Award Data

Project SummaryEpilepsy is one of the most common brain disorders. Current drugs have limited efficacy. Identifying new targeted drugs that can be used as safer, more effective therapies is in urgent unmet need. Selective inhibition of the transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) emerges as a novel strategy to impede epilepsy. However, the currently best selective TRPC3 inhibitor, Pyr3, ha ...

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative disease in the musculoskeletal system. While it can affect any joint, hip, and knee, OA carries an enormous burden of pain and reduced mobility. Despite decades of research, there are currently no clinically effective treatments that can repair damaged cartilage or halt the progression of this disease. However, recent advances in tissue ...

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating acute inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract resulting in intestinal necrosis, systemic sepsis and multi-system organ failure found mostly in infants born prematurely. Despite modern medical advances in the past decade, the etiology remains elusive and morbidity and mortality are still unacceptably high. It has been concluded that the ...

Abstract Uroflowmetry is the most common urodynamic test performed by urologists to assess the function of the lower urinary tract. This simple non-invasive study measures urinary flow rates and when summarized graphically offers insights into various types of lower urinary tract symptoms. Current systems call upon a patient to void into a commode with a funnel to direct the flow of urine into a v ...

Abstract There is an unmet need to develop treatments for senile osteoporosis, a disorder characterized by an age-related reciprocal decrease in osteogenesis and increase in bone marrow fat. Senile osteoporosis resembles disuse osteopenia, suggesting its pathogenesis involves impaired bone mechanosensing. We discovered that the polycystin heterotrimeric complex (1PC1+3PC2) functions as a mechanose ...

SUMMARY/Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanovesicles, which contain surface markers, and cell- and cell-state-specific cargo of their tissue (and cell) of origin, reflecting the tissue or cell’s physiological state. Most importantly, neuronal EVs can pass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into blood circulation and provide a new approach of gaining direct access to brain pathogenic process ...

This Phase I SBIR develops a system for gentle and accurate insertion of large optical neuroscience probes (e.g., GRIN lenses) to improve outcomes in aging research. Additionally, the project supports Qingguang Zhang. Ph.D. through the NIA Research and Entrepreneurial Development Immersion (REDI) program at a small business. Entrepreneurial development activities for his project will include proje ...

PROJECT SUMMARY We propose to develop a novel non-contact, label-free multimodality imager that provides real-time intraoperative identification of nerves within the surgical field-of-view to facilitate the prevention of unintended nerve damage (termed iatrogenic nerve injury) during surgical procedures, as they are a major source of postsurgical complications, e.g., chronic pain. In the United St ...

Perinatal brain injury resulting in mental retardation and cerebral palsy is the most severe disability in children and affects 40-148 in preterm and 1–2/1000 in full term infants. This places a huge burden on society, emphasizing the critical need for improved prevention/treatment strategies to decrease perinatal brain injury. Hypothermia (HT) is the only FDA approved therapy to attenuate brain ...

PROJECT SUMMARY. Opioids are the most prescribed drug in US hospitals, and opioid induced respiratory depression (OIRD) is a widespread and life-threatening problem. Episodes of OIRD on the general hospital floor are common, occurring in up to 46% of patients. Despite the prevalence of this problem, OIRD has yet to be effectively addressed through monitoring technology. There is great clinical nee ...