Drew University

ACCELERATING EXCELLENCE IN TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE (AXIS)

MSI ENDOWMENT

CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND-HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

CHARLES DREW UNIVERSITY/UCLA CANCER CENTER PARTNERSHIP TO ELIMINATE CANCER HEALTH

UNKNOWN TITLE

DREW RCMI TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH NETWORK

HEAD START

ACCELERATING EXCELLENCE IN TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE (AXIS)

DREW/UCLA PROJECT EXPORT CENTER

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

HBCU - INSTITUTIONAL AID

CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE RESEARCH ENDOWMENT PROGRAM - ABSTRACT CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE (CDU) PROPOSES THE ENDOWMENT FOR LEARNING HEALTH SYSTEMS AND LEARNING HEALTH COMMUNITIES TO CREATE A LEARNING HEALTH SYSTEMS AND LEARNING HEALTH COMMUNITIES (LHSC) CORE. THE NIMHD-ENDOWED URBAN HEALTH INSTITUTE (UHI) WAS ESTABLISHED TO HOUSE INFRASTRUCTURE AT CDU THAT FACILITATES MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH ACROSS ALL SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, EACH OF WHICH STRIVES TO ENHANCE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE DIVERSITY BY TRAINING STUDENTS FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES OR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. UHI’S PRIORITY AREAS OF RESEARCH INCLUDE CANCER, HIV/AIDS, CARDIO- METABOLIC, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY. PREVIOUS ENDOWMENT EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN THE CREATION OF THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH SUPPORTS A COMMUNITY FACULTY TRACK AND COMMUNITY/HEALTHCARE PARTNERS; THE STUDENT RESEARCH CORE; AND THE HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH CENTER (HSRC) TO SUPPORT HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH. THE PROPOSED ENDOWMENT PLAN’S OVERARCHING GOAL/MISSION IS TO EXPAND AND EXTEND UHI’S RESEARCH CAPACITY WITH REGARD TO COMMUNITY-ENGAGED RESEARCH (CENR) AND ITS HEALTH SERVICES AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TO ADDRESS MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND TO ENHANCE THE DIVERSITY OF THE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE AT CDU AND ITS SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. CDU PROPOSES TO CREATE A LEARNING HEALTH SYSTEMS AND LEARNING HEALTH COMMUNITIES CORE WITHIN UHI, A COLLABORATION PRIMARILY WITH (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) THE HSRC, THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE BIOINFORMATICS CORE, AND THE STUDENT RESEARCH CORE TO ENHANCE THE CAPACITY TO CONDUCT CANCER, HIV/AIDS, CARDIO-METABOLIC, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH AND INCREASE THE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE DIVERSITY. THE FOLLOWING THREE SPECIFIC AIMS ARE PROPOSED: SPECIFIC AIM 1: TO ENHANCE INSTITUTIONAL MINORITY AND HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS ALL CDU SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES BY DEVELOPING A LEARNING HEALTH SYSTEM AND COMMUNITIES (LHSC) CORE WITH A FOCUS ON, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HEALTH SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-ENGAGED RESEARCH. SPECIFIC AIM 2: TO ENHANCE THE DIVERSITY OF THE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE IN MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITY RESEARCH BY CREATING A PIPELINE FOR MASTERS AND DOCTORAL PROGRAMS FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES AND PLAN A DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES. SPECIFIC AIM 3: TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE ENDOWMENT PORTFOLIO AT A LEVEL CONSISTENT WITH THE HIGHEST FIDUCIARY STANDARDS IN THE UNITED STATES.

STRENGTHENING CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE TITLE III PROGRAM

DOD HIV/AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM: MILITARY SPECIFIC HIV AIDS PREVENTION CARE, TREATMENT PROGRAM PEPFAR

MENTORED POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING IN HEALTH DISPARITIES AND COMMUNITY-PARTNERED PART

PEPFAR RWANDA AIDS RELIEF

INTEGRATED MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES

DREW/RAND/UCLA COMPREHENSIVE CENTER FO HEALTH DISPARITY

EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS FOR INSTITUTIONS

HEALTH CAREERS OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM

HIV PREVENTION IN THE ANGOLA MILITARY

DREW MIDARP (INFRASTRUCTURE IN DRUG ABUSE RESEARCH)

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS FOR STUDENTS

RYAN WHITE TITLE III OUTPATIENT EIS PROGRAM

CHER-INSTITUTE

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS

"HIV/AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM IN THE ANGOLA MILITARY"

RYAN WHITE TITLE III OUTPATIENT EIS PROGRAM

PREDICTING DIABETIC RETINOPATHY FROM RISK FACTOR DATA AND DIGITAL RETINAL IMAGES

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS

RMCI CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE*

CENTER FOR URBAN RESEARCH EXCELLENCE--DM AND METABOLISM

HIV TREATMENT AND CARE IN THE RWANDAN DEFENSE FORCES.

PRIMARY CARE TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT - RESIDENCY TRAINING IN MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

PRIMARY CARE TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT

HIV TREATMENT AND CARE IN THE ANGOLAN ARMED FORCES

THE ROLE OF H6PDH AND 11BETA-HSD1 IN TYPE 2 DIABETES AND OBESITY

FY11 CHARLES DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE,GME PROJECT FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH & HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED URBAN AREA

DREW NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SUMMER RESEARCH APPRENTICE PROGRAM

PEPFAR ANGOLA AIDS RELIEF

PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/ PROJECT DIRECTOR: DR. SONDOS ISLAM REQUESTED TOTAL FUNDS: $1,499,618 (YR1: $499,988: Y2: $499,815; Y3: 499,815) FUNDING PREFERENCE: CDU-PHPS-HRSA-PHSP PROJECT REQUESTS FUNDING PREFERENCE BASED ON QUALIFICATION 1) IN AY 2020-2021, 93% AND 62% OF OUR BSPH AND MPH STUDENTS, RESPECTIVELY, WERE EDUCATIONALLY/ENVIRONMENTALLY AND/OR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BY HRSA CRITERIA, AND 93% AND 97% OF OUR BSPH AND MPH STUDENTS, RESPECTIVELY, WERE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED RACIAL AND ETHNICS MINORITIES BY HRSA CRITERIA; QUALIFICATION 2) DURING AY 20-21, 50% AND 47% OF OUR BSPH AND MPH GRADUATES, RESPECTIVELY, WERE EMPLOYED IN PRACTICE SETTING LOCATED IN MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS (MUAS) AS INDICATED BY HPSA MUA FIND WEBSITE. OVERVIEW: CDU, PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS (PHPS)- BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH (BSPH) IN URBAN HEALTH DISPARITIES (UHDS) AND MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH (MPH) IN UHDS, WILL IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE THE PROJECT TO ACHIEVE THE PHSP GOAL. THE PROJECT AIMS TO RECRUIT, RETAIN, TRAIN, GRADUATE AND FACILITATE PLACEMENT IN THE PH WORKFORCE OF 85 UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY (URM) STUDENTS (15 BSPH AND 10 MPH STUDENTS IN BUDGET YEAR 1, AND 20 BSPH AND 10 MPH STUDENTS IN BUDGET YEARS 2 AND 3) BY THE END OF THE PROJECT PERIOD. THE PROJECT CAPITALIZES ON CDU'S SUCCESS IN RECRUITING AND GRADUATING ETHNICALLY DIVERSE HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS TO TRANSFORM THE PH WORKFORCE BY TARGETING THE UNMET NEED FOR CULTURALLY COMPETENT PH GRADUATES TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES IN MUAS. IN KEEPING WITH THE CDU AND PHPS MISSION, ALL PHSP SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS WILL BE COMMITTED TO WORKING IN MUAS AFTER DEGREE COMPLETION. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE CDU-PHPS-HRSA-PHSP OBJECTIVES: 1. INCREASE RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES OF PROSPECTIVE PH STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY (URM) STUDENTS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS, TO MATRICULATE IN CDU PHPS BY HIGHLIGHTING THE AVAILABILITY OF PHSP FUNDS TO REDUCE THE COST OF TUITION, FEES, AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES PER ACADEMIC YEAR. 2. AT LEAST 90% OF PHSP AWARDEES WILL BE RETAINED EACH SEMESTER, AND WILL GRADUATE WITHIN 150% OF DEGREE COMPLETION TIME. 3. PLACE CDU PHPS-PHSP AWARDEES IN FIELD EXPERIENCE TRAINING SITES WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE HEALTH NEEDS OF URBAN COMMUNITIES IN MUAS. 4. AT LEAST 90% OF PHSP AWARDEES WILL BE EMPLOYED IN THE PH WORKFORCE WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF GRADUATION, TO MEET THE CORE PH WORKFORCE FUNCTIONS AND NEEDS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL EXPAND ON CDU’S ESTABLISHED REPUTATION, PARTNERSHIPS, AND PIPELINE PROGRAMS TO RECRUIT PH STUDENTS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO THE CDU AND PHPS MISSIONS. CDU PHPS HAVE GRADUATED MORE THAN 250 PH GRADUATES SINCE 2008, 90% OF WHOM ARE FROM URM GROUPS. CDU'S MAXIMALLY ACCREDITED PHPS CULTIVATE ETHNICALLY DIVERSE CULTURALLY COMPETENT PH GRADUATES, USING RIGOROUS COMPETENCY-BASED URBAN HEALTH DISPARITIES PH CURRICULA AND FIELD TRAINING EXPERIENCE IN MUAS, TO JOIN THE PH WORKFORCE TO MEET CORE PH FUNCTIONS, THE TEN ESSENTIAL PH SERVICES, AND DECREASE PH INEQUALITIES AND HEALTH DISPARITIES. THE PROJECT WILL INCREASE RECRUITMENT OF PH STUDENTS, BOLSTER RETENTION THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, OFFER FIELD TRAINING EXPERIENCE IN MUAS, AND FACILITATE JOB PLACEMENT IN THE PH WORKFORCE. THE CDU-PHPS-HRSA-PHSP PROJECT WILL BE LED BY DR. SONDOS ISLAM, CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF URBAN PUBLIC HEALTH AND DIRECTOR OF THE BSPH AND MPH PROGRAMS, AS THE PROJECT'S PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROGRAM DIRECTOR, WITH SUPPORT FROM CDU FACULTY, STAFF, AND DIRECTORS OF CDU ACADEMIC SUPPORT UNITS.

