Nova Southeastern University Inc

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY - CARES ACT HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY - CARES ACT HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE RESEARCH FACILITY AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY.

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING (U45), COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT

THE GULF WAR ILLNESS CLINICAL TRIALS AND INTERVENTIONS CONSORTIUM (GWICTIC)

ELECTROMAGNETIC RESEARCH IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA: OCEANOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE.

REGULATORY B CELLS IN THE AMELIORATION OF IMMUNE-MEDIATED PERIODONTAL DISEASE

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY FLORIDA WATER SCIENE CENTER

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER

POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING IN GENERAL PEDIATRIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY AND DENTAL HYGIENE

UNDERSTANDING GULF WAR ILLNESS: AN INTEGRATIVE MODELING APPROACH

DEVELOPING HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM

THIS AWARD OF $3,841,000 IN CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED FY23 FEDERAL FUNDING WILL SUPPORT THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL CORAL REEF INSTITUTE (NCRI) AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY (NSU) INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE; CREATION OF AN ADVISORY BOARD AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE; THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORMAL COOPERATION MECHANISMS WITH LABORATORIES AT THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVEL, AS WELL AS WITH ACADEMIA; AND HIRING OF FIVE POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS AS WELL AS GRADUATE STUDENTS. UPON RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF NCRI THE PROPOSAL SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TARGET RESEARCH PROJECTS TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING FIVE GOALS: 1. EVALUATE CHALLENGES RESULTING FROM UPSTREAM IMPACTS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES; 2. DEVELOP A DETECTION ALGORITHM FOR PREDICTION OF DISEASE HOTSPOTS IN THE CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC; 3. UNDERSTAND, MODEL, AND PREDICT OUTBREAKS AND LEGACY EFFECTS OF CORAL DISEASE EPIZOOTICS TO INFORM QUANTITATIVELY JUSTIFIABLE RESTORATION ACTION; 4. INVESTIGA

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

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE AMONG CLUB DRUG USERS

COOPERATION AND ALIGNMENT OF SERVICES TO ENGAGE HISPANIC AND LOW INCOME TRANSFER AND NATIVE STUDENTS PURSUING HIGH INTEREST/HIGH DEMAND STEM FIELDS

GERIATRICS WORKFORCE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

EPIGENETIC MARKS OF COCAINE ADDICTION

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY - CARES ACT HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND - MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS

US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER

NOVEL RECOMBINANT STREPTOCOCCUS MITIS AS AN ORAL VACCINE AGAINST HIV/AIDS

INNOVATIONS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE SUCCESS FOR HISPANIC AND OTHER UNDERREPRESENTED GRADUATE STUDENTS

HEALTH LITERACY ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION TO REDUCE DISPARITIES: FLIGHT/VIDAS II

STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS - HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS

TRENDS AND DRIVERS OF FAUNAL ABUNDANCE IN THE OFFSHORE GULF OF MEXICO: NARROWING THE LARGEST DATA GAP IN THE GULF???S LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEM

STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS - HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS

OSTEOIMMUNOLOGY OF RETARDED BONE REGENERATION IN PERIODONTITIS

PURPOSE: DEEPEND|RESTORE (D|R) HAS DEVELOPED A MULTI-MODE SAMPLING, SENSING, AND ANALYTICAL PROGRAM TO ASSESS TRENDS IN PELAGIC POPULATIONS OF THE DEEP GULF OF MEXICO, AS WELL AS THE PUTATIVE DRIVERS OF VARIABILITY IN THESE TRENDS. WITH RESPECT TO POPULATION TRENDS, THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE FINDING OF THIS PROGRAM IS THE SUDDEN (WITHIN 3.5 Y), SEVERE, AND SUSTAINED (> 10 Y) DECLINE IN THE ABUNDANCE OF OCEANIC MICRONEKTON (DEEP-LIVING FISHES, SHRIMPS, AND CEPHALOPODS) SINCE THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL. MICRONEKTON ARE IMPORTANT PREY FOR OVER 130 SPECIES OF MANAGEMENT CONCERN IN THE GULF. WITH RESPECT TO DRIVERS, FINDINGS INDICATE THAT MULTIVARIATE PARAMETERS (DEPTH, MESOSCALE OCEANOGRAPHIC FEATURES, LIGHT ENVIRONMENT) IN CONCERT WITH ANIMAL BEHAVIOR APPEAR TO BE THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF PELAGIC ASSEMBLAGES. NO NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR THAT CORRELATED WITH OBSERVED DECLINES WAS IDENTIFIED. D|R HAS ACTIVELY FOCUSED ON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT APPLICATION AND INTEGRATION, WITH THE MOST FRUITFUL INTERACTIONS OCCURRING IN SIX THEMATIC AREAS: 1) GULF OCEANIC MICRONEKTON AS PREY OF SPECIES THAT ARE ACTIVELY MANAGED, FEDERALLY PROTECTED, OR TARGETS OF ONGOING RESTORATION ACTIVITIES; 2) PROVISION OF INFORMATION FOR PAST, CURRENT, AND FUTURE NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS; 3) QUANTIFICATION OF GULF OCEANIC BIODIVERSITY; 4) ELUCIDATION OF OTHER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PROVIDED BY OCEANIC MICRONEKTON; 5) QUANTIFICATION OF MICROPLASTIC INGESTION AND ITS ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN THE OPEN GULF, AND 6) CAPACITY BUILDING FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. THESE AREAS ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL HEREIN. IN THE RENEWAL PERIOD, D|R PROPOSES TO CONTINUE DIRECT SAMPLING AND ACTIVE ACOUSTIC SENSING TO ASSESS POPULATION TRENDS, WITH THE NOTE THAT THERE MAY BE SIGNS OF NASCENT RECOVERY IN SOME TAXA. THESE TRENDS TAKE ON ADDED IMPORTANCE GIVEN RECENT REPORTS OF OCEANIC CETACEAN POPULATION DECLINES, RELOCATIONS, AND STRANDINGS OF EMACIATED INDIVIDUALS. OUR STATISTICAL ANALYSES WILL ADD A BIOMASS COMPONENT TO WHAT HAS BEEN AN ABUNDANCECENTERED APPROACH, WHICH SHOULD ENABLE GREATER ECOSYSTEM MODELING UTILITY. AS WITH SAMPLING, D|R PROPOSES CONTINUATION OF GENOMIC DIVERSITY, ORGANIC CONTAMINANT, AND MICROPLASTICS INGESTION ANALYSES, WITH AUGMENTATIONS TO EACH. D|R PROPOSES A NEW HIGHPRIORITY OPTIONAL ELEMENT, DETAILED IN A STAND-ALONE ADDENDUM. THE PROPOSAL CONCLUDES WITH A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF NEXT STEPS IN GULF OPEN-OCEAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BEYOND THE RENEWAL PERIOD.

