University Of Georgia Research Foundation Inc

SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY LABORATORY.

SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY LABORATORY

PEANUT RESEARCH INNOVATION LAB (PRIL)

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 13 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, 13 EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 20 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 9 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMPETITIVEPROJECTS,APPROXIMATELY 20 PDP MODEL STATE PROGRAM TRAINING GRANTS AND 14 MODEL STATE PROGRAM-PROGRAM ASSISTANT GRANTS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

REDUCING TRAFFICKING AMONG CHILDREN IN SUB SAHARAN AFRICA

UNDERSTANDING MECHANISMS OF HESC SELF-RENEWAL AND CELL FATE COMMITMENT

BIOPOPLAR: A TUNABLE CHASSIS FOR DIVERSIFIED BIOPRODUCT PRODUCTION

SREL

RESOURCE FOR INTEGRATED GLYCOTECHNOLOGY

NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOMEDICAL GLYCOMICS

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS OF THE BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATIONS OF SORGHUM WITH ARBUSCULAR MYCRORRHIZAL FUNGI STUDIED WITH GENETICS, GENOMICS, IMAGING AND MICROBIOMICS

COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 13 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, 13 EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 20 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 13 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMPETITIVEPROJECTS,APPROXIMATELY 29 PDP MODEL STATE PROGRAM TRAINING GRANTS AND 29 MODEL STATE PROGRAM-PROGRAM ASSISTANT GRANTS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 13 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, 13 EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 20 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 13 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMPETITIVEPROJECTS,APPROXIMATELY 29 PDP MODEL STATE PROGRAM TRAINING GRANTS AND 29 MODEL STATE PROGRAM-PROGRAM ASSISTANT GRANTS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

THE CENTER FOR PLANT AND MICROBIAL COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATE RESEARCH CENTER

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 15 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, 6 EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 15 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 9 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMPETITIVEPROJECTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 20 PDP STATE PLANS/MODEL STATE PROGRAMS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

A TRANSDICIPLINARY CENTER FOCUSED ON RURAL AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES

COMPUTATIONAL AND INFORMATICS RESOURCES AND TOOLS FOR GLYCOSCIENCE RESEARCH

BIOFOUNDRY: GLYCOSCIENCE RESOURCES, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING (BIOF:GREAT) -THE BIOFOUNDRY: GLYCOSCIENCE RESOURCES, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING (BIOF:GREAT) WILL DEVELOP NEW RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGIES, AND INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERIENCES TO ALLOW A BROADER ADOPTION OF GLYCOSCIENCE INTO RESEARCH ENVIRONMENTS AND EDUCATION CURRICULUMS. ALTHOUGH GLYCANS, ALSO REFERRED TO AS COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES, ARE ONE OF THE FOUR CLASSES OF BIOMOLECULES FOUND IN ALL LIVING ORGANISMS, THEY HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY UNDERSTUDIED IN THE LABORATORY AND UNDERTAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM. THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THAT BIOFUEL AND BIOMATERIAL EFFORTS RELY HEAVILY ON GLYCAN BIOMASS FROM PLANTS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF BIOLOGICS IN MEDICINE ARE GLYCOPROTEINS, AND GLYCANS ARE FOUND ON CELL SURFACES OF ALL LIVING CELLS WHERE THEY CONTRIBUTE TO CELL INTERACTIONS AND DIVERSE BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS. UNLIKE DNA/RNA AND PROTEINS, GLYCANS ARE RARELY LINEAR POLYMERS AND ARE NOT GENERATED BY TEMPLATE-BASED PROCESSES. THIS COMPLEXITY HAS MADE THEM DIFFICULT TO STUDY AT THE BENCH AND CHALLENGING TO TEACH IN THE CLASSROOM. BIOF:GREAT WILL LEVERAGE A BROAD RANGE OF EXPERTISE, INCLUDING AI AND MACHINE LEARNING, TO GENERATE RESEARCH TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES, WHILE ALSO DEVELOPING AND DEPLOYING NOVEL INSTRUCTIONAL AND TRAINING STRATEGIES, RESOURCES, RESEARCH MATERIALS, AND AUTOMATED TOOLS IN THE FIELD TO PROPEL GLYCOSCIENCE INTO THE SCIENTIFIC MAINSTREAM AND LEAD TO PARADIGM SHIFTS IN GLYCOSCIENCE EDUCATION. BIOF:GREAT DISCOVERIES AND DELIVERABLES ARE EXPECTED TO LEAD TO COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS IN BIOENERGY, BIOENGINEERING, BIOMATERIALS, AND BIOMEDICINE. THE BIOFOUNDRY: GLYCOSCIENCE RESOURCES, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING (BIOF:GREAT) WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATE RESEARCH CENTER (CCRC) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (UGA), HOME TO ONE OF THE LARGEST COMMUNITIES OF GLYCOBIOLOGISTS IN THE WORLD, COUPLED WITH UGA EXPERTS IN BIOINFORMATICS/MACHINE LEARNING AND PEDAGOGY/EVALUATION. THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL FOCUS ON THREE SYNERGISTIC GOALS: 1) BIOINFORMATIC TOOLS/MACHINE LEARNING/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TO PREDICT AND DEFINE GLYCOENZYMES AND GLYCOPROTEINS, 2) GLYCOENZYME EXPRESSION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND MANIPULATION, AND 3) MASS SPECTROMETRY-FACILITATED ANALYSES OF GLYCAN MODIFICATIONS. THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TEAM WILL FOCUS ON FOUR THEMES THAT WILL GENERATE 1) EXPRESSION LIBRARIES FOR GLYCOENZYMES FROM DIVERSE SPECIES SOURCES, 2) FINE-TUNED PROTEIN LANGUAGE MODELS AND NEW USER-FRIENDLY INFORMATICS TOOLS FOR CLASSIFYING AND PREDICTING GLYCOENZYMES AND SITE-SPECIFIC GLYCOSYLATION OF GLYCOPROTEINS, 3) ENGINEERED GLYCOENZYMES FOR GENERATING NOVEL CHEMICAL BIOLOGY TOOLS, AND 4) SPECIES-AGNOSTIC METHODS FOR THE MASS SPECTROMETRY-BASED ANALYSES OF GLYCOPROTEINS. THE USER FACILITY WILL PROVIDE HANDS-ON TRAINING AND SERVICE USING CUTTING-EDGE COMPUTATIONAL, ENZYMATIC, AND ANALYTICAL GLYCOSCIENCE APPROACHES. COLLABORATION AMONG USER FACILITY, RESEARCH, AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TEAMS WILL LEAD TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO CATALYZE IN-HOUSE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. THE USER FACILITY WILL EQUALLY FOCUS ON EXTERNAL GLYCOBIOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECTS SPANNING THE TREE OF LIFE IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCIENTISTS AT R1 AND NON-R1 SCHOOLS INCLUDING MINORITY-, PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE-, AND EPSCOR-SERVING INSTITUTIONS. THE EDUCATION/INSTRUCTION TEAM WILL ESTABLISH AND EVALUATE A SUITE OF INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING SMALL MODULES FOR EXISTING CHEMISTRY/BIOLOGY COURSES, DEDICATED STAND-ALONE GLYCOSCIENCE COURSES AT THE UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE LEVEL, AND HANDS-ON SUMMER COURSES FOR BEGINNERS AND EXPERTS WITH RIGOROUS ATTENTION TO BEST PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES AND EVALUATION FOR IMPROVEMENT. OUR PLATFORM-SHARING TEAM WILL FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF DELIVERABLES FROM THE BENCH AND THE CLASSROOM TO ACADEMIC, GOVERNMENT, AND COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH COMMUNITIES USING A KNOWLEDGE GRAPH FRAMEWORK CONSISTENT WITH THE PROTOTYPE OPEN KNOWLEDGE NETWORK (PROTO-OKN). BY PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ADVANCED INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCES IN GLYCOSCIENCE, BIOF:GREAT WILL ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY AND EDUCATION IN BIOSCIENCES ACROSS ALL KINGDOMS OF LIFE. 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.

NEUROSCIENCE, IMMUNOLOGY, SOCIAL ADVERSITY AND THE ROOTS OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS: TOWARD A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR DRUG USE ETIOLOGY AND PREVENTION

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 15 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMPETITIVEPROJECTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 20 PDP STATE PLANS/MODEL STATE PROGRAMS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

UGARF SHALL PERFORM THE FOLLOWING 12 PROJECTS (SEE SEQUENTIALLY NUMBERED ATTACHMENTS 1-12) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR SUBMITTED PROPOSAL SCOPES, MILEST

CONTEXTUAL PROCESSES AND RURAL AFRICAN AMERICAN EMERGING ADULTS

RESEARCH RESOURCE FOR INTEGRATED GLYCOTECHNOLOGY

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 15 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMPETITIVEPROJECTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 20 PDP STATE PLANS/MODEL STATE PROGRAMS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

SOUTHERN APPALACHIA ON THE EDGE - EXURBANIZATION & CLIMATE INTERACTION IN THE SOUTHEAST

UGA/SKIO R/V SAVANNAH SHIP OPERATIONS - CY 2018-2022

MAMMALIAN GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASES FOR USE IN CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY

TO REDUCE THE PREVALENCE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH INCREASING THE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND CAPABILITY OF SURVIVORS AND THOSE AT-RISK IN SSA

NOVEL REENGINEERED MICROBIOME-BASED BIOLOGIC THERAPY TO TREAT COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS - ABSTRACT OUR EARLY-STAGE ADDP PROPOSAL AIMS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL GENETICALLY ENGINEERED BACTERIAL BIOLOGIC TO TREAT THE MOST COMMON EARLY SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (AD), INCLUDING COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND OTHER NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. THIS DEBILITATING DISEASE IMPOSES A HUGE EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL BURDEN ON SOCIETY. NO EFFECTIVE DISEASE-MODIFYING AD DRUG EXISTS TO DAMPEN THE ASS AND TAU PROTEINOPATHIES ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASE PROGRESSION. CURRENT FDA-APPROVED CHOLINERGIC AND GLUTAMATERGIC NEUROTHERAPEUTICS ARE VERY MODEST AT BEST IN RESCUING MEMORY IN MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI) AND PRODROMAL OR EARLY STAGES OF AD CASES, AND OFTEN WORSEN ANXIETY, APATHY, DEPRESSION, AGITATION, AND OTHER NEUROBEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS, GI IRRITATIONS, AND EVEN MORTALITY. RECENT BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT AD IS A NEURAL CIRCUIT DISORDER. THE ONSET AND PROGRESSION OF COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS INVOLVE A DEFICIENCY IN MONOAMINE NEUROTRANSMITTER SIGNALING NETWORKS, INCLUDING NOREPINEPHRINE (NE) AND DOPAMINE (DA). THUS, WE PROPOSE THAT RESTORING BRAIN DA/NE INPUTS HOLDS THE EXCELLENT POTENTIAL TO BE AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO ALLEVIATING COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL DEFICITS IN AD AND COULD EVEN DELAY DISEASE ONSET. CURRENTLY, ORAL TABLET DOSING OF L- DOPA/CARBIDOPA 3-4 TIMES/DAY REMAINS THE MOST EFFECTIVE THERAPY AT RESTORING BRAIN DA/NE LEVELS IN HUMANS. HOWEVER, THIS REPEATED CHRONIC PULSATILE DELIVERY CAUSES SEVERE SIDE EFFECTS. THUS, OUR THERAPEUTIC HYPOTHESIS TO ADDRESS THIS UNMET CLINICAL PROBLEM IS THAT SYSTEMIC DELIVERY OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED L-DOPA BACTERIAL LIVE- THERAPEUTICS (LDBL) WILL AVOID LARGE FLUCTUATIONS IN PLASMA L-DOPA AND PROVIDE MORE CONSISTENT DELIVERY OF L- DOPA TO THE BRAIN FOR RESTORING DA/NE TO STABLE LEVELS THAT BETTER RELIEVE AD SYMPTOMS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SIDE EFFECTS. OUR PROOF-OF-CONCEPT DATA SUPPORT THAT 1) THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PROBIOTIC E. COLI NISSLE 1917 STRAINS (ECNL-DOPA) EFFICIENTLY PRODUCE L-DOPA BOTH IN VITRO AND IN VIVO, 2) ORAL DOSING OF ECNL-DOPA READILY COLONIZES THE MOUSE GUT, ACHIEVES A STEADY-STATE PLASMA L-DOPA LEVEL THAT CORRESPONDS TO THE CLINICALLY EFFECTIVE PLASMA LEVEL IN HUMANS, AND INCREASES L-DOPA AND DA/NE LEVELS IN THE BRAIN OF RODENTS AND CANINES, AND 3) ECNL-DOPA TREATMENT LEADS TO IMPROVED NEUROBEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES AND REDUCES ASS LEVELS IN AD ANIMAL MODELS INCLUDING CANINES. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF OUR PATENT-PENDING ADDP STRATEGY IS TO OPTIMIZE THE LEAD LDBL AND TEST ITS PRECLINICAL EFFICACY IN ALLEVIATING THE COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL DEFICITS, SUCH AS APATHY, OF EARLY AD. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, WE WILL PURSUE THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AIMS: (I) OPTIMIZE THE LEAD LDBL FOR ANIMAL TESTING, (II) EVALUATE THE CHRONIC PHARMACOKINETIC (PK), AND SAFETY PROFILE OF THE LEAD LDBLS FOR PRECLINICAL EFFICACY STUDIES, (III) DETERMINE IN VIVO PHARMACODYNAMIC (PD) EFFICACY OF TWO LEAD LDBLS IN TRANSGENIC (TG) AD RODENT MODELS, AND (IV) ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE LEAD LDBL IN CANINE MODELS OF DEMENTIA. TOGETHER, OUR UNIQUE THERAPEUTIC PIPELINE STRATEGY INVOLVING CHRONIC DELIVERY OF PROBIOTIC L-DOPA IS EXPECTED TO ESTABLISH A NEW LINE OF ENGINEERED MICROBIOME-BASED MONOAMINE NEUROTHERAPEUTIC MODALITIES FOR AD-RELATED DEMENTIAS (ADRD).

