UNMC receives $5.5 million in research funding
The following 16 awards representing nearly $5.5 million in new funding were awarded to the College of Medicine Faculty during the month of August.
Wally Thoreson, Ph.D., ophthalmology & visual sciences, has received a $1.6 million award from the National Eye Institute. Dr. Thoreson’s projects are designed to identify key processes that shape vision at the first synapse in the retina and are essential for understanding the consequences of disease-related changes in synaptic activity as well as for restoring normal visual function by therapeutic interventions.
Tony Wilson, Ph.D., pharmacology and experimental neurosciences, has received a $2.4 million award from the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Wilson will examine the neurophysiological basis of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), identify markers of HAND progression, and determine how chronic HIV-infection modulates the normal effects of aging on cognitive performance and brain physiology.
Kaushik Patel, Ph.D., cellular & integrative physiology, has received a $500,000 award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Dr. Kausik’s work will provide significant new information regarding central mechanisms of sympatho-excitation, the understanding of which will enhance our ability to treat the heart failure condition and its cardiovascular complications.
Industry-sponsored contracts
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Hani Haider, Ph.D., orthopaedic surgery, will compare how differently processed polymer bearings wear in ceramic-on-plastic total hip replacement systems simulations.
Stephen Rennard, M.D., internal medicine – pulmonary, will compare the expression of different isoenzymes and their functional relevance on cultured lung fibroblasts between patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and healthy subjects.
Trevor Vanschooneveld, M.D., internal medicine – infectious diseases, is conducting a clinical trial comparing the safety and effectiveness of two antibiotics in the treatment of clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.
Yasir Sepah, M.B.B.S., ophthalmology & visual sciences, will serve as the reading center for a clinical trial.
Jain Maneesh, Ph.D., biochemistry & molecular biology, is seeking to develop diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic disease.
John Colombo, M.D., pediatrics – pulmonology, has received a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Cystic Fibrosis Care, Teaching and Research Center grant. Dr. Colombo has maintained this center designation from the CF Foundation since 1989.
Heather Thomas, M.D., pediatrics – pulmonology, is the UNMC lead on a NIH funded, multi-center, clinical trial for a treatment regime designed to reduce pulmonary exacerbation in early pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. It is called the OPTIMIZE trial.
Andrew Wahl, M.D., radiation oncology, is the UNMC lead on a multi-center, Phase II clinical trial to determine the safety and effectiveness of a test lotion on the development of radiation dermatitis for subjects at risk during radiation therapy.
Pariwat Thaisetthawatkul, M.D., neurological sciences, is the UNMC lead on a multi-center, Phase III PHOENIX clinical trial.
Perry Johnson, M.D., surgery – plastic & reconstructive surgery, is the UNMC lead on a multi-center device trial.
John Dickinson, M.D., internal medicine – pulmonary, has received a Program for Adult Care Excellence (PACE) award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Andre Kalil, M.D., internal medicine – infectious diseases, will serve as the UNMC lead for a multi-center, Phase III clinical trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of ART-123 in subjects with server sepsis and coagulopathy.
James Harper, M.D., pediatrics – hematology/oncology, has received an American Thrombosis & Hemostasis Network award for a hemophilia genotyping data and sample research repository.