Saint Josephs University

SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY - HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND-INSTITUTION

SJU CARES ACT: HIGHER EDUCATION RELIEF FUND

THE BRIDGE TO POSSIBILITIES - PREPARING TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH FOR A FUTURE OF INDEPENDENCE

TAS::89 0321::TAS ST. JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY

PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL NOYCE PARTNERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

MENTORING, RESEARCH, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY TO INCREASE UNDERGRADUATE RETENTION AND GRADUATION IN STEM

CONTROL OF CELL POLARITY AND MIGRATION BY NON-CENTROSOMAL MICROTUBULES

TRACK 2: GK-12. GEOKIDS LINKS IN PHILADELPHIA: CONTINUING A UNIVERSITY, MUSEUM, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COLLABORATION IN SCIENCE

ST. JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY SCIENCE CENTER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

CAREER: NEUROPEPTIDERGIC AND CAMP-MEDIATED REGULATION OF STRESS-INDUCED SLEEP IN C. ELEGANS

ENHANCING THE 5 YR MATH AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT SJU

BRIDGE EXPANSION PROGRAM

OPTIMIZATION OF AMINOLEVULINIC ACID-PROTOPORPHYRIN IX FOR FLUORESCENCE-GUIDED TUMOR RESECTION AND TREATMENT - THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF OUR RESEARCH IS TO DETERMINE TUMOR PHENOTYPIC AND GENOTYPIC CHARACTERISTICS THAT REDUCE TUMOR PROTOPORPHYRIN IX FLUORESCENCE AND DESIGN MECHANISM-BASED APPROACHES TO OVERCOME THESE LIMITING FACTORS – THIS FIRST RENEWAL BUILDS ON PROGRESS MADE IN OUR INITIAL FUNDING PERIOD. SURGERY IS THE MOST COMMON TREATMENT FOR ALL TYPES OF SOLID TUMORS. A SUCCESSFUL CANCER SURGERY IS TO COMPLETELY REMOVE TUMOR TISSUES AND MAXIMALLY PRESERVE NORMAL STRUCTURES. TO IMPROVE CANCER SURGERY ACCURACY AND PRECISION, FLUORESCENT MOLECULAR PROBES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND ARE BEING INCREASINGLY USED IN THE ONCOLOGICAL SURGERY. FLUORESCENCE FROM INTRAOPERATIVE MOLECULAR PROBES ENABLES SURGEONS TO VISUALIZE TUMOR TISSUES IN REAL TIME AND PERFORM FLUORESCENCE-GUIDED RESECTION (FGR). IT HAS BEEN WELL DEMONSTRATED THAT FGR LEADS TO MORE COMPLETE TUMOR RESECTION AND BETTER SURGICAL OUTCOMES THAN CONVENTIONAL SURGERY UNDER WHITE LIGHT. AMINOLEVULINIC ACID (ALA) IS ONE OF A FEW FDA-APPROVED INTRAOPERATIVE FLUORESCENT PROBES AND THE ONLY MOLECULAR PROBE BASED ON THE METABOLIC ALTERATIONS IN TUMOR CELLS. ALA HAS NO FLUORESCENCE ON ITS OWN AND NEEDS TO BE METABOLIZED IN THE HEME BIOSYNTHESIS PATHWAY IN TUMOR CELLS TO PRODUCE A FLUORESCENT AND PHOTOSENSITIZING METABOLITE PROTOPORPHYRIN IX (PPIX), WHICH ENABLES TUMOR FLUORESCENCE IMAGING AND PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY (PDT). ALTHOUGH ALA-PPIX HAS BEEN CLINICALLY USED FOR TUMOR FGR, ITS APPLICATIONS ARE LIMITED BY LOW TUMOR PPIX FLUORESCENCE, HIGH TUMOR FLUORESCENCE HETEROGENEITY, AND LOW TUMOR-TO-NORMAL TISSUE FLUORESCENCE CONTRAST. STUDIES IN THE INITIAL FUNDING PERIOD OF THIS AWARD HAVE LED TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF ABCG2 TRANSPORTER ACTIVITY AS A CRITICAL FACTOR IN REDUCING TUMOR PPIX FLUORESCENCE. IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED CLINICALLY USED AGENTS TO SUPPRESS ABCG2 ACTIVITY TO ENHANCE TUMOR PPIX FLUORESCENCE. IN THIS RENEWAL, WE WILL USE AN FDA-APPROVED DRUG LAPATINIB (LAP), THE MOST POTENT ONE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF TUMOR PPIX FLUORESCENCE, AND HYPOTHESIZE THAT LAPATINIB IMPROVES THE USE OF ALA FOR FGR AND PDT OF GLIOMAS. WE CHOSE TO STUDY THIS ENHANCEMENT STRATEGY IN GLIOMAS BECAUSE ALA IS NOW PRIMARILY USED FOR GUIDING THE RESECTION OF GLIOMAS AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, ABCG2 EXPRESSION ELEVATION IS A COMMON FEATURE IN HUMAN GLIOMAS. TO THIS END, WE WILL EVALUATE LAP IN COMBINATION WITH ALA FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF PPIX FLUORESCENCE AND PDT RESPONSE IN HUMAN GLIOMA CELL LINES WITH DIFFERENT GENOTYPE AND PHENOTYPE (AIM 1) AND GLIOMA TUMOR MODELS (AIM 2). THROUGH THIS RESEARCH, WE HOPE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT LAP IN COMBINATION WITH ALA ENHANCES TUMOR PPIX FLUORESCENCE AND PDT RESPONSE. THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS RESEARCH WILL LEAD TO AN OPTIMIZED USE OF ALA FOR FGR AND PDT TREATMENT OF GLIOMAS.