RISK REDUCTION FOR URBAN SUBSTANCE USING MSM

NSU SHARKS: SUPPORTING HISPANIC ACADEMICS, RESEARCH, KNOWLEDGE, AND SUCCESS

PROMOTING POSTBACCALAUREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISPANIC AMERICANS (PPOHA)

PROMOTING POSTBACCALAUREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISPANIC AMERICANS PROGRAM

DEVELOPING HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM

3D OCEAN CIRCULATION AND ITS MAGNETIC SIGNATURE ON THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA SHELF

ADAPTIVE COMPUTING MODELS FOR CYBERSECURITY THREATS AND INFORMATION ANALYSIS

PROMOTING POSTBACCALAUREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISPANIC AMERICANS (PPOHA)

COMMUNITY BASED DENTAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH SENSOR DEVELOPMENT

PROJECT TITLE: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER PROJECT PERIOD: 2 1 2025 THROUGH 1 31 2030AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO SUPPORT THE COST OF FACILITY RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH LONG-TERM JOINT PROGRAM BETWEEN THE USGS AND NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY TO CONTINUE AND ADVANCE COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH IN COMMON AREAS OF INTEREST TO FULFILL ALL SCIENTIFIC MISSION RESPONSIBILITIES AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: NSU WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH USGS AND THE CARIBBEAN-FLORIDA WATER SCIENCE CENTER (CFWSC) TO SUPPORT HYDROLOGIC RESEARCH, GENERAL RESEARCH, WATER QUALITY STUDIES, ENDANGERED SPECIES STUDY, AND MONITORING ACROSS FLORIDA, PUERTO RICO, AND THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION. NSU HAS A CAMPUS IN PUERTO RICO AND A LONG HISTORY OF CORAL REEF AND RELATED RESEARCH IN PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AS WELL AS FLORIDA. SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS WILL BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED WITH USGS AND CESU PARTNERS AS THE NEED ARISES.DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: FACILITIES AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH IN PRIORITY AREAS OF THE CFWSC AND NSU.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THIS AWARD SUPPORTS ALL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY AS IT FACILITATES DEVELOPMENT OF CRUCIAL INFORMATION TO INFORM POLICY DECISIONS, PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH IN USGS PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE

GERIATRIC EDUCATION CENTERS

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

LEVAN CENTER MOBILE INNOVATION UNIT

LEVAN CENTER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

SOUTH FLORIDA OCEAN MEASUREMENT FACILITY AND NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH FY23

EPIGENETIC AND NON-EPIGENETIC ROLE OF SIRT1 IN FLUORIDE-INDUCED CELL STRESS

ACE BALANCE IN THE CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES

ARRA-TRAINING IN PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE-INTERDISCIPLINARY AND INTERPROFESSIONAL GRADUATE JOINT DEGREE

THE DIVERSION OF ANTIRETROVIRAL MEDICATIONS TO STREET MARKETS

MODEL STATE-SUPPORTED AHEC PROGRAM

COMMUNITY BASED DENTAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

THIN FILM SURFACE COATINGS FOR TOUGHENED DENTAL CERAMICS

NATIONAL CORAL REEF INSTITUTE (NCRI) PROPOSAL FOR FY 2007, 2008 & 2009

PRE-DOCTORAL TRAINING IN PRIMARY CARE

TRAINING IN PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE-INTERDISCIPLINARY AND INTERPROFESSIONAL GRADUATE JOINT DEGREE PROG

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A COMPUTER-ADMINISTERED HEALTH LITERACY MEASURE

POWER A HEALTH PROMOTION & HIV RISK REDUCTION INTERVENTION FOR BLACK MEN

UNDERSTANDING HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS-TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE. UPDATED FUNDING SUB-TIER AGENCY '96CE' TO '2100'. USACE CIVIL WORKS FUNDING.

SHARK TAILS: SUCCESS FOR HISPANICS IN ACADEMICS, RESEARCH, AND KNOWLEDGE THROUGH ADMINISTRATION OF INTEGRATED LEARNING SUPPORTS

