University Of The Pacific

UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC - HEERF - INSTITUTIONAL PORTION

UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC APPLICATION FOR CARES COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS

PACIFIC AND CENTRAL VALLEY SCHOOLS (PACS) PARTNERSHIP TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS

PACIFIC-STANFORD PRIMED PROGRAM: TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLINICAL ORAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS - PACIFIC-STANFORD PRIMED PROGRAM PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT BROAD, LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES. ORAL DISEASES AND DISORDERS IN AND OF THEMSELVES AFFECT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING THROUGHOUT LIFE. RESEARCH IS KEY TO IMPROVING ORAL HEALTH, ELIMINATING HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND FURTHER REDUCING THE BURDEN OF ORAL DISEASES AND DISORDERS. UNFORTUNATELY, A WIDE GAP EXISTS BETWEEN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE. WHILE SCIENTISTS CONSTANTLY PRODUCE NEW KNOWLEDGE RELEVANT TO ORAL DISEASE PREVENTION AND CLINICAL CARE, MUCH OF THEIR WORK IS NEVER INCORPORATED INTO PRACTICE. SIMILARLY, CLINICAL PROBLEMS ARE RARELY TRANSLATED INTO RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND PROJECTS. IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE BEEN GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN THE CLINICIAN-SCIENTIST WORKFORCE, WHICH MAY IMPACT ORAL HEALTH SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS AS WELL AS THE PIPELINE OF FUTURE ORAL HEALTH LEADERS. THE GOAL OF THE PACIFIC- STANFORD PRIMED PROGRAM IS TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLINICAL ORAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS TO EFFECTIVELY TRANSLATE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TO ENSURE OPTIMAL ORAL AND GENERAL HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE SPECIFIC AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM ARE TO: 1. PROVIDE PERSONALIZED EDUCATION IN CLINICAL RESEARCH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR CLINICALLY-ORIENTED FACULTY, DENTAL ALUMNI, AND DENTAL STUDENTS/RESIDENTS BY LEVERAGING RESOURCES THROUGH THE STANFORD CTSA PROGRAM. 2. ENGAGE AND SUPPORT RESEARCH FACULTY AND CLINICALLY-ORIENTED FACULTY IN INTRA- AND INTER-INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATIONS AT UOP AND STANFORD. 3. CREATE PEER AND STUDENT MENTORING PARTNERSHIPS WITH BIDIRECTIONAL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN RESEARCH FACULTY, CLINICALLY-ORIENTED FACULTY, AND DENTAL STUDENTS/RESIDENTS AT UOP AND STANFORD. 4. TO CARRY OUT PRACTICE-BASED CLINICAL RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN UOP AND AFFILIATED DENTAL CLINICS WITH CLINICAL FACULTY AND STUDENTS/RESIDENTS PARTICIPATING IN RESEARCH CONDUCTED DURING THE COURSE OF PATIENT CARE. WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS BY: (1) PROVIDING CLINICAL RESEARCH EDUCATION FOR CLINICALLY-ORIENTED FACULTY, DENTAL ALUMNI, AND DENTAL STUDENTS/RESIDENTS BY LEVERAGING STANFORD CTSA PROGRAM RESOURCES; (2) SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY- ORIENTED FACULTY IN BIDIRECTIONAL INTRA- AND INTER-INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATIONS AT UOP AND STANFORD; (3) CREATING MENTORING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY-ORIENTED FACULTY, AND DENTAL STUDENTS/RESIDENTS AT UOP AND STANFORD; AND (4) CONDUCTING PRACTICE-BASED RESEARCH WHERE DATA AND SAMPLE COLLECTION IS INTEGRATED INTO CLINICAL WORKFLOWS, AND IS CARRIED OUT DURING PATIENT CARE IN UOP DENTAL SCHOOL CLINICS, ITS AFFILIATED CLINIC SITES, AND STANFORD CLINICS.

NURSE EDUCATION, PRACTICE, QUALITY AND RETENTION - WORKFORCE EXPANSION PROGRAM - THE PACIFIC NURSING WORKFORCE EDUCATION PROGRAM (PNWEP) AIMS TO CREATE AN EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN THE CENTRAL AND SACRAMENTO VALLEY REGIONS, ADDRESSING HIGHER ATTRITION RATES AND LOWER REPRESENTATION AMONG THESE STUDENTS. IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES INCLUDE THE NEED FOR NAVIGATION AND ORIENTATION TO UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS, FINANCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, MENTORSHIP, AND ENHANCED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN ACUTE AND LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS. THE GOAL OF THE PNWEP PROPOSAL IS TO INCREASE AND STRENGTHEN THE NURSING WORKFORCE IN ACUTE AND LONG-TERM CARE, WITH THE PRIORITY OF ENHANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS FROM POPULATIONS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY EXPERIENCED DISPARITIES AND A LACK OF ACCESS TO ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION. THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES OFFERS A DEPTH OF RESOURCES AND IMPLEMENTS VARIOUS TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE ONGOING FACULTY AND STAFF TRAINING, OUTREACH, COLLABORATIONS, COMMUNICATION, AND INFORMATION SHARING/DISSEMINATION WITH EFFORTS TO INVOLVE COMMUNITIES. THE PROPOSAL SEEKS TO: 1. IMPLEMENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SYSTEMS 2. INCREASE ENROLLMENT 3. IMPLEMENT TRAINING IN ACUTE AND LONG-TERM CARE 4. ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS WITH ACUTE AND LONG-TERM SITES 5. PROVIDE STUDENT SUPPORT, INCLUDING STIPENDS, MENTORING, AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES 6. RECRUIT AND RETAIN NURSING FACULTY AND CLINICAL FACULTY/PRECEPTORS 7. EVALUATE THE PROGRAM’S EFFICACY THE PNWEP GRANT PROPOSAL ALIGNS AND SYNERGIZES WITH OUR SCHOOL’S MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES. THE PNWEP PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT NURSING STUDENTS IN VARIOUS WAYS TO ENSURE A ROBUST PATHWAY FOR DIVERSE, TALENTED STUDENTS WITH DEEP ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO ENTER NURSING CAREERS SUCCESSFULLY. GRADUATES PREPARED USING THESE FUNDS WILL BE READY TO MEET THE WORKFORCE NEEDS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES IN ACUTE CARE, LONG-TERM CARE, AND PUBLIC HEALTH SETTINGS.

THE SUCCESS PROGRAM AT PACIFIC PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES TO 200 ELIGIBLE STUDENTS TO ASSIST IN THEIR RETENTION AND GRADUATION AND TO FACILITATE THEIR TRANSITION TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

THE PACIFIC UPWARD BOUND PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FUNDAMENTAL SUPPORT TO 60 LOW-INCOME, POTENTIAL FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM EDISON HIGH SCHOOL TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE ENTRANCE.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

A NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR THE PREVENTION AND RESCUE OF FENTANYL AND OTHER OPIOID OVERDOSES - OPIOIDS HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD) AND THE INCREASING NUMBER OF OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE. IN JUST THE 12-MONTH PERIOD ENDING IN NOVEMBER 2021, MORE THAN 107,000 AMERICANS DIED FROM DRUG OVERDOSE. AROUND 66% OF THESE DEATHS INVOLVED ILLICIT SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS LIKE FENTANYL (APPROXIMATELY 50 TIMES MORE POTENT THAN HEROIN AND 100 TIMES MORE POTENT THAN MORPHINE), WHICH IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC TODAY. MANY OF THE OPIOID OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO FENTANYL MIXED WITH OTHER ILLICIT DRUGS LIKE HEROIN, COCAINE, AND METHAMPHETAMINE. THE POTENTIAL LETHAL DOSE OF FENTANYL IS AROUND TWO MILLIGRAMS, AND IT IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR OPIOID NAÏVE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE A TOLERANCE TO OPIOIDS. OVERDOSE DEATHS AMONG HIGH SCHOOL-AGED AMERICANS HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED SINCE 2019, WHICH HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO COUNTERFEIT PILLS (E.G., XANAX, PERCOCET, ADDERALL) LACED WITH A LETHAL AMOUNT OF FENTANYL. SADLY, MANY USERS OFTEN INGEST THE DEADLY DRUG UNKNOWINGLY. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NOT A HAPPY ENDING FOR THIS DEVASTATING STORY AND THERE IS NO EASY SOLUTION TO THE SYNTHETIC OPIOID PROBLEM. THE VULNERABILITY OF OUR NATION TO THE WEAPONIZATION OF HIGHLY POTENT FENTANYL ANALOGS, SUCH AS CARFENTANIL (20-FOLD MORE POTENT THAN FENTANYL), POSES A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH RISK NOT ONLY TO CIVILIANS, BUT ALSO TO FIRST RESPONDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, AND THE MILITARY. THE RELATIVELY SHORT DURATION OF ACTION (DOA) OF THE MU-OPIOID RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS, NALOXONE AND NALMEFENE, POSES A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR ITS EFFICACY AGAINST FENTANYL OVERDOSE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE HOW NALOXONE AND NALMEFENE COULD BE DEPLOYED EFFECTIVELY IN A MASS CASUALTY SITUATION INVOLVING SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS (WHERE DURATION OF OVERDOSE COULD LAST UP TO 24 HR). THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP A FUNDAMENTALLY NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY APPROACH FOR EXTENDING THE DOA OF CURRENTLY FDA-APPROVED OPIOID OVERDOSE ANTIDOTES (NALOXONE AND NALMEFENE) FOR 24 HR OR MORE. HERE WE REPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW GENERATION OF OPIOID ANTAGONIST PRODRUGS AS A COUNTERMEASURE FOR SYNTHETIC OPIOID OVERDOSE. THE MAIN ADVANTAGES OF OUR SYSTEM INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (I) USE OF TWO FDA-APPROVED ANTIDOTES, NALOXONE AND NALMEFENE, WITH WELL-ESTABLISHED SAFETY AND EFFICACY PROFILES; (II) POTENTIAL TO REVERSE AND EFFECTIVELY PROTECT AGAINST RE-NARCOTIZATION BY SYNTHETIC OPIOID OVERDOSE; (III) POTENTIAL TO AVOID THE PRECIPITATION OF OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS; AND (IV) ABILITY TO ADMINISTER THE PRODRUGS SUBCUTANEOUSLY. THE MAIN HYPOTHESIS OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO TEST WHETHER CONJUGATION OF FDA-APPROVED OPIOID ANTAGONISTS THROUGH A CLEAVABLE ESTER LINKER TO A SELECTIVE LIGAND FOR THE SERUM PROTEIN, TRANSTHYRETIN (TTR), WOULD ALLOW US TO GENERATE OPIOID ANTAGONIST PRODRUGS THAT ARE HYDROPHILIC AND CAN BIND REVERSIBLY TO TTR IN SERUM. THE BALANCED HYDROPHILICITY OF PRODRUG WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR ACHIEVING RAPID ABSORPTION OF THE PRODRUG FROM THE SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE WHILE BINDING TO TTR WOULD EXTEND THE DOA OF THE PRODRUGS.

