Award Data

PROJECT SUMMARY We propose to develop a novel non-contact, label-free multimodality imager that provides real-time intraoperative identification of nerves within the surgical field-of-view to facilitate the prevention of unintended nerve damage (termed iatrogenic nerve injury) during surgical procedures, as they are a major source of postsurgical complications, e.g., chronic pain. In the United St ...

Current treatments for asthma, while reducing exacerbations in a subset of patients by focusing on airway inflammation, do not eliminate them. Asthma exacerbations are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in asthma as they can lead to airway injury, lung function decline and death. Exacerbations in more severe asthmatics are of particular concern, as health care costs and lost productivi ...

TITLE: Critical angle reflection imaging (CARi) for label-free quantification of molecular interactions SUMMARYMeasuring molecular interactions of proteins are critical for understanding protein functions and cellular processes, for discovery and validating biomarkers, and for developing and screening drugs. In particular, membrane proteins play key roles in many cellular functions and are the lar ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Despite a growing need for smoking cessation services, Latino smokers face notable disparities in cessation treatment. Consequently, there is a big opportunity, both from a scientific and a business perspective, to develop and test the most optimal culturally tailored approaches to enroll and engage Latino Smokers into cessation programs. The Kick Buts program owned by Agile Health ...

ABSTRACT The development of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is a potentially fatal toxicity in cancer patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy or in individuals exposed to ionizing radiation (IR) from a nuclear incident. The pathobiology of radiation pneumonitis and radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF) is complex but includes the deleterious effects of unchecked inflammation (reactive oxyg ...

Abstract Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, affecting an estimated 1.2 million Americans. The disease has a high propensity for dissemination, and metastatic melanoma has a dismal prognosis, with a median survival of only 5–8 months. Healthcare costs for melanoma in 2021 are projected to reach nearly $4 billion, with a rising incidence rate. Despite considerable efforts in recent yea ...

Principal Investigators for Small Business: DiscoveryBioMed, Inc. (DBM) and Monell Chemical Senses Center Project Summary Abstract Bitter taste in foods and medicines presents a barrier to overcoming global public health challenges: food insecurity, poor nutritional health, and poor compliance with medication use, particularly among children and the elderly. Sugar and salt, the mainstays to addres ...

Mortality rates in intensive care units (ICUs) are unacceptably high and are directly related to the duration of mechanical ventilation that is required to support patients with respiratory failure. For example, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a vexing acute inflammatory lung disease requiring mechanical ventilatory support as the result of severe hypoxemia and respiratory failure. T ...

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACTA cerebral aneurysm is an abnormal enlargement or pouch that forms from a weakened vessel segment in the brain. Often going unnoticed and untreated, an aneurysm can cause a sudden and catastrophic hemorrhage or stroke. Approximately 15 % of patients die from an aneurysm rupture even before receiving medical attention and 25 % of patients die despite medical treatment. Patie ...

Terrorist use of radioactive nuclear materials via nuclear and/or radiological dispersion devices (dirty bombs) is a serious threat. Therefore, it is crucial to detect proliferation of nuclear material. Critical challenges include: (a) high sensitivity detection of signature emissions from radioactive isotopes, and (b) cost-effectiveness for deployment of sensor networks across large storage facil ...