UNMC receives $760,000 in new research funding
AIDS, leukemia, stroke, colorectal cancer among diseases being studied
Here’s a list of research awards received by College of Medicine faculty during October. These 14 awards represent more than $760,000 in new funding to UNMC.
Erika Boesen, Ph.D., cellular and integrative physiology, has received an American Heart Foundation award for her work looking at the role of the endothelin system in renal and cardiovascular function.
Grants with other academic institutions:
The following federal grants have been received through other academic or industry partners:
Susan Swindells, M.B.B.S., internal medicine-infectious diseases, has received a NIH-National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-sponsored award from Brigham & Women’s Hospital to further her research participation in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG). The ACTG supports the largest network of expert clinical and translational investigators and therapeutic clinical trial units in the world for HIV/AIDS research, treatment, care and training/education.
Crystal Bethel-Brown, Ph.D., pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, has received an NIH-National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded grant to pursue her work in NeuroAIDS research. Dr. Bethel-Brown’s project involves identifying cellular biomarkers for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND).
Peter Coccia, M.D., pediatrics-hematology/oncology, has received an NIH-National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded Children’s Oncology Group Chair’s Grant from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The Children’s Oncology Group unites more than 8,000 experts in childhood cancer.
Young Oliver, M.D., pediatrics-neurology, has received an FDA-funded award from the University of Rochester. Dr. Oliver will be the UNMC clinical liaison for a study investigating interventions and formulating a clinical trial design for juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL), a rare and fatal neurological disorder of children.
Industry-sponsored contracts:
The following industry-sponsored contracts also have been received. Here is more information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC.
Lori Maness-Harris, M.D., internal medicine-oncology/hematology – to assess the safety of a new combination chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study is currently recruiting patients. Here are more details on the study.
Bradley Britigan, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine and professor, internal medicine- infectious diseases – to explore the antimicrobial activity of the mineral gallium. Dr. Britigan’s work will explore the unique properties of gallium on antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Greg Bociek, M.D., internal medicine-oncology/hematology – for a Phase III clinical trial to assess the use of an investigational drug on the onset, magnitude, and duration of tumor control.
Jean Grem, M.D., internal medicine-oncology/hematology – for a Phase III multi-center clinical trial to assess the effect of a single chemotherapeutic compared to a combination drug regime on KRAS wild type colorectal cancer.
Pierre Fayad, M.D., neurological sciences — for a Phase II safety study on the use of an adult derived stem cell product in the treatment of ischemic stroke.
Diana Florescu, M.D., internal medicine-infectious diseases – for a systematic review and meta-analysis on the risk of post-transplant infections in patients taking antibody based immune-supportive therapeutics.
Thomas Porter, M.D., internal medicine-cardiology – to study the use of contrast enhanced ultrasound detection of carotid artery disease.
John Colombo, M.D., pediatrics-pulmonology – for a long-term follow-up study to assess the occurrence of narrowing of the large intestine in patients participating in the Cystic Fibrosis Patient Registry. Here are more details on the study.
Paul Sammut, M.D., pediatrics-pulmonology – for a Phase IV clinical trial that will assess the long-term use of an inhaled therapeutic powder in cystic fibrosis patients with chronic pulmonary infections. Here are more details on the study.