LTER: GEORGIA COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS - IV

O-GLYCOSYLATION OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR-LIKE MODULES

COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 12 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 PDP COMPETITIVE PROJECTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 20 PDP STATE PLANS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 15 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 7 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMPETITIVEPROJECTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 20 PDP STATE PLANS/MODEL STATE PROGRAMS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE FOR BIOMEDIAL GLYCOMICS

LTER: GEORGIA COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS-III

GEORGIA SEA GRANT OMNIBUS CORE INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING

THE DISSEMINATION OF HEALTHY MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION TO COUPLES ACROSS GEORGIA

LTER: GEORGIA COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS-II

CRISPR CAPTURE AND DESTROY MECHANISMS

COORDINATE THE USDA SARE (SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION) PROGRAM FOR THE 13 STATES AND 2 TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTHERN REGION. EACH AGREEMENT SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 7 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 10 GRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 8 ON-FARM RESEARCH PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 6 FARMER PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY 6 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TRAINING PROJECTS, AND APPROXIMATELY 20 STATE PLANS/MODEL STATE PROGRAMS. REGIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE PROFITABLE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION OF TUBERCULOSIS IN URBAN AFRICA

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION (SARE) PROGRAM

ANALYSIS OF METABOLIC CAPABILITIES OF PROKARYOTIC CELLS

METHODS AND MECHANISMS IN CARBOHYDRATE CHEMISTRY

TUMOR GLYCOMICS LABORATORY FOR DISCOVERY OF PANCREATIC CANCER MARKERS

2014 OMNIBUS PROPOSALS - GEORGIA SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM

MULTIPLEX TREATMENT OUTCOMES TEST FOR CHAGAS DISEASE

GEORGIA SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM MARINE RESOURCES UTILIZATION IN GEORGIA 2010

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION (SARE) PROGRAM

EXPLOITATION OF GENETIC AND EPIGENETIC VARIATION IN THE REGULATION OF TOMATO FRUIT QUALITY TRAITS

STRENGTHENING THE STEM PIPELINE IN THE PEACH STATE: RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND RESEARCH (NEW ALLIANCE)

FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS OF MAIZE CENTROMERES

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION (SARE) PROGRAM

APPLYING ENGINEERING WITH NATURE (EWN) TECHNIQUES, APPROACHES AND PRACTICE ON A REGIONAL SCALE

NSF CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR TRACK I: SPHERICITY -- CIRCULARITY FROM MOLECULES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN COMMUNITIES -THIS PROJECT AIMS TO OPTIMIZE CIRCULARITY, FROM THE CITY UP, TRANSFORMING THE LINEAR CONSUMPTION MODEL OF RAW MATERIAL EXTRACTION, PRODUCTION, USE, AND DISPOSAL THAT DOMINATES THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. THIS LINEAR MODEL HAS LED TO SERIOUS UNINTENDED WORLDWIDE ISSUES, FROM POLLUTION TO RESOURCE DEPLETION. THIS PROJECT WILL REIMAGINE HOW WE DESIGN, FROM MOLECULES AND MATERIALS TO BUILDINGS AND COMMUNITIES. THE NEWLY UPDATED AND EXPANDED CIRCULARITY ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL (CAP) FRAMEWORK WILL BE CO-IMPLEMENTED WITH 11 CITIES. CAP INTEGRATES THE OPEN DATA TOOL DEBRIS TRACKER WITH DATA FREELY AVAILABLE, JOINING DATA FROM NEARLY 100 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. THE NEW PORTAL FOR THIS PROJECT WILL HOUSE THE DATA FROM PHASE I AND PHASE II COMMUNITIES AIMING TO FOSTER GLOBAL DIALOGUE ABOUT COMMUNITY CIRCULARITY AND CREATING MEANINGFUL CHANGE. TO INCREASE CIRCULARITY, THE RESEARCHERS WILL HELP COMMUNITIES ADDRESS SYSTEMIC AND INTERSECTIONAL ISSUES, INCLUDING POLLUTION BURDENS, LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LACK OF ACCESS TO SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL FURTHER DEVELOP A PLATFORM FOR UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES THROUGH AN EXISTING PODCAST CALLED AQUATHREAD, PRODUCED AND RECORDED AT WUGA, THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA?S NPR AFFILIATE. THIS RESEARCH WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE PUBLIC SCIENTIFIC LITERACY AND ENGAGEMENT WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY THROUGH THE USE OF OPEN DATA AND FREE MOBILE CITIZEN SCIENCE APPS; IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS IN SOCIETY BY REDUCING WASTE AND IMPROVING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT; AND DEVELOP A DIVERSE, GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE. ALL COMMUNITIES, PARTNERS, AND THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE ACCESS TO PROJECT DATA, FACILITATING THE USE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO INFORM PUBLIC POLICY AND SUPPORT DECISION-MAKING. IN CONTRAST TO THE LINEAR ECONOMY OF ?TAKE, MAKE, WASTE?, CIRCULAR ECONOMY (CE) DECOUPLES ECONOMIC GROWTH FROM RESOURCE CONSUMPTION. CE PRINCIPLES ARE BASED ON THE EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES AND ELIMINATING WASTE FROM PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES. THIS PROJECT WILL TACKLE THE COMPLEX CHALLENGES THAT CURRENTLY INHIBIT THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?S GROWTH BY DEEPLY INTEGRATING DIVERSE DISCIPLINES THROUGH THE RESEARCHERS? PROVEN HOLISTIC SYSTEMS FRAMEWORK. IN PHASE II, THE NEWLY UPDATED AND EXPANDED CIRCULARITY ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL (CAP) FRAMEWORK WILL BE USED TO CONVERGE CIRCULARITY ACROSS PLASTICS (EXPLORING POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCE-FREE ALTERNATIVES), ORGANIC MATERIALS, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN 11 CITIES. IN PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT, A CIRCULARITY PATH WAS CONNECTED AND CONVERGED ACROSS MULTIPLE MATERIALS AND SCALES IN TWO LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS. PHASE II WILL EXPAND THIS WORK BY TRAINING LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS, AND FURTHER DEVELOPING A NOVEL DYNAMIC DATA AND EDUCATION PORTAL. THIS PORTAL WILL INCLUDE CITY AND METADATA DASHBOARDS TO FACILITATE INTER- AND INTRA-COMMUNITY DIALOGUE TO CREATE SYSTEMS CHANGE. PROJECT PARTNERS INCLUDE THE RESILIENT CITIES NETWORK, A CITY-LED NETWORK THAT BRINGS TOGETHER OVER 200 CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICERS, PRACTITIONERS, AND RESEARCHERS; THE 2030 DISTRICTS NETWORK OF CITIES WORKING TO CATALYZE TRANSFORMATION IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE; MISSISSIPPI RIVER CITIES AND TOWNS INITIATIVE MAYORS; AND THE UPPER MIDWEST ASSOCIATION FOR CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY (UMACS). THIS NETWORK OF NETWORKS IS THE NEXT STEP IN EXPANDING THIS PROJECT INTO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE AS A CONTINUED RESOURCE AND PLATFORM FOR SHARING AMONGST CITIES AROUND THE WORLD CATALYZING CHANGE. 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 PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

NATIONAL STEM TEACHER CORPS PILOT PROGRAM: STRENGTHENING GEORGIA SCIENCE TEACHERS THROUGH A TEACHING CORPS, MENTORING, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT -THE NATIONAL STEM TEACHER CORPS PILOT PROGRAM REGIONAL ALLIANCE PROJECT AIMS TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING STEM EDUCATORS IN HIGH-NEED SCHOOLS THAT ADVANCE EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN THE SOUTHERN REGION. THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT 12 STEM TEACHER CORPS MEMBERS BY RECOGNIZING AND REWARDING THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EFFORT TO ENHANCE STEM TEACHING AND LEARNING IN K ? 12 SCIENCE EDUCATION. THE REGIONAL ALLIANCE AIMS TO ADDRESS THE SHORTAGE OF SCIENCE TEACHERS BY IDENTIFYING SCIENCE TEACHERS WHO DEMONSTRATE EXCEPTIONAL SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, BUILDING A MENTOR NETWORK TO SUPPORT AND RETAIN NEW SCIENCE TEACHERS, AND ARTICULATING LEADERSHIP PATHWAYS FOR EXPERIENCED SCIENCE TEACHERS THE PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MENTORSHIP AND SUPPORT DIRECTLY TO MORE THAN 100 OTHER STEM TEACHERS WITHIN THE REGION THROUGH THE USE OF HUBS THAT WILL BUILD AND STRENGTHEN EXISTING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPACT THE SCIENCE TEACHING COMMUNITY. THE ALLIANCE WILL CONSIST OF THREE HUBS. HUB STEM TEACHER CORPS WILL IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT 12 GEORGIA-BASED STEM TEACHER CORPS TEACHERS WHO WILL CONTRIBUTE AND WORK WITHIN THE OTHER TWO HUBS. HUB CAPACITY BUILDING WILL ORGANIZE ESTABLISHED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INTO NEW PROGRAMMING THAT TARGETS NEWLY HIRED SCIENCE TEACHERS AND BUILDS THE MENTORING EXPERTISE OF EXPERIENCED SCIENCE TEACHERS. HUB EMPOWER WILL CURATE SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMMING FOR SCIENCE TEACHERS ACROSS GEORGIA. THE HUBS WILL REACH EVERY K-12 SCIENCE TEACHER IN GEORGIA AND EASILY INVOLVE SCIENCE TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. STRATEGICALLY ENGAGING MORE SCIENCE TEACHERS IN VARIOUS CONNECTED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WILL ENHANCE THE WORK OF GEORGIA'S SCIENCE TEACHERS. GEORGIA'S STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM A STRENGTHENED SCIENCE TEACHING NETWORK BY EXPERIENCING SCIENCE INSTRUCTION THAT ENHANCES THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND PREPARES THEM TO BE INFORMED CITIZENS AND FOR SCIENCE OR RELATED CAREERS. ?? THIS REGIONAL ALLIANCE AT GEORGIA TECH INCLUDES PARTNERSHIPS WITH GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ? SCIENCE DIVISION (GADOE), GEORGIA SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (GSTA), GEORGIA SCIENCE SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION (GSSA), GEORGIA YOUTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER (GYSTC), REGIONAL EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCIES (RESA) AND SEVERAL GEORGIA SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THIS PROJECT HAS THREE GOALS: 1) IDENTIFY AND DRAW UPON THE EXPERTISE OF GEORGIA STEM TEACHER CORPS MEMBERS; 2) EMPOWER CURRENT AND EMERGING SCIENCE TEACHER LEADERS; AND 3) BUILD AND SUSTAIN SCIENCE TEACHER LEARNING NETWORKS. TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS AND ENSURE IMPACT OF THE PROJECT, THERE WILL BE AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF HUB LEADERS AND PROJECT DIRECTORS AND AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL EXPERTS, AND AN EXTERNAL EVALUATOR WILL MONITOR THE PROJECT'S PROCESS AND PRODUCTIVITY. THE HUB-BASED RESEARCH QUESTIONS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW: 1) A DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP APPROACH ENHANCES THE SCIENCE EDUCATION COMMUNITY, 2) SCIENCE TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH AN ALLIANCE TO BUILD THEIR EXPERTISE AND RESILIENCE, AND 3) ALLIANCES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ELEVATING THE SCIENCE TEACHING PROFESSION. THE ONGOING ANALYSIS OF DATA WITHIN EACH HUB WILL IMPROVE THE PRODUCTS OF THE HUBS AND PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO RETAINING TEACHERS AND STRENGTHENING TEACHING SYSTEMS. THIS REGIONAL ALLIANCE PROJECT IS SUPPORTED THROUGH THE NATIONAL STEM TEACHER CORPS PILOT PROGRAM. THE NSF NATIONAL STEM TEACHER CORPS PILOT PROGRAM SUPPORTS OUTSTANDING STEM EDUCATORS IN HIGH-NEED SCHOOLS THAT ADVANCE EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN OUR NATION?S PREK-12 CLASSROOMS. 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 PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

EXPANDING MILITARY INSTALLATION AND DEFENSE COMMUNITY-BASED CAPACITY FOR APPLIED RESEARCH APPLICATION IN SUPPORT OF THE NETWORK FOR ENGINEERING WITH NATURE

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SINCE ITS FIRST DETECTION IN 2008, SPOTTED-WING DROSOPHILA (SWD),DROSOPHILA SUZUKII(MATSUMURA), HAS BECOME A KEYSTONE PEST OF SMALL- AND STONE-FRUITS IN THE UNITED STATES VALUED AT $5.8 BILLION. OUR TEAM MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS BY REFINING MONITORING TOOLS, DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE INSECTICIDE-BASED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, CULTURAL CONTROLS, AND SCREENING NATIVE AND EXOTIC BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS PHASE OF SWD INVASION. HOWEVER, SWD MANAGEMENT IS STILL HIGHLY INSECTICIDE-DEPENDENT AND IS FURTHER CHALLENGED BY SECONDARY PEST OUTBREAKS, INSECTICIDE RESISTANCE, AND INCREASED INPUT COSTS. NOW THAT SWD IS ESTABLISHED AS A KEYSTONE PEST IN THE U.S., IT IS CRITICAL TO DEVELOP MORE SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES TO MANAGESWD. THUS,GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEMS-BASED INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE COST-EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY-SUSTAINABLE FOR LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF SWD. MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE: 1) IMPLEMENTATION OF BEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR SUSTAINABLE SWD MANAGEMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH GROWER INFLUENCERS;2)DEVELOP ECONOMICS-BASED DECISION AID TOOLS TO INCREASE PROFITABILITY; 3) EVALUATE SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES TO INSECTICIDES FOR LONG-TERM SWD MANAGEMENT;4) ASSESS AND REDUCE THE RISK OF INSECTICIDE RESISTANCE DEVELOPMENT; AND 5)DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ENABLE PRODUCERS TO OPTIMIZE PEST MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, AND EVALUATE THEIR IMPACT.THIS STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN TRANSDISCIPLINARY PROJECT ADDRESSES SCRI PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS: 2) PEST MANAGEMENT; 3) PLANT PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY; 4) NEW INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY; AND 5) FOOD SAFETY. GROWER-STAKEHOLDERS WERE ENGAGED TO DEVELOP OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROPOSAL AND WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY CENTRAL ROLE THROUGH STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY BOARD, AND CROP- AND REGION-SPECIFIC GROWER INFLUENCER TEAMS.