PREDOCTORAL TRAINING IN GENERAL, PEDIATRIC, AND PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY AND DENTAL HYGIENE

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE FUNDAMENTAL SUPPORT TO 60 LOW INCOME POTENTIAL FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM EDISON HIGH SCHOOL TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE ENTRANCE

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM - THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS, SUPPORT, AND INTERVENTIONS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN MARGINALIZED, OPPRESSED, AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA, THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC IS ACUTELY AWARE OF THE REGION'S VAST UNMET BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS. THE PROPOSED PACIFIC BHWET PROGRAM, FOR WHICH WE SEEK FUNDING, AIMS TO EXPAND THE SUPPLY OF A DIVERSE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE TRAINED TO DELIVER INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE IN HIGH-NEED AND HIGH-DEMAND AREAS. THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE SOCIAL WORKERS AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS TO COLLABORATE EFFECTIVELY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. BY DOING SO, WE AIM TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF SKILLED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, ENHANCE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND ULTIMATELY IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY YOUTH IN THESE COMMUNITIES. THE PACIFIC BHWET PROJECT WILL EMPLOY A RESPONSIVE, MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES AND DISPARITIES. OUR STRATEGY INCLUDES PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT THROUGH STIPENDS TO ALLEVIATE THE ECONOMIC BURDEN ON TRAINEES FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL ESTABLISH MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS THAT PAIR TRAINEES WITH EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERTISE IN DELIVERING K-12 SCHOOL-BASED CARE TO YOUTH. TO FURTHER ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY, WE WILL INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP TRAINEES BALANCE THEIR EDUCATION WITH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. WE WILL ALSO FUND SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR YOUTH FOR CLINICAL EDUCATORS TO PREPARE THEM TO TRAIN STUDENTS. BY ADDRESSING THESE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS, WE AIM TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR DIVERSE AND TALENTED INDIVIDUALS TO SUCCEED IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS, ULTIMATELY STRENGTHENING THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE IN CENTRAL VALLEY SCHOOLS AND SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTCOMES.

RECRUITING, PREPARING, AND RETAINING STEM TEACHERS IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

TRIO - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

GHB TOXICOKINETICS: ROLE OF SEX HORMONE DEPENDENT MONOCARBOXYLATE TRANSPORTER REGULATION AND POTENTIAL FOR ALTERED OVERDOSE RISK IN TRANSGENDER MEN AND WOMEN

TAS::89 0321::TAS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW SILICA-ALUMINA BASED CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL LARGELY USING COAL REFUSE FOR MINE BACKFILL, MINE S

INCLUDE STANDARD PROVISION-HOMELAND SECURITY

DENTAL FACULTY LOAN REPAYMENT

S-STEM: CULTIVATING SUCCESS: CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND STUDENT RETENTION THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS AND ACADEMIC-INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS -THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL NEED FOR WELL-EDUCATED SCIENTISTS, MATHEMATICIANS, ENGINEERS, AND TECHNICIANS BY SUPPORTING THE RETENTION AND GRADUATION OF HIGH-ACHIEVING, LOW-INCOME STUDENTS WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC. THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC IS A MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION (MSI) WITH ASIAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER-SERVING INSTITUTION (AANAPISI) AND HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION (HSI) STATUS. OVER ITS SIX-YEAR DURATION, THIS TRACK 1 PROJECT WILL FUND SCHOLARSHIPS TO TEN UNIQUE FULL-TIME STUDENTS WHO ARE PURSUING BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN CIVIL ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT. FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS. BY ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS AND INTEGRATING ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRY EXPERIENCES THROUGH WORK-BASED LEARNING, STUDENTS WILL GAIN RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE EARLY IN THEIR DEGREE PROGRAMS, INCREASING THEIR FUTURE SUCCESS AND CAREER READINESS. THE PROJECT ALSO AIMS TO ENHANCE STUDENT SUCCESS BY IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZED COHORT EXPERIENCES AND OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND CAREER READINESS SUPPORTS. GIVEN THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC AND ITS SURROUNDING REGION HAVE A HIGH POPULATION OF STUDENTS FROM GROUPS UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM, THIS PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BROADEN PARTICIPATION AMONG LOW-INCOME, DIVERSE, AND ACADEMICALLY TALENTED STUDENTS PURSUING THEIR DEGREES. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE STEM DEGREE COMPLETION OF ACADEMICALLY TALENTED, LOW-INCOME UNDERGRADUATES WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED. IT WILL STUDY STUDENTS' SENSE OF BELONGING, SELF-EFFICACY, PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY, AND CAREER READINESS WITHIN THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC. THE PROJECT WILL EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RECRUITMENT AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AIMED AT ATTRACTING LOW-INCOME, ACADEMICALLY TALENTED STUDENTS TO THE CIVIL ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. IT WILL ALSO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF STRUCTURED ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SUPPORT ON STUDENTS' SENSE OF BELONGING, SELF-EFFICACY, AND PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WILL EXPLORE THE ROLE OF WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN ENHANCING ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND POST-GRADUATION EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES. THE PROJECT WILL BE EVALUATED WITH A MIXED METHODS APPROACH THAT RELIES ON VALIDATED SURVEY INSTRUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN PRIOR STUDIES AND NARRATIVE INTERVIEWS TO GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVES. THROUGH ANNUAL DATA COLLECTION THE PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE AN UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENT PERSPECTIVES OVER TIME. RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH EXISTING NETWORKS, SUCH AS THE MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT (MESA) PROGRAM, A DIGITAL SHOWCASE, WORKSHOPS, AND CONFERENCES AND JOURNALS FOR ENGINEERING AND STEM EDUCATION AS WELL AS DISCIPLINARY AREA JOURNALS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY NSF'S SCHOLARSHIPS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ACADEMICALLY TALENTED LOW-INCOME STUDENTS WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED WHO EARN DEGREES IN STEM FIELDS. IT ALSO AIMS TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION OF FUTURE STEM WORKERS, AND TO GENERATE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ACADEMIC SUCCESS, RETENTION, TRANSFER, GRADUATION, AND ACADEMIC/CAREER PATHWAYS OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS. 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.

STUDIES ON THE AH RECEPTORS SIGNALING MECHANISM

SINGLE-CELL IMMUNE LANDSCAPE IN THE ORAL DYSPLASIA'S MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION - ABOUT 7.9-27.6% OF ORAL DYSPLASIA, A PREMALIGNANT LESION, TRANSIT TO THE INVASIVE ORAL CAVITY SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA (OCSCC). PROGNOSTIC BIOMARKERS ARE CRITICALLY NEEDED TO DETERMINE PATIENTS WITH ORAL DYSPLASTIC LESIONS AT RISK FOR MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION AND TO GUIDE THE TARGETED DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL THERAPIES. OUR GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH A SINGLE-CELL ATLAS OF PREMALIGNANT IMMUNE MICROENVIRONMENT (PRIME) IN ORAL DYSPLASIA AND TO IDENTIFY IMMUNE FEATURES THAT PREDICT THE MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION TO OCSCC. WE PROPOSE AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH THAT COMBINES HIGH-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING MASS CYTOMETRY (IMC) AND MACHINE LEARNING PREDICTIVE MODELING (IEN) TO ANALYZE A TOTAL OF ~200 FORMALIN-FIXED PARAFFIN-EMBEDDED (FFPE) PATIENT TONGUE BIOPSIES FROM THE ORAL PATHOLOGY ARCHIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC (UOP), ARTHUR A. DUGONI SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY. IMC IS A NEW MULTIPLEX IMAGING TECHNOLOGY WHICH COMBINES HIGH- DIMENSIONAL MASS CYTOMETRY WITH MICROSCOPY. IMMUNE ELASTIC NET (IEN) IS A MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHM SPECIFICALLY DEVELOPING FOR THE ANALYSIS OF HIGH-DIMENSIONAL MASS CYTOMETRY DATA. WE PLAN TO IDENTIFY IMMUNE FEATURES THAT DIFFERENTIATE ORAL DYSPLASIA SEVERITY (AIM 1) AND PREDICT OCSCC MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION (AIM 2). IN ADDITION, WE WILL ANALYZE THE IEN-SELECTED IMMUNE FEATURES AT UOP HAN’S LAB BY CONDUCTING MULTIPLEX IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE (MIF) STAINING ON THE WHOLE SECTIONS (AIM 1&2) TO VALIDATE AND GENERALIZE THE IMC FINDINGS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL ESTABLISH IMMUNE LANDSCAPE IN ORAL DYSPLASIA AND IDENTIFY BIOMARKERS TO PREDICT THE MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION. IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PREDENTAL OR DENTAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH AND COLLABORATING WITH MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM TO IDENTIFY BIOMARKERS TO IMPROVE ORAL PATHOLOGY DIAGNOSIS.

INVESTIGATING THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS IN CONTROLLING THE ARYL HYDROCARBON RECEPT

EDGE CMT: RUI: ROLES OF TOXIN-ANTITOXIN SYSTEMS IN BIOFILM FORMATION AND HORIZONTAL GENE TRANSFER IN THE GENUS VARIOVORAX

