Temple’s Dr. Silvia Fossati Awarded $500,000 Grant for Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Discovery Research

(Philadelphia, PA) – Silvia Fossati, PhD,

Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Associate Director of the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, has been awarded a two-year $500,000 grant from The Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, as part of the Foundation’s Awards Program in Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Discovery Research.

Dr. Fossati, the principal investigator on the grant, will work with co-investigator

Marc Ilies, PhD,

Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Temple University School of Pharmacy, to develop a new Alzheimer’s-specific version of an already-existing drug family called carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, which are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat conditions such as glaucoma and high-altitude sickness.

Previous studies in Dr. Fossati’s Lab showed that these drugs were effective in cell and animal models at targeting certain features of Alzheimer’s disease, including mitochondrial dysfunction, amyloid protein build-up, and inflammation.

Research has suggested that chronic inflammation in the brain may be due to the build-up of cells that normally free the organ of debris, waste and protein collections – including amyloid protein. When amyloid protein deposits in abnormal levels in the brain, it can disrupt cell function and communication pathways. Elevated levels can also be a factor in abnormalities of the mitochondria – the energy-generating batteries of cells – and in damaging the brain vasculature (its blood vessels). Collectively, these can eventually contribute to cognitive dysfunction, including impairments in memory and learning – hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

Ideally, Dr. Fossati and Dr. Ilies’ drug would target these characteristics, as currently available carbonic anhydrase inhibitors do, but would better infiltrate the brain and cause fewer side effects.

The drug would be tested in cell and animal models of Alzheimer’s disease first and then potentially in human clinical trials in two to three years.

“Since carbonic anhydrase inhibitors have already been approved by the FDA and have demonstrated promising results, we are hopeful that we will be able to tailor what is currently available on the market to specifically target Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Fossati said. “We are so thankful that the foundation sees such promise in our work and has chosen to recognize us with this grant.”

The Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, which was established in 2002 by Robert P. Thome to honor the memory of his parents, provides funding in two areas – support for the dignified treatment of older adults and support for medical research on diseases affecting older adults. The medical research division alternates between funding research on macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.

About Temple Health

Temple University Health System (TUHS) is a $2.2 billion academic health system dedicated to providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical education and research. The Health System consists of Temple University Hospital (TUH)

;

TUH-Episcopal Campus; TUH-Jeanes Campus; TUH-Northeastern Campus; The Hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center and Affiliates, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center; Temple Transport Team, a ground and air-ambulance company; Temple Physicians, Inc., a network of community-based specialty and primary-care physician practices; and Temple Faculty Practice Plan, Inc., TUHS’s physician practice plan comprised of more than 500 full-time and part-time academic physicians in 20 clinical departments. TUHS is affiliated with the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Katz School of Medicine. TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents.

It is the policy of Temple University Health System that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment.

Camden Girl Scouts Visit MD Anderson Cancer Center

Through a partnership with The Cooper Foundation, the Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey, St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral School and KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, 24 Camden middle school students visited MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper on Jan. 30 for a behind the scenes look at STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers.

During the tour of the state-of-the-art cancer center, students had the opportunity to hear from a radiation therapist, an infusion nurse, a pharmacist, and a clinical researcher to learn about their work and the technology used to care for patients.

Following the tour, Dr. Lisa Reid, a surgeon at MD Anderson at Cooper, shared the story of her career path and encouraged the girls to find their voice and follow their dreams.

Last year, Camden high school students visited Cooper as part of the STEMsational: STEM Girl Scouts Series. This year, the opportunity was extended to middle school students to encourage them to discover their passions and hear from women in leadership roles.

Click here

to view photos from the tour.

A Little Girl from Indiana is Pursuing Her Dreams Thanks to Her New Kidney

March is National Kidney Month:

March 2, 2020

—

March is National Kidney Month, which is a month-long, awareness-raising grassroots effort to spread the word nationwide about the importance of kidney health. An Indiana transplant family knows all too well the life-saving difference a

healthy kidney can make.