IS THERE A COMMON ALLOSTERIC BINDING SITE FOR ALL GPCRS?

GRANT TO REDUCE SEXUAL ASSAULT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DATING VIOLENCE AND STALKING ON CAMPUS PROGRAM

CAPER, A NEW REGULATOR OF DNA DAMAGE AND REPAIR IN TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER - ABSTRACT TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER (TNBC) HAS THE POOREST CLINICAL OUTCOME AMONGST ALL BREAST CANCER SUBTYPES. TNBC LACKS THE EXPRESSION OF THE THREE MAJOR RECEPTORS FOUND IN OTHER SUBTYPES (ESTROGEN RECEPTOR [ER], PROGESTERONE RECEPTOR, AND/OR HORMONE EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR-2) MAKING THIS CANCER PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING WITH REGARDS TO TREATMENT MODALITIES. NOVEL TARGETED TREATMENTS THAT COULD KILL TNBC CELLS OR SENSITIZE THEM TO CHEMO- AND RADIATION THERAPIES ARE HIGHLY COVETED TO INCREASE SURVIVAL OF THESE PATIENTS. DUE TO ITS FAST PROLIFERATIVE RATE, TNBC RELIES HEAVILY ON DNA REPAIR MECHANISMS FOR ITS SURVIVAL AND PROTEINS INVOLVED IN THIS IMPORTANT CHECKPOINT ARE ATTRACTIVE TARGETS FOR CANCER TREATMENT. CAPER (RBM39) PROTEIN WAS RECENTLY SHOWN TO BE OVEREXPRESSED IN BREAST CANCER SPECIMENS COMPARED TO NORMAL BREAST TISSUES. WHILE CAPER KNOCKDOWN INHIBITS BREAST CANCER CELL GROWTH, ITS ROLE ON DNA DAMAGE AND REPAIR MECHANISMS IN BREAST CANCER AND ITS ROLE IN TNBC PROGRESSION AND RESPONSE TO CHEMO- AND RADIATION THERAPIES REMAIN COMPLETELY UNEXPLORED. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA DEMONSTRATE THAT KNOCKDOWN OF CAPER EXPRESSION IN TNBC CELLS INCREASES DNA DAMAGE AS REFLECTED BY INCREASED PHOSPHORYLATION OF H2AX AND ATM. THE DECREASED TOTAL CELL NUMBER AND INCREASED CASPASE-3/7 CLEAVAGE OBSERVED FOLLOWING CAPER KNOCKDOWN IN MDA-MB-231 AND BT549 TNBC CELLS IS SUGGESTIVE OF INSURMOUNTABLE DNA DAMAGE LEADING TO PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH (APOPTOSIS). THE EFFECT OF CAPER KNOCKDOWN ON DNA DAMAGE IN TNBC CELLS WAS CELL CYCLE-INDEPENDENT AND SELECTIVE TO CANCER CELLS, AS NON- TUMORIGENIC CELLS LACK THE EXPRESSION OF CAPER AND REMAIN UNAFFECTED FOLLOWING DELIVERY OF LENTIVIRAL CAPER SHRNAS. OUR PRELIMINARY RESULTS ALSO REVEALED THAT DNA REPAIR PROTEINS RAD-51, C-ALB AND RB WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DOWNREGULATED IN TNBC FOLLOWING CAPER KNOCKDOWN. WE POSIT THAT CAPER OVEREXPRESSION IN TNBC PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROTECTION AGAINST DNA DAMAGE BY OPTIMIZING DNA REPAIR PATHWAYS. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL BUILDS ON OUR PREVIOUS WORK AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND AIMS TO DELINEATE THE ROLES OF CAPER IN BASAL DNA DAMAGE/REPAIR PATHWAYS AND TO DETERMINE ITS CLINICAL RELEVANCE IN TNBC GROWTH USING BOTH IMMUNOCOMPROMISED (XENOGRAFT) AND IMMUNOCOMPETENT (SYNGENEIC) ORTHOTOPIC MOUSE MODELS (AIM 1). IMPORTANTLY, WE WILL ALSO USE THESE TNBC CELLS AND MOUSE MODELS TO TEST THE UNEXPLORED ROLE OF CAPER IN THE RESPONSE TO DNA DAMAGING CHEMO- AND RADIATION THERAPIES IN BOTH IN VITRO AND IN VIVO SETTINGS (AIM 2). THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WILL VALIDATE THE ROLE OF CAPER AS AN IMPORTANT SIGNALING MOLECULE IN THE PROGRESSION OF TNBC AS WELL AS RESPONSE TO DNA DAMAGE USING CLINICALLY RELEVANT MODELS THAT ALSO INCORPORATE IMMUNE SURVEILLANCE AND WILL BE INSIGHTFUL IN THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF TARGETED THERAPIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF TNBC.

