A former Meyerhoff Scholar's research could help women with breast cancer.

By Lila Guterman
This article courtesty of UMBC Magazine

Talk to Paula Whittington '01, biological sciences, and you might not guess she's a researcher who's getting potentially life-saving results. Modest and soft-spoken, the former Meyerhoff Scholar recently published the findings from experiments that could help thousands of women with breast cancer.

In her research, Whittington has shown that a form of vaccination using DNA can treat breast cancers that are resistant to other drugs. Her research was done on mice, but if the vaccine works similarly in people, it could give hope to women whose cancers either did not shrink when treated, or whose cancers have come back despite initial treatment success.

Whittington did that research at Wayne State University, where she is a student in the M.D./Ph.D. program. She published it along with her co-workers and her advisor, Wei-Zen Wei, in September in the journal Cancer Research. Whittington defended her dissertation in late 2007 and is now finishing her medical degree – which she hopes to complete in 2010.

The joy in discovery is not just in the brainstorming, says Whittington, but in the process of testing and winnowing that accompanies it.

“I like the creative aspect of research, the idea of coming up with something and then testing it to prove it right or wrong. Then it's really cool that you might actually see a benefit in patients,” she says. “Even just the hope of it is really cool.”

Whittington already has impressed other scientists with her persistence and intelligence. “She's a very hard worker,” says Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, a professor of biological science at UMBC. “She just keeps trying and going for things. She's smart and things work out for her.”

Whittington did research as an undergraduate in the laboratory of Angela Brodie, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center. Brodie says that Whittington “had a spark about her” and impressed her by keeping in touch even after finishing her laboratory work.

“Paula has a lively, thinking mind,” agrees her dissertation adviser, Wei. “She has a lot of interesting ideas.”

It was during her work in Wei's laboratory that Whittington decided to take a cancer vaccine that her adviser has been working on since 1996 and see whether it works for tumors that are resistant to other treatments.

The vaccine is simply DNA injected into a muscle. The cells of the organism – mouse or human – then go to work making the protein encoded by the DNA, thereby alerting the immune system to the protein. Since it is the same protein that is overproduced by cancer cells, the organism’s immune system then attacks any cells that have that protein.

About a quarter of breast cancers produce too much of a protein called Her2, which instructs the cancer cells to grow. Tumors that produce Her2 grow and spread more quickly than do other breast cancers, and patients with so-called Her2-positive tumors tend to die sooner.

Their best treatment option is a drug called Herceptin, which shuts down the Her2 protein. But Herceptin works for only a small fraction of Her2-positive tumors – and even those tumors that do shrink sometimes come back after the cancer cells become resistant to the treatment.

So Whittington, Wei, and their co-workers were delighted to discover that a DNA vaccine saved mice that had breast-cancer cells injected into their sides, regardless of whether the cells were resistant to other therapies.

Wei's vaccine has already undergone one small clinical trial, performed by researchers in Sweden, to test its safety. It had no adverse effects, Wei says. “They are planning another trial as we speak.”

But Whittington has moved on – for now – to patient care in medical school. As she learns about internal medicine, surgery, and other specialties, she now ponders her future options.

“There are an infinite number of paths you can take,” she says. “Strictly clinical? Strictly research? Both? Which field?”

Regardless, she's not likely to lose touch with faculty members that have discussed her research with her, mentored her, or taught her. Good at making scientific allies,

Whittington keeps them abreast of her work, even from afar.

“I want them to know how I'm doing and that I'm working really hard,” she says. “As appreciation for them taking the time to invest in me.”

Inventions Developed in Prof. Michael Summers’ Lab Could Lead to New HIV Drugs, Targets

The Swedish biotech firm Vironova has reached an agreement with UMBC to license patented technology developed in the laboratory of Michael Summers, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator at UMBC, which could lead to new anti-HIV drugs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Vironova is granted exclusive worldwide rights to two patent families owned by UMBC. The patents cover inventions related to substances and targets for so-called capsid assembly inhibitors (CAI). Capsids are the protective protein shells of viruses. CAI drugs keep viruses from becoming infectious by interfering with the precise assembly of about 60 proteins that make up the capsid.