PEPFAR ZAMBIA AIDS RELIEF

SIGNALING MEDIATORS OF CCL2/CCR2 AND NATURAL PRODUCT DISCOVERY - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT CHEMOKINES ARE A FAMILY OF SMALL CYTOKINES BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR ABILITY TO GUIDE DIRECTED MIGRATION OF CELLS EXPRESSING CORRESPONDING CHEMOKINE RECEPTORS. IN ADDITION TO THEIR ACTIVITIES IN RECRUITING LEUKOCYTES FOR INFLAMMATORY REACTIONS, EMERGING EVIDENCE HAS REVEALED THAT CHEMOKINES CAN ALSO MODULATE THE ACTIVITIES OF MANY NON-IMMUNE CELLS, SUCH AS ENDOTHELIAL CELLS, FIBROBLAST, ADIPOCYTES, AND TUMOR CELLS, AMONG OTHERS, BY BINDING TO CHEMOKINE RECEPTORS EXPRESSED ON THESE CELLS. THE C-C MOTIF CHEMOKINE LIGAND 2 (CCL2, ALSO KNOWN AS MONOCYTE CHEMOATTRACTANT PROTEIN-1, MCP-1) AND ITS MAIN RECEPTOR CCR2, A G PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTOR, HAVE BEEN RECEIVING PARTICULAR INTEREST FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF MANY DISEASES, INCLUDING NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES, ATHEROSCLEROSIS, OBESITY, DIABETES, AND VARIOUS TYPES OF CANCER. HOWEVER, THE INTRACELLULAR MEDIATORS OF CCL2-CCR2 SIGNALING ARE LARGELY UNKNOWN. MOREOVER, ALTHOUGH BLOCKING CCL2- CCR2 AXIS WAS FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN SEVERAL PRECLINICAL DISEASE MODELS, CLINICAL TRIAL STUDIES OF THESE INHIBITORS HAVE SHOWN A LACK OF EFFECT, LIKELY DUE TO DEVELOPED COMPENSATION BY OTHER CHEMOKINES AND/OR CHEMOKINE RECEPTORS FOR THE LOSS OF FUNCTION OF CCL2-CCR2 AXIS. HOWEVER, THE COMPENSATORY CHEMOKINES/ CHEMOKINE RECEPTORS FOR CCL2-CCR2 AXIS HAVE BEEN POORLY DEFINED. IT IS OUR GOAL FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS TO ELUCIDATE THE INTRACELLULAR MEDIATORS OF CCL2-CCR2 SIGNALING AS WELL AS THE COMPENSATORY MACHINERY FOR THIS AXIS IN PROSTATE CANCER MODELS PARTICULAR UNDER OBESE CONDITION. ANOTHER AREA OF RESEARCH IN MY LABORATORY IS THE DISCOVERY OF BIOACTIVE NATURAL COMPOUNDS. NATURAL COMPOUNDS PARTICULARLY PHYTOCHEMICALS ARE A MAJOR SOURCE FOR DEVELOPING NON-TOXIC PREVENTIVE/THERAPEUTIC AGENTS. PHYTOCHEMICALS TYPICALLY TARGET MULTIPLE DYSREGULATED SIGNALING PATHWAYS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLYGENIC DISEASES SUCH AS CANCER, OBESITY AND DIABETES, THEREFORE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A DURABLE CONTROL OF THESE DISEASES. HOWEVER, THE LOW BIOAVAILABILITY OF MOST PHYTOCHEMICALS LIMITS THEIR EFFICACY IN HUMANS, AND THEIR EFFECTIVE DOSES AS OBSERVED IN VITRO CAN BARELY BE ACHIEVED IN VIVO. DISCOVERY OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PHYTOCHEMICALS WITH FAVORABLE BIOAVAILABILITY IS THEREFORE AN URGENT TASK OF GLOBAL PRIORITY IN DISEASE CONTROL. IN OUR PRELIMINARY STUDY WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT ARCTIGENIN, A NOVEL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY LIGNAN MAINLY FROM THE HERB ARCTIUM LAPPA, WAS A POTENT INHIBITOR OF VARIOUS TYPES OF CANCER CELLS WITH A POTENTIALLY FAVORABLE BIOAVAILABILITY. ARCTIGENIN HAS ALSO SHOWN TO BE ANTI - OXIDANT, -VIRAL, -OBESITY, -DIABETES, -OSTEOPOROSIS, -CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES, -NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES, AND IMMUNE MODULATORY. OUR NEXT FIVE YEARS’ GOAL IN THIS LINE OF RESEARCH IS TO FULLY CHARACTERIZE ARCTIGENIN IN TERMS OF ITS DIRECT AND INDIRECT MOLECULAR TARGETS, PHARMACOKINETICS, AND ITS POTENTIAL INFLUENCE ON DRUG-METABOLIZING ENZYMES. THE OVERALL VISION OF MY RESEARCH PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND AGENTS TO IMPROVE THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CHRONIC DISEASE INCLUDING OBESITY AND CANCER, AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

A NOVEL METABOLIC REPROGRAMING STRATEGY FOR THE TREATMENT OF DIABETES-ASSOCIATED BREAST CANCER

CO-TARGETING OBESITY IN PROSTATE CANCER CHEMOPREVENTION AND THERAPY

BEIGE ADIPOCYTES AND AFRICAN AMERICAN BREAST TUMORS

MECHANISMS BEHIND HYPERGLYCEMIA-ASSOCIATED BREAST CANCER RISK AND PROGRESSION

NITRIC OXIDE/CGMP MODULATION OF CORPORAL FIBROSIS CAUSED BY NEUROPRAXIA

TARGETING PERK1/2 IN HUMAN MAMMARY CANCER STEM CELLS

THE BIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF ANDROGENS IN MEN AND WOMEN

