Award Data

Abstract Radiation induced keratopathy results in significant ocular surface disease, stem cell deficiency, vision loss, discomfort, and subsequent poor quality of life, affecting up to 23% of patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck malignancies [1]. Studies have pointed out functional roles of corneal neurons and secretory cells of the lacrimal gland in the etiology of radiation in ...

SUMMARY Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) experience low oxygen saturation, shortness of breath, low quality of life, and a short life span (lt10 years) following diagnosis. These patients frequently present to emergency rooms, and many are admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), straining the health care system. Despite therapy with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, prostacyclin analogs, a ...

Project Summary Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) occurs in both age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). While anti-VEGF treatment has improved the visual outcome considerably, they are far from achieving a 100% success rate (non-responsiveness between 8 and 50%). Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a group of heterogeneous, progressive, visually debilitating ...

Abstract Wearable pulse oximetry sensors are among the most ubiquitous medical technologies used in healthcare. Clinicians rely on pulse oximeters to monitor patient health during disease states and medical procedures. However, numerous studies have shown this technology to be racially biased; hypoxemia is three times more likely to go undetected in patients with dark skin compared to those with l ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Colorectal cancer is still a major cause of cancer-related death in the world and only a small subset of patients benefits from therapy by immune checkpoint inhibitors. Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that are covalently linked to cell-killing drugs and have emerged as a major modality in anti-cancer treatment. This approach combines high specific ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Developing RNA therapeutics for rare neurodevelopmental disorders Monogenic diseases caused by mutations in single genes are individually rare, but collectively common affecting 10% of the world population. Many of these diseases are disabling or even life threatening with no available treatment. The underlying molecular mechanisms vary. Both loss of gene function and gain of toxic ...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is comprised mainly of Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), and is characterized by a chronic non-resolving inflammatory response in the intestinal mucosa. Although the exact etiology is unknown, dysbiosis, genetic, environmental, and immunologic factors are all thought to play roles in this multifactorial disease. There are no cures, and in most cas ...

Project Summary As a participant in the new IDeA Regional Entrepreneurship Development (I-RED) program, the goal of this proposal is to create an educational product to promote entrepreneurism and commercialization in the Mountain West region of IDeA states. The educational product and overall program are intended to address the needs of IDeA state academic institutions in developing and strengthe ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Bioengineered microbes are a promising strategy to develop live biotherapeutic products that can introduce novel metabolic activities into the gut microbiome and digestive system for the prevention and treatment of several gut-related diseases/disorders. Sanarentero is developing novel drug detoxifying bacteria (DDB), which is a bioengineered live biotherapeutic product that can de ...

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is currently incurable with significant unmet medical needs. In the US, over a million people suffer from this disease with an estimated cost of $27 billion per year. The mainstay of PD management is symptomatic treatment with drugs that increase dopamine in the striatum. However, the utility of these drugs is significantly ...