Award Data

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I proposal seeks support to evaluate the feasibility of developing an extracellular matrix (ECM) biologic scaffold as a repair device for atrial septal defects (ASD). ASDs are one of the most common forms of congenital heart disease and account for approximately 30-40% of all congenital heart defects seen in adults. Closure of an ASD can be performed ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ability to culture human embryonic stem cells generated a great deal of excitement about their vast potential for treating a variety of human diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, neurological, retinal and skin disorders to name a few. Unlike adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells have indefinite growth potential and the potential to develop into any t ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A new fluorescent analogue of d-glucose, 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diaxol-4-yl)amino]-2- deoxyglucose (2-NBDG), was recently developed, but has not been characterized as a marker of glucose uptake in cancer cells. Validating this new tracer as a glucose analogue for optical imaging of superficial tumors may have a major impact on clinical and preclinical imag ...

There is a troubling decline in the number of US citizens training to become scientists and engineers. There are insufficient numbers of qualified science teachers in the middle schools, where interest in science must be kindled. Technology enhanced learning environments (TELEs), which could improve science education, are not being widely deployed. This Phase I project will customize a TELE to a) ...

There is a troubling decline in the number of US citizens training to become scientists and engineers. There are insufficient numbers of qualified science teachers in the middle schools, where interest in science must be kindled. Technology enhanced learning environments (TELEs), which could improve science education, are not being widely deployed. This Phase I project will customize a TELE to a) ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the US; with less than one-year median survival, it accounts for approximately 30,000 diagnoses and deaths per year. Multimodality therapy, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, have not made a significant impact on the outcome and serve mostly as palliation. Thus, new treatment ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Severe sepsis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the US (Angus DC et al., 2001) with some 751,000 cases annually, costing on average over $22,000/case, and resulting in 215,000 deaths (28.6% mortality rate). The incidence of sepsis cases has been projected to increase by 1.5% per annum. Xigris, the first FDA-approved drug therapy for sepsis has been ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Positron emission tomography (PET) of small animals is emerging as a very powerful tool for advancing our understanding of human diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Due to the small (sub-millimeter) feature sizes, dedicated, high resolution PET systems are required to obtain sufficiently detailed images of organs of interest. In particular, sub-millimete ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): RMD Inc. proposes to develop direct reading, highly sensitive, reusable point sensors for detecting organophosphate and carbomate pesticide and nerve agent contamination in liquid and air. The sensors can be made for visual detection and handheld instrument readout using absorbance and fluorescence transduction modes, and will be suitable for unattended continu ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Although CsI:TI is one of the most desirable scintillators for a broad range of medical and industrial diagnostics, it has never been applicable to X-ray computerized tomography (CT). Despite the otherwise superb properties of CsI, it suffers from a persistent afterglow that simply does not decay fast enough to provide rapid framing rates without unacceptable c ...