BALTIMORE, May 2, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Victor R. Ambros, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and Gary Ruvkun, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, have been awarded the 2016 March of Dimes and Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize in Developmental Biology. The Prize recognizes their pioneering co-discovery of an unanticipated world of the tiniest genes, microRNAs (or miRNAs), and the mechanism by which they regulate their targets.

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This is the 21^st annual awarding of the Prize, now newly named in honor of Dr. Johnston, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado and a former Medical Director of the March of Dimes.

MicroRNAs play pivotal roles in development and physiology of many organisms, including humans. There now exists a catalog of the thousands of miRNAs produced in animals and plants. Human miRNAs are implicated in heart disease, in how viruses infect our cells, in normal brain function, in the transition from totipotent stem cells to differentiated cells, and in cancer. Human therapies based on microRNA regulation are already in clinical trials for heart disease.

Dr. Ambros is the Silverman Chair in Natural Sciences and Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Ruvkun is the Hans-Hermann Schoene Distinguished Investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Molecular Biology and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School.  Working independently and also at times together, the two scientists identified microRNAs, the smallest genes ever discovered, and elucidated how these small pieces of genetic material influence the production of proteins from particular messenger RNAs to which they are complementary.  Their finding that microRNAs switch off the production of proteins from their target genes has changed our knowledge of various developmental and physiological processes.

Dr. Ambros and Dr. Ruvkun published back-to-back studies in the journal Cell in 1993, describing their surprising findings.

“Dr. Ambros and Dr. Ruvkun showed us that microRNAs, genes much smaller than ever imagined, are pivotal for governing embryonic development,” says Joe Leigh Simpson, MD, Senior Vice President for Research and Global Programs at the March of Dimes.  “We now know that microRNAs are involved in a wide range of activities relevant to birth defects, viral infections, cancer, and other disorders. This has revealed exciting new paths for lifesaving diagnostic tools and treatments for mothers and babies.”

“I am deeply honored to be associated with the March of Dimes Prize because of the high value I place on what it does to improve the lives of babies and children,” says Dr. Johnston. “Scientific research has been central to the mission of the March of Dimes since it was founded by President Franklin Roosevelt. The March of Dimes Prize has extended that tradition through its recognition of the very best in the field of developmental and genetic science. Drs. Ambros and Ruvkun have made discoveries in basic science of the highest order, and their discoveries are already being translated into a better understanding of the biologic processes that underlie development of a healthy baby or that can go awry and allow birth defects and prematurity.”

Victor Ambros earned his undergraduate degree and Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was the first postdoctoral fellow in the lab of H. Robert Horvitz (recipient of the 2000 March of Dimes Prize). At MIT, Dr. Ambros was a colleague of Gary Ruvkun. In 1993, Dr. Ambros discovered the first microRNA in the roundworm C. elegans and later discovered many more microRNAs in C. elegans. He has received numerous awards in recognition of his work, including the 2008 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, shared with Gary Ruvkun and the Breakthrough Prize. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences.              

Gary Ruvkun obtained his undergraduate degree in biophysics at the University of California, Berkeley, and his PhD at Harvard. He conducted postdoctoral research with Dr. Horvitz at MIT, where he was also a colleague of Victor Ambros. Dr. Ruvkun and Dr. Ambros reported the novel microRNA-mediated mode of gene regulation in C. elegans in 1993.  Dr. Ruvkun discovered the mechanism of microRNA regulation of target genes:  the miRNA shuts down the production by protein from the target messenger RNA via base-pairing.  In 2000, Dr. Ruvkun discovered the second miRNA and that it was conserved across evolution in animals, including in humans.  Dr. Ruvkun has published more than 150 scientific articles and has received numerous previous awards for his work, including the 2008 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research shared with Victor Ambros and the Breakthrough Prize. Dr. Ruvkun is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Ambros and Dr. Ruvkun will deliver the 21^st annual March of Dimes Prize Lectures today at the Baltimore Convention Center during the 2016 Pediatric Academy Societies annual meeting. They will receive the Prize at a gala black-tie dinner and ceremony at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, hosted by CBS sportscaster Greg Gumbel, member of the March of Dimes national Honorary Board of Trustees.  

The March of Dimes Prize has been awarded annually since 1996 to honor investigators whose research has profoundly advanced the science that underlies the understanding of birth defects. The March of Dimes Foundation created the Prize as a tribute to Dr. Jonas Salk shortly before his death in 1995. Dr. Salk received Foundation support for his work on the polio vaccine. The Prize is a cash award of $250,000. Each recipient receives a silver medal in the design of the Roosevelt dime, honoring President Franklin D. Roosevelt, March of Dimes founder.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, mothers and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. Find out how you can help raise funds to prevent premature birth and birth defects by walking in March for Babies at marchforbabies.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, May 2, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — May is Celiac Awareness Month. An estimated 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune digestive disorder that damages the small intestine. Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and crossbreeds of these grains. Gluten gives breads and other grain products (such as cakes, cereals, and pastas) their shape, strength, and texture. For those suffering from celiac disease (or choosing/preparing food for someone who does), identifying gluten-free food is critical.

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In August 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a regulation that standardized what “gluten-free” means on food labels. This ensures that gluten-free claims on food products are consistent and reliable across the food industry.

Learn more at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/Allergens/ucm397398.htm

Understanding Gluten-Free Labeling

FDA defined the terms “Gluten-free,” “No gluten,” “Free of gluten,” and “Without gluten.” Foods bearing any of these terms have to meet the requirements of the gluten-free regulation, and FDA encourages consumers to rely on these four terms when looking for foods that meet the FDA definition and can be used as part of a gluten-free diet. Other terms related to gluten may be used, if they are truthful and not misleading, but the food bearing the terms would not have to meet the requirements of the gluten-free regulation. Manufacturers are not required to place the voluntary gluten-free claim in any specific location on the food label. 

Foods bearing a gluten-free claim must, among other things, contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. This level is the lowest that can be reliably detected in foods using scientifically validated analytical methods. A food that is labeled as gluten-free but fails to meet the requirements of the regulation is subject to regulatory action by FDA.

Products Covered by the Gluten-Free Regulation

FDA’s regulation applies to all foods and beverages (including packaged foods, dietary supplements, fruits, vegetables, shell eggs, and fish) except for:

• Meat, poultry, and certain egg products
• Most alcoholic beverages

Gluten-Free When Eating Out

Given the public health significance of gluten-free labeling, FDA continues to encourage the restaurant industry to ensure that its use of gluten-free labeling is consistent with the federal definition. FDA also works with state and local governments, who play an important role in oversight of restaurants, and considers appropriate action as needed, alone or with other agencies, to protect consumers with respect to gluten-free labeling in restaurants.

Reporting Adverse Effects and Labeling Concerns

Individuals who become ill or experience adverse health effects that they believe are associated with having eaten a food should first seek appropriate medical care.

Afterward, individuals can report a problem with a food or its labeling in either of these ways:

• Contact the consumer complaint coordinator in their area. The list of FDA consumer complaint coordinators is available at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators
• Contact MedWatch, FDA’s Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program, at 1-800-332-1088, or file a MedWatch voluntary report at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Contact: Media: 1-301-796-4540  Consumers: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free)