THE NEXT GENERATION SUBSTANCE ABUSE RESEARCH TRAINING AT CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY (CDU) AND UCLA (NGSART-CU)

ROLE OF FOLLISTATIN DURING ANDROGEN REGULATION OF BODY COMPOSITION

THE ROLE OF ADIPOSE H6PDH IN TYPE 2 DIABETES AND OBESITY

FOLLISTATIN PROMOTES BROWNING AND INFLUENCES ENERGY METABOLISM

ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION GRANTS

DREW UNIVERSITY DREW UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE INITIATIVE BUILDING ON SEVERAL UNIQUE CURRIC

CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (HEERF) - STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM,

MYOSTATIN REGULATION OF SKELETAL MUSCLE ENERGY METABOLISM

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A SCIENTIST? DISCOVER BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES! - PHASE I/II

ESTROGEN RECEPTORS AND NOCICEPTIVE SIGNALING IN PRIMARY AFFERENT NEURONS

BUILDING ON SEVERAL UNIQUE CURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULAR STRENGTHS AS WELL AS THE RESOURCES OF ITS 186-ACRE FORESTED CAMPUS DREW UNIVERSITY - A HIGHL

A COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF HEART DISEASE IN A SAFE*

DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE ON CARDIOMYOPATHY IN MILITARY PERSONNEL

CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANTS TO STUDENTS UNDER THE CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT

ENGAGING UNDERREPRESENTED RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY STUDENTS IN AGING RESEARCH - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT THE CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE (CDU) AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (UCLA) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT PROPOSE THE ENGAGING STUDENTS IN AGING RESEARCH (ESAR) PROGRAM. RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES ARE SEVERELY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE DUE TO A MYRIAD OF LOCAL AND SYSTEMIC BARRIERS, INCLUDING A LACK OF EXPOSURE TO BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES DURING THEIR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION. THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED TO MOTIVATE AND EQUIP LOWER- INCOME UNDERREPRESENTED RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY (URM) COMMUNITY COLLEGE (CC) STUDENTS WITH THE ACADEMIC SKILL SET TO CRITICALLY UNDERSTAND, EXPLORE AND ENGAGE IN AGING-RELATED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. THE PROGRAM’S MAIN COMPONENTS INCLUDE: 1) AN AGING RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH (CBPR) FUNDAMENTALS INSTITUTE, WHERE ESAR TRAINEES WILL FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH RESEARCH FUNDAMENTALS AND PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON AGING-RELATED CBPR UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A RESEARCH MENTOR AND A COMMUNITY FACULTY ADVOCATE, AND 2) A PATHWAY TO RESEARCH CAREERS CONTINUUM, WHERE STUDENTS ATTEND WORKSHOPS WHICH WILL ENHANCE THEIR RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC SKILLS. SINCE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE THE SINGLE LARGEST SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY, THE PROPOSED ESAR PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR URM COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS TO RECEIVE RESEARCH TRAINING AS WELL AS SKILLS NECESSARY TO TRANSFER TO FOUR- YEAR COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES. THE PROGRAM’S OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF URM STUDENTS PREPARED TO PURSUE CAREERS IN AGING-RELATED SCIENCES AND RESEARCH. THE SPECIFIC AIMS ARE AS FOLLOWS: AIM 1: PROVIDE MENTORED SUPPORT AND LEVERAGE AGING-RELATED RESOURCES OF EXISTING RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAMS AT CDU AND UCLA TO PROPEL URM CC STUDENTS IN THEIR TRAJECTORY AS AGING SCIENTISTS, BY IMPLEMENTING: AIM 1A: AN INNOVATIVE TRIADIC MENTORSHIP MODEL PAIRING ESAR TRAINEES WITH: I) A FACULTY MEMBER IN AGING RESEARCH, II) A COMMUNITY FACULTY AGING ADVOCATE, AND III) A NEAR-PEER MENTOR. THIS MENTORSHIP MODEL WILL PROVIDE MULTIDISCIPLINARY, METHODOLOGICAL, ACADEMIC, AND COMMUNITY-PARTNERED SUPPORT FOR ESAR TRAINEES TO AMPLIFY INTEREST IN AND DEVELOP RESEARCH SKILLS FOR A CAREER IN AGING RESEARCH. AIM 1B: IMMERSION OF ESAR TRAINEES IN AN AGING-FOCUSED CBPR TAILORED RESEARCH EXPERIENCE CENTERED ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG URM OLDER ADULTS IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. AIM 2: DELIVER LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FOR ESAR TRAINEES TO 1) TRANSFER TO A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY AND 2) PURSUE GRADUATE AND/OR DOCTORAL STUDIES IN A STEM FIELD WITHIN AGING RESEARCH. AIM 3: IMPLEMENT AN EVALUATION AND MONITORING PLAN TO CONTINUALLY ASSESS AND IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ESAR PROGRAM, EMPHASIZING: I) RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF PROMISING URM CC STUDENTS, II) QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL AND MENTORING PLANS FOCUSED ON AGING-RELATED RESEARCH, III) SUCCESSFUL MATRICULATION INTO UNDERGRADUATE STEM PROGRAMS, AND IV) ESAR TRAINEE-LED DISSEMINATION OF COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SCIENTIFIC RESULTS.

MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGING FAMILIES IN HIV BIOMEDICAL PREVENTION FOR LATINO MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN

HEALTH CAREERS OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM

DHAPP JAMAICA AIDS RELIEF

FOLLISTATIN REGULATION OF ENERGY AND LIPID METABOLISM DURING PROGRESSION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS - ABSTRACT ATHEROSCLEROSIS IS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF GREAT MAJORITY OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVD) AND POSES A GREAT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH. ACTIVATION OF THERMOGENIC ADIPOCYTES REDUCES CHOLESTEROL LEVELS AND PROTECTS AGAINST ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN ANIMAL MODELS. LOWER THERMOGENIC ADIPOCYTE ACTIVITY IN DYSLIPIDEMIC PATIENTS HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY HIGH PLASMA TRIGLYCERIDES (TG), LOW PLASMA HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (HDL-C) CONCENTRATION AND LOWER UNCOUPLING PROTEIN 1 (UCP1) EXPRESSION. THESE FINDINGS IN MICE AND HUMANS UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF INDUCERS OF THE THERMOGENIC ADIPOCYTE PROGRAM AS POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC TARGETS FOR THE TREATMENT OF DYSLIPIDEMIA AND CVD. OUR PUBLISHED AND PRELIMINARY DATA DEMONSTRATE THAT FOLLISTATIN (FST) PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE NOT ONLY IN ADIPOCYTE BROWNING BUT ALSO IN LIPOPROTEIN METABOLISM TO REGULATE TG, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL (TC), AND HDL-C LEVELS. IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE WILL TEST OUR CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS THAT FST-INDUCED ADIPOSE BROWNING PROTECTS AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS. WE WILL TEST OUR HYPOTHESIS UNDER THESE SPECIFIC AIMS: AIM 1: WE WILL DETERMINE THE ROLE OF FST IN ADIPOSE BROWNING, LIPOPROTEIN METABOLISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS. WE WILL DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF FST TISSUE AND SYSTEMIC OVEREXPRESSION USING MOUSE LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN RECEPTOR (LDLR)-DEFICIENT WT AND ADIPOSE-SPECIFIC TRANSGENIC (FSTADQTG ) MICE, AND ADENO-ASSOCIATED VIRUS 1 (AAV1)-FST344 INJECTED LDLR-/- MICE RESPECTIVELY TO DETERMINE THE ROLE OF FST ON I) ADIPOSE BROWNING, PLASMA LIPOPROTEIN, TG, AND TC LEVELS, II) TISSUE (ADIPOSE, AORTA, AND LIVER), PLASMA METABOLITES AND III) GENE EXPRESSION DURING DIET-INDUCED DEVELOPMENT OF DYSLIPIDEMIA AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS. EFFECT OF TRANSIENT LOSS OF FST ON BROWNING, LIPOPROTEIN METABOLISM AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS PROGRESSION WILL BE ANALYZED IN MPCSK9 INJECTED FSTFL/FL / CREADQ MICE. AIM 2: WE WILL DETERMINE THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS BY WHICH FST CONFER THE PRO-BROWNING AND ANTI-ATHEROGENIC EFFECTS. WE WILL TEST WHETHER ARGINASE 1 (ARG 1)/BETA-ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR (SS-AR)/ P38MAPK/FGF21 SIGNALING PATHWAY CONFER FST-INDUCED PRO-BROWNING AND ANTIATHEROGENIC ACTION IN THE THREE ANIMAL MODELS. WE WILL UTILIZE GENE AORTIC LESION AND GENE METABOLITE CORRELATION DATASET OBTAINED FROM SYSTEM GENETICS APPROACH OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS HYBRID MOUSE DIVERSITY PANEL (HMDP) TO IDENTIFY KEY FST-REGULATED GENES AND METABOLITES. WE WILL PERFORM COMPREHENSIVE RNA-SEQUENCE ANALYSIS, AND TISSUE AND PLASMA METABOLITE ANALYSIS COMBINED WITH PHARMACOLOGICAL INHIBITION STUDIES TO IDENTIFY NOVEL GENES AND METABOLITES INVOLVED DURING FST-INDUCED ADIPOSE BROWNING AND ITS ANTI-ATHEROGENIC ACTIONS. OUR PROPOSED STUDIES WILL PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT NOVEL INSIGHTS INTO THE PRO-BROWNING AND ANTI-ATHEROGENIC ROLE OF FST AND IDENTIFY KEY MOLECULAR TARGETS INVOLVED IN FAVORABLY ALTERING LIPOPROTEIN METABOLISM AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS. INHIBITION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS DEVELOPMENT BY USING FST PROTEIN/PEPTIDE IS AN ATTRACTIVE THERAPEUTIC AVENUE. DATA OBTAINED AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT PROVIDE RATIONALE FOR THERAPEUTIC DRUG DESIGN FOR THE TREATMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND ENABLE US TO SUBMIT HIGHLY COMPETITIVE RO1-LIKE GRANT APPLICATIONS.

