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Real Food Right Now and How to Cook It: Feast of the Seven (Sustainable) Fishes

Photo by Megan Saynisch.

"The Feast of the Seven Fishes." The very name conjures up images of medieval ladies and gents dressed in their finest, sitting at a comically long table laid out with ornate seafood dishes on gilded serving platters. Or at least that’s what I thought of when I first heard about "the Feast" (or "La Vigilia" in Italian). Growing up, our Christmas Eve dinner leaned toward the WASP-y (even though we’re not — I’m a quarter Italian), with roast beef and turkey making frequent appearances over the years. (The only seafood that might be present was shrimp cocktail.) It wasn't until I married my husband — whose mother is from Modena, Italy and whose father’s Italian-American family originally hails from the coastal Southern Italian town of Bari — that I learned about the cultural importance of the Christmas Eve feast. In fact, just this week we received a letter from my father-in-law, a physician-turned-artist, with a drawing and a recipe for stewed baccalà (salted codfish), which, he noted, is a must for the Christmas Eve meal.

This year, I can’t spend Christmas with my parents on the West Coast, so I made the (possibly crazy, with a two-year-old underfoot) decision to cook the Feast and invite over other friends orphaned on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, the Community Supported Fishery (CSF) that I belong to, Mermaid’s GardenErin profiled them earlier this year — is run by a couple that doesn’t fool around with La Vigilia. They’ve even catalogued each Feast meal they’ve cooked since moving to Brooklyn!  Bianca Piccillo has a background as an ichthyologist (fish biologist), and Mark Usewicz is a chef — and both are Italian (well, Mark is half Polish, but Poles celebrate the feast, too). You couldn't ask for two better people to curate a sustainable seafood holiday store, from which I’ve ordered most of the seafood for my very own Vigilia.

A Brief History

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian-American Christmas Eve celebration, during which a large seafood-based, meatless meal is eaten, usually before attendance of Christmas Eve Catholic mass. La Vigilia ("the vigil," in Italian) most certainly has its roots in European traditions, where it is common in many Catholic countries to eat a meatless meal on Christmas Eve as a form of religious abstinence or penance. Most Italian-Americans have ancestors who immigrated from Southern Italy – from places like Naples and Sicily and Bari — all of which have strong fishing traditions and observe the custom of eating a large seafood meal on Christmas Eve (la Vigilia di Natale). All over Italy, however, it is common to have a meatless meal on Christmas Eve, with each region having a distinct specialty (although eel seems to be especially common all over the country). For example, my husband’s family in Italy traditionally eats a type of tuna "meatloaf" formed in a special fish-shaped tin, with mayonnaise, capers and potatoes.

The fish itself is a powerful symbol of Christianity, and one of the oldest, while the number seven is particularly important in the Catholic faith, representing God, the (seven) deadly sins, the (seven) Sacraments and the (seven) Joys of the Virgin Mary — although absolutely no one seems to agree on which of these representations the “seven fish” of the Feast represent. (And for some, the number of fish served at the Feast is not even seven — twelve courses, symbolizing the twelve apostles or the twelve days of Christmas, is also common.)

The Italian-American Feast of the Seven Fishes typically begins with an assortment of vegetarian and seafood antipasto (appetizers), followed by a succession of fish and shellfish dishes and usually at least one vegetarian or seafood pasta, accompanied by vegetables common to the Southern Italian table (such as broccoli rabe and escarole). An informal (and highly unscientific) survey of the Italian-Americans I know showed the diversity of the meal in terms of seafood preferences — but also striking parallels. Many said that squid or octopus and baccalà are absolute requirements of a Vigilia meal. Others noted that eel used to be served, before the passing of the older generation.

Factual Nibbles

  • Poles and Lithuanians also celebrate a version of La Vigilia (called Wigilia and Kûèios, respectively). My grandmother, who is Lithuanian, recalled that hay is spread on the dining table – to signify the manger — before being topped with a tablecloth (the Poles do the same thing). Herring and other fish are commonly eaten.
  • Scungilli, another seafood common to the Italian-American Vigilia, is conch (or whelk, depending on who you ask, more info is below) — a large sea snail. Typically, canned scungilli is used in the US. The word “scungilli” is an Italian-American version of the Neapolitan word scuncigli (conch), which, according to (possibly dubious) Internet research, is also Neapolitan slang for “penis.”
  • Baccalà (salt cod), traditionally one of the mainstays of the Feast, is also common in Caribbean cuisine. It is even a chief component of one of Jamaica’s national dishes, Ackee and Saltfish.