THE US GREENHOUSE INDUSTRY INCLUDING FLORICULTURE AND GREENHOUSE VEGETABLES HAD A 2015 FARM GATE VALUE OF ~$6.5 BILLION. IN GREENHOUSES MOST ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES CAN BE CONTROLLED TO PROVIDE OPTIMAL CONDITIONS FOR PLANT GROWTH. LIGHT TYPICALLY IS LESS CONTROLLED THAN OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WHICH CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT VARIABILITY IN LIGHT LEVELS AND THUS CROP YIELD AND QUALITY. THE VARIABILITY CAN BE SPATIAL SPECTRAL AND TEMPORAL AND OCCURS ON SHORT (WITHIN A DAY) INTERMEDIATE (DAY-TO-DAY) AND LONG (SEASONAL) TIME SCALES. FOR EFFICIENT YEAR-ROUND PRODUCTION IN GREENHOUSES SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT IS OFTEN BENEFICIAL BUT THE EXPENSES CAN BE HIGH. THE ELECTRICITY REQUIRED FOR SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING IN GREENHOUSES ACCOUNTS FOR 20-30% OF VARIABLE COSTS. SINCE TYPICAL GREENHOUSE PROFIT MARGINS ARE 1-5% MORE COST-EFFECTIVE LIGHTING STRATEGIES CAN HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE PROFIT MARGIN. PLANT FACTORIES AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY WHERE PLANTS ARE GROWN INDOORS PROVIDE TOTAL CONTROL OVER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS BUT PRODUCTION RELIES ENTIRELY ON ELECTRIC LIGHTING ACCOUNTING FOR 50-60% OF THE VARIABLE COSTS. CLEARLY MORE COST-EFFECTIVE LIGHTING APPROACHES WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE SUSTAINABILITY AND PROFITABILITY OF CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE (GREENHOUSES AND PLANT FACTORIES) REDUCE ENERGY USE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND THUS ALSO PROVIDE SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE PAST RESEARCH ON OPTIMIZING THE ECONOMIC RETURN OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING PRACTICES FOR GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION (FLORICULTURE AND VEGETABLES) AND MOST PAST WORK HAS FOCUSED ON HIGH-PRESSURE SODIUM (HPS) LIGHTS. LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE (LED) LIGHTS ARE GRADUALLY BECOMING CHEAPER AND MORE EFFICIENT AND ARE INCREASINGLY BEING USED INSTEAD OF HPS LIGHTS. HOWEVER LED LIGHTS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE TO INSTALL THAN HPS LIGHTS SO TO JUSTIFY THE CAPITAL EXPENSE LED LIGHTS NEED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL VALUE COMPARED TO HPS. THAT VALUE CAN COME FROM LOWER OPERATING COSTS HIGHER YIELDS BETTER QUALITY OR THE PRODUCTION OF HIGHER VALUE SPECIALTY CROPS.LED LIGHTS PROVIDE IMPORTANT NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF LIGHTING BECAUSE BOTH THE SPECTRUM AND LIGHT INTENSITY CAN BE ACCURATELY CONTROLLED. THIS CAN GIVE GROWERS BETTER CONTROL OVER CROP GROWTH AND QUALITY. HOWEVER CURRENT LED GROW LIGHTS DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ABILITY TO PRECISELY CONTROL LIGHT INTENSITY AND SPECTRUM IN REAL TIME. WE WILL HELP GROWERS GET MORE VALUE OUT OF THEIR LIGHTING SYSTEM BY PROVIDING HORTICULTURAL AND ECONOMICAL INFORMATION AND TOOLS TO MANAGE THE LIGHTS FOR OPTIMAL CROP GROWTH AND QUALITY.THE ELECTRICAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH LIGHTING OFTEN IS THE SECOND LARGEST VARIABLE COST IN GREENHOUSES AFTER LABOR AND ARE THE BIGGEST COST IN PLANT FACTORIES. INCREASING THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF LIGHTING WILL LOWER PRODUCTION COSTS AND/OR INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE CROP (BY INCREASING QUALITY OR YIELD) WHICH CAN INCREASE THE MARGINS AND PROFITABILITY OF CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE.WE WILL HELP GROWERS MAKE BETTER LIGHTING DECISIONS. SPECIFICALLY WE WILL: 1) DEVELOP TOOLS TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING IS COST-EFFECTIVE FOR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS 2) DECIDE WHETHER HPS OR LED LIGHTS ARE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE FOR A GIVEN APPLICATION AND 3) DEVELOP GUIDELINES TO HELP GROWERS GET THE MOST VALUE OUT OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING BY MINIMIZING OPERATING COSTS AND/OR MAXIMIZING CROP QUALITY. WE WILL DEVELOP MODELS THAT CONSIDER CROP PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS CROP VALUE THE DESIGN AND CAPITAL COSTS OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM REAL-TIME ELECTRICITY PRICING AND CURRENT AND FORECASTED LIGHT LEVELS. THESE MODELS WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT IN THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE. WE WILL ALSO DEVELOP HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE TOOLS TO HELP GROWERS IMPLEMENT THESE LIGHTING STRATEGIES BASED ON CROP NEEDS AND SPECIFIC GROWING SYSTEMS. THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF THESE LIGHTING STRATEGIES WILL BE EVALUATED TO DETERMINE THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING.A COMPREHENSIVE OUTREACH PLAN WILL ENSURE THAT PROJECT FINDINGS ARE DISSEMINATED IN DIFFERENT FORMS TO REACH THE GROWERS AND ASSOCIATED CEA INDUSTRIES. OUTREACH EFFORTS WILL INCLUDE A WEBSITE WEBINARS PRESENTATIONS ONLINE ARTICLES TRADE JOURNAL ARTICLES EXTENSION VISITS AND PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES. INDUSTRY MEMBERS WILL BE SURVEYED TO DETERMINE HOW THEY PREFER TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ALLOWING US TO FINE-TUNE OUR OUTREACH METHODS. BEYOND SIMPLY SHARING RESEARCH RESULTS THE DECISION-MAKING TOOLS WE DEVELOP WILL DIRECTLY ASSIST INDUSTRY MEMBERS AND ALLOW DIRECT IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE RESEARCH RESULTS. WE WILL DEVELOP DECISION SUPPORT SOFTWARE TO ENABLE GROWERS TO ASSESS WHETHER USE OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING (AND TO WHAT DEGREE) IS ECONOMICAL GIVEN THEIR CROPS AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. IF LIGHTING IS DEEMED PROFITABLE THE TOOLS CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER HPS OR LED LIGHTS ARE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE BASED ON THE TYPE OF FACILITY PATTERNS OF LIGHTING USE AND ELECTRICITY COST. VIRTUAL GROWER A FREELY-AVAILABLE USDA-ARS GREENHOUSE SIMULATION TOOL WILL BE UPGRADED TO INCLUDE SIMULATIONS OF DIFFERENT LIGHTING SCENARIOS. THESE TOOLS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON-LINE WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND RECORDED WEBINARS EXPLAINING HOW TO USE THEM. WE ALSO WILL DEVELOP SOFTWARE AND CONTROLLERS FOR GROWERS TO IMPLEMENT COST-EFFECTIVE LIGHTING STRATEGIES BASED ON OUR RESEARCH FINDINGS. THESE TOOLS WILL HELP DRIVE INDUSTRY ADOPTION OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT COST-EFFECTIVE LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES.COLLABORATION WITH LIGHTING COMPANIES WILL BE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT AND THESE COMPANIES WILL BE INVITED TO OUR ANNUAL PROJECT MEETINGS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON PROJECT PROGRESS AND DIRECTION. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY SHARING OUR LATEST RESEARCH FINDINGS WITH LIGHTING COMPANIES WILL ALLOW THEM TO IMPROVE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THEIR LIGHTS AND PROVIDE PRODUCTS WITH IMPROVED FUNCTIONALITY TO THE INDUSTRY. THIS WILL FACILITATE INDUSTRY ADOPTION OF PROJECT FINDINGS.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ANTHRACNOSE IN WATERMELON AND CUCUMBER CAN SEVERELY IMPACT YIELDS AND INCREASE PRODUCTION COSTS IN THE ABSENCE OF EFFECTIVE CONTROL OPTIONS AND IS A THREAT TO THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY AND PROFITABILITY OF THE U.S. CUCURBIT INDUSTRY. A COORDINATED, MULTI-STATE EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE RECENT ANTHRACNOSE OUTBREAKS BY DETERMINING PATHOGEN BIOLOGY, POPULATION STRUCTURE, HOST SPECIFICITY, AND FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE PROFILES OF COLLETOTRICHUM SPP. CAUSING SEVERE ANTHRACNOSE OUTBREAKS IN CUCURBIT CROPS. THIS KNOWLEDGE WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF SPECIFIC PRODUCTION PRACTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, AND INOCULUM ON DISEASE OUTBREAKS CAN AID THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL, ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND STRATEGIES TO LIMIT YIELD LOSSES DUE TO ANTHRACNOSE. OUR TEAM WILL ADDRESS THE PATHOGENS (LEVERAGE GENOMICS AND POPULATION BIOLOGY TO IDENTIFY THECOLLETOTRICHUMSPECIES COMPLEX(ES) AND INOCULUM SOURCES), THE HOST (SCREEN COMMERCIAL VARIETIES AND PI LINES), AND THE ENVIRONMENT (PRODUCTION PRACTICES) THAT CONSTITUTE THE DISEASE TRIANGLE. WE WILL INTEGRATE ECONOMIC ASSESSMENTS AND EXTENSION EFFORTS INTO EACH OBJECTIVE TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR PROJECT. THIS PROJECT MEETS THE LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED SCRI FOCUS AREAS OF EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THREATS FROM PESTS AND DISEASES AND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY, HANDLING AND PROCESSING, PRODUCTIVITY, AND PROFITABILITY.

PURPOSE: WITH OVER 368,000 ACRES OF EXPANSIVE SALT MARSHES, GEORGIA IS HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE SALT-MARSH-TIDAL CREEK ECOSYSTEMS. THESE MARSHES AND CREEKS PROVIDE A WEALTH OF BENEFITS LIKE MAINTAINING HEALTHY WATER, PROTECTING US FROM FLOODING AND EROSION, PROVIDING NURSERY AND CRITICAL HABITAT FOR FLORA AND FAUNA, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, AND SUPPORTING A RANGE OF RECREATION AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES. GEORGIA'S BARRIER ISLANDS ARE ALSO HOME TO THE GULLAH-GEECHEE PEOPLE WHO ARE DESCENDANTS OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS FROM PLANTATIONS ALONG THE LOWER ATLANTIC COAST. THE STATE ALSO HAS A LONG HISTORY OF GLOBAL TRADE AND HOUSES THE 4TH LARGEST PORT IN THE COUNTRY, WITH DEEPWATER PORTS LOCATED IN SAVANNAH AND BRUNSWICK. ALL OF ITS ASSETS - THE EXPANSIVE SALT-MARSH ECOSYSTEMS, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OR WORK IN THE COASTAL ZONE, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT KEEPS ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE HEALTHY IS UNDER THREAT FROM INCREASING RISKS OF FLOODING, SEA LEVEL RISE, STORM SURGE AS WELL AS POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. MARINE EXTENSION AND GEORGIA SEA GRANT'S MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC HEALTH OF GEORGIA'S COAST THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION. THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, MARINE EXTENSION AND GEORGIA SEA GRANT HAS DEVELOPED A STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE ITS ACTIVITIES FROM 2024-2027. OVER THE PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS, THE PROGRAM WILL LEVERAGE THE EXPERTISE OF SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS AT VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN GEORGIA TO GENERATE SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO CRITICAL ISSUES, AND ENGAGE ARTISTS AND SCHOLARS IN HUMANITY TO PROVIDE CREATIVE INSIGHTS INTO THE CULTURE, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN GEORGIA. THE PROGRAM WILL FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INNOVATIVE STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS) WORKFORCE BY PROVIDING RESEARCH, TRAINING, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS, SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS, AND SCHOLARS. MARINE EXTENSION AND GEORGIA SEA GRANT SERVES AS A BRIDGE, CONNECTING DIVERSE SHAREHOLDERS TO FACILITATE CHANGE IN A COMPLEX SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT. SEA GRANT ALSO PROVIDES A NETWORK FOR SHARING INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE, BOTH LOCALLY AND AT REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS. AS A RESULT OF ITS RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH EFFORTS, MARINE EXTENSION AND GEORGIA SEA GRANT ENVISIONS AN ENGAGED AND INFORMED PUBLIC THAT SUPPORTS THRIVING COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS AND RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.

CELL-TYPE SPECIFIC HEMICELLULOSE STRUCTURES IN THE ROOT CELL WALLS OF ARABIDOPSIS AND BRACHYPODIUM

NEW AWARD - THE CENTER FOR PLANT AND MICROBIAL COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATE RESEARCH CENTER

FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS OF MAIZE CENTROMERES

HEALTHIER TOGETHER: HIGH OBESITY PROGRAM IN GEORGIA

NMR OF CELL SURFACE OLIGOSACCHARIDES

TAS::89 0222::TAS CENTER FOR PLANT AND MICROBIAL COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

A NATIONAL GLYCOSCIENCE RESOURCE - CCRC SERVICE AND TRAINING

DISPARITIES IN SELF REGULATION AND SCHOOL READINESS: KINDERGARTEN FOLLOW-UP

EFFECTS OF ANTECEDENT AND RESPONSE VARIABLES ON THE PERSISTENCE OF COMMUNICATION

GLYGEN GROWTH AND EVOLUTION INTO A CENTRAL RESOURCE FOR GLYCANS AND GLYCOCONJUGATES - ABSTRACT GLYGEN IS A MATURING (FIVE YEARS OLD) KNOWLEDGEBASE THAT ACCUMULATES DATA IN THE GLYCOBIOLOGY DOMAIN AND CONNECTS IT WITH OTHER DATA TYPES. GLYGEN IS UNIQUE; NO OTHER PRESENT OR PRIOR INFORMATIC RESOURCE HAS UNDERTAKEN SUCH AN INTEGRATIVE MISSION. IN PART, THE LAGGING GROWTH OF ACCESSIBLE KNOWLEDGE IN THE GLYCOBIOLOGY DOMAIN, COMPARED TO OTHER -OMICS OR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH FIELDS, REFLECTS THE INHERENT COMPLEXITY OF GLYCAN STRUCTURES, WHICH, UNLIKE GENES AND PROTEINS, EXIST IN BRANCHED AND ISOMERIC FORMS WHOSE BIOSYNTHESIS IS NOT ATTRIBUTABLE TO WELL-CHARACTERIZED, TEMPLATE-DRIVEN PROCESSES SUCH AS TRANSCRIPTION OR TRANSLATION. RATHER, GLYCAN BIOSYNTHESIS IS MEDIATED BY THE REGULATED EXPRESSION OF ENSEMBLES OF GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASES, SUBSTRATE TRANSPORTERS, AND SECRETORY PATHWAY REGULATORY MECHANISMS THAT TOGETHER GENERATE DYNAMIC CELL- AND TISSUE-SPECIFIC PATTERNS OF PROTEIN AND LIPID GLYCOSYLATION. IN ADDITION, EACH GLYCOSYLATION SITE ON A GLYCOPROTEIN MAY ROUTINELY BE MODIFIED BY ONE OF AN ENSEMBLE OF GLYCAN STRUCTURES, A GLYCOPROTEIN FEATURE CALLED MICROHETEROGENEITY. IMPORTANTLY, MICROHETEROGENEITY IS NOT RANDOM, BUT REFLECTS THE INTRINSIC BIOSYNTHETIC CAPACITY OF SPECIFIC CELLS AND TISSUES AND MAY BE MODIFIED BY DISEASE. THESE STRUCTURAL AND BIOSYNTHETIC COMPLEXITIES ARE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO THE TISSUE- AND DISEASE-SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF GLYCANS AND GLYCOSYLATION, AND, THEREFORE, NEED TO BE CAPTURED AND REPRESENTED IN KNOWLEDGEBASES IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN BE QUERIED AND LINKED TO OTHER TYPES OF DATA. GLYGEN AIMS TO EXPAND ITS UNDERLYING DATA MODEL TO ACCOMMODATE NEW AND MORE COMPLEX DATATYPES, AUGMENTING AND INTEGRATING NEW DATA TYPES, AND IMPLEMENTING ROBUST MODELING, UNIFIED PROCEDURES, AND TOOLS TO IMPROVE DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION OF GLYCAN AND GLYCOCONJUGATE DATA. ENHANCEMENT OF THE OVERALL RESOURCE FUNCTIONALITY WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH FRONT-END IMPROVEMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE USER PREFERENCES AND ENSURE EXCEPTIONAL DATA COMMUNICATION AND VISUALIZATION. IMPROVING THE INTERCONNECTIVITY OF GLYGEN AND ITS PARTNER DATABASES AS WELL AS ENHANCING DATA-SHARING ACROSS RESOURCES WILL CONTINUE TO BE CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE GLYGEN PROJECT. ALL RESULTING HARMONIZED DATA WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH HIGHLY PERMISSIVE LICENSES FOR EASY INTEGRATION INTO OTHER RESOURCES, SUCH AS NCBI, EBI, SIB AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS, AS WELL AS FOR EASY REPURPOSING BY INDEPENDENT RESEARCHERS, EDUCATORS, BIOINFORMATICIANS, AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES. BY THE END OF THE NEXT PROJECT PERIOD GLYGEN EXPECTS TO BECOME THE GO-TO, WELL-INTEGRATED RESOURCE FOR GLYCOSCIENCE DATA, SIMILAR TO EXISTING PROTEIN AND GENOMIC RESOURCES AND SERVING THE SAME BROAD COMMUNITY OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCHERS.

