genetic disease Archives

Pediatric Research names Andrea Hahn, M.D., M.S., early career investigator

April 19, 2021

“I am honored to be recognized by Pediatric Research and the Society of Pediatric Research (SPR) at large,” said Dr. Hahn. “SPR is an amazing organization filled with excellent scientists, and to be highlighted by them for my work is truly affirming.”

For her work on the impact of bacterial functional and metabolic activity on acute episodes of cystic fibrosis, the journal Pediatric Research recognized Andrea Hahn, M.D., M.S., as Pediatric Research’s Early Career Investigator.

Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive genetic disease, affecting more than 70,000 people worldwide. The condition’s morbidity and mortality are recurrent and result in a progressive decline of lung function.

“I am honored to be recognized by Pediatric Research and the Society of Pediatric Research (SPR) at large,” said Dr. Hahn. “SPR is an amazing organization filled with excellent scientists, and to be highlighted by them for my work is truly affirming.”

The exact mechanisms of the bacteria that chronically infect the airway triggering acute cystic fibrosis episodes, also known as pulmonary exacerbations, remain unclear. Dr. Hahn’s research is one of the few to explore this gap and found an association with long-chain fatty acid production in cystic fibrosis inflammation.

“As a physician-scientist, there are many competing priorities between developing and executing good science — including writing manuscripts and grants — and providing excellent patient care both directly and through hospital-wide quality improvement initiatives,” said Dr. Hahn. “It is often easier to have successes and feel both effective and appreciated on the clinical side. This recognition of my scientific contributions to the medical community is motivating me to continue pushing forward despite the setbacks that often come up on the research side.”

The exposure to many programs and institutions gave Dr. Hahn the foundation to create a research program at Children’s National that helps decipher the complexities of antibiotic treatment and how it changes the airway microbiome of people with cystic fibrosis. The program also explores the impacts of antibiotic resistance and beta-lactam pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) — the oldest class of antibiotics used to treat infections.

Dr. Hahn believes that the people and environment at Children’s National Hospital allowed her to grow and thrive as a physician-scientist.

“I was initially funded through an internal K12 mechanism, which was followed up by Foundation support, which was only possible because of the strong mentorship teams I have been able to build here at Children’s National,” said Dr. Hahn. “My division chief has also been very supportive, providing me with both protected time as well as additional resources to build my research lab.”

She is particularly appreciative of Robert Freishtat, M.D., M.P.H, senior investigator at the Center for Genetic Medicine Research, and Mary Callaghan Rose (1943-2016).

“Robert Freishtat has been a great advocate for me, and I am indebted to him for my success thus far in my career,” said Dr. Hahn. “Likewise, I want to specifically recognize Mary Rose. She was a great scientist at Children’s National until her death in 2016. She gave me the initial opportunity and support to begin a career studying cystic fibrosis, and she is missed dearly.”

You can learn more about Dr. Hahn’s research in this Pediatric Research article.

Rare Disease Institute director named to Global Commission to End the Diagnostic Odyssey for Children

March 21, 2018

Marshall Summar, M.D., director of the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute (CNRDI), has been named to the Global Commission to End the Diagnostic Odyssey for Children.

Children’s National Health System has announced that Marshall Summar, M.D., director of the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute (CNRDI), has been named to the Global Commission to End the Diagnostic Odyssey for Children (“the Global Commission”), an alliance dedicated to shortening the multi-year journey that rare disease patients and families endure on the road to diagnosis.

Established in partnership with Shire, Microsoft and EURORDIS, the Global Commission is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of global experts that have the commitment, creativity and technological expertise required to make a substantial difference in the lives of the millions of children living with a rare disorder.

“Providing more help to children born with rare genetic diseases continues to be one of the core challenges of 21^st century medicine,” says Dr. Summar, who notes that patients typically visit up to eight doctors and often receive two or three misdiagnoses along the way. “Even upon diagnosis, patients are hindered by scarce treatment options and approximately a third of patients die before their fifth birthday. We are committed to changing this trend at the CNRDI and are excited to have the opportunity to share our expertise with this alliance on a global stage.”

