Announcements

Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) and Pfizer Global Medical Grants – Request for Proposals – Integration of Biomarker Testing into Treatment Planning for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer          ACCC and Pfizer Global Medical Grants (Pfizer) are collaborating to offer community cancer centers a grant opportunity for quality improvement initiatives focused on the integration of biomarker testing into treatment planning for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We are looking for community hospital-based programs and physician group practices that are interested in integrating biomarker testing into the care plan for colorectal cancer patients and utilizing the results of the genetic test to help inform disease management plans for their patients. Any ACCC member institution is eligible to apply.          Collectively, $1.5 million is available to fund between 10-15 projects.          Deadline for LOI = May 12th Deadline for Full Proposals = August 23rd          Link to full information: https://cdn.pfizer.com/pfizercom/2021-03/GMG_2021-Oncology-L_BiomarkerTestingmCRC.pdf?VersionId=BcpTtqbQQQTGSmzxUjFjr6U.sG1G_Xy

Lung Cancer Research Foundation – Pilot Grant Program    The LCRF pilot grant program funds innovative projects across the full spectrum of basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, health services, and other research focused on one or more of the following topics. *Lung cancer biology  *Prevention/screening for early detection  *Identification of new biomarkers  *Devolopment of more effective and less toxic therapies including but not limited to targeted and immune-therapies  *Mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to lung cancer therapies  *Supportive measures for people with lung cancer and their families  *Quality of care and outcomes research.    Maximum of $150,000 in funding over a period of 2-years    Early and mid-career investigators    Deadline for LOI = April 30th Link for full details: https://www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/RFP-2021-LCRF-Pilot-Grant-Program-Final.pdf

The Retirement Research Foundation (RRF) Foundation for Aging – Research Grants          RRF funds research that seeks to identify interventions, policies and practices to improve the well-being of older adults and/or caregivers. Preference is given to projects aimed at generating practical knowledge and guidance that can be used by advocates, policy-makers, providers, and the aging network.          Deadline for LOI = June 15th  Deadline for Full Proposals = August 1st Link for full details: http://www.rrf.org/apply-for-a-grant/research-grants/

AGA Research Scholar Award (RSA)    This award provides $100,000/year for 3-years to early-career faculty (i.e., investigator, instructor, research associate, or equivalent) working toward an independent career in digestive disease research.    Application opens August 12.  Deadline for applications November 10th    Link for full details: https://gastro.org/research-and-awards/apply-for-awards/award/aga-research-scholar-award-rsa/    Link for all AGA research opportunities: https://gastro.org/research-and-awards/apply-for-awards/

Foundational Funding Opportunities: https://ctsi.wakehealth.edu/-/media/WakeForest/CTSI/Files/Funding-Opportunities/NIH-Funding-Opportunities.pdf

NIH Funding Opportunities: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/WeeklyIndexMobile.cfm

Full list of Pilot, Association, Miscellaneous Funding Opportunites: https://ctsi.wakehealth.edu/Funding-Opportunities

Upcoming Events

Wake Forest Geroscience Affinity Group Date/Time:     Monday, April 25th (10:00 – 11:15 am) Speakers:        Jamie Justice, PhD & (Assistant Professor – Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine) Steve Kritchevsky, PhD (Assoc. Dean of Faculty Dev. CTSI, Co-Director of Sticht Center, Professor – Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine                         “Overview & biomarker frameworks for geroscience trials”                         Lindsay Reynolds, PhD (Assistant Professor – Epidemiology & Prevention)                         “Epigenetic Biomarkers”                         Jingzhong Ding, PhD (Associate Professor – Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine)                      “Transcriptomic Biomarkers”                         Ellen Quillen, PhD (Assistant Professor – Molecular Medicine)                         “Endophenotypes” Zoom info:      https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84257270454?pwd=aWJiamlCVENncmZ0dGZxdjVWMyt3dz09        Meeting #: 842 5727 0454      Passcode: 078526