Paula and David Check of Fishers, Indiana, remember the excitement of learning they were pregnant with their first child. Paula’s pregnancy was normal by all accounts and they were simply counting the days until their precious baby would be born. Baby Lydia arrived in December 2009 and the family of three felt complete. She was an adorable infant who grew into a toddler — her first years of life seemed ‘normal’ to both Paula and David.

But during the summer months of 2014 Paula noticed then four-year-old Lydia was becoming increasingly sick, tired and weak. By the fall months Lydia was vomiting and having diarrhea regularly. She began bleeding from her bowels. Paula remembers taking Lydia to the family doctor several times insisting there was something seriously wrong with their little girl. In January 2015 Lydia’s weight loss became incredibly noticeable; she was literally skin and bones. In February 2015 a gastro intestinal specialist diagnosed Lydia with Ulcerative Colitis, which meant she had bleeding ulcers in her stomach and colon. Eight months later in September 2015 it was determined Lydia also had a serious kidney issue that would require a kidney transplant for her long-term survival.

Lydia, with a little help from her mom, has written a narrative about her transplant journey. Here is how Lydia tells her transplant story to date:

Hello my name is Lydia, I am 10 years old, and the last six years have been really difficult. I have been sick since August 2014 with an autoimmune disorder. When I was younger I was weak, tired and had extreme weight loss. My parents took me to the doctor repeatedly, always telling him something was wrong. But my problem went undiagnosed until January 2015. That is when I began treatment for Ulcerative Colitis. After several doctor appointments and medications, it went into remission.

In August 2015 something was not right with my kidney function. Labor Day weekend I was admitted to Riley Hospital for Children and I had a biopsy performed. I spent the entire day in bed. I was required to lay flat on my back to prevent bleeding from the procedure. The next three days in the hospital I was given super strength IV steroids. I initially showed improvement from the steroids and was sent home on Labor Day afternoon. Steroids work great for some people but I was not showing signs of improvement — just the side effects of weight gain, a puffy face, lots of emotions and not being able to sleep through the night. In May 2016 a G Tube was placed in my belly so medications could go right to my tummy. An overnight drip of Pedialyte was started to keep me from dehydrating. Testing determined I have a genetic disease.

Lydia’s diagnosis, Nephronophthisis, is a

genetic disorder

of the

kidneys

that affects children. The disorder is inherited in an

autosomal recessive

fashion and, although rare, is the most common genetic cause of childhood kidney failure. Although the range of characterizations is broad, those kids affected by nephronophthisis typically produce a large volume of urine, drink excessive amounts of liquid, and after several months to years, develop

end stage renal (kidney) disease

— a condition necessitating either dialysis or a kidney transplant in order to survive.

As Lydia’s kidney disease progressed, Paula and David started meeting with the transplant team at Riley Hospital for Children. In January 2017, upon a transplant social worker’s urging, Paula called the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to learn more about fundraising for transplant-related expenses. COTA is a 501(c)3 charity so all contributions to COTA in honor of Lydia are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law, and COTA funds are available for a lifetime of transplant-related expenses. COTA uniquely understands that parents who care for a child or young adult before, during and after a life-saving transplant have enough to deal with, so COTA’s model shifts the responsibility for fundraising to a community team of trained volunteers. On February 24th Lydia became part of the COTA Family.

A COTA fundraising specialist travelled to Fishers, Indiana, on March 20th to train the family’s volunteers and walked them through the entire process. This group of family members and friends quickly got to work organizing fundraisers to help with mounting transplant-related expenses. According to Paula, COTA’s team of professionals was supportive, encouraging and very helpful every step of the journey.

Once we found out I needed a new kidney, several people started the testing process to see if they could be my living donor. Those tests were unsuccessful. In late 2017 I was approved to be on the national kidney waiting list. However my wait was long and in August 2018 I went from low kidney function to kidney failure.

