Immunogenetics Expert Joins USC
Hutchinson also will serve as co-director of the Clinical Pharmacogenomics/Immunogenetics Laboratory in the USC School of Pharmacy.
Hutchinson has served as professor and chair of immunology at the University of Manchester, England since 1987. Internationally recognized as an expert in translational research, his specialty is translating basic science concepts into applications in the clinical setting. Most of his work has been in organ transplantation, but his previous studies have included immunogenetic aspects in oncology, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cardiovascular disease and infectious disease.
“Ian Hutchinson is a world leader in developing applications of the Human Genome Project for understanding immunology and transplant immunology,” said Gilbert J. Burckart, professor and chair of the department of pharmacy. “In addition to teaching and research work at both schools, Ian will join us in the NIT [National Institute of Transplantation]/USC transplant research consortium, where we will focus on the individualization of drug therapy for transplant patients. Ian is a tremendous addition to this innovative group of scientists and clinicians.”
Hutchinson said, “I’m excited to join USC and NIT. In fact, NIT’s interest in implementing the Human Genome Project was a big attraction in my moving to California,”
Rick Selby, professor of surgery and chief of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery and transplantation programs in the Keck School, said, “The NIT/USC consortium is a winning combination.
“I’m hoping that our collaboration will bring an increased understanding of how we can better measure the adequacy to which patients are immunosuppressed. Right now it’s by trial and error. Having Dr. Hutchinson on our team will help us find ways to reduce complications related to medications and still have patients protected against organ rejections.”
The area of transplantation dramatically demonstrates the value of a collaborative approach between the schools of pharmacy and medicine. With both pharmacy and medical faculty working together, there is a greater chance for success in matching the right organ and the right drugs to the right patient.
“What we do in our laboratory applies to transplantation and also to drug therapy,” Hutchinson said. “We are trying to set up a test to guide doctors in their prescribing. Obviously, the ultimate choice rests with the physician, but if he or she knows that a certain drug isn’t going to work very well, then there is the option of choosing another one for a particular patient. “
Hutchinson’s transplant work involves immunogenetics, in which he studies patients’ reactions to their transplants.
“USC and NIT have good clinical research programs, making for great synergy. When you add the expertise of Ian Hutchinson, I think research development in genetics and immunology will really take off in this program. The impact of our program will be recognized nationally and internationally, and ultimately it will play a large role in improving transplant patient survival,” Burckart said.
Hutchinson will have offices at both the USC School of Pharmacy and NIT, where his lab will be located.
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USC in the News
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The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC’s $6 billion fundraising campaign. The story noted that USC had already raised $1 billion in a “quiet phase,” including the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College.
The Guardian (U.K.) highlighted two major gifts to USC in a list of the 10 biggest philanthropic benefactors in America. The list included the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
The New York Times featured the USC U.S.-China Institute documentary “Assignment: China — The Week that Changed the World.” The documentary, part of a series, examines media coverage of the 1972 Nixon trip that reshaped U.S.-China relations after a quarter century of isolation and hostility. “People look back now and take it for granted that the outcome was preordained,” said the institute’s Mike Chinoy, who produced the documentary. Voice of America also featured the story.
Los Angeles Times featured the Oscar Senti-meter, a tool developed by the USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles Times and IBM that analyzes thousands of tweets about the Academy Awards nominees. The story noted that Mexican actor Demian Bechir received an enormous boost on Twitter the day of the nominations, with a total of 6,893 tweets mentioning him, a 47-fold increase from the day before. The story noted the tool uses language-recognition technology developed in collaboration with USC Viterbi School’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab.
The Times of India (India) featured a three-day medical emergency training workshop organized in association with USC. At the workshop, held at GCS Medical College in India, 50 doctors and more than 100 paramedics learned how to improve emergency support systems. William Mallon of the Keck School of USC said that discussion topics included the use of portable ultrasonic devices to scan patients. “The ultrasound applications help physicians make accurate and timely decisions,” he noted. Daily News & Analysis (India) also featured the workshop.
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