YOUNG HISPANIC MEN - ENTRE CULTURAS: NAVIGATING CULTURE, IDENTITY AND HIV RISK

NOVA ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR SUITE (NESS) UPGRADES, DEPLOYMENTS, AND MODEL VALIDATION

THE NATIONAL CORAL REEF INSTITUTE (NCRI), HOMED AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY (NSU), HAS ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE ATLANTIC REEF RESEARCH COORDINATION INSTITUTE (ARRCI). NCRI HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD IN CORAL REEF RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION, AND A LONG HISTORY OF COLLABORATIONS WITH NEARLY ALL CORAL REEF RESEARCH COORDINATION INSTITUTES (CRRCS) IN THE REGION. NSU'S OFFICE OF SPONSORED PROGRAMS HAS NEARLY THREE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE MANAGING LARGE-SCALE COLLABORATIVE FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL AWARDS WITH FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. NCRI HAS LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE U.S. CORAL REEF TASK FORCE (USCRTF), U.S. ALL ISLANDS COMMITTEE (AIC), THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S OFFICE OF INSULAR AFFAIRS (DOI), AND THE SEVEN OF THE U.S. CORAL REEF JURISDICTIONS' LOCAL MANAGEMENT AGENCIES. ADDITIONALLY, NCRI HAS SUCCESSFULLY COORDINATED THE SUSAN L. WILLIAMS NATIONAL CORAL REEF MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP FOR TEN YEARS. THE ARRCI GOALS WILL BE TO: (1) LEAD COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO CONDUCT ADAPTIVE, INNOVATIVE, AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH AND RESTORATION AT LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL LEVELS; (2) SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING INITIATIVES THROUGH SUSTAINED DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT, ANALYSIS, AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION; AND (3) PROVIDE AND BUILD ADDITIONAL CAPACITY WITHIN THE U.S. CORAL JURISDICTIONS FOR CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM RESEARCHERS, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGERS, NONPROFITS, AND POLICYMAKERS. AS THE ARRCI, NCRI WILL CONTINUE MANAGING THE NOAA CORAL FELLOWSHIP AND HIRE THE AIC DIRECTOR, A COORDINATION DIRECTOR TO LIAISE ARRCI PARTNERS IN ALL THREE JURISDICTIONS AND A COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH SPECIALIST TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT AN OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PLAN. NCRI AND ITS ACADEMIC, GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS IN FLORIDA, PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS HAVE THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE AND ACCESS TO STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES, ENABLING US TO CONDUCT RIGOROUS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL RESILIENCE STRATEGY. WE WILL PROVIDE DATA-DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS, CONTRIBUTE TO THE DESIGN OF ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS, AND SUPPORT RESILIENCE-BUILDING INITIATIVES TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT U.S. CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS AGAINST CURRENT AND EMERGING THREATS. OUR PROJECT PORTFOLIO AIMS TO INCREASE EFFICACY OF MANAGEMENT OF LAND-BASED SOURCES OF POLLUTION, STRATEGICALLY RESTORE CORAL REEFS, MONITOR AND SUSTAINABLY MANAGE REEF RESOURCES, INCREASE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT CAPACITY, AND BUILD COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE CONSERVATION OF CORAL REEFS. OUR EFFORTS WILL BE GUIDED BY THE LATEST SCIENCE AND INFORMED BY STAKEHOLDER INPUT TO ENSURE RELEVANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS.

MANAGEMENT-DRIVEN RESEARCH BY THE NOAA'S CORAL REEF INSTITUTES: FY10 FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

PURPOSE: THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH INTEGRATED INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ADVANCED OPTICAL IMAGING, NANOPARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION, FLUORESCENCE VISUALIZATION, AND IMAGING WORKFLOW DEVELOPMENT AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY. THE PROJECT APPROACH FOCUSES ON ACQUISITION, IMPLEMENTATION, OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF INSTRUMENTATION NECESSARY TO SUPPORT ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AND TRANSLATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES. THE PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE DIRECTLY ADDRESSES CURRENT INSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS IN SMALL ANIMAL OPTICAL IMAGING, IMAGING ACCESSIBILITY, NANOPARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION CAPACITY, AND STANDARDIZED IMAGING WORKFLOW IMPLEMENTATION.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: AWARD FUNDS WILL SUPPORT EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, PERSONNEL TRAINING, AND ESTABLISHMENT OF IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZATION CAPABILITIES RATHER THAN DIRECT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. THE PROPOSED PROJECT DOES NOT INCLUDE HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH OR VERTEBRATE ANIMAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES UNDER THE CURRENT APPLICATION. THE MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE FUNDING ARE RELATED TO PERSONNEL STAFFING ($187,370) AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASE ($824,970) AND TRAINING COURSES ($8,500).EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE GOAL OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH INTEGRATED IMAGING AND NANOPARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION CAPABILITIES AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY. PROJECT OBJECTIVES INCLUDE PURCHASING AND ESTABLISHING A SMALL ANIMAL OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEM, FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY INSTRUMENTATION, DYNAMIC LIGHT SCATTERING (DLS) INSTRUMENTATION, SUPPORTING STEREOTACTIC AND IMAGING EQUIPMENT, AND A DEDICATED WORKSTATION FOR IMAGING ACQUISITION, STORAGE, AND ANALYSIS. ADDITIONAL PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PERSONNEL TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT OF SOPS, AND INTEGRATION OF THE INSTRUMENTATION INTO LABORATORY AND VIVARIUM OPERATIONS. TOGETHER, THE PROPOSED EQUIPMENT WILL ESTABLISH CAPABILITIES FOR NANOPARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION, LONGITUDINAL IMAGING, BIODISTRIBUTION ANALYSIS, THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY EVALUATION, AND TISSUE-LEVEL ASSESSMENT WHILE STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AND TRANSLATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY CAPACITY.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY STRENGTHEN INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BIOMEDICAL IMAGING, NANOPARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION, AND TRANSLATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY. THE PROJECT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN TECHNICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, AND MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCHERS THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPOSURE TO ADVANCED IMAGING INSTRUMENTATION, NANOPARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION SYSTEMS, IMAGING DATA MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND STANDARDIZED OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES. IN ADDITION, ESTABLISHMENT OF DEDICATED IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZATION CAPABILITIES IS EXPECTED TO ENHANCE INSTITUTIONAL COMPETITIVENESS FOR FUTURE EXTERNALLY FUNDED BIOMEDICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH INITIATIVES. BECAUSE THE PROPOSED SMALL ANIMAL IMAGING PLATFORM WILL BE LOCATED WITHIN A SHARED VIVARIUM ENVIRONMENT, THE PROJECT WILL ALSO EXPAND INSTITUTIONAL ACCESSIBILITY TO ADVANCED OPTICAL IMAGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITATE COLLABORATIVE UTILIZATION ACROSS MULTIPLE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

HTS FOR SELECTIVE INHIBITORS OF MEPRIN ALPHA AND BETA

QUORUM SENSING AS A REGULATOR OF METABOLISM IN PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA TO FACILITATE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS

NATIONAL CORAL REEF INSTITUTE FY09 PROPOSAL

NOAA CORAL REEF CONSERVATION PROGRAM EARMARK PROJECT DESCRIPTION THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) IS PROVIDING $963,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO THE NATIONAL CORAL REEF INSTITUTE HOUSED AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY IN DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA FOR A PROJECT TITLED CORAL NURSERY CENTER. SPECIFICALLY, THE NATIONAL CORAL REEF INSTITUTE WILL USE THESE FUNDS TO EXPAND ITS CORAL NURSERY FACILITIES TO COMPLETE A STATE-OF-THE-ART CORAL CENTER AT NSUS OCEANOGRAPHIC CAMPUS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW FOR OPTIMIZATION AND UPSCALING OF CORAL PROPAGATION OPERATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL RETROFIT AN EXISTING STRUCTURE TO CREATE A LABORATORY FOR CULTURING HERBIVOROUS CRUSTACEANS, MICROFRAGMENTING CORALS, AND BUILDING AND REPAIRING STRUCTURES FOR OFFSHORE NURSERY AND CORAL OUTPLANTING ACTIVITIES.