Environmental Impact

The popularity of seafood, along with habitat loss and rising ocean temperatures, has lead to a decline in many populations of fish and shellfish. The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch notes that we have "removed as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world's oceans." In addition, many fish and shellfish farming operations cause environmental damage — and damage to human health, too. Sadly, some of the fish and shellfish common to a traditional Feast of the Seven fishes is unsustainable, including Atlantic cod (for baccalà) and eel. Some shrimp is also problematic, including some farmed shrimp and imported wild-caught shrimp.

Octopus, also common on the Italian Christmas Eve table in the US and in Italy, is tricky as well. Bianca Piccillo says: "Strictly speaking, octopus is not sustainable. There are a few exceptions — pot-caught octopus and octopus caught as by-catch. Both are going to be almost, if not totally impossible, for people to find in a retail market (they are pretty hard for us to find)." Squid is an excellent, sustainable, alternative. Scungilli is also a knotty choice — after talking with Bianca, I learned that, though labeled as conch, the canned scungilli we commonly see are probably actually whelk (which are cheaper and more plentiful). Some canned scungilli is even labeled “conch” and then in smaller letters as "abalone"!  In general, conch is unsustainable (although Bianca mentioned at least one well-managed farm in the Caribbean), while whelk and abalone fisheries are well managed. You may be able to find fresh, live whelk at your local farmers’ market or though your CSF.

Unfortunately, fish and shellfish are also magnets for contaminants, including mercury, organophosphates and other pesticides (from industrial agriculture runoff and from their use in farmed fish), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and even antibiotic residues. (Pregnant women, babies and young children are generally those most susceptible to these contaminants, so check with your doctor.) Choosing wild-caught fish can help reduce the risk of pesticide and antibiotic contamination.

It's not all bad news, though. There is a vast selection of delicious sustainable seafood available for your Vigilia, and many fish and shellfish populations have recovered with excellent fishery management. Find a Community Supported Fishery (like a CSA, but with seafood!) near you to support local fisheries committed to sustainability. Check out Local Catch for a handy map of local CSFs. Many farmers' markets (in coastal locations, of course) also have local seafood stalls. Consult guides like Food & Water Watch's Smart Seafood Guide (including their "Dirty Dozen") and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch (they even have an app) to help you make more informed choices in your Vigilia menu planning — and read our "Guide to the Guides" for a comprehensive overview of all the seafood guides out there.

Read more about sustainable seafood on GRACE's Seafood issue page.

In general, fish and shellfish are low in fat and calories and high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Shellfish (and squid and shrimp in particular) are high in cholesterol, so those trying to reduce their cholesterol levels should probably eat in moderation. Shellfish and many types of fish are also high in iron, zinc, copper, calcium and vitamin B-12.

What to Look for

Look for fish with bright, clear eyes, shiny, vibrant skin and bright red gills. Shellfish, such as oysters and clams, should only be purchased alive. All seafood should smell like the sea: if you’re confronted with a fishy or ammonia-like odor, take a pass. (Here are some other tips for selecting the freshest seafood.) Of course, if you’re purchasing your seafood from a farmer’s market or CSF, chances are it will be very, very fresh — maybe even fished that morning!

What to Do with It

It goes without saying that most fish and shellfish should be consumed as close to harvest as possible, although you can store live shellfish for a day or two in the fridge, and fish for a couple of days.

There are lots of options for cooking fish and shellfish — but favorites for the Feast of the Seven Fishes include: fried calamari (this recipe with Meyer lemons looks amazing) and fish; stuffed squid; linguini or spaghetti with clams (my favorite is Marcella Hazan’s recipe), mussels or other seafood; baccalà fritters or stewed baccalà; zuppa di pesce (fish soup); insalata di pesce (cold seafood salad); baked whole fish; and fish fillets. (Lots more sustainable seafood recipes perfect for the Feast here, courtesy of Mermaid’s Garden.)

And just for the record, here are the seven seafood dishes I plan (fingers crossed) to make for this year’s Feast of the Seven Fishes:

Montauk Pearls (Oysters) on the Half Shell with Shallot Mignonette

Smoked Wild Salmon

Poached Florida Pink Shrimp with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

Mermaid’s Garden Smoked Bluefish Rillettes on Toasts

Calamari Salad with Home Grown Celery

Homemade Baccalà (see recipe below) with Potatoes
Blue Crab Linguini with Chiles and Mint

Pro Tips

Here is a great guide to prepping squid (with video!). Here is an awesome primer on cooking baccalà from Lidia Bastianich. And check out this super informative video on how to shuck an oyster.

Usually, this section includes both a recipe and a note about how best to "stretch your food dollar through preservation," but this week, the recipe is in fact a preservation method, in and of itself. Enjoy!

