Grants at a Glance: University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Announce New Research Funding
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 21, 2009 – Innovative research conducted by faculty of the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences contributes to a better understanding of the causes and origins of disease and aids in the development of more effective treatment approaches. Government and private-sector funding is critical to this process of scientific inquiry. The following projects recently have been awarded grants that will enable the continuation of existing projects or the pursuit of new areas of investigation:
- Donald Yealy, M.D., professor and chair of emergency medicine at the School of Medicine, is leading a team that has been awarded a two-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study the use of low molecular-weight heparin as an outpatient treatment for low-risk patients with pulmonary embolism. Co-investigators include Michael J. Fine, M.D., M.Sc., professor of medicine, and Roslyn Stone, Ph.D., associate professor at the Graduate School of Public Health. The team will study the effectiveness and safety of outpatient treatment of patients with pulmonary embolism. This could reduce hospitalizations and medical costs and improve patient satisfaction. Pitt researchers previously developed a clinical prognostic model that accurately identifies patients with pulmonary embolism who are at low-risk for major complications or death.
- David Hostler, Ph.D., and Joe Suyama, M.D., assistant professors in the Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, are co-investigators on a two-year, $977,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program to study the interaction of cooling and aspirin therapy to reduce cardiovascular injuries and fatalities among firefighters. The Enhanced Firefighters Rehab Trial (EFFORT) also will investigate the use of a novel optical scanning instrument to identify changes in body temperature and plasma volume in firefighters, who suffer the highest rate of line-of-duty deaths of any profession.
- Thankam Paul Thyvalikakath, B.D.S., M.D.S., M.S., assistant professor, dental public health and information management, School of Dental Medicine, received the Mentored Clinical Scientist Award from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. This $407,641 award will support Dr. Thyvalikakath’s research to develop effective methods to integrate decision support systems in general dental practice and measure its impact in enhancing preventive management and improving patient outcomes.
- Wen Xie, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, School of Pharmacy, has received a $900,266 grant from the National Institutes of Health for his research on the liver X receptor (LXR), a nuclear hormone receptor highly expressed in the liver. Dr. Xie’s research will help to determine whether LXR plays a protective role in preventing toxicity associated with the use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in many over-the-counter and prescribed medications. It is hoped that LXR-activating drugs may be used for the prevention and treatment of acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity.
- Charleen T. Chu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in pathology, Division of Neuropathology, School of Medicine, received a 2009 Julie Martin Mid-Career Award in Aging Research for her studies on lysosomal dysfunction in brain aging and neurodegeneration. This $550,000 grant from the Ellison Medical Foundation is awarded to established scientists whose research has great potential in advancing understanding of basic aging and its impact on age-related diseases. Dr. Chu’s laboratory investigates mechanisms of neuronal injury relevant to Parkinson’s and related diseases.
- Jie Gao, graduate student, School of Pharmacy, had his research proposal, “Activation of Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR) Prevents Obesity and Improves Insulin Sensitivity,” selected for a Molecular Pharmacology Fellowship that will fund 50 percent of his stipend for the period from September 2009 to August 2010. This fellowship is sponsored by the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
The University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences include the schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Graduate School of Public Health. The schools serve as the academic partner to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Together, their combined mission is to train tomorrow’s health care specialists and biomedical scientists, engage in groundbreaking research that will advance understanding of the causes and treatments of disease and participate in the delivery of outstanding patient care. Since 1997, Pitt and its affiliated university faculty have ranked among the top 10 educational institutions in grant support from the National Institutes of Health.
For additional information about the Schools of the Health Sciences, please visit www.health.pitt.edu.