MECHANISTIC STUDIES ON THE ROLE OF GABA TYPE A ION CHANNEL (GABAA) RECEPTORS IN TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER - ABSTRACT TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER (TNBC) IS AGGRESSIVE, METASTASIZES QUICKLY AND HAS A POOR CLINICAL OUTCOME, HIGHLIGHTING THE URGENT NEED FOR TARGETED TREATMENTS BEYOND TRADITIONAL CHEMOTHERAPY. AN IDEAL DRUGGABLE TARGET FOR TNBC WOULD BE AT THE MEMBRANE, ALLOWING SELECTIVE TARGETING WITH A SMALL MOLECULE OR ANTIBODY. EMERGING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT Γ-AMINO BUTYRIC ACID (GABA), A MAJOR INHIBITORY NEUROTRANSMITTER PLAYS A TUMOR-SUPPORTING ROLE IN SOME SOLID CANCERS. GABA SIGNALS VIA MEMBRANE BOUND GABA TYPE A ION CHANNELS (GABAAR) AND GABAB G-PROTEIN COUPLED RECEPTORS. THE ROLE(S) OF GABAAR SIGNALING IN TNBC REMAINS UNCLEAR AND THIS MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROPOSAL AIMS TO DECIPHER THESE ROLES. OUR PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOW THAT GABAAR, WHICH ARE PERMEABLE TO CHLORIDE (CL-) IONS, ARE SIGNIFICANTLY UPREGULATED IN SEVERAL HUMAN TNBC CELL LINES. GABA IS ALSO PRODUCED BY THESE CELLS. CL- FLUX ALTERATIONS MAY BE CRITICAL FOR TNBC GROWTH, SINCE INTRACELLULAR CL- ION LEVELS ALTER CELL DIVISION IN OTHER CANCERS. MOREOVER, WE OBSERVE MORPHOLOGY CHANGES AND DECREASE IN ACTIN STRESS FIBERS AFTER GABAA Β3 SUBUNIT KNOCKDOWN, IMPLICATING THE INVOLVEMENT OF CYTOSKELETAL PROTEINS, WHICH SUPPORT CELL ADHESION AND MIGRATION. OUR TWO-PRONGED STRATEGY IS TO DISSECT THE INVOLVEMENT OF GABAAR MEDIATED CL- FLUX AND/OR CYTOSKELETAL ARCHITECTURE CHANGES IN TNBC PROGRESSION. OUR PRELIMINARY STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT GABAAR INHIBITION DECREASES TNBC MIGRATION IN VITRO AND CAUSES CELL-CYCLE ARREST. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT KNOCKING DOWN/BLOCKING GABAAR IN TNBC CELL LINES WILL DECREASE THEIR PROLIFERATION, MIGRATION AND INVASION VIA A DECREASE IN CL- ION INFLUX AND/OR DISRUPTION OF CYTOSKELETAL ARCHITECTURE. WE PROPOSE A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE PI’S GROUP (SPECIALIZING IN GABAAR SIGNALING), AND CO-I’S GROUP (EXPERTISE IN CANCER SIGNALING). SPECIFICALLY, AIM1 WILL DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF GABAAR INHIBITION (GENETIC AND PHARMACOLOGICAL) AND OVEREXPRESSION IN VIVO IN MOUSE ORTHOTOPIC MODELS. AIM 2 WILL DETERMINE THE MECHANISMS OF GABAAR INHIBITION (IN TNBC CELLS) AND OVEREXPRESSION (IN MCF10AS). AIM2A WILL USE AN AUTOMATED BENCHTOP PATCH CLAMP ASSAY TO MEASURE CL- ION INFLUX IN TNBC CELLS AFTER GABAAR KNOCKDOWN AND INHIBITION. AIM2B WILL EXAMINE ACTIN STRESS FIBER ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOY RNA SEQUENCING IN GABAAR KNOCKDOWN CELLS TO IDENTIFY IMPORTANT EMT MARKERS. TO TEASE OUT THE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF GABAAR MEDIATED CL- FLUX AND ACTIN CYTOSKELETAL CHANGES IN TNBC GROWTH, WE WILL OVEREXPRESS LOSS-OF-FUNCTION GABAA Β3 SUBUNIT MUTANTS IN MCF10A CELLS AND EXAMINE THE EFFECT ON ACTIN STRESS FIBER ORGANIZATION. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL NOT ONLY ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF GABAAR IN TNBC GROWTH AND METASTASIS, BUT WILL ALSO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN HANDS-ON RESEARCH IN BOTH NEUROSCIENCE AND CANCER LABS.