That is when the doctors told us it was time to begin dialysis. Our family decided hemodialysis was the best choice and I went in for the surgery that would allow me to be on dialysis. During the first surgery I lost a lot of blood and needed a blood transfusion. Then they were unable to get the dialysis machine up to full speed during my first treatment. It was decided there was a problem with my central line and they needed to do surgery again. This time it worked. I was on dialysis four hours a day, three days a week. It was long and exhausting.

On August 31, 2018, right when we got home from dialysis, Mom got a phone call from Riley. They had a kidney match for me! It was an emotional roller coaster. I was happy. I was scared. I had no idea what to expect. The next day on September 1

, I received my new kidney and the transplant was a big success. Sixteen days later on September 17

I was released from the hospital to go home. Wow.

“I knew Lydia’s transplant surgery and follow-up care and medications and everything would be very expensive. Once we found COTA a huge stressor was lifted from our shoulders. If we had not been introduced to COTA our family would have been very lost during a time of tremendous need. COTA gave us the strength and direction we needed to get through a very challenging chapter in our family’s story,” Paula said.

“The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) gave us hope when we were feeling hopeless. COTA’s team of professionals were supportive and encouraging every step of the way. Knowing COTA funds are not just for the expenses leading up to a transplant but will be there throughout Lydia’s life is truly amazing. If we had not found COTA, we would have been lost during a time of tremendous need. COTA gives our family strength and direction, and will continue to do so …

for a lifetime

,” Paula said.

Lydia returned to Fall Creek Elementary and completed third grade with her new kidney. She also was able to return to her beloved dance classes at Wishes Dance Studio. When asked how life has been with her new kidney Lydia said, “I have done amazing things like riding on my very own float in the Fishers Spark Parade, running in a Super Hero 5K, going to my first Indiana Pacers game, and meeting Mickey & Minnie Mouse.” These days dancing remains at the top of the list of the things Lydia enjoys doing, but she also loves singing, pretending she is a Super Hero, cheerleading and meeting Disney princesses. She also loves to tell the story of her transplant journey.

Lydia’s new lease on life has allowed her to start dreaming about a future, which is the best gift Paula and David can imagine for their vivacious girl who has a huge smile and a huge heart. Lydia’s bucket list currently includes taking a Disney Cruise, seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, meeting Taylor Swift and having tea with the Queen of England.

In Lydia’s word, “Wow.”

March is designated National Kidney Month to raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of kidney disease. More than 30 million Americans have kidney disease, and many do not know it. There are more than 100,000 people waiting for kidney transplants, with close to 600,000 people in the United States suffering with kidney failure. More than 3,000 new patients are added to the kidney waiting list each month; 13 people die each day while waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant. Every 14 minutes someone is added to the kidney transplant list. You can visit

www.RegisterMe.org

to indicate your wish to be a life-saving donor.

For more information about the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA),

or to find a COTA family in your area, please email

kim@cota.org

COVID-19 a Reminder of the Challenge of Emerging Infectious Diseases

This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2—also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19—isolated from a patient in the U.S. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus particles give coronaviruses their name, crown-like.

NIAID-RML

What

The emergence and rapid increase in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus, pose complex challenges to the global public health, research and medical communities, write federal scientists from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Their commentary appears in

The New England Journal of Medicine.

NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Deputy Director for Clinical Research and Special Projects H. Clifford Lane, M.D., and CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D., shared their observations in the context of a recently published

report

on the early transmission dynamics of COVID-19. The report provided detailed clinical and epidemiological information about the first 425 cases to arise in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.

In response to the outbreak, the United States and other countries instituted temporary travel restrictions, which may have slowed the spread of COVID-19 somewhat, the authors note. However, given the apparent efficiency of virus transmission, everyone should be prepared for COVID-19 to gain a foothold throughout the world, including in the United States, they add. If the disease begins to spread in U.S. communities, containment may no longer be a realistic goal and response efforts likely will need to transition to various mitigation strategies, which could include isolating ill people at home, closing schools and encouraging telework, the officials write.

