The University of Nebraska Medical Center received third quarter grant
awards totaling nearly $9.1 million and bringing the year-to-date
total to $37.7 million, as UNMC continues on pace for a record year in
research funding.
Were still on track for a very good year for the funding of our investigators,
said David Crouse, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for academic affairs
and graduate studies and research. We still have one important quarter
remaining, and typically it is the largest quarter of the year in terms
of grant funding.
Last year, we brought in $41.3 million for the entire year. If
we keep our current pace we should easily surpass $50 million for the year,
and that is a wonderful testimony to the quality of researchers on
our campus. The enhanced federal support of the National Institutes
of Health clearly has paid dividends for UNMC.
The third quarter represents the months of January, February and March.
Some of the grants received for new research projects include:
Lucile Wrenshall, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the department of surgery,
received $238,619 to study the association between interleukin 2 (a substance
produced by cells of the immune system) and heparan sulfate (a component
that holds cells together to form tissues). This project examines how the
interaction between interleukin and heparan sulfate impacts immune responses.
Judith Christman, Ph.D., chair of the department of biochemistry and
molecular biology, received $141,376 to study the mechanisms involved in
the early stages of breast cancer development. The observed changes in
methylation (a reaction carried out by an enzyme onto the DNA) and expression
of specific genes or DNA regions to be studied could provide new markers
for early diagnosis.
Robert Lewis, Ph.D., associate professor, Eppley Research Institute,
received $100,000 to identify proteins within cells that are responsible
for the inhibition of apoptosis. All cells retain the ability to undergo
programmed cell suicide (apoptosis) given appropriate stimuli. In diabetes,
apoptosis may be the mechanism that results in the death of the insulin-secreting
B cells in the pancreas. Certain hormones, including insulin and insulin-like
growth factors, can suppress suicide in cells. Researchers hope to identify
targets for therapeutic intervention that will lead ultimately to useful
therapies in diabetes.
Kay-Uwe Wagner, Ph.D., assistant professor, Eppley Research Institute,
received $262,105 to determine the role TSG101 gene play during normal
development and tumor formation by using genetically engineered mice. Genes
that contribute to tumor formation are categorized into oncogenes and tumor-suppressor
genes. Both classes of genes are tightly interwoven, and they do much more
than just stimulate (oncogenes) or prevent (tumor suppressor genes) the
onset of cancer. TSG101 is a newly discovered tumor susceptibility gene,
which is important for restricting the growth of normal cells, but the
biological function of TSG101 inside the body is largely unknown.