Homemade Baccalà

The history of baccalà — or salt cod — is a long one. (Check out Mark Kurlansky’s Cod for a fascinating in-depth history of the fish.) To make it, cod is salted, and then partially dried; this allows for long-term storage. According to the Oxford Companion to Food, salt cod (and its cousin, dried cod, sans salt) became an important commodity beginning in medieval times, as Catholics were (and still are) required to go meatless on Fridays. Large cod supplies off the coast of Newfoundland began to be exploited around the 15th Century, and a way to transport vast quantities of the fish back to Europe was needed — so salting and drying became the preferred preservation method. Salt cod is made in much the same way today, but Bianca Piccillo, co-founder of the Mermaid’s Garden community supported fishery (CSF), says: “We make our own salt fish, as the quality is better. We don't recommend eating Atlantic cod, even line caught, as there are many, many problems with the fishery." (Read more about Atlantic cod fishery here.) All baccalà must be soaked to remove the salt and to rehydrate the fish.

This recipe is adapted from Mark Usewicz (chef and co-founder of the Mermaid’s Garden CSF) — the original is here.  (He also has a recipe for a quick baccalà here.)

1 large hake filet, skin off or on
Kosher Salt

Special equipment: Cheesecloth, a wire rack and a tray the rack fits in.

  1. Spread out a piece of cheesecloth large enough to wrap the fish in. Liberally coat the fish with salt — put a bit more on the thicker parts of the fish. Wrap the salted fish in the cheesecloth and place on the rack in the tray. Place in the refrigerator for 36 hours.
  2. After 24-36 hours, remove the fish and unwrap. Rinse off the salt and pat dry. Wrap the fish in fresh cheesecloth and place it on the rack and tray in the refrigerator for 7 days.
  3. Unwrap the fish and place in a zip top bag in the freezer until ready to use.

When you're ready to cook the fish, soak it in water in the refrigerator overnight to remove some of the salt and to rehydrate it.

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Grand Divisions

Tennessee Equality Project seeks to advance and protect the civil rights of our State’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and their families in each Grand Division.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

"regardless of... sexual orientation"

Text of Bill Clinton's speech tonight

Together, we prevailed in a campaign in which the Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be Commander-in-Chief. Sound familiar? It didn’t work in 1992, because we were on the right side of history. And it won’t work in 2008, because Barack Obama is on the right side of history.

His life is a 21st Century incarnation of the American Dream. His achievements are proof of our continuing progress toward the “more perfect union” of our founders’ dreams. The values of freedom and equal opportunity which have given him his historic chance will drive him as president to give all Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability, their chance to build a decent life, and to show our humanity, as well as our strength, to the world.

No comments:

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Major osteoporotic fractures are common, morbid, and costly among long-stay nursing home residents. Despite the importance of this problem, there are no guidelines to screen nursing home residents for osteoporosis, and it is unclear which osteoporosis medications prevent fractures in long-stay residents. To address these gaps of knowledge we propose the following specific aims: 1) develop and validate a prediction tool using clinical risk factors for falls and fracture that will estimate the 2 year absolute risk of hip fracture and the year absolute risk of major osteoporotic fracture (hip, humerus, and wrist combined) in long-stay nursing home residents;2) determine whether osteoporosis medications (i.e., bisphosphonates, calcitonin, estrogen, raloxifene, and teriparatide) reduce the incidence of hip and major osteoporotic fracture in long-stay nursing home residents;and 3) determine the clinical thresholds of risk at which osteoporosis medications reduce the incidence of hip and major osteoporotic fracture by e 20% in long-stay residents. This project will leverage an existing database that has previously linked claims data from Medicare Parts A and B with pharmacy data (Medicare Part D), clinical characteristics (Minimum Data Set), and facility level characteristics (OSCAR). Using this database we will conduct a prospective analysis on all U.S. nursing home residents enrolled in a Medicare fee-for-service plan and with e 90 day length of stay between the years 2006-2011 (>700,000 residents annually).
For specific aim 1, the prediction tools will be developed entirely from clinical information that is available for all U.S long-stay residents, such as cognitive and functional status, non-osteoporosis medication use, and recent history of falls. The prediction tools will account for the high mortality in nursing home residents.
For specific aim 2 a, we will determine whether osteoporosis medications reduce the incidence of hip and major osteoporotic fracture in long-stay residents by comparing the incidence of fracture among "new users" of an osteoporosis medication with the incidence of fracture in "non-users," matched by propensity scores.
For specific aim 2 b, we will determine a threshold for pharmacologic intervention by examining the efficacy of osteoporosis drugs according to baseline fracture risk, as estimated by the fracture prediction tool. The research team has experience in pharmacoepidemiology, geriatrics, and analysis of Medicare claims data and Minimum Data Set characteristics necessary to complete this project. Our findings will be highly significant as they will provide the first guidance on screening and treatment of osteoporosis in the nursing home setting. We anticipate that our findings will be easy for providers to implement because the fracture prediction tools will be comprised of clinical information that is already available for all U.S. nursing home residents. Knowledge gained from this study could ultimately result in a decreased rate of major osteoporotic fractures in the nursing home setting, with a subsequent reduction in morbidity and health care costs.

