UNMC College of Medicine faculty received 18 grant awards representing more than $2.4 million in new funding during the month of April.
Five of the research grants highlighted this month include:
Siddappa Byrareddy, PhD, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, has received support from Tulane University to assist with their NIH-funded grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases investigating the immune response of certain proteins in the lungs during the progression of tuberculosis.
Merry Lindsey, PhD, new chair of the Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, brings a strong background in cardiac research to UNMC. Dr. Lindsey will continue two of her National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, both of which investigate the role of different types of cells involved in healing following myocardial infarction to develop therapies that could improve patient outcomes.
Iqbal Ahmad, PhD, ophthalmology and visual sciences, has received an NIH award for $381,250 from the National Eye Institute. This four-year project will investigate the role of certain eye cells in the progression of glaucoma. Specifically, Dr. Ahmad is interested in determining whether retinal ganglion cells, a type of neuron located near the retina of the eye, are inherently susceptible in glaucoma. The study seeks to formulate strategies for better diagnosis, management and treatment of glaucoma.
Gurudutt Pendyala, PhD, anesthesiology, has been awarded an NIH grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to continue his work investigating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). This most recent study will focus on the role of specific proteins that cause changes at neuronal synapses in the brains of HIV patients who have comorbid drug usage. Dr. Pendyala hopes this exploratory research will lead to the development of therapies to prevent the progression of HAND.
Susan Swindells, MBBS, internal medicine – infectious diseases, has received support from the University of California – Los Angeles for her role as a co-chair of a clinical trial investigating tuberculosis treatment.
Industry-sponsored grants:
The following industry-sponsored contracts and foundation grants were received. Information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC can be found here.
John Um, MD, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, will be the UNMC lead on a clinical trial investigating a novel device for the treatment of advanced heart failure.
Avyakta Kallam, MBBS, internal medicine – oncology/hematology, has received funding as the UNMC lead on a phase I clinical trial investigating a novel drug therapy for patients with advanced lymphoma.
Travis Kruse, MD, radiology, will be the UNMC lead on a phase IV clinical trial evaluating thyroid function in pediatric patients.
Changhai Tian, PhD, cellular and integrative physiology, has received an award to study the role of microRNAs in the regulation of transcription factor signaling in heart failure.
Sukhwinder Kaur, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, has received support through an NIH-sponsored Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to investigate different approaches to identify early-stage colorectal cancer.
Tammy Wichman, MD, internal medicine – pulmonary, will be the UNMC lead on a phase III clinical trial investigating a novel drug for patients with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Dmitry Oleynikov, MD, general surgery, has been awarded a fellowship in bariatric/minimally invasive surgery from the Foundation for Surgical Fellowships.
Hani Haider, PhD, orthopaedic surgery, has received a work order to test a novel orthopedic device for the knee.
Aaron Barksdale, MD, emergency medicine, has received funding through the Hospital Quality Foundation to assist with their observational registry study of the use of methylene blue in acquired methemoglobinemia.
Carol Toris, PhD, ophthalmology and visual sciences, will be the UNMC lead investigating the use of topical eye drop medications to safely lower elevated pressures in the eye.
Kelly Caverzagie, MD, internal medicine – general medicine, has received support through the American Medical Association to assist with their "Accelerating Change in Medical Education" consortium.
Richard MacDonald, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, has received a work order to purify soluble type-two insulin-like growth factor receptors.