UTHSCT Researchers Receive Five Seed Grants

TYLER — Five seed grants totaling $115,000 have been awarded to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. The locally raised money will help UTHSCT researchers explore new cures for serious diseases, said Steven Idell, MD, Ph.D., UTHSCT’s vice president for research.

Hong-Long Ji, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry, was awarded a $40,000 grant to study the relationship between abnormal genes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Usha Pendurthi, Ph.D., professor of molecular biology, received $40,000 to fund her work into how certain proteins that curb blood clotting affect the growth of cancerous tumors. Proteins are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s cells, tissues, and organs; each protein has unique functions. Hormones, enzymes, and antibodies are all examples of proteins.

Buka Samten, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, and Malini Madiraju, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry, were awarded $20,000 for preliminary research that could lead to a better vaccine against tuberculosis. That’s important, because TB kills more than a million people each year, according to the World Health Organization.

Anna Kurdowska, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry, received $10,000 for her research into a new way to treat acute lung injury, also known as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). And Amir Shams, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, received $5,000 to examine how to keep treatments for injured lungs inside those lungs.

According to Dr. Idell, “These grants enable our scientists to pursue new and exciting research that could change our understanding of how serious diseases develop, as well as transform how we treat them. They help our researchers acquire the preliminary data they need to successfully compete for funding from the National Institutes of Health, the gold standard in biomedical research.” He called this year’s projects “outstanding.”