PURPOSE:THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO FUND THE ACQUISITION OF FOUR PIECES OF EQUIPMENT. THE SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTS ARE 1)SEAHORSE XF24 AND OROBOROS OXYGRAPH 2K, 2) FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPE, 3) NANOSTRING N COUNTER AND PREP STATION,AND 4) COSMX DIGITAL SPATIAL PROFILER. THESE INSTRUMENTS WILL BE USED FOR THE ADVANCEMENT NEW TECHNOLOGIES ANDMETHODOLOGIES SUCH AS DEVELOPING STANDARDIZED MODELS TO IDENTIFY GENETIC MARKERS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITHENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS THAT CAN LEAD TO NEWER AND MORE EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES TO PREDICT AND DIAGNOSE EARLY-STAGECANCERS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:THE RESEARCHERS WILL USE THIS EQUIPMENT TO EVALUATE PATIENT-DERIVED CULTURES WILL BE EXPOSED IN THE LABORATORY TOARSENIC OR GLYPHOSATE (CHEMICALS FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED IN SOUTH FLORIDA). EARLY GENETIC AND EPIGENETIC CHANGESWILL BE MEASURED AS TRANSCRIPTOMIC CHANGES USING THE BC360 ARRAY OF GENES WHICH ENCOMPASS HYPOTHESIS-DRIVENGENES SPANNING: ADHESION AND MIGRATION, ANTIGEN PRESENTATION (IMMUNOLOGICAL GENES), APOPTOSIS, CYTOKINE ANDCHEMOKINE SIGNALING, DNA DAMAGE AND REPAIR, EMT (EPITHELIAL TO MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION), ONCOGENES, TUMORSUPPRESSOR GENES, GENES INVOLVED IN BREAST METABOLISM, ER (ESTROGEN RECEPTOR) SIGNALING, EPIGENETIC REGULATION,STEM CELL-RELATED, TRANSCRIPTIONAL MIS REGULATION, PROLIFERATION, CANCER SUBTYPES, AND TUMOR METABOLISM. CHANGESDUE TO EXPOSURES REGARDLESS OF ANCESTRY WILL BE ASSESSED AS WELL AS ANCESTRY-SPECIFIC CHANGES AFTER EXPOSURES AND ATBASELINE. NANOSTRING TECHNOLOGY WILL ALSO BE USED TO VALIDATE RNA SEQUENCING CHANGES IN UNSUPERVISED (NOTHYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN) ANALYSES. ADDITIONALLY, FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY WILL BE USE TO PROVIDE VISUALIZATION ANDQUANTIFICATION OF COMPLEX CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PHENOMENA INDUCED BY ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES. FLUORESCENCEMICROSCOPY FACILITATES THE DETAILED ANALYSIS OF CELLULAR DAMAGE AND THE ACTIVITY OF CRITICAL PATHWAYS SUCH ASPROLIFERATION, AUTOPHAGY, AND APOPTOSIS THROUGH TARGETED LABELING OF CELLULAR COMPONENTS AND CELL DEATH MARKERS.ALLOW US TO MAP MOLECULAR ALTERATIONS WITHIN TISSUE STRUCTURES, OFFERING A DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE DIFFERENTIALRESPONSES TO TOXINS BASED ON ANCESTRAL BACKGROUNDS.UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGYMATERIAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY100 BUREAU DRIVE, MS 8300GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND 20899EXPECTED OUTCOMES:THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP MEASUREMENT METHODS AND BASIC MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY THAT WILLENABLE THE MATCHING OF DIFFERING GENETIC SEQUENCES WITH DIFFERING RESPONSES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISEASEBECAUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. ONCE STANDARDIZATION OF THE MEASUREMENT PROTOCOLS IS IN PLACE, THE CONTINUEDDEVELOPMENT OF A UNIFORM DATABASE AND PREDICTIVE MODELING CAN BE REPLICATED IN CANCER AND OTHER DISEASES. THERESEARCH WILL ALSO PROVIDE ACCESS TO DATA FROM UNIQUE POPULATIONS.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES:THE DATA GENERATED WILL BENEFIT THE CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THIS RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE DATA THAT CAN BEUSED BY MULTIPLE AGENCIES (HHS, DOD, VA, EPA) AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS IN INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEENENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS AND CANCER AND OTHER DISEASES. THIS WILL ALSO LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BIOMARKERS ANDTHE STANDARDIZATION OF SAMPLE MEASUREMENTS AND DETECTION PROCESSES.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

IMMUNE DYSREGULATION IN GWI.

NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM

RESIDENCY TRAINING IN PRIMARY CARE

UNKNOWN TITLE

THE USE OF B-CELL DEPLETION THERAPY (BCDT) IN GULF WAR ILLNESS: A PHASE 1/2 STUDY

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

GERIATRIC EDUCATION CENTERS

NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM

RESIDENCY TRAINING IN GENERAL AND PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

IMMUNOMODULATION IN GWI

HIGH-FIDELITY DESIGN OF MULTIMODAL RESTORATIVE INTERVENTIONS IN GULF WAR ILLNESS

AN INTEGRATED GENOMICS AND CELL BIOLOGY APPROACH TO CORRELATE NOVEL GWI INDICATORS OF INFECTIONS AND NEUROINFLAMMATORY MECHANISMS WITH TARGETED DRUG

PHMSA, THROUGH THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY, SOLICITS COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS FROM ELIGIBLE NATIONAL NONPROFIT FIRE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL PUBLIC SECTOR TRAINING (SPST) GRANT FUNDS. FOR AWARD CONSIDERATION, NATIONAL NONPROFIT FIRE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS MUST DEMONSTRATE EXPERTISE IN CONDUCTING TRAIN-THE-TRAINER MODEL PROGRAMS FOR HAZMAT INSTRUCTORS; AND TRAINING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND TO ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS INVOLVING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