SIDE CHAIN DRIVEN REFINEMENT OF PROTEIN STRUCTURE

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

MRI: ACQUISITION OF MASS SPECTROMETRY TECHNOLOGY FOR RESEARCH AND TRAINING

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

NON-MINIMUM ENERGY PATHWAYS IN THE DISSOCIATION OF ENERGY-SELECTED IONS -IN THIS PROJECT, FUNDED BY THE CHEMICAL STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS, AND MECHANISMS-A (CSDM-A) PROGRAM OF THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY, PROFESSORS B?LINT SZT?RAY AND ANTHONY DUTOI AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC ARE INVESTIGATING THE WAYS THAT MOLECULES BREAK APART AFTER AN ELECTRON IS REMOVED BY ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT. UNTIL RECENTLY, CHEMISTS THOUGHT OF THESE PROCESSES AS BEING CONTROLLED ALMOST ENTIRELY BY THE POTENTIAL ENERGY SURFACE, AKIN TO LOOKING FOR THE LOWEST PASS THROUGH MOUNTAINS. MORE RECENTLY, IT WAS LEARNED THAT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE PARTICIPANT ATOMS TO EXPLORE PREVIOUSLY UNRECOGNIZED REACTION PATHS OR SWITCH BETWEEN LOW-ENERGY PATHS. SOMETIMES THERE IS NOT EVEN A CLEARLY UNIQUE PATH, WITH THE ATOMS SPENDING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF TIME ?ROAMING? BEFORE THE REACTION COMPLETES. THIS PROJECT COMBINES EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL METHODS TO ANSWER SUCH FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS AS HOW ENERGY FLOWS IN THE FRAGMENTING ION, WHAT MOLECULAR-LEVEL PARAMETERS GOVERN OUTCOMES OF REACTIONS, AND HOW/WHEN REACTION MECHANISMS DEFY CONVENTIONAL LOGIC. THE RESEARCH INVOLVES UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA?S CENTRAL VALLEY WHO ARE OFTEN THE FIRST IN THE FAMILY TO GET A UNIVERSITY DEGREE. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES THEM WITH ADVANCED EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL SKILLS TO POSITION THEM WELL ON THE HIGH-TECH JOB MARKET. NON-MINIMUM-ENERGY-PATHWAY (NON-MEP) MECHANISMS, SUCH AS NONSTATISTICAL DYNAMIC EFFECTS, REACTION PATH BIFURCATIONS, AND ROAMING, CAN LEAD TO UNUSUAL BRANCHING RATIOS AND UNUSUAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF INTERNAL AND KINETIC ENERGY IN REACTION PRODUCTS. THIS PROJECT USES PHOTOELECTRON PHOTOION COINCIDENCE (PEPICO) SPECTROSCOPY TO INVESTIGATE UNIMOLECULAR DISSOCIATIONS INVOLVING NON-MEP PHENOMENA IN ENERGY-SELECTED GAS-PHASE IONS. THE INSTRUMENTS, BUILT BY PROFESSOR SZT?RAY AND COLLABORATORS, ENABLE MEASUREMENT OF BOTH STABLE AND UNSTABLE, THERMAL AND MOLECULAR-BEAM-COOLED SPECIES, AND ALLOW COLLECTION OF BRANCHING, UNIMOLECULAR RATE, AND KINETIC ENERGY RELEASE DATA WITH MEV RESOLUTION. THE EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ARE COMPLEMENTED BY PROFESSOR DUTOI?S MOLECULAR DYNAMICS TRAJECTORY CALCULATIONS TO ELUCIDATE THEIR MECHANISMS, FURTHER EXTENDED BY HIGH-LEVEL QUANTUM-CHEMICAL CALCULATIONS AT SELECT POINTS. INTEGRATING EXPERIMENTATION WITH COMPUTATIONAL MODELING AND THEORY FROM THE ONSET ALLOWS EXTRACTION OF PHYSICAL INSIGHTS NOT PREVIOUSLY ATTAINABLE BY EITHER EXPERIMENT OR THEORY ALONE. 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.

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

LOAN GRANT WITH FUNDS FOR NEW BUDGET PERIOD

RUI: MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF BLACK WIDOW SPIDER SILKS

ISOMER SELECTIVE INTERROGATION OF COMBUSTION AND ATMOSPHERIC INTERMEDIATES

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

CHIRALITY EFFECTS ON THE ACID-BASE PROPERTIES AND CONFORMATIONS OF PEPTIDES

HIGH-ACCURACY THERMOCHEMISTRY WITH THRESHOLD AND IMAGING PHOTOELECTRON PHOTOION COINCIDENCE SPECTROSCOPY

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EAR-CLIMATE: ECOHYDROLOGICAL RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE: CHANGING FLOWPATHS, AGING GROUNDWATERS, AND ALTERATIONS TO AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS -THIS PROJECT WILL ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW DECREASED GROUNDWATER RECHARGE ASSOCIATED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS MOUNTAIN GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS AND GROUNDWATER-DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEMS. MOUNTAIN AQUIFERS ACROSS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES SERVE AS REGIONAL SHORT-TERM STORAGE RESERVOIRS THAT PROVIDE A STABLE WATER SUPPLY FOR AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES, NEARBY CITIES, AND THREATENED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL OCCUR IN THE SIERRA NEVADA SAGEHEN EXPERIMENTAL FOREST (SEF) AND INCLUDE FIELD HYDROLOGICAL, GEOCHEMICAL, ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY ANALYSIS OF SPRINGS AND AN ASSESSMENT OF INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM STRESS. IN THE SEF, SPRING GROUNDWATER AGE WAS PREVIOUSLY CORRELATED WITH INCREASED CHEMICAL WEATHERING AND ECOSYSTEM RICHNESS. THESE OBSERVATIONS SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT BASELINE OF HYDROLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL HEALTH FOR COMPARISON WITH MODERN OBSERVATIONS. BROADER IMPACTS FROM THIS WORK FOCUS ON THREE AREAS: 1) STRENGTHENING PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT BY SUPPORTING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS; 2) SUPPORTING ONGOING COMMUNITY SCIENCE EFFORTS THROUGH ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ANNUAL BIOBLITZ EVENT AT THE SEF; AND 3) SUPPORTING K-12 STEM EDUCATION THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A ?GREEN BOX? FOCUSED ON PROJECT DISCOVERIES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE?S SCIENCE ALIVE TEAM. THIS PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE HOW DECREASED PRECIPITATION AND INCREASED TEMPERATURE IN THE SEF HAVE ALTERED THE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRIBUTING FLOWPATHS TO SPRINGFLOW GENERATION. THE RESEARCH PLAN INCLUDES TWO YEARS OF SPRING HYDROLOGICAL SAMPLING IN THE SEF FOR A SUITE OF GEOCHEMICAL ANALYTES, GROUNDWATER AGE TRACERS, AND PHYSICAL SPRING CHARACTERISTICS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE HOW BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES (BMI), INCLUDING ENDEMIC AND RELIC SPECIES, IN THE SEF HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, HOW THESE CHANGES RELATE TO FLOWPATH CHANGES, AND HOW BROADER BMI COMMUNITY STRUCTURES RELATE TO MODERN HYDROLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS. THE RESEARCH WILL USE ECOLOGICAL AND STABLE ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF BMI TO REVEAL COMMUNITY STRUCTURES AND FOOD WEB DYNAMICS. THIS RESEARCH WILL IDENTIFY INDICATORS THAT REVEAL IMPENDING COLLAPSE (I.E., HYDROECOLOGICAL THRESHOLDS) OF PERENNIAL SPRINGFLOW AND GROUNDWATER-DEPENDENT ECOLOGICAL NICHES IN MOUNTAIN GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS. THIS AWARD IS CO-FUNDED BY THE HYDROLOGIC SCIENCES AND ECOSYSTEM SCIENCES PROGRAMS. 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.

(RUI) FROM COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS TO UNDERLYING MECHANISMS: A NETWORK APPROACH TO MULTI-TRAIT TRADEOFFS

MRI: TRACK #1: ACQUISITION OF A MALDI-TOF-TOF MASS SPECTROMETER FOR GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION -THIS AWARD IS FUNDED BY THE MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION PROGRAM AND THE CHEMISTRY RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION PROGRAM. PROFESSOR ANDREAS FRANZ FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC (STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA), ON BEHALF OF 9 INVESTIGATORS IN 4 DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY, IS ACQUIRING A MATRIX-ASSISTED LASER DESORPTION / IONIZATION TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETER (MALDI-TOF-MS). MASS SPECTROMETRY (MS) CAN DETECT VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF SUBSTANCES BY IONIZATION AND IS A CENTRAL ANALYTICAL METHOD IN SCIENCE. MALDI-TOF-MS USES LASER PULSES TO PRODUCE A WIDE RANGE OF IONS, ESPECIALLY FROM HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT BIOMOLECULES SUCH AS PEPTIDES, PROTEINS, OLIGONUCLEOTIDES, CARBOHYDRATES, AND SYNTHETIC POLYMERS. THE TOF DETECTOR IS AKIN TO A RACETRACK WHERE IONS ARE SEPARATED BY MASS-TO-CHARGE RATIO ON THEIR WAY TO THE FINISH LINE (DETECTOR). HIGH-SPEED ELECTRONICS (?PHOTO-FINISH?) CAN DIFFERENTIATE VERY SMALL DIFFERENCES IN ARRIVAL TIME AND, THEREFORE, MASS. THE ACQUISITION STRENGTHENS COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE UNIVERSITY AND BROADENS PARTICIPATION BY GIVING HANDS-ON ACCESS TO A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION. TO ADVANCE THE UNIVERSITY?S OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, REGIONAL RESEARCH GROUPS AT OTHER UNIVERSITIES AND JUNIOR COLLEGES WILL USE THE INSTRUMENT THROUGH REMOTE-ACCESS PLATFORMS AS WELL AS THROUGH ON-CAMPUS VISITS AND WORKSHOPS. WITH THE NEW INSTRUMENT STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF BIOMACROMOLECULES AND POLYMERS WILL BE STRENGTHENED IN GENERAL, AND MANY EXCITING PROJECTS ARE ENABLED. WE WILL ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: A) GLYCAN ABUNDANCE AND MICROHETEROGENEITY OF PROTEIN GLYCOSYLATION AS IT RELATES TO PROTEIN STABILITY AND BIOCHEMICAL FUNCTION; B) USE OF YEAST AS HIGH-QUALITY/HIGH-CAPACITY PROTEIN EXPRESSION SYSTEM; C) DNA QUADRUPLEX STABILITY AS IT RELATES TO AGEING; D) CYTOKINE INHIBITORS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASES; E) RAPID IN-SITU IDENTIFICATION OF MICROBES AND MICROBIAL CELL-CELL COMMUNICATION; F) INHIBITION OF SARS-COV-2. OLIGOSACCHARIDES HAVE MANY COMPLEX FUNCTIONS IN BIOCHEMISTRY, AND GREAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TO UNRAVEL THEIR ROLES IN MANY CENTRAL LIFE PROCESSES RELATED TO HEALTH AND DISEASE. UNAMBIGUOUS STRUCTURE ELUCIDATION IS CRITICAL BEFORE QUANTIFICATION AND CORRELATION TO DISEASE IS POSSIBLE. THE UV-LASER LIGHT SOURCE OF THE INSTRUMENT WILL GENERATE HIGH-ENERGY IONS FROM OLIGOSACCHARIDES WITH A COVALENT PHOTO-SENSITIVE TAG. THE PHOTOSENSITIVE TAG CAUSES MORE EXTENSIVE FRAGMENTATION THAN USUAL FOR RICH STRUCTURE INFORMATION. THE METHOD WILL BE APPLIED TO STUDY GLYCOSYLATION ABERRATIONS IN PROTEINS EXPRESSED IN YEAST AND THUS, SHED LIGHT ON THE BIOCHEMICAL MACHINERY OF THE YEAST CELL. ANOTHER PROJECT WILL GENERATE INSIGHT INTO DNA QUADRUPLEX STABILITY AND ADVANCE THE DISCOVERY OF COVALENT ADDUCTS BETWEEN DNA AND SMALL MOLECULE THERAPEUTICS THAT INDUCE QUADRUPLEX FORMATION TO COMBAT CANCER. IN ANOTHER PROJECT THE INSTRUMENT WILL BE CENTRAL TO SCREENING PROTEINS, PEPTIDES. THE FOCUS IS ON CANCER-ASSOCIATED PROTEINS THAT ARE THOUGHT TO BE ?UNDRUGGABLE?. NEW STRATEGIES FOR TARGETING THESE PROTEINS WILL BE EXPLORED IN WHICH MALDI-TOF-MS SERVES THE PURPOSE OF STRUCTURE CONFIRMATION OF POINT-MUTATED PROTEIN VARIANTS AND THE POSSIBLE DISCOVERY OF STRONGLY BINDING NON-COVALENT LIGANDS BY HIGH-THROUGHPUT METHODS. SIMILAR STRATEGIES BASED ON ION-INTENSITY FADING IN MALDI-TOF-MS WILL BE USED TO DISCOVER PEPTIDES THAT BIND STRONGLY TO VIRAL PROTEINS, SPECIFICALLY THOSE THAT MEDIATE BINDING OF THE SARS-COV-2 VIRUS. LASTLY, MALDI-TOF-MS WILL HELP WITH THE HIGH-THROUGHPUT ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX NATURAL PRODUCTS FROM MARINE MICROORGANISMS AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW MICROORGANISMS INTERACT AND COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. FOR ALL RESEARCHERS, THE INSTRUMENT?S AUTOMATION PLATFORM WILL INCREASE SAMPLE THROUGHPUT FOR QUICK LEAD IDENTIFICATION; WILL MAKE POSSIBLE THE ACCELERATED DISCOVERY OF NEW THERAPEUTICS AGAINST HUMAN DISEASES; WILL AID IN THE DISCOVERY OF THERAPEUTICS AGAINST AGE-RELATED DISEASES. FASTER ACQUISITION OF SPECTRA WILL FREE UP TIME TO MAKE THE INSTRUMENT ACCESSIBLE TO NEARBY INSTITUTIONS AND INCLUDE MALDI-TOF-MS INTO THE ACADEMIC CURRICULUM FOR YOUNG ASPIRING SCIENTISTS. 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.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EPIIC: NSJV RITE -THE NORTH SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY REGIONAL INNOVATION TRANSLATION ECOSYSTEM (NSJV-RITE) PROJECT FOCUSES ON USING THE REGION?S STRENGTHS IN AREAS INCLUDING AGRICULTURE, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, AND CLEAN ENERGY TO SUPPORT BIGGER GOALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ITS PURPOSE IS TO CREATE NEW JOBS, HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GROW, AND GIVE MORE PEOPLE ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING. BY BRINGING TOGETHER LOCAL BUSINESSES, UNIVERSITIES, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES, NSJV-RITE ASPIRES TO TURN GOOD IDEAS INTO REAL-WORLD SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND SHOW HOW COMMUNITIES CAN LEAD THE WAY IN BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE INNOVATIVE ECONOMY. THE PROJECT ALIGNS WITH MAJOR REGIONAL EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE NORTH VALLEY THRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE AND A COLLABORATIVE WHICH IS ADVANCING CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY TECHNOLOGIES. NSJV-RITE WILL EVALUATE INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES ACROSS TWO PREDOMINANTLY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS; DEVELOP SHARED PROTOCOLS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE PACKAGES; AND WORK WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO REFINE OFFERINGS IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY, AND OTHER KEY SECTORS. THE INITIATIVE WILL ALSO ESTABLISH STRUCTURED, LONG-TERM COLLABORATIONS WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND STRENGTHEN THE REGION?S CAPACITY FOR APPLIED RESEARCH. THROUGH CONTINUOUS EVALUATION, IMPROVEMENT, AND SHARED LEARNING, NSJV-RITE WILL DELIVER A SCALABLE MODEL FOR REGIONAL INNOVATION THAT DRIVES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCES NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS. 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.

