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Project SummaryUltrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are known to reflect emotional processing, brain neurochemistry and brain function - key observations in animal model studies. Collecting and processing USV data is time-intensive, manual, and costly. Most importantly, it limits researchers’ ability to employ fully effective, and nuanced experimental designs, and is a barrier to entry for other rese ...

PROJECT SUMMARY The β-hemoglobinopathies are prevalent genetic blood diseases with few treatment options. It is estimate that 7% of the worldandapos;s population carries an abnormal hemoglobin gene with 400,000 infants born annually with a severe life threatening hemoglobinopathy. Drug mediated induction of normal, but developmentally silenced, fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression reduces anemia and ...

Aerosolized pathogenssuch as Influenza virusescan spread rapidly and silently throughout a populationcausing severe outbreaks that can be difficult to controlEarly detection of these airborne pathogens is key to controlling outbreaksespecially among vulnerable populations such as in hospitalstreatment centers or nursing homesYet available methods are neither rapidnor portableCurrent methods rely h ...

Optical photothermal IR (OPTIR) microscopy for chemical imaging of living cells at sub-micron resolution Project Summary/Abstract Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp (PSC) and Prof. Ji-Xin Cheng of Boston University in collaboration with Prof. Rohith Reddy (University of Houston) propose to develop, validate, and commercialize a novel technical called Optical Photothermal Infrared (OPTIR) spectroscopy. ...

Methamphetamine use disorder is associated with damage to regions of the brain that control cognitive and psychiatric functionOne third to one half of adults with methamphetamine use disorder experience cognitive impairments and other psychiatric symptoms that significantly impact treatment outcomesincreased relapse and lower treatment retention ratesMounting evidence demonstrates how immune facto ...

Project Summary While studies support the efficacy of comprehensiveschool wide interventions in reducing bullyingthese types of programs can require significant time and financial resources for implementationresulting in barriers to providing school based bullying preventionespecially in low income and rural communitiesAdditionallyalthough training bystanders to act asdefenderson behalf of targets ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Genomic instabilityinduced by DNA damageand partly mitigated by DNA repair and antioxidantsplays a critical role in the pathogenesis of many major human diseasessuch as neurodegenerationcancer and cardiovascular diseasetogether with agingThere is a critical need for automated assays that can perform these assessmentsand bring them into greater routine usewhich will help advance our ...

PROJECT SUMMARY The for profit small business concernTricorder Array Technologies LLCwill developin partnership with the University of Alabama at BirminghamSIDECAReSensing and Integrating Data for Environmental Conditions in Animal ResearchThis device will automate collection of relevant data that will enhance consistency in animal models used to study human health treatment researchOur innovative ...

PROJECT SUMMARYThree of top five causes of death in humans globally are lung relatedchronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseCOPDlower respiratory infections and lung cancers collectively account for over eight million deaths annuallyCurrentlyin preclinical settingstatic cell cultures and animal models are the most widely used systems for mechanistic and translational studiesHowevercritical limitation ...

Falls are a significant source of early morbidity and mortality in the aging population, yet the neurological,sensory, and motor changes that lead to increased fall risk often escape early identification and intervention. Vital signs are commonly used in clinical settings to assess the cardiovascular system (blood pressure, heart rate), immune system (body temperature), and the respiratory system ...