MINORITY SCIENCE IMPROVEMENT

SUMMER SUBSTANCE ABUSE RESEARCH TRAINING (SUMMERSART) - ABSTRACT UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCHERS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN BOTH RESEARCH IN GENERAL AND IN FUNDING FROM NIDA. THE SUMMER SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS RESEARCH TRAINING (SUMMERSART) AT CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY (CDU) AND UCLA BUILDS ON THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SART GRANT (R25DA050723, FUNDED IN APRIL 2020) THAT, IN TURN, BUILT ON 15 YEARS OF DIDARP/MIDARP PROGRAM (PI: FRIEDMAN) IN WHICH 159 MOSTLY MINORITY STUDENTS RECEIVED A MEANINGFUL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER FIELDS ALONG WITH TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP. THIS SUMMER GRANT PROPOSES TO PROVIDE HYPOTHESIS- DRIVEN RESEARCH, COURSES FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORSHIP TO EIGHT UNDERGRADUATES IN ESTABLISHED TRAINING PROGRAMS AT CDU THAT REQUIRE A RESEARCH PROJECT/THESIS AS WELL AS OTHER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WITH THE GOAL OF TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESEARCHERS. TRAINEES WILL BE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE A MENTOR FROM ONE OF 21 SENIOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESEARCHERS AT CDU AND UCLA AND WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPTION OF ONE COMMUNITY FACULTY MENTOR THAT WILL HELP THE TRAINEE WITH DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ONE OF THE SPECIALTIES OF CDU. TRAINING WILL INCLUDE FOUR 2-HOUR LONG RESEARCH INSTITUTES, FIVE 90-MINUTE WEBINARS IN HOT TOPICS IN SUBSTANCE USE RESEARCH, A FOUR-PART UHI RESEARCH TRAINING COURSE, SPECIAL SEMINARS, A WEEKLY JOURNAL CLUB IN SUBSTANCE USE RESEARCH AND A FOUR-PART RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH SERIES. ALL PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO INSPIRE AND PROVIDE THE TRAINEE SKILLS SO THAT THEY ARE MORE COMPETITIVE IN THEIR FUTURE CAREERS IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESEARCH. WE EXPECT THIS SUMMER R25 GRANT WILL TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESEARCHERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH SKILLS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO SUCCEED AT THEIR NEXT RESEARCH LEVEL.

PEPFAR BELIZE AIDS RELIEF

NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM

PRIMARY CARE TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT -- RESIDENCY TRAINING IN STREET MEDICINE - PROJECT ABSTRACT CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE (CDU) PROPOSES THE STREET MEDICINE ADVANCE RESIDENCY TRAINING (SMART) PROGRAM, WHICH AIMS TO EXPAND ITS FAMILY MEDICINE AND INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS BY INTEGRATING STRUCTURED TRAINING IN STREET-BASED MEDICINE, PREPARING RESIDENTS TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY, INTERDISCIPLINARY CARE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS (PEH) IN NON-TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE SETTINGS. THE SMART PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH HRSA’S NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO) GOAL OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS TRAINED TO PROVIDE HEALTHCARE OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL CLINICAL ENVIRONMENTS. IT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE THREE NOFO PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: 1) DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING TRAINING, CLINICAL ROTATIONS, AND DIDACTIC CURRICULA TO PREPARE RESIDENTS IN STREET MEDICINE TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE, SENSITIVE CARE FOR PEH, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) TREATMENT; 2) INCREASING RESIDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF PEH, INCLUDING NAVIGATING MEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, LEGAL, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS; AND STRENGTHENING RESIDENTS’ ABILITY TO WORK IN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAMS, INCORPORATING CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, AND MEDICAL-LEGAL COLLABORATION TO ADDRESS THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH) THAT IMPACT PATIENT CARE. PROPOSED PROGRAM COMPONENTS: FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM THE PROGRAM WILL 1. EXPAND SIX CLINICAL ROTATIONS FOR PGY1, PGY2, AND PGY3 RESIDENTS BY INCREASING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING HOURS THROUGH CDU’S MOBILE HEALTH OUTREACH PROJECT (MOHOP) AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES (DHS) STREET MEDICINE TEAM (SMT). 2. DEVELOP AND INTEGRATE A STRUCTURED DIDACTIC CURRICULUM, INCORPORATING THE AAFP STREET MEDICINE OUTREACH COURSE AND A LONGITUDINAL INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES FOCUSED ON PATIENT-CENTERED CARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT, HARM REDUCTION, AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. 3. ESTABLISH A STREET MEDICINE ELECTIVE FOR FAMILY MEDICINE AND INTERNAL MEDICINE PGY2 AND PGY3 RESIDENTS, PROVIDING HANDS-ON TRAINING IN MOBILE AND STREET-BASED HEALTHCARE SETTINGS. 4. CREATE A STREET AND ACADEMIC MEDICINE INTEREST TRACK, EQUIPPING PGY2 AND PGY3 RESIDENTS WITH SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE IN INTERDISCIPLINARY CARE, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AND SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES. INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM THE INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM WILL INTRODUCE A NEW ELECTIVE FOR PGY2 AND PGY3 RESIDENTS, INTEGRATING BOTH ONLINE COURSEWORK AND ON-THE-GROUND TRAINING IN STREET MEDICINE. RESIDENTS WILL TRAIN DIRECTLY IN STREET MEDICINE THROUGH: • THE DHS STREET MEDICINE TEAM (SMT), DELIVERING CARE IN ENCAMPMENTS, SHELTERS, AND OTHER NON-TRADITIONAL LOCATIONS. • CDU’S MOBILE HEALTH OUTREACH PROJECT (MOHOP), A MOBILE CLINIC PROVIDING PRIMARY CARE, WOUND CARE, CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT, AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES IN SERVICE PLANNING AREAS (SPA) 4 AND 6. KEY INITIATIVES THE SMART PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED AROUND THREE KEY INITIATIVES: • ENHANCING FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY TRAINING BY EXPANDING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURED DIDACTIC COURSEWORK, AND DEVELOPING A STREET MEDICINE ELECTIVE. • ESTABLISHING A STREET AND ACADEMIC MEDICINE INTEREST TRACK FOR FAMILY MEDICINE PGY2 AND PGY3 RESIDENTS TO DEVELOP SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE IN CARING FOR PEH. • IMPLEMENTING A STREET MEDICINE ELECTIVE FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE PGY2 AND PGY3 RESIDENTS, EXPANDING THEIR EXPOSURE TO NON-TRADITIONAL CARE SETTINGS. CDU, FOUNDED TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL NEED FOR MORE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IN PHYSICIAN-SHORTAGE AREAS, IS A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES INSTITUTION COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE. CDU QUALIFIES FOR FUNDING PREFERENCE, AS DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT OVER THE LAST FOUR GRADUATING CLASSES, 24 OF THE 36 GRADUATES (66.7%) HAVE ENTERED PRACTICE SETTINGS PRIMARILY SERVING MUCS.