P. GINGIVALIS EFFECT ON PERIODONTAL MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL - PROJECT SUMMARY THIS R16 GRANT APPLICATION PROPOSES TO INVESTIGATE THE MOLECULAR MECHANISM UNDERLYING APOPTOSIS OF PERIODONTAL MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS (MSCS) INDUCED BY EXPOSURE TO PORPHYROMANAS GINGIVALIS (PG). PERIODONTITIS IS AN INFLAMMATORY BONE RESORPTION LESION CAUSED BY DYSBIOSIS OF THE PERIODONTAL MICROBIOME. A CRITICAL PATHOLOGIC MANIFESTATION OF PERIODONTITIS IS THE IRREVERSIBLE LOSS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE AND ALVEOLAR BONE WHICH, IN PART, RESULTS FROM THE REGULATED CELL DEATH OF FIBROBLASTS AND OSTEOBLASTS. IT IS WELL ESTABLISHED THAT PERIODONTAL FIBROBLASTS AND OSTEOBLASTS ARE DIFFERENTIATED FROM MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS (MSCS) PRESENT IN THE PERIODONTIUM. HOWEVER, IT IS LARGELY UNKNOWN WHETHER MSCS IN PERIODONTAL TISSUE CAN ALSO BE AFFECTED BY REGULATED CELL DEATH AND DIMINISH THE REGENERATIVE POTENTIAL. THEREFORE, THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE PROPOSED STUDY IS TO UNDERSTAND THE MOLECULAR MECHANISM UNDERLYING THE RETARDED REGENERATION OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE AND ALVEOLAR BONE IN PERIODONTITIS BY TARGETING THE REGULATED CELL DEATH INDUCED IN GMSCS, LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A THERAPEUTIC PREVENTION STRATEGY. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA INDICATE THAT THE KEYSTONE ORAL PATHOGEN P. GINGIVALIS (PG), BUT NOT OTHER PERIODONTAL BACTERIA, CAN CAUSE ATYPICAL CELL DEATH OF PERIODONTAL MSCS, BUT NOT EPITHELIAL CELLS, AS CHARACTERIZED BY THE EXTRACELLULAR RELEASE OF DECONDENSED CHROMATIN CONTENTS. EMERGING STUDIES HAVE REVEALED THAT ONLY NEUTROPHILS AND MACROPHAGES DIE VIA THE RELEASE OF DECONDENSED CHROMATIN CONTENTS (DNA, HISTONE AND HMGB1) IN RESPONSE TO STIMULATION WITH TLR LIGANDS. THIS PHENOMENON TERMED AS “NEUTROPHIL EXTRACELLULAR TRAP DEATH [=OSIS] (NETOSIS)” IS KNOWN TO ELICIT INFLAMMATION IN SEVERAL DISEASES, INCLUDING SEPSIS, CANCER, AND AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES. WE HEREIN FOR THE FIRST TIME TERMED SUCH STEM CELL EXTRACELLULAR CHROMATIN RELEASE DEATH (SECOSIS). ACCORDING TO OUR RESULTS, EXPOSURE OF THP1 CELLS (HUMAN MONOCYTIC CELL LINE) TO SECOSIS PRODUCTS ELEVATED THE PRODUCTION OF IL-1SS COMPARED TO THAT OF PG ALONE OR GMSCS ALONE, SUGGESTING THE PROINFLAMMATORY POTENTIAL OF SECOSIS. IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT A EUKARYOTE ENZYME PEPTIDYL ARGININE DEIMINASE (PAD) PLAYS A ROLE IN ELICITING THE NETOSIS BY HISTONE H3 CITRULLINATION THAT UNTANGLES THE CHROMATIN. INTERESTINGLY IS DESCRIBED THAT AMONG THE PERIODONTAL BACTERIA, ONLY PG PRODUCES PAD. WE SHOWED STIMULATION OF GMSCS WITH (PAD)-KNOCKOUT PG DIMINISHED INDUCTION OF IL-1SS FROM THP1 INDICATING THAT PG-PAD MAY BE ENGAGED IN THE INDUCTION OF EXTRACELLULAR RELEASE OF DECONDENSED CHROMATIN CONTENTS. THIS HYPOTHESIS WILL BE ASSESSED IN THE FOLLOWING AIMS: (AIM1) TO ESTABLISH THE PROPERTY OF PG, AND THE ROLE OF PG-PAD, IN THE INDUCTION OF SECOSIS. (AIM2) TO ELUCIDATE THE MOLECULAR MECHANISM UNDERLYING THE SECOSIS-MEDIATED IL-1SS PRODUCTION BY MONOCYTES. THIS STUDY WILL ELUCIDATE ROLE OF PG IN THE REGULATED CELL DEATH SPECIFICALLY INDUCED IN GMSCS, IN TURN RETARDING THE REGENERATIVE POTENTIAL OF PERIODONTAL TISSUE.

THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMAL LIGHT TO REAR SENSITIVE CORAL RECRUITS IN ORDER TO RAPIDLY AND EFFECTIVELY UPSCALE PRODUCTION OF GENETICALLY-DIVERSE CORALS FOR RESTORATION. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY WORKING WITH MOTE MARINE LABORATORY, THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, WILMINGTON WILL CONDUCT A SET OF COORDINATED AND PARALLEL STUDIES ACROSS THE FOUR LAND-BASED CORAL NURSERY FACILITIES TO TEST AND COMPARE THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT LIGHT TREATMENTS ON EARLY GROWTH FOR LEAST TWO REEF-BUILDING CORAL SPECIES ENDEMIC TO FLORIDA. THESE INSTITUTIONS WILL TEST THE EFFECT OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT THAT MIMICS THE LIGHT SPECTRUM AT THE REEF DEPTH AND USE A PRESET LIGHT SPECTRUM AND COMPARE THESE WITH NATURAL LIGHT IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMAL SETTINGS TO ENHANCE GROWTH REDUCE LAND-BASED REARING TIME OF YOUNG CORALS FOR CORAL REEF RESTORATION. THEY WILL ALSO CHARACTERIZE THE MICROBIOME AND SYMBIONT COMPOSITION IN THE YOUNG RECRUITS IN EACH FACILITY.

