this story starts 13 years ago I was a graduate student in the neurobiology
graduate student in the neurobiology
graduate student in the neurobiology department here at UCSD and I went into
department here at UCSD and I went into
department here at UCSD and I went into Student Health one day because I hadn’t
Student Health one day because I hadn’t
Student Health one day because I hadn’t been feeling well and at the end of that
been feeling well and at the end of that
been feeling well and at the end of that day I went home with the diagnosis of
day I went home with the diagnosis of
day I went home with the diagnosis of advanced testicular cancer now normally
advanced testicular cancer now normally
advanced testicular cancer now normally this is a terrible thing but in this
this is a terrible thing but in this
this is a terrible thing but in this case it set me on a path that has
case it set me on a path that has
case it set me on a path that has brought me here today so during the
brought me here today so during the
brought me here today so during the course of my treatment and Memorial
course of my treatment and Memorial
course of my treatment and Memorial sloan-kettering I realized something
sloan-kettering I realized something
sloan-kettering I realized something pretty profound most of the medications
pretty profound most of the medications
pretty profound most of the medications that I was taking or derived from nature
that I was taking or derived from nature
that I was taking or derived from nature now I’m a scientist and have been a
now I’m a scientist and have been a
now I’m a scientist and have been a biologist my whole life and I didn’t
biologist my whole life and I didn’t
biologist my whole life and I didn’t know this so I was blown away and I
know this so I was blown away and I
know this so I was blown away and I decided that when I got back to San
decided that when I got back to San
decided that when I got back to San Diego I would change the course of my
Diego I would change the course of my
Diego I would change the course of my studies and learn how to do this so when
studies and learn how to do this so when
studies and learn how to do this so when I got back the administration was very
I got back the administration was very
I got back the administration was very generous and let me change the focus of
generous and let me change the focus of
generous and let me change the focus of my dissertation so I embarked on this
my dissertation so I embarked on this
my dissertation so I embarked on this journey and found an incredible
journey and found an incredible
journey and found an incredible community here at UCSD that was doing
community here at UCSD that was doing
community here at UCSD that was doing this work in a very cutting-edge fashion
this work in a very cutting-edge fashion
this work in a very cutting-edge fashion one of the first things I learned is
one of the first things I learned is
one of the first things I learned is that over 65% of all our drugs are
that over 65% of all our drugs are
that over 65% of all our drugs are actually derived from nature from
actually derived from nature from
actually derived from nature from morphine which is derived from the poppy
morphine which is derived from the poppy
morphine which is derived from the poppy plant and changed the course of surgery
plant and changed the course of surgery
plant and changed the course of surgery in the way that we treat pain to aspirin
in the way that we treat pain to aspirin
in the way that we treat pain to aspirin which was the modified component of the
which was the modified component of the
which was the modified component of the white willow bark and treats fever and
white willow bark and treats fever and
white willow bark and treats fever and inflammation
inflammation
inflammation this was known since 400 BC but it
this was known since 400 BC but it
this was known since 400 BC but it wasn’t until the scientists from Bayer
wasn’t until the scientists from Bayer
wasn’t until the scientists from Bayer actually turned it into a drug to
actually turned it into a drug to
actually turned it into a drug to penicillin Alexander Fleming’s discovery
penicillin Alexander Fleming’s discovery
penicillin Alexander Fleming’s discovery in 1935 when he when he saw a mold
in 1935 when he when he saw a mold
in 1935 when he when he saw a mold preventing the growth of a bacteria this
preventing the growth of a bacteria this
preventing the growth of a bacteria this change the course of humanity and is
change the course of humanity and is
change the course of humanity and is probably a large part of why we’re all
probably a large part of why we’re all
probably a large part of why we’re all here today and we have Lois satin which
here today and we have Lois satin which
here today and we have Lois satin which uses human cholesterol fascinating a
uses human cholesterol fascinating a
uses human cholesterol fascinating a microbe a fungus that produces something
microbe a fungus that produces something
microbe a fungus that produces something that reduces human cholesterol and
that reduces human cholesterol and
that reduces human cholesterol and finally to tax all the drug that would
finally to tax all the drug that would
finally to tax all the drug that would eventually save my life is actually