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE FOR RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN BIOLOGY AND PHYSICS AT SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY

THE GRANTS TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING ON CAMPUS PROGRAM (CAMPUS PROGRAM) IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. 20125. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING ON CAMPUSES. THESE COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO ENHANCE VICTIM SERVICES (INCLUDING LEGAL SERVICES), IMPLEMENT PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN SECURITY AND INVESTIGATION STRATEGIES TO PREVENT, PROSECUTE, AND RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING. THE CAMPUS PROGRAM SUPPORTS ACTIVITIES THAT DEVELOP CAMPUS-BASED COORDINATED RESPONSES AMONG CAMPUS VICTIM SERVICES, CAMPUS LAW ENFORCEMENT, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, HOUSING OFFICIALS, ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENT LEADERS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND DISCIPLINARY BOARDS, AND ENHANCE VICTIM SAFETY AND ASSISTANCE AND HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE. TO BE EFFECTIVE, THESE RESPONSES MUST BE LINKED TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, PROSECUTORS OFFICES, COURTS, AND NONPROFIT, NONGOVERNMENTAL VICTIM ADVOCACY AND VICTIM SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS. SAINT JOSEPHS UNIVERSITY IS A PRIVATE, FAITH-BASED INSTITUTION LOCATED IN PHILADELPHIA, PA. WITH THIS CONTINUATION AWARD, SAINT JOSEPHS UNIVERSITY (SJU), IN COLLABORATION WITH THE VICTIM SERVICES CENTER OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INC (VSC), THE PHILADELPHIA SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE CENTER (PSARC), LAUREL HOUSE, AND THE LOWER MERION POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO MEET THE STATUTORY AND PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS. IN ADDITION, THE PROJECT WILL: 1) CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS VSC, PSARC, AND LAUREL HOUSE TO PROVIDE VICTIM SERVICES TO STUDENTS THROUGH ON CAMPUS OFFICE HOURS, VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS, AND OFF-CAMPUS MEETINGS; 2) ELEVATE THE SEXUAL ASSAULT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, AND STALKING RESPONSES; 3)ENHANCE AWARENESS AND SUSTAIN EFFORTS BY LEADERSHIP'S COMMITMENT TODEVELOPPREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND STUDENT SERVICES AND PRIORITIZE HOLISTIC WELLNESS PROGRAMMING; AND 4) EXPAND SERVICES FOR LGBTQIA+ STUDENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IMOU PARTNERS, SJU PRIDE, AND THE SJU ALLIANCE.