Drs. Fauci, Lane and Redfield point to the many research efforts now underway to address COVID-19. These include numerous vaccine candidates proceeding toward early-stage clinical trials as well as clinical trials already underway to test candidate therapeutics, including an

NIAID-sponsored trial of the experimental

antiviral drug remdesivir that began enrolling participants on February 21, 2020.

“The COVID-19 outbreak is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenge of emerging and re-emerging infectious pathogens and the need for constant surveillance, prompt diagnosis and robust research to understand the basic biology of new organisms and our susceptibilities to them, as well as to develop effective countermeasures,” the authors conclude.

Article

AS Fauci

et al.

COVID-19: Navigating the uncharted.

The New England Journal of Medicine.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2002387 (2020).

Q Li

et al.

Early transmission dynamics in Wuhan, China, of novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia

The New England Journal of Medicine.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001316 (2020).

State of New Jersey Diverts Tax Dollars Allocated to 911 System Improvements

By Emily S. Moore |

The Center Square

A decade ago, a fee was placed on every New Jersey resident’s phone bill to be allocated to improving the state’s out-of-date 911 system.

However, only 10 to 15 percent of those funds is used to upgrade the three state-operated 911 centers, John G. Donnadio, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, said in an interview with The Center Square.

“The 197 or so the county and municipal 911 centers have not received any funding from the state during this time and have been forced to rely on the use of local property taxpayer dollars to fund 911 system upgrades,” he said.

The funds, instead, have been diverted for general operating expenses at the Department of Law and Public Safety. The diversions prohibit New Jersey from applying for millions of dollars in grants from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to upgrade 911 systems.

Donnadio said the solution to improving New Jersey’s 911 system is a technology called Next Generation 911 (NexGen 911).

“All 911 centers (public safety answering points) across the country must enhance their systems with NextGen 911 technology, which is an upgrade from analog to digital or Internet Protocol (IP) technologies,” he said.

The current system dates to the 1980s and can give incorrect location data and have trouble locating cell phone callers.

The Federal Trade Commission reported that NextGen 911 could save more than 10,000 lives annually if implemented nationwide.

In New Jersey, the 90-cent tax on phone bills was implemented in 2004 by the state Legislature to upgrade the 911 system, bringing in an average of $124 million a year.

In January, state officials held a news conference in Trenton to ask for diversions of funds that should be used for 911 system improvements to stop.

“That money has ended up in the black hole of the state budget,” Sen. Michael Testa, R-Vineland, said

in an interview

with

NJ.com

. “It’s long past time for the state to do the right thing.”

published by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

Virtua Surgeon Performs 1,000th Robotic Surgery

Medical milestone underscores Dr. Arthur T. Martella as national leader in his field

Perfectly timed with American Heart Month, Arthur T. Martella, MD, recently performed his 1,000

robotic-assisted heart surgery. He is among an elite group of surgeons, nationally and internationally, to achieve this milestone.

“The people of South Jersey are fortunate to have a surgeon as skilled and experienced as Dr. Martella performing such advanced procedures so close to home. When Virtua and Lourdes came together last year, we considered the cardiothoracic program, led by Dr. Martella, to be among the most important and complementary services we could now offer to a wider community. Dr. Martella’s achievement reinforces our belief that Virtua and Lourdes are truly better together,” said Virtua Health Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Reginald Blaber, MD, FACC, MBA.

As chief of cardiothoracic surgery at

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, N.J.,

Dr. Martella strives to provide the highest quality outcomes through the least invasive methods. His clinical outcomes demonstrate the advantages that robotic surgical systems provide to both providers and patients. For surgeons, the robotic equipment offers greater flexibility, visualization, and precision – which often benefits patients through less pain, reduced risk of infection, faster recovery, and minimal scarring. Dr. Martella and the Virtua team perform common, though highly complex, robotic procedures, including mitral valve repair or replacement, lead placement for pacemakers and defibrillators, and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

“I am proud to have had the opportunity to improve the patient experience by offering an option that allows patients to get back to their lives sooner,” said Dr. Martella. “It’s wonderful to be recognized for 1,000 surgeries, and I look forward to the next 1,000.”