eventually save my life is actually
eventually save my life is actually produced by a symbiotic
produced by a symbiotic
produced by a symbiotic the Pacific yew tree now why would
the Pacific yew tree now why would
the Pacific yew tree now why would compounds produce than these organisms
compounds produce than these organisms
compounds produce than these organisms actually treat human disease I was
actually treat human disease I was
actually treat human disease I was fascinated by this and as my graduate
fascinated by this and as my graduate
fascinated by this and as my graduate studies continued some remarkable
studies continued some remarkable
studies continued some remarkable studies began to emerge regarding the
studies began to emerge regarding the
studies began to emerge regarding the human microbiome all of these drugs are
human microbiome all of these drugs are
human microbiome all of these drugs are produced by microbes so these studies
produced by microbes so these studies
produced by microbes so these studies powered by the advances in genetic
powered by the advances in genetic
powered by the advances in genetic sequencing and in computational power
sequencing and in computational power
sequencing and in computational power actually began to show something amazing
actually began to show something amazing
actually began to show something amazing the human microbiome is much bigger than
the human microbiome is much bigger than
the human microbiome is much bigger than we ever expected it’s actually
we ever expected it’s actually
we ever expected it’s actually outnumbers in cells the human cells by
outnumbers in cells the human cells by
outnumbers in cells the human cells by ten to one genetic composition is
ten to one genetic composition is
ten to one genetic composition is actually a hundred to one versus human
actually a hundred to one versus human
actually a hundred to one versus human so we are not necessarily humans it’s
so we are not necessarily humans it’s
so we are not necessarily humans it’s changing the way that we think about
changing the way that we think about
changing the way that we think about health the way that we think about
health the way that we think about
health the way that we think about medicine these microbial populations
medicine these microbial populations
medicine these microbial populations have been shown to impact heart disease
have been shown to impact heart disease
have been shown to impact heart disease obesity immunity cancer and even neural
obesity immunity cancer and even neural
obesity immunity cancer and even neural development this is now standing
development this is now standing
development this is now standing discovery but it doesn’t just hold true
discovery but it doesn’t just hold true
discovery but it doesn’t just hold true in humans it’s actually something that
in humans it’s actually something that
in humans it’s actually something that our planet is covered with in 2009 there
our planet is covered with in 2009 there
our planet is covered with in 2009 there were 20 million estimated species on our
were 20 million estimated species on our
were 20 million estimated species on our planet that number has changed to
planet that number has changed to
planet that number has changed to approximately 1 trillion that means that
approximately 1 trillion that means that
approximately 1 trillion that means that less than 10 years ago we had
less than 10 years ago we had
less than 10 years ago we had underestimated the vast vast majority of
underestimated the vast vast majority of
underestimated the vast vast majority of life less than one one thousandth of 1%
life less than one one thousandth of 1%
life less than one one thousandth of 1% this is less than 10 years ago the
this is less than 10 years ago the
this is less than 10 years ago the majority of this diversity of life is
majority of this diversity of life is
majority of this diversity of life is actually microbial so this is a new tree
actually microbial so this is a new tree
actually microbial so this is a new tree of life that captures that diversity
of life that captures that diversity
of life that captures that diversity over here in the corner are humans
over here in the corner are humans
over here in the corner are humans right next to humans our amoeba
right next to humans our amoeba
right next to humans our amoeba everything else is microbial this is
everything else is microbial this is
everything else is microbial this is amazing this means that everything that
amazing this means that everything that
amazing this means that everything that we normally associate with life and with
we normally associate with life and with
we normally associate with life and with evolution sort of lies between two
evolution sort of lies between two
evolution sort of lies between two points no wings no scales no venom the
points no wings no scales no venom the
points no wings no scales no venom the rest of this diversity just relies on
rest of this diversity just relies on
rest of this diversity just relies on chemistry this is the language of life
chemistry this is the language of life
chemistry this is the language of life and the source of these medicines as you
and the source of these medicines as you
and the source of these medicines as you can imagine these medicines are actually