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

CONFORMATIONAL EFFECTS ON THE GAS-PHASE ACIDITIES OF BIOPOLYMERS

A NEW AND IMPROVED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR TARGETING CANCER

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

RUI: REGULATION OF 3-DIMENSIONAL CELL MOTILITY DURING VERTEBRATE GASTRULATION

ASSESSMENT OF MECHANICAL STIMULATION OF MESENCHYMALLY DERIVED CONSTRUCTS IN AN MRI BIOREACTOR

THE SUCCESS PROGRAM AT PACIFIC PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES TO 200 ELIGIBLE STUDENTS TO ASSIST IN THEIR RETENTION AND GRADUATION AND TO FACILITATE THEIR TRANSITION TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

SUSTAINABLE ARCHIVES COLLECTION PRESERVATION AND GROWTH WITH HIGH-DENSITY STORAGE [REDUCE RISK TO ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS BY REPLACING EXISTING BROKEN STORAGE SYSTEMS THAT THREATEN TO DAMAGE THOSE COLLECTIONS, AND PROVIDE NEW SHELVING TO REHOUSE COLLECTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN SUBSTANDARD STORAGE CONDITIONS]

DEVELOPMENT OF FLAVONE- AND FLAVONOID-BASED DNA TRIPLEX SPECIFIC BINDING LIGANDS AS ANTIGENE ENHANCERS - PROJECT SUMMARY THE PROPOSED RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ARE TO STUDY THE STRUCTURE-FUNCTION RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRIPLEX DNA AND A CLASS OF NEWLY DISCOVERED FLAVONOID-BASED TRIPLEX-SPECIFIC BINDING LIGANDS AND USE THE OBTAINED KNOWLEDGE TO DESIGN AND DEVELOP MORE POTENT TRIPLEX BINDING LIGANDS AS ANTIGENE ENHANCERS IN THE ANTIGENE STRATEGY FOR DISEASE TREATMENT. THIS PROPOSAL CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO THREE PORTIONS, STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION (SYNTHESIS), DETERMINATION OF LIGAND-DNA INTERACTIONS BY BIOPHYSICAL METHODS, AND STUDY OF INHIBITION OF ENZYMATIC ACTIVITIES. THE SYNTHESIS PROJECT INCLUDES CHANGING THE LINKER LENGTH, REMOVING THE FUNCTIONAL GROUPS, AND EXTENDING THE AROMATIC SURFACE. EACH STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS A SPECIFIC INQUIRY ON THE STRUCTURE-FUNCTION RELATIONSHIP. THE SYNTHESIS PROCEDURES INVOLVE BASIC ORGANIC TECHNIQUES. THE SYNTHESIZED MOLECULES WILL THEN BE USED TO STUDY THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH SEVERAL DNA STRUCTURES BY VARIOUS BIOPHYSICAL METHODS. THE STABILIZATION OF TRIPLEX AND DUPLEX DNA WITH LIGANDS UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS (PH, IONIC STRENGTH) WILL BE DETERMINED USING THERMAL DENATURATION MONITORED BY UC. THE CONFORMATION CHANGES OF THE DNA AND BINDING STOICHIOMETRY WILL BE MEASURED USING CIRCULAR DICHROISM. SELECTIVE BINDING TO DNAS WITH SPECIFIC CONFORMATIONS WILL BE DETERMINED USING COMPETITION DIALYSIS IN A RELATIVELY HIGH THROUGHPUT FASHION. THE TRANSITION ENTHALPY OF THE LIGAND-TRIPLEX DNA COMPLEX WILL BE DIRECTLY MEASURED USING DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY (DSC). THE THERMODYNAMICS PARAMETERS, INCLUDING ENTHALPY, ENTROPY, FREE ENERGY, AND BINDING SITE SIZE, WILL BE DETERMINED USING ISOTHERMAL TITRATION CALORIMETRY (ITC). NOTABLY, RESULTS FROM BIOPHYSICAL STUDIES WILL BE USED FOR CROSS-INSPECTION TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF THE CONCLUSIONS. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE BIOPHYSICAL STUDIES, LIGANDS WITH THE BEST BINDING STRENGTH AND SPECIFICITY WILL BE CHOSEN FOR BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS. A PLASMID DNA CONTAINING A TRIPLEX-FORMING SITE WILL BE USED. IN THIS PLASMID DNA, FOUR RESTRICTION ENDONUCLEASE DRAI CLEAVAGE SITES ARE PRESENT IN THE PLASMID, ONE OF WHICH RESIDUES EXACTLY AT THE JUNCTION OF THE TRIPLEX HELIX SITE. THE FORMATION OF TRIPLEX DNA SHOULD PROTECT THE DRAI CLEAVAGE SITE, LEADING TO THE DISAPPEARANCE AND APPEARANCE OF PRODUCTS WITH SPECIFIC LENGTHS, WHICH CAN BE READILY DETECTED BY THE AGAROSE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS. THE RESULTS FROM THE PROPOSED WORK WILL BE THE FIRST EFFORT IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THESE NEWLY DISCOVERED TRIPLEX-SPECIFIC BINDING LIGANDS. THE NATURE OF THE RESEARCH IS SUITABLE FOR TRAINING UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE RESEARCHERS AT AN UNDERGRADUATE-FOCUSED INSTITUTION.

IDENTIFICATION OF STRUCTURAL DETERMINANTS IN KV7 OPEN CHANNEL STABILIZATION

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: IMPROVED LEARNING FOR UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING PROGRAMS USING FINITE ELEMENT LEARNING MODULES

CHARACTERIZATION OF COLONIZATION AND PROTEIN SECRETION BY PICHIA PASTORIS IN THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT OF MICE - PROJECT SUMMARY RISING EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH STABILITY AND DELIVERY ARE SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES FOR USING THERAPEUTIC PROTEINS TO TREAT DISEASES. TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES, WE PROPOSE TO HAVE THE SYSTEM THAT IS MAKING THE THERAPEUTIC PROTEIN ALSO BE THE DIRECT DELIVERY SYSTEM. DELIVERING PROTEINS DIRECTLY FROM AN EXPRESSION SYSTEM TO A TARGET TISSUE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF BYPASSING PURIFICATION AND ELIMINATING STABILITY ISSUES DURING STORAGE. IMPROVEMENTS TO PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND SECRETION IN PICHIA PASTORIS MAKE THIS YEAST A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR THIS PURPOSE. WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ON P. PASTORIS’S ABILITY TO GROW WITH CULTURED MAMMALIAN CELLS AND SECRETE BASIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR TO INFLUENCE FIBROBLAST GROWTH. WE HAVE SINCE TESTED P. PASTORIS’S ABILITY TO LIVE IN THE GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) TRACT OF C57BL/6J MICE. THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOWED THAT P. PASTORIS DNA WAS DETECTIBLE IN THE MURINE FECES 24 HOURS AFTER THE LAST TREATMENT, WHILE GREEN FLUORESCENT PROTEIN SECRETED BY THIS STRAIN OF P. PASTORIS WAS DETECTIBLE 72 HOURS AFTER THE LAST TREATMENT. THE FECAL SAMPLES FROM P. PASTORIS-TREATED MICE YIELDED NO MEASURABLE LEVELS OF CALPROTECTIN, A BIOMARKER OF INFLAMMATION. HISTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SMALL INTESTINE, CECUM, AND COLON SHOWED NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF INFLAMMATION WHILE ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY ANALYSIS OF THE GI TISSUES DETECTED NO INCREASE IN TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR ALPHA OR INTERFERON GAMMA. FURTHERMORE, P. PASTORIS-TREATED MICE GAINED SIMILAR WEIGHT TO CONTROL MICE AND EXHIBITED NO NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR. IN CONTINUING WITH STUDIES IN ANIMALS, THE GOALS OF THIS PROPOSAL ARE TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF WHICH P. PASTORIS CAN REMAIN IN THE MURINE GUT AND TO PROVIDE PROOF OF CONCEPT THAT P. PASTORIS IS CAPABLE OF SURVIVING AND DELIVERING RECOMBINANT PROTEINS IN THE GI TRACT. SPECIFIC AIM 1 WILL DETERMINE IF INCREASING DOSE AND DURATION OF TREATMENT WILL ALLOW P. PASTORIS TO REMAIN IN THE GUT FOR A LONGER TIME. TO FURTHER ENHANCE P. PASTORIS SURVIVAL, WE WILL ENGINEER A NEW STRAIN OF P. PASTORIS THAT WILL HAVE AFFINITY TO MUCIN, AN ABUNDANT PROTEIN IN THE MUCUS LAYER WHICH LINES THE ENTIRE GI TRACT. THE EFFECTS OF THESE TREATMENT STRATEGIES ON THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE IN THE MURINE GUT WILL ALSO BE ASSESSED. IN SPECIFIC AIM 2, WE WILL USE A HYPER-LACTOSE FED MOUSE MODEL TO DETERMINE IF P. PASTORIS CAN SECRETE RECOMBINANT PROTEINS INTO THE GUT. A DIET OF 70% LACTOSE CAUSES ADULT MICE TO LOSE WEIGHT DUE TO AN INABILITY TO DIGEST LACTOSE. SINCE LACTASE HYDROLYZES LACTOSE, A B-GALACTOSIDASE (LACTASE)- SECRETING P. PASTORIS STRAIN THAT LIVES IN THE GI TRACT WOULD BE EXPECTED TO ENHANCE LACTOSE DIGESTION. PREVENTION OF WEIGHT LOSS IN HYPER-LACTOSE FED MICE WOULD INDICATE THAT P. PASTORIS IS SECRETING ACTIVE LACTASE, SUGGESTING THAT THE YEAST HAS POTENTIAL OF SECRETING OTHER HETEROLOGOUS PROTEINS IN THE GUT OF MICE AS WELL. THESE STUDIES ESTABLISH A FOUNDATIONAL BASIS, UPON WHICH PROTEINS MADE BY P. PASTORIS CAN BE DIRECTLY ADMINISTERED TO THE GI TRACT OF ANIMALS AS THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FOR TREATING DISEASES.