Public Health Relevance

Fractures are a major cause of morbidity and expense in the nursing home. The purpose of this project is to develop a screening tool for osteoporosis and to use the screening tool to determine a threshold at which osteoporosis medications prevent fractures. Implementation of this tool is likely to improve quality of care in nursing homes by reducing fractures and simultaneously reducing costs.

National Institute of Health (NIH)
Research Project (R01)
Project #
Application #
Study Section
Health Services Organization and Delivery Study Section (HSOD)
Program Officer
Joseph, Lyndon
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
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Fiscal Year
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged
United States
Zip Code


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Diagnosis and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) cost <15.9 billion dollars in the US in 2000. Genital Chlamydia trachomatis (2,800,000 new cases/year) and Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2;200- 500,000 new cases/year + <40 million currently infected) infections can cause a variety of serious complications. Our long-term goals are to: i) determine if co-infection with multiple STD agents alters pathogenesis or transmission;and ii) identify host determinants that influence STD pathogenesis. C. trachomatis, an obligate intracellular bacterium, can enter a viable but non-infectious state called persistence. Our data demonstrate that either HSV-2 co-infection or contact between purified HSV-2 virion glycoprotein D (gD) and the host genital epithelial cell adhesion protein, nectin-1 (nec-1), induces C. trachomatis serovar E persistence. C. trachomatis co-infection also increases host cell HSV-2 production. These data demonstrate that co-infection can alter STD agent replication and suggest that HSV gD/host nec-1 interaction activates a novel epithelial cell pathway that regulates chlamydial development. Notably, i) endogenous host nec-1 ligands are differentially expressed in the human genital tract;ii) persistent chlamydiae may increase inflammation in vivo;and iii) persistent organisms are resistant to killing with antibiotics. These data suggest that nec-1 stimulation (via HSV gD or endogenous nec-1 ligands) may induce persistence, subsequently increasing disease severity or reducing antibiotic effectiveness in vivo. Augmented virus shedding, induced by either co-infection or contact with chlamydial antigens, could also increase HSV transmission. Thus, we will test the following two hypotheses in four focused, but independent, Specific Aims: Hypothesis 1: Interaction of host nec-1 with HSV gD and/or endogenous host nec-1 ligands activates a host cellular response that restricts chlamydial development in genital epithelial cells. Hypothesis 2: Chlamydial pre-infection of the host cell enhances HSV production by increasing viral gene expression.
In Aim 1, chlamydiae-infected cells will be exposed to the 3 known endogenous host nec-1 ligands to determine whether they induce chlamydial persistence.
In Aim 2, specific inhibitors of host signaling will be used to determine which pathways are required for persistence induction.
In Aim 3, HSV binding/entry and mRNA/DNA accumulation in C. trachomatis pre-infected cells will be measured. Finally, in Aim 4, pathogen shedding will be examined in vaginally co-infected wildtype mice as well as in chlamydiae-singly infected, nec-1 -/- mice. These experiments will: i) identify specific candidates for host ligand(s) and signal transduction cascade(s) involved in nec-1-induced chlamydial persistence;ii) determine whether chlamydial persistence and enhanced HSV production observed within co-infected cell cultures occur in vivo;iii) explore nec-1's role in host restriction of chlamydial development;and iv) provide a necessary foundation for future in vitro and in vivo studies of chlamydiae/host cell interaction and pathogenesis of polymicrobial STDs.

Public Health Relevance

The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis (4,000,000 new cases/year) and the virus Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (200,000-500,000 new cases/year) are common causes of Sexually Transmitted Disease in the US. Herpes Simplex Virus binding to a human genital cell activates a novel response that inhibits C. trachomatis development within that host cell. This study will explore this inhibitory host response, which may lead, in the future, to development of new drugs that control chlamydial infection by activating this response.

