Award Data

Retinal degeneration involving progressive deterioration and loss of function of photoreceptors is a major cause of permanent vision loss worldwide. Strategies to treat these incurable conditions incorporate retinal prostheses via electrically stimulating surviving retinal neurons with implanted devices in the eye, optogenetic therapy, and sonogenetic therapy. Existing challenges of these strategi ...

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infects a majority of the world’s population and is a leading cause of disease in transplant patients and newborns, accounting for more congenital birth defects than Down’s syndrome, spina bifida, or fetal alcohol syndrome. There is no approved vaccine and all current antiviral therapies for CMV prevention or treatment suffer from toxicity and a low barrier ...

Abstract Alzheimer Disease (AD) is characterized by b-amyloid (Ab) accumulation, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), neuroinflammation, and widespread neuronal and synaptic loss. To date, there are no therapies available, although immunotherapies i.e., Lecanemab hold promise. Species differences underlie the difficulties in translating therapeutics uncovered in animal models for human brain-specific d ...

Summary The proposed DE iRED program consists of university and private sector partnerships to deliver a comprehensive program that will engage and support biomedical innovators in the early stages of technology commercialization by addressing key bottlenecks in the startup process as identified both in the solicitation and by the DRIVEN Accelerator Hub. According to DRIVEN’s Voice of Customer i ...

Project Summary and Abstract The most common neurogenic voice disorder is unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP), which can substantially reduce quality of life. Current available surgical treatments offer only temporary improvement in voice through placement of resorbable materials or involve permanent, invasive alteration of the larynx that incompletely restores voice and often requires revision ...

ABSTRACT Obesity and comorbid binge eating are serious health problems for more than 40% of adults across the US.7 Health complications due to obesity comprise more than 20% of the nation’s healthcare budget, and the healthcare costs of individuals with binge eating are $18,152 higher than in obese peers without binge eating.13 The prevalence of binge eating and the substantial burden of healthc ...

Fibrosis is an aberrant wound healing process characterized by progressive accumulation of extracellular matrix that ultimately destroys organ function. Progressive fibrosis is inherent to chronic kidney disease (CKD), which often leads to end-stage renal disease. Although patients can be maintained by hemodialysis while awaiting transplantation, their’s and their care-giver’s quality of life ...

PROJECT SUMMARYThe goal of this proposal is to optimize and clinically validate a new diagnostic test for eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (eCRS) at the point-of-care, improving the efficiency, value, and accessibility of personalized medicine. eCRS affects up to 5 million Americans and is characterized by varying degrees of sinonasal and peripheral eosinophilia, linked to treatment responsiven ...

Widespread azole resistance among Candida and Aspergillus spp. along with emerging echinocandin resistance in C. glabrata and C. auris raises the specter of untreatable multidrug resistant fungal infections, even as advances in medicine (cancer chemotherapy, organ transplant, premature infants, HIV/AIDS therapy) have increased the size of the vulnerable population. Our proposal aims to develop a n ...

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT The human gut microbiome consists of trillions of microorganisms which metabolize a variety of xenobiotic compounds, including environmental chemicals, thereby affecting their overall toxicity to the host organism. Gut microorganisms can either increase or decrease the toxicity of xenobiotic compounds based on reactions with microbial enzymes, which is referred to as Mic ...