Award Data

In the United States, one in ten babies is born prematurely. The earlier in pregnancy a baby is born, the more likely they will have an extended hospital stay, as well as serious health complications such as respiratory distress syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, deafness, vision problems and cerebral palsy. Maternal stress is a well-established risk factor for preterm birth, and recent studies ...

The cornea is one of the most important tissues in the eye and its transparency is critical for good visual function in humans. Corneal tissue injuries are the most common, everyday issue for practicing ophthalmologists and can run the gamut in severity. Healing of large corneal wounds, such as alkali burns, involves extended migration of epithelial cells as well as reinnervation of the cornea. Ho ...

ABSTRACT The opioid epidemic is considered one of the most severe public health crises we are facing in the U.S. and is worsened by use of stimulants such as methamphetamine. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for unhealthy drug use accompanied by offers of and referrals to services that include accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and appropriate care of a subs ...

7. PROJECT SUMMARY Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the most common cancer diagnosed in American women. While there has been good progress regarding detection and treatment methods, breast cancer remains the primary cause of death from malignant tumors. Hence, there is a critical need for the development of novel predictive and prognostic factors. Risk assessments are currentl ...

PHASE II APPLICATION(STTR Program PAS-22-197) “Phase 1 Trial to Assess Safety and Immune Effects of Xenon Gas in Healthy Human Subjects” ABSTRACTAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders. Emerging evidence shows that homeostatic dysregulation of the brain immune system, especially that orchestrated by microglia, plays a significant role in the onset an ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an acute autoimmune disease that can present with fever and ataxia as well as loss of consciousness and coma. ADEM largely affects children, is driven by T and B lymphocytes aberrantly activated against a myelin antigen, and is strongly associated with a prior infection or immunization. There is no FDA-approved therapy for the treatmen ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Lupus is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease in which cells of the immune system attack organ systems throughout the body including the kidneys, brain, and lungs and that presents heterogeneously with symptoms that can include fever, arthritis, alopecia, stroke, and heart attack. Lupus is driven by autoreactive B and CD4 T cells with a particular role for TfH and TH17 CD4 T cell ...

ABSTRACT The goal of this study is to develop an RNAi-based genetic precision medicine to treat alcohol associated liver disease (AALD). AALD is a devastating health problem worldwide, accounts for the majority of alcohol-related mortality globally and is the second most indication for liver transplantation in the US. The current medical management for AALD remains limited, and no proven pathobiol ...

Project summary Currently available optical components limit biomedical imaging. In particular, in neurobiology, standard microscope components limit the field-of-view and speed of imaging of neuronal activity. Through prior work on BRAIN Initiative project, we have developed approaches for new optical components that expand the field-of-view 5 to 50 times over standard microscopes, with no loss i ...

PROJECT SUMMARY Circadian rhythms play a vital role in promoting maternal health and managing pregnancy outcomes, including gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and postpartum depression. However, interventions to mitigate circadian rhythms disruption during pregnancy are lacking, despite readily available non-pharmacological circadian interventions. The circadian timekeeping system is strengthene ...