Implementation Science Affinity Group Event Date/Time:     Tuesday, April 27th (12 pm – 1 pm) Speaker:         Nikolas Koscielniak, PhD (TL1 Fellow – CTSI) Title:               “Exploring Missingness of Discrete Data in the EHR from a Pediatric Specialty Healthcare System: Opportunities for Implementation Science in the Age of Learning Health Systems” Registration: https://redcap.wakehealth.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=MXYY4TNX3N

Comparative Medicine Research Strategy Meeting Date/Time:     Tuesday, April 27th (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm) Speaker:         Dr. Brett Frye (Postdoc – Pathology/Comparative Medicine) “Associations Among Physical Function, Cognition, and Brain Volumes in the Aging Vervet Cohort” Dr. Simon Deycmar (Roche-Postdoc – Cancer Immunotherapy) “Spontaneous Cancer in Rhesus Macaques- a Model for Cancer Immunotherapy” Webex:           https://wakehealth.webex.com/wakehealth/j.php?MTID=md069c4a044081812c386e2671659581e Meeting #: 185 231 8557 Passcode: FcSDmV3jP48 

Phys/Pharm Virtual Seminar Series (Co-Sponsored by Center for Research on Substance Use and Addiction Date/Time:     Wednesday, April 28th (4 pm – 5 pm) Speaker:         James Anthony, PhD Professor – Dept. of Epidemiology & Biostatistics -Michigan State University             Title:               “Drug-Taking Starts. What Happens Next?” An Epidemiological Perspective Webex:           https://wakehealth.webex.com/wakehealth/j.php?MTID=me0f12b23b8f166c344198778a46c74c7 Meeting #: 171 316 1571 Passcode: mvSftNaj252

BCCOE Monthly Meeting – Webex Date/Time:     Thursday, April 29th (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm) Speaker:         Dr. J Mark Cline, DVM, PhD, DACVP (Professor – Pathology, Comparative Medicine)                         Joined by Fellows Dr. Simon Deycmar, Sc.D. and W.Shane Sills, DVM, DACVP Title:               “Cancer in Nonhuman Primates: New Developments and Opportunities” Webex:           https://wakehealth.webex.com/wakehealth/j.php?MTID=mdf70c3c1ecfa0d79ba68ee628a759258 Meeting #: 185 141 9862 Passcode: GPyNcpiK453 

Society for Leukocyte Biology – 54th Annual Meeting >Immunometabolism: Fueling the Flame of Aging, Cancer, and Immunity Date/Time:     Thursday, April 29th – (11 am – 12 pm & 1 pm – 2 pm) Talk Topics:    Various talk topics – one of interest by a Center Member Xuewei Zhu          Regulation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome by Pyruvate Oxidation, Xuewei Zhu, Wake Forest Schl. of Med. Registration link:       https://slb.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mcform&view=ngforms&id=2073436#/          Register today to join SLB 2021 from the start! Registration is free for society members.

Center for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism – Seminar Series Date/Time:     Monday, May 3rd  (4:00 pm) Speaker:         Nichole Allred, PhD (Associate Professor – Dept. of Biochemistry) Talk Title:       “Metabolomics and Metabolic Disease: Utilization of Contemporary Approaches to Identify Biomarkers and Understand Pathophysiology in the Setting of Diabetes” Webex:           https://wakehealth.webex.com/wakehealth/j.php?MTID=m10130f3d839df9562378adc5f1b6d0f8 Meeting #: 185 458 1160 Passcode: CDOM

Recent Publications

Banerjee S, Paasche-Orlow MK, McCormick D, Lin M-Y, Hanchate AD. Association between Medicare’s Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and readmission rates across hospitals by Medicare bed share. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Mar 19;21(1):248. PMCID: PMC7980319. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc7980319/ 

