Morrison Channel 10

Research could unlock better ways to treat diabetes-related condition

Morrison Channel 10

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Research led by Alan Morrison at the Providence VA could unlock better ways to treat a serious diabetes-related condition that disproportionately affects veterans.

Four New Pilot Projects Awarded

The CardioPulmonary Vascular Biology Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CPVB COBRE) at the Ocean State Research Institute is pleased to announce the newest 4 Pilot Projects awarded.

  • Alexander Brodsky, PhD and James Klinger, MD were awarded $75,000 for their project ‘Spatial Profiling for Cell Specific Gene Expression in Pulmonary Hypertension’.
  • Kareen Coulombe, PhD and Frank Sellke, MD were awarded $75,000 for their project ‘Heart Regeneration in a Porcine Model of Chronic Myocardial Ischemia’.
  • Jun Feng, MD was awarded $37,500 for his project ‘SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in Pulmonary Endothelial Function’.
  • Samantha Meenach, PhD (URI) and Yang Zhou, PhD were awarded $12,500 for their project ‘Cell Membrane-coated Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis’.

Congratulations to our newest investigators!

Sean F. Monaghan, MD, FACS

Sean F. Monaghan, M.D. awarded NIH R35 funding for “Improving Sepsis Care with Deep RNA Sequencing Data”

Sean F. Monaghan, M.D. was awarded NIH R35 funding for “Improving Sepsis Care with Deep RNA Sequencing Data” from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Dr. Monaghan is currently an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School and a member of the Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care and the Division of Surgical Research within the Department of Surgery. His research focuses on using RNA sequencing data and computational biology to understand RNA splicing in critically ill trauma and surgical patients. Dr. Monaghan has previously used acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as a model disease but now focuses on obtaining samples from patients with sepsis. It is hoped that this funding will promote past work (and related patents) and transition the findings to clinical relevant diagnostic tests and novel therapies for sepsis.

Learn more.

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NIHES Awards R01 Funding to Jessica Plavicki, Ph.D for Toxicant Induced Dysregulation of Parvalbumin Interneuron Development and Function

Jessica Plavicki, Ph.D was awarded R01 funding for Toxicant Induced Dysregulation of Parvalbumin Interneuron Development and Function from the National Institute of Environmental Health Science.   This R01 is an “Outstanding Environmental Scientist Award” which provides an additional $250k in career development support.  Plavicki is currently an Assistant Professor for the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School. Her research focuses on understanding how genetic mutations and exposure to environmental health contaminants impact brain and heart health.  Dr. Plavicki is an expert in using the zebrafish model to study the genetics of brain and cardiovascular development.

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Yang Zhou, Ph.D Awarded Funding for Research on Lung Injury and Repair

Yang Zhou, Ph.D was awarded $2,043,028 in R01 funding for Targeting Chi3l1 And Its Receptors In Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome-Associated Lung Disease from the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute. Dr. Zhou is currently an Assistant Professor of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology (Research) at Brown University. His research interests are directed towards understanding the immunopathogenesis of lung injury and repair. His recent research plans are aimed at dissecting the mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, and Type 2 immunity, specifically the roles of a Chitinase-like protein and its receptors, intracellular receptor trafficking pathways, and innate immunity in disease progress. His long-range research goals are to identify the immune and cellular responses that mediate lung injury and repair responses and to identify specific molecular targets that can be targeted in the treatment of related disorders.

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Hongwei Yao, Ph.D was awarded a 12-month Falk Research Award

hongwei-yao-kudosHongwei Yao, Ph.D was awarded a 12-month Falk Research Award from the Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust, Falk Trust Awards Programs, Falk Medical Research Trust. Yao is currently an Associate Professor (Research) Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School. His research focuses on molecular pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets in chronic lung diseases including neonatal Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) as well as adult Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis using cultured cells, animal models and human peripheral tissues. Dr. Yao is an expert in lung oxidative stress, inflammation, cellular senescence, metabolism, and mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy). His recently funded Falk Research award project is entitled “Identification of Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1A as a Novel Target for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia”.

Jamila H Siamwala, PhD receives $310,000 for Neurovascular Aging Phenotypes of Alzheimer’s Disease and Progeria project

Jamila Siamwala, PhD, Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology (MPPB), received $310,000 in response to “NOT-AG-18-008 Alzheimer’s Disease and its related Dementias (AD/ADRD)-focused Administrative supplements for NIH grants that are not focused on Alzheimer’s disease” announcement. Her project is titled “Neurovascular Aging Phenotypes of Alzheimer’s Disease and Progeria: Focus on Inflammation and Blood Brain Barrier.” Dr. Siamwala is a CPVB COBRE pilot project investigator. Her COBRE project is titled “Right Ventricular Fibrosis from PAH is Dependent on Macrophage IL-1b Signaling.”

2019 Breathing for Life Award to Honor Dr. Sharon Rounds, Foundation Champion and Benefactor

Sharon Rounds, MD, Co-Director of the CardioPulmonary Vascular Biology COBRE, will receive the 2019 Breathing for Life Award —the highest honor given by the Foundation for philanthropy, scientific achievement, and commitment to mentorship. Dr Rounds will receive the award at the 11th Annual ATS Foundation Research Program Benefit, Saturday, May 18 at ATS 2019, Dallas, Texas.

CPVB COBRE investigator Corey E. Ventetuolo, MD, MS Awarded $3.7M for R01 Study

Congratulations to CPVB COBRE investigator Corey E. Ventetuolo, MD, MS (Assistant Professor of Medicine and Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University), who has been awarded $3.7M R01 from the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute for proposed research on “Effects of DHEA in Pulmonary Hypertension (DIPH)”. This grant will include the first clinical trial of an endogenous sex hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone, in pulmonary arterial hypertension and will provide mechanistic insight into sexual dimorphism in cardiopulmonary phenotypes including right ventricular failure.