The Global Commission is focused on developing an actionable roadmap for the field of rare disease that offers recommendations to address core challenges that prevent timely diagnosis for rare disease patients, including improving physicians’ ability to identify and diagnose rare disorders, empowering patients to take an active role in their healthcare and providing high-level policy guidance to help rare disease patients achieve better health outcomes.

Beginning its work in 2018, the Global Commission expects to publish a roadmap that encapsulates the collective findings in early 2019. Over the course of the next year, the alliance will gather input from patients, families and other experts to gain key insights and develop solutions to shorten the diagnostic odyssey.

In the United States, it is estimated that one in 10 people has a rare disease – approximately 80 percent of which are genetically based. Additionally, the National Institutes of Health reports that more than 80 percent are childhood diseases and more than 25 percent of children admitted to pediatric hospitals have a rare disease.

Horizon Pharma gifts $3M to establish Horizon Pharma Clinical Care Endowment at Children’s National Rare Disease Institute

March 2, 2018

“Patients and families with rare conditions deserve to be treated in a place with the medical knowledge to provide quick, clear answers and the expert care they need,” says Marshall Summar, M.D., director of the CNRDI.

Children’s National Health System and Horizon Pharma plc are pleased to announce the creation of the Horizon Pharma Clinical Care Endowment, the first clinical team endowment at the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute (CNRDI). The endowment is made possible by a generous six-year, $3 million commitment from Horizon Pharma USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Horizon Pharma plc –a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of people living with rare diseases.

“Patients and families with rare conditions deserve to be treated in a place with the medical knowledge to provide quick, clear answers and the expert care they need,” says Marshall Summar, M.D. , director of the CNRDI. “We are grateful for Horizon and their support of our mission to make the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute that place. This endowment will support a dedicated team that can provide optimal, comprehensive care to more patients and ensure that families have a trusted source for all aspects of their health care.”

The Horizon Pharma Clinical Care Endowment will generate revenue annually, providing stable support for an expert care team at the CNRDI. Each team will be comprised of a clinical geneticist and support team members – such as genetic counselors, nutritionists and social workers – all specializing in the care of children with rare disease.

The long-term support provided by the Horizon Pharma Clinical Care Endowment will give the CNRDI a firm foundation for treating patients earlier, more consistently and over the course of their lifetime. Horizon’s commitment marks the first donor-funded endowment at the CNRDI.

Currently, it is estimated that one in 10 Americans has a rare disease – approximately 80 percent of which are genetically based. Additionally, the NIH reports that more than 80 percent are childhood diseases, and more than 25 percent of children admitted to pediatric hospitals have a rare disease.

The CNRDI is a first-of-its-kind center focused exclusively on advancing the care and treatment of children and adults with rare genetic diseases. It is the first National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Center of Excellence and aims to provide a medical home for patients and families seeking the most advanced care and expertise for rare genetic conditions that remain largely unknown to the general medical community.

Newborn screening leader selected to advisory committee on heritable disorders in newborns and children

January 11, 2018

Sarah Viall

Sarah Viall, PPCNP, coordinator for the Newborn Screening Program at the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute (CNRDI), has been invited to serve on the Education and Training Workgroup of the Health Resources & Services Administration’s (HRSA) Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC).

Established under the Public Health Service Act, the ACHDNC focuses on reducing morbidity and mortality in newborns and children who have, or are at risk for, genetic disorders. The Committee currently recommends that all newborn screening programs include a Uniform Screening Panel that monitors for a total of 34 core disorders and another 26 secondary disorders.

In addition to developing recommendations on national newborn screening guidelines, the ACHDNC also advises the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary on the most appropriate application of newborn screening technologies, tests, policies and standards. The Committee provides technical information that helps develop Heritable Disorders Program policies and priorities that enhance the ability of local and state health agencies to provide screening, healthcare services and counseling for newborns and children affected by genetic disease.