HELIX CONFORMATIONAL EFFECTS ON THE ACIDITIES OF HELICAL PEPTIDES

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICLE MIXING STATE AND MORPHOLOGY

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM - N/A

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

RUI: THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS AND MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF SPIDER GLUE SILKS

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

REGULATION OF THE UNFOLDED PROTEIN RESPONSE BY EIF2 ALPHA PHOSPHATASES

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: TECTONIC AND CLIMATIC FORCING OF HYDROLOGICAL SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN: IMPLICATIONS FOR ANCIENT AND FUTURE AQUATI

DIABETES, ESTROGEN AND ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION

RUI: CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GENE REGULATORY NETWORK PROMOTING HORMOGONIUM DEVELOPMENT IN THE FILAMENTOUS CYANOBACTERIUM NOSTOC PUNCTIFORME

ANALYSIS OF SECRETORY MECHANISMS AND HETEROLOGOUS PROTEINS IN PICHIA PASTORIS

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM - PROJECT/PERFORMANCE SITE PRIMARY LOCATION UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC 155 5TH STREET SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103-2919 PROJECT DIRECTOR: DR. HOMAYON ASADI CONTACT PHONE NUMBER (209) 946-7367 EMAIL ADDRESS: OSP@PACIFIC.EDU WEBSITE ADDRESS: HTTPS://DENTAL.PACIFIC.EDU/DENTAL GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED: RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PROGRAM PART F DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM ( HRSA-25-051) TOTAL UNREIMBURSED COSTS OF ORAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDED TO PEOPLE WITH HIV FROM JULY 1, 2023, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2024: $625,703. GOAL STATEMENT THE GOAL OF UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC’S DENTAL SERVICES PROGRAM IS TO IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF ALL ETHNICITIES AND POPULATIONS WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) IN SAN FRANCISCO. TARGET POPULATION UOP WILL SERVE ALL ETHNICITIES AND POPULATIONS WITHIN SAN FRANCISCO WITH FOCUSED EXPERTISE ON THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF PATIENTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN SAN FRANCISCO. THIS INCLUDES GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, TRANSGENDER CLIENTS, LESBIANS, HETEROSEXUALS, CLIENTS WITH A HISTORY OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR ACTIVE USERS, THE HOMELESS, INCARCERATED, FORMERLY INCARCERATED, CLIENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS OR CHALLENGES RESULTING FROM HIV/AIDS, ACTIVE OR FORMER SEX PROFESSION WORKERS, CLIENTS WITH MULTIPLE DIAGNOSES, PEOPLE OF COLOR, PARENTS AND THEIR HIV INFECTED CHILDREN, AND THOSE INFECTED BY OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE OR ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE TO CONTAMINATED MATERIAL OR BLOOD. UOP ASSURES THAT ALL GRANT FUNDS ARE ONLY USED TO PAY FOR SERVICES THAT ARE NOT REIMBURSED BY ANY OTHER FUNDING SOURCE. CLIENT ENROLLMENT PRIORITY IS RESERVED FOR SF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LOW INCOMES AND ARE UNINSURED. SECONDARY ENROLLMENT IS RESERVED FOR SF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LOW INCOMES AND ARE UNDERINSURED. LOW INCOME STATUS IS EQUAL TO 500% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL AS DEFINED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. CLIENT ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION INCLUDING HIV DIAGNOSIS, RESIDENCY, INCOME, AND INSURANCE STATUS IS CONFIRMED AT INTAKE AND AT 12-MONTH INTERVALS THEREAFTER. DENTISTRY SERVICES PROVIDED SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS CONTRACT INCLUDE A BROAD RANGE OF ORAL HEALTHCARE TREATMENTS, WHICH ARE GENERALLY INTENDED TO: (1) RELIEVE PAIN AND SWELLING, (2) DIAGNOSE DISEASE, (3) PREVENT DISEASE, (4) ELIMINATE DISEASE, AND (5) RESTORE FUNCTION. SPECIFIC SERVICES PROVIDED ARE NOTED BELOW. DENTAL STUDENTS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LICENSED FACULTY PROVIDE SAID SERVICES IN THE PREDOCTORAL STUDENT CLINIC. URGENT CARE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES INCLUDE PALLIATIVE CARE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PAIN, SWELLING, AND/OR BLEEDING. DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES INCLUDE EXAMINATIONS (INITIAL AND RECALL) AND DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHS. (CONE BEAM IMAGING IS NOT COVERED.) PREVENTATIVE SERVICES INCLUDE ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUCTION AND CAMBRA PROCEDURES AND MEDICATIONS. RESTORATIVE SERVICES INCLUDE: A. ALL AMALGAM AND/OR COMPOSITE FILLINGS B. SINGLE CROWNS: PFM, FVC AND CERAMIC CROWNS AFTER ALL THE DISEASE HAS BEEN TREATED IN THE MOUTH. C. COMPLETE DENTURES D. PARTIAL DENTURES ONLY IF CERTAIN CRITERIA ARE MET NOTE: BRIDGES ARE NOT COVERED SERVICES. PERIODONTAL (GUM) TREATMENT INCLUDE SCALING AND ROOT PLANING AND PERIODIC PERIODONTAL RECALL. PERIODONTAL SURGERY PROCEDURES ARE BENEFITS FOR TEETH THAT FIT ALL THREE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 1) REQUIRE ENDODONTICS (ROOT CANAL THERAPY) 2) REQUIRE A CROWN COVERED BY PROGRAM 3) LISTED IN PACIFIC’S FEE SCHEDULE. ENDODONTICS (ROOT CANAL THERAPY) SERVICES INCLUDE ROOT CANAL THERAPY, APICO SURGERIES, AND TOOTH BUILD-UPS. ORAL SURGERY SERVICES INCLUDE PROCEDURES SUCH AS EXTRACTIONS, ALVEOLECTOMIES, ETC. ORAL MEDICINE SERVICES INCLUDE BIOPSIES AND OTHER ORAL MEDICINE PROCEDURES INDICATED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ORAL MANIFESTATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV/AIDS.

HARNESSING TRANSTHYRETIN TO EXTEND THE IN VIVO HALF-LIFE OF THERAPEUTIC PEPTIDES

LATTICE GAUGE THEORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC

QCD PHYSICS AND BEYOND THE STANDARD MODEL ON THE LATTICE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: UNRAVELING THE LINK BETWEEN WATER AGES AND SILICATE WEATHERING RATES AT THE CATCHMENT SCALE -THE INTERACTION BETWEEN WATER AND MINERALS IS A FUNDAMENTAL PROCESS THAT SHAPES AND RECORDS MEMORIES OF LANDSCAPES, GENERATES WATER QUALITY AND NUTRIENTS TO SUSTAIN ECOSYSTEMS, AND DRAWS DOWN ATMOSPHERIC CO2 OVER LONGER TIMESCALES. IN WATERSHEDS, WATER IS FED INTO THE LANDSCAPE THROUGH RAIN AND SNOW WHERE IT STARTS ITS JOURNEY ALONG VARIOUS PATHS IN THE SUBSURFACE. ALONG THE PATH, WATER ENCOUNTERS AND EXCHANGES WITH MINERALS, INCORPORATING CHEMICALS LIBERATED FROM THE SOLIDS AND TRANSFORMING THEM INTO OTHER FORMS IN A PROCESS TERMED WEATHERING. EVENTUALLY THE WATER WITH ITS UNIQUE CHEMICAL SIGNATURE IS FLUSHED FROM THE SYSTEM INTO NEARBY STREAMS AND GROUNDWATER SPRINGS. THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT THE LONGER WATER SPENDS IN CONTACT WITH THE SURROUNDING SUBSURFACE, THE MORE CHEMICALLY EVOLVED IT BECOMES. UNDER THIS FRAMEWORK, THE AMOUNT OF WEATHERING OBSERVED IN A CATCHMENT SHOULD BE INEXTRICABLY LINKED WITH GROUNDWATER AGES. HISTORICALLY, THIS RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO FULLY EVALUATE. THIS PROJECT WILL USE MODERN GEOCHEMICAL TOOLS IN TANDEM WITH ADVANCED MODELING APPROACHES TO ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GROUNDWATER AGES AND WEATHERING FLUXES IN A MONTANE CATCHMENT, SAGEHEN CREEK BASIN, LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS IN CALIFORNIA. THIS COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH EFFORT WILL SUPPORT TWO EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS, ONE PHD STUDENT, A FIELD TECHNICIAN, AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH. RESEARCHERS WILL COLLABORATE WITH ESTABLISHED EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATORS TO LAUNCH A SUITE OF EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS AND INITIATIVES TO ENGAGE THE BROADER PUBLIC, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS ON HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY THEMES. THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO BETTER CHARACTERIZE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GROUNDWATER AGES AND SILICATE WEATHERING RATES AT THE CATCHMENT-SCALE THROUGH A COMBINED HYDROLOGIC AND GEOCHEMICAL APPROACH. SILICATE WEATHERING REACTIONS ARE UNIQUELY COUPLED TO CATCHMENT HYDROLOGY DUE TO SLOW REACTION KINETICS; THUS, SOLUTE GENERATION IS INHERENTLY DEPENDENT ON THE TIME FLUIDS SPEND EXPOSED TO MINERALS. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND LEVERAGE A NEW, COMPREHENSIVE WATER AGE (CFC, SF6, AND 35S) AND WEATHERING (?30SI, ?44CA, AND GE/SI) TRACER DATASET TO INFORM A COUPLED 2D PHYSICAL TRANSPORT HYDROLOGIC AND ISOTOPE-ENABLED, MULTICOMPONENT REACTIVE TRANSPORT MODEL. THE STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED AT SAGEHEN CREEK BASIN, A SNOWMELT DRIVEN, IGNEOUS, MONTANE WATERSHED SENSITIVE TO CLIMATIC. SAGEHEN IS A WIDELY STUDIED SITE WITH SEVERAL PRIOR STUDIES DEMONSTRATING A CORRELATION BETWEEN MEASURED WEATHERING-DERIVED SOLUTE FLUXES AND GROUNDWATER RESIDENCE TIMES. THIS HYBRID HYDROLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL APPROACH WILL PROVIDE UNPRECEDENTED INSIGHT INTO THE SYNERGISTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLUID TRANSIT TIME AND SILICATE WEATHERING. THE RESEARCHERS PLAN TO GENERATE DYNAMIC, CONTINUALLY EVOLVING TRANSIT TIME DISTRIBUTIONS FOR WATER IN RESPONSE TO BOTH SEASONAL AND EVENT FORCING, AND THROUGH THE INCORPORATION OF ?FAST?/SHALLOW AND ?SLOW?/DEEPER GROUNDWATER COMPONENTS. THIS RESEARCH FURTHER PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE UTILITY OF STABLE ISOTOPES AND TRACE ELEMENT TRACERS THAT ARE SENSITIVE TO DISTINCT REACTION PATHWAYS, AND TO QUANTIFY HOW THE EXTENT OF REACTIONS CAN SERVE AS ?REACTION CLOCKS?. FINDINGS WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO PERSISTENT QUESTIONS IN CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE RELATED TO WATERSHED HYDROGEOCHEMICAL RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS RESEARCH IS CO-FUNDED BY THE DIVISION OF EARTH SCIENCES GEOBIOLOGY AND LOW-TEMPERATURE GEOCHEMISTRY PROGRAM AND HYDROLOGIC SCIENCES PROGRAM. 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.