can imagine these medicines are actually
can imagine these medicines are actually much more complex than anything we make
much more complex than anything we make
much more complex than anything we make synthetically take Levesque this is
synthetically take Levesque this is
synthetically take Levesque this is something produced by humans and is kind
something produced by humans and is kind
something produced by humans and is kind of a pinnacle of humans synthetic
of a pinnacle of humans synthetic
of a pinnacle of humans synthetic chemistry it was designed by scientists
chemistry it was designed by scientists
chemistry it was designed by scientists to fit a specific receptor in cancer and
to fit a specific receptor in cancer and
to fit a specific receptor in cancer and by all measures is a very successful
by all measures is a very successful
by all measures is a very successful drug take rapamycin this is something
drug take rapamycin this is something
drug take rapamycin this is something discovered on Easter Island in 1975 as
discovered on Easter Island in 1975 as
discovered on Easter Island in 1975 as an antifungal agent this antifungal was
an antifungal agent this antifungal was
an antifungal agent this antifungal was soon discovered to be an incredible
soon discovered to be an incredible
soon discovered to be an incredible immunosuppressive as well as an
immunosuppressive as well as an
immunosuppressive as well as an anti-cancer agent what’s remarkable is
anti-cancer agent what’s remarkable is
anti-cancer agent what’s remarkable is that this is actually the first molecule
that this is actually the first molecule
that this is actually the first molecule ever to have statistically shown to
ever to have statistically shown to
ever to have statistically shown to extend mammalian life this molecule
extend mammalian life this molecule
extend mammalian life this molecule extends life and is currently in
extends life and is currently in
extends life and is currently in clinical trials for dogs for just that
clinical trials for dogs for just that
clinical trials for dogs for just that this chemical diversity is fascinating
this chemical diversity is fascinating
this chemical diversity is fascinating this language of life that we don’t
this language of life that we don’t
this language of life that we don’t understand yet is the source of many new
understand yet is the source of many new
understand yet is the source of many new therapeutics one of those places that is
therapeutics one of those places that is
therapeutics one of those places that is just tremendously under studied is the
just tremendously under studied is the
just tremendously under studied is the ocean this is Halla Condren be a
ocean this is Halla Condren be a
ocean this is Halla Condren be a molecule produced by a sponge the right
molecule produced by a sponge the right
molecule produced by a sponge the right half of it is actually a successful
half of it is actually a successful
half of it is actually a successful cancer therapeutic it prevents cell
cancer therapeutic it prevents cell
cancer therapeutic it prevents cell division in a novel way but we don’t
division in a novel way but we don’t
division in a novel way but we don’t know what the rest of this molecule is
know what the rest of this molecule is
know what the rest of this molecule is actually doing another way to think
actually doing another way to think
actually doing another way to think about synthetic versus natural
about synthetic versus natural
about synthetic versus natural naturally-occurring chemistry is to plot
naturally-occurring chemistry is to plot
naturally-occurring chemistry is to plot it in space this is what synthetic
it in space this is what synthetic
it in space this is what synthetic chemistry looks like with the
chemistry looks like with the
chemistry looks like with the distribution of these compounds
distribution of these compounds
distribution of these compounds representing chemical diversity they
representing chemical diversity they
representing chemical diversity they type more tightly clustered they
type more tightly clustered they
type more tightly clustered they are the more similar so this is
are the more similar so this is
are the more similar so this is synthetic chemistry naturally-occurring
synthetic chemistry naturally-occurring
synthetic chemistry naturally-occurring chemistry much more broadly so I left
chemistry much more broadly so I left
chemistry much more broadly so I left graduate school with these ideas and I
graduate school with these ideas and I
graduate school with these ideas and I was hoping that I would be able to
was hoping that I would be able to
was hoping that I would be able to somehow harness this chemical language
somehow harness this chemical language
somehow harness this chemical language this chemical diversity to more
this chemical diversity to more
this chemical diversity to more efficiently yield new breakthrough
efficiently yield new breakthrough
efficiently yield new breakthrough therapeutics and with the hypothesis
therapeutics and with the hypothesis
therapeutics and with the hypothesis that if we started with a tremendous
that if we started with a tremendous
that if we started with a tremendous chemical library this chemical diversity
chemical library this chemical diversity