EXPLORING THE MECHANISMS OF STRESS RESPONSES IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS -SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL FOR MAINTAINING NORMAL PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS. HOWEVER, SLEEP PREVENTS BEHAVIORS SUCH AS FORAGING, REPRODUCTION, AND AVOIDANCE OF IMPENDING THREATS, THAT ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL FOR SURVIVAL. THUS, ANIMALS MUST TIGHTLY CONTROL TRANSITIONS BETWEEN SLEEP AND AROUSAL. HOW THESE TRANSITIONS ARE REGULATED IS NOT CLEAR. IN THIS PROJECT, THE MODEL ORGANISM CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS, A SMALL NEMATODE, WILL BE LEVERAGED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THREAT DETECTION AND AVOIDANCE, AND THE SLEEP NEEDED TO RECOVER FROM THESE THREATS ARE REGULATED AT THE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LEVEL. TO DO THIS, THE STRESS RESPONSE OF C. ELEGANS WILL BE CLOSELY EXAMINED AT THE CELLULAR AND GENETIC LEVEL, USING TOOLS THAT ALLOW FOR PRECISE MANIPULATION OF THE CIRCUITRY UNDERLYING STRESS INDUCED BEHAVIORS. AS THE NEUROCHEMISTRY OF THE C. ELEGANS NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND THE GENETICS OF SLEEP ARE CONSERVED, THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO STRESS RESPONSES IN MORE COMPLEX ANIMALS, LIKE MAMMALS. THIS RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED PRIMARILY BY UNDERGRADUATES AND MASTER-LEVEL STUDENTS, WHICH WILL HELP PREPARE THEM FOR CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE. THESE STUDENTS WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SCIENCE OUTREACH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAMUEL GOMPERS SCHOOL, A K-8 PUBLIC SCHOOL. THROUGH THIS OUTREACH, STUDENTS WILL SHARE THE PROCESS AND RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT WITH GRADE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING SAINT JOSEPH?S. STRUCTURED, LONG-TERM MENTORING NETWORKS WILL BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN SJU UNDERGRADUATES AND STUDENTS FROM THE SAMUEL GOMPERS SCHOOL TO HELP PROMOTE THE SUCCESS OF BOTH POPULATIONS AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR CAREERS. TO GAIN NEW INSIGHT INTO THE STRESS RESPONSE OF ANIMALS, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO CHARACTERIZE NEW MECHANISMS CONTROLLING AVOIDANCE AND RECOVERY SLEEP. TO DO THIS, A RELATIVELY SIMPLE, 13-CELLED NEURAL CIRCUIT IN C. ELEGANS, THAT UNDERLIES THESE BEHAVIORS, WILL BE INTERROGATED. USING A BIPARTITE EXPRESSION SYSTEM, EACH OF THE 13 CELLS WILL BE INDIVIDUALLY INHIBITED USING HISTAMINE-GATED CHLORIDE CHANNELS, OR ACTIVATED USING CHANNEL RHODOPSIN. DURING THESE MANIPULATIONS, THREAT AVOIDANCE, SLEEP, AND AROUSAL WILL BE MEASURED. NEXT, A COLLECTION OF SIGNALING MOLECULES IDENTIFIED BY THE NELSON LAB AND KNOWN TO REGULATE STRESS BEHAVIORS, WILL BE EXPRESSED IN EACH CELL INDIVIDUALLY TO DETERMINE THE PRECISE SITES OF ACTION. TO IDENTIFY NOVEL PATHWAYS, MUTANTS FOR ALL G-PROTEIN COUPLED RECEPTORS EXPRESSED IN THESE CELLS WILL BE ANALYZED DURING THE STRESS RESPONSE. 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.

AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR ATTRACTING STUDENTS TO COMPUTING: A COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL

MARKETING VITAMIN D MUSHROOMS: A CASE STUDY OF NUTRITION MARKETING FOR SPECIALTY CROPS

DISSECTING THE CAMP-MEDIATED CIRCUITRY OF STRESS-INDUCED SLEEP IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

INTERGOVERNMENTAL MOBILITY ASSIGNMENT

RUI: THE STUDY OF MOLECULAR MOTION IN SIMPLE GLASS FORMING LIQUIDS

INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL INTERACTION, TEACHER IDENTITY, AND COMMITMENT TO TEACHING IN HIGH-NEED URBAN SCHOOLS

STRENGTHENING THE HUMANITIES CORE AND SUPPORTING CONTINGENT FACULTY DURING COVID-19

RUI: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF A MODIFIED PHOSPHOTRANSFERASE SYSTEM AND A UNIQUE TWO COMPONENT SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION SYSTEM IN REGULATING GENE EXPRESSION