REGENERATION OF THE PELVIC AND URETHRAL SUPPORTS BY MUSCLE DERIVED STEM CELLS

SUPPORT OF COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (SCORE) INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD AT DREW

IMPACT OF INVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TP53 AND CARF ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEPATIC STEATOSIS AND INSULIN RESISTANCE - PROJECT SUMMARY: WITH THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN OBESITY AND DIABETES, THE PREVALENCE OF NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASES (NAFLD) IS INCREASING AT AN ALARMING RATE WORLDWIDE. NAFLD IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK FACTOR FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR), TYPE 2 DIABETES (T2DM), AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING MOLECULAR MECHANISMS ADEQUATELY TO MANAGE NAFLD AND T2DM CLINICALLY. CARF IS A NOVEL P53 PATHWAY PROTEIN THAT INTERACTS WITH P53 AND REGULATE ITS FUNCTIONS. PREVIOUS STUDIES REPORTED THAT AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN CARF AND P53. WE POSIT THAT P53-CARF INTERPLAY PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN THE OUTCOME OF P53 ACTIONS RESPONDING TO VARIOUS STRESSORS. OUR RECENT PUBLICATION SHOWED THAT FREE FATTY ACID (FFA)-INDUCED STRESS SUPPRESSED HEPATIC CARF THAT TRIGGERED FAT DEPOSITION IN THE LIVER, WHILE EXOGENOUS DELIVERY OF CARF PREVENTED IT. FURTHER, WE FOUND THAT SILENCING OF CARF PERTURBED INSULIN SIGNALING PATHWAY IN HEPATOCYTES. MOST INTRIGUINGLY, EXPRESSION OF PCK1, A KEY HEPATIC GLUCONEOGENIC GENE, WAS INCREASED AFTER SILENCING OF CARF IN HEPATOCYTES. THIS LED US TO PROPOSE THAT CARF IS A TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATOR OF PCK1 AND, HENCE HEPATIC GLUCOSE OUTPUT AND IR. GROWING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT METABOLIC STRESS-INDUCED P53 COULD ALTER THE CELL'S METABOLIC HOMEOSTASIS LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NAFLD AND IR IN BOTH HUMANS AND RODENTS. NOTABLY, OUR PRELIMINARY DATA FURTHER SHOWED THAT CARF EXPRESSION WAS DECREASED IN HFD-FED LIVERS WITH INCREASED P53, THUS ESTABLISHING AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP. HOWEVER, THE ROLE OF THIS INVERSE RELATIONSHIP IN METABOLIC STRESS AND ITS OUTCOME ARE UNKNOWN. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT CARF COULD BE A DOWNSTREAM TARGET OF P53 IN METABOLIC STRESS. ITS INHIBITION DRIVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF IR AND NAFLD. USING IN VITRO CELLULAR AND IN VIVO MOUSE MODELS OF NAFLD AND IR INTEGRATED WITH THE CHIP- SEQUENCING, CUT AND RUN SEQUENCING, CO-IP, ITT, GTT, AND PTT ASSAYS, THIS STUDY WILL UNCOVER A NOVEL FUNCTION OF CARF -P53 INTERPLAY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NAFLD AND IR. UNDERSTANDING THIS MECHANISM COULD REDUCE A CONSIDERABLE HEALTH BURDEN IN THE USA AND WORLDWIDE. THIS SURE GRANT WILL CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MENTORING UNDERSERVED UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THEIR RESEARCH THESIS AT CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE. RECENT DATA SHOW THAT THE STUDENT POPULATION AT CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE IS 35% BLACK AND 25% HISPANIC. BY INTEGRATING STUDENT TRAINING WITH THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PLAN, THIS GRANT WILL HELP STUDENTS TO ACQUIRE CONSIDERABLE TECHNICAL SKILLS AND THE EXPERTISE NECESSARY TO PERFORM HIGH-QUALITY, BASIC, AND TRANSLATIONAL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH.

TARGETING PARP PROTEINS IN ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES-INDUCED CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION - PROJECT SUMMARY: ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES (E-CIGARETTES) ARE BECOMING EXCEPTIONALLY POPULAR IN THE WORLD AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL CIGARETTES. NICOTINE CAN INDUCE LIPOLYSIS, LEADING TO INCREASED SERUM FREE FATTY ACIDS (FFAS). INCREASED LEVELS OF FFAS ARE ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS IN INDUCING LIPOTOXICITY, MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION, AND DNA DAMAGE. NAD+ HOMEOSTASIS IS REGULATED BY NUTRIENT-SENSING SIGNALING AND DNA DAMAGE RESPONSE PATHWAYS, WHICH PLAY KEY ROLES IN METABOLISM AND SURVIVAL. POLY (ADP-RIBOSE) POLYMERASES 1 (PARP1) AND SIRTUIN-1 HAVE A COMMON CO-FACTOR, NAD+. THEREFORE, INCREASED PARP1 ACTIVITY CAN IMPACT SIRTUIN-1 ACTIVITY BY REDUCING THE NAD+ POOL. WE INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF ACIPIMOX, AN ANTIHYPERLIPIDEMIC DRUG, ON E-CIGARETTES- INDUCED CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION. C57BL/6J WILD-TYPE MICE ON HIGH FAT DIET WERE EXPOSED TO SALINE, E-CIGARETTES WITH NICOTINE (2.4%) [E-CIG(2.4%)], E-CIGARETTE (2.4%) PLUS ACIPIMOX, FOR 12 WEEKS. FRACTIONAL SHORTENING AND EJECTION FRACTION WAS DECREASED IN MICE EXPOSED TO E-CIG(2.4%) COMPARED WITH SALINE AND ACIPIMOX. THEREFORE, ACIPIMOX RESCUED THE E-CIGARETTE-INDUCED CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION. TRANSCRIPTOMIC EVALUATION WITH GENE SET ENRICHMENT ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT E-CIGARETTE-TREATED MICE HAD GENES ENRICHED IN THE G2/M DNA DAMAGE CHECKPOINT PATHWAYS. THESE CHANGES WERE NORMALIZED BY ACIPIMOX. MICE EXPOSED TO E-CIGARETTES HAVE INCREASED CIRCULATING LEVELS OF INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES, AND FFAS WHICH WERE REGULARIZED BY ACIPIMOX. MOREOVER, MICE EXPOSED TO E- CIG(2.4%) HAD INCREASED APURINIC/APYRIMIDINIC SITES AND PARP1 ACTIVITY. THESE MANIFESTATIONS OF DNA DAMAGE WERE NORMALIZED BY ACIPIMOX. AIM 1 WILL TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT PJ34, A POTENT INHIBITOR OF PARP PROTEINS, REVERSES OXIDATIVE STRESS, MITOCHONDRIAL ABNORMALITIES, AND CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION INDUCED BY E-CIGARETTES. AIM 2 WILL ELUCIDATE IF GENETICALLY INCREASING SIRT1 LEVELS IN CARDIOMYOCYTES CAN PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF E- CIGARETTE-INDUCED CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION. AIM 3 WILL ASSESS THE ROLE OF LIPOLYSIS ON E-CIGARETTE-INDUCED CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION WITH AN INHIBITOR OF ADIPOSE TRIGLYCERIDE LIPASE, ATGLISTATIN. PARP1 PATHWAY MIGHT BE A USEFUL THERAPEUTIC TARGET TO COUNTERACT THE DETRIMENTAL CARDIAC EFFECTS OF E-CIGARETTES. UNDERSTANDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF E-CIGARETTES USE ON CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION AND DNA DAMAGE RESPONSE IS DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES RELATED TO TOBACCO USE. AS AN R16 APPLICATION, THIS PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT AT CHARLES DREW UNIVERSITY, A PREDOMINANTLY DISADVANTAGED MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION IN THE SOUTH LOS ANGELES AREA. 1

