SC INBRE announces $650,000 in funding to 2020 Project Program Grant Recipients

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2020


Columbia, SC — South Carolina IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (SC INBRE), a statewide multi-million dollar, five-year renewable grant program funded by The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), is pleased to announce our 2020-2021 Project Program grants recipients. Recommendations for funding have been approved by SC INBRE’s External Advisory Committee and are currently awaiting final approval from NIH NIGMS.

The Bioinformatics Pilot Project Program (BIPP) program is designed to stimulate the application of genomics and bioinformatics methods by supporting research and student training through the SC INBRE and South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) networks. BIPP proposals focus on Biomedical Science and fit within the broad scientific focus areas of SC INBRE: Biochemistry/Cell and Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Bio/Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, and Neuroscience. The program supports independent, faculty-driven research and provides research training to students and/or postdoctoral fellows in Bioinformatics. Each project awards up to $10,000 for one year.

The 2020 BIPP Program recipients are:

Guoshuai Cai

UofSC Arnold School of Public Health

Characterize tissue-specific TME-expression interaction in colorectal cancer

Pamela Hanson

Furman University Department of Biology

Effects of Anticancer Ruthenium Complex KP1019 on the Yeast Translatome

Jeremy Rentsch

Francis Marion University Department of Biology

Differential response to salt stress in the roots and shoots of Arabdopsis thaliana

The Developmental Research Project Program (DRP) program was designed to foster faculty research programs at SC INBRE network institutions. DRP projects must focus on Biomedical Science and fit within the broad scientific focus areas of SC INBRE: Biochemistry/Cell and Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Bio/Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, and Neuroscience. The program awards support independent research programs and, in the process, provide research training to students and/or postdoctoral fellows in the Biomedical Sciences. Each project awards up to $50,000 for one year, renewable for a second year upon favorable review of the progress report by SC INBRE’ s External Advisory Committee.

The 2020 DRP Program recipients are:

Alissa Armstrong*
NEW

UofSC Department of Biological Sciences

Examining the role of adipocyte amino acid sensing control in ovarian function

Omar Bagasra
NEW

Claflin University Biotechnology Center

Development of oncolytic bacteria to target non-small cell lung carcinoma

Brian Booth
RENEWAL

Clemson University Department of Bioengineering

Investigation of biochemicals involved in cancer cell redirection

Joseph Carson
NEW

College of Charleston Department of Physics and Astronomy

Advancing Low Cost, All-Focus, 3D Imaging Technologies, Using Shape-From-Focus Techniques

Sri Chandrasekaran
RENEWAL

Furman University Department of Biology

Effects of antioxidants and growth conditions on fluconazole resistance in Cryptococcus neoformans

Linnea Freeman
RENEWAL

Furman University Department of Biology

Sex differences in short chain fatty acid production and lipid metabolism: the role of the gut microbiome

Jessica Larsen
RENEWAL

Clemson University Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Towards Theranostic Technology: Elucidation and Utilization of Neural Enzyme Upregulation

Wei Lei
NEW

Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy

Determining the mechanisms of heat shock protein 90 regulation of morphine tolerance

Chang Liu
RENEWAL

UofSC College of Engineering and Computing

Ultra-Sensitive Portable Nanopore Sensing for Infectious Disease Biomarkers in Resource-Limited Settings

Anita Nag
NEW

USC Upstate Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering

Host shutoff modulated by viral RNA and nonstructural protein 1 of coronavirus

Austin Shull
RENEWAL

Presbyterian College Department of Biology

DNA methylation patterns of mammary stem cells as an indicator of breast cancer plasticity

Chris Varnon
RENEWAL

Converse College Department of Psychology

Cockroach Model of Alcoholism

*Dr. Armstrong was acknowledged earlier this year by Cell Mentor on their 100 more inspiring Black scientists in America, along with Dr. Takita Sumter, former SC INBRE Institutional Co-PI from Winthrop University and Dr. Clifford Houston, SC INBRE External Advisory Committee member.

In addition to SC INBRE’s two annual grants programs, a new grant was introduced this year — Student-Initiated Research Program (SIRP). The brand new SIRP program is designed to enrich the academic experience of students and to better prepare the future generation of researchers, investigators, and entrepreneurs throughout the SC INBRE network. SIRP recipients apply bioinformatics tools to biomedical research questions that fit within the broad scientific focus areas of SC INBRE: Biochemistry/Cell and Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Bio/Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, and Neuroscience. SIRP awards support bioinformatics training for undergraduate or graduate students. Each project awards up to $3,000 for one year.

The 2020 SIRP Program recipients are:

Mengistu Gebere, graduate student

Dr. Mohamad Azhar, mentor

UofSC School of Medicine Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy,

Assessment of gene expression in medial arterial calcification of uremic mice

Maslyn Greene, graduate student

Dr. Susan Duckett, mentor

Clemson University Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Identification of mRNA co-expressed with miRNA from birth to maturity

Lauren Jones and Brenna Outten, undergraduate students

Dr. George Shields, mentor

Furman University Department of Chemistry

Develop a Pharmacophore & Identify Neutral Antagonists to the μ Opioid Receptor

Matthew Lucius, graduate student

Dr. Hippokratis Kiaris, mentor

UofSC College of Pharmacy Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences

A Computational Strategy for Generating “Artificial” Reference Genomes

Nicholas Maxwell, graduate student

Dr. Claudia Grillo, mentor

UofSC School of Medicine Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience

Evaluation of leptin's effort through the dorsal raphe on feeding behavior

Chris Pierce, undergraduate student

Dr. Jessica Larsen, mentor

Clemson University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Modulation of Polymersome Shape to Enhance Blood-Brain Barrier Uptake

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ABOUT SC INBRE
SC INBRE is a statewide, multi-million dollar, five-year renewable grant program funded by The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to support biomedical research and infrastructure in South Carolina. Currently in Cycle III (2015-2020), SC INBRE’s network includes 13 member and 4 outreach institutions of higher learning. SC INBRE offers biomedical research faculty and students career development, mentorship, and funding, as well as oversees a summer Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program which gives middle school and high school STEM teachers the opportunity to do research with a faculty mentor at an institution near their location.

MEDIA CONTACT
Cyndy Buckhaults
Communications Manager
SC INBRE Program
http://scinbre.org
cyndy.buckhaults@uscmed.sc.edu
(803) 546-4569