RUI: VIBRATIONAL PROPERTIES OF DENSE COLLOIDAL SUSPENSIONS WITH SHORT-RANGE ATTRACTIVE POTENTIAL

PHILLY YOUTH SOLUTIONS: BUILDING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN VIOLENCE REDUCTION

THE NEO-BABYLONIAN TRIAL PROCEDURE

PURPOSE: SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE IS CRITICAL, AS DEMONSTRATED BY WIDESPREAD COVID-19 SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A METHODOLOGY BASED ON CPS FRAMEWORK TO CHARACTERIZE THE SUPPLY CHAIN, IDENTIFY SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND SUGGEST SYSTEM REPAIRS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE APPLICANTS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP A PRECISELY-DEFINED SUPPLY CHAIN FRAMEWORK BASED ON THE CPS FRAMEWORK TO IDENTIFY ISSUES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS. THEY ALSO PLAN TO DEVELOP A FOCUSED DATASET BASED ON DATA FROM THE OBSERVATORY OF ECONOMIC COMPLEXITY AND DEVELOP A COMPLETE REASONING AGENT FOR SUPPORTING INFORMED DECISION-MAKING FOR THE SUPPLY CHAIN. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO RESULT IN A PROTOTYPE DEMONSTRATING THE APPLICATION OF THE FRAMEWORK VIA SYNTHETIC BUT REALISTIC USE CASES.EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO LAY THE FOUNDATION OF THE FRAMEWORK FOR A CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN, WHICH INCLUDES IDENTIFY ISSUES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN AS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A DEMAND SURGE OR OPERATING CONDITION CHANGE AND DETERMINE THE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM.? EVENTUALLY, THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK WILL PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR REASONING TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND BUILD ASSURANCE CASES FOR WORKAROUNDS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: MANUFACTURERS, BUSINESSES, AND CONSUMERS WILL BENEFIT FROM DEVELOPING MORE RESILIENT AND EFFECTIVE SUPPLY CHAINS. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT PLANS TO SUB-AWARD FUNDS VIA SUBCONTRACTS FOR CONSULTING/ANALYSIS ON THE DATA ASPECTS OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN. THE SUBCONTRACTOR WILL ANALYZE INTERNATIONAL TRADE DATA AND BUILD ABSTRACTION LAYERS FOR UNIFORM DATA ACCESS TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN INFORMATION.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: INTEGRATED MOMENT-BASED DESCRIPTORS AND DEEP NEURAL NETWORK FOR SCREENING THREE-DIMENSIONAL BIOLOGICAL DATA -THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) IMAGING IS ESSENTIAL FOR UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AS IT PROVIDES INDISPENSABLE INFORMATION ABOUT ORGANS, TISSUES, AND MOLECULES THAT CANNOT BE CAPTURED USING TWO DIMENSIONS. WHILE CONTEMPORARY IMAGING METHODS PRODUCE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF IMAGE DATA, TOOLS FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE ANALYSIS OF SUCH VOLUMETRIC DATA SETS REMAIN TO BE DEVELOPED. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO PROVIDE A GENERAL FOUNDATION FOR ANALYZING VOLUMETRIC IMAGES OBTAINED USING MULTIPLE IMAGING MODALITIES AND FOR VARIOUS DATA TYPES. THE RESEARCH AIMS TO CONTRIBUTE TO PROGRESS IN MANY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DOMAINS IN WHICH IMAGE ANALYSIS IS CRUCIAL AND OF SIGNIFICANT SOCIETAL IMPACT. THE PRIMARY APPLICATION WILL BE TO BIOLOGICAL MOLECULAR RECOGNITION AND CLASSIFICATION. THE METHODS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO APPLY TO OTHER BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL 3D DATA RETRIEVAL AS WELL AS OTHER TYPES OF 3D DATA IN OTHER DISCIPLINES, SUCH AS HUMAN FACE RECOGNITION, GEOGRAPHICAL AND CLIMATE DATA, AND COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN. THE PROJECT WILL LEVERAGE EFFORTS IN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY COMPUTATIONAL LIFE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY AND SAINT JOSEPH?S UNIVERSITY BY RECRUITING AND TRAINING STUDENTS THROUGH MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURSEWORK AND DIRECT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PROJECT. THE TWO INSTITUTIONS WILL FOSTER STUDENT AND FACULTY PARTICIPATION IN THIS RESEARCH BY ORGANIZING A JOINT MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY CONFERENCE AND A SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FEST. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP AND INTEGRATE TWO COMPLEMENTARY AND SYNERGISTIC METHODS: THE FIRST IS TO EXTEND MATHEMATICAL MOMENTS TO ENCOMPASS FRACTIONAL-ORDER MOMENT DESCRIPTORS AND HENCE PROVIDE A MORE ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF 3D IMAGES. THE SECOND IS TO INTEGRATE THE NEW MOMENT-BASED APPROACH INTO A DEEP NEURAL NETWORK TO ACHIEVE HIGH ACCURACY AND EFFICIENCY IN CLASSIFYING 3D DATA. FINALLY, THE TECHNIQUES WILL BE COMBINED TO IMPLEMENT A ONE-STOP BIOMOLECULAR 3D IMAGE WEB SERVER, WHICH WILL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND USED FOR SCREENING PROTEIN LIGAND-BINDING POCKETS, FUNCTIONAL SITES, AND DRUG MOLECULE SEARCH. PROTEIN STRUCTURES WILL BE REPRESENTED WITH VOXEL GRIDS, MAPPING VALUES ONTO 3D GRID POINTS. BECAUSE VOXELIZATION IS HIGHLY PREVALENT IN 3D IMAGING, THE NEW METHODS ARE EXPECTED TO APPLY TO DATA FROM OTHER IMAGING DISCIPLINES, SUCH AS RADIOLOGY (X-RAY, MRI, CT) AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. THE NEW TECHNIQUES FOR INTEGRATING MOMENT-BASED APPROACHES AND DEEP LEARNING FOR 3D DATA RECOGNITION ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY INFLUENCE THE MACHINE LEARNING DOMAIN. 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.