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

RELATING THE CHEMICAL & PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF AEROSOLS TO THE WATER UPTAKE & ICE NUCLEATION POTENTIAL OF PARTICLES COLLECTED DURING THE CARBONACEOUS

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EYE EVOLUTION IN SARSIELLOIDEA (CRUSTACEA: OSTRACODA): AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH BASED ON PHYLOGENETICS, DEVELOPMENTAL GENETICS

ELUCIDATION OF REACTION MECHANISM WITH THE UNIFIED REACTION VALLEY APPROACH: TOWARD THE CONTROL OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS

LATTICE GAUGE THEORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC 2016-2019

KCNE1 AS A MOLECULAR SHIELD OF KV7.1 - PROJECT SUMMARY (ABSTRACT): THE PROPOSED WORK SEEKS TO IDENTIFY THE MOLECULAR BASIS FOR A NOVEL INTERACTION BETWEEN TWO PROTEINS THAT ARE TYPICALLY FOUND IN ELECTRICALLY ACTIVE CELLS SUCH AS NEURONS AND CARDIAC MUSCLES CELLS. ONE OF THE PROTEINS IS KNOWN AS A VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT, POTASSIUM-SELECTIVE KV7.1 CHANNEL. THIS PROTEIN, HEREAFTER KV7.1, IS A MAJOR PLAYER FOR THE TERMINATION OF FAST ELECTRICAL SIGNALS. FOR INSTANCE, KV7.1 IS CRITICAL FOR TERMINATING EACH CYCLE OF THE RHYTHMIC ELECTRICAL SIGNALING IN THE HEART. IN FACT, A FAULTY, LOW-PERFORMING KV7.1 LEADS TO ARRHYTHMIAS THAT, IN SOME CASES, CAN UNCHAIN FIBRILLATIONS THAT RESULT IN DEATH. IN THE AUDITORY SYSTEM, SUCH ALTERATIONS LEAD TO HEARING DISORDERS AND DEAFNESS. THE SECOND PROTEIN IS KNOWN AS NAVSS1. THIS IS AN AUXILIARY SUBUNIT THAT REGULATES THE ACTIVITY OF SODIUM-SELECTIVE, VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT (NAV) CHANNELS WHICH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INITIATING FAST ELECTRICAL SIGNALS. NAVSS1 IS AN IMPORTANT POSITIVE REGULATOR OF NAV CHANNELS. IN A FEW WORDS, NAV STARTS AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL EVENT, AND KV7.1 CONTRIBUTES TO ITS TERMINATION. WHAT IS NOVEL HERE IS THAT NAVSS1 NOT ONLY BOOSTS THE ACTIVITY OF NAV CHANNELS, BUT ALSO DECREASES THE ACTIVITY OF KV7.1 AS WE HAVE RECENTLY FOUND. FURTHERMORE, WE FOUND THAT A FOURTH PROTEIN, KCNE1 CAN PROTECT KV7.1 FROM THE INHIBITORY ACTION OF NAVSS1. LIKE WITH THE PAIR NAVSS1-NAV CHANNEL, KCNE1 CAN INCREASE THE ACTIVITY AND EXPRESSION OF KV7.1 CHANNELS. IN CELLS THAT EXPRESS THESE FOUR PROTEINS, WE WILL FIND NAV CHANNELS ASSOCIATED WITH NAVSS1 AND KV7.1 CHANNELS ASSOCIATED WITH KCNE1. IN THE ABSENCE OF KCNE1, OUR RECENT DATA SUGGEST THAT, WHILE BOOSTING THAT OF NAV CHANNELS, NAVSS1 WILL DECREASE KV7.1 ACTIVITY. IN THIS CASE, THE ON-OFF BALANCE OF EVENTS GENERATING FAST ELECTRICAL SIGNALS WILL BE ALTERED, LEADING TO ABNORMAL ELECTRICAL EVENTS. OUR NOVEL FINDING CONSTITUTES A SHIFT IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUTATIONS IN KCNE1 CAN AFFECT CELLULAR ELECTRICAL SIGNALING. IF KCNE1 IS MUTATED, KV7.1 ACTIVITY COULD BE LOWER DUE TO SUCH MUTATION, BUT ALSO COULD BE FURTHER DECREASED BY THE ACTION OF NAVSS1. SOME MUTATIONS IN KCNE1 HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO CAUSE LITTLE ALTERATION IN THE ACTIVITY OF THE KCNE1/KV7.1 COMPLEX WHEN COMPARED WITH THE NON-MUTATED PAIR. YET SUCH MUTATIONS ARE LINKED TO DISEASES. THIS APPARENT DISCONNECT MAY EMERGE FROM NOT CONSIDERING THE ACTION OF NAVSS1, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN GONE UNDETECTED. THIS PROPOSAL AIMS AT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE BY EXPANDING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECT OF MUTATIONS IN KCNE1 IN TERM OF ITS ABILITY TO SHIELD KV7.1 FROM THE ACTION OF NAVSS1. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS WORK WILL PROVIDE A NOVEL PARADIGM IN WHICH KCNE1 IS NOT ONLY A POSITIVE MODULATOR OF KV7.1 CHANNELS, BUT ALSO A MOLECULAR SHIELD PROTECTING THESE CHANNELS FROM THE ACTION OF OTHER REGULATORY SUBUNITS.

ERI: TOWARD EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN YOUNG CHILDREN USING WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY -AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IS A NEUROLOGICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER AFFECTING COMMUNICATION, LEARNING ABILITY, AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE. THE CRITICAL WINDOW OF INTERVENTION IN ASD IS OFTEN MISSED DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT DELAY BETWEEN THE EMERGENCE OF SYMPTOMS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FORMAL DIAGNOSIS. THIS ENGINEERING RESEARCH INITIATION (ERI) PROJECT SEEKS TO BRIDGE THIS GAP BY LEVERAGING NON-INVASIVE WEARABLES TO COLLECT PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA DURING EARLY CHILDHOOD, AIMING TO IDENTIFY PHYSIOLOGICAL BIOMARKERS AND EARLY INDICATIONS OF ASD. BY EXAMINING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STIMULI (LIGHT, SOUND) AND CHILDREN'S PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES, THE PROPOSED RESEARCH AIMS TO DEVELOP A SENSING SYSTEM AND ROBUST MACHINE-LEARNING ALGORITHM FOR EARLY ASD DETECTION. THIS COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR EARLIER DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION, POTENTIALLY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CHILDREN WITH ASD. THIS ERI PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL WEARABLE SENSING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING EARLY MARKERS OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN YOUNG CHILDREN AND TODDLERS. THE WEARABLE SENSOR IS MINIMALLY INVASIVE AND WILL MONITOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, SUCH AS LIGHTING AND SOUNDS, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL SIGNALS. THE GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI AND A CHILD?S RESPONSE, FOR EXAMPLE CHANGES IN THE FREQUENCY OF REPETITIVE MOTIONS, HEART RATE, AND REACTION AND RESPONSE TIME TO ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI. LEVERAGING THESE MULTIMODAL BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNALS AND RELIABLE MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS, DIAGNOSTIC MARKERS OF ASD IN YOUNG CHILDREN WILL BE IDENTIFIED. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS RESEARCH CAN CONFIRM FINDINGS SUGGESTING THAT REPETITIVE MOVEMENT IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT BIOMARKERS AND AT THE SAME TIME INVESTIGATE OTHER BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL BIOMARKERS TO INCREASE SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF ASD DETECTION EARLIER IN CHILDREN?S DEVELOPMENT. 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.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE VIRGO CLUSTER AS A TESTBED FOR THE STUDY OF GALAXY FORMATION AND EVOLUTION -GALAXIES AND CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES ARE VISIBLE BECAUSE OF THE LIGHT EMITTED BY STARS AND HOT GAS. HOWEVER, THE MASS OF STARS AND GAS IN THESE STRUCTURES IS GREATLY EXCEEDED BY THE MASS OF DARK MATTER. DARK MATTER CANNOT BE OBSERVED DIRECTLY, BUT THE GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS OF DARK MATTER CAN BE OBSERVED IN THE DISTRIBUTION AND MOTION OF STARS, GAS, AND STELLAR CLUSTERS SUCH AS GLOBULAR CLUSTERS (GCS). A TEAM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ WILL USE SPECTROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF GCS TO PROBE THE DARK MATTER CONTENT OF THE NEARBY VIRGO CLUSTER OF GALAXIES WITH THE GOAL OF UNDERSTANDING THE ASSEMBLY HISTORY OF MASSIVE GALAXY CLUSTERS. THE TEAM WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH THE SCIENCE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (SIP) AT UC SANTA CRUZ. IN ADDITION, THEY WILL INVOLVE UNDERGRADUATES FROM BOTH THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ IN RESEARCH RELATING TO THIS PROJECT. FINALLY, THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN TRADITIONAL OUTREACH EVENTS SUCH AS PUBLIC TALKS AND WORKSHOPS, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON REACHING HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECT WILL USE GCS TO STUDY THE ASSEMBLY OF STRUCTURES IN THE VIRGO CLUSTER. THIS TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE LARGE NUMBERS OF GCS, THEIR RELATIVELY HIGH SURFACE BRIGHTNESS, AND THEIR EXTENDED RADIAL DISTRIBUTION. THE MAIN SCIENTIFIC GOALS INCLUDE: (I) DETERMINING THE DARK MATTER CONTENT OF DWARF EARLY-TYPE AND ULTRA-DIFFUSE GALAXIES; (II) TESTING THE DYNAMICAL FRICTION SCENARIO FOR THE FORMATION OF GALAXY NUCLEI FROM MERGERS OF GCS; AND (III) UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF THE CLUSTER ENVIRONMENT THROUGH ANALYSIS OF CLUSTERING, SUBSTRUCTURES, AND ASYMMETRIES FOUND IN THE GC POPULATION, AND THE STUDY OF CLUSTER-CENTRIC RADIAL TRENDS OF THE STELLAR POPULATIONS OF VIRGO DWARF ELLIPTICALS. 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.