ENDOCRINOLOGY OF MOSQUITO REPRODUCTION

A TOOLKIT FOR IN VIVO VISUALIZATION/MODULATION OF PLANT CELL WALL POLYSACCHARIDES

GEORGIA NATIVE SEED NETWORK INITIATIVE

GENETICS AND QUANTUM CHEMISTRY AS TOOLS FOR UNKNOWN METABOLITE IDENTIFICATION

FEED THE FUTURE INNOVATION LAB FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT SORGHUM

EVOLUTIONARY GENOMICS OF ABIOTIC STRESS RESISTANCE IN WILD AND CULTIVATED SUNFLOWERS

DEFINING THE GENETIC NETWORK GOVERNING CRYPTOCOCCAL MORPHOLOGICAL TRANSITION

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR FORESTRY, BIODIVERSITY, AND CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP AND GREEN ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT IN LIBERIA

PEACH STATE LSAMP - EXTENDING THE STEM PIPELINE IN THE PEACH STATE: MENTORSHIP, RESEARCH AND GRADUATE SCHOOL

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE DIGITAL AND DATA-DRIVEN DEMONSTRATION FARM (4-D FARM) IS TO DEVELOP CLIMATE-SMART PRODUCTION SYSTEMS LEVERAGING RENEWABLE ENERGY, AUTOMATION, INTELLIGENCE AND HUMAN CAPITAL TO MEET THE REQUIRED FOOD AND FIBER NEEDS OF A BURGEONING WORLD POPULATION. MOST CURRENTLY FUNDED RESEARCH IS DRIVEN BY INDIVIDUAL COMMODITY AND DISCIPLINE NEEDS AND RARELY INVESTIGATES INTEGRATING MULTIPLE AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES TO IMPROVE FARM RESILIENCE SO THAT THE FARMER DOES NOT HAVE ALL THEIR EGGS IN ONE BASKET. IN THIS PROJECT, DATA-DRIVEN FARM STRATEGIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO CREATE AN INTERDEPENDENT AND DIVERSE CROP/LIVESTOCK ROTATION THAT ADDRESSES THEREDUCED EFFECTIVENESS OF CHEMICAL INPUTS, CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS, FEEDING AN INCREASING POPULATION, LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND POLLINATORS, WATER QUALITY/QUANTITY, RURAL ECONOMIC STABILITY, LABOR SHORTAGES AND SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS. THESE ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED BY THE 4-D FARM: 1) CREATING DATA-DRIVEN, INTEGRATED PRECISION AND CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE WITH INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES ANDSOLUTIONS, 2) DEVELOPING AND TESTING RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND 3) ASSESSING THE SOCIOECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES. THE 4-D FARM WILL BE EXECUTED ON A 90-ACRE D.A.T.A. (DEMONSTRATING APPLIED TECHNOLOGY IN AG) FARM AT THE ABRAHAM BALDWIN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE (ABAC), MULTIPLE EMERGING TECHOLOGY AND DEMONSTRATION SITE'S (ETDS'S) LOCATED ON UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (UGA) RESEARCH FARMS, AND A DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS CENTER AT THE UGA TIFTON CAMPUS, FUTURE FARMSTEAD CARRIAGE HOUSE. WE HAVE ASSEMBLED AN INTER-DISCIPLINARY TEAM IN PRECISION AND CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE, DATA SCIENCE, LIVESTOCKMANAGEMENT, PEANUT, COTTON, AND CORN PRODUCTION, EXTENSION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMING, AND AUTONOMOUS AND INTELLIGENT ROVER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN ALPHA-DYSTROGLYCAN GLYCOSYLATION

ENDING SLAVERY IN SSA: A COLLECTIVE IMPACT APPROACH

SHIP OPERATIONS, R/V SAVANNAH

THE CELL ENVELOPE OF THE MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT PATHOGEN ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII

5/5 BIPOLAR-SCHIZOPHRENIA NETWORK FOR INTERMEDIATE PHENOTYPES (B-SNIP) - RESUBMISSION - 1

VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN MATHEMATICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

THE ROLE OF POLYPHOSPHATE AND ACIDOCALCISOMES IN TRYPANOSOMA BRUCEI

TRAINING IN TROPICAL AND EMERGING GLOBAL DISEASES

SECONDARY WALL FORMATION IN FIBER CELLS

ANALYSIS OF E. COLI RIBONUCLEASES AND RNA METABOLISM

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF PNEUMOCYSTIS PNEUMONIA

REGULATION OF RNA POLYMERASE II TRANSCRIPTION IN TRYPANOSOMATIDS

MEMBERS OF THE YJGF SUPERFAMILY NEUTRALIZE ENDOGENOUS METABOLIC STRESSORS

TAS::89 0321::TAS BIOREFINERY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, ATHENS

THE ROLE OF FATHERING IN THE LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AMONG YOUNG, LOW-INCOME AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO CHILDREN

GRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

ROLE OF THE GUT MICROBIOME IN MOSQUITO DEVELOPMENT

LEVERAGING UNTAPPED GENETIC DIVERSITY IN SOYBEAN

GENAI EMPOWERED NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR UPHOLDING STEM+C EDUCATION (GENIUS)

HATCH REGULAR

TRTECH-PGR: COMPREHENSIVE IDENTIFICATION AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CIS-REGULATORY ELEMENTS IN LEGUMES

THE EFFECT OF MEDICAL CANNABIS LAWS ON HEALTH CARE USE IN INSURED POPULATIONS WITH PAIN

B12 BIOSYNTHESIS AND ANAEROBIC METABOLISM IN SALMONELLA

A RESOURCE FOR FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS TO SUPPORT SOYBEAN GENETICS AND BREEDING

PSYCHOSOCIAL CONTEXT AND THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK: CHANGES IN WEATHERING DURING MIDDLE-AGE

DERIVATION OF FUNCTIONAL SPERMATOGONIA STEM CELLS FROM RHESUS MACAQUE IPSCS

THE STRONG AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES COMMUNITY DISSEMINATION MODEL

MICROGLIAL HV1 PROTON CHANNEL AS A MEDIATOR OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-INDUCED NEUROINFLAMMATION AND NEURODEGENERATION - ABSTRACT NEUROINFLAMMATION IS A DRIVING FORCE CONTRIBUTING TO NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES, INCLUDING PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD). MICROGLIA ARE THE PRIMARY IMMUNE CELL OF THE BRAIN AND ARE AMONG THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO INFECTION, TOXIC INSULT AND AGGREGATED PROTEINS AND CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO NEUROINFLAMMATION AND NEURODEGENERATION. THE MICROGLIAL INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE, INCLUDING INFLAMMASOME ACTIVATION, HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH PD. PARAQUAT (PQ) IS A COMMONLY USED HERBICIDE THAT HAS BEEN LINKED TO INCREASED RISK FOR PD. PQ-INDUCED NEURODEGENERATION IS TIGHTLY COUPLED TO THE ACTIVATION OF MICROGLIA AND APPEARS TO REQUIRE PRIMING OF THE MICROGLIAL RESPONSE. THEREFORE, FACTORS THAT MODULATE THE MICROGLIAL INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE COULD LEAD TO NEUROPROTECTION AND SLOW THE PROGRESSION OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES. HOWEVER, TO DATE, NO ANTI- INFLAMMATORY DRUGS HAVE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS NECESSITATING RESEARCH ON NEW TARGETS. HV1 (HVCN1) IS A VOLTAGE-GATED PROTON CHANNEL HIGHLY EXPRESSED ON MICROGLIA IN THE BRAIN AND IN OTHER IMMUNE CELLS IN THE BODY. THIS PROTON CHANNEL REGULATES THE ACTIVITY OF NADPH OXIDASE AND PRODUCTION OF REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES IN IMMUNE CELLS AND ESPECIALLY MICROGLIA. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA DEMONSTRATE THAT PQ DIRECTLY INCREASES HV1 LEVELS IN MICROGLIA, POSSIBLY THROUGH AN EPIGENETIC MECHANISM INVOLVING HISTONE ACETYLATION. FURTHER, OUR DATA DEMONSTRATE EFFECTS OF PQ ON THE NLRP3 INFLAMMASOME THAT APPEAR TO BE REGULATED BY HV1, PROVIDING A POTENTIAL MECHANISM CONTRIBUTING TO PQ-INDUCED MICROGLIAL PRIMING. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT HV1 REGULATES PRIMING OF MICROGLIA FOLLOWING PQ EXPOSURE THROUGH THE NLRP3 INFLAMMASOME, LEADING TO NEUROINFLAMMATION AND NEURODEGENERATION. THE SPECIFIC AIMS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO 1) DETERMINE MECHANISMS OF HV1 REGULATION FOLLOWING PARAQUAT EXPOSURE 2) DEFINE THE ROLE OF HV1 IN REGULATION OF THE NLRP3 INFLAMMASOME FOLLOWING PARAQUAT EXPOSURE AND 3) DETERMINE THE CONTRIBUTION OF MICROGLIAL HV1 AND THE NLRP3 INFLAMMASOME IN REGULATING NEURODEGENERATION FOLLOWING PARAQUAT EXPOSURE. COMPLETION OF THESE AIMS WILL DEFINE REGULATORY MECHANISMS FOR HV1 AND DETERMINE THE ROLE OF HV1 IN REGULATION OF THE NLRP3 INFLAMMASOME ACTIVATION AND THEIR ROLE IN PQ-INDUCED NEUROINFLAMMATION AND NEUROTOXICITY. TOGETHER, THESE AIMS WILL PROVIDE CRUCIAL INFORMATION ON THE FUNCTION OF A NOVEL REGULATOR OF NEUROINFLAMMATION, HV1, AND DETERMINE WHETHER TARGETING HV1 MAY BE A VIABLE THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY IN TOXICANT-INDUCED NEURODEGENERATION.

ORIGIN OF N-GLYCAN SITE-SPECIFIC HETEROGENEITY

LEAD OPTIMIZATION AND TARGET IDENTIFICATION OF DRUGS TARGETING HYPNOZOITES

THE VIRTUAL FITNESS BUDDY ECOSYSTEM: USING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE AND SUSTAIN MODERATE-TO-VIGOROUS INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN

GRADUATE TRAINING IN GENETICS

A DUAL INOCULATION APPROACH TO ALCOHOL PREVENTION AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH

HYPOTHERMOPHILIC MULTIPROTEIN COMPLEXES AND PATHWAYS FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION AND CATALYSIS

DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL VACCINE PLATFORM: SURFACE ANTIGEN/ADJUVANT VACCINE ENGINEERING (SAAVE)

PURPOSE: THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS IN 1966 (AMENDED IN 2008, PUBLIC LAW 110-394) TO BE A HIGHLY LEVERAGED FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERSHIP TO HARNESS THE INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY OF THE NATION'S UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND GENERATE OPPORTUNITIES IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES. FOR OVER 50 YEARS, THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM HAS SUPPORTED COASTAL AND GREAT LAKES COMMUNITIES THROUGH RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND EDUCATION. SEA GRANT'S MISSION IS TO ENHANCE THE PRACTICAL USE AND CONSERVATION OF COASTAL, MARINE AND GREAT LAKES RESOURCES IN ORDER TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT. THIS GRANT IS THE VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH GEORGIA SEA GRANT LAYS OUT ITS PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THE GOALS LAID OUT IN IN THEIR FY2018-23 STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTPS://SEAGRANT.NOAA.GOV/INSIDESEAGRANT/PLANNING IN ADDITION TO REQUIRED GRANT PROGRESS REPORTING, THE RECIPIENT WILL REPORT DEFINED MEASURES AND METRICS AS WELL AS SUCCESS STORIES ANNUALLY AND WILL BE EVALUATED ON PERFORMANCE DURING A SITE REVIEW EXPECTED IN 2024 OR 2025. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: EACH UNIVERSITY-BASED SEA GRANT PROGRAM CONTRIBUTES TO THE NATIONAL FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS, AND GEORGIA SEA GRANT IS NO DIFFERENT, ALIGNING THEIR FOCUS AREAS WITH THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT STRATEGIC PLAN'S FOCUS AREAS OF: HEALTHY COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS, SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS ONE OTHER - GEORGIA SEA GRANT LEGAL PROGRAM. ACTIVITIES WITHIN EACH OF THESE FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS THAT AIM TO FURTHER THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM'S STATED MISSION. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: NOAA PROVIDES FUNDING TO SEA GRANT INSTITUTIONS TO INCREASE THE UNDERSTANDING, ASSESSMENT, DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT, UTILIZATION, AND CONSERVATION OF THE NATION'S OCEAN, COASTAL, AND GREAT LAKES RESOURCES. THESE IMPORTANT EFFORTS PROMOTE A STRONG EDUCATIONAL BASE, RESPONSIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES, BROAD AND PROMPT DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNIQUES, AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH 33 U.S.C. 1121(B). SPECIFIC OUTCOMES IDENTIFIED BY THE RECIPIENT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: - AT LEAST ONE LIVING SHORELINE WILL BE INSTALLED INCORPORATING CITIZEN SCIENTISTS TO MONITOR WATER QUALITY THROUGH THE AAW PROGRAM AND RECYCLE OYSTER SHELL THROUGH THE G.E.O.R.G.I.A PROGRAM. - 100,000+ GALLONS OF STORMWATER INFILTRATED ANNUALLY - AT LEAST 50 CITIZENS (10-12 GROUP EVENTS) WILL BE ENGAGED IN WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. - AT LEAST 10 CITIZENS WILL ENGAGE IN COASTAL ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION/STEWARDSHIP AND/OR DECISIONMAKING PROCESSES. - NATURAL RESOURCE-BASED SUSTAINABLE LAND USE AND ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPES ARE SUSTAINED AS A RESULT OF RECEIVING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND/OR TRAINING FROM MARINE EXTENSION AND GEORGIA SEA GRANT. - CREATION OF NEW COLLABORATIONS, OUTREACH RESOURCES, PROGRAMMING, AND/OR APPLIED RESEARCH THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF COASTAL GEORGIA'S ECOSYSTEMS. - APPROXIMATELY 50 PEOPLE PER YEAR WILL BE TRAINED ON SEAFOOD HACCP PRINCIPLES; SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES WILL RECEIVE CERTIFICATES OF TRAINING FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF FOOD & DRUG OFFICIALS AND THEIR BUSINESSES WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SEAFOOD HACCP TRAINING REQUIREMENT. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: RESIDENTS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND DECISION-MAKERS OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT PLANS TO SUBAWARD FUNDS TO PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF GEORGIA WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPETED FOR FUNDING FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM'S COMPETITION POLICY. ADDITIONALLY, FUNDING MAY BE SUBAWARDED FOR EXTENSION OR EDUCATION WORK.

USING A RANDOMIZED PREVENTION TRIAL TO UNDERSTAND THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SUPPORTIVE COUPLE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG RURAL AFRICAN AMERICAN ADULTS

STRESS, WEATHERING, AND BLOOD-BASED BIOMARKERS OF ALZHEIMER?S DISEASE: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF LOW INCOME, AGING AFRICAN AMERICANS - PROJECT SUMMARY (FROM PARENT GRANT AG077386) WORLDWIDE, OVER 50 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DEMENTIA, WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (AD) ACCOUNTING FOR AS MUCH AS 70% OF ALL CASES. RECENTLY, THE NIA IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION HAS PROPOSED A BIOLOGICAL DEFINITION OF AD BASED ON THE UNDERLYING PATHOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF AMYLOID (A), PHOSPHORYLATED TAU (T), AND NEURODEGENERATION (N). NOTABLY, BLOOD-BASED BIOMARKERS OF AT(N) ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR USE IN OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES AND MAY SOON BE AVAILABLE FOR CLINICAL UTILIZATION. UNFORTUNATELY, AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE RARELY BEEN INCLUDED IN STUDIES OF AD OR INVESTIGATIONS OF THE AT(N) FRAMEWORK. THIS OMISSION IS CRITICAL GIVEN THAT THEY ARE AT LEAST TWICE AS LIKELY AS WHITES TO DEVELOP AD AND EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE NATURE OF THE PATHOLOGY (MIXED VERSUS PURE AD) AND THE PATHWAYS TO ONSET MAY BE QUITE DIFFERENT FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS COMPARED TO WHITES. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL USE USE THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH STUDY (FACHS), A UNIQUE 25-YEAR ONGOING STUDY OF PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING AMONG SEVERAL HUNDRED AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES, TO INVESTIGATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH A VARIETY OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STRESSORS, LIFESTYLE AND GENETIC FACTORS, RATE OF AGING, AND CHRONIC ILLNESS IMPACT TRAJECTORIES OF AT(N) BIOMARKERS. THE FEW EXTANT AFRICAN AMERICAN DEMENTIA STUDIES USE SAMPLES WITH HIGHER INCOME AND EDUCATION THAN THE GENERAL AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION. IN CONTRAST, THE FACHS SAMPLE CONTAINS A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE FACED THE CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, LOW EDUCATION, AND DISCRIMINATION FOR MOST OF THEIR LIVES. OUR TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA AND THE MAYO CLINIC WILL BEGIN BY PERFORMING ASSAYS OF AT(N) BIOMARKERS USING FROZEN BLOOD SAMPLES DRAWN IN 2008 AND 2019, AS WELL AS A NEW ROUND OF BLOOD SAMPLES TO BE OBTAINED IN 2024. THESE DATA WILL ENABLE US TO USE GROWTH CURVES WITH INDIVIDUALLY VARYING TIME POINTS (AGE) TO ESTIMATE DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF AT(N) BIOMARKERS. NEXT, WE WILL INVESTIGATE THE UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS OF VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL, LIFESTYLE, AND BIOLOGICAL/PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN ACCELERATING THESE AT(N) TRAJECTORIES. WE ARE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN TESTING MODELS WHERE BIOLOGICAL/PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF HEALTH SERVE TO MEDIATE OR MODERATE THE EFFECT OF LIFESTYLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES ON CHANGES IN AT(N) BIOMARKERS. FINALLY, COVID-19 DATA IS CURRENTLY BEING COLLECTED FROM THE STUDY SAMPLE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE PROPOSED PROJECT. THUS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXAMINE WHETHER AT(N) BIOMARKERS AT WAVES 5 AND 8 INCREASE THE CHANCES OF CONTRACTING COVID-19, AS WELL AS IF HAVING SUFFERED A SEVERE CASE OF THE ILLNESS ELEVATES AT(N) MARKERS AT WAVE 9.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SOIL-BORNE BACTERIAL PATHOGENS ARE THE SIGNIFICANT CRITICAL LIMITING FACTORS FOR SUSTAINABLE ORGANIC ONION PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHERN US. MOST CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR PATHOGEN CONTROL ARE EITHER INEFFECTIVE OR HAVE NOT BEEN RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED FOR THESE ISSUES. HENCE, THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA AND THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY WILL COORDINATE AN INTEGRATED MULTI-REGIONAL EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF ORGANICALLY-GROWN ONIONS BY MANAGING SOIL-BORNE BACTERIAL DISEASES (SOUR SKIN AND SLIPPERY SKIN) THROUGH THE OPTIMIZATION OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AND THE USE OF CULTURAL PRACTICES (BIO-FUMIGATION AND SOIL SOLARIZATION). WE WILL DEVELOP RESEARCH-BASED TOOLS TO IMPROVE SOIL FERTILITY, SOIL HEALTH, AND FOOD SAFETY IN ORGANIC ONIONS GROWN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN U.S. USING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH, WE WILL OPTIMIZE ORGANIC NITROGEN-FERTILIZATION SCHEDULING IN ORGANIC ONIONS THAT WILL INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY, IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH (DECREASE IN PATHOGENIC BACTERIAL POPULATIONS AND INCREASE IN BENEFICIAL MICROFLORA), AND IMPROVE FOOD SAFETY. WE WILL INTEGRATE BIO-FUMIGATION AND SOIL-SOLARIZATION WITH NITROGEN FERTILIZATION STRATEGIES, SOIL-BIOME [BOTH MICRO AND MACRO (INSECT NATURAL ENEMIES AND PREDATORS)] ASSESSMENTS, AND EVALUATIONS OF PLANT-PARASITIC AND BENEFICIAL NEMATODES, WEEDS AND SOIL-BORNE BACTERIAL DISEASES THAT WILL IMPROVE QUALITY OF ORGANIC ONION PRODUCTION. WE WILL INTEGRATE ECONOMIC ASSESSMENTS, EXTENSION AND EDUCATION EFFORTS INTO EACH OBJECTIVE THAT WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR PROJECT. THIS PROJECT MEETS THE LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED OREI FOCUS AREAS OF DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING SYSTEMS-BASED INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS DISEASES, NEMATODES, AND WEEDS RELATED PROBLEMS FOR ORGANICALLY GROWN CROPS IN SOUTHERN US AND CONDUCT ON-FARM CROP, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT EMPHASIZE INNOVATION FOR ORGANIC FARMS.