EXPLORING RNA-PROCESSING PROTEINS AT THE TELOMERE

A STUDY OF HYBRID DISCRETE-CONTINUOUS-PROBABILISTIC MODELING TECHNIQUES FOR TRUSTWORTHINESS IN CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS

TOWARDS EXPLAINABLE BEHAVIOR OF "BLACK-BOX" AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SCIENCES PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT MAT TRAINING INTEGRATION PROGRAM - ABSTRACT: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SCIENCES (USCI) PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (PA) MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT) TRAINING INTEGRATION PROGRAM (USCI-MAT) WILL PROVIDE PA STUDENTS WITH THE NECESSARY TRAINING TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE MAT, INCLUDING BUPRENORPHINE, TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) AND OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD) PATIENTS WITHIN DIVERSE CLINICAL SETTINGS. MAT FOR OUD INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF THREE MAIN MEDICATIONS: METHADONE, BUPRENORPHINE, AND NALOXONE. IT IS A KEY INTERVENTION KNOWN TO HELP PATIENTS WITH OUD, BUT PROVIDERS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND A DATA-WAIVER TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN MEDICATIONS FOR OUD TREATMENT (I.E., DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT ACT OF 2000). THE PURPOSE OF THE USCI-MAT PROGRAM IS TO FULLY INTEGRATE THE COMPLETE 24-HOUR AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ADDICTION PSYCHIATRY (AAAP) DATA 2000 WAIVER TRAINING PROGRAM AS WELL AS SCREENING, BRIEF INTERVENTION, AND REFERRAL TO TREATMENT (SBIRT) TRAINING INTO THE CORE CURRICULUM OF THE USCI PA PROGRAM. A COMBINATION OF SELF-STUDY, IN-CLASS FACILITATED DISCUSSION, AND CLINICAL PLACEMENT APPROACHES WILL BE EMPLOYED TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS ARE PREPARED TO TREAT PATIENTS WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD) UPON GRADUATION FROM USCI. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED TO PROVIDE MAT. THIS PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED USING A HIGHLY DETAILED STRATEGIC INTEGRATION PLAN DEVELOPED BY A PROGRAM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND AIMS TO TRAIN 119 PA STUDENTS OVER THE THREE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD (I.E., APPROXIMATELY 40 STUDENTS EACH YEAR). A COMBINATION OF SURVEYS, TRAINEE TRACKING SHEETS, PROFICIENCY CHECKLISTS, AND QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WILL BE USED TO COLLECT DATA THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM. THE COLLECTED DATA WILL BE USED TO ENSURE ALL TRAINING GOALS AND REQUIREMENTS ARE ACHIEVED, FOR EVALUATING PA STUDENT PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES AND SATISFACTION TOWARDS THE PROGRAM, AND TO EVALUATE IMPLEMENTATION OF MAT SERVICES WITHIN CLINICAL PRACTICE SETTINGS POST-GRADUATION FROM THE USCI PA PROGRAM. IN 2019, PENNSYLVANIA HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF AGE-ADJUSTED DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE NATION, WITH 35.6 DEATHS PER 100,000 POPULATION AND 4,377 TOTAL DEATHS REPORTED THAT YEAR. ACCORDING TO THE 2018-2019 NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH, ONLY 6.3% OF INDIVIDUALS IN PENNSYLVANIA NEEDING SUD TREATMENT RECEIVED IT, AND WHILE THERE ARE 168,450 MAT TREATMENT SLOTS IN PENNSYLVANIA, 20 OF 67 COUNTIES WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA LACK MAT PROVIDERS (DATA-WAIVERED) WITHIN THEIR BORDERS. ALTHOUGH PAS WORK ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT CLINICAL PRACTICE SETTINGS AND ARE IN AN OPPORTUNE POSITION TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE WITH THEIR PATIENTS, MANY DO NOT HOLD A DATA-WAIVER TO PRESCRIBE THESE MEDICATIONS FOR OUD. REASONS FOR NOT OBTAINING THE WAIVER INCLUDE A LACK OF TRAINING, A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE OUD, A LACK OF AVAILABLE MENTAL HEALTH OR PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES, AND TIME CONSTRAINTS. TRAINING PAS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM WILL LEAD TO AN INCREASED CAPACITY TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS IN PHILADELPHIA AND SURROUNDING AREAS HIT HARD BY THE OPIOID CRISIS.

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN AUTOMATED FLUORESCENT MICROSCOPE AND IMAGING SYSTEM FOR UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING

TRANSFORMING FOOD MARKETING EDUCATION: MODULES TO INTEGRATE SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH TRAINING ACROSS UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULA

ACHIEVING RESILIENCE IN SUPPLY CHAIN VIA COMPOSITION OF TRUST

COLLABORATIVE RUI: QUADRILATERAL SURFACE MESHES WITH PROVABLE QUALITY GUARANTEES

FIE EARMARK GRANT AWARDS

FIE EARMARK GRANT AWARDS

NONNEGATIVE CURVATURE ON LIE GROUPS AND BUNDLES

A THEORETICAL REPRESENTATION AND REASONING FRAMEWORK FOR THE INTEGRATED MODELING OF TRUSTWORTHINESS IN CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS.