BINOCULAR APPROACHES TO PERCEPTUAL LEARNING IN ADULT AMBLYOPIA

DOES BILINGUALISM SHAPE INHIBITORY CONTROL PROCESSES AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION? -HUMANS HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY TO SPEAK MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND TO SWITCH BETWEEN LANGUAGES SEEMINGLY EFFORTLESSLY. WITH SIMILAR EASE, HUMANS SHIFT THEIR ATTENTION BACK AND FORTH ROUTINELY. THE ABILITY TO SWITCH BETWEEN LANGUAGES AND BETWEEN OTHER BEHAVIORS IS BELIEVED TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE SAME FRONTAL-LOBE PROCESSES AND, MORE GENERALLY, IS ASSOCIATED WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. HYPOTHETICALLY, BECAUSE BILINGUALS ENGAGE FRONTAL-LOBE PROCESSES MORE OFTEN THAN MONOLINGUALS (I.E., FOR LANGUAGE CONTROL), IT MAY BE THAT FRONTAL-LOBE PROCESSES ARE STRONGER IN BILINGUALS, THUS POTENTIALLY CONFERRING WHAT IS TERMED A ?BILINGUAL ADVANTAGE? ON EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO REVEAL THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION ABILITIES SHAPED BY BILINGUALISM AND THE FRONTAL-LOBE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN BOTH LANGUAGE CONTROL AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. THIS PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REVEAL HOW FRONTAL-LOBE PROCESSES MAY BE STRENGTHENED WHICH WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH BRAIN PROCESSES BECOME DEFICIENT. RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT MAY ULTIMATELY GUIDE RESEARCH AND INTERVENTIONS FOR DISORDERS SUCH AS DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE ASSOCIATED WITH DEFICIENT FRONTAL-LOBE PROCESSES. THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD RESEARCH CAPACITY BY PROVIDING STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT TO TRAIN UNDERREPRESENTED FUTURE SCIENCE LEADERS. THIS PROJECT WILL EXAMINE FRONTAL-LOBE PROCESSES BY DIRECTLY MEASURING THE BRAIN?S ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY WHILE ENGLISH SPEAKING MONOLINGUALS AND SPANISH/ENGLISH BILINGUALS PERFORM EXECUTIVE FUNCTION TASKS. THE MEASUREMENT OF THE BRAIN?S ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY ADDS A NEW DIMENSION TO THE EXISTING BEHAVIOR LITERATURE AND WILL POTENTIALLY RESOLVE INCONSISTENT FINDINGS ON THE EXISTENCE OF A BILINGUAL EXECUTIVE FUNCTION ADVANTAGE THAT CURRENTLY POSE CRITICAL BARRIERS TO PROGRESS. UNIQUE TO THIS PROJECT IS THAT PROFICIENCY IN BOTH LANGUAGES WILL BE OBJECTIVELY QUANTIFIED THROUGH A LINGUISTIC PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT AND USED AS A PREDICTOR OF NEURAL ACTIVITY AND EXECUTIVE ABILITIES. LANGUAGE GROUPS WILL BE COMPARED AT A LATENT LEVEL OF ANALYSIS, WHICH IS MORE LIKELY TO CAPTURE EXECUTIVE ABILITIES THAN MORE TRADITIONAL STATISTICAL APPROACHES THAT COMPARE GROUPS ON OBSERVED TASK-SPECIFIC EFFECTS, E.G., MOTOR SPEED. NOTEWORTHY, THE STUDY TEAM HAS ACCESS TO A UNIQUE POPULATION OF BILINGUAL STUDENTS WHO WILL SERVE AS STUDY PARTICIPANTS AND ARE LIKE ENGLISH SPEAKING MONOLINGUAL STUDENTS ON DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS. THIS IS NOT TYPICAL OF SPANISH SPEAKING BILINGUALS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES. GROUP EQUIVALENCE ON THESE MEASURES IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO ACCOUNT FOR GROUP DIFFERENCES IN EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. 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.

RESIDENCY TRAINING IN GENERAL AND PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

THEORY-DRIVEN MODELS FOR CORRECTING "FIGHT OR FLIGHT" IMBALANCE IN GULF WAR ILLNESS

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE USGS SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER

IMPACT OF AGING ON INTRACELLULAR CERAMIDE-MEDIATED PERIODONTAL BONE LESIONS

GENOMIC APPROACH TO FIND FEMALE-SPECIFIC MECHANISMS OF GWI PATHOBIOLOGY

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

IMPROVING DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENTS FOR GWI FEMALES BY ACCOUNTING FOR THE EFFECTS OF PTSD

DOCTORAL BOUND: COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATION ASSURANCE PHD FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

CHARACTERIZATION OF IMPACT OF OCEANOGRAPHIC FEATURES ON THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS IN COASTAL WATERS

