Award Data

In the post 9/11 security environment, rapid cargo inspection has become a high priority. Cargo scanning using either radiographic imaging or active interrogation for Special Nuclear Material (SNM) requires high energy and high intensity x-rays. High intensity x-ray sources are especially important for active interrogation techniques such as photo-fission, delayed neutron & gamma measurements, p ...

ABSTRACT The number of kidney transplant candidates on the waiting list continues to increase each year, while the number of kidney donations remains stagnant. The enduring donor shortage compels clinicians to use kidneys from marginal donors, referred toas expanded criteria donors (ECD). ECD kidneys, obtained primarily from older donors, have a higher risk of delayed graft function and graft loss ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Title: Fungal Metabolites as Novel Anthelmintics against Soil-Transmitted Helminthes Project Summary/Abstract It is estimated that over 2 billion people worldwide are suffering from complications due to infections withsoil transmitted helminthes (STHs), but very little research is being conducted by human health pharmaceutical companies. In the USA, it is estim ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Over 34 million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS. Combination antiviral therapies have significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality of the disease; however, there is currently no cure for the disease. Discovery that a naturally occurring variant of CCR5, the delta32 mutation, renders cells resistant to HIV infection has led to efforts by several a ...

Abstract The ability of the immune system to recognize and initiate an immune response to foreign particles such as bacteria and viruses has generated interest in development of particulate vaccine technologies. We are developing an innovative approach toproduce particulate vaccines via layer-by-layer (LbL) fabrication of synthetic microparticles (MP). We have shown that LbL-MP loaded with epitope ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I SBIR application is submitted in response to the call by DHHS for new tests for qualitative measurement of HCV RNA for diagnosis of chronic HCV infection in patients. The need is for HCV RNA assays that areas reliable but less expensive and resource-demanding than current molecular assays. The new test proposed for research and development consists ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this research is to develop a new approach to bring diagnosis and monitoring tests for HIV to the primary care level (primary care provider office, small healthcare clinics and labs, and community health center labs) by introducing a multi-functional cell analysis and immunoassay platform that is portable, low cost and easy to use. It will allow pat ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) are a family of rare autoinflammatory diseases of which neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID) is the most severe phenotype. NOMID is characterized by NLRP3 activating mutations resulting in excessive interleukin- 1?IL-1?and IL-18 production associated with recurrent fever, rash, skeletal lesions, ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Myopathies and other clinical disorders arising from genetic abnormalities of the mitochondrial respiratory chain collectively affect as many as 1 in 8000 individuals, representing in aggregate a significant disease burden, even though the specific underlying genetic lesions are each quite rare. Despite the need for therapeutic strategies to prevent or slow the ...

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Through modern surgical advancements, total hip replacements (THR) have become one of the most successful implant procedures to date. Even though long-term success rates are high, the staggering number of THR proceduresper annum (~200,000 in the United States alone) results in thousands of failed implants each year. Most implants fail through aseptic loosening ...