Award Data

Project Summary Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are a growing health problem in our aging population. Assessment of cognitive functioning for early detection is critical to identify individuals who might benefit from treatment with the available symptomatic medications for mild dementia as well as future disease-modifying therapies that are actively under development and being tested i ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a looming public health crisis that threatens millions of patients' ability to experience healthy aging. In addition to the challenges that AD poses to patients, healthcare providers and caregivers, there is also tremendous economic burden associated with AD and related dementias – estimated to be well over $200B/year in the United States alone. Hundre ...

Project Summary/Abstract We propose a new approach to the decontamination of central venous catheters and the prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), an important healthcare-associated infection. CLABSIs cost the US healthcare system approximately $2.3 billion annually (Pronovost, NEJM, 2009). Additionally, CLABSIs can be life threatening, especially in the very youn ...

STTR_Developing Nanopieces 7. Project Summary/Abstract The bottleneck of developing new RNAi (RNA Interference) drugs is the lack of highly efficient and non-toxic RNA delivery to non-liver tissues in vivo. It is especially challenging to deliver negatively-charged nucleic acid into avascular, dense, and negatively-charged matrix in hard-to-reach tissues including joint cartilage. NanoDe Therapeut ...

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 ...

Major depressive disorder is a debilitating mood disorder that affects ~7% of US adults in their lifetime, costing the U.S. economy more than $200 billion a year. Drugs that increase monoaminergic signaling are the mainstay of depression therapy, but have a delayed onset of action and are only effective in about 50% of affected patients. Aberrant brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling ...

Project SummaryNovel High Resolution Scintillation X ray Detectors for Digital Dentistry The transition from traditional film to digital X ray detectors has resulted in significant improvements across many areas for dental X ray imaging ranging from decreased wait timesimproved logistics and even lower radiation dose ratesOne significant drawback remains with digital X ray imaging howeverwhich is ...

Project Summary Abstract We propose a new approach to the decontamination of central venous catheters and the prevention of central line associated bloodstream infectionsCLABSIan important healthcare associated infectionCLABSIs cost the US healthcare system approximately $billion annuallyPronovostNEJMAdditionallyCLABSIs can be life threateningespecially in the very young and critically illEven whe ...

Abstract Lamininrelated congenital muscular dystrophyLAMACMDalso known as Merosin Deficient Congenital Muscular DystrophyMDC Ais a fatal muscle wasting disease that affects patients from birthLAMACMD results from mutations in the LAMAgene resulting in loss of lamininproteinLamininis required for the formation of the heterotrimers lamininand lamininwhich are major constituents of the skeletal and c ...

Project Summary Atrophic dry age related macular degeneration AMD is the leading cause of severe loss of vision for those over age Dietary supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin are recommended by the NEI for those at risk of late AMD There has been a corresponding growth in demand for these two xanthophylls Lutein and zeaxanthin are currently sourced from marigolds grown mostl ...