POST-BACCALAUREATE TRAINING IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES RESEARCH

ADVANCING TARGETED THERAPIES FOR CUSHING'S DISEASE USING PITUITARY NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOR ORGANOIDS - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT CUSHING’S DISEASE (CD) IS A SERIOUS ENDOCRINE DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY AN ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE (ACTH)-SECRETING PITNET THAT SUBSEQUENTLY STIMULATES THE ADRENAL GLANDS TO OVERPRODUCE CORTISOL. CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO EXCESS CORTISOL HAS WIDE RANGING AND DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON HEALTH, INCLUDING INCREASED STROKE RATES, DIABETES, OBESITY, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND DEATH. ALTHOUGH CD IS LINKED TO A THREEFOLD INCREASE IN THE RISK OF DEATH, THE ADVANCEMENT OF CURRENT STANDARD OF CARE MEDICAL THERAPY IS LACKING. CURRENT TREATMENTS EXHIBIT LOW EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY FOR PATIENTS. THE FIRST-LINE TREATMENT FOR CD IS PITUITARY SURGERY. IN THE HANDS OF AN EXPERIENCED SURGEON, TUMOR RECURRENCE OCCURS IN AS MANY AS 56% OF PATIENTS DURING THE 10-YEAR FOLLOW-UP PERIOD. DESPITE MULTIPLE TREATMENTS, BIOCHEMICAL CONTROL IS NOT ACHIEVED IN APPROXIMATELY 50% OF PATIENTS, SUGGESTING THAT IN ROUTINE CLINICAL PRACTICE, INITIAL AND LONG-TERM DISEASE REMISSION IS NOT ACHIEVED IN A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF CD PATIENTS. HENCE, MEDICAL THERAPY IS OFTEN CONSIDERED IN THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS: WHEN SURGERY IS CONTRAINDICATED OR FAILS TO ACHIEVE REMISSION, OR WHEN RECURRENCE OCCURS AFTER APPARENT SURGICAL REMISSION. WHILE STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY TREATS INCOMPLETELY RESECTED OR RECURRENT PITNETS, THE MAIN DRAWBACKS INCLUDE THE LONGER TIME TO REMISSION AND THE RISK OF HYPOPITUITARISM. OUR RESEARCH TEAM HAS PUBLISHED DATA DEMONSTRATING THAT ORGANOIDS DERIVED FROM CORTICOTROPH TYPE PITNETS CONSIST OF DIFFERENTIATED CELL LINEAGES, STEM/PROGENITOR CELLS, AND IMMUNE AND STROMAL CELLS THAT REPLICATE MUCH OF THE PATIENT’S OWN TUMOR PATHOLOGY, FUNCTION, AND GENETIC ALTERATIONS. OUR TEAM’S EXPERTISE IN ORGANOID TECHNOLOGY HAS ENABLED THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ADVANCED 3D CULTURE IN THE MUCH-NEEDED PITNET RESEARCH ARENA. USING HUMAN PITNET ORGANOIDS WE HAVE REVEALED STEM AND PROGENITOR CELL POPULATIONS THAT EXPRESS AN ANTIOXIDANT MECHANISM THAT MAY BE TARGETED TO PREVENT TUMOR RECURRENCE AND MEDICAL- AND RADIATION-THERAPY RESISTANCE DEVELOP SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) TAKE A NONCOMMITTAL RESEARCH APPROACH TO DEFINE THE MOLECULAR . THIS LED US TO SIGNATURES OF CORTICOTROPH TUMOR SUBTYPES IN CD, AND 2) LEVERAGE THE COMPLEMENTARY VALUE OF THE HUMAN HYPOTHALAMIC- PITUITARY-ADRENAL (HPA) AXIS-ON-A-CHIP AND THE CANINE NATURALLY OCCURRING CD MODEL TO ACCELERATE TARGETED THERAPIES FOR PATIENTS WITH CD. THE OBJECTIVES WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVED BY COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA (UA), BARROW NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE (BNI), UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ATHENS (UGA) THAT WILL LEVERAGE THE EXPERTISE OF PROFESSIONALS TRAINED IN COMPLIMENTARY FIELDS INCLUDING SURGICAL TREATMENTS, PATHOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY OF PITUITARY DISEASE, ORGANOID TECHNOLOGY, CANINE PRECLINICAL IN VITRO AND IN VIVO MODELS AND HIGH THROUGHPUT DATA ANALYSIS INCLUDING DUG SCREENING, MOLECULAR PROFILING, AND TRANSCRIPTOMICS. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE FUNDING PERIOD, WE WILL BE POSITIONED TO IMPLEMENT PATIENT-RELEVANT ORGANOIDS TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPIES THAT WILL EFFECTIVELY TARGET ACTH-SECRETING PITUITARY ADENOMAS IN PATIENTS WITH CD.

FORECASTING TIPPING POINTS IN EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

IMPLEMENT PLAN OF WORK FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & EDUCATION (SARE) PROGRAM

IMPLEMENT PLAN OF WORK FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & EDUCATION (SARE) PROGRAM

IMPLEMENT PLAN OF WORK FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & EDUCATION SARE PROGRAM

IMPLEMENT PLAN OF WORK FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & EDUCATION SARE PROGRAM

DEVELOPING A PARAMYXOVIRUS-BASED H5N1 VACCINE

IMPLEMENT PLAN OF WORK FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & EDUCATION (SARE) PROGRAM

SMOKING CESSATION INTERVENTIONS AND PROGRAM AVAILABILITY FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADD

TRANSFORM-PGR: WHOLE GENOME ASSEMBLY OF THE MAIZE NAM FOUNDERS

EVALUATION OF PREGNANCY ON VACCINE-INDUCED IMMUNITY AND PROTECTION IN A PRE-CLINICAL MODEL OF RSV INFECTION

IMMUNOPATHOGENESIS OF HIV-ASSOCIATED PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

PRODROMAL INVENTORY FOR NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS (PINS): A DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION STUDY

A GENETIC RESOURCE FOR GENE DISCOVERY IN SOYBEAN

ADOPTION OF INNOVATIONS IN PRIVATE A & D TREATMENT CENTERS

USE OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES IN ALCOHOLISM TREATMENT

DETERMINANTS OF RESISTANCE IN HUMAN SCHISTOSOMIASIS

RURAL ENVIRONMENTS, SOCIAL NETWORKS, AND PATERNAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO INFANT DEVELOPMENT

ENGINEERING NITRIC OXIDE RELEASING POLYMER WITH IMMOBILIZED THROMBIN INHIBITOR FOR BLOOD CONTACTING APPLICATIONS

LSAMP - PEACH STATE LOUIS STOKES ALLIANCE FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION

PUTTING CDSMP TO WORK: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LIVE HEALTHY, WORK HEALTHY PROGRAM

ENGINEERING DYNAMIC CONTROL OF NATURAL PRODUCT BIOSYNTHESIS IN BACTERIA

TRANSFORMING STEM EDUCATION AT A RESEARCH 1 UNIVERSITY THROUGH MULTI-LEVEL ACTION TEAMS

NRT-DESE: INTERDISCIPLINARY DISEASE ECOLOGY ACROSS SCALES: FROM BYTE TO BENCHTOP TO BIOSPHERE

SORGHUM HALEPENSE (JOHNSONGRASS) HAS THE RARE DISTINCTION OF BEING BOTH AN AGRICULTURAL WEED AND INVASIVE SPECIES. WEEDS ARE THE MOST COSTLY AND LABOR-INTENSIVE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE FOR AGRICULTURALISTS, AND INVASIVE PLANTS HAVE BECOME UBIQUITOUS COMPONENTS OF NATURAL AREAS. ITS POST-COLUMBIAN SPREAD ACROSS SIX CONTINENTS EXEMPLIFIES THE ADAPTABILITY OF JOHNSONGRASS AND HIGHLIGHTS ITS IMPORTANCE TO FOOD SECURITY. GROWING IMPORTANCE OF ITS RELATIVE, SORGHUM, AND A LACK OF HERBICIDES DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE TWO, LIKELY FACILITATE FURTHER SPREAD. WE SEEK TO DISCOVER PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE SPREAD OF JOHNSONGRASS, IN PARTICULAR REGARDING ITS RAPID ADAPTATION TO NEW CLIMATIC, EDAPHIC, BIOTIC, AND AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS. WE WILL INVESTIGATE NUMEROUS DIMENSIONS OF ITS 'INVASIVE SYNDROME', DEPLOYING NEW FINDINGS IN PROVIDING AN IMPROVED FACT-BASED FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. CONVENTIONAL EXTENSION ACTIVITIES COMPLEMENTED BY K-12 AND 4-H EFFORTS WILL EXTEND THE DURATION OF THEIR BENEFITS. THE BENEFITS OF OUR INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP MAY BE ESPECIALLY GREAT FOR POSTDOCTORAL, GRADUATE, AND UNDERGRADUATE PROFESSIONALS IN TRAINING, WHO WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A VIBRANT AND COMPETITIVE AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE TO UTILIZE CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGIES IN ASSURING AN ABUNDANT, STABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND CLIMATE-RESILIENT FOOD SUPPLY PRODUCED AT AN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE COST, AND ACCOMPANIED BY ENHANCED STEWARDSHIP OF NATURAL AREAS AND INCREASED PUBLIC AND DECISION MAKER AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR ONGOING INVESTMENT.

THE OUTER SURFACE OF VIBRIO CHOLERAE

ADVANCED GEOAI FOR TERRAIN ANALYTICS IN COLD REGIONS

STREAMLINING THE CHEMOENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF ASYMMETRICAL GLYCANS OF BIOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

EFFECT OF VIBRATION ON MUSCLE PROPERTIES, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND BALANCE IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

A FULLY SYNTHETIC CARBOHYDRATE-BASED CANCER VACCINE

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH

IMPLEMENT PLAN OF WORK FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & EDUCATION SARE PROGRAM

GLYCOREGULATION OF SKP1 IN THE CYTOPLASM AND NUCLEUS

NON-INVASIVE OPTICAL IMAGING OF SELECT AGENT BACTERIA IN NON-HUMAN PRIMATES

SIRTUINS AND METABOLIC PATHWAY INTEGRATION

NON-CODING RNPS: FROM RNA MODIFICATION TO GENOME DEFENSE

BIOMARKERS OF HEALTH RISK AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN COUPLES

ROLE OF BETA3-GLUCOSYLTRANSFERASE IN A NON-CANONICAL QUALITY CONTROL PATHWAY

EFFECT OF INTENSITY AND HEALTH COACHES ON THE TRANSLATION OF DPP TO WORKSITES

THE NATIONAL BIOREPOSITORY AND RESOURCE FOR PITUITARY NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH (BIOPITNET) - PROJECT SUMMARY PITUITARY NEUROENDOCRINE TUMORS (PITNETS) ARE RARE AND UNDERSTUDIED HETEROGENEOUS TUMORS THAT ARE DETRIMENTAL TO HEALTH CAUSING INCREASED MORTALITY AND POOR QUALITY OF LIFE. CUSHING’S DISEASE (CD) IS A SERIOUS ENDOCRINE DISEASE CAUSED BY AN ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE (ACTH)-SECRETING PITNET THAT SUBSEQUENTLY STIMULATES THE ADRENAL GLANDS TO OVERPRODUCE CORTISOL. CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO EXCESS CORTISOL HAS SEVERAL DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON HEALTH, INCLUDING INCREASED STROKE RATES, DIABETES, OBESITY, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND A THREEFOLD INCREASE IN THE RISK OF DEATH FROM CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND CANCER. DESPITE DECADES OF RESEARCH, CURRENT TREATMENTS FOR CD REMAIN SUBOPTIMAL, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TARGETED THERAPIES IS CHALLENGING DUE TO THE LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF PITNET TUMOR CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR COMPLEXITY. THE RC2 WILL FUND THE NATIONAL BIOREPOSITORY AND RESOURCE FOR PITUITARY NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH (BIOPITNET) WHICH WILL BE AN OPEN SOURCE, CLINICALLY RELEVANT DEEP TUMOR PHENOTYPING PLATFORM AND BIOREPOSITORY. THIS IS THE FIRST PHASE OF A CONTIN- UUM OF TRANSLATIONAL- AND HYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN RESEARCH THAT WILL ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE THERAPIES FOR PITNETS, PREVENTING TUMOR RECURRENCES AND IMPROVING REMISSION RATES AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PATIENTS. THE BIOPITNET TEAM WILL: 1) ESTABLISH A LARGE-SCALE UNIQUE RESOURCE WITHIN AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL GENERATE SUS- TAINABLE NOVEL RESEARCH TOOLS BENEFITING INVESTIGATORS WITH FOCUSED TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH OF PITNETS, AND 2) IMPLEMENT INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES AND EXPERTISE TO GENERATE A RESOURCE THAT WILL FOSTER TRANSLATIONAL AND HYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN RESEARCH IN PITNET DISEASES. THE REGISTRY FOR ADENOMAS OF THE PITUITARY AND RELATED DISOR- DERS (RAPID) IS A TWELVE CENTER US CONSORTIUM FOUNDED IN 2021 TO IMPROVE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH PITNETS AND FUNDED BY GRATEFUL PATIENTS. THE BIOPITNET LEVERAGES THE RAPID CONSORTIUM CLINICAL PLATFORM TO COMBINE CLINICAL ANNOTATIONS OF FUTURE PROSPECTIVELY ENROLLED PATIENTS WITH MOLECULAR AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION USING STATE-OF-THE-ART PRECLINICAL MODELS. THE LOW INCIDENCE OF CD REQUIRES MULTICENTER COLLABORATION AND INTERDISCIPLI- NARY TEAM SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN BASIC- AND CLINICIAN-TRANSLATIONAL SCIENTISTS COMPRISING THE EXPERTISE OF PROFESSIONALS TRAINED IN COMPLIMENTARY FIELDS INCLUDING MEDICAL AND SURGICAL TREATMENT, NEUROPATHOLOGY, MOLEC- ULAR GENETICS OF PITNETS, MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY AND HIGH-PLEX SPATIAL IMAGING, ORGANOID AND IPSC TECHNOLOGY, CANINE COMPARATIVE ONCOLOGY DISEASE MODELS AND TRANSLATIONAL BIOINFORMATICS. THE BIOPITNET WILL BE ESTAB- LISHED BY THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AIM 1: TO ESTABLISH THE BIOPITNET CENTRALIZED BIOREPOSITORY COMPRISING OF RESOURCES THAT WILL BE BENCHMARKED TO THE PATIENTS’ PITNET TISSUE OF ORIGIN, AIM 2: TO DEVELOP A PITNET CLINICALLY RELEVANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR CD, AND AIM 3: TO ESTABLISH A BIOBANK OF INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL (IPSCS) LINES GENETICALLY ENGINEERED TO MODEL CORTICOTROPH SUBTYPE PITNETS AS A RESOURCE FOR INVESTIGATING GENETIC UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF CD.

