Medical research highlights

Cyrus Desouza, MBBS

Cyrus Desouza, MBBS

The UNMC College of Medicine grant and funding awards received in November included:

Cyrus Desouza, MBBS, internal medicine-DEM, received a grant of $1,554,062 from the University of Kansas Medical Research Institute for “All of Us – Area of Interest 1.”

Shilpa Buch, PhD, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, received a $307,000 grant from the University of South Carolina for the Center for Targeted Therapeutics.

Gurudutt Pendyala, PhD, anesthesiology, received a $209,259 grant from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston for a study of brain-derived extracellular vesicles-mediated neurotoxicity of deltamethrin.

Bernd Fritsch, PhD, neurological sciences, received a $165,000 grant  amd a $42,627 grant, both from the University of Nevada, Reno for a study of determinants of age-induced hearing loss and reversal strategies and a study on mechanisms of growth factor responsiveness in the aging auditory system.

Mohan Krishnan, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a $158,965 grant from DHHS/NIH/NICHD for a study of how RBC transfusion in anemic neonates leads to systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Howard Fox, MD, PhD, neurological sciences, received a $95,768 grant from Drexel University for a study defining the mechanistic synergies between stimulants and HIV driving neuroinflammation the ART-treated CNS.

Seth Winfree, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a $78,259 grant from Indiana University for the Indiana Center for Advanced Renal Microscopy and Molecular Imaging. He also received a $30,665 grant from the University of Florida for Computational Image Analysis Platform (CIMAP) for HuBMAP: Mapping OMICS to Brightfield Histology.

Eric Langewisch, MD, internal medicine-nephrology, received a grant of $75,491 from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for assessment of biomarker-guided CNI substitution in kidney transplantation.

Carol Geary, PhD, pathology-microbiology, received a grant of $53,550 from the Task Force for Global Health for the COVID-19 Electronic Health Data Initiative.

Sara Bares, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received a grant of $49,202 from Columbia University for a study on hormone therapy for peri- and postmenopausal women with HIV.

Mike Wiley, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $40,513 from National Strategic Research Institute for the “Targeted Acquisition of Reference Materials Augmenting Capabilities (TARMAC) Initiative Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Research Support.”

Andrea Talukdar, MD, pediatrics-critical care, received a grant of $39,165 from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for smart checklist implementation for pediatric tracheal intubations in the ICU-multicenter study.

Susan Swindells, MBBS, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received a grant of $30,990 from Johns Hopkins University for the Long-Acting/Extended Release Antiretroviral Resource Program.

Jingwei Xie, PhD, surgery-surgery transplant, received a grant of $20,650 from the University of Rochester Medical Center for a study of molecular control of blood vessel types at the regenerative interface for engineering of osteogenic and angiogenic periosteum mimetic.

Industry-sponsored grants and contracts:

Matthew Lunning, DO, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study of FT522 in combination with Rituximab in participants with relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma. He also received funding for a study evaluating SC291, a hypoimmune allogeneic CD19-directed CAR T cell therapy, in relapsed and/or refractory B-cell malignancies, as well as funding for a study for the treatment of patients with commercially out-of-specification Brexucabtagene Autoleucel.

Tammy Wichmann, MD, internal medicine-pulmonary, received funding for a study to evaluate Sotatercept when added to maximum tolerated background therapy in participants with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) World Health Organization (WHO) functional.

Natalia Castillo Almeida, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding to the immune response and safety of the RSVPreF3 OA investigational vaccine in adults (=50 years of age) when administered to lung and renal transplant recipients.

Sara Bares, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding for study evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of switching to DTG/3TC single tablet regimen administered once daily from a bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide.

Anji Yetman, PhD, pediatrics-cardiology, received funding for the FUEL-2 study.

Andjela Drincic, MD, internal medicine-DEM, received funding for a study to investigate long-term safety of Sogroya (somapacitan) in adults with growth hormone deficiency.

Marian Urban, MD, PhD, surgery-cardiothoracic surgery, received funding for an observational study of SherpaPak Cardiac Transport System.

William Rizzo, MD, pediatrics-pediatrics metabolism, received funding for a study of JNT-517 in healthy participants and in participants with phenylketonuria.

Chittalsinh Raulji, MBBS, pediatrics-hematology/oncology, received funding for a study of effectiveness of Efanesoctocog Alfa on long-term joint health in patients with hemophilia A.