Viall had previously spent a year observing meetings for the ACHDNC Education and Training Workgroup.

“I am thrilled to be an official member that can contribute to the important work of educating communities about newborn screening,” says Viall.

$3M Retrophin gift establishes Rare Disease Network at Children’s National

January 10, 2018

“This is an exciting first step toward a new era of rare disease care and innovation,” says Marshall Summar, M.D., director of the CNRDI. “We are grateful for this gift from Retrophin that will help us accelerate progress for our patients and families and pursue work that will have a far-reaching impact on both children and adults across the country and around the world thanks to the support of Retrophin.”

Children’s National Health System and Retrophin, Inc. have announced the creation of the Retrophin Rare Disease Network at Children’s National. Retrophin, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in identifying, developing and delivering life-changing therapies to people living with rare diseases, has committed $3 million over the next six years to support the work of the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute (CNRDI). Retrophin’s commitment marks the first corporate gift to CNRDI.

“One of the chief challenges of 21st century pediatric medicine is our continued inability to provide more help to those born with rare genetic diseases,” says Marshall Summar, M.D., director of the CNRDI. “This is an exciting first step toward a new era of rare disease care and innovation. We are grateful for this gift from Retrophin that will help us accelerate progress for our patients and families and pursue work that will have a far-reaching impact on both children and adults across the country and around the world thanks to the support of Retrophin.”

As a dedicated source of funding, the Retrophin Rare Disease Network will advance the CNRDI’s efforts to create a global “hub and spoke” model for disseminating and streamlining patient access to optimal care methods and among national and international peer institutions. The network will enhance the field of rare disease medicine by standardizing care models and establishing world-wide best practices in diagnosis and treatment.

The Retrophin Rare Disease Network will also provide funding for new dedicated positions at the CNRDI and build on the Institute’s existing digital and telemedicine programs, to extend the reach of its researchers and caregivers in areas where there is currently limited care available for children and adults living with rare diseases.

CNRDI is a first-of-its-kind center focused exclusively on advancing the care and treatment of children and adults with rare genetic diseases. The first National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Center of Excellence, it aims to provide a medical home for patients and families seeking the most advanced care and expertise for rare genetic conditions that remain largely unknown to the general medical community.

U.S. leads the pack in medical genetics and genomic medicine

December 28, 2017

Debra S. Regier, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatric geneticist who is the director of education in the Rare Disease Institute at Children’s National Health System.

It long has been recognized that traits can be passed down from parents to offspring in humans, just as occurs with other species. But medical genetics – the scientific field that covers the diagnoses and management of heritable diseases – didn’t get its start until recently. Only in the past century or so have researchers devoted significant resources to better understanding the patterns of inheritance or syndromes that have a genetic cause.

Although this research has taken place around the world, the United States is well established as a leader in this field, say authors of an article published in the July 2017 issue of Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine.

This article covers the history of the field, demographics of genetic conditions, legislation that relates to genetic disease and its burdens and highlights a long list of American researchers who have genetic diseases named after them. The list, comprising 86 scientists in a diverse array of fields including pediatrics, pathology, dermatology and oncology, is a testament to the devotion of these researchers to understanding a specific condition or, sometimes, group of related conditions.

Their dedication, often spanning the entirety of their career, contributed to the wealth of knowledge now available that’s improved the outcomes of many individuals with these diseases, says article co-author Debra S. Regier, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatric geneticist who is the director of education in the Rare Disease Institute at Children’s National Health System.

“Because these researchers spent their lives characterizing these disorders,” Dr. Regier says, “we can use that information when we find a child who fits the scheme of a particular disorder to tell families what they can expect – and in many instances – explain how best to treat them.”

Beyond tracking heritable disease traits through families, modern genomics also has led to the ability to recognize specific genes that cause various disorders, speeding the process of diagnosis and intervention.