SOUTH FLORIDA OCEAN MEASUREMENT FACILITY AND NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CONG ADD FY2022

SEX-BASED DIFFERENCES OF A HIGH FAT DIET IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (AD): CAN NILOTINIB REVERSE BIOENERGETIC AND NEUROPATHOLOGICAL DEFICITS? - ABSTRACT METABOLIC DISORDERS (I.E. OBESITY, PREDIABETES OR TYPE 2 DIABETES), OFTEN RESULTING FROM POOR DIET, IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK FACTOR FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE (AD). SEVERAL COMMON NEURODEGENERATIVE MECHANISMS IN THESE TWO CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, INCLUDING OXIDATIVE STRESS, MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION, AND INFLAMMATION. CHANGES IN METABOLISM AND MITOCHONDRIAL BIOENERGETICS MAY BE AT THE HEART OF BOTH METABOLIC DISORDERS AND AD BUT MAY BE AFFECTING MEN AND WOMEN DIFFERENTLY. ALTHOUGH AD TREATMENTS EXIST, NONE ARE VERY EFFECTIVE, AND CERTAINLY NO DRUGS ARE SEX-SPECIFIC, CREATING A SIGNIFICANT UNMET MEDICAL NEED. INTERESTINGLY, SEVERAL CLINICAL TRIALS TESTING NILOTINIB, A REPURPOSED LEUKEMIA DRUG, HAVE SHOWN PROMISE FOR USE IN TREATING AD AND OTHER NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES. IN ADDITION TO ATTENUATING HALLMARK PATHOLOGY, WE RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED THAT NILOTINIB IMPROVES MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION AND BIOENERGETICS IN CULTURED CELLS FROM THE 3XTG-AD MOUSE MODEL FOR AD. IN THIS STUDY, OUR SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE IS TO USE A HIGH FAT DIET (HFD) TO MODEL METABOLIC DISEASE IN 3XTG-AD MICE AND EVALUATE SEX-DIFFERENCES ASSOCIATED WITH BIOENERGETIC, COGNITIVE, AND NEUROPATHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES, AS WELL AS WHETHER NILOTINIB CAN IMPROVE THEM. THE RATIONALE FOR THE PROPOSED WORK IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY A RECENT PHASE II STUDY CONDUCTED BY OUR COLLABORATOR, DR. SCOTT TURNER, THAT SHOWED 12 MONTHS OF TREATMENT WITH NILOTINIB, AT 150 MG/DAY FOR 26 WEEKS FOLLOWED BY 300 MG/DAY FOR 26 WEEKS WAS SAFE, TOLERABLE, AND EFFECTIVE IN PATIENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE AD. HERE, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT NILOTINIB WILL IMPROVE MITOCHONDRIAL BIOENERGETICS, ENHANCE COGNITIVE FUNCTION, AND REDUCE BIOMARKERS OF AD PATHOLOGY IN A SEX-DEPENDENT MANNER IN 3XTG-AD MICE SUBJECTED TO A HFD. IN AIM 1, WE WILL DETERMINE WHETHER IN VIVO TREATMENT (100 OR 250 MG/KG FOR 2 MONTHS) WITH NILOTINIB IMPROVES MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION AND BIOENERGETICS IN 3XTG-AD MICE IN THE ABSENCE AND PRESENCE OF HFD-INDUCED METABOLIC DISEASE. IN AIM 2, WE WILL INVESTIGATE WHETHER IN VIVO TREATMENT WITH NILOTINIB CAN REVERSE COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL DEFICITS IN 3XTG-AD MICE IN THE ABSENCE AND PRESENCE OF METABOLIC DISEASE. FINALLY, IN AIM 3, WE WILL CHARACTERIZE THE EFFECTS OF IN VIVO TREATMENT WITH NILOTINIB ON AD-ASSOCIATED NEUROPATHOLOGY IN 3XTG-AD MICE IN THE ABSENCE AND PRESENCE OF METABOLIC DISEASE. THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH NILOTINIB MAY IMPROVE OUTCOMES IN VIVO, AS WELL AS PATIENT POPULATIONS FOR WHOM NILOTINIB TREATMENT MAY BE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE (I.E., BASED ON SEX AND COMORBID METABOLIC DISEASE, PRESENT IN 80% OF AD PATIENTS), HAVE YET TO BE ADEQUATELY EXPLORED IN RODENT MODELS PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE DRUG’S PHASE III TRIAL. WE EXPECT THAT A HFD WILL RESULT IN A WIDER RANGE OF BIOENERGETIC, COGNITIVE, AND NEUROPATHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES IN FEMALE AD MICE AS COMPARED TO MALES. OVERALL, WE EXPECT NILOTINIB WILL IMPROVE MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION, ATP LEVELS, AD-ASSOCIATED NEUROPATHOLOGY, AND COGNITION IN 3XTG AD MICE, INCLUDING THOSE SUBJECTED TO A HFD.

STRATIFICATION OF ME/CFS BY MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE - MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (ME/CFS) IS A DISABLING, MULTISYSTEM DISEASE AFFECTING UP TO 3.3 MILLION AMERICANS, PREDOMINANTLY WOMEN. DESPITE A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH BURDEN, BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS REMAIN POORLY UNDERSTOOD AND NO DIAGNOSTIC BIOMARKERS OR TARGETED THERAPIES EXIST. MOUNTING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES, PARTICULARLY TO FUNGAL MYCOTOXINS, MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ME/CFS PATHOGENESIS BY PROMOTING IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO PEER-REVIEWED PUBLISHED STUDIES EXAMINING THE MOLECULAR EFFECTS OF MYCOTOXINS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF ME/CFS PATIENTS. THIS PROPOSAL AIMS TO CONDUCT THE FIRST STUDY ON THE MOLECULAR LEVEL OF HOW MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE CONTRIBUTES TO ME/CFS PATHOPHYSIOLOGY. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT MYCOTOXINS INDUCE TRANSCRIPTOMIC REPROGRAMMING IN IMMUNE CELLS AND EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES (EVS), LEADING TO IMMUNE EXHAUSTION AND CHRONIC INFLAMMATION. PRELIMINARY DATA FROM OUR GROUP SHOWS ENRICHMENT OF FUNGAL-RESPONSE PATHWAYS, ALTERED IMMUNE CELL SUBSETS, INCREASED PRO-INFLAMMATORY EV MIRNAS, AND EXHAUSTION-ASSOCIATED SIGNATURES IN ME/CFS PATIENTS WITH DETECTABLE URINARY MYCOTOXINS. WE WILL RECRUIT 150 ME/CFS PATIENTS AND 50 MATCHED SEDENTARY HEALTHY CONTROLS (HC), STRATIFY ME/CFS CASES BY MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE, AND PURSUE FOUR SPECIFIC AIMS: AIM 1: QUANTIFY URINARY MYCOTOXINS AND ASSESS ASSOCIATIONS OF MYCOTOXIN LEVELS AND COMBINATIONS WITH SYMPTOM SEVERITY AND PLASMA CYTOKINES. AIM 2: USE SINGLE-CELL RNA SEQUENCING TO DEFINE MYCOTOXIN CONTRIBUTION TO TRANSCRIPTOMIC ALTERATIONS IN PBMC SUBSETS IN ME/CFS PATIENTS. AIM 3: IDENTIFY LONG AND SMALL RNA SIGNATURES IN PLASMA-DERIVED EVS ASSOCIATED WITH MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE. AIM 4: INTEGRATE MULTI-OMICS DATA USING MACHINE LEARNING TO IDENTIFY MECHANISTIC CORRELATIONS BETWEEN MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE, IMMUNE DYSREGULATION, AND SYMPTOM SEVERITY. WE WILL USE A VALIDATION COHORT OF 20 ME/CFS PATIENTS AND 10 HC TO CONFIRM OUR RESULTS. OUR APPROACH IS INNOVATIVE IN COMBINING ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE DATA WITH TRANSCRIPTOMICS AND EV RNA PROFILING TO DEFINE A BIOLOGICALLY AND CLINICALLY DISTINCT ME/CFS SUBGROUP. THE INTEGRATION OF SCRNA-SEQ, EV-RNA PROFILES, AND URINARY MYCOTOXINS WILL ENABLE THE DISCOVERY OF ROBUST MOLECULAR SIGNATURES AND MECHANISTIC PATHWAYS AFFECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS, NAMELY MYCOTOXINS. THIS WORK WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCE THE FIELD BY PROVIDING STRATIFICATION OF ME/CFS BY MYCOTOXIN EXPOSURE AND PROVIDING NOVEL INSIGHTS INTO ENVIRONMENTALLY DRIVEN IMMUNE REPROGRAMMING IN ME/CFS. OUTCOMES INCLUDE IDENTIFICATION OF CANDIDATE BIOMARKERS, DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF MYCOTOXINS TO IMMUNE EXHAUSTION MECHANISMS, AND A STRATIFICATION FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE DIAGNOSTICS AND THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS. OUR STUDY REPRESENTS A CRITICAL STEP TOWARD DEVELOPING PRECISION MEDICINE STRATEGIES FOR ME/CFS PATIENTS WITH ENVIRONMENTALLY EXACERBATED DISEASE SYMPTOMS.