chemical library this chemical diversity this language and we tested it
this language and we tested it
this language and we tested it repeatedly across different diseases
repeatedly across different diseases
repeatedly across different diseases over and over again it would yield a
over and over again it would yield a
over and over again it would yield a tremendous dataset and if you use this
tremendous dataset and if you use this
tremendous dataset and if you use this data set and combine it with the modern
data set and combine it with the modern
data set and combine it with the modern computational power AI machine learning
computational power AI machine learning
computational power AI machine learning deep data mining we would be able to
deep data mining we would be able to
deep data mining we would be able to yield better new therapeutics like ever
yield better new therapeutics like ever
yield better new therapeutics like ever before so over the last five years with
before so over the last five years with
before so over the last five years with an incredible team of young scientists
an incredible team of young scientists
an incredible team of young scientists and entrepreneurs we’ve launched this
and entrepreneurs we’ve launched this
and entrepreneurs we’ve launched this effort and actually validated this
effort and actually validated this
effort and actually validated this approach starting with the ocean
approach starting with the ocean
approach starting with the ocean we’ve been all over the world collecting
we’ve been all over the world collecting
we’ve been all over the world collecting amazing samples this is us in Curacao
amazing samples this is us in Curacao
amazing samples this is us in Curacao with Fabien Cousteau we talked our way
with Fabien Cousteau we talked our way
with Fabien Cousteau we talked our way onto the sub and we brought up these
onto the sub and we brought up these
onto the sub and we brought up these sponges which are now part of a
sponges which are now part of a
sponges which are now part of a medicinal chemistry collection we go
medicinal chemistry collection we go
medicinal chemistry collection we go back to our sample of chemical space
back to our sample of chemical space
back to our sample of chemical space what we’re doing is actually expanding
what we’re doing is actually expanding
what we’re doing is actually expanding it right we’re making it bigger we’re
it right we’re making it bigger we’re
it right we’re making it bigger we’re expanding the possibilities for drugs
expanding the possibilities for drugs
expanding the possibilities for drugs and so one of the approaches that we use
and so one of the approaches that we use
and so one of the approaches that we use to start mining it is something
to start mining it is something
to start mining it is something developed here at UCSD called molecular
developed here at UCSD called molecular
developed here at UCSD called molecular networking so molecular networking
networking so molecular networking
networking so molecular networking allows you to see the similarities
allows you to see the similarities
allows you to see the similarities between all of these dots each of these
between all of these dots each of these
between all of these dots each of these dots represents a molecule and instead
dots represents a molecule and instead
dots represents a molecule and instead of finding a needle in a haystack it’s
of finding a needle in a haystack it’s
of finding a needle in a haystack it’s really treating each dot as a needle or
really treating each dot as a needle or
really treating each dot as a needle or perhaps a key that has a lock and so
perhaps a key that has a lock and so
perhaps a key that has a lock and so this approach actually allows us to see
this approach actually allows us to see
this approach actually allows us to see the similarities between these keys and
the similarities between these keys and
the similarities between these keys and the possibility that they’ll work on
the possibility that they’ll work on
the possibility that they’ll work on several locks or on which locks they
several locks or on which locks they
several locks or on which locks they might work and then as we overlay
might work and then as we overlay
might work and then as we overlay disease results as we test in parasitic
disease results as we test in parasitic
disease results as we test in parasitic cancer
cancer
cancer immune immunity we can begin to ask
immune immunity we can begin to ask
immune immunity we can begin to ask which of these dots is actually useful
which of these dots is actually useful
which of these dots is actually useful for let’s say rapidly dividing cancer
for let’s say rapidly dividing cancer
for let’s say rapidly dividing cancer cells and this is the first place that
cells and this is the first place that
cells and this is the first place that we pointed this approach and the first
we pointed this approach and the first
we pointed this approach and the first molecule that came out is actually
molecule that came out is actually
molecule that came out is actually currently part of a targeted cancer
currently part of a targeted cancer
currently part of a targeted cancer therapeutic that’s about to enter
therapeutic that’s about to enter
therapeutic that’s about to enter clinical trials