National Institute of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Research Project (R01)
Project #
Application #
Study Section
Host Interactions with Bacterial Pathogens Study Section (HIBP)
Program Officer
Hiltke, Thomas J
Project Start
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Fiscal Year
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
East Tennessee State University
Schools of Medicine
Johnson City
United States
Zip Code
Kintner, Jennifer; Lajoie, Dawn; Hall, Jennifer et al. (2014) Commonly prescribed ?-lactam antibiotics induce C. trachomatis persistence/stress in culture at physiologically relevant concentrations. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 4:44
Schoborg, Robert V; Borel, Nicole (2014) Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) co-infection induced chlamydial persistence/stress does not require viral replication. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 4:20
Hall, Jennifer V; Sun, Jingru; Slade, Jessica et al. (2014) Host nectin-1 is required for efficient Chlamydia trachomatis serovar E development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 4:158
Phillips-Campbell, R; Kintner, J; Schoborg, R V (2014) Induction of the Chlamydia muridarum stress/persistence response increases azithromycin treatment failure in a murine model of infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 58:1782-4


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Toxoplasma gondii belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa and is an important cause of congenital disease and infection in immunocompromised patients. The parasite has a complex secretory system essential for host cell invasion and establishment of the parasitophorous vacuole. Biogenesis of these secretory organeles remains poorly understood but several groups have postulated a compartment situated between Golgi and mature micronemes and rhoptries in which sorting and processing occurs. We have recently discovered a novel post-Golgi compartment of T. gondii that we named the plant-like vacuole (PLV) and the goal of this project is to investigate its function in the biology of the parasite. This organelle is a large multi-vesicular structure that possesses similarities to the central vacuole found in plant cells. This organelle can be labeled with antibodies against proteins with great similarity to vacuolar plant pumps and channels, such as a K+sensitive V-H+PPase (TgVP1), and a tonoplast-like aquaporin (TgAQP1). Physiological studies further revealed similarities to plant vacuoles such as the presence of a V-H+ATPase, Na? and Ca2? antiporters, and calcium storage. Furthermore, as plant vacuoles, the PLV also contains proteases such as cathepsin L (TgCPL) and others. Our results and those of our collaborators showed that the PLV is a prominent feature of extracellular tachyzoites and, as the plant vacuole, has multiple potential functions including roles in protein sorting and resistance to environmental stresses. For example, the role of this vacuole in the proteolytic maturation of at least two microneme precursor proteins, proTgM2AP and proTgMIC3, suggests that this organelle could represent an endocytic/exocytic hub where sorting of proteins targeted to various organelles occurs. T. gondii tachyzoites that overexpress VP1 in the PLV, become more resistant to sodium stress pointing to an important role of the PLV in resistance to environmental ionic stress. Ionic stress is a major challenge that T. gondii confronts when exiting the host cell into the extracellular media. There is a dramatic change in the concentration of sodium, potassium, calcium and other ions between the intracellular and the extracellular environment. Dealing with these stressful changes is important for the survival of the parasite, which needs to actively invade other host cells to continue with its lytic cycle. We will test two hypotheses, which have been developed based on the functions of the plant vacuole and preliminary observations in the parasite, using a combination of genetic and cell biological experiments. This novel organelle acts to regulate ions and/or as a post Golgi sorting compartment for secretory proteins destined to the micronemes, rhoptries, and acidocalcisomes. These models are not mutually exclusive if we take into account the fact that the plant vacuole is home to a complex set of functions (storage, sorting, stress, plant growth, etc.). We think that the PLV plays a central role during the extracellular phase of the parasite not only in resisting environmental stress but also as it prepares itself for invading the next host cell.

Public Health Relevance

This work is designed to test the hypotheses that the plant-like vacuole (PLV) of T. gondii is involved in the regulation of calcium and pH homeostasis and response to salt stress, as well as in sorting and processing of proteins to organelles such as the rhoptries and acidocalcisomes. Our work could provide potential targets for chemotherapy.

National Institute of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Research Project (R01)
Project #
Application #
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IDM-B (02))
Program Officer
Mcgugan, Glen C
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University of Georgia
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Organized Research Units
United States
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Pace, Douglas A; McKnight, Ciara A; Liu, Jing et al. (2014) Calcium entry in Toxoplasma gondii and its enhancing effect of invasion-linked traits. J Biol Chem 289:19637-47
Liu, Jing; Pace, Douglas; Dou, Zhicheng et al. (2014) A vacuolar-H(+) -pyrophosphatase (TgVP1) is required for microneme secretion, host cell invasion, and extracellular survival of Toxoplasma gondii. Mol Microbiol 93:698-712
Tang, Qing; Andenmatten, Nicole; Hortua Triana, Miryam A et al. (2014) Calcium-dependent phosphorylation alters class XIVa myosin function in the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Mol Biol Cell 25:2579-91
De Napoli, M G; de Miguel, N; Lebrun, M et al. (2013) N-terminal palmitoylation is required for Toxoplasma gondii HSP20 inner membrane complex localization. Biochim Biophys Acta 1833:1329-37
Moreno, Silvia N J; Docampo, Roberto (2013) Polyphosphate and its diverse functions in host cells and pathogens. PLoS Pathog 9:e1003230