“There are about 7,000 rare diseases, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start with patients because it’s unclear which one they have,” Dr. Regier says. “By doing genetic testing, we can give families information, offer a prognosis and start treatments that have helped children who came before them with the same genetic mutation.”

Dr. Regier speculates that U.S. leadership in this field is largely due to the presence of large academic centers that are devoted to the study of genetic disorders, like Children’s National. Such centers give researchers dedicated time and space to better understand genetic diseases, both on a basic and an applied level. Despite the country’s stature as a frontrunner in this research arena, the United States has a relatively small medical genetics community, which researchers can use to their advantage.

“If I find a child with a rare genetic disorder, I can call up the world expert on this condition to share and receive information,” Dr. Regier adds. “That’s relatively rare in science, but it happens all the time in our field because we’re so small.”

Although the United States has contributed to many medical genetics and genomic medicine advances that have helped patients worldwide, the history of the field in this country wasn’t always laudable, Dr. Regier says. The article also addresses the eugenics movement during the early 20^th century. For example, in 1907, Indiana became the first state to enact involuntary sterilization legislation, an effort to remove “flawed” individuals from the gene pool that was followed by similar laws in several other states. In 1924, Virginia enacted a law that allowed eugenic sterilization of people with intellectual disabilities that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1927.

After atrocities committed by the Nazis during World War II, when the repercussions of these policies became more clear, these laws were gradually abolished.

More recent legislation, the article’s authors write, aims to protect individuals from discrimination for genetic disorders. Thus far, 35 states have laws on the books protecting against employment discrimination, and 48 states passed legislation against health insurance discrimination based on genetic information. Twenty-four states endorsed statutes that limit the use of genetic information for other types of insurance, including life, long-term care and disability.

The article is the first of a two-part series and was followed Nov. 26, 2017 by a second article addressing the current status of prenatal testing, reproductive options and reproductive law in the United States, as well as newborn screening, genetic services, rare disease registries, and education and training in genetics.

“We can take pride in our progress, while still acknowledging that we have a long way to go in this field,” Dr. Regier says.

Children’s National leaders join with Governor Martin O'Malley

Facial analysis technology successfully used to identify Noonan syndrome in diverse populations

December 6, 2017

facial recognition of noonan syndrome

According to an international study led by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), researchers have successfully used facial analysis software, developed by the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National, to identify Noonan syndrome in diverse populations.

Noonan syndrome is relatively common, affecting between 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 2,500 children, however few studies have been conducted in non-Europeans. For this study, the researchers evaluated children (average age of eight) with Noonan syndrome from 20 countries. Using the facial analysis software and clinical criteria, the researchers compared 161 white, African, Asian and Latin American children with Noonan syndrome with 161 people of the same age and gender without the disease. Using the software to analyze facial features, they were able to correctly diagnose patients with the disease from each ethnic group with 94 percent or higher accuracy.

“Our algorithm found widely spaced eyes as a significant facial feature in all ethnic groups and also highlighted facial features that are relevant to diagnosing the syndrome in each group,” said

Marius George Linguraru, D.Phil., developer of the facial analysis technology and an investigator in the study from Children’s National.

Linguraru and his team are working to create a simple tool that will enable doctors in clinics without state-of-the-art genetic facilities to take photos of their patients on a smartphone and receive instant results.

Facial analysis technology helps diagnose rare genetic disease

May 10, 2017

A new study uses facial analysis technology developed at Children’s National to diagnose 22q1.2 deletion syndrome, also known as DiGeorge syndrome.

According to a new study led by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), facial analysis technology can assist clinicians in making accurate diagnosis of 22q1.2 deletion syndrome, also known as DiGeorge syndrome. Using objective facial analysis software, developed by researchers from the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National, the study compared the most relevant facial features characteristic of DiGeorge syndrome in diverse populations. Based on a selection of 126 individual facial features, the researchers were able to correctly diagnose patients with the disease from different ethnic groups with 96.6 percent or higher accuracy.