Summers, one of only two HHMI Investigators at Maryland public universities, is a world authority in HIV research. His lab has earned national acclaim for the quality of its research as well as the diversity of its undergraduate and graduate student researchers, many of whom are Meyerhoff Scholars at UMBC.

Summers will stay in close cooperation with Vironova as the projects progress towards clinical development. The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The HIV drug development programme at Vironova is primarily focusing on CAIs. So far, much of the work has evolved around assessing the intellectual property and potential of these CAI substances at the Karolinska Institute, Huddinge (Stockholm), under the supervision of Professor Jan Bergman. These activities will now be extended to include the Summers lab at UMBC.

“By closing this agreement, we are pleased to solidify our collaboration with professor Summers and his team at UMBC. I‘m convinced our joined forces will result in many new drug candidate discoveries," said Mohammed Homman, CEO and founder of Vironova.

"We are excited about moving forward with this international collaboration," said Summers. "Vironova's expertise in drug design and optimization will hopefully lead to the breakthroughs needed to get this new class of HIV-1 capsid assembly inhibitors into the clinic."

About Vironova

Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Vironova is a young fast growing company that develops antiviral drugs targeting HIV, herpes and influenza. The company is also a leading innovator of virus diagnostics software products and virus analysis services based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images.

Presently, Vironova manages a number of projects to develop new image analysis techniques to detect and identify different viruses affecting humans and animals. The single most significant project concerns viruses regarded to be the most devastating in case of potential epidemic or pandemic outbreaks. Read more about the project on www.panvirushield.com.

Winter �08 Graduate to Become Youngest Student at Boston Doctoral Program

When Seth Vacek ’08 was younger, no one thought he’d go to UMBC. They never thought he’d go college, period, or even graduate from high school. But Vacek, who has cerebral palsy, was determined to pursue his education fully, despite what anyone said.

“I didn’t let anything stop me from achieving the goals I’ve set,” he said.

Vacek’s condition affects his fine motor skills and impairs both his speech and walking. Everyday tasks, such as tying his shoes, can be extremely challenging. Despite these physical barriers, Vacek did graduate from high school and at the top of his class.

He continued his education at Anne Arundel Community College, where he graduated with an associate’s degree in general studies. At age 19, he applied to UMBC, and now, at age 20, he graduates and will move on to Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis to pursue a doctoral degree as the youngest accepted applicant in the school’s history.

Vacek entered UMBC as a psychology major, a field he was encouraged to pursue after taking a course with UMBC Assistant Professor and AACC Adjunct Professor Peter Resta. While at UMBC, he engaged in independent research. One of his research studies examined tattoos and why people get them. He presented his findings at UMBC’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) in spring 2008. Another research interest Vacek undertook was examining moshing, a violent form of dance that occurs at live music performances.

“I was always interested in those topics but it was UMBC that helped shape them into research ideas,” he said. “I plan to continue studying both topics in the future.”

In addition to the encouragement he received from the psychology department, Vacek also found great support through the Honors College.

“The environment provided so much intellectual stimulation,” he said. “You’re able to think about and discuss topics outside your major, like philosophy and politics. My professors taught me to really apply critical thinking skills to those subjects.”

Of his professors at UMBC, Vacek said everyone helped him to succeed. In order to graduate, Vacek needed to pass a language course. Wanting a challenge, he decided to study Latin. Learning another language was extremely difficult for him, but his professors went the extra mile to help him.

“Dr. Jay Freyman and I would meet one-on-one in his office and would just go over word after word,” he said. “He really took his time and helped me learn the language.”