PURPOSE: THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO RESTORE OYSTER REEFS AND SALT MARSHES AROUND THE GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY OF HOG HAMMOCK ON SAPELO ISLAND, GEORGIA. USING NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURES, THIS WORK WILL BOTH RESTORE ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT AND INCREASE COMMUNITY FLOOD PROTECTION. ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN COLLABORATIVE HABITAT RESTORATION DESIGN WILL HELP TO IMPROVE THE MULTIPLE BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY.

INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO TRAIN SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN HIGH-NEED SCHOOLS & LEAS IN RURAL GEORGIA

RSV NANOCAPSULE VACCINE ENGINEERED WITH A G PROTEIN PEPTIDE PAYLOAD

EARLY ADVERSITY AND DRUG USE VULNERABILITY AMONG LOW INCOME RURAL CHILDREN: TESTING A NEURO-ECOLOGICAL MODEL OF RESILIENCE - PROJECT SUMMARY THE INFLUENCE OF BROADER COMMUNITY CONTEXTS ON CHILDREN’S NEUROCOGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND RISK FOR DOWNSTREAM DRUG MISUSE IS SIGNIFICANT. THE FOCUS OF THIS PROPOSAL IS ON LOW-INCOME CHILDREN WHO RESIDE IN RURAL GEORGIA. BEING POOR IN THE RURAL SOUTH IS PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING FOR FAMILIES. EMERGING RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT RURAL VS. URBAN POVERTY IS CHARACTERIZED BY DISTINCT RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT HAVE UNIQUE EFFECTS ON CHILDREN’S NEURAL AND SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THESE DIFFERENCES UNDERSCORE THE UNIQUE CONTEXTUAL RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF DRUG USE VULNERABILITY AMONG RURAL YOUTH. INFORMED BY AN ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE PERSPECTIVE, WE PURPORT THAT NEURAL MARKERS OF VULNERABILITY CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD IN ISOLATION FROM CHILDREN’S EXPERIENCE OF THEIR ECOLOGICAL CONTEXTS. THE PROPOSED STUDY IS AMONG THE FIRST TO INTEGRATE NEURAL ASSESSMENTS WITH MULTIDIMENSIONAL ASSESSMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS AND PROTECTIVE PROCESSES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND BEGINS FOLLOWING CHILDREN AT AGE 7 DURING A SENSITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD FOR LIFE-COURSE-PERSISTENT EFFECTS ON DRUG USE VULNERABILITY. OUR CORE PREMISE POSITS THAT THE EFFICIENCY OF COGNITIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS (COGNITIVE CONTROL NETWORKS [CCN]) IN MODULATING SOCIOEMOTIONAL SYSTEMS (EMOTION, REWARD, AND SALIENCE NETWORKS [ERSN]) IS A MECHANISM LINKING RURAL CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO ADVERSITY TO THEIR DRUG USE VULNERABILITIES. WE CONSIDER THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL NATURE OF ADVERSITY AND SPECIFY ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THREAT, DEPRIVATION, AND UNPREDICTABILITY. HOWEVER, CONSIDERABLE INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXIST IN THE PATHWAY LINKING ADVERSITY TO DRUG USE VULNERABILITY, A PRODUCT OF CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO FAMILY, PEER, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY PROTECTIVE PROCESSES. WE PROPOSE TO RECRUIT 265 LOW-INCOME, RURAL CHILDREN (AGE 7) AND THEIR PRIMARY CAREGIVERS INTO A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY (FOLLOWING CHILDREN FROM AGES 7 TO 10). CHILDREN WILL PARTICIPATE IN FMRI SCANS TO ASSESS CCN MODULATION OF THE ERSN. TO ASSESS EXPOSURE TO ADVERSITY AND SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL PROTECTIVE FACTORS, WE WILL OBTAIN RICH MULTI-LEVEL INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED TO TEST THE FOLLOWING AIMS: 1) THE INFLUENCE OF CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY ON NEURAL RISK MECHANISMS, 2) THE INDIRECT INFLUENCE OF ADVERSITY ON DRUG USE VULNERABILITY VIA NEURAL RISK MECHANISMS, AND 3) THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF FAMILY, PEER, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY PROTECTIVE FACTORS ON THE LINKS BETWEEN CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY NEURAL RISK AS WELL AS BETWEEN NEURAL RISK AND DRUG USE VULNERABILITIES. MULTI-LEVEL RESEARCH THAT EFFECTIVELY CONNECTS RURAL CONTEXTS, NEUROIMAGING, AND BEHAVIORAL DATA IS CRITICAL FOR ADVANCING THE PRECISION AND SPECIFICITY OF DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS OF DRUG USE RESILIENCE FOR THIS POPULATION.

ECA-PGR: SOMATIC GENETIC AND EPIGENETIC VARIATIONS IN LONG-LIVED PERENNIAL TREES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

STRUCTURAL AND PROTON DYNAMICS OF PYRIDOXAL-5'-PHOSPHATE DEPENDENT ENZYMES (RESUBMISSION)

LANGUAGE-RICH INQUIRY SCIENCE WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY (LISELL-B)

ROLE OF POGLUT2 AND POGLUT3 IN REGULATING MICROFIBRIL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION - PROTEIN O-GLUCOSYLTRANSFERASES 2 AND 3 (POGLUT2 AND POGLUT3) ADD AN O-LINKED GLUCOSE TO A SERINE RESIDUE IN EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR-LIKE (EGF) REPEATS CONTAINING THE PUTATIVE CONSENSUS SEQUENCE C3XNTXGS(Y/F)XC4, WHERE C3 AND C4 ARE THE THIRD AND FOURTH CONSERVED CYSTEINE IN THE EGF REPEAT. DATABASE SEARCHES REVEAL THAT THE FIBRILLINS (FBNS) AND LATENT TGFSS BINDING PROTEINS (LTBPS) HAVE NUMEROUS EGF REPEATS WITH THE CONSENSUS, WHILE OTHER PROTEINS ONLY HAVE ONE OR TWO. FBN1 AND FBN2 ARE THE MAJOR STRUCTURAL PROTEINS IN THE 10-12 NM MICROFIBRILS IN EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX, WHERE THEY SERVE AS THE SCAFFOLD FOR ELASTIN IN ELASTIC TISSUES, PROVIDING ELASTICITY AND RECOIL ESSENTIAL FOR FUNCTION OF TISSUES SUCH AS LUNG. MICROFIBRILS ALSO BIND A NUMBER OF OTHER MOLECULES, INCLUDING LTBPS, THAT REGULATE TISSUE HOMEOSTASIS. MUTATIONS IN FBN1 CAUSE MARFAN SYNDROME (MFS) THAT CAN RESULT IN AORTIC ANEURISM/DISSECTION AND ALSO CAUSE LUNG, BONE-GROWTH, AND EYE DEFECTS. ELIMINATION OF FBN1, LTBP1, OR LTBP4 IN MICE RESULTS IN PERINATAL LETHALITY, RECAPITULATING SEVERAL OF THE PHENOTYPES SEEN IN MFS PATIENTS. NOTHING IS KNOWN ABOUT THE IMPACT OF EGF O-GLUCOSYLATION ON FBN OR LTBP FUNCTION. USING OUR GLYCOPROTEOMIC MASS SPECTRAL METHODS, WE DEMONSTRATED THAT 27 OF THE 47 EGF REPEATS IN FBN1 IMMUNOPURIFIED FROM HUMAN DERMAL FIBROBLAST CULTURES ARE MODIFIED WITH O-GLUCOSE. SIMILAR LEVELS OF O-GLUCOSE WERE FOUND IN RECOMBINANT FBN2, LTPB1, AND LTBP4 EXPRESSED IN HEK293T CELLS. SECRETION OF AN N-TERMINAL FRAGMENT (EGF1-26) OF FBN1 WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED WHEN POGLUT2 AND POGLUT3 WERE KNOCKED OUT IN HEK293T CELLS, SUGGESTING THAT MODIFICATION BY THESE ENZYMES, BOTH LOCALIZED IN THE ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, ARE REQUIRED FOR EFFICIENT FOLDING AND SECRETION OF THESE SUBSTRATES. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS O-GLUCOSE MODIFICATION IS UNDERSCORED BY OUR RECENT OBSERVATION THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR POGLUT2/POGLUT3 DOUBLE KNOCKOUT (DKO) MICE DIE PERINATALLY. SURVIVORS HAVE ABNORMALITIES SIMILAR TO FBN AND LTBP KOS INCLUDING LUNG DEFECTS, SMALL SIZE, AND SYNDACTYLY. BASED ON THESE OBSERVATIONS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT O-GLUCOSYLATION OF FBNS AND LTPBS IS ESSENTIAL FOR A FUNCTIONAL MICROFIBRIL NETWORK. WE PREDICT THAT LOSS OF O-GLUCOSYLATION WILL REDUCE SECRETION OF THESE PROTEINS AND/OR DISRUPT BINDING TO MICROFIBRIL ASSOCIATED PROTEINS, LEADING TO STRUCTURAL AND/OR SIGNALING DEFECTS IN TISSUES. WE WILL TEST THIS HYPOTHESIS IN THREE AIMS. AIM 1 ADDRESSES HOW LOSS OF O-GLUCOSE AFFECTS POGLUT2/3 SUBSTRATE PROTEINS USING CELL-BASED SECRETION ASSAYS, ULTRASTRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF MICROFIBRILS, AND ANALYSIS OF FBN1-LIGAND INTERACTIONS. AIM 2 TESTS WHETHER CONSERVED AMINO ACIDS IN THE PUTATIVE POGLUT2/3 CONSENSUS ARE REQUIRED FOR O-GLUCOSYLATION, AND WHETHER MFS MUTATIONS IN THESE CONSERVED RESIDUES MEDIATE THEIR EFFECTS ON FBN1 BY LOSS OF O-GLUCOSE. AIM 3 EXAMINES WHETHER LOSS OF POGLUT2/3 IMPAIRS THE MICROFIBRIL NETWORK IN DEVELOPING LUNGS USING MOUSE MODELS, HISTOLOGICAL APPROACHES, AND GENETIC INTERACTION STUDIES. COMBINED, THESE AIMS WILL PROVIDE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS TO EXPLAIN HOW O-GLUCOSE AFFECTS THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE MICROFIBRIL NETWORK.

THE NEUROKININ-1 RECEPTOR AS A MEDIATOR OF ALCOHOLISM AND DEPRESSION COMORBIDITY

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ALTERNARIA BLIGHT AND HEAD ROT (ABHR) IN BROCCOLI CAN SEVERELY IMPACT YIELDS AND INCREASE PRODUCTION COSTS IN THE ABSENCE OF EFFECTIVE CONTROL OPTIONS AND IS A THREAT TO THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY AND PROFITABILITY OF THE INDUSTRY. A COORDINATED, MULTI-STATE EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO DETERMINE PATHOGEN BIOLOGY, POPULATION STRUCTURE AND FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE PROFILE OF ALTERNARIA SP. CAUSING ABHR IN BROCCOLI. ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF SPECIFIC PRODUCTION PRACTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, AND INOCULUM SOURCES ON DISEASE OUTBREAKS WOULD BE USED TO DESIGN PRACTICAL, ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND STRATEGIES TO LIMIT LOSSES TO ABHR. OUR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION TEAM WILL CHARACTERIZE THE PATHOGEN(S) (UTILIZING COMPARATIVE GENOMICS, POPULATION BIOLOGY AND FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE PROFILES TO IDENTIFY POPULATION STRUCTURE AND DEVELOP DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FOR IDENTIFYING ALTERNARIA SP. CAUSING ABHR IN BROCCOLI), THE HOST (SCREENING OF COMMERCIAL VARIETIES), AND ENVIRONMENT (EVALUATING PRODUCTION PRACTICES, AND INOCULUM SOURCES), WHICH COLLECTIVELY CONSTITUTE THE DISEASE TRIANGLE. WE WILL INTEGRATE ECONOMIC ASSESSMENTS AND EXTENSION EFFORTS INTO EACH OBJECTIVE THAT WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR PROJECT. THIS PROJECT MEETS THE LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED SCRI FOCUS AREAS OF EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THREATS FROM PESTS AND DISEASES AND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY, HANDLING AND PROCESSING, PRODUCTIVITY, AND PROFITABILITY.? THIS PROJECT AIMS TO REDUCE ECONOMIC LOSSES IN BROCCOLI PRODUCTION CAUSED BY ALTERNARIA SP. BY PROVIDING GROWERS THE TOOLS FOR MAKING INFORMED MANAGEMENT DECISIONS THAT INCREASE PROFITABILITY. OUR OUTREACH PLAN (OUTREACH PLAN, PAGE 32) WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW PATHOGEN POPULATION GENETICS, PATHOGEN DIAGNOSTICS, FUNGICIDE SENSITIVITY SCREENING, VARIETAL SCREENING AND EVALUATION OF CULTURAL PRACTICES CAN BE EMPLOYED IN FARM OPERATIONS TO CONTROL ABHR OF BROCCOLI. WE AIM TO CONDUCT OUR OUTREACH ACTIVITIES THROUGH A SYNCHRONIZED EFFORT OF TEAM MEMBERSAND WILL COMMUNICATE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT TO STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH MULTIPLE AVENUES (FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS AND MULTI-MEDIA). IMPACT OF OUR EXTENSION PROGRAMS WILL BE EVALUATED BY DETERMINING THE RATE OF ADOPTION OF IMPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS, AND USE OF IMPROVED VARIETIES, CULTURAL PRACTICES AND EFFECTIVE FUNGICIDES.ABHR HAS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THE RISK OF GROWING BRASSICA CROPS INCLUDING BROCCOLI IN THE EASTERN U.S. EFFORTS TO LIMIT LOSSES IN FIELDS, AND STORAGE, HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL, LIKELY DUE TO RECENT SHIFTS IN PATHOGEN POPULATION AND POTENTIAL RESISTANCE DEVELOPMENT TO 'QUINONE OUTSIDE INHIBITOR (QOI)' FUNGICIDES. POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS: THE MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FOR DETECTING QOI RESISTANCE IN THE PATHOGEN, POPULATION STRUCTURE OF PATHOGEN, AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES RESULTING FROM THE PROJECT WILL REDUCE LOSSES TO ABHR IN BROCCOLI ACROSS THE PRODUCTION CHAIN, MAXIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS: OPTIMIZED PRODUCTION PRACTICES WILL REDUCE FUNGICIDE APPLICATIONS AND MINIMIZE THE OVER-USE OF QOI FUNGICIDES, DECREASE LOSSES TO ABHR, AND INCREASE THE EFFICIENT USE OF LAND, WATER, PESTICIDES AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR BROCCOLI PRODUCTION. SOCIAL BENEFITS: BROCCOLI GROWERS ALONG WITH RESEARCHERS, EXTENSION AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, PARTICULARLY FROM THE EASTERN U.S., ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO MANAGE A PRESSING ISSUE AND WILL COLLABORATE AND REINFORCE THE EASTERN BRASSICA INDUSTRY AS A TEAM. THIS PROJECT WILL FACILITATE TRAINING OF FUTURE AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS SUCH AS GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POST-DOCTORATES. IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY OF BROCCOLI PRODUCTION IN THE EASTERN U.S. WILL BENEFIT RURAL AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES, WHERE BRASSICA CROPS ARE IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THEIR LOCAL ECONOMY.