About Dr. Martella

Dr. Martella is a leader in the use of robotics in cardiothoracic surgery. He has been chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital since 2011, during which he led the specialty to national recognition. He is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery.

Prior to joining Lourdes Health System (now Virtua Health) in 2011, Dr. Martella was an attending cardiothoracic surgeon at Phoenixville, Brandywine, Pottstown, and Mercy Fitzgerald hospitals, and served as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Martella is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of multiple medical societies, including the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. He serves as a member of Johnson & Johnson’s Professional Education Advisory Board.

Dr. Martella received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and his MD from Jefferson Medical College. He performed a surgical residency and internship at Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein College of Medicine and completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Rochester. He has authored numerous publications and has presented his research at national and international medical conferences.

About Cardiothoracic Surgery at Virtua Health

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is the leading cardiothoracic surgery program in South Jersey and serves as the central location for Virtua Health’s cardiovascular program. Over the years, the program has received a variety of awards for its outstanding quality care. Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital was included among Watson Health’s list of 2020 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals. In November 2019, the hospital received the highest ranking, an A, in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade report. In June 2015, the

New York Times

featured Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital as a national model in the effective and swift treatment of heart attacks. For more information, please visit

www.virtua.org

or call 1-888-VIRTUA-3.

Virtua Health, Inc. maintains systems for protection of electronic information, which are the property of Virtua Health, Inc. and are to be used for legitimate business purposes. You shall at all times protect and maintain the confidentiality of your user name and password and shall not disclose them to any third party. You are responsible to comply with the regulations and security rules set forth by HIPAA and Virtua Policies regarding the protection of data & confidentiality. Excessive use of systems for any reason other than legitimate business purposes is prohibited. Virtua Health, Inc. monitors all system transactions. No right to privacy exists when using Virtua Health, Inc. systems at work or when accessing Virtua systems from a personal computer or other device. Virtua Health, Inc. has the right to monitor, access, review, audit and disclose information obtained through Virtua Health. Inc. systems, including email, without advance notice to and/or without consent. All users of Virtua Health, Inc. systems are required to notify the IS Help Desk if they become aware of any misuse. I confirm that I have read this acknowledgment and understand

NIH Purchases of Aborted Fetal Parts for ‘Humanized Mice’ Testing

(Washington, DC)

– Judicial Watch announced it received

676 pages

of records from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showing that the agency paid thousands of dollars to a California-based firm to purchase organs from aborted human fetuses to create “

humanized mice

” for HIV research.

The records show that NIH paid at least $18,100 between December 2016 and August 2018 to Advanced Bioscience Resources (ABR) for livers and thymuses from second trimester aborted fetuses. They include at least 26 such purchases from ABR by Dr. Kim Hasenkrug,

senior investigator

at the

NIH lab

in Hamilton, Montana.

Purchase orders associated with the transactions state: “These tissues, liver and thymus, are required [by] Ron Messer for ongoing studies of HIV in the Hasenkrug Lab. Our mice will be ready for reconstitution soon.”

Beginning with a December 21, 2016, payment to ABR and running through April 2018, the records show that a fetal liver and thymus set costs $680, and payment was due upon receipt. On May 23, 2018, the cost increased to $750.

The records also include “Tissue Acquisition Invoices” and sales receipts issued by ABR. Payment was made by credit card.

Judicial Watch received the records through a March 2019

lawsuit

against the Department of Health and Human Services for all contracts and related documentation between the FDA and Advanced Bioscience Resources (ABR) for the provision of human fetal tissue to be used in humanized mice research (

Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department Health and Human Services

(No. 1:19-cv-00876)).

