Award Data

Project Summary/AbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a universal health concern and is known as a “silent epidemic”. Each year in America, 2.53 million patients visit the emergency department after suffering a TBI of which 56,800 die and over 288,000 require hospitalization, rehabilitation programs, and long-term supportive care. Although the primary TBI event is typically acute, subsequent ...

Approximately 50,000 people will die from colorectal cancer (CRC) in the United States this year due to the late stage at diagnosis where treatments are largely ineffective. Primary prevention of CRC is therefore very important for high-risk patients. Chemoprevention agents are needed for CRC but nothing has been approved for this purpose. Extensive preclinical and epidemiological evidence show gr ...

Project Summary Skin is the first line of defense against the outside environment. When the skin barrier is breached by UV irradiation (UVR) or toxic chemicals, living cell layers including epidermal keratinocytes, melanocytes and dermal fibroblasts are subjected to DNA damage. If unrepaired, this damage can lead to photoaging and cutaneous carcinogenesis. In fact, skin cancer is by far the most c ...

Summary Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. with a 5-year survival rate of andlt;9%. The poor prognosis is partially due to resistance to standard of care treatments including gemcitabine (Gem) and Gem+nab-paclitaxel (n-PTX). The transcription factors HIF-1α and c-MYC are at the center of the mechanisms producing Gem and n-PTX resistance ...

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow and peripheral blood with poor prognosis mostly due to relapse. Despite decades of improvements in chemo-immunotherapy (CIT) and, more recently, the use of hypomethylating agent (HMAs) and addition of novel small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) to back-bone chemotherapy, AML treatment selection and dosage remains mostly empiric, wi ...

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Despite the existence of numerous, well-established evidence-based practices (EBPs) for mental disorders, it has been difficult to disseminate these practices in community settings. Exposure therapy for anxiety disorders represents one of the most glaring examples of this research-to-practice gap. Just as patients are anxious about approaching their fears, therapists are o ...

Project Summary: Spore-forming bacterial species, such as various Bacilli and Clostridia, undergo a sporulation process under unfavorable conditions to form dormant spores. These bacterial spores have become a threat to the food industry as they can cause food spoilage and food poisoning. In addition, an opportunistic pathogen, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), one of the five CDC- listed urge ...

Project Summary/AbstractInfection is the major complication of virtually all medical devices. It is estimated that 2 million patients acquire a nosocomial infection in the US every year and the CDC estimates that the financial impact of these infections exceeds 5 billion dollars annually. At least half of these infections are directly associated with medical devices. Most commonly, the diagnosis o ...

Project Summary/Abstract SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with high mortality and morbidity worldwide. A common sequela is anosmia, the loss of the sense of smell, which can impact the quality of life severely. This is due to the robust replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the nasal neuroepithelial cells, leading to acute or chronic olfactory dysfunction (anosmia). A significant number of patients in th ...

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACTEach year over 20 million adults with moderate fear and over 14 million adults with severe fear visit the dentist. Because fear portends poor future oral health, patients with dental fear come to experience their worst fears: pain, surgical procedures, and the need for more frequent dental visits. Avoidance is the natural and reinforced response, ironically guaranteeing a r ...