HSI IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION PROJECT: CO-CURRICULAR STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED DIVERSE UNDERGRADUATE STEM MAJORS -WITH SUPPORT FROM THE IMPROVING UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION: HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS (HSI PROGRAM), THIS TRACK 2: IEP PROJECT AIMS TO OFFER A COORDINATED COMBINATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIC CO-CURRICULAR INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT DIVERSE STEM MAJORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING EARLY IN THEIR ACADEMIC PATHWAYS. BECAUSE MANY DIVERSE STUDENTS ARE UNDERPREPARED BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND MOTIVATIONALLY FOR DEGREE SUCCESS, THE PROJECT WILL TARGET DIVERSE COMPUTER SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, BIOLOGY, AND MARINE BIOLOGY MAJORS WHO ARE PLACED ON (OR WHO THROUGH EARLY IDENTIFICATION ARE DEEMED TO BE AT RISK OF BEING PLACED ON) ACADEMIC PROBATION. AN INTERSECTIONAL TEAM OF STEM FACULTY, INDUSTRY, AND NEAR-PEER COACHES/MENTORS/ROLE MODELS WILL WORK COLLECTIVELY TO PROVIDE TIMELY AND CONTINUOUS ASSET-BASED COACHING/MENTORING, SPECIALIZED STEM TUTORING, AND RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY-BASED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES. COACHES/MENTORS WILL BE TRAINED TO SERVE AS ALLIES TO FACILITATE A POSITIVE ACADEMIC MINDSET, PROVIDING GUIDANCE (AND REFERRALS AS NEEDED) TO HIGH-QUALITY WRAP-AROUND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS STUDENTS? INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL NEEDS. THE PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE IMPORTANT FINDINGS TO THE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE IN STEM HIGHER EDUCATION REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACADEMIC SUCCESS OUTCOMES (ESPECIALLY AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS AT HSIS) AND COORDINATED SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THE APPROACH WILL BENEFIT SOCIETY BY INCREASING UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENT GRADUATION LEADING TO INCREASED EMPLOYMENT DIVERSITY IN HIGH DEMAND STEM OCCUPATIONAL FIELDS. THE PROJECT GOAL WILL BE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ISSUES IN THE RETENTION AND DEGREE ATTAINMENT OF STEM UNDERGRADUATES (ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE UNDERREPRESENTED) TO PURSUE CAREERS IN PROMISING STEM FIELDS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE AMERICAN INNOVATION ECONOMY. THE OUTCOME WILL BE A MODEL OF SOUND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES THAT GENERATE PROMISING EVIDENCE IN INCREASING SUCCESS MEASURES THAT INDICATE THE BROADENING PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS WHO ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM. THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS WILL BE: AN INTENSIVE SUMMER PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON PROVIDING MEANINGFUL, HOLISTIC SUPPORT AND DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH AND BETWEEN STUDENTS, CAN REDUCE/MINIMIZE FEELINGS OF FRUSTRATION AND A LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE AMONG ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IN THE STEM ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT, AND HELP THOSE STUDENTS ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL AS DEMONSTRATED BY RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES. THE EARLY-STAGE (EXPLORATORY) RESEARCH PLAN WILL CONTRIBUTE TO CORE KNOWLEDGE IN EDUCATION, EXAMINING CORRELATIONS BETWEEN PROJECT INTERVENTIONS AND PARTICIPANT RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES; THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY WILL INVOLVE IDENTIFYING EVIDENCE OF THE POTENTIAL OF SUMMER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE RETENTION AND GRADUATION. THE CASE STUDY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE IN HIGH IMPACT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SPECIFIC TO UNDERREPRESENTED/ INTERSECTIONAL STEM STUDENTS, DEMONSTRATING EFFECTIVE, PRACTICAL WAYS TO BRING A NEW PERSPECTIVE TO ADDRESSING CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS. DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND CASE STUDY RESULTS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH PRESENTATIONS, PUBLICATIONS, AND ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW WEBSITE FOR USE BY OTHER EDUCATORS, RESEARCHERS, AND POLICYMAKERS. THE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE SHARED WILL ADVANCE OPPORTUNITY EQUITY, INCREASING US INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS TO SUCCEED IN GREATER NUMBERS. THE HSI PROGRAM AIMS TO ENHANCE UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION AND BUILD CAPACITY AT HSIS. PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE HSI PROGRAM WILL ALSO GENERATE NEW KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO ACHIEVE THESE AIMS. 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.

DISENTANGLING THE EFFECTS OF PTSD FROM GWI FOR IMPROVED DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENTS

PERSISTENTLY ELEVATED SOMATIC MUTATION AS A BIOMARKER FOR CLINICALLY RELEVANT EXPOSURES IN GWI