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Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are rare self-renewing cells in the hematopoietic compartment that fuel the production of millions of differentiated blood cells of various types. HSC transplantation has become a common clinical treatment for patients suffering from leukemia, aplastic anemia, sickle cell disease, and other disorders of hematopoietic systems. Because transplantation success depends heavily on the number of available HSCs in peripheral and cord blood resources, expansion of HSCs both in vivo and in vitro has assumed a high priority. Unfortunately, progress in this research area has been impeded by the limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing the decision of HSCs to self-renew or differentiate. In the proposed project, we aim to define the role of Slug, an evolutionarily conserved zinc-finger transcriptional repressor, in the regulation of HSC self-renewal. Our most recent work shows that Slug is dispensable for normal hematopoiesis, but is critical for suppression of blood cell repopulation after bone marrow transplantation or treatment with 5-fluorouracil (5- FU). Additional studies suggest that Slug is a potent negative regulator of c-kit and other cell cycle regulators (including cyclin D1, c-Myc, and Id3), while it is positively regulated by the SCF/c-Kit signaling in HSCs. These findings led logically to the central hypothesis of the current application: that Slug functions in a novel negative- feedback loop in SCF/c-kit signaling pathway, and that its deletion will promote symmetric division of HSCs during repopulation of the hematopoietic systems. These predictions will be tested by examining the effects of Slug deficiency on the integrity of HSCs following myelotoxic injury (Aim 1);by determining if Slug regulates symmetric cell division of HSCs during hematopoietic regeneration (Aim 2);and by elucidating Slug's role in the SCF/c-kit signaling pathway (Aim 3). Successful completion of these aims will be facilitated by innovative methods and strategies that were developed specifically for this project, including single cell division assays based on PKH2-26 dye and Notch-GFP reporters to discriminate between symmetric and asymmetric division, and a new HSC self-renewal competitive assay. The information we expect to generate will have the potential to improve HSC expansion both in vitro and in vivo.

Public Health Relevance

This project will provide the base for developing novel strategies for in vitro expansion of hematopoietic stem cells and for novel intervention for accelerating hematopoietic recovery of hematopoietic stem cells, thus providing therapeutic benefits for patients who receive myelosuppressive treatment(s).

National Institute of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Research Project (R01)
Project #
Application #
Study Section
Development - 2 Study Section (DEV2)
Program Officer
Bishop, Terry Rogers
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Children's Hospital & Res Ctr at Oakland
United States
Zip Code


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Our long-term goals are to identify the genetic basis for disease traits in the lysosomal storage disorder Niemann-Pick Type C1 (NPC1), to study NPC1 disease pathogenesis, and to develop diagnostic and treatment paradigms for this disease. NPC1 is an autosomal recessive, neurovisceral lipid storage disorder that presents with variable hepatosplenomegaly, vertical supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, progressive ataxia, dystonia, and dementia. Our group has a long-term commitment to studying several aspects of this disease including those involving genetic diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic approaches. The approaches we develop for assessing and treating NPC1 disease will also be used as a model for other rare human diseases. 1. Prognostics: The emergence of precision medicine brings the potential that individual variations of genomic sequence will allow prognosis of disease progression and direct decisions regarding appropriate therapeutic interventions. Earlier disease prediction is being facilitated by the identification of disease-causing mutations at younger ages, increasing the efficacy of genomic-directed treatment. However in many diseases such as NPC1, there is little concordance between the predicted functional consequences of identified coding mutations and clinically relevant parameters such as the time of onset or the severity of the disease. In these instances, new assays with predictive capacity need to be developed to allow improved care and treatment. Over the last year, we have developed such an assay, whereby we can potentially predict the time of onset of neurological symptoms in NPC1 disease by measuring the severity of lysosomal defects in fibroblasts from NPC1 patients. We utilized fibroblast cell lines from NPC1 patients enrolled in our Natural History Study (N=27;age of disease onset range = neonatal to 39 years) to quantitatively measure abnormal lysosomal accumulations. NPC1 patient fibroblasts exhibited a significantly increased mean fold-change in LysoTracker staining compared to control fibroblasts. Linear regression analyses of NPC1 patient LysoTracker staining indicated this measurement had significant predictive capacity for age of systemic disease onset (p = 0.0002;R2 = 0.42), age-adjusted clinical severity score (p = 0.0004;R2 = 0.4), and age of neurological symptom onset (p <0.0001;R2 = 0.61). This result derived from somatic cells was unexpected, as we and others have shown that the neurodegeneration in NPC1 disease is cell autonomous. This approach may now provide a novel prognostic assay for genetically characterized individuals with NPC1. As more individuals are diagnosed before the onset of neurological symptoms (for example either presenting with splenomegaly or having been identified in newborn genetic screening) the addition of this somatic cell assay could provide great assistance for patients and their families in preparation for future life and in the management of this disease by their physicians. Recently we have utilized this assay to undertake whole genome siRNA screens to identify modifier loci that contribute to NPC1 genetic variation and to identify potential treatment paradigms for testing in vitro and in vivo. We predict that this assay will have broader applications beyond NPC1 disease. Similar quantitative somatic cell alterations may also be prognostic for the >50 additional human lysosomal storage disorders that exhibit cholesterol and lipid accumulation in the lysosome. Furthermore, this novel ability to correlate a non-invasive assay on somatic cells with cell autonomous, CNS-associated neurological symptoms suggests this Lysotracker fibroblast assay could be extended to other neurodegenerative disorders. For example, recent links between Parkinson disease and lysosomal function indicate that assays such as this may be broadly applied to CNS diseases. Our study also provides a foundation for using this system to identify genetic components that contribute to time of onset and severity of neurological disease and to test possible pharmacological treatments. 2. Therapeutic assessments: We have an ongoing commitment to generating new models for assessing therapeutic interventions in mouse and human populations. We recently competed an assessment of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), as oxidative stress has been hypothesized to contribute to the NPC1 disease pathological cascade. To determine if treatments reducing oxidative stress could alleviate NPC1 disease phenotypes, the in vivo effects of the antioxidant NAC on two mouse models for NPC1 disease were studied. NAC was able to partially suppress phenotypes in both antisense-induced (NPC1ASO) and germline (Npc1-/-) knockout genetic mouse models, confirming the presence of an oxidative stress-related mechanism in progression of NPC1 phenotypes and suggesting NAC as a potential molecule for treatment. Gene expression analyses of NAC-treated NPC1ASO mice suggested NAC affects pathways distinct from those initially altered by Npc1 knockdown, data consistent with NAC achieving partial disease phenotype suppression. We also assessed pre-clinical findings in patient populations through a therapeutic trial of short-term NAC administration to NPC1 patients, but no significant effects on oxidative stress in these patients were identified other than moderate improvement of the fraction of reduced CoQ10, suggesting limited efficacy of NAC monotherapy. However, the mouse model data suggest that the distinct antioxidant effects of NAC could provide potential treatment of NPC1 disease, possibly in concert with other therapeutic molecules at earlier stages of disease progression. Our work also validated the NPC1ASO mouse as an efficient model for candidate NPC1 drug screening, and demonstrated similarities in hepatic phenotypes and genome-wide transcript expression patterns between the NPC1ASO and Npc1-/- models. We continue to assess other potential therapeutic paradigms in mouse and human populations.

Project Start
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Rodriguez-Gil, Jorge L; Larson, Denise M; Wassif, Christopher A et al. (2013) A somatic cell defect is associated with the onset of neurological symptoms in a lysosomal storage disease. Mol Genet Metab 110:188-90
Fu, Rao; Wassif, Christopher A; Yanjanin, Nicole M et al. (2013) Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in phenotypic suppression of mouse models of Niemann-Pick disease, type C1. Hum Mol Genet 22:3508-23
Yanjanin, Nicole M; Vélez, Jorge I; Gropman, Andrea et al. (2010) Linear clinical progression, independent of age of onset, in Niemann-Pick disease, type C. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 153B:132-40


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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

September Graveyard Rabbit Carnvial posted

The September theme for the Graveyard Rabbits Carnival was a potpourri of writings by fifteen graveyard rabbits.  To read them visit here.

The October theme, due September 25, is funeral cards. I will have to dig through some boxes to see what I have.

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Complete List of Recipes & Reflections

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Gigantes Tiganiti … Pan-Fried Giant Beans

Gigantes Tiganiti … Pan-Fried Giant Beans make an excellent appetizer dish.

Since time immemorial beans and legumes have figured prominently in regional dishes throughout Greece. Dried Gigantes beans (pronounced YEE-GAN-DES) are a staple of Greek cookery and can usually be found in Greek specialty shops and bakeries, or most well-stocked supermarkets around the world.

Also referred to as Elephant beans, Gigantes are about 1 inch long or roughly twice the size of conventional lima beans, and are a variety of runner bean. Cultivated largely in north central Greece, these beans can be prepared and served as an appetizer, as part of a salad, or as a main course. Indeed, this bean is so popular in Greece that five varieties of Gigantes/Elephant beans have been recognized as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) / Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) produce by the European Union.

The extraordinarily meaty and buttery texture of this extra large bean has served to make them a ubiquitous menu offering in Greek tavernas and restaurants the world over. However, the version you will usually find in such eateries is one where they are baked in a rich tomato sauce.
This particular recipe is popular on the Cyclades Islands and makes for an excellent appetizer dish.

1 cup dried Gigantes (Greek Elephant Beans)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 egg
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
1 cup extra virgin olive oil*
Salt & pepper

1. Soak the beans in water overnight to re-hydrate them. Drain the water and rinse the beans well before cooking.
2. Add beans to a pan with enough cold water to cover the beans by about 1 inch or so. Add salt to water and bring to a boil then simmer for ten minutes.
3. Drain beans, rinse them with cold water and return them to the pan. Add fresh cold water to the pan along with some salt and once more bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes until beans are tender. Remove from heat, drain water and set the beans aside.
4. Beat milk and egg well in a small bowl. Sift the flour into another small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Put the breadcrumbs into a third bowl.
5. Heat oil in pan. *NOTE: You need to ensure that there is enough oil in the pan to almost, if not completely, cover the beans when they are added to the pan. My suggestion would be to use a smaller pan which will require less oil.
6. Flour the beans in small batches then dip them in the egg mixture and then cover them with breadcrumbs. Fry them in small batches and be ready to turn them over quickly in the pan to cook both sides evenly - stay on top of them when frying as they don't require very long and you don't want them to burn. Remove beans from the oil when a uniform golden brown outer colour is achieved.

Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve warm.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Kali Orexi!

Sam Sotiropoulos
Greek Gourmand

Copyright © 2008, Sam Sotiropoulos. All Rights Reserved.

Peter M said...

Haha....these are brilliant Sam and I've never tried nor heard of these.

Next time I make gigantes I'll fry up a batch.

Bravo sou!

Monica Pileggi said...

Hello Sam, thanks for visiting my blog. I will enjoy looking through your recipes, as I do love Greek food. The gigantes recipes looks scrumptious, yet easy to make.

Ivy said...

Hi Sam, these gigantes are so appetizing. I never heard of these pan fried version before and shall definitely try them.

Lin said...

Hey Sam, Thanks for the blog comment and while I'd never heard of frying gigantes, I can't imagine that they'd be anything but fantastic. As I always say, you could fry a shoe and I'd no doubt like it.

And no, I can't remember what the meal was that we had lo those many years ago (remember, I can't even recollect where we went that night, much less what we ate for dinner!) just that it was fun, noisy and exuberant

Laurie Constantino said...

Hi Sam, these look wonderful. I love gigantes, but have never seen them this way.

One thing, it is true that many sources of information claim gigantes are a form of white kidney bean. That is actually not accurate. I researched this for a piece on my blog about gigantes. Gigantes and Elefantes are a form of runner bean, related to the scarlet runner bean, called Phaseolus coccineus (multiflorus. See links on

Can't wait to try the Pan-Fried Gigantes!

Lulu said...

Excellent! Finding foods that can be fried is a service to humanity!

By the way, I did add you to my blogroll.

Angela Chan said...

Thanks for commenting on my blog. The recipes and pictures on your blog look great! I'll have to try some of them out.

Nina's Kitchen (Nina Timm) said...

How clever is this. High protein snacking! Fantastic idea, thx

White On Rice Couple said...

Wow, you've got some great Greek inspirations here! Where have yo been all this time? :)

Sam Sotiropoulos said...

Peter - These are something I ran across on Santorini.

Monica - I am sure you'll find something you will like! If not, send me your complaints... :-) Thanks for dropping by and leaving your comment!

Ivy - I would love to hear what you thought of them once you try them.

Lin - Yes, frying makes everything taste better! As for memory... I know what you mean, I have trouble remembering what I ate yesterday, never mind years ago! Thanks for dropping by!

Laurie - Thanks for the correction! I have corrected the article and provided a link to the Wikipedia entry on the runner bean, plus a link to your Gigantes recipe wherein you present your research. :-)

Lulu - Thanks for adding me to your blogroll, hope I don't disappoint... ;-)

Angela - Welcome! By all means, please do try some (or all) of my recipes!

Nina - Fried goodness! Now can it get any better than that?

White on Rice Couple - I have been waiting for the most opportune moment to appear and to preach the Gospel of Greek Food, and so, here I am! :-)

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook said...

Ah, Gigandes! I will be growing them this year - got seeds imported from Greece and everything. I typically do them with the tomato sauce, but I have heard about this dish. Thanks for the inspiration!

elephantbeans said...


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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Still Waiting for THIS Correction

A lot of attention this morning to a hysterical Wash Post correction, called by some "the best ever," in which they admit that a guy's build should not have been described as "heavy set" but instead "muscular."  Love to have tape of his call when he complained.  And now comes word that the print and online versions of the correction are different.  My view:  Come on folks, Wash Post's "best correction ever" would be:  "We blew coverage of the run-up to Iraq invasion, and our editorials and columnists were awful and wrong, and hundreds of thousands died."

1 comment:

Syrbal/Labrys said...

:::face palm::: Priorities, America, priorities. If I described this tendency, I'd have to say 'thick-brained'....