MOLECULAR INDICATORS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS AND ITS HEALTH EFFECTS IN CETACEANS

BLOOD FLOW AND SALIVARY GLAND FUNCTION IN DIABETES

LATTICE QCD AND HIGGS MODELS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: QUANTIFYING HOW GROUNDWATER MODULATES STREAMFLOW RESPONSE TO HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES -MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF WATER FOR MUCH OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. MANY MOUNTAIN STREAMS ARE SUSTAINED BY GROUNDWATER, BUT CONCEPTUAL AND HYDROLOGIC MODELS OFTEN OVERSIMPLIFY GROUNDWATER PROCESSES. AS A RESULT, IT IS CHALLENGING TO PREDICT HOW STREAMFLOW RESPONDS TO CHANGES IN GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AND STORAGE CAUSED BY EXTREME WET AND DRY CONDITIONS. THIS PROJECT IS EVALUATING HOW GROUNDWATER REGULATES STREAM RESPONSES TO HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES BY INTEGRATING HIGH-RESOLUTION STREAM AND GROUNDWATER OBSERVATIONS WITH HYDROLOGIC MODELS. THE KNOWLEDGE GENERATED FROM THIS WORK WILL IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW STORED GROUNDWATER IMPACTS MOUNTAIN STREAMFLOW GENERATION, THEREBY ENHANCING STREAMFLOW PREDICTIONS. BROADER IMPACT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE AN EARLY-CAREER WORKSHOP ON DATA-MODEL INTEGRATION IN EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES, WITH THE GOAL OF FOSTERING CROSS-DISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WILL INTEGRATE FIELD INFRASTRUCTURE AND MODELS INTO UNDERGRADUATE COURSEWORK AT THREE INSTITUTIONS TO EXPOSE MORE STUDENTS TO HYDROLOGIC SCIENCE. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DETERMINE THE ROLE OF GROUNDWATER IN REGULATING STREAMFLOW RESPONSE TO HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES ACROSS A GROUNDWATER STORAGE GRADIENT USING A DATA-MODEL INTEGRATION APPROACH. FIELD OBSERVATIONS OF STREAM DISCHARGE, SOURCE, AND AGE IN TWO MOUNTAIN WATERSHEDS WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH AN ITERATIVELY CALIBRATED PROCESS-BASED HYDROLOGIC MODEL CAPABLE OF SIMULATING GROUNDWATER-SURFACE WATER INTERACTIONS UNDER FUTURE LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES AND WITH VARIABLE SUBSURFACE STRUCTURE. STUDY SITES INCLUDE TWO MOUNTAIN WATERSHEDS WITH HIGH- AND LOW-GROUNDWATER STORAGE SETTINGS. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS HOW THE STRUCTURE OF THE SUBSURFACE INFLUENCES THE SOURCE, AGE, AND MAGNITUDE OF STREAMFLOW, AS WELL AS THE EXTENT TO WHICH UPSTREAM HETEROGENEITY AFFECT CONDITIONS AT THE WATERSHED OUTLET. THE PROJECT WILL IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GROUNDWATER STORAGE MODULATES STREAMFLOW DURING HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A TRANSFERABLE DATA-MODEL INTEGRATION FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS CRITICAL ZONE SCIENCE QUESTIONS. THE FRAMEWORK WILL BE THE FOCUS OF A BROADER IMPACTS WORKSHOP THAT WILL PROVIDE EARLY-CAREER SCIENTISTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FIELD DATA OR MODELING TECHNIQUES FROM PEERS, AS WELL AS FOSTER NEW COLLABORATIONS AND CROSS-DISCIPLINARY LEARNING WITHIN THE CRITICAL ZONE 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.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

ANALYSIS OF PROTEIN SECRETION IN PICHIA PASTORIS

DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM - PROJECT/PERFORMANCE SITE PRIMARY LOCATION UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC 155 5TH STREET SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103-2919 PROJECT DIRECTOR: DR. DES GALLAGHER CONTACT PHONE NUMBER (209) 946-7367 EMAIL ADDRESS: OSP@PACIFIC.EDU WEBSITE ADDRESS: HTTPS://DENTAL.PACIFIC.EDU/DENTAL GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED: RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PROGRAM PART F DENTAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM (HRSA-23-060) TOTAL UNREIMBURSED COSTS OF ORAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDED TO PEOPLE WITH HIV FROM JULY 1, 2022, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2023: $556,952. GOAL STATEMENT THE GOAL OF UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC’S DENTAL SERVICES PROGRAM IS TO IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF ALL ETHNICITIES AND POPULATIONS WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) IN SAN FRANCISCO. TARGET POPULATION UOP WILL SERVE ALL ETHNICITIES AND POPULATIONS WITHIN SAN FRANCISCO WITH FOCUSED EXPERTISE ON THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF PATIENTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN SAN FRANCISCO. THIS INCLUDES GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, TRANSGENDER CLIENTS, LESBIANS, HETEROSEXUALS, CLIENTS WITH A HISTORY OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR ACTIVE USERS, THE HOMELESS, INCARCERATED, FORMERLY INCARCERATED, CLIENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS OR CHALLENGES RESULTING FROM HIV/AIDS, ACTIVE OR FORMER SEX PROFESSION WORKERS, CLIENTS WITH MULTIPLE DIAGNOSES, PEOPLE OF COLOR, PARENTS AND THEIR HIV INFECTED CHILDREN, AND THOSE INFECTED BY OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE OR ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE TO CONTAMINATED MATERIAL OR BLOOD. UOP ASSURES THAT ALL GRANT FUNDS ARE ONLY USED TO PAY FOR SERVICES THAT ARE NOT REIMBURSED BY ANY OTHER FUNDING SOURCE. CLIENT ENROLLMENT PRIORITY IS RESERVED FOR SF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LOW INCOMES AND ARE UNINSURED. SECONDARY ENROLLMENT IS RESERVED FOR SF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LOW INCOMES AND ARE UNDERINSURED. LOW INCOME STATUS IS EQUAL TO 500% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL AS DEFINED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. CLIENT ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION INCLUDING HIV DIAGNOSIS, RESIDENCY, INCOME, AND INSURANCE STATUS IS CONFIRMED AT INTAKE AND AT 12-MONTH INTE RVALS THEREAFTER. DENTISTRY SERVICES PROVIDED SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS CONTRACT INCLUDE A BROAD RANGE OF ORAL HEALTHCARE TREATMENTS, WHICH ARE GENERALLY INTENDED TO: (1) RELIEVE PAIN AND SWELLING, (2) DIAGNOSE DISEASE, (3) PREVENT DISEASE, (4) ELIMINATE DISEASE, AND (5) RESTORE FUNCTION. SPECIFIC SERVICES PROVIDED ARE NOTED BELOW. DENTAL STUDENTS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LICENSED FACULTY PROVIDE SAID SERVICES IN THE PREDOCTORAL STUDENT CLINIC. URGENT CARE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES INCLUDE PALLIATIVE CARE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PAIN, SWELLING, AND/OR BLEEDING. DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES INCLUDE EXAMINATIONS (INITIAL AND RECALL) AND DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHS. (CONE BEAM IMAGING IS NOT COVERED.) PREVENTATIVE SERVICES INCLUDE ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUCTION AND CAMBRA PROCEDURES AND MEDICATIONS. RESTORATIVE SERVICES INCLUDE: A. ALL AMALGAM AND/OR COMPOSITE FILLINGS B. SINGLE CROWNS: PFM, FVC AND CERAMIC CROWNS AFTER ALL THE DISEASE HAS BEEN TREATED IN THE MOUTH. C. COMPLETE DENTURES D. PARTIAL DENTURES ONLY IF CERTAIN CRITERIA ARE MET NOTE: BRIDGES ARE NOT COVERED SERVICES. PERIODONTAL (GUM) TREATMENT INCLUDE SCALING AND ROOT PLANING AND PERIODIC PERIODONTAL RECALL. PERIODONTAL SURGERY PROCEDURES ARE BENEFITS FOR TEETH THAT FIT ALL THREE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 1) REQUIRE ENDODONTICS (ROOT CANAL THERAPY) 2) REQUIRE A CROWN COVERED BY PROGRAM 3) LISTED IN PACIFIC’S FEE SCHEDULE. ENDODONTICS (ROOT CANAL THERAPY) SERVICES INCLUDE ROOT CANAL THERAPY, APICO SURGERIES, AND TOOTH BUILD-UPS. ORAL SURGERY SERVICES INCLUDE PROCEDURES SUCH AS EXTRACTIONS, ALVEOLECTOMIES, ETC. ORAL MEDICINE SERVICES INCLUDE BIOPSIES AND OTHER ORAL MEDICINE PROCEDURES INDICATED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ORAL MANIFESTATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV/AIDS.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: INVESTIGATING THE LINK BETWEEN MODERN SPRING ACTIVITY AND ASSOCIATED PALEOSPRING MOUNDS IN DEATH VALLEY, NP

DIMENSIONS: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: CONNECTING THE PROXIMATE MECHANISMS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANISMAL DIVERSITY TO THE ULTIMATE CAUSES OF LATITUDINAL G

CAN COHORT EXPERIENCES INCREASE INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AT AN URBAN UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION?