ABR has been the subject of

criminal referrals

from House and Senate committees investigating whether Planned Parenthood or any other entity was illegally profiting from the handling of fetal tissue from aborted babies.

Federal

law

regulates the purchase and acceptance of human fetal tissue for research purposes. It is unlawful to knowingly transfer fetal tissue for profit. According to the records, agency officials concluded in March 2018 that: “Federal regulations for the protection of human subjects do not apply to above named activity.”

The records include a November 2009 “

Request for Review of Research

Activity Involving Human Subjects” with the protocol title “Study of HIV infection and vaccine protection in mice reconstituted with a human immune system” that describes the development of a “cohort” of humanized mice using human fetal tissue:

Recent reports have demonstrated that immunodeficient mice reconstituted with 17-19 week old human fetal tissue develop a human immune system and are susceptible to HIV infection and disease. The goal of this project proposal is to create such humanized mice to study the role of immune cell subsets and virus-neutralizing antibodies in vaccine protection. The experiments will entail the development of a cohort of mice all reconstituted with the same human cells so as to be histocompatible. This will require transplantation of the mice with 1 mm

pieces of fetal thymus as well as reconstitution with stem cells isolated from cord blood and liver. Once the humanized mice have been established some will be vaccinated to prime distinct subsets of immune cells. Immune cell subsets from vaccinated mice will be adoptively transferred into naive mice, which will then be infected with HIV to test the antiviral activity of the immune cells. The goal of these experiments is to establish correlates of immunity against HIV.

In an “

Overview

” provided by Advanced Bioscience Resources, the firm describes itself as a “non-profit corporate foundation” which is “devoted to providing services in connection with the procurement of human organs and tissues for medical and scientific research.”

In Hasenkrug’s November 2009 “

Request for Review of Research

Activity Involving Human Subjects” he is asked: “Where are the subjects of this research activity located?” Hasenkrug answers: “The material for this research is obtained from natural or induced abortions from females in California.” Another question is: “Has the research activity that you are proposing in this form been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) elsewhere?” Hasenkrug answers: “No IRB review of the research activity … has taken place.”

The records include a November 2009

from the deputy director of the Office of Human Subject Research (OHSR) in Bethesda, MD, to Hasenkrug at the NIH lab, approving his research project and instructing him: “Provide documentation that you will not seek the identity of the subjects who have provided the samples you will receive as well as documentation from ABR that under no circumstances will the identity or link to the identifiers of the subjects be released to you.” The signature block concluding the email includes the phrase: “The NIH is committed to maintaining the highest stands for the protection of human subjects.”

The Advanced Bioscience Resources’ “Tissue Acquisition Invoices” show:

On December 21, 2016, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card on January 10, 2017. The “justification” states: “These tissues, liver and thymus, are required [by] Ron Messer for ongoing studies of HIV in Hasenkrug Lab. Our mice will be ready for reconstitution soon.”

On January 25, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in February 2017.

On February 8, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on February 15, 2017.

On March 9, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on March 24, 2017.

On March 30, 2017, ABR provided a second trimester thymus and liver to Hasenkrug’s lab at no charge due to a “delivery delay.” The parts were needed by March 17, 2017 and NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was to have been

charged $680

but the parts weren’t delivered until April 19, 2017.

On April 20, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in May 2017.

On May 17, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on May 19, 2017.

On June 28, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were received on May 30, 2017.

On July 5, 2017, a redacted NIH employee placed an order for a second trimester liver and thymus on behalf of Ron Messer. NIH redacted the price from the email, citing confidential commercial information. However, the $680 price is included in the

purchase order

. The tissues were delivered on August 21, 2017.

On August 10, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in September 2017.

On August 24, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in September 2017.

On September 21, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in October 2017.

On October 5, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on October 24, 2017.

On October 26, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in November 2017.

On December 13, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card on December 22, 2017.

On January 3, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on January 11, 2018.