THERAPEUTIC ROLES FOR NAD+ METABOLISM IN ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES-INDUCED CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION

ROLE OF CARF IN INSULIN RESISTANCE AND NON ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE NAFLD

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES, OXIDATIVE STRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF BREAST TUMOR - ABSTRACT BREAST CANCER IS A COMPLEX DISEASE THAT IS SENSITIVE TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS LIKE CIGARETTE SMOKE (CS), WHICH CONTAINS MANY TOXIC CHEMICALS THAT ARE MUTAGENIC AND INCREASES THE RISK OF MANY CANCERS, INCLUDING BREAST CANCER. ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES (E-CIGS) ARE BATTERY-POWERED DEVICES THAT ENTERED THE MARKET IN 2007 TO PROVIDE A SAFE ALTERNATIVE FOR CIGARETTE SMOKERS AND HAS TAKEN THE YOUNGER POPULATION BY STORM. HOWEVER, CONCERNING REPORTS ARE EMERGING THAT E-CIG, WITH OR WITHOUT NICOTINE, ALSO CONTAINS SIMILAR TO CS, SCORES OF TOXIC CHEMICALS THAT ARE DELETERIOUS TO HEALTH. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE KEY PLAYERS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SHORT AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF E-CIG ON BREAST CANCER, WHICH IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DNA DAMAGE AND GENOMIC INSTABILITY. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA IN E-CIG EXPOSED BREAST CANCER MDA-MB-468 XENOGRAFTS IN BALB/C MICE INDICATES HIGHER TUMOR GROWTH, WHICH WAS ACCOMPANIED BY INCREASED REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES (ROS), REDUCED SUPER OXIDE DISMUTASE (SOD) ACTIVITY, INCREASED NF-KB SIGNALING AND UPREGULATED CHEMOKINES IMPLICATED IN IMMUNE EVASION. BASED ON OUR PRELIMINARY FINDINGS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT E-CIG EXPOSURE INDUCES OXIDATIVE STRESS TO REPROGRAM CANCER CELLS AND TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT TO PROMOTE BREAST CANCER GROWTH. WE WILL TEST OUR HYPOTHESIS UNDER THESE SPECIFIC AIMS: AIM 1: TO DETERMINE WHETHER 1A) E-CIG-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS UP-REGULATES PRO- SURVIVAL PATHWAYS TO PROMOTE BREAST TUMOR GROWTH, AND 1B) GENETIC AND PHARMACOLOGICAL MODULATION OF OXIDATIVE STRESS INFLUENCES E-CIG-INDUCED BREAST TUMOR GROWTH. E-CIG EXPOSED XENOGRAFTS IN BALB/C NUDE MICE FROM AFRICAN AMERICAN (MDA-MB-468 AND HCC70) AND CAUCASIAN (MDA-MB-231 AND BT549) BREAST CANCER CELLS WILL BE ANALYZED FOR TUMOR GROWTH, MARKERS FOR OXIDATIVE STRESS (ROS/SOD/NRF2/NOX), TNF-A/NF-KB SIGNALING AND SUBSET OF MAMMARY CANCER STEM CELLS (MCSC). EFFECT OF GENETIC AND PHARMACOLOGICAL MANIPULATION OF ROS ON BREAST TUMOR GROWTH WILL BE ASSESSED BY SOD SHRNA AND ANTI-OXIDANTS. AIM 2: TO DETERMINE WHETHER- 2A) E-CIG PREFERENTIALLY RE-PROGRAMS CANCER/HOST CELLS TO FACILITATE IMMUNE EVASION WITHIN TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT AND PROMOTE BREAST CANCER PROGRESSION, AND 2B) TREATMENT WITH CD25 MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY SUPPRESSES REGULATORY T CELLS (TREGS) FUNCTION AND REDUCES E-CIG-MEDIATED BREAST TUMOR GROWTH. RNA SEQUENCING DATA (FOR HUMAN AND MOUSE GENES) FROM AA AND CA TNBC XENOGRAFTS BALB/C NUDE MICE WILL BE SUBJECTED TO COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS FOR IMMUNE GENE SIGNATURES IN TUMOR/HOST CELLS. THE IMMUNE SIGNATURES WILL BE VALIDATED IN TRANSGENIC MMTV-PYMT MICE EXPOSED TO E-CIG AEROSOL/SALINE. WE WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE EFFECT OF ANTI-CD25 MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT ON SUPPRESSION OF TREGS AND E-CIG-INDUCED BREAST TUMOR GROWTH. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL FACILITATE SUBMISSION OF HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FUTURE NIH GRANTS AND ENHANCE INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH CAPACITY BUILDING TO ENGAGE CDU UNDERGRADUATE AND MEDICAL STUDENTS IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH.

MODULATION OF MUSCLE ISCHEMIA REPAIR BY STEM CELLS AND OF THEIR DAMAGE BY DIABETES

PILOT STUDY OF THE EFFICACY OF MIFEPRISTONE IN MALES WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITU

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF METABOLIC SYNDROME RELATED CONDITIONS

UNDERSTANDING FEMALE PARTNERS OF BISEXUAL MEN: IMPLICATIONS FOR HIV/STD RISK

HIV TREATMENT AND CARE IN THE ANGOLAN ARMED FORCES

RUI: HETEROGENEOUS AND PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIVITY OF SURFACE ADSORBED ORGANICS WITH ATMOSPHERIC OXIDANTS

NEIGHBORS IN NEED: HOUSING THE MOST VULNERABLE IN MORRIS COUNTY, NJ WILL PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR DREW UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO EXPAND OUR COUNTY?S ABILITY TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE SAFETY NET TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE GOAL OF THE RESEARCH IS TO: 1) ARTICULATE THE EXISTING BARRIERS TO HOUSING OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS; 2) IDENTIFY THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS OUR LANDLORDS NEED TO EFFECTIVELY HOUSE THIS POPULATION; 3) AND BUILD THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FINANCIAL AND CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT AND IMPLEMENT A COUNTY-WIDE INTERVENTION PROGRAM. THE PROPOSED STUDY WILL INVESTIGATE HOW TO OVERCOME THE STIGMA OF THE HARDEST TO SERVE POPULATIONS, ALLOWING THEM TO BE QUICKLY PLACED IN AFFORDABLE, PERMANENT HOUSING THROUGH THE EFFECTIVE USE OF VOUCHERS AND THE PROVISION OF APPROPRIATE SERVICES BY COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THIS PROJECT WILL ENHANCE OUR COUNTY?S CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE, EXPAND RESEARCH SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, AND MOBILIZE COLLECTIVE ACTION ON A CRITICAL SOCIAL PROBLEM FACING OUR COMMUNITY. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH WILL HELP MORRIS COUNTY ACHIEVE THE GOAL THAT IT HAS SET FOR ITSELF OF ELIMINATING HOMELESSNESS IN TEN YEARS.