MACHINE LEARNING IN LATTICE QCD WITH FIXED POINT ACTIONS -THIS AWARD FUNDS THE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF PROFESSOR KIERAN HOLLAND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC. DECADES OF INTENSIVE EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL WORK IN PARTICLE PHYSICS HAS LED TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW NATURE BEHAVES AT THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL, WITH AN INTRICATE MATHEMATICAL DESCRIPTION OF OBSERVED EFFECTS BETWEEN SUBATOMIC PARTICLES, AS WELL AS RAISING MANY IMPORTANT AND UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. MODERN THEORETICAL PHYSICS RESEARCH TAKES ADVANTAGE OF A WIDE VARIETY OF COMPUTATIONAL RESOURCES AND ALGORITHMS, WHICH SOMETIMES PROVIDE THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY TO PRECISELY USE THE UNDERLYING MATHEMATICAL MODEL, THROUGH WHAT ARE KNOWN AS ?SIMULATIONS? OF HOW PARTICLES BEHAVE. IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE BOOMING FIELD OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE OR MORE SPECIFICALLY MACHINE LEARNING HAS FOUND NEW APPLICATIONS IN SCIENCE, WHERE ENORMOUS DATASETS CAN BE SCOURED TO GIVE MORE INSIGHT INTO SCIENTIFIC MODELS. THIS RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT FOR THE NATIONAL INTEREST, NOT ONLY BY CONTINUING THE NATION?S LEADING ROLE IN ADVANCING FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS A COMPLETELY NEW TOOL WHICH HAS ALREADY HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT AND COULD REVOLUTIONIZE SOCIETIES, MUCH AS PERSONAL COMPUTING HAS DONE IN THE LAST FORTY YEARS. BY SUPPORTING RESEARCH IN THIS AREA, THE US WILL CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF THE LEADERS OF FUTURE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND APPLICATIONS. THERE WILL ALSO BE A BROADER IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH, THROUGH PROFESSOR HOLLAND?S MENTORING OF STUDENTS IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, DEVELOPING THEIR COMPUTING SKILLS FOR FUTURE INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIC CAREERS, AND BY SHARING THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH THROUGH PUBLIC TALKS. BEING MORE SPECIFIC, PROFESSOR HOLLAND WILL WORK ON MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS OF QUANTUM CHROMODYNAMICS (QCD), THE FUNDAMENTAL MODEL FOR INTERACTIONS BETWEEN QUARKS AND GLUONS, BINDING THEM TOGETHER TO FORM NUCLEI. SIMULATIONS CAN BE SYSTEMATICALLY IMPROVED, FOR EXAMPLE BY USING VERY HIGH RESOLUTION WHEN DISCRETIZING A PHYSICAL SYSTEM, ANALOGOUS TO PIXELATING AN IMAGE, BUT THE COMPUTATIONAL COST INCREASES VERY RAPIDLY, AND CAN QUICKLY DEMAND MORE COMPUTING POWER THAN ANY SUPERCOMPUTER CAN PROVIDE. AN ALTERNATIVE IS TO FIND A MORE COMPLEX DISCRETIZATION OF A PHYSICAL SYSTEM, WHERE EVEN A COARSE RESOLUTION CAN BE USED TO OBTAIN CORRECT PHYSICAL PREDICTIONS, AN APPROACH KNOWN AS IMPROVED LATTICE ACTIONS. PROFESSOR HOLLAND WILL WORK WITH MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS AND SOFTWARE PLATFORMS TO DESIGN A HIGHLY IMPROVED LATTICE ACTION FOR QCD, WHICH HE WILL ALSO TEST THROUGH MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS, TO COMPARE WITH EXISTING LATTICE ACTIONS IN TERMS OF ACCURACY AND COMPUTING COST. PART OF THE PROJECT INVOLVES PARAMETRIZATION OF AN IMPROVED LATTICE ACTION, A TASK IDEALLY SUITED TO MACHINE LEARNING METHODS. PROFESSOR HOLLAND WILL FIRST WORK ON THE DYNAMICS OF GLUONS WITHOUT QUARKS, KNOWN AS PURE SU(3) YANG-MILLS THEORY, WHERE THE OVERALL COMPUTING COST IS LOWER AND CAN SERVE BOTH AS A TESTBED FOR THE METHOD, AS WELL AS HAVE POSSIBLE PHENOMENOLOGICAL IMPACT FOR PREDICTING THE QCD COUPLING AT THE ELECTROWEAK ENERGY SCALE, WHERE YANG-MILLS THEORY CAN CONNECT TO THE FULL THEORY INCLUDING QUARKS. AS MANY RESEARCH GROUPS PERFORM LATTICE QCD SIMULATIONS, THIS WORK IS BROADLY RELEVANT IN EXPLORING WAYS TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY WHEN USING LARGE-SCALE SUPERCOMPUTERS TO STUDY THE PROPERTIES OF QCD. 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.

THE INFLUENCE OF BODY IMAGE ON ADOLESCENT GIRLS' RISK AND PROTECTION BEHAVIORS

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN ISOTHERMAL TITRATION CALORIMETER FOR STUDYING LIGAND-MACROMOLECULE INTERACTIONS

CSR: SMALL: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ADAPTIVE AND AUTONOMOUS ENERGY MANAGEMENT ON A SENSOR NETWORK USING AERIAL ROBOTS

REGIONAL ASSESSMENT PROJ

FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE APPLICATIONS, FOCUSING ON INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION

RAPID: TEACHING FIELD GEOLOGY WITHOUT CLASSES IN THE FIELD - PROVIDING A ROBUST CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE THROUGH DIGITAL RESOURCES

DR. JONTOF-HUTTER WILL LEAD THE ANALYSIS OF ORBITAL PERIOD RATIOS AND TESTS FOR ORBITAL STABILITY. HE WILL QUANTIFY THE DETECTION BIASES ON THE MULTIPLICITY OF ULTRA-SHORT PERIOD PLANETS AND THE EVIDENCE THAT SHORT-PERIOD SINGLE PLANETS ARE DRAWN FROM A POPULATION OF PLANETARY SYSTEMS WITH HIGHER MUTUAL INCLINATIONS AND WHETHER SUCH SINGLES CAN BE LINKED TO THE EXPECTED TIDAL PROPERTIES OF THE HOST STARS.

COPTIC SCRIPTORIUM: A CORPUS, TOOLS, AND METHODS FOR CORPUS LINGUISTICS AND COMPUTATIONAL HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN ANCIENT EGYP

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF A SUSTAINABLE COMPUTER-BASED TUTORING SYSTEM FOR INTRODUCTORY LINEAR CIRCUIT ANALYSIS

THE DISCOVERY OF COMPACT SYSTEMS OF MULTIPLE LOW-MASS LOW-DENSITY PLANETS WITHIN A FRACTION OF 1AU HAS TRIGGERED A WELLSPRING OF PLANET FORMATION THEORIES. SOME OF THESE OFFER TESTABLE PREDICTIONS OF OUTER PLANETARY SYSTEM ARCHIECTURES INCLUDING WHETHER GIANT PLANETS ARE EXPECTED AT DISTANCES BEYOND 1AU. OBERVATIONALLY THE OCCURRENCE RATE OF JOVIAN MASS PLANETS IN SYSTEMS WITH MULTIPLE MINI-NEPTUNES WITHIN A FRACTION OF 1AU IS UNKNOWN. HENCE CONSTRAINTS ON THE OCCURRENCE RATE OF JOVIANS IN SYSTEMS OF MULTIPLE LOW-MASS CLOSE-IN NEPTUNES IS OF GREAT INTEREST IN PLANET FORMATION THEORY. WE PROPOSE TO RUN DYNAMICAL SIMULATIONS OF COMPACT SYSTEMS OF MULTIPLE PLANETS TO QUANTIFY THE EFFECT OF POTENTIAL UNDETECTED JOVIAN PERTURBERS ON THE ORBITAL CONFIGURATIONS OF THE KNOWN PLANETS. IN PARTICULAR IN ORDER FOR MANY PLANETS IN THE SAME SYSTEM TO BE OBSERVED TRANSITING REQUIRES LOW MUTUAL INCLINATIONS BETWEEN THE KNOWN PLANETS. SUCH A CONDITION WOULD BE EASILY DISTURBED BY A MASSIVE PLANET INCLINED BY JUST A FEW DEGREES TO THE ORBITAL PLANE OF THE TRANSITING PLANETS. WE PROPOSE TO PLACE DYNAMICAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE ORBITAL DISTANCES AND INCLINATIONS OF ANY SUCH JOVIAN PLANETS AND COMPARE THESE LIMITS TO THE CONSTRAINTS ON JOVIAN PLANET OCCURRENCE FROM RV SURVEYS. WHILE THERE ARE VARIOUS ESTIMATES OF JOVIAN PLANET OCCURRENCE FROM1-3AU FROM RV (E.G. WITTENMEYER ET AL. 2011 SCHLAUFMAN AND WINN 2016) THE SIZE OF SUB-SAMPLE KNOWN TO HAVE THREE OR MORE MINI- NEPTUNES CLOSE TO THE STAR IS JUST FIVE. OUR PROPOSED STUDY WILL PLACE A DYNAMICAL CONSTRAINT ON THE DISTANCES OUT TO WHICH JOVIAN PLANETS ARE VERY UNLIKELY. THIS WILL ENABLE A STATISTICAL COMPARISON WITH THE RESULTS OF RV SURVEYS TO DETERMINE IF THE COMPACT SYSTEMS OF MULTIPLE MINI-NEPTUNES ARE DRAWN FROM THE SAME POPULATION AS RV DETECTIONS OF JOVIANS GENERALLY.

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS TO SUPPORT ENGAGEMENT IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

UOP MSI CARES

TO SUPPORT A PROJECT TO PROCESS THE GEORGE MOSCONE PAPERS AND DIGITIZE 250 ITEMS FROM THE COLLECTION. MOSCONE (1929-1978) WAS AN ACTIVIST AND LEGISLATOR, WHO SERVED AS MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO FOR TWO YEARS. IN 1978, HE AND SAN FRANCISCO BOARD SUPERVISOR HARVEY MILK WERE ASSASSINATED.

COPTIC SCRIPTORIUM: DIGITIZING A CORPUS FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN

OUR PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL BE CRUCIAL TO PLANNING THE CHARACTERIZATION OF EXOPLANET ATMOSPHERES AT MERCURY TO VENUS-LIKE DISTANCES.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC

LOAN GRANT WITH FUNDS FOR NEW BUDGET PERIOD

PREDOCTORAL TRAINING IN GENERAL, PEDIATRIC, AND PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY AND DENTAL HYGIENE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH (SGER): WILDFIRE IMPACTS ON CATCHMENT HYDROCHEMISTRY: METAL AND NUTRIENT TRANSPORT AFTER THE DAY FIRE, 2006

FINITE ELEMENT METHOD EXERCISES FOR USE IN UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING PROGRAMS

POPULATION GENETICS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CALLIPPE SILVERSPOT BUTTERFLY

UOP CA-SJO-91 NAGPRA REPATRIATION

TO SUPPORT THE PACIFIC MUSIC CAMP.

TO SUPPORT THE BRUBECK INSTITUTE SUMMER JAZZ COLONY.

TO SUPPORT THE BRUBECK INSTITUTE'S SUMMER JAZZ COLONY.

TO SUPPORT "DELTAFUSION," A MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATION OF THE CITY OF STOCKTON'S DIVERSITY, PRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS AND VISUAL ART

TO SUPPORT PACIFIC MUSIC CAMP FOR GIFTED MUSIC STUDENTS OF ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL AGE.