grants awarded to Center for Precision Medicine Faculty

Congratulations to our most recent grant awardees!

FEBRUARY 2019
Victor Ortega, M.D., received his first NIH R01 HL142992 entitled “Effects of Rare Variants and Ancestry on Beta Agonist Response in Asthma and COPD”. It proposes genetic studies based on β2AR pathway gene variants and whole-genome studies of rare variants and genetic ancestry to identify novel mechanisms for inter-ethnic differences in drug response and disease severity for asthma and COPD in African Americans. The funding is for 5 years and $3,796,502.

John Parks, Ph.D., successfully renewed his NIH R01 HL119962 entitled: “Hepatocyte ABCA1, Cholesterol Trafficking, and Lipid Mobilization”. The goal of this project is to determine: 1) the role of hepatocyte Abca1 in hepatic intracellular cholesterol distribution and trafficking and 2) how genetic deletion of hepatocyte Abca1 reprograms lipid metabolism from an insulin-mediated anabolic state to a catabolic state that reduces hepatic de novo lipogenesis, improves mitochondrial metabolism, and increases triglyceride secretion. The funding is for 5 years and $3,260,525.

Tom Register, Ph.D., received a CDMRP Discovery Award entitled “Effects of Ionizing Radiation (IR) on Myocardial DNA Methylation Profiles in Relation to Cardiomyopathy in a Nonhuman Primate Model” The goal of this project is to determine 1) the effects of radiation exposure on myocardial DNA methylation profiles, 2) relationships between myocardial methylation profiles, myocardial fibrosis, and cardiac function, and 3) relationships between myocardial DNA methylation profiles and myocardial transcriptional profiles (funded through another mechanism). The findings will help guide future work to develop biomarkers and interventions for preventing radiation induced heart disease. This award is for 18 months and $200,000.

Reto Asmis, Ph.D., received a Pilot Grant from Center for Redox Biology and Medicine entitled “Redox Regulation of Pyruvate Kinase M2 and Macrophage Polarization”.

Don Bowden, Ph.D., received a CTSI Pilot Grant entitled “Understanding the Contribution of Insulin Resistance to Common Diseases in the Population”.

James Daunais, Ph.D., received a CTSI Ignition award entitled “Conscious Imaging in Nonhuman Primate Models of Human Disease Processes” to further develop conscious MEG imaging in nonhuman primates.

Ellen Quillen, Ph.D., received a CTSI Pilot Grant entitled "Methylation analysis of bone cells to improve high-throughput evaluation of bone marrow composition and gene expression".

Carol Shively, Ph.D., received a CTSI Pilot Grant entitled “Development of Socially Relevant Measures of Nonhuman Primate Cognitive Function Sensitive to Aging and Chronic Disease”.

Xuewei Zhu, Ph.D., received a Pilot Grant from Center for Redox Biology and Medicine entitled “ Pyruvate Oxidation Regulates Canonical and Non-canonical NLRP3 Inflammasome by Targeting Redox Pathways”.