Award Data

Abstract Alcohol and illicit drug use remain highly prevalent in the US, and epidemiological surveillance surveys estimate that over 20.6 million individuals (~ 8% of the US population) meet standard diagnostic thresholds for substance use disorders (SAMHSA, 2011). Outpatient substance abuse treatment is the predominate method of treatment in the US for SUDs, typically involving intermittent cont ...

? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): NMR is probably the most powerful and widely used analytical technique for structure determination and function elucidation of molecules of all types, but it suffers from low sensitivity, particularly for insoluble biological macromolecules. Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) with Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) has recently demonstrated S/N gains exceeding t ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Contrast enhancement on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) provides the best currently available approach for measuring tumor response to therapy in brain and other solid tumors. Accordingly, criteria have been formulated, by international committees, to guide the assessment of tumor burden by measuring tumor diameters of contrast-enhancing tumor (eg RECIST, Macd ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall objective of the proposed research is to fully develop and conduct clinical translation of a novel technology that provides minimally invasive surgeons an ability to visualize exposed organ surfaces as wellas structures hidden by them, together with a true appreciation of depth. A long-standing need in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery has bee ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I STTR application seeks support for research to enhance the commercial viability of a tool to assess the cultural competence of health care organizations. The Cultural-competency Organizational Assessment - 360 (COA360) is a web-based tool to measure the cultural competence of healthcare organizations. Major changes in the regulatory environment ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In the US alone, the disease afflicts ~13 million people and is the third-leading cause of death. Cigarette smoking isthe primary risk factor for COPD, initiating a persistent and progressive inflammatory immune response. Respiratory infections and pollutants can ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Scleroderma is a devastating autoimmune disease with a chronic course, involving the overproduction of collagen leading to fibrosis of the skin and connective tissues. The disease has a range of symptoms including pain,stiffness and swelling of the joints, shortness of breath and gastrointestinal complications. More than 50% of patients with the aggressive form ...

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant Seasonal influenza flu virus an NIAID category C priority pathogen causes widespread infection resulting in at least million cases of severe illness and deaths worldwide Young children and elderly or immunocompromised individuals are typically at greater risk of severe illness or death from influenza Newly emerging strains can result ...

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant One of the challenges of research in infectious diseases is to find ways to use the increasing knowledge of the mechanisms underlying disease transformation and progression to develop novel therapeutic strategies for diseases such as increasing menace of bacterial infections Targeting specific RNA such as rRNA which are involved in proliferation and survival ...

Project Summary Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is recognized as the single most important viral cause of acute respiratory disease in infants and young children worldwide. Elderly populations and immunocompromised individuals are also at significant risk for serious RSV disease. Despite this very substantial disease burden imposed by RSV worldwide, there are no vaccines available. Severa ...