Last fall, Bonita Biegalke, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Virology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, received a two-year NIH grant to study cytomegalovirus. This virus is related to the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores and the varicella zoster virus that is responsible for chicken pox and shingles.
Eighty percent of the adult population is infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV). The virus is transmitted through body fluids and normally remains dormant in the body. However, people with incompetent immune systems, such as transplant patients and those infected with HIV, are at a higher risk for associated disease including pneumonia or, with AIDs patients, disease of the eyes or brain tissues.
It is also possible for the virus to pass through the placenta and infect a developing fetus. The fetus is most at risk if the mother is infected with the virus during pregnancy. Ten percent of infected fetuses suffer such long-range consequences as deafness, retardation, liver or spleen enlargement, stunted head growth, or death. If a woman is infected before becoming pregnant, her system will develop an immune response to the virus making the virus infection weaker and less likely to cause birth defects.
The host, or body, develops an immune response to the virus, but the immune response is not always able to keep the virus in check. The virus continually develops strategies to evade the immune system so that the virus can replicate. Dr. Biegalke is studying one of at least five or more immune-evasion strategies used by CMV. The particular strategy under investigation by the Biegalke lab involves a viral protein that interferes with the ability of the immune system to detect an infected cell. The viral protein of interest prevents or delays white blood cells from recognizing infected cells as abnormal. This is an event that occurs early in the infection. This evasion of the immune system is thought to be critical in allowing the virus to replicate, and consequently spread.
Dr. Biegalke is studying the one viral protein in isolation through the use of modern biotechnology. A cell with normal DNA is injected with DNA for the viral protein; the cell is then observed to see what happens to the cellular signal that is needed for recognition by white blood cells. The long term goal is to develop a compound that would block the function of the viral protein. This compound would then be given to infected humans; the normal immune system could then eliminate the virus within the infected host.
In February, Chris Simpson and Al Pheley, representing OU-COM's Center for Appalachian and Rural Health Research, attended the annual health policy meeting of the National Rural Health Association in Washington, D.C. The policy meeting provides a forum for the membership to exchange the latest information on local, state, and federal legislation, and its impact on the delivery of health care in rural areas. This year, keynote speakers included J. C. Watts, U.S. Representative from Oklahoma who chairs the House Republican Conference, Donna Shalala, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, of the Health Care Financing Administration. While access to care and health professional work force remain significant policy issues for rural areas, the far-reaching effects of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 continue to be a primary focus of the policy researchers.
Along with the addresses and breakout sessions of the main conference, this conference provides important opportunities to visit with members of the legislature and their support staff. On February 6, participants descended on Capitol Hill and brought their concerns to their representatives and senators. One of the primary objectives during the visit was to reinforce the need for research funding that will improve our understanding of the region's health status, the factors influencing our population's health, and ways to effect change related to these concerns. While project support was emphasized, initial discussions were geared toward providing both the physical and staff infrastructure required to begin these projects. Senator Mike DeWine, Representative Ted Strickland, and a legislative assistant for Senator George Voinovich all expressed their interest in this area and promised to help with these efforts.
The most recent clinical drug trial at OU-COM is a Phase IV study using a recently released fluoroquinolone antibiotic. This research examines the safety and efficacy of this antibiotic in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), acute sinusitis, and acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (AECB). The new antibiotic appears to have comparatively increased efficacy against S. pneumoniae (the most common organism in CAP), M. catarrhalis (a common organism in sinusitis and AECB) and H. influenzae (the most common organism in AECB).
Patients in the trial receive free medication and cultures, and are then treated for 7-10 days for acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, 10 days in acute uncomplicated maxillary sinusitis, and 7-14 days in community-acquired pneumonia. The study is an open label, non-comparative design. Patients must be over 18 years of age, be able to provide informed consent, and must not be pregnant. Certain other exclusionary criteria apply, and only patients meeting specific diagnostic criteria are eligible.
For further information regarding this study, contact Lori Arnott, R.N., at 594-2410 or arnott@ohiou.edu, or Jack Brose, D.O., at 593-2247 or brose@ohiou.edu.
A Town Hall Meeting on Complementary and Alternative Medicine was held on March 15 in Boston. This event was sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at NIH and the Center for Alternative Medicine Research and Education (CAMRE) at Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Jack Blazyk and Al Pheley represented OU-COM at the meeting, which included presentations by David Eisenberg, M.D., director of CAMRE, Steven E. Strauss, M.D., director of NCCAM, and three others speakers who discussed massage therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture research.