On January 25, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on January 30, 2018.

On February 7, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on February 16, 2018.

On March 1, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on March 16, 2018.

April 4, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on April 18, 2018.

On May 23, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in June 2018.

On May 31, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on June 26, 2018.

On June 27, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card and delivered on July 10, 2018.

On August 15, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa and delivered on August 23, 2018.

On August 10, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs ordered a second trimester liver and thymus and

paid $750

by credit card. They were to be delivered on September 10, 2018.

On September 6, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester liver and thymus, which was paid for by Visa on September 14, 2018.

“These records detailing the federal government’s purchases of organs of aborted fetuses are the most disturbing I’ve ever seen in all my time at Judicial Watch,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Every responsible official in government – from President Trump to HHS Secretary Azar should investigate and stop the trafficking of organs of aborted unborn human beings for taxpayer-funded Frankenstein-type experimentation.”

Shuttered Bucks County Addiction Rehab Center Executive Pleads Guilty to Fraud

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Branden Coluccio, 32, of Doylestown, PA entered a guilty plea to a one-count Information, charging him with conspiracy to commit health care

fraud. The charges against the defendant stem from federal and state investigations into elaborate insurance fraud schemes involving a Bucks and Montgomery County-based addiction treatment center, Liberation Way.

The investigations exposed an array of health care fraud schemes committed by individuals associated with Liberation Way, including an over-billing scheme connected with the facility’s medical director, as well as an elaborate kick-back scheme involving thousands of medically-unnecessary urine tests which were sent to Florida-based laboratories for analysis. Coluccio, a co-founder of Liberation Way, participated in yet another scheme by fraudulently purchasing premium insurance policies for prospective patients on their behalf, which then allowed Liberation Way to bill insurance companies for expensive “treatment” purportedly provided to these patients. Liberation Way represented that the patients were buying and paying for these policies themselves, when in reality Liberation Way was paying the premiums, which is illegal.

The defendant pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone today, pursuant to a plea agreement which recommends that the Court impose a 37-month sentence. The agreement also requires payment of over $3 million in restitution, as well as additional forfeiture, by the time of sentencing. Sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2020.

This case was investigated in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and is the fifth federal Information that has been filed against defendants associated with Liberation Way. The four other defendants — Dr. Dominick Braccia, Dr. Ramesh Sarvaiya, Jesse Peters, and Jason Gerner – have all pleaded guilty. The latter three have yet to be sentenced. Dr. Braccia was sentenced by Judge Beetlestone in September 2019 to a term of 37 months in prison.

“Liberation Way was essentially a front for several multi-layered, years-long schemes that crossed state lines and victimized hundreds of people who needed help,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The convictions coming out of this case send a clear message to those attempting to profit from fraud and the despair of individuals battling addiction: if you behave in this manner, you will be held accountable. We have been proud to work with the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General and our federal agency partners to bring all of the defendants in this case to justice.”

“The defendant took advantage of vulnerable people and their families for profit,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “I’m proud of the hard work done by The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of Attorney General to hold these individuals accountable.”

“Coluccio admitted to defrauding federal health care programs and compounded his crime by seizing on the plight of drug-addicted patients,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, of the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to work with our State and Federal law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of all HHS Programs.”

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Labor. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Beam Winter and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Kristy Christ and Robert Labar, both of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 JENNIFER CRANDALL Media Contact 215-861-8300 If you have not done so already, follow @USAO_EDPA and @USAttyMcSwain on Twitter to get the most up-to-date information about big cases and community news.

Pemberton Township Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Causing Friend\’s Death

MOUNT HOLLY, NJ (February 21, 2020)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 22-year-old Pemberton Township man was sentenced today to four years in New Jersey state prison for driving impaired and causing a 2018 crash in Woodland Township that killed a friend who was traveling in his vehicle.

Donald Shinn, who pled guilty in December 2019 to Vehicular Homicide (Second Degree), must serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. His driver’s license will be suspended for five years following his release from prison.