SDVETP-2025 SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY

SDVETP-2024 SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY

SDVETP-2023 SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY

FY22 SDVETP-2022 SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY

FY 16 SDVETP

COCHRAN FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WITH UKRAINE ON CONVENIENCE STOREFORMAT AND MANAGEMENT

SDVETP ST. JOSEPH'S UNIV. FY 19 GRANT

THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION'S SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING PROGRAM (SDVETP) IS A VITAL COMPONENT OF THE AGENCY'S EFFORTS TO ASSIST VETERAN, SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS AND RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS WHO INTEND TO START A NEW BUSINESS OR EXPAND/DIVERSITY EXISTING SMALL BUSINESSES. THE PASSAGE OF PL 105-135 AND PL-106-50 STRENGTHENED THE RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE ENTREPRENEUR

FY 2018 SDVETP OPTION YEAR AWARD

SDVETP 2017 OPTION YEAR

GENERAL PRESERVATION ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING [THE FRANCES M. MAGUIRE ART MUSEUM (MAGUIRE ART MUSEUM) AT SAINT JOSEPH?S UNIVERSITY (SJU), HOUSED IN THE FORMER HOME OF THE BARNES FOUNDATION, IS A NEW, 21ST-CENTURY MUSEUM IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA WITH A HIGH-CALIBER GLOBAL ART COLLECTION SPANNING 3,000 YEARS. THE MAGUIRE ART MUSEUM IS REQUESTING $10,000 FROM THE NEH FOR PRESERVATION ASSESSMENT, TRAINING, AND EQUIPMENT. THE PROJECT WILL ENTAIL THE FOLLOWING: A GENERAL PRESERVATION ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED BY THE CONSERVATION CENTER FOR ART AND HISTORIC ARTIFACTS (CCAHA), LOCATED IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; 3 WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED BY STAFF AT CCAHA ON PRESERVATION BASICS, PROCESSING ARTWORKS, AND SHORT-TERM PACKING AND HANDLING TECHNIQUES FOR FLAT AND 3-D ARTWORKS; AND THE PURCHASE OF DATALOGGERS.]

TRAVEL: RI: SMALL: STUDENT TRAVEL GRANT FOR 20TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PRINCIPLES OF KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION AND REASONING AND DOCTORAL CONSORTIUM -THIS GRANT SUPPORTS STUDENT FOR SELECT STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE 20TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PRINCIPLES OF KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION AND REASONING (KRR) AND DOCTORAL CONSORTIUM (DC) THAT WILL BE HELD IN RHODES, GREECE SEPTEMBER 2--8, 2023. THIS IS A WELL-ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE THAT FACILITATES INTERACTIONS BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS INTERESTED IN THE AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION AND REASONING. THIS ACTIVITY WILL BRING TOGETHER A BROAD COMMUNITY OF RESEARCHERS IN THE FIELD AND SUPPORT JUNIOR RESEARCHERS AT THIS CRITICAL EARLY-CAREER STAGE. THE DC CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN PARTICIPANTS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE ATTENDED AN AI CONFERENCE DUE TO LACK OF RESOURCES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR THOSE AT SMALLER INSTITUTIONS AND THOSE WHICH HAVE LESS DEVELOPED AI PROGRAMS. ENGAGING SUCH PARTICIPANTS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DRAW MORE TALENT INTO AI RESEARCH, IMPROVE RESEARCH IDEAS IN THEIR FORMATIVE STAGE, AND ENGENDER COLLABORATIONS ACROSS THE BREADTH OF DISCIPLINES. THIS EVENT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH INVALUABLE EXPOSURE TO OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES ON THEIR WORK AT A CRITICAL TIME IN THEIR RESEARCH AND ENABLES THEM TO EXPLORE THEIR CAREER OBJECTIVES. 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.

STUDENT TRAVEL GRANT FOR FIFTEENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOGIC PROGRAMMING AND NONMONOTONIC REASONING AND DOCTORAL CONSORTIUM

FY 2012 SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP - BOULDER

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ALICE += JAVA

TRANSFORMING FOOD MARKETING EDUCATION: MODULES TO INTEGRATE SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH TRAINING ACROSS UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULA

SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN ETP GRANT AWARD - SAINT JOSEPH UNIVERSITY

MARKETING VITAMIN D MUSHROOMS: A CASE STUDY OF NUTRITION MARKETING FOR SPECIALTY CROPS

SL - PHARMACY - LOAN GRANT WITH FUNDS FOR NEW BUDGET PERIOD