UTHSC Professors Land $418,000 Grant

A new $418,000 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health, will allow Drs. Anton Reiner and Tayebeh Pourmotabbed of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to research a possible new gene therapy treatment approach for Huntington’s disease.

Huntington’s disease is a hereditary degenerative brain disease that ultimately results in the destruction of the primary thinking and planning part of the brain called the cerebral cortex, and the destruction of a major motor control region of the brain known as the basal ganglia.

Reiner and Pourmotabbed’s research will be conducted through a grant titled, “Development of DNAzyme Gene Therapy for Huntington’s Disease.”

They will both serve as principal investigators on this award, and the funds will be distributed over two years.

The researchers will develop and test a novel gene therapy, which will be evaluated for its effectiveness in mice that have been genetically engineered to have the disease. The gene therapy employs molecules called DNAzymes that have been designed to selectively prevent the formation of the mutant protein huntingtin, which causes Huntington’s disease.

The immediate goal of this study is to determine how long this benefit lasts, how much DNAzyme must be administered to achieve it, and whether there are any toxic side effects.

– Andy Meek

American, United Add Larger Planes at Memphis Airport

American Airlines and United Airlines are upgrading their aircraft at Memphis International Airport to take on more passengers for flights to Dallas, Denver and Washington, D.C.

Beginning Aug. 23, American will upgrade to a 160-seat Boeing 737 for its two daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. American will continue to use dual-class regional jets for two of its seven Dallas/Fort Worth frequencies.

Beginning Oct. 6, American will add a weekday frequency to Ronald Reagan National Airport bringing its total number of daily weekday flights to Washington, D.C. to four.

On Oct. 31, United will switch to a 166-seat Boeing 737 for one of its two daily flights to Denver International Airport.

United has increased its capacity by 11 percent compared to the fourth quarter 2015, while American has increased capacity by 17 percent in the same period.

– Madeline Faber

Grizzlies Trade for Daniels, Waive Guard Tony Wroten

The Memphis Grizzlies have acquired guard Troy Daniels for cash considerations in a sign-and-trade deal with the Charlotte Hornets.

Daniels (6-4, 205) came off the bench in all 43 of his appearances last season with Charlotte and averaged 5.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.1 minutes while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and a career-high 48.4 percent from three-point range.

According to Synergy Sports Tech, Daniels led the NBA with an effective field goal percentage of 78 percent on spot-up jumpers.

The 24-year-old has appeared in 95 regular season games during his three-year NBA career with the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Hornets, and has averaged 4.8 points and 1.0 rebounds in 10.0 minutes while shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 43.0 percent from three-point range and 72.7 percent from the free throw line.

In other Grizzlies news, the team has waived guard Tony Wroten. The Grizzlies had just claimed Wroten off waivers from the New York Knicks on June 22.

– Don Wade

Zoo Sea Lions Help Abandonment Cause

The Memphis Zoo has raised more than $1,300 for abandoned sea lion pups with a little help from four of its swimming residents.

Four sea lions at the zoo – Chloe, Callie, Skimmer and Andre – created a painting where each contributed creative touches. The animals achieved this by holding a specially designed paintbrush in their mouths and using their long, flexible necks to create the artwork on canvas. Prints of the painting have been sold in zoo gift shops for the past year.

Thus far, the zoo has collected $1,313.40 from sold paintings that will go to Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, Calif. The center rescues, feeds and rehabilitates abandoned pups for release back into the wild.

The West Coast has seen an increasing number of abandoned sea lion pups for several years. Due to a change in available prey, nursing females are swimming farther away in search of food, leaving their pups behind. At least 375 sea lions pups have been stranded on Southern California beaches so far this year, according to the zoo.

– Daily News staff

Conrad Named Top Industrial Broker

Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors has named Memphis broker Kemp Conrad as one of the top performing real estate professionals in the country. The designation is given each year to the top 20 C&W/CA brokers based on their industrial real estate production.

The award places Conrad in the top 3 percent of more than 800 C&W/CA industrial brokers. He was the only recipient named in the Southeast region.

Conrad currently serves as principal of C&W/CA and is president and a principal of C&W/CA Asset Services. He also serves on the C&W/CA industrial and supply chain executive committee.

– Madeline Faber

Free Back-to-School Health Fair July 16

Omega Ministries/Omega Healthy Practices and the Healthcare Organizations of Greater Memphis Coalition will host the 28th annual Back-to-School Family Affair at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Saturday, July 16.

The event provides free physical exams and immunizations for students going back to school. Free dental, vision and blood pressure screenings will also be available.

The health fair is open to the public, and lunch will be provided for students 18 years old and younger. Backpacks donated by UTHSC and filled with school supplies will be distributed to the first 1,000 students (parents or guardians must be present). Free parking is available.

The event will be from 8 a.m. to noon at UTHSC’s Student-Alumni Center, 800 Madison Ave.

For more, contact Erskine Gillespie at 901-328-4438.

– Daily News staff