The investigation began on December 22, 2018 just after 3 a.m., when New Jersey State Police Troopers responded to a motor vehicle crash on County Road 563.

The investigation revealed that Shinn’s Toyota Tundra left the roadway and struck several trees after attempting to illegally pass another vehicle. Cody Watson, 20, of Pemberton Township, was seated in the front passenger’s seat and was pronounced dead at the scene. Shinn was treated for moderate injuries at a local hospital. A third passenger seated in the rear of the vehicle declined to accept medical treatment.

Toxicology tests performed on blood drawn from Shinn following the crash indicated his blood alcohol concentration at the time was .12%.

Assistant Prosecutor Josh Dennis, supervisor of the BCPO Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit, said the fatal accident had a devastating effect on multiple people.

“The loss to the Watson family is unimaginable,” AP Dennis told the court before sentencing. “So very tragic, and permanent. One simple decision was made by the defendant, and that changed everything for the Watson family, and for everyone who knew and loved Cody, including the defendant himself, who was his very close friend.”

Football Icon Jerry Rice Makes Big Play for Kidney Health

Jerry Rice is working with the National Kidney Foundation to promote kidney health

(NAPSI)—Fans might think Jerry Rice, at 56, should be satisfied to sail silently into the sunset reflecting on his Pro Football Hall of Fame status, three Super Bowl rings, and two decades in the National Football League. Indeed, the iconic wide receiver retired his professional cleats years ago.

Yet, he still uses his youthful, seemingly boundless energy to keep carrying the ball for the cause closest to his heart: tackling chronic kidney disease (CKD). “My brother Tom has CKD,” Rice said. “I’ve watched him go to dialysis three days a week for years, which is really hard on the body. He’s a very positive individual. Still, sometimes I spend the long hours that he endures just sitting by his side. It was my brother, after all, who loved, encouraged and pushed me early on by telling me that I had to make it to the NFL.”

Getting The Word Out

To that end, in a new PSA series for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to be broadcast nationwide, Rice focuses on promoting kidney health and raising awareness of kidney disease. The NKF is the largest, most comprehensive and long-standing organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease.

Given Rice’s genuine concern about and personal connection to the disease, NKF enlisted the widely beloved sports legend to help to speak to the general public as well as kidney patients. He already has lots of practice doing so up close and personally whenever he joins his brother at a neighborhood dialysis center in Jackson, Miss.

“I’d go there to mainly be with my brother, of course, but I always walk around the room to say hello and socialize with the other dialysis patients,” Rice said. “You don’t realize it until you see for yourself in centers that there are lots of people on dialysis. It puts everything in perspective whenever I start complaining. When I visit the dialysis center, people often know who I am and are happy to see me, and if I can bring a smile to some faces and make them forget even for a second, that warms my heart. That’s how I felt playing football, seeing the smiles in the stands and helping people to forget problems for a little while.”

Rice is also part of NKF’s continuing and growing Heart Your Kidneys (#HeartYourKidneys) public campaign to help elevate awareness of the kidneys to the status of other vital organs such as the heart. He is amazed that most people know very little about their kidneys and that some don’t know the kidneys are located in the lower back below the rib cage—or that each person has two. Rice hopes his new PSAs with NKF will help change that.

“It’s important to me to keep working hard to get the word out with NKF, because you can see that this really hits home for me in more ways than one,” Rice said.

Kidney Facts And Jerry Rice’s Tips

• African Americans are three times more likely to experience kidney failure than are people of other races.

• Because kidney disease often has no symptoms, it can go unnoticed until it is very advanced.

• The kidneys’ major function is to filter out waste products and excess fluid from the body.

• Eat healthy and drink water instead of sugary drinks.

• Exercise regularly.

• Ask your doctor about your kidney health.

Learn More

For further information about kidney disease and how to tell whether you’re at risk, call (800) 622-9010 or visit

www.kidney.org