its structure, one would never have guessed that this drug interacts with the same monoamine transporter proteins as does Paxil or cocaine, but it does. That speaks to the ‘needle in a haystack’ detection power of the virtual screening methodology,” said Christopher Surratt, Ph.D., a professor of SUMMER 2014 9
ROSEMAN UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
College of Medicine
Roseman University’s plan to develop a private, allopathic medical school in Southern Nevada continues to move forward. Following the merger last November between the Nevada Cancer Institute Foundation and the university, Roseman gained the former Nevada Cancer Institute’s 184,000 squarefoot Ralph and Betty Engelstad Cancer Research Building. Now the university’s Summerlin Campus, the facility serves as the home of Roseman’s College of Medicine and its advanced research programs, which continue the two institutions’ shared missions of medical research and education. Roseman, founded in 1999 as the Nevada College of Pharmacy, has grown rapidly by addressing its communities’ needs for health care professionals in the fields of pharmacy, nursing, dental medicine, and health care business. According to President Renee Coffman, the creation of an allopathic medical school in Southern Nevada is Roseman’s next step in responding to its communities’ needs. Notes Coffman, “Roseman is well positioned to build a high quality medical school, with support from and the expertise of partners in the community.” The groundwork for Roseman’s College of Medicine began in 2011 when the university began building a medical research program in leased laboratories in the Engelstad facility. Roseman hired teams of world-class researchers focused on pressing health issues in the U.S. and beyond, including cancer, diabetes and obesity and their related neuropathies, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and cardiovascular disease. In February of 2014, with robust research programs in place and a facility secured, Roseman submitted an application with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accrediting body for medical schools, to initiate the accreditation process. 10 DISCOVERY DRIVE
“Roseman’s goal,” Coffman continues, “is to create a medical school, rooted in our innovative and proven educational principles, that will lead the development of an integrated academic health center in Southern Nevada. The academic health center will bring all of Roseman’s health professions together to provide excellence in education, research and patient care.” On April 1, Mark A. Penn, MD, MBA became founding dean of the College of Medicine and chancellor of the Summerlin Campus. Penn joined Roseman in July 2012 as chancellor of the university’s South Jordan, Utah campus and special assistant to the president for program planning. Penn was also involved in the early planning for the College of Medicine. “Dr. Penn quickly became a valuable member of Roseman’s administration and proved himself a strong and thoughtful leader. This, coupled with his experience and familiarity with undergraduate and graduate medical education, made him the best person to lead Roseman’s College of Medicine,” Coffman said. Penn’s experience with undergraduate clerkship programs as well as graduate medical education is key for Roseman. Dr. Penn strongly believes that Nevada needs to develop more residencies to accommodate students once they graduate from medical school. Roseman is working with local hospitals, clinics, representatives from Nevada medical schools, and state and federal legislators on how best to do this. “With Penn’s guidance and expertise, Roseman is engaging in conversations and exploring collaborations in the Southern Nevada community to continue the comprehensive planning required to launch a medical school, including curriculum development and designing its undergraduate clinical training structure. If plans progress as expected, Roseman will enroll its charter class of medical students by fall 2017.”
Meet Dr. Mark A. Penn
Founding Dean
College of Medicine In April, Mark A. Penn, MD, MBA, FAAFP became the founding dean of Roseman University’s College of Medicine, and chancellor of the University’s Summerlin campus. Dr. Penn will lay the foundation for Roseman’s College of Medicine, and oversee efforts to ensure all accreditation requirements are met.The inaugural class of the College of Medicine is anticipated to enroll in the fall of 2017. Prior to joining Roseman University, Dr. Penn was a long time resident of Ohio. He received his undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University, and his MD from the Medical College of Ohio. Dr. Penn is board certified in family medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He had a rewarding career as a family physician in rural Ohio prior to entering academic medicine. “I loved private practice and taking care of my own patients. The people of my rural community were very special – hard working, caring – but as I practiced medicine, I began to sense a calling to go into teaching. It was a difficult decision to leave my practice, but I recruited a physician to succeed me so my patients had continued care. I have found I love teaching medical students and residents, and administration quickly became a strength as well. I love to help others around me succeed in reaching their goals,” noted Dr. Penn. Beginning in 1988, his positions with Summa Health System, affiliated with Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM), afforded him significant involvement with undergraduate and graduate medical education. He served as an associate director of the family residency program until 2012 and in that capacity he became an undergraduate director and clerkship director and spent time as medical director of the Clinical Skills Assessment Center. Dr. Penn developed programs for medical students and residents in community medicine, rural health, and underserved care. Those first-hand experiences will be invaluable as he engages physicians in comparable positions at Roseman and establishes programs for medically underserved individuals and rural outreach. While he was at NEOUCOM, Dr. Penn guided the university and college accreditation processes and oversaw the transformation of the four-year medical school curriculum. Working with other NEOUCOM leaders, he also contributed to the development of a College of Pharmacy and a College of Graduate Studies, which eventually transformed NEOUCOM into Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).
Dr. Penn believes Roseman’s high standards for its academic programs will provide an excellent foundation for addressing the standards of the accrediting body for allopathic medical schools, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). He is very familiar with LCME standards, having served as an LCME survey site team member to help to evaluate other medical schools. Dr. Penn first joined Roseman University in July 2012 as chancellor of the university’s campus in South Jordan, UT, where he oversaw all educational activities and operations of the campus. Dr. Harry Rosenberg, then president of Roseman, saw clearly that Dr. Penn was the right person to guide the creation of Roseman’s College of Medicine. “My wife, Becky, and I look at the opportunity here as a service to this community. We are committed to establishing a solid foundation for our College of Medicine. We want to impact the community for good in the health care world.” “We have been blessed by being here as part of the Roseman family. We have greatly appreciated getting to know the wonderful people here in Nevada as well as in Utah,” said Penn. Dr. Penn recently moved to Summerlin with his wife, Becky, who is working at Roseman as a program coordinator for the College of Medicine. The couple has four adult children and two grandchildren. For more information about Dr. Penn, his extensive accomplishments, and the College of Medicine, please see www.roseman.edu/medicine. SUMMER 2014 11
Roseman University of Health Sciences A Nevada Non-Profit Corporation 11 Sunset Way Henderson, NV 89014-2333
TAKE A
TOUR
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID LAS VEGAS NV PERMIT NO. 1840
Interested in a tour of our new Summerlin campus? We invite you to visit us! Tours will be held the first Tuesday of every month starting in August. Please call 702.822.5330 to register, or for more information.
Get Social with Roseman University Connect with Roseman University through social media for the latest news and information about the University and its events.
www.facebook.com/rosemanuniversity www.twitter.com/rosemanuhs www.twitter.com/rosemanresearch www.youtube.com/univsonev 12 DISCOVERY DRIVE