clinical trials
clinical trials hopefully the most recent area that
hopefully the most recent area that
hopefully the most recent area that we’ve been pointing this is immune
we’ve been pointing this is immune
we’ve been pointing this is immune modulation can we find something that
modulation can we find something that
modulation can we find something that actually modulates the human immune
actually modulates the human immune
actually modulates the human immune system to treat cancer better or to
system to treat cancer better or to
system to treat cancer better or to treat infection or to prevent autoimmune
treat infection or to prevent autoimmune
treat infection or to prevent autoimmune disease but really my favorite story is
disease but really my favorite story is
disease but really my favorite story is about malaria this is work that we’ve
about malaria this is work that we’ve
about malaria this is work that we’ve done with the Bill and Melinda Gates
done with the Bill and Melinda Gates
done with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation over the last two years now
Foundation over the last two years now
Foundation over the last two years now malaria is something we don’t think
malaria is something we don’t think
malaria is something we don’t think about a lot here but it affects over 200
about a lot here but it affects over 200
about a lot here but it affects over 200 million people each year with the
million people each year with the
million people each year with the majority of them in sub-saharan Africa
majority of them in sub-saharan Africa
majority of them in sub-saharan Africa and it kills a thousand children a day
and it kills a thousand children a day
and it kills a thousand children a day so we started digging into our big nest
so we started digging into our big nest
so we started digging into our big nest of opportunity and quickly found
of opportunity and quickly found
of opportunity and quickly found something in less than four months that
something in less than four months that
something in less than four months that actually treats malaria perhaps in a
actually treats malaria perhaps in a
actually treats malaria perhaps in a totally new way incredibly potent and is
totally new way incredibly potent and is
totally new way incredibly potent and is currently being evaluated further here
currently being evaluated further here
currently being evaluated further here at UCSD so the reason that this is my
at UCSD so the reason that this is my
at UCSD so the reason that this is my favorite story is that if you think
favorite story is that if you think
favorite story is that if you think about where we collected this organism
about where we collected this organism
about where we collected this organism it was the Atacama Desert
it was the Atacama Desert
it was the Atacama Desert we found this algae growing the Atacama
we found this algae growing the Atacama
we found this algae growing the Atacama Desert brought it back processed that
Desert brought it back processed that
Desert brought it back processed that tested it and found this thing that was
tested it and found this thing that was
tested it and found this thing that was present and less less concentration than
present and less less concentration than
present and less less concentration than uranium is found in salt water so it was
uranium is found in salt water so it was
uranium is found in salt water so it was tiny abundance this was remarkable but
tiny abundance this was remarkable but
tiny abundance this was remarkable but when we looked in our data we found it
when we looked in our data we found it
when we looked in our data we found it in 25 different hosts from across the
in 25 different hosts from across the
in 25 different hosts from across the planet just this tiny tiny presence of
planet just this tiny tiny presence of
planet just this tiny tiny presence of this incredibly potent anti-parasitic
this incredibly potent anti-parasitic
this incredibly potent anti-parasitic agent from all over the world so as we
agent from all over the world so as we
agent from all over the world so as we think about our planet we think about
think about our planet we think about
think about our planet we think about diversity
diversity
diversity I urge you to think about the potential
I urge you to think about the potential
I urge you to think about the potential that lays out there and how little we
that lays out there and how little we
that lays out there and how little we understand about life and about this
understand about life and about this
understand about life and about this language that is all around us our
language that is all around us our
language that is all around us our microbiome ties us to our communities to
microbiome ties us to our communities to
microbiome ties us to our communities to ourselves to our neighbors those
ourselves to our neighbors those
ourselves to our neighbors those communities are tied to our ecosystems
communities are tied to our ecosystems
communities are tied to our ecosystems and those ecosystems are tied to our
and those ecosystems are tied to our
and those ecosystems are tied to our planet
planet
planet thread lightly thank you
thread lightly thank you
thread lightly thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment