Award Data

ABSTRACT Continuous monitoring of neonatal brain development is crucial for effective management of brain injury and associated complications, thus reducing healthcare burden and costs. One rapidly developing method for early characterization of abnormal brain development is to map resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) across distinct regions of the brain. However, currently available neur ...

Project Summary The goal of this Fast Track STTR project is to determine proof-of-principle and efficacy of a novel blood brain barrier (BBB) penetrating therapeutic nanoparticle for the potential treatment of otherwise intractable brain tumors like glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). This project seeks to demonstrate that novel, targetable nanoparticles can delivery therapeutic substances to human bra ...

Project Summary/Abstract: Due to decreased mobility, deterioration in activities of daily living, and neurological decline that contributes to loss of bladder control, incontinence is a leading comorbidity for those individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Further, individuals with incontinence are susceptible to the development of pressure ulcers (PUs), with ...

Project Summary Model cells for cancer research and drug discovery are currently stored using cryogenic methods that necessitate powerful freezers and liquid nitrogen. Frozen cells require regular upkeep, have high energy costs, take up a lot of space, and rapidly degrade if cooling devices fail. Efforts to develop a lyophilization protocol for model cell lines have been ongoing for decades, howev ...

Project Summary This proposal develops key aspects of an ultrasensitive pathogen detection system for rodent animal health surveillance and is in response to the NIH FOA PAR-21-225 to develop novel tools and devices for animal research facilities and to support the care of animal models. The goal of the project is to develop a microfluidic device for rapid and inexpensive pathogen detection direct ...

Project Summary/Abstract Vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP) has been shown to have structural and functional similarity to human complement control proteins. VCP modulates the human and rodent complement system. During the past two decades, we have studied VCP extensively in a number of preclinical inflammatory disease models including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and spinal cord injury ...

Project SummaryAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a critical problem in pulmonary medicine, accounting for 10% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and totaling over 200,000 patients/year in the U.S. Current treatment cost typically exceeds $70,000 per patient. Decades of clinical trials failed to identify effective pharmacologic therapy for ARDS, while mortality remains above 30%. T ...

Project Summary One in three seniors die with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or Alzheimer’s Disease related dementias (ADRD). More than six million Americans are living with AD and by 2050 this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million. The economic costs of AD are significant, with 355 billion in national costs for caring for people with AD and ADRD. Disconcertingly, there is also an estimat ...

Pediatric patients with severe heart failure require a ventricular assist device (VAD). The paracorporeal Berlin Heart EXCOR is still the only FDA-approved VAD for pediatric patients. This diaphragm displacement pump is small/light weight to facilitate ambulation. However, EXCOR withdraws and pumps blood at different times for interrupted pulsatile blood flow, with its drainage and infusion cannul ...

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACTThe opioid crisis is an epidemic with devastating health, social, and economic consequences for the United States. In 2020, 2.7 million people over the age of 12 were reported to suffer from opioid use disorder (OUD). The total economic burden of the opioid crisis in the US was recently estimated to be nearly $1.5 trillion. Treatment for OUD involves medication (MOUD) com ...