INVESTIGATIONAL INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE MEDICATION-RELATED CHALLENGES AMONG DIABETIC AND HYPERTENSIVE OLDER LATINO ADULTS

TESTOSTERONE STIMULATION OF INSULIN SIGNALINGIN ADIPOCYTES

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE CAPACITY TO TREAT AND PREVENT HIV/TB CO-MORBIDITY

RUI: REACTIVE UPTAKE AND HETEROGENEOUS CHEMISTRY OF BIOGENIC VOCS ON MINERAL AEROSOL

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH CATALYST PROGRAM - CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE (CDU), THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF URBAN PUBLIC HEALTH (DUPH), PROPOSES THE MCH PUBLIC HEALTH CATALYST PROGRAM TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH (MCH) TRAINING AND EDUCATION WITHIN DUPH TO ADDRESS THE EXISTING AND GROWING NEEDS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (LAC) MORE EFFECTIVELY. THIS WORKFORCE MUST BE EQUIPPED TO SERVE LAC, FOCUSING ON THOSE COMMUNITIES FACING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AND IN CONTEXTS WHERE TRUST MUST BE REBUILT AND THE IMPACTS OF HISTORICAL, CONTEMPORARY, AND FUTURE CRISES ADDRESSED. THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE TARGETED TRAINING TO PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE NECESSARY COMPETENCIES TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO THESE CRITICAL NEEDS. BY INTRODUCING NEW GRADUATE-LEVEL COURSEWORK AND CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AN MCH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM, THE INITIATIVE AIMS TO ENHANCE WORKFORCE CAPACITY, PROMOTE INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION, AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE PROGRAM WILL ACHIEVE THESE GOALS BY DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING FOUNDATIONAL MCH CURRICULUM, RECRUITING AND SUPPORTING A DIVERSE COHORT OF GRADUATE STUDENTS, BUILDING FACULTY CAPACITY IN MCH COMPETENCIES, AND LEVERAGING EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE TRAINING. THESE EFFORTS ALIGN WITH CDU’S COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY THROUGH EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND SERVICE. THE PROGRAM'S LONG-TERM IMPACT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELL-BEING OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SKILLED AND DIVERSE MCH WORKFORCE.

THE DM ENVIRONMENT: FROM ANNOTATION TO DISSEMINATION

DREW/UCLA CANCER PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ELICITING AND ASSESSING PROCESS SKILLS IN STEM

DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF NEUROSTEROID EXPOSURE AND THE ETIOLOGY OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATIONAL INTERVENTION ON REDUCING POLYPHARMACY AND ENHANCING ADHERENCE TO DRUG REGIMENS AMONG

GRANT TO SUPPORT THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM

THE MECHANISMS OF THE NICOTINE-INDUCTION OF INSULIN RESISTANCE

SALINOMYCIN TARGETS COLORECTAL CANCER BY INHIBITING CANCER STEM CELLS AND TELOMERASE

INCREASED CHEMOPREVENTION BY A MIXTURE OF THREE PHYTOCHEMICALS IN PROSTATE CANCER

DEVELOPING A DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR PROVIDING SCALABLE AND ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK TO SUPPORT STUDENTS' DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS -THIS PROJECT SERVES THE NATIONAL INTEREST BY DEVELOPING A DIGITAL PLATFORM AND CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR INSTRUCTORS TO IMPROVE STUDENT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ACROSS THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM). THE EXPLICIT DEVELOPMENT OF THESE SKILLS (ALSO KNOWN AS TRANSFERABLE, PROCESS, 21ST CENTURY, OR SOFT SKILLS) IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. SKILLS SUCH AS CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, COLLABORATION, AND COMMUNICATION HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ESSENTIAL FOR A MODERN NATIONAL WORKFORCE BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE AS WELL REPORTS FROM MANY INDUSTRIES AND EMPLOYERS. THESE REPORTS FURTHER IDENTIFY THAT INCREASED PROFICIENCY IN STUDENT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS WILL ENSURE UNDERGRADUATES A MORE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH AS THEY BEGIN THEIR CAREERS. IN THIS PROJECT, A DIGITAL PLATFORM WILL BE DEVELOPED THAT LEVERAGES THE ENHANCING LEARNING BY IMPROVING PROCESS SKILLS PROJECT, A NOVEL AND WIDELY AVAILABLE FEEDBACK-BASED SKILLS RUBRIC. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE STRATEGIES FOR INSTRUCTORS IN CLASSROOMS OF ALL SIZES TO HELP THEM DEVELOP AND EVALUATE STUDENT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS. THE DIGITAL PLATFORM AND CLASSROOM STRATEGIES WILL ALSO ALLOW INSTRUCTORS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH RAPID FEEDBACK AND EFFECTIVE COACHING ON HOW TO IMPROVE THEIR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS. THIS INNOVATIVE PROJECT BRINGS ATTENTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AS IT WILL INCREASE STUDENTS? INSIGHTS INTO THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE SKILLS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ADVANCE THEIR PREPARATION FOR FUTURE STEM CAREERS. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP AND IMPROVE THEIR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN STEM CLASSROOMS BY USING A SCALABLE DIGITAL PLATFORM BASED ON NOVEL FEEDBACK-BASED SKILL RUBRICS FROM THE ENHANCING LEARNING BY IMPROVING PROCESS SKILLS PROJECT (ELIPSS.COM). THIS PROJECT WILL CONDUCT RESEARCH ON HOW FEEDBACK AND SELF-ASSESSMENT CAN HELP STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, AS WELL AS EXAMINE HOW EXTERNAL AND TAILORED FEEDBACK CAN HELP STUDENTS BECOME SELF-REGULATED LEARNERS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL DESIGN AND PILOT A DIGITAL PLATFORM TO STREAMLINE ASSESSMENT AND ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK DELIVERY TO STUDENTS, USING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF STEM INSTRUCTORS FROM A RANGE OF CLASS SIZES AND INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS TO ENSURE THE APPLICATION?S UTILITY AND ADOPTABILITY. THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND SURVEY RESPONSES, INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM MEMBERS WILL IDENTIFY OPTIMUM STRATEGIES FOR GENERATING AND DELIVERING FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS THAT IS BOTH IMPACTFUL AND TIMELY. DATA WILL BE COLLECTED ON THE WAYS IN WHICH STUDENTS INTERACT WITH THE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING SKILL DEVELOPMENT; THESE DATA WILL BE ANALYZED TO GAUGE HOW THEY RESPONDED TO THIS FEEDBACK AND WHETHER IT HELPED THEM IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS. STUDENTS WILL COMPLETE A VALIDATED SCIENCE MOTIVATION QUESTIONNAIRE TO COLLECT THEIR INSIGHTS ON HOW THEIR DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS MAY FURTHER MOTIVATE THEM TOWARDS STEM MAJORS AND CAREERS. FIVE CULMINATING GOALS AND OUTCOMES PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR THE EXECUTION OF THIS PROJECT. FIRST IS THE CREATION OF A DIGITAL PLATFORM, WHICH IS PRELOADED WITH CUSTOMIZABLE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS RUBRICS THAT WERE A PRODUCT OF THE NSF-FUNDED ELIPSS PROJECT. SECOND, A TEAM OF INSTRUCTORS FROM A RANGE OF STEM DISCIPLINES AND INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL IMPLEMENT AND SUBSEQUENTLY DISSEMINATE THESE MATERIALS. THIRD IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SET OF MATERIALS AND TRAINING PROTOCOLS TO TRAIN ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTORS TO USE THE SKILL-BUILDING RUBRICS AND DIGITAL PLATFORM. FOURTH IS THE ASSEMBLY OF A COLLECTION OF BEST INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES TO OPTIMIZE STUDENT INTERACTION WITH FEEDBACK ON THEIR PROFESSIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT. FIFTH, AND FINALLY, IS AN ADVANCED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE EFFORTS IMPACT STUDENTS - PROMOTING THEIR SKILL DEVELOPMENT, THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE SKILL FOR SCIENTISTS, AND THEIR PREPARATION FOR FUTURE STEM CAREERS. OVERALL, THE BROAD SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE GREATER INTEGRATION OF PROFESSIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT INTO UNDERGRADUATE STEM PROGRAMS - THE DIGITAL PLATFORM AND CLASSROOM STRATEGIES ARE DESIGNED TO BE USED IN ALL DISCIPLINES, CLASS SIZES AND INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS AND WILL RAPIDLY IMPACT A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS. THESE STUDENTS WILL ENTER THE STEM WORKFORCE WITH KEY PREPARATION IN VALUED PROFESSIONAL SKILLS THAT WILL BETTER ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS. EVEN MORE BROADLY, THE TOOLS AND CLASSROOM STRATEGIES DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE ADVANCEMENT OF STEM EDUCATION ON MULTIPLE LEVELS: THEY SUPPORT ACTIVE LEARNING PEDAGOGIES, SUPPORT SKILL-BASED PROGRAMMATIC ASSESSMENT, AND PROVIDE A DATA-COLLECTION MECHANISM FOR FUTURE EDUCATION RESEARCH. THE NSF IUSE: EDU PROGRAM SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STEM EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. THROUGH ITS ENGAGED STUDENT LEARNING TRACK, THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE CREATION, EXPLORATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROMISING PRACTICES AND TOOLS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