Vacek plans on coming back to Maryland after he receives his doctoral degree and would eventually like to teach at the collegiate level and practice psychoanalysis in a hospital setting. He’d also like to open up his own practice.

Although he has mixed feelings about leaving UMBC, Vacek is excited for the next step in his journey.

“I’m nervous about leaving, and, in a way, I don’t want it to end,” he said. “But that’s what happens when your reach your goals. You need to set more.”

(12/18/08)

© 2007-08 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

In October 2008, the New Media Studio worked with members of the Somali Bantu community to create digital stories as part of the American Friends Service Commitee's Project Voice. The production workshop was facilitated by the Center for Digital Storytelling with a final production session at UMBC's International Media Center.

Baltimore's Somali Bantu's tell their stories of war, forced migration and resettlement to our city. In short digital videos, using original art, narration, and music, five young Somalis share powerful testimonies in English and their native Maay Maay, which they wrote and produced with the AFSC. Hand-drawn pictures of soldiers wielding automatic weapons and bulldozers decimating the countryside combine with moving narration, such as Mohamed Iftin whose farm was confiscated by the Somali Government.

The stories were released online on Dec. 10 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

You can view the stories and learn more about Project Voice here.

Award-Winning Contributions to Baltimore�s Business Community

Since its inception in 1989, more than 100 companies have been supported by bwtech@UMBC Incubator and Accelerator. Eighty percent of these companies are still in business, and 85 percent are located in Maryland. The Incubator and Accelerator recently received the 2008 New Directions Award for its positive contributions to Baltimore County’s economy through the many successful companies it has launched. Presented by the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, this award honors a company or organization that exemplifies the quality of Baltimore County businesses.

Half of the Incubator and Accelerator’s 35 companies are in the life sciences and nearly all are developing innovative technologies. Of the 250 employees at the Incubator and Accelerator, 22 are UMBC alumni and 75 percent of its companies have hired UMBC student interns. A recent “Techpreneur” internship and job fair, held in conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week, brought students and CEOs together for a night of networking and career exploration.

bwtech@UMBC’s strength is its natural synergy with the university’s research-oriented environment. Current companies have engaged in more than 100 formal research collaborations, joint grant funding opportunities, formal or informal consulting agreements, adjunct appointments, technology license agreements, CEO/founder relationships or have utilized faculty or facilities at UMBC research centers.

The bwtech@UMBC incubator program is an active component of entrepreneurship training programs across the UMBC campus. The bwtech staff, including Executive Director Ellen Hemmerly, has been a key component in the successful ACTiVATE program,which trains mid-career women to form businesses based on technologies developed at area universities and research institutions. In its first three full years of the program, ACTiVATE has trained 72 women and launched 15 companies.

(12/18/08)

© 2007-08 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Students and Staff Provide a Choice for Youth from At-Risk Environments

To hear about The Choice Program from a former fellow, click the play button below.

Over the past two decades, The Choice Program at UMBC’s Shriver Center has served more than 18,000 youth and their families in some of Maryland’s most challenged communities. The staff, fellows and mentors of The Choice Program have provided continuous support to youth from at-risk environments in the Baltimore area through intensive supervision and case management services. The program is recognized nationally by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

“Eighty percent of our youth remain in the community at the completion of their program, and 85% do not acquire new delinquent charges,” said Lamar Davis, director of the Choice Program. “But numbers tell only part of the story. Choice stories are stories of struggle and challenge but above all, they are stories of achievement, triumph and hope. Past and present staff have thousands of individual accounts that speak to the hard work and resiliency of our youth and families.”

Along with staff and Choice fellows, UMBC students also have the opportunity to work as mentors at College Night, a weekly event that brings Choice program participants to the campus for a night of activities. Students volunteer to be mentors for a variety of reasons, and for some, it helps solidify their professional goals.

“College Night really appealed to me because I knew I’d be working with older kids,” said Stephanie Tkaczyk ’10, a Choice Program intern and secondary education major. “At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go into teaching. But after serving as a mentor I realized I wanted to teach, and this is giving me the best experience I can get.”