THE ROLE OF INTRINSIC DISORDER IN THE ALLOSTERIC REGULATION OF HUMAN UGDH

COMPARATIVE-, FUNCTIONAL-, AND EPI-GENOMICS OF LEGUMES AND NODULE FORMATION

RURAL SOUTHERN CONTEXTS AND PATHWAYS TO BLACK MEN'S ALCOHOL USE AND ABUSE: A TEN-YEAR PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

RESPONSIVE PARENTING, SLEEP, AND RAPID WEIGHT GAIN AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN INFANTS

MODIFICATION OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDES

TRTECH-PGR: REPROGRAMMING THE PLANT CELL WITH TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS -A WIDE VARIETY OF CELL LINEAGE TRANSFORMATIONS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN BIOMEDICINE BY ECTOPICALLY EXPRESSING TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS (TFS) ? PROVIDING INSIGHT INTO CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND ALLOWING FOR THE CREATION OF MEDICALLY-RELEVANT CELL TYPES. A GREATER ABILITY TO REPROGRAM PLANT CELL FATE AND INDUCE DESIRABLE PATHWAYS COULD HAVE TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACTS ON PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY. THIS PROJECT APPLIES A NEW FRAMEWORK TO SYSTEMATICALLY ASSESS WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH ECTOPIC TF EXPRESSION IN MAIZE, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT US CROPS. ROBOTICS-ASSISTED ASSAYS WILL BE USED TO TEST THE EFFECT OF THOUSANDS OF TFS ON GENE EXPRESSION IN PARALLEL. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED WITH TARGETED SECONDARY SCREENS TO EVALUATE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO SELECTED TFS IN PLANT TISSUES. ULTIMATELY, THESE EXPERIMENTS WILL CONTRIBUTE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF TF FUNCTION AND A ?REPROGRAMMING TOOLBOX? TO AID IN THE ENGINEERING OF PLANT TRAITS AND DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED PLANT BREEDING TECHNOLOGIES. TO CONNECT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, A FELLOWSHIP WILL BE ESTABLISHED TO SEND GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POST-DOCS TO SPEAK ABOUT THEIR CAREERS AT UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS WITH A HIGH PROPORTION OF UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. STUDENT FELLOWS WILL BE PROVIDED MENTORSHIP ON SPEAKING, AND DURING THEIR SEMINARS WILL INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT EXPLORING AND NAVIGATING SCIENTIFIC CAREERS. THE SCIENTIFIC AIMS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO: (1) MEASURE THE TRANSCRIPTIONAL RESPONSE TO A COLLECTION OF 2000 CLONED MAIZE TFS USING HIGH-THROUGHPUT PROTOPLAST ASSAYS; (2) ESTABLISH METHODS TO INTERPRET AND ANALYZE THESE DATA, INCLUDING APPROACHES TO CONNECT TFS TO TARGET PATHWAYS, INFER GENE REGULATORY NETWORKS, AND BETTER ACCOUNT FOR TECHNICAL COVARIATES WHEN ANALYZING HIGH-THROUGHPUT PLATE-BASED GENOMICS DATA; AND, (3) PRIORITIZE AND TEST TFS FOR THE ABILITY TO INDUCE FUNCTIONAL RESPONSES ECTOPICALLY, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON TISSUE REGENERATION ? A CRUCIAL STEP IN PLANT TRANSFORMATION. DATA AND CODE WILL BE MADE ACCESSIBLE AND FREE TO USE, INCLUDING THROUGH DATA REPORTS AND GRAPHICAL VISUALIZATION ON THE GENE LANDING PAGES OF MAIZEGDB. PLASMIDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE ARABIDOPSIS BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE CENTER (ABRC). FINALLY, THE PIS WILL HOST AN ONLINE WORKSHOP ON HIGH-THROUGHPUT FUNCTIONAL SCREENING IN PLANTS, HELPING TO MAKE THE TECHNIQUE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY. 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.

REGULATION OF PROTEIN TRANSPORT IN CILIA

SHAPING NEXT GENERATION AMINOGLYCOSIDE ANTIBIOTICS FOR TREATMENT OF MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT DISEASES

STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES OF PLANT CELL WALLS

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF NATURAL VARIATION IN THE PATHOGEN CANDIDA ALBICANS

TARGETED PAN-ANTIFUNGAL LIPOSOMES - INVASIVE FUNGAL DISEASES (IFDS) CAUSE MILLIONS OF DEATHS EACH YEAR AND THEY ARE REFRACTORY TO TREATMENT. CANDIDA ALBICANS, ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS, CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS AND RHIZOPUS ORYZAE CAUSE LIFE- THREATENING INVASIVE CANDIDIASIS, PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS, CRYPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS, AND MURORMYCOSIS, RESPECTIVELY. PATIENTS AT THE GREATEST RISK OF DEVELOPING THESE IFDS HAVE WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS SUCH AS HIV POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS. THE VULNERABLE POPULATION IS INCREASING DUE TO INCREASING NUMBERS OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSED INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING STEM CELL OR ORGAN TRANSPLANTS. IN THE U.S. MEDICAL COSTS FOR THESE THREE IFDS EXCEED $5 BILLION DOLLAR PER YEAR. AN INFECTED INDIVIDUAL’S MEDICAL COST OFTEN EXCEED $100,000. PATIENTS ARE TREATED WITH VARIOUS ANTIFUNGAL DRUGS, BUT ALL ANTIFUNGALS HAVE SERIOUS LIMITATIONS DUE TO HUMAN ORGAN TOXICITY, THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT FUNGICIDAL EFFECT AT SAFE DOSES AND SAFELY LIMITED TREATMENT PERIODS, AND THE EMERGENCE OF RESISTANT FUNGI. EVEN WITH TREATMENT, ONE-YEAR SURVIVAL IS ONLY 1% TO 90%, DEPENDING UPON THE PATIENT POPULATION. FEW NEW DRUGS HAVE GAINED ACCEPTANCE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. WE CREATED A TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGY IN WHICH ALMOST ANY ANTIFUNGAL DRUG MAY BE DELIVERED SPECIFICALLY TO THE FUNGAL CELL WALL AND/OR THEIR SECRETED EXOPOLYSACCHARIDE MATRICES TO INCREASE DRUG EFFICACY BY ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE. THIS TECHNOLOGY AND THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK SUPPORTING IT MEET THE CRITICAL NEED FOR DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED ANTIFUNGAL THERAPEUTICS. WE HAVE EMPLOYED THE CARBOHYDRATE RECOGNITION DOMAINS OF THE C-TYPE LECTIN RECEPTORS DECTIN-1 AND DECTIN-2 TO TARGET LIPOSOMAL PACKAGED ANTIFUNGALS TO FUNGAL GLUCANS AND MANNANS. ANTIFUNGALS SUCH AS AMPHOTERICIN B PACKAGED IN LIPOSOME PENETRATE THE ENDOTHELIUM, HAVE LONGER HALF-LIVES AND LESS INFUSION TOXICITY THAN DETERGENT SOLUBILIZED DRUGS. WE HAVE REMARKABLY STRONG IN VITRO DATA SHOWING THAT DECTIN-1- AND/OR DECTIN-2-TARGETING OF AMPHOTERICIN B-LOADED LIPOSOMES IMPROVED BINDING EFFICIENCY TO THESE FOUR DIVERSE FUNGAL SPECIES 100-FOLD OVER UNTARGETED LIPOSOMES AND KILLED THREE SPECIES 10- TO 100-TIMES MORE EFFICIENTLY. THE DELIVERABLES OF THIS HIGH-RISK HIGH-REWARD PROPOSAL INCLUDE (1) DEMONSTRATING THAT DECTIN-3 IN COMBINATION THE OTHER DECTINS EXPANDS FUNGAL CELL TARGETING CAPABILITIES, (2) GENERALIZING THE TECHNOLOGY TO THE DELIVERY OF OTHER ANTIFUNGALS AGENTS SUCH AS FLUCONAZOLE AND ANIDULAFUNGIN, AND (3) ASSEMBLING A PRECLINICAL DATA PACKAGE SHOWING THAT TARGETED ANTIFUNGAL-LOADED LIPOSOMES HAVE INCREASED EFFICACY IN MOUSE MODELS OF INVASIVE CANDIDIASIS, PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS, CRYPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS, AND PULMONARY MUCORMYCOSIS. WE BELIEVE WE WILL CREATE A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE ANTIFUNGAL PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY. WE HAVE AN ESTABLISHED TEAM OF SCIENTISTS ALREADY COMBINING THEIR EXPERTISE IN DIVERSE AREAS OF SCIENCE NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THESE EXPERIMENTS. WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN EXPERIMENTAL PLATFORM TO RAPIDLY INNOVATE AND REITERATIVELY TEST FUNGAL CELL SPECIFIC TARGETING OF ANTIFUNGALS THAT MAY BE USED TO TREAT DIVERSE LIFE- THREATENING FUNGAL INFECTIONS AND MILDER FUNGAL INFECTIONS OF EYES, SKIN, TOENAILS, AND BIOMEDICAL DEVICES.

IMMUNOPATHOGENESIS OF SEVERE MALARIA DURING PREGNANCY

CANINE MHC-I GENOTYPING AND TUMOR SPECIFIC NEOANTIGEN DETERMINATION - ABSTRACT BEING NATURALLY OCCURRING AND WITH AN INTACT IMMUNE SYSTEM, SPONTANEOUS CANCERS IN PET DOGS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EFFECTIVELY BRIDGE A CURRENT GAP BETWEEN PRECLINICAL MODELS AND HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS, ADVANCING CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY. HOWEVER, A CURRENT LACK OF ESSENTIAL RESOURCES CREATES ROADBLOCKS TO THE EFFECTIVE USE OF CANINE CANCERS. THE DEFICIENCY IS CLEARLY SEEN IN PREDICTING TUMOR-SPECIFIC NEOANTIGEN (TSNA), ATTRACTIVE TARGETS IN CANCER TREATMENT AND PREVENTION. TSNAS ARISE WHEN INTRACELLULAR MUTANT PEPTIDES, CREATED BY CANCER-ASSOCIATED SOMATIC ALTERATIONS, ARE PRESENTED BY THE CELL’S HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX CLASS I (MHC-I) MOLECULES. HENCE, MHC-I GENOTYPING IS A PREREQUISITE FOR TSNA PREDICTION. HOWEVER, WITH FEW MHC-I ALLELES KNOWN TO DATE, MHC-I GENOTYPING FOR THE DOG IS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE. MOREOVER, BECAUSE OF THE VERY LIMITED MHC-I PROTEIN CRYSTAL STRUCTURES AND EXPERIMENTAL PEPTIDE BINDING DATA, THERE CURRENTLY LACK PUBLIC TOOLS TO PREDICT TSNAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DOG, IN CONTRAST TO THE HUMAN WITH MANY TOOLS DEVELOPED. WITH THE NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING (NGS) DATA PUBLISHED FOR THOUSANDS OF DOGS FROM HUNDREDS OF BREEDS, NOW IS THE TIME TO ADDRESS THESE DEFICIENCIES. WE PROPOSE TO COMBINE OUR EXPERTISE, NGS DATA ANALYSIS BY THE ZHAO (PI) LAB AND MHC-I CHARACTERIZATION BY THE HILDEBRAND (MPI) LAB, TO DEVELOP SOFTWARE TOOLS AND DATA RESOURCES FOR LARGE SCALE MHC-I GENOTYPING AND SYSTEMATIC TSNA PREDICTION FOR THE DOG. WE WILL ALSO GENOTYPE MHC-I ALLELES OF THOUSANDS OF DOGS SEQUENCED AND PREDICT TSNAS FOR HUNDREDS OF CANINE TUMORS CHARACTERIZED. WE WILL USE OUR PROPOSED MHC-I GENOTYPE AND TSNA DISCOVERY TOOLS TO ASSIST A NCI-FUNDED IMMUNOTHERAPY TRIAL VIA COLLABORATION WITH DR. STEVEN DOW, AND THE VACCINATION AGAINST CANINE CANCER STUDY (VACCS) TRIAL VIA COLLABORATION WITH DR. DOUGLAS THAMM. BY ESTABLISHING RESOURCES THAT ARE CRITICALLY MISSING AT PRESENT, OUR WORK WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE APPLICABILITY OF THE DOG MODEL FOR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH.

HOME-BASED PREVENTION FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

NOVEL DIFFERENTIATION REPRESSOR MODULE IN HUMAN ES CELLS

LTER: THE INTERACTING EFFECTS OF HYDROCLIMATE VARIABILITY AND HUMAN LANDSCAPE MODIFICATION IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS

NEUTROPHIL EXTRACELLULAR TRAPS IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS

A NOVEL VACCINE FOR BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI AND BURKHOLDERIA MALLEI

LTER: EXAMINING LONG-TERM SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS THROUGH INTERACTIONS AND INDIRECT EFFECTS

TRANSPOSON TAGGING AND FAST NEUTRON MUTAGENESIS IN SOYBEAN: NECESSARY RESOURCES TO AID IN THE TRANSLATION OF GENOMICS INFORMATION INTO APPLIED TECHN

THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF ELEMENTARY HYDROCARBON SPECIES AND THEIR REACTIONS

COUPLE RELATIONSHIPS AND HEALTH DURING TRANSITION TO LATER ADULTHOOD

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: MEASURING THE EAST GREENLAND COASTAL CURRENT ON THE NORTHEAST GREENLAND SHELF -THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION HOW MUCH FRESH (LOW SALINITY) WATER IS CARRIED FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN ALONG THE EAST GREENLAND COAST INTO THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN AND HOW MUCH THIS TRANSPORT MAY VARY AS MORE OF THE GREENLAND AND ARCTIC ICE SHEETS MELT. FOR THIS PURPOSE, AN ARRAY OF SIX MOORINGS IS TO BE DEPLOYED ON THE NORTHEAST GREENLAND SHELF TO MAKE CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENTS OF TEMPERATURE, SALINITY, AND CURRENT VELOCITIES. AN EXCITING NEW FEATURE OF THIS ARRAY INCLUDES A VARIABLE BALLAST BUOY AT THE TOP OF ONE OF THE MOORINGS, THE ONE CLOSEST TO THE COAST, THAT ALLOWS MEASUREMENTS TO BE MADE ALL THE WAY TO THE OCEAN SURFACE WHEN THE REGION IS ICE FREE, BUT THAT PROHIBITS COLLISION OF THE INSTRUMENTS WITH SEA-ICE OR ICEBERGS IN WINTER BY KEEPING THE MOORING LINE BELOW THE ICE THEN. THE MOORING OBSERVATIONS ARE TO BE COMPLEMENTED BY A MODELING STUDY THAT ESTIMATES HOW THE EAST GREENLAND COASTAL CURRENT EVOLVES OVER LONGER TIME SCALES. A COLLABORATION WITH EUROPEAN PARTNERS WHO HAVE A SIMILAR MOORING ARRAY IN DEEPER WATERS FURTHER OFFSHORE ALLOWS TO EXAMINE THE SPATIAL EXTENT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM. TOGETHER THESE EFFORTS WILL FILL A CRITICAL GAP IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ARCTIC-SUBARCTIC EXCHANGE, AND RESULTS WILL BE APPLICABLE TO A RANGE OF SCIENTIFIC FIELDS BEYOND PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY INCLUDING CLIMATE SCIENCE, MARINE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT, AMONG OTHERS. THE OCEANIC CIRCULATION OF THE HIGH-LATITUDE NORTH ATLANTIC IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR CLIMATE SYSTEM AND IS POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE TO THE RELEASE OF FRESH, SURFACE WATERS FROM THE GREENLAND ICE SHEET AND THE ARCTIC OCEAN. A LARGE GAP EXISTS IN OUR MONITORING OF THIS FRESHWATER INPUT ON THE NORTHEAST GREENLAND SHELF (NEGS). THIS GAP WILL BE FILLED BY MEASURING THE SOUTHWARD-FLOWING EAST GREENLAND COASTAL CURRENT (EGCC) ON THE NEGS FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH CONTINUOUS, DIRECT MEASUREMENTS OVER AN ENTIRE YEAR. BASED ON EXISTING DATA FROM SUMMER SHIPBOARD SECTIONS AND SATELLITES, IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE FRESHWATER TRANSPORT IN THE EGCC IS AS STRONG AS THE FRESHWATER TRANSPORT OF THE BETTER KNOWN EAST GREENLAND CURRENT (EGC) FURTHER OFFSHORE AT THE SHELF BREAK. IF TRUE, THE EGCC WOULD BE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE TOTAL FRESHWATER BUDGET OF THE ARCTIC AND A KEY PLAYER IN ARCTIC-SUBARCTIC EXCHANGE. IN ADDITION TO THE MOORING ARRAY, IT WILL BE ANALYZED HOW THESE DATA FIT INTO THE LARGER SCALE NEGS CIRCULATION USING MODEL SIMULATIONS, REANALYSIS PRODUCTS, AND SATELLITE DATA. THE NEW ICE-AVOIDING BUOY TECHNOLOGY THAT IS TO BE DEVELOPED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE WIDELY APPLICABLE TO A RANGE OF ENVIRONMENTS AND IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS. RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL: (1) QUANTIFY THE VOLUME, HEAT, AND FRESHWATER TRANSPORTS OF THE EGCC ON THE NEGS, (2) COMPARE THESE TRANSPORTS TO THOSE OF THE EGC MEASURED BY EUROPEAN PARTNERS, (3) IDENTIFY THE PHYSICAL DRIVERS OF TRANSPORT VARIABILITY IN THE EGCC, AND (4) ASSESS THE LONG-TERM VARIABILITY OF THE EGCC AND ITS ROLE IN THE ARCTIC FRESHWATER BUDGET. 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 PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

