THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
I 0 6 6 6 N O R T H T O R R E Y P I N E SR O A D
LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA 920]7
6t9 455-9t00
For information:
Robin B. Goldsmith
(619)5s4-8134
For immediaterelease
# 050393
RESEARCHER AT THE SCRIPPSRESEARCH INSTITUTE
RECIPIENT OF PRESTIGIOUS NIH AWARD
LA JOLLA, CALIF., May 3, 1993-- ErnestBeutler,M.D., chairmanof the
Departmentof Molecularand ExperimentalMedicineat The ScrippsResearchInstitute
and principal investigatorof the ScrippsClinic GeneralClinical ResearchCenter
(GCRC), hasbeenselectedto receivethe GeneralClinical ResearchCentersFifth
Annual Award for Excellencein Clinical Research.
The award will be grantedtoday at the national meetingof the American Society
for Clinical Investigationin Washington,D.C., whereBeutlerwill give a lectureand
receivea $5,000awardandplaque.
The honor, awardedby the NationalCenterfor ResearchResourcesof the
National Institutesof Health, acknowledges
outstandingclinical researchconductedin a
GCRC. A GCRC is a researchcenterwithin a major teachinghospitalthat conducts
innovativepatientstudiesto test new therapiesand treatments.EachGCRC hashighly
trainednurses,dietitiansand biostatisticians,advancedcomputersystemsand state-ofthe-artequipment.Clinical investigatorswho haveconductedresearchin the past seven
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Page2 -- NIH AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL RBSEARCH
yearsat a GCRC are nominatedfor the award.An anonymouspeer review committee
then selectsthe awardwinner on the basisof scientificmerit and utilization of the
GCRC.
Beutlerhasworked with the GCRC at ScrippsClinic sincejoining Scrippsin
1978. Foundedin 1974,ScrippsClinic's GCRC is the only one of the 75 NcRR-funded
centerswhich is not affiliated with a universityor medicalschool.
"Dr. Beutlerhasmadeimportantcontributionsto our understandingof disease
mechanismsand to improvedtreatmentmodalitiesin severalareasof hematological
diseases
and in oncology," saysEng M. Tan, M.D., directorof the Autoimmune
DiseaseCenterat ScrippsClinic and chairmanof the GCRC ScientificAdvisory
Committeewhich nominatedBeutlerfor the award.
Beutler'sselectionwas basedon his pioneeringwork in the fields of anemia,lipid
storagedisorders(particularlyGaucherdisease),and the useof 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine
(2-CdA) in the treatmentof lymphomasand leukemia.
Beutlerhas authoredor co-authoredhundredsof papersduring the courseof his
in cloningthe cDNA and genefor glucocerebrosidase,
career.Beutler'slab succeeded
the enzymethat is deficientin Gaucherdisease.In Decemberof 1991,Beutlerwas the
lead authorof a paperconcerningthe discoveryof a genemutationthat plays a role in
Gaucherdisease.Suchresearchhad importantimplicationsconcerningscreeningfor
couplesat risk for having a baby with Gaucherdisease.
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With the adventof enzymereplacement
therapyand availabilityof
glucocerebrosidase,
Beutlerand his colleagueshave studiedthe responseof patientsto
different doseschedulesof aglucerase,
the commercially-available
recombinantenzyme.
It is now well documentedfrom their studyand thoseof others,that successfultreatment
of adult Gaucherdiseasecanbe accomplished
and at a much lower costthan was
previouslybelieved.
Beutlerled the teamthat testedthe new anti-cancerdrug, 2-CdA, developedat
The ScrippsResearchInstituteby DennisCarson,M.D. It hasproduceda large number
of completeremissionsin hairy cell leukemiapatientsand in patientswith other diseases.
"Beutleris acknowledged
to be the driving force behindstudiesconductedin the
GCRC to determinethe therapeuticpotentialof 2-CdA in patientswith leukemias,
lymphomasand autoimmunedisease" saysTan. "He is a first classclinician-scientist
and exemplifiesthe excellencethat would be expectedof a GCRC clinical research
"
awardee.
After receivinghis medicaldegreefrom the Universityof Chicagoin 1950,
Beutler spentfour yearson the school'sfaculty. He then movedto the City of Hope
Medical Centerin Duarte. Calif.. wherehe was chairmanof the division of medicine
and director of the departmentof hematology.Beutlerwas also a clinical professorof
medicineat the University of SouthernCaliforniauntil 1978when he joined Scripps
Clinic. He is also currentlya clinical professorof medicineat the University of
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California, SanDiego.
The four previous recipientsof the NIH award include researchersfrom Harvard
University, University of Washington,Duke University and RockefellerUniversity.