Like Tkaczyk, Jynease Emerson ’11 is also an education major who became interested in volunteering with the program. She and Tkaczyk serve as the program’s interns.

“This program has given me such a different perspective,” Emerson said. “You don’t know anything until you experience that first semester as a mentor.”

Rian Russell ’10, amaster’s student studying public policy and coordinator for College Night, said the event is different for every participant but has a similar outcome.

“This can be a really positive environment,” Russell said. “Participants are exposed to a college campus, and many of them haven’t thought or talked about college before. We aim to foster caring adult relationships and a sense of stability through College Night.”

For many of the staff and volunteers involved with Choice, that element of transformation encourages them to stay involved with the program by mentoring at-risk youth.  

“I am dedicated to Choice because it’s an organization that believes in each person’s ability to transform their lives and change their direction,” said Davis. “Choice encourages a can-do attitude among youth, families, staff, community members and volunteers.”

This year The Choice Program celebrates its 20th year at UMBC. They have also installed and displayed “Choosing to Make a Difference,” a mural created by lead artist Joey Tomassoni and ten youth from the Choice Program’s Capitol Heights office near Washington D.C. Parents and Choice Program staff also collaborated on the concept and imagery of the mural, which grew out of discussions about the program’s positive impact on participants. The mural can be seen on the wall near commonvision in The Commons.

For more information on The Choice Program, visit http://www.choiceprograms.org/.

(12/18/08)

© 2007-08 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

The Beat of a Different Drum

When Steven McAlpine, assistant director of interdisciplinary studies, and Gregory Schroeder ’09 met for academic advising, neither one knew they’d soon be playing drums every Friday outside the University Center (UC) during free hour – with more than 10 other drummers and dancers.

“I met with Steve as a new interdisciplinary studies major,” Schroeder said. “We would talk about music a lot and the fact that we both liked to play the drums. We decided we should play outdoors sometime, and for a while it was just him and I playing in front of the UC or in the back of The Commons.”

That first outdoor show was nearly two years ago, and the drum circle (now called “Straight Up Tribal”) has around 10-15 members who regularly play drums and other instruments, sing and dance. Most members say that fall 2008 was the “tipping point” in terms of size.

“This is the first time that we have really started to grow and connect with other UMBC students,” said Trey Kulp ‘09, a regular hand drummer. “The drum circle now has a mini festival atmosphere, especially with the hoola hoops and our MCs on the mic.”

Getting involved with the drum circle is as easy as walking by the UC between noon and 1 p.m.

“I was running an errand in the UC Ballroom and when I came back out, there were two drummers playing a nice groove,” said Kulp. “A drum was available, so I asked if I could join in.”

Like Kulp, other drummers enjoyed the drum circle vibe and kept coming back every Friday. As the drummers increased, so did other forms of art and music. Dancers showed up in September 2008, along with singers. The growth in numbers also spurred a growth in diversity. There is now a vocalist from India, an African-American rapper who competes in “Battle of the Bands” contests, a Peruvian who grew up playing the cajon (box drum) and an Asian-American who mainly drums but also experiments with the hoola hoop.

“There’s a special quality about UMBC and its students that allows something like this to happen organically,” McAlpine said. “I think students are hungry for venues to share their own work.”

Straight Up Tribal is now performing at more events on campus. They recently performed as the opening act at the Global Women’s Health Benefit. Kim and Reggie Harris, artists from upstate New York, were originally slotted to be the main act but had to cancel at the last minute. Straight Up Tribal decided to put the concert together, including serving as the opening act, and only had 24 hours to do so.

They also hope to become an official student organization in the future.

For more information on Straight Up Tribal, contact McAlpine at mcalpine@umbc.edu or stop by the space in front of the UC between noon and 1 p.m. (free hour) every Friday.

(12/12/08)

© 2007-08 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