Israel E, Denlinger LC, Bacharier LB, LaVange LM, Moore WC, Peters MC, Georas SN, Wright RJ, Mauger DT, Noel P, Akuthota P, Bach J, Bleeker ER, Cardet JC, Carr TF, Castro M, Cinelli A, Comhair SAA, Covar RA, Alexander LC, DiMango EA, Erzurum SC, Fahy JV, Fajt ML, Gaston BM, Hoffman EA, Holguin F, Jackson DJ, Jain S, Jarjour NN, Ji Y, Kenyon NJ, Kosorok MR, Kraft M, Krishnan JA, Kumar R, Liu AH, Liu MC, Ly NP, Marquis MA, Martinez FD, Moy JN, O’Neal WK, Ortega VE, et, al. PrecISE: Precision Medicine in Severe Asthma An Adaptive Platform Trial with Biomarker Ascertainment. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2021 Mar 2;S0091-6749(21)003523. [Online ahead of print] PMID: 33667479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2021.01.037 

Kohane IS, Aronow BJ, Avillach P, Beaulieu-Jones BK, Beliazzi R, Bradford RL, Brat GA, Cannataro M, Cimino JJ, Garcia-Barrio N, Gehlenborg N, Ghassemi M, Gutierrez-Sacistan A, Hanauer DA, Holmes JH, Hong C, Klann JG, Loh NHW, Luo Y, Mandl KD, Mohamad D, Moore JH, Murphy SN, Nueraz A, Ngiam KY, Omenn GS, Palmer N, Patel LP, Pedrera-Jimenez M, Sliz P, South AM, et, al. What Every Reader Should Know about Studies Using Electronic Health Record Data but May be Afraid to Ask. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Mar 2;23(3):e22219. PMCID: PMC7927948. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc7927948/ 

Wu S-Y, *Sharma S, Wu K, *Tyagi A, *Zhao D, Deshpande RP, Watabe K. Tamoxifen suppresses brain metastasis of estrogen receptor-deficient breast cancer by skewing microglia polarization and enhancing their immune functions. Breast Cancer Res. 2021 Mar 18;23(1):35. PMCID: PMC7977276. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc7977276/ 

Yang JJ, Shu X-O, Herrington DM, Moore SC, Meyer KA, Ose J, Menni C, Palmer ND, Eliassen H, Harada S, Tzoulaki I, Zhu H, Albanes D, Wang TJ, Zheng W, Cai H, Ulrich CM, Guasch-Ferre M, Karaman I, Fornage M, Cai Q, Matthews CE, Wagenknecht LE, Elliott P, Gerszten RE, Yu D. Circulating trimethylamine N-oxide in association with diet and cardiometabolic biomarkers: an international pooled analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Apr 7;nqaa430. [Online ahead of print] PMID: 33826706. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa430

Member News

Congratulations to Dr. Reto Asmis on the funding of his NIH/NHLBI grant titled “Role of Monoamine Oxidase A and Diet-Induced Monocyte Dysfunction, Macrophage Reprogramming, and Atherosclerosis” 

Congratulations to Dr.Tony Reeves, Dr. Jim Daunais, Dr. Christopher Whitlow, Dr.Kuran Solingapuram Sai, and Dr. Kroenke on the funding of their NCTIC 2021 Pilot Award titled “Nonhuman Primate Fetal Imaging” 