“The results of the study demonstrated that the identification of rare diseases benefits from adapting to ethnic and geographic populations,” said Marius George Linguraru, D.Phil., developer of the facial analysis technology and an investigator in the study from Children’s National.

Linguraru and his team are also working on a simple tool that will enable doctors in clinics without state-of-the-art genetic facilities to take photos of their patients on a smartphone and receive instant results.

Supplement might help kidney disease

April 25, 2017

A research team was able to “rescue” phenotypes caused by silencing the fly CoQ2 gene by providing nephrocytes with a normal human CoQ2 gene, as well as by providing flies with Q10, a popular supplement.

A new study led by Children’s National research scientists shows that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a popular over-the-counter supplement sold for pennies a dose, could alleviate genetic problems that affect kidney function. The work, done in genetically modified fruit flies — a common model for human genetic diseases since people and fruit flies share a majority of genes — could give hope to human patients with problems in the same genetic pathway.

The new study, published April 20 by Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, focuses on genes the fly uses to create CoQ10.

“Transgenic Drosophila that carry mutations in this critical pathway are a clinically relevant model to shed light on the genetic mutations that underlie severe kidney disease in humans, and they could be instrumental for testing novel therapies for rare diseases, such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), that currently lack treatment options,” says Zhe Han, Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor in the Center for Cancer & Immunology Research at Children’s National and senior study author.

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a cluster of symptoms that signal kidney damage, including excess protein in the urine, low protein levels in blood, swelling and elevated cholesterol. The version of NS that is resistant to steroids is a major cause of end stage renal disease. Of the more than 40 genes that cause genetic kidney disease, the research team concentrated on mutations in genes involved in the biosynthesis of CoQ10, an important antioxidant that protects the cell against damage from reactive oxygen.

Drosophila pericardial nephrocytes perform renal cell functions including filtering of hemolymph (the fly’s version of blood), recycling of low molecular weight proteins and sequestration of filtered toxins. Nephrocytes closely resemble, in structure and function, the podocytes of the human kidney. The research team tailor-made a Drosophila model to perform the first systematic in vivo study to assess the roles of CoQ10 pathway genes in renal cell health and kidney function.

One by one, they silenced the function of all CoQ genes in nephrocytes. If any individual gene’s function was silenced, fruit flies died prematurely. But silencing three specific genes in the pathway associated with NS in humans – Coq2, Coq6 and Coq8 – resulted in abnormal localization of slit diaphragm structures, the most important of the kidney’s three filtration layers; collapse of membrane channel networks surrounding the cell; and increased numbers of abnormal mitochondria with deformed inner membrane structure.

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology September 2017 cover

The flies also experienced a nearly three-fold increase in levels of reactive oxygen, which the study authors say is a sufficient degree of oxidative stress to cause cellular injury and to impair function – especially to the mitochondrial inner membrane. Cells rely on properly functioning mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse, to convert energy from food into a useful form. Impaired mitochondrial structure is linked to pathogenic kidney disease.

The research team was able to “rescue” phenotypes caused by silencing the fly CoQ2 gene by providing nephrocytes with a normal human CoQ2 gene, as well as by providing flies with Q10, a readily available dietary supplement. Conversely, a mutant human CoQ2 gene from an patient with FSGS failed to rescue, providing evidence in support of that particular CoQ2 gene mutation causing the FSGS. The finding also indicated that the patient could benefit from Q10 supplementation.

“This represents a benchmark for precision medicine,” Han adds. “Our gene-replacement approach silenced the fly homolog in the tissue of interest – here, the kidney cells – and provided a human gene to supply the silenced function. When we use a human gene carrying a mutation from a patient for this assay, we can discover precisely how a specific mutation – in many cases only a single amino acid change – might lead to severe disease. We can then use this personalized fly model, carrying a patient-derived mutation, to perform drug testing and screening to find and test potential treatments. This is how I envision using the fruit fly to facilitate precision medicine.”

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