High-Content, High-Throughput Multi-Mode Imaging System
This proposal requests funds to acquire a BIOTEK Cytation 5 multimode (imaging) reader with BioSpa automated incubator and MultiFlo liquid handler for the Medical University of South Carolina to support the drug discovery effort of NIH-funded investigators. The equipment will be housed in the Department of Drug Discovery & Biomedical Sciences (DDBS) and will be […]
South Carolina IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence
The South Carolina IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (SC INBRE) is a state-wide network comprised of three Comprehensive Research Universities (CRUs) and ten Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) whose goals are to enhance the biomedical research infrastructure and promote undergraduate research training in South Carolina while increasing access to research opportunities and careers in biomedicine […]
CYP2B6 inhibitors perturb proper distribution of lipids leading to obesity and fatty liver disease
Obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver diseases are at endemic proportions. Toxicological data indicates that the development of obesity is caused by more than just overeating, but also chemical exposure. Further, high-fat diet (HFD)-fed Cyp2b-null mice are obese compared to HFD-fed wildtype mice, primarily due to an increase in white adipose tissue (WAT) mass. Additionally, preliminary […]
Targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 as a novel therapeutic strategy for periodontitis
Periodontitis is a bacteria-driven inflammatory bone loss disease affecting 47% of adults in the United States.1 We were the first to demonstrate that sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2) plays a key role in regulating the inflammatory bone loss response.18 S1PR2, a G protein-coupled receptor, is expressed in most tissues and mammalian cells.14,15 Previous studies19,21 showed that […]
SARS-CoV2 sequencing surveillance program for Upstate South Carolina
The goal of this project is to leverage the extensive COVID-19 testing program at Clemson University (CU) to detect and monitor emerging variants of the SARS-CoV2 virus by sequencing every positive sample. Variants of concern are emerging in our state of South Carolina. This is a serious public health threat because there is a real […]
Species-specific chromatin structure and its environmental interaction in craniofacial skeletal development andvariation using cichlid fishes
Variation in the craniofacial skeleton produces both a spectrum of unique faces and as well as clinical malformations. Congenital craniofacial anomalies are one of the most common birth defects. In addition to genetic changes, we are increasingly recognizing the importance of the physical packaging of DNA in the regulation of gene expression and development, and […]
SutureCoach: Examining Vascular Suturing Skills Assessment, Training, and Transfer of Training via Objective Metrics
The skill of a surgeon is critical to successful patient outcomes. A recent landmark study reported that surgeons’ skill ratings were significantly correlated with clinical outcomes after surgery. A number of studies have documented medical errors that led to potential medical complications caused by unskilled surgical maneuvers. One way to reduce medical errors, now the […]
Tumor Microenvironment CoBRE
The efforts described in this CoBRE application will support the development of a Center of Excellence within the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center (WVU HSC) that will focus on studies of the tumor microenvironment (TME), designated the TME CoBRE. The overarching critical need for continued emphasis in this area is driven, in part, by […]
Susceptibility and Resilience to Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Role for Perineuronal Nets
Over 60% of children experience severe stress and are exposed to traumatic events including interpersonal violence, sexual abuse, accidents, and injuries – adverse childhood experiences – but there is a mismatch between their exposure to these experiences and the prevalence of subsequent psychopathology. This mismatch, in which most children who experience traumatic events do not […]
Coaching End-of-Life Palliative Care for End-Stage Heart Failure Patients and Their Family Caregivers in Rural Appalachia
Project Summary Heart failure (HF) afflicts 6.5 million Americans with devastating consequences to patients and their family caregivers especially during severe symptoms in the long-lasting end-stage. Families are rarely prepared for HF’s devastating consequences. West Virginia (WV), a large rural Appalachian region, has the highest HF death rates in the U.S. NIH designated Appalachia a […]