Institute for Systems Biology (ISB)

Devoted husband and father. Animal lover. Accomplished pianist. Avid cyclist. Compassionate human. Exceptional scientist. The ISB community mourns the loss of Professor Ilya Shmulevich, PhD, who died on April 13, 2024. https://lnkd.in/gnZm2j8y

Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) Senior Research Scientist Dr. Jacob Valenzuela and colleagues in Nitin Baliga's lab examined representative organisms of two classes of microbes whose interaction contributes to the conversion of more than 1 gigaton of carbon into methane every year. Their work, published in the Nature Portfolio journal Nature Communications , found that gene mutations selected over a relatively short timeframe in the two microbes led to distinct functions. “Our study illustrates the importance of investigating genomic diversity within microbiomes from a spatial, temporal, and functional context,” Valenzuela said. “Interactions among ecotypes of different species across these three axes may have important implications on how we diagnose health from disease or select the right mix of ecotypes of different species to use as pre/probiotics to restore the health of an ecosystem.” https://lnkd.in/gjkCNgFN

Our group, along with collaborators at the Fred Hutch, is looking for men in the Seattle area to participate in a short study to better understand the diet/microbiome puzzle! Keep a 3-day food record, collect a stool sample and come for a blood draw (South Lake Union). Looking for healthy men, between 18 and 65 years old. $100 for completing all study activities. We have fulfilled our aim to include 50% women in this study, limiting to men (or trans-identifying) at this point. Info and initial questionnaire (to see if eligible) at

Join us on Saturday, October 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for Resonance, a symposium celebrating the life and scientific contributions of Professor Ilya Shmulevich. Session topics will include Digital Twins, Modeling and Theory, and Cancer Genomics, reflecting the broad impact of his scientific legacy. This free, day-long event at ISB in Seattle is designed to foster thoughtful discussion and honor Dr. Shmulevich’s lasting contributions to science. This event is intended for PIs, postdocs, graduate students, industry scientists, educators, and anyone else interested.

Hi all, I am pleased to announce I have come to the conclusion of my 10-week long REU experience at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB)! It's been an amazing summer full of research, and I am so thrilled to share a snapshot of what I’ve learned 🤗 Key Experiences: 💡 Conducted High-Level Research on Salmonella: Employed a range of advanced lab techniques, including confocal microscopy and tissue culturing, to investigate the role of Caspase 1 in the SPI2 secretion system of Salmonella. This secretion system is a crucial factor for bacterial replication and virulence. The results from my research will aid in finding new ways to tackle antibiotic resistance and improve treatment options 📜 Presented Research Findings: Presented my summer research in a poster format to the faculty and staff of ISB, allowing me to highlight the significance and potential impact of my findings to a scientific community. 👩🏫 Hosted a Journal Club and Lab Meeting: Prepared and led discussions on my research and recent scientific articles to a broad audience, improving both my public speaking skills and my ability to present complex scientific concepts in an engaging and accessible manner - incredibly important skills for my future! Overall, this internship has not only deepened my interest in biological research but has also ignited a passion for immunology. I am beyond excited to take this passion with me and apply my new skills and experiences to future academic and professional careers. I want to extend a HUGE thank you to Dr. Naeha S., Dr. Ajay Akhade, and Srushti Vyas for welcoming me into their research and providing invaluable mentorship and support. I also want to thank the entire faculty at ISB for creating an environment where I could learn, share, and explore freely. What an incredible opportunity - I am beyond thankful for all those who played a role in it 🙏 #ResearchInternship #REU #Immunology #ScienceRules

Congratulations Dr. Johnson-Martinez!

Congratulations to the ISB Education team. Several members are authors of papers published in the journal Connected Science Living (https://lnkd.in/gwswzeXK). Claudia Ludwig is an author of “Grounded in Community: Leveraging Partnerships for K–12 Climate Education.” https://lnkd.in/gBpxeeZE Jen Eklund and Caroline Kiehle are authors of “Make Climate Learning Happen Exactly Where You Are.” https://lnkd.in/gYpZ96ZC Claudia Ludwig and Barbara Steffens are authors of “Should Climate Science Be Local? YES!!” https://lnkd.in/gqYQe-FU Claudia Ludwig and Barg Steffens are authors of “Action and Engagement in Climate Science Learning Pedagogy.” https://lnkd.in/gkBKt947 Jen Eklund is an author of “Centering Climate Science in Learning.” https://lnkd.in/gu98pHV3 Systems Education Experiences Nitin Baliga

Meet Alexia Changalpet. Alexia is interning at Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) as a STAR fellow, which is a program that brings preservice teachers and teachers into research labs to get hands-on experience. Her mentors, Claudia Ludwig and N. Jan Chalupny, Ph.D, are part of Systems Education Experiences, a program in Nitin Baliga's lab. Alexia is partnering in the STAR Program with Xochilt Delgado. From Alexia: “I found this program interesting because of its combination of curriculum development and getting to work in the lab. I have enjoyed being at ISB because there are so many professionals in different specialties that I can learn from and who inspire me.”

Attending #JSM2024 for the first time was an incredible experience! The talks and poster sessions exceeded expectations. As a researcher from Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), I’m so grateful to everyone who made this conference possible. Thank you!

Alice Kane worked on a collaborative many-year project as a #postdoc in David A. Sinclair A.O., Ph.D.'s lab at Harvard Medical School. "We tested for the first time the effect of the NAD-boosting molecule NMN on lifespan and healthspan in male and female mice. We found that NMN-treated female mice live longer, while NMN-treated male mice are metabolically healthier," Kane said of research recently published in BioRxiv. "We explored some potential mechanisms including gene expression changes in the muscle, gut microbiome changes (thanks to Sean M. Gibbons and Christian Diener of the Gibbons Lab at Institute for Systems Biology (ISB)), sex differences in NMN metabolism (thanks to Karthikeyani Chellappa and Joe Baur at University of Pennsylvania and Lindsay Wu at UNSW). Thanks to everyone involved, especially lead-PI David Sinclair!" Read the bioRxiv paper here: https://lnkd.in/gki-mmdt. The research was cited in the following DMARGE article. https://lnkd.in/gSQNuy-B