NOVEL MECHANISMS AND VASCULAR INTERACTIONS MEDIATING THE CARDIOMETABOLIC BENEFITS OF EXERCISE - CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES, INCLUDING CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, STROKE, AND PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE PREDISPOSE INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP CHRONIC DISABILITY, COMPROMISE LIFE QUALITY AND INCREASE BURDEN ON THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. PHYSICAL EXERCISE MODULATES METABOLIC PROCESSES IN MULTIPLE ORGANS TO AMELIORATE CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS. AFTER DECADES OF EXERCISE RESEARCH, THERE IS STILL INCOMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOLECULAR CHANGES ELICITED BY EXERCISE TRAINING. INDIVIDUALS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND/OR LIVING IN UNFAVORABLE LIVING CONDITIONS FACE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES TO ENGAGE IN REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; THEREFORE, THERE IS A NEED TO DEVELOP THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS THAT MIMIC THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE FOR VASCULAR PROTECTION. ENDOTHELIAL CELLS IN THE INNER LAYER OF BLOOD VESSELS HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY THOUGHT TO PRIMARILY CONSUME GLUCOSE THROUGH ANAEROBIC GLYCOLYSIS; HOWEVER, RECENT STUDIES DEMONSTRATED THAT ACTIVE FORMATION OF LIPID DROPLETS IN THE ENDOTHELIUM OF LARGE VESSELS PREDISPOSES TO ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. OUR OVERARCHING HYPOTHESIS IS THAT EXERCISE MODULATES ENDOTHELIAL LIPID METABOLIC PATHWAYS TO MAINTAIN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES IN THE VASCULAR ENDOTHELIUM. WE WILL TEST OUR HYPOTHESIS IN 2 AIMS: IN AIM 1, WE WILL DEVELOP “EXERCISE IN A DISH” APPROACHES INTEGRATING MULTIPLE CELL TYPES AND MECHANICAL FORCES TO RECREATE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MICROENVIRONMENT. WE WILL COMBINE MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY, IMAGING AND METABOLOMIC ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY MOLECULES TARGETING LIPID DROPLET BIOGENESIS AND/OR LIPOLYSIS TO PREVENT LIPID ACCUMULATION, AND WE WILL TEST WHETHER EXERCISE PERFORMANCE IN MICE PREVENTS LIPID DROPLET ACCUMULATION. IN AIM 2, WE WILL INVESTIGATE THE ROLE OF EXERCISE-INDUCED METABOLITES IN THE MODULATION OF G-PROTEIN COUPLED OLFACTORY RECEPTORS EXPRESSED ECTOPICALLY IN THE BLOOD VESSELS. OVERALL, THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF OUR PROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY PATHWAYS LEADING TO THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS THAT HAVE THE SAME EFFECTS AS EXERCISE FOR VASCULAR PROTECTION. THE SURE SUPPORT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROWTH OF RESEARCH AT CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE.

NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

THE ROLE OF 11BETA-HSD1 IN TYPE II DIABETES AND OBESITY

ACQUISITION OF INSTRUMENTATION FOR THE INTERDISCIPLINARY DREW SEDIMENTOLOGY FACILITY

BUILDING CAPACITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

MINORITY SCIENCE IMPROVEMENT

RUI: ORIENTATIONAL RELAXATION OF CHROMOPHORE ORDER IN NONLINEAR OPTICAL BLOCK COPOLYMERS

RENAL DISEASE IN MINORITY POPULATIONS AND DEVELOPING NATIONS: A SATELLITE MEETING

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS

CHARLES R. DREW FARMERS MARKET FOOD DESERT

RACIAL/ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN MENTAL HEALTHCARE USE BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE CLIENTS

I-CORPS: TRANSLATION POTENTIAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POWERED MATCHMAKING AND RESOURCE DISCOVERY FOR UNIVERSITY-DRIVEN INNOVATIONS -THIS I-CORPS PROJECT FOCUSES ON AN ONLINE PLATFORM THAT USES ADVANCED LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL REASONING AND NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING TO MATCH UNIVERSITY DISCOVERIES WITH INVESTORS, INDUSTRY PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE PLATFORM COLLECTS AND STUDIES THE FULL NATIONAL PATENT RECORD, OPEN ACCESS RESEARCH PAPERS, AND VERIFIED INVENTORIES OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AND OTHER INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES. BY REVEALING CONNECTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HIDDEN IN SEPARATE DATA SILOS, THE TECHNOLOGY ADDRESSES THE COSTLY DELAYS THAT SLOW THE TRANSITION OF RESEARCH RESULTS INTO NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. ACROSS THE COUNTRY THOUSANDS OF PROMISING INVENTIONS REMAIN IDLE EACH YEAR BECAUSE INVENTORS AND POTENTIAL SPONSORS CANNOT FIND ONE ANOTHER QUICKLY. ACCELERATING THESE MATCHES STRENGTHENS THE SCIENTIFIC ENTERPRISE, SUPPORTS ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND BROADENS ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE. FASTER ADOPTION OF BREAKTHROUGH HEALTH TREATMENTS, CLEAN ENERGY DEVICES, AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING METHODS IMPROVES PUBLIC WELFARE, CREATES JOBS, AND ENHANCES NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY SECTORS. THIS I-CORPS PROJECT UTILIZES EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COUPLED WITH A FIRST-HAND INVESTIGATION OF THE INDUSTRY ECOSYSTEM TO ASSESS THE TRANSLATION POTENTIAL OF THE TECHNOLOGY. THIS SOLUTION IS BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RECOMMENDATION ENGINE THAT COMBINES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REASONING WITH CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED KNOWLEDGE GRAPHS GENERATED FROM PATENT FILINGS, SCHOLARLY LITERATURE, AND INSTITUTIONAL ASSET RECORDS. THE TECHNOLOGY IS BASED ON INTERVIEWS WITH TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROFESSIONALS, INVESTORS, CORPORATE RESEARCHERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. INSIGHTS GAINED FROM THESE ENGAGEMENTS GUIDE ITERATIVE REFINEMENTS TO ALGORITHMS, DATA PIPELINES, AND USER EXPERIENCES, ENSURING THAT THE PLATFORM REMAINS ACCURATE, TRANSPARENT, AND STRAIGHTFORWARD TO ADOPT. METRICS SUCH AS SEARCH ACCURACY, MATCH QUALITY, AND TIME TO FIRST CONTACT INFORM TECHNICAL MILESTONES, WHILE MARKET FEEDBACK INFORMS BUSINESS VIABILITY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

RENAL DISEASE IN MINORITY POPULATIONS AND DEVELOPING NATIONS CONFERENCE GRANT

DIGITAL MAPPAEMUNDI: A RESOURCE FOR THE STUDY OF MEDIEVAL MAPS AND GEOGRAPHIC TEXTS

NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: MAPPING THE SOLIDARITY ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES

PREVENTION OF HIV IN THE BELIZEAN MILITARY

RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PROGRAM PART C EIS COVID-19 RESPONSE

NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MODIFICATION IS TO EXTEND THE PERIOD OF THE AGREEMENT BY 3 MONTHS AND REALIGN THE AGREEMENT BUDGET.

CAREER: RIBOSWITCH-BASED WHOLE-CELL BIOSENSORS TO DETECT SMALL ORGANIC MOLECULES: A COMBINED EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH PLAN

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS

RESIDENCY TRAINING IN PRIMARY CARE

ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION GRANTS