Lankenau Institute for Medical Research Investigator Receives March of Dimes Grant: Research Focused on Congenital Defects of the Eye in Newborns Using a Stem Cell Model

Wynnewood, PA, June 13, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Every 4 1/2 minutes a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. Both genetic and environmental factors can cause birth defects. However, in many cases the causes of birth defects are unknown. Dr. Mindy George-Weinstein, Professor at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR), in collaboration with Dr. Sue Menko, Professor at Thomas Jefferson University, received a three-year grant in the amount of $264,410 from the March of Dimes to study the development of eye defects that may lead to cataracts, glaucoma, increased sensitivity to light, squinting or blindness in newborns.

The project entitled: “Regulation of the Development of Anterior Eye Structures and Extraocular Muscles by Epiblast-Derived Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells” will focus on a unique population of cells in the eye that modulates the effects of potent molecules called bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) on tissues that form the lens, retina and surrounding structures. The goals of this study are to define a new mechanism for regulating eye development and an unprecedented cause of congenital eye defects.

A resident of Wynnewood, PA, Dr. George-Weinstein joined the LIMR staff in 2008 after working as a Professor of Anatomy at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). She received a B.S. in Nursing and a Ph.D. in Anatomy from Thomas Jefferson University and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to the award from the March of Dimes, the George-Weinstein lab is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
Founded in 1927, the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR) is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research center located in suburban Philadelphia on the campus of the Lankenau Hospital. Part of Main Line Health, LIMR is one of the few freestanding, hospital-associated medical research centers in the nation. The faculty and staff at the Institute are dedicated to advancing an understanding of the causes of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. They use this information to help improve diagnosis and treatment of these diseases as well as find ways to prevent them. They are also committed to extending the boundaries of human health and well-being through technology transfer and the training of the next generation of scientists and physicians. For more information visit our web site at www.limr.org.

March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the nonprofit health organization whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. In 2008, they invested almost $30 million in research grants. To learn more visit: www.marchofdimes.com.

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