Agilent Technologies Thought Leader Award Supports Dr. Junying Yuan, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Integrated Biological Research is Accelerating Drug Development for Neurodegenerative Diseases
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 10, 2013
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that Dr. Junying Yuan, a pioneer and leading researcher in the field of cell death at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has received an Agilent Thought Leader award in recognition of her scientific contributions to cellular biology and the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Yuan heads the Chinese Academy of Science's newly established Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry. She plans to use Agilent's integrated biology technologies to expand her metabolomics-based approach for studying neurodegenerative diseases and gain deeper insights into neurodegenerative processes.
"Integrating our metabolomics data with transcriptomic and proteomic data will allow us to better study disease pathogenesis by more fully understanding underlying disease biology," said Dr. Yuan. "Our aim is to identify five to 10 protein targets or biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases within the next three years."
Dr. Yuan and her team, headed by mass spectrometry specialist Dr. Zhengjiang Zhu, seek important insights into the complex interactions of metabolite-protein, protein-protein and genetic networks involved in the etiology of neurodegenerative disease. They will use Agilent's metabolomics workflows and integrated biology software solutions, 6400 Series Triple Quadrupole LC/MS system, and GeneSpring software in their work.
Dr. Yuan's research has uncovered many significant distinctions in the multiple cell death mechanisms, including programmed cell death (apoptosis) and necroptosis elicited by external factors such as infection, toxins or trauma (necrosis). Her recent work focuses on the identification of necrostatins, a family of small molecule inhibitors of necroptosis, which is a regulated necrotic cell death mechanism.
Dr. Yuan also holds a professorship in Cell Biology at Harvard University and has published more than 160 peer-reviewed journal articles. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science. She serves as senior editor of the Journal of Cell Biology and the Journal of Cell Death & Disease and holds 12 U.S. patents. Dr. Yuan's research has received the National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award and the Innovator's Award for Breast Cancer Research.
"Researchers using an integrated approach to the study of biology are gaining significant insights into the complex interactions between genes, proteins and metabolites, which are accelerating the discovery of new therapies to treat serious neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease," said Patrick Kaltenbach, Agilent's vice president and general manager of the LC/MS business. "We are honored to support Dr. Yuan and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in their pioneering research in this area."
About the Agilent Thought Leader Award
The Agilent Thought Leader Award promotes fundamental scientific advances by contributing financial support, products and expertise to the research of influential thought leaders in the life sciences and chemical analysis space. Information about previous award recipients is available at Agilent's Thought Leader Program website.
About the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Founded in 1949, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is an international scientific research institution advancing the work of China's leading scientists and technology industries. The institute's work is used to help inform and support the government's environmental, health, social and economic modernization efforts.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company's 20,600 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had revenues of $6.8 billion in fiscal 2013. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.
On Sept. 19, 2013, Agilent announced plans to separate into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spinoff of its electronic measurement company. The separation is expected to be completed in early November 2014.
# # #
For images related to this press release,
please visit the ImageLibrary (Image #34)
Contact:
Susan Berg
+1 408 553 7093
susan_berg1@agilent.com