Dr. Strauss was appointed the first director of NCCAM last October. He is experienced in clinical research and trials, and served previously as Chief of the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Strauss presented an overview of the mission of NCCAM. He stressed the fact that, although the American public has embraced a wide range of alternative therapies, rigorous clinical trials must be performed to demonstrate their safety and efficacy. He also discussed opportunities for funding in the coming year. The total budget for the unit is $100 million, a substantial increase from previous years. It is anticipated that about 80 extramural grants will be funded in the next fiscal year.
NCCAM currently sponsors nine research centers specializing in the following areas: addictions; aging and women's health; arthritis; cardiovascular diseases; cardiovascular disease and aging in African Americans; chiropractic; craniofacial disorders; neurological disorders; and pediatrics. In addition, NCCAM intends to initiate an intramural research program in Bethesda that will provide opportunities for fellowships and training in complementary and alternative medicine.
While chiropractic research is well established as a focus within NCCAM, until now, not much attention has been given to osteopathic research. More information concerning the activities and funding opportunities at the agency is available at http://nccam.nih.gov/.
PI: Bonita Biegalke, Ph.D.
Agency: American Society of Microbiology
Title: Analysis of the human cytromegalovirus UL110 transcript
Amount: $4,000
PI: Audrone Biknevicius, Ph.D., and Steve Reilly, Ph.D.
Agency: NSF
Title: Functional evolution of locomotor posture in tetrapods
Amount: $365,074
PI: Xiao Chen, Ph.D.
Agency: Technology Action Fund
Title: Optimization of T7 autogene expression system
Amount: $260,405
PI: Xiao Chen, Ph.D.
Agency: NIH
Title: Gene function determination by ribozyme in zebrafish
Amount: $603, 390
PI: Peter Johnson, Ph.D.
Agency: Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation
Title: Effects of ethanol and fatty acid ethyl esters on human erythrocytes
Amount: $59,100
PI: John Kopchick, Ph.D.
Agency: Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International
Title: Identification of genes involved in the progression of diabetic nephropathy
Amount: $649,853
PI: John Kopchick, Ph.D.
Agency: American Diabetes Association
Title: Identification of cDNA's involved in obesity-induced hyperinsulinemia
Amount: $300,000
PI: John Kopchick, Ph.D.
Agency: Technology Action Fund
Title: Discovery and use of novel anit-angiogenic molecules
Amount: $200,000
PI: Charlene Smith, Ph.D.
Agency: Ohio Academy of Family Practitioners
Title: DO's and MD's: The physician-patient dyad and the question of distinctiveness
Amount: $7,500
PI: Tina Joyce, MS II (Mentor: Jack Brose, D.O.)
Agency: Ohio Academy of Family Practitioners
Title: Deterrent to breast feeding in rural Appalachia
Amount: $4,000
PI: Ben Snyder (Mentor: Bob Hikida, Ph.D.)
Agency: American College of Sports Medicine
Title: Immunological parameters of muscle damage in young and old rats
Amount: $3,977
PI: Jalal Soltanian-Zadeh, MS I (Mentor: Bob Hikida, Ph.D.)
Agency: American Federation for Aging Research
Title: Creatine and skeletal muscle in elderly men
Amount: $1,500
by Al Pheley
...to start thinking about applying to the American Osteopathic Association for research support funding.
Each year on December 1, the AOA closes its annual request for research funding applications. While that deadline may seem a long way off this spring, clinical, educational, administrative, and family commitments will quickly gnaw away at the calendar. Before you realize it, the time is gone and you find yourself rushing to meet the deadline. So now is time to consider starting the process early!! It will give you, the Office of Research, and your collaborators more time to develop a competitive proposal that will have a better chance for success.
The AOA makes research money available for training, fellowships, independent research, and career development as outlined in the Osteopathic Research Handbook. The application forms are available on the AOA web site at http://www.aoa-net.org/Research/grantfellow.htm.
The specific aims of the programs are to:
Osteopathic research is defined by the AOA as "research done under osteopathic sponsorship that is directed toward answering questions traditionally or currently associated with the osteopathic profession and its particular philosophy or practice."