A CULTURALLY INFORMED MODEL LINKING PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS REGULATION AND BEHAVIORAL AND ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENT IN LATINX CHILDREN - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT LATINX CHILDREN EXPERIENCE BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH DISPARITIES EARLY IN DEVELOPMENT THAT PERSIST INTO ADULTHOOD. EARLY IN DEVELOPMENT, LATINX CHILDREN ARE BEHIND THEIR PEERS IN COGNITIVE SELF-REGULATION (E.G., POOR EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS) AND BEHAVIORAL ADJUSTMENT (E.G., LOW SCHOOL READINESS). IT IS NOT KNOWN HOW CHILDREN’S PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS REGULATION (PSR) RELATES TO DISPARITIES IN YOUNG LATINX CHILDREN OR HOW LATINX CAREGIVERS CAN BUFFER THEIR CHILDREN FROM THESE NEGATIVE OUTCOMES. THESE ARE CRITICAL GAPS IN DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE BECAUSE LATINX FAMILIES FACE PERSISTENT, UNCONTROLLABLE STRESS THAT CAN LEAD TO CHRONIC ACTIVATION OF STRESS RESPONSE SYSTEMS THAT IN TURN, HAVE NEGATIVE CASCADING EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR AND BIOLOGY. FROM A LIFE COURSE PERSPECTIVE, IDENTIFYING MALLEABLE RISK AND PROTECTIVE PROCESSES IN LATINX FAMILIES DURING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD YEARS IS CRITICAL FOR ENSURING THE LONG-TERM HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE LARGE AND GROWING U.S. LATINX POPULATION. TO ADDRESS THESE SERIOUS RESEARCH GAPS, WE USE A NOVEL CULTURAL NEUROBIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO PROSPECTIVELY EXAMINE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE INDICATORS OF POSITIVE PARENTING AND PARENTS’ OWN PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS REGULATION (PSR) AS BUFFERS OF THE LINK BETWEEN CHILD PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS REGULATION AND CRITICAL DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES IN LATINX FAMILIES. TO INCREASE THE TRANSLATIONAL IMPACT OF THE WORK WE EXAMINE BOTH CULTURAL STRESSORS AND STRENGTHS RELATED TO PARENTING IN LATINX MOTHERS AND FATHERS. WE SPECIFICALLY ASSESS BEHAVIORAL AND ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENT GIVEN THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTAL INDICES ARE AT THE FOREFRONT FOR YOUNG SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN AND DIFFICULTIES IN THESE DOMAINS CAN PRESAGE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. WE FOLLOW CHILDREN FROM THE PRESCHOOL AGE INTO THE KINDERGARTEN YEAR BECAUSE THE FORMER REPRESENTS A CRITICAL TIME FOR THE EMERGENCE OF STRESS REGULATION SKILLS AND THE LATTER BECAUSE THE ADJUSTMENT TO THE SCHOOL SETTING REPRESENTS A CRITICAL DEVELOPMENTAL JUNCTURE. WE PUT FORTH THE FOLLOWING AIMS, WHICH ARE DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS ENDORSED BY NIH FOR ADVANCING MINORITY HEALTH AND REDUCING HEALTH DISPARITIES: AIM 1: IDENTIFY ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN PSR IN LATINX PRESCHOOLERS AND BEHAVIORAL AND ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENT IN KINDERGARTEN; AIM 2: EXAMINE POSITIVE PARENTING AND PARENT PSR AS MODERATORS OF THE LINK BETWEEN LATINX PRESCHOOLERS’ PSR AND BEHAVIORAL AND ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENT; AIM 3: IDENTIFY CONTEXTUAL STRESSORS THAT INFLUENCE LATINX PARENTS’ POSITIVE PARENTING AND PSR AND CULTURAL STRENGTHS THAT PROTECT AGAINST THESE STRESSORS. WE USE A LONGITUDINAL DESIGN AND A MULTIMETHOD ASSESSMENT (PHYSIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS, BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS, SELF-REPORT) OF KEY CONSTRUCTS. THE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL DATA ON HOW LATINX CHILDREN’S PSR IS ASSOCIATED WITH LATER ADJUSTMENT AND IDENTIFY MALLEABLE FACTORS THAT CAN BE LEVERAGED INTO CULTURALLY INFORMED INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING TO REDUCE DISPARITIES AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING OF LATINX FAMILIES.

CURAXIN-137, A NEW LEAD FOR ANTI-TRYPANOSOME DRUG DISCOVERY - RESUBMISSION - 1

SYNTHESIS AND TRANSPORT OF OUTER MEMBRANE COMPONENTS ACROSS THE GRAM-NEGATIVE CELL ENVELOPE - ABSTRACT THE INCREASING RISE IN ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AND THE DIMINISHED DISCOVERY OF NEW ANTIMICROBIALS THREATENS GLOBAL HEALTHCARE. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN ARE GRAM-NEGATIVE PATHOGENS, ORGANISMS WITH AN ADDITIONAL OUTER MEMBRANE (OM) THAT PROVIDES INTRINSIC RESISTANCE TO MULTIPLE CLASSES OF ANTIBIOTICS. UNLIKE THE INNER MEMBRANE (IM) THAT IS COMPOSED SOLELY OF GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPIDS (GPLS), THE OM IS ASYMMETRICAL WITH GPLS FOUND IN THE INNER LEAFLET AND LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE (LPS) LOCALIZED TO THE OUTER LEAFLET. THIS UNIQUE MEMBRANE ASYMMETRY AFFORDS PROTECTION FROM LARGE POLAR MOLECULES, AS WELL AS LIPOPHILIC COMPOUNDS, CREATING AN IMPERVIOUS BARRIER. SINCE THE OM IS ESSENTIAL, PATHWAYS REQUIRED FOR ITS ASSEMBLY ARE KEY TARGETS FOR ANTIMICROBIAL DESIGN. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO ANTIBIOTICS THAT DIRECTLY TARGET OM BIOGENESIS IN CLINICAL USE. THUS, IT REMAINS CRITICAL TO INVESTIGATE CELL ENVELOPE BIOGENESIS FOR FUTURE AND CURRENT ANTIMICROBIAL DESIGN. OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES, WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OM ASSEMBLY REVEALING NEW TARGETS FOR ANTIMICROBIAL DESIGN. HOWEVER, ONE MAJOR GAP REMAINED. HOW ARE GPLS TRANSPORTED FROM THE IM TO THE OM ACROSS THE AQUEOUS PERIPLASM? RECENTLY, WE DISCOVERED THAT KEY MEMBERS OF THE ASMA-LIKE FAMILY (YHDP, TAMB, AND YDBH) ARE CRITICAL FOR OM INTEGRITY AND INVOLVED IN GPL TRANSPORT. WE FOUND THAT YHDP, TAMB, AND YDBH ARE REDUNDANT IN THEIR ROLE IN OM LIPID HOMEOSTASIS; HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT EQUIVALENT. NOTABLY, ALL THREE PROTEINS SHARE HOMOLOGY AND STRUCTURAL FEATURES WITH EUKARYOTIC GPL TRANSPORTERS AND ARE CAPABLE OF SPANNING THE PERIPLASM. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS APPLICATION IS TO INVESTIGATE THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS REQUIRED FOR THE ASSEMBLY AND MAINTENANCE OF THE GRAM-NEGATIVE OM. MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE WILL CHARACTERIZE PATHWAYS REQUIRED TO TRANSPORT GPLS ACROSS THE CELL ENVELOPE USING E. COLI AS THE MODEL SYSTEM. IN THE CURRENT APPLICATION WE WILL (I) CHARACTERIZE THE MAJOR GPL TRANSPORTERS (YHDP, TAMB, AND YDBH), (II) IDENTIFY ACCESSORY PROTEINS REQUIRED FOR GPL TRANSBILAYER MOVEMENT, AND (III) DETERMINE HOW LOSS OF THESE SYSTEMS IMPACT OM LIPID HOMEOSTASIS AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE.

LTER: GEORGIA COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS V -THE GEORGIA COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS (GCE) LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (LTER) PROGRAM, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2000 TO UNDERSTAND ESTUARIES (PLACES WHERE SALT WATER FROM THE OCEAN MIXES WITH FRESH WATER FROM THE LAND) AND THEIR ADJACENT COASTAL WETLANDS (I.E., MARSHES AND TIDAL FORESTS) AND HOW THEY RESPOND TO LONG-TERM CHANGE. THE GCE LTER RESEARCHERS EVALUATE HOW ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (E.G., SEA LEVEL, TEMPERATURE, STORMS AND HURRICANES) AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES (E.G., LAND USE) AFFECT THE PROPERTIES OF ESTUARIES (E.G., SALINITY, FLOODING PATTERNS), AND HOW THAT IN TURN AFFECTS WETLANDS AND THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOOD AND REFUGE FOR FISH, SHELLFISH AND BIRDS, TO PROTECT THE SHORELINE FROM STORMS, TO HELP TO KEEP THE WATER CLEAN, AND TO STORE CARBON, ALL OF WHICH HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE US ECONOMY. MANY OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING ARE AFFECTING NOT JUST AVERAGE CONDITIONS, BUT ALSO THEIR FLUCTUATIONS AND EXTREMES (E.G., VARIABILITY). FOR EXAMPLE, NOT ONLY HAS THE AVERAGE HIGH TIDE LEVEL INCREASED OVER THE PAST DECADE, BUT THE NUMBER OF EXTREME FLOODING EVENTS HAS ALSO INCREASED, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LEAD TO WETLAND LOSS THROUGH DROWNING. DURING THIS AWARD, THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL CONDUCT STUDIES TO SYSTEMATICALLY EVALUATE 1) WHETHER WE CAN IMPROVE OUR PREDICTIONS OF ECOLOGICAL RESPONSES BY CONSIDERING VARIABILITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, AND 2) THE USE OF VARIABILITY AS AN EARLY INDICATOR OF UNDERLYING ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR PREDICTING THE LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF COASTAL WETLANDS IN A TIME OF GLOBAL CHANGE. IN ADDITION TO RESEARCH, THE GCE PROGRAM WORKS WITH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, COASTAL MANAGERS, CITIZEN SCIENTISTS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO ENHANCE SCIENTIFIC LITERACY AND IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. THE GCE LTER IS BASED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA MARINE INSTITUTE ON SAPELO ISLAND, GEORGIA, AND HAS A ROBUST PROGRAM OF LONG-TERM FIELD OBSERVATIONS, EXPERIMENTS, REMOTE SENSING, AND MODELING DESIGNED TO UNDERSTAND WETLAND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING. GCE LTER RESEARCHERS WILL BUILD ON THIS FOUNDATION WITH AN OVERLAY OF NEW EFFORTS FOCUSED ON VARIABILITY. OBJECTIVE (OBJ) 1 IS TO CHARACTERIZE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS IN MEAN AND VARIABILITY OF DRIVERS AND RESPONSES BY MEASURING EXTERNAL DRIVERS (E.G., SEA LEVEL), MARSH AND ESTUARINE CONDITIONS, AND THE WETLAND BIOPHYSICAL TEMPLATE, AND TO INTEGRATE THESE DYNAMICS VIA MODELING. OBJ 2 IS TO EVALUATE LINKAGES BETWEEN EXTERNAL DRIVERS AND ECOLOGICAL RESPONSES, AND DETERMINE WHETHER ASSESSING THE VARIABILITY OF ABIOTIC DRIVERS IMPROVES PREDICTIONS OF THOSE RESPONSES. THIS WILL BE DONE BY ANALYZING LONG-TERM DATA, CONDUCTING FIELD CAMPAIGNS IN AREAS WITH DIFFERENT VARIABILITY IN SALINITY AND INUNDATION, AND CONDUCTING COMPLEMENTARY MECHANISTIC EXPERIMENTS TO QUANTIFY THE EFFECTS OF DRIVER VARIABILITY (E.G., SALINITY). OBJ. 3 IS TO ASSESS DISTURBANCES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON PATTERNS OF VARIABILITY IN ECOLOGICAL RESPONSES BY TRACKING THE EFFECTS OF NATURAL DISTURBANCES IN THE FIELD ALONG WITH ONGOING EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATIONS. OBJ. 4 IS TO EVALUATE HOW ECOLOGICAL PROPERTIES CHANGE ACROSS ABIOTIC GRADIENTS, AND DETERMINE WHETHER VARIABILITY INCREASES NEAR HABITAT TRANSITIONS. THIS WILL BE DONE USING REMOTE SENSING, SAMPLING ACROSS GRADIENTS OF SALINITY AND INUNDATION, AND ESTABLISHING LONG-TERM MONITORING SITES IN FORESTED AREAS TO TRACK UPLAND MARSH MIGRATION. OBJ. 5 IS TO DETERMINE THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH COASTAL WETLANDS RESPOND TO CHANGING DRIVERS AND ASSESS WHETHER VARIABILITY INFORMS THIS UNDERSTANDING. THIS WILL BE DONE IN THREE WAYS: BY CONDUCTING STATISTICAL ANALYSES RELATING KEY ECOSYSTEM VARIABLES (E.G., NET ECOSYSTEM EXCHANGE, PLANT BIOMASS) TO DRIVERS (SALINITY, INUNDATION, TEMPERATURE); BY USING REMOTE SENSING TO INVESTIGATE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS IN THE MEAN AND VARIABILITY OF MARSH PRODUCTIVITY AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO VARIABILITY IN CLIMATE DRIVERS; AND BY SYNTHESIZING RESULTS TO DESCRIBE NET DAYTIME PRODUCTION AND C STOCKS AND PREDICT HOW THEY MIGHT CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO FUTURE CONDITIONS. THE GCE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE K-12 TEACHERS WITH RESEARCH EXPERIENCE THAT CAN BE SHARED IN THE CLASSROOM, ALONG WITH SCHOOL VISITS. IT WILL OFFER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS, AND RUN WEB-BASED COURSES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM WILL INITIATE A CITIZEN SCIENCE EFFORT TO DELINEATE HIGH TIDE FLOODING EVENTS, AND WILL PARTNER WITH THE GEORGIA COASTAL RESEARCH COUNCIL TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION WITH COASTAL MANAGERS. 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 PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

STRESS AND DRUG USE VULNERABILITY IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY

EXPANDING RESEARCH TEST BEDS FOR NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES