New studies investigate bladder cancer, heart rhythm control, eye pressure
The following new research awards were received by College of Medicine faculty during April. These 15 awards represent more than $5.2 million in new funding to UNMC.
Daniel Monaghan, Ph.D., pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, has received a renewal for his National Institutes of Health grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). This $1.9 million award will further Dr. Monaghan’s work in the area of N-methyl-D-asparatate (NMDA) receptors and their role in central nervous system function. This project has already resulted in the publication of 18 scholarly articles on the subject. Dr. Monaghan’s goal for this phase of the project is to develop novel compounds that selectively modulate the function of discrete subtypes of NMDA receptors helping to determine disease mechanisms and generate new therapeutic agents for neurological diseases such as epilepsy, stroke, pain, schizophrenia, drug addition, depression or other neurodegenerative diseases.
Moorthy Palanimuthu Ponnusamy, Ph.D., biochemistry and molecular biology, has received an Elsa U. Pardee Foundation award. This $125,000 award will further Dr. Palanimuthuponnusamy’s work characterizing cancer stem cell populations and the role of human polymerase association factor1 (hPaf1) in the role of regulating these stem cells. He hopes that defining the role of hPaf1 will provide information critical to developing novel therapeutic strategies for cancer stem cells in ovarian cancer.
Industry-sponsored contracts
The following industry-sponsored contracts also have been received. Here is more information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC.
Julia Bridge, M.D., pathology and microbiology – to evaluate a molecular screening test for patients with recurring bladder cancer.
James Talmadge, Ph.D., pathology and microbiology – for testing of optimal manufacturing conditions for the production of human cellular vaccines to be used against tumor specific targets in the treatment of cancer.
Cyrus DeSouza, M.D., internal medicine-diabetes, endocrinology, & metabolism – is the UNMC lead for a Phase III clinical trial to evaluate cardiovascular and other long-term outcomes for a once-weekly dosed diabetes drug formulation. This trial, the SUSTAIN program, expects to enroll 8,000 patients worldwide. The UNMC site is currently recruiting patients.
Carol Toris, Ph.D., ophthalmology and visual sciences – for her work evaluating the interaction of intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering medications.
Myron Toews, Ph.D., pharmacology and experimental neuroscience – to study the effect of a combination of beta-adrenoceptor agonists on asthma.
Julie Vose, M.D., internal medicine-oncology/hematology – is the UNMC lead for a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new kinase (PI3K) inhibitor in patients with relapsed and refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma.
Greg Bociek, M.D., internal medicine-oncology/hematology – is the UNMC lead for two new Phase II clinical trials to evaluate chemotherapeutic agents singly and in combination in the treatment of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. These trials are currently recruiting patients.
Mark Carlson, M.D., surgery-general surgery – to develop a hemostatic patch, the latest development in his line of products for use against severe and often fatal blood loss resulting from trauma events.
John Colombo, M.D., pediatric-pulmonary – is the UNMC lead for a Phase III clinical trial to determine the clinical benefit of continually alternating antibiotic regimes with different modes of actions on both reducing patient complications and minimizing the risk of emerging antibiotic resistant bacterial strains. This trial is currently recruiting patients.
Tammy Kielian, Ph.D., pathology and microbiology – to further her investigative work in Batten’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from an excessive accumulation of lipopigments in the body’s tissue.
Cheryl Williams, M.D., radiology – to evaluate the radiologic implications for mammography screening in patients receiving a new type of breast implant.
John Scherschel, M.D., internal medicine-cardiology – is the UNMC lead for a Phase I clinical trial for a newly developed drug for heart rhythm control in patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. This trial is currently recruiting patients.
Tom Hejkal, M.D., Ph.D., ophthalmology and visual sciences – is the UNMC lead for a multi-site clinical trial to compare the effectiveness of three antibody-based therapeutic agents for the treatment of diabetic macular edema.