CPM Faculty Member Highlights

Dr. Parks received his MS and PhD from Wake Forest University and joined the faculty at Wake Forest School of Medicine (then Bowman Gray School of Medicine) in 1981 after a two year postdoctoral fellowship at the Biophysics Institute at Boston University School of Medicine. He used non-human primates in his early career phase to understand the mechanisms by which dietary fat saturation influenced low density lipoprotein composition, high density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism, and atherosclerosis susceptibility. In the early 2000’s, Dr. Parks embarked on a new path of discovery, motivated by the novel finding that Tangier disease was caused by mutations in the ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a plasma membrane protein that functions to remove excess cellular cholesterol and phospholipid, leading to the formation of nascent HDL particles. Tangier disease affects all the major plasma lipoprotein classes associated with cardiovascular disease and cardiometabolic disease risk, but fundamental understanding of how ABCA1 affects systemic and cellular lipid metabolism was missing. To address this barrier to progress, Dr. Parks spent a sabbatical year (1999-2000) at UNC-Chapel Hill in the laboratory of Drs. Nobuyo Maeda and Oliver Smithies to create an Abca1flox/flox mouse, which was used to generate multiple cell/tissue-specific Abca1 mouse knockout strains allowing progressively improved understanding of unique roles of mouse Abca1 in cell metabolism. Dr. Parks’ lipid research program, which has been continuously supported by NHLBI since 1996, has made key discoveries, including roles for Abca1 in: 1) regulation of hepatic lipoprotein production, catabolism, and reverse cholesterol transport, 2) pancreatic beta cell insulin release, 3) neuronal structure and function, 4) macrophage inflammatory signaling, chemotactic-induced migration, and phagocytic function, 5) adipocyte lipogenesis and triglyceride storage, and 6) hepatic insulin signaling and de novo lipogenesis. Currently funded studies focus on the role of hepatocyte ABCA1 in hepatic free cholesterol trafficking, lipogenesis, and mitochondrial respiration. Dr. Parks has also launched a new research direction to understand the role of Fads2 (delta 6 desaturase), the rate limiting enzyme in polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism, in prostate cancer. Complete list of publications-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1vO5vXFfIp8/bibliography/public/ Selected publications: Timmins JM, Lee JY, Boudyguina E, Kluckman KD, Brunham LR, Mulya A, Gebre AK, Coutinho JM, Colvin PL, Smith TL, Hayden MR, Maeda N, Parks JS. Targeted inactivation of hepatic Abca1 causes profound hypoalphalipoproteinemia and kidney hypercatabolism of apoA-I. J Clin Invest. 2005;115:1333-1342. PMCID: PMC1074680. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc1074680/  

Zhu X, Lee J, Timmins JM, Brown JM, Boudyguina EY, Mulya A, Gebre AK, Willingham MC, Hiltbold EM, Mishra N, Maeda N, and Parks JS. Increased cellular free cholesterol in macrophage-specific Abca1 knockout mice enhances pro-inflammatory response of macrophages. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:22930-22941. PMCID: PMC2516976. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc2516976/  

Key CC, Liu M, Kurtz CL, Chung S, Boudyguina E, Dinh TA, Bashore A, Phelan PE, Freedman BI, Osborne TF, Zhu X, Ma L, Sethupathy P, Biddinger SB, Parks JS. Hepatocyte ABCA1 deletion impairs liver insulin signaling and lipogenesis. Cell Reports 2017;19:2116-2129. PMCID: PMC5512440. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc5512440/  

Cuffe H, Liu M, Key CC, Boudyguina E, Sawyer JK, Weckerle A, Bashore A, Fried  SK, Chung S, Parks JS. Targeted Deletion of Adipocyte Abca1 (ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1) Impairs Diet-Induced Obesity. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2018;38:733-743. PMCID: PMC5864538. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc5864538/  

Chung S, Timmins JM, Duong M, Degirolamo C, Rong S, Sawyer JK, Singaraja RR, Hayden MR, Maeda N, Rudel LL, Shelness GS, Parks JS. Targeted deletion of hepatocyte ABCA1 leads to very low density lipoprotein triglyceride overproduction and low density lipoprotein hypercatabolism. J Biol Chem. 2010;285:12197-12209. PMCID: PMC2852959. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc2852959/  

Bashore AC, Liu M, Key CC, Boudyguina E, Wang X, Carroll CM, Sawyer JK, Mullick AE, Lee RG, Macauley SL, Parks JS. Targeted deletion of hepatocyte Abca1 increases plasma HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) reverse cholesterol transport via the LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) receptor. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2019;39:1747-1761. PMCID: PMC6703909. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc6703909/