Award Data

Summary Technology for studying the higher order structure (HOS) and interactions of biomolecules is a highlighted NIGMS SBIR/STTR research topic. Mass-spectrometric methods for studying HOS include hydroxyl radical footprinting as well as chemical methods to covalently label amino acid side-chain functional groups, and also hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) on protein backbone amides. These metho ...

Abstract Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal muscle disease with a predicted incidence of 1 in 5000 males. DMD results from mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin, a 427 kDa scaffolding protein responsible for providing a mechanical link between the muscle fiber actin cytoskeleton and laminin in the extracellular matrix. The 7β1 integrin is a transmembrane linkage system in skeleta ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common diabetic complication. DPN is a leading cause for disability due to foot ulceration and amputation, gait disturbance, and fall-related injury. There is no FDA- approved disease modifying treatment for DPN, a condition affecting up to 50% of the estimated 30 million diabetic patients in the US. Neuropathy occurs in patients wit ...

Project Summary Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly occurring forms of cancer, accounting for 21% of all cancer in men. The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) aims to standardize reporting of prostate cancer using multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). However, the in-depth analysis, as demanded by PI-RADS, remains challenging due to the complexity and heter ...

“Code blue” is the signal used in hospitals to call for an immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) following a cardiac or respiratory arrest. Reviewing the performance of the “code blue team” is a cornerstone for improving outcomes. The current standard of using handwritten records on a paper “code sheet” does not allow measurement of key quality indicators and is subject to huma ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Glioblastoma (GBM) is an intractable cancer with an average survival time of 12 to 15 months. Treatment options are limited by the infiltration of tumor cells into healthy tissue and the difficulty of delivering effective chemotherapeutics across the blood brain barrier, but engineered neural stem cells (NSCs) hold great promise as GBM therapies because they selectively migrate to ...

This fast-track STTR application proposes to synthesize structurally defined heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides for biological research. Glycan Therapeutics is a biotech company specialized in synthesizing sulfated carbohydrates using innovative enzyme-based methods. This proposal is focused on the synthesis of large authentic oligosaccharides in the size range of 10-mers to ...

Abstract E cigarettes (E-cigs) are increasingly popular worldwide, in particular, among youths. E-cigs may contribute to nicotine addiction and are unlikely to discourage conventional cigarette smoking. Mainstream and second-hand E-cig aerosols contain, in addition to nicotine, detectable levels of toxins including carcinogens and heavy metals such as formaldehyde, benzene, nitrosamines, cadmium a ...

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by Gram-negative bacterial pathogens are associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to the antibiotic-resistant nature of the pathogens. Infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens result in substantial health and economic impact due to the lack of effective therapeutic options. This lack of treatment options is particularly ...

ABSTRACT Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a substantial healthcare burden in the US (estimated andgt; 8M) and around the world (estimated andgt; 200M). In the aging population, over 24% with age andgt; 80 years have PAD. 50% of all patients with PAD are asymptomatic, and up to 40% of the remaining patients have atypical symptoms. The conventional ankle/brachial index (cABI) ratio is establishe ...