The award programs include:
In addition, there are special awards in three areas:
You don't have to wait until the last minute! Give your collaborators and the staff in the Office of Research a call now and start the planning process. We all look forward to helping you with your project and increasing the chances that it will be funded.
If you have any questions about these or other funding programs, please contact Judi Rioch (593-2336 or rioch@ohiou.edu) in the Office of Research.
Contact Judi Rioch at 740-593-2336 or rioch@ohiou.edu for details
Research Project Grants (R01)
Research project grants are awarded to institutions on behalf of a principal investigator to facilitate pursuit of a scientific focus or objective in the area of the investigator's interest and competence. Institutional sponsorship assures the NIH that the institution will provide facilities necessary to accomplish the research and will be accountable for the grant funds. Applications are accepted for health-related research and development in all areas within the scope of NIH's mission.
Deadline: June 1, 2000
Award Date: April 1, 2001
Amount: Up to $500,000/year for up to 5 years
Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_t.htm
The Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) is designed to enhance the research environment of educational institutions that have not been traditional recipients of NIH research funds. This award provides limited funds for faculty members of these institutions to develop new research projects or expand ongoing research activities in areas related to the health sciences and to encourage students to participate in the research activity.
Deadline: May 25, 2000
Award: April 1, 2001
Amount: Up to $100,000/year for up to 3 years
Title: HIGHER-ORDER COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND AGING
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-00-052.html
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites qualified researchers to submit new applications for research projects that focus on adulthood and aging-related changes in the higher-order processes and strategies required for
judgment, decision-making, reasoning, problem-solving, and processing complex information. As in earlier periods of life older adults continue to make decisions related to everyday life, but with advanced age, new, and sometimes even more complex, decision-making is required of them. Recent research indicates that age-related limitations in cognitive processing resources (e.g., speed and working memory) may impact decision-making. Research also indicates that some older adults experience growth in specific areas of cognitive functioning (e.g., expertise, semantic knowledge, emotional
regulation) and continue to use adaptive intelligence, demonstrating multi-directionality in adult cognitive change. It is generally recognized that research on higher-order processing is underdeveloped in the field of aging. Research proposals are needed that examine the actual processes that are engaged when older adults make important decisions, how these processes change with age and context, and what environmental supports, interventions, and training may be necessary for optimal functioning. Research may investigate either individual or collaborative, or social processes.
Types of Awards: R01 or AREA
Deadline: see above
Award Date: see above
Amount: see above
Title: THE ROLE OF ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION IN DIABETIC COMPLICATIONS
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-00-026.html
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) invites investigator-initiated research grant applications to study the role of endothelial alteration or dysfunction in the etiology and pathogenesis of
the micro- and macrovascular complications of diabetes. Endothelial function is known to be abnormal in diabetes and may be an early step in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Recent work has also focused attention on the role of endothelial function in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications. This PA, with a $1 million dollar annual set-aside, is intended to stimulate the application of new molecular technologies to this area. Understanding the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes at the molecular and cellular level will provide new targets for pharmacologic or genetic manipulations to prevent complications of diabetes.
Types of Awards: R01 or R21 (Exploratory/Development Research Grant)
Deadline: see above
Award Date: see above
Amount: R01: see above -- R21: up to $100,000/year for up to two years (non-renewable)
Title: RACE/ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN THE INCIDENCE OF DIABETES COMPLICATIONS
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAS-00-028.html
This Program Announcement (PA) solicits research to investigate (1) differences among contemporary populations in the United States, categorized by race-ethnicity and other factors, in risk factors for complications of diabetes and in rates of these complications; and (2) the extent to which factors, including inherent metabolic and genetic variations, medical care, socioeconomic status, and behavioral factors account for these differences.
Types of Awards: R01 or R21 (Exploratory/Development Research Grant)
Deadline: see above
Award Date: see above
Amount: R01: see above -- R21: up to $100,000/year for up to two years (non-renewable)
October 29 - November 2, 2000
Orlando, FL
Abstract Deadline: Must be postmarked by April 15
Forms available on the web at http://www.aoa-net.org/Research/abscall00.htm.
August 12, 2000
Columbus, Ohio
Abstract Deadline: Must be postmarked by May 15
Forms available from Judi Rioch (593-2336 or rioch@ohiou.edu) in the Office of Research.
