PRF Awardees

Cycle 17 (2020) PRF Awardees

Investigator Department Research Project
Angel Baldan, Ph.D.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
"The role of FSP27β on dietary lipid absorption, lipoprotein secretion, and oxidative metabolism"
James Brien, Ph.D.
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
“Development of a mRNA vaccine to protect against Dengue virus disease”
Sandeep Dhindsa, M.D.
Internal Medicine - Endocrinology
“Effect of transgender therapy on hormone receptors, adipogenesis and inflammation”
Wilson King, M.D.
Pediatrics - Cardiology
“Constructing a novel mechanical aortic and pulmonary heart valve using metal 3D printing and nanotextured graphene coatings”
Mustafa Nazzal, M.D.
Surgery - Abdominal Implant
“Perfusion regulated organ Therapeutics with Enhanced Controlled Testing (PROTECT): Mitigating ischemia-reperfusion injury in marginal liver to increase deceased donor pool”
Krishan Pandey, Ph.D.
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
“Determination of retroviral integrase-DNA complex assembly mechanisms by cryo-EM”

Previous PRF Awardees

Investigator Department Research Project
Anutosh Chakraborty, Ph.D. Pharmacological and Physiological Science “Determine mechanisms that regulate the obesogenic protein IP6K1”
Colin Flaveny, Ph.D. Pharmacological and Physiological Science “Defining LXR regulation of prostate tumor immunometabolism”
Jaya Gnana-Prakasam, Ph.D. Ophthalmology “Role of iron in ketone body metabolism”
Daniel Hawiger, M.D., Ph.D. Molecular Microbiology and Immunology “Induction and terminal differentiation of effector T-cell precursors”
Alay Jain, M.D. Pediatrics “Role of testosterone in young males with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis”
Sergey Korolev, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology “Mechanism of PARK14/PLA2G6 activity regulation and function”
Guangyong Peng, M.D., Ph.D. IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy and Immunology “Metabolic control of T-cell senescence for tumor immunotherapy”
Nicola Pozzi, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology “Structural studies of beta2-glycoprotein I”
Ratna Ray, Ph.D. Pathology “Role of long non-coding RNA ELDR in head and neck cancer”
Sameer Siddiqui, M.D. Surgery “Insulin resistance following androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer”
Jinsong Zhang, Ph.D. Pharmacological and Physiological Science “Lysine acetylation of histone deacetylase 3 as a new target for cancer therapy”
InvestigatorDepartmentResearch Project
Soumya Chatterjee, M.D.IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology“Efficacy of risk-targeted video based directly on observed therapy for latent TB”
Anping Chen, Ph.D.Pathology“Mechanisms of the coordination of perilipin 5 and liver fatty acid binding protein in restoring the formation of lipid droplets in hepatic stellate cells”
Govindaswamy Chinnadurai, Ph.D.Molecular Virology“Probing the mechanism of CtBP1-mutated neurodevelopmental disorder in cell and animal models”
Richard DiPaolo, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“IL-13 and gastric cancer”
Dale Dorsett, Ph.D.Biochemistry and Molecular Biology“Brca2: Non-canonical roles in sister chromatid cohesion and gene regulation”
Robert Fleming, M.D.Pediatrics“Iron restriction as a therapeutic approach to sickle cell anemia”
David Greenberg, M.D.Orthopaedic Surgery“Local bisphosphonate effect on recurrence rate in giant cell tumor of bone: A randomized controlled trial”
Oleg Kisselev, Ph.D.Ophthalmology“Structure-based model of G-protein activation”
Daniela Salvemini, Ph.D.Pharmacological and Physiological Science“Identification of GPR160 as a novel target for therapeutic intervention in neuropathic pain states”
Karoly Toth, D.V.M.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“Identifying host determinants of resistance to oral infection with mouse norovirus”

Investigator

Department

Research Project

Yuna Ayala, Ph.D.Biochemistry and Molecular Biology“Cellular model to detect propagation of TDP-43 aggregates in neurodegeneration”
Ángel Baldán, Ph.D.Biochemistry and Molecular Biology“The role of CIDEC/FSP27 on lipid metabolism in health and disease”
James Brien, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“Antibody based therapeutics for zika virus”
Sandeep Singh Dhindsa, M.D.IM-Endocrinology“Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in obese adolescents and young men”
Jianguo Liu, M.D., Ph.D.IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology“A new strategy for treating breast tumor by RNA-binding protein MCPIP1”
Nicola Pozzi, Ph.D.Biochemistry and Molecular Biology“Autoimmunity: Structural studies on the mechanisms of antigen-antibody recognition in the antiphospholipid syndrome”
Guangyong Peng, M.D., Ph.D.IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology“Reprogramming tumor metabolism and controlling the fate and function of tumor-specific T cells for tumor immunotherapy”
Amelia Pinto, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“Identification of novel zika virus specific HLA-A*02 T cell epitopes”
Ryan Teague, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“Obesity as an obstacle to cancer immunotherapy”
Alessandro Vindigni, Ph.D.Biochemistry and Molecular Biology“Redefining replication stress response pathways in BRCA1-deficient cells”

Investigator

Department

Research Project

Rajeev Aurora, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“Role of bone marrow-derived effector T-cells in development of atherosclerosis”
Chinnadurai, Govindaswamy, Ph.D.Institute for Molecular Virology“Opposing oncogenic activities of adenovirus E1A”
Robert Fleming, M.D.Pediatrics“Therapeutic potential of lactoferrin in iron-resistant anemias”
Sarah George, M.D.IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology“Answering a key question for dengue vaccine development: Does vaccination induce cellular immunity that mimics natural protection after secondary infection?”
Daniel Hoft, M.D., Ph.D.IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology“Targeting the induction of Th17 cells as a vaccine approach for Chagas disease”
Michael Rauchman, M.D.C.M.IM-Nephrology“Discovery of novel gene mutations causing kidney birth defects”
David Q.H. Wang, M.D., Ph.D.IM-Gastroenterology and Hepatology“ApoA5 and the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)”
Gina Yosten, Ph.D.Pharmacological & Physiological Science“Nesfatin-1 and the regulation of blood pressure following ovarian failure”
Maureen Donlin, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Role of cell wall integrity in echinocandin resistance in C. neoformans”

Investigator

Department

Research Project

Thomas Cho, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“The role of MIF-bacterial endotoxin interactions in sepsis: A potential cause of septic shock”
Reigh-Yi Lin, Ph.D.Internal Medicine-Otolaryngology“The role of receptor for advanced glycation endproducts in anaplastic thyroid cancer”
Sarah Howe McBride-Gagyi, Ph.D.Orthopaedic Surgery“The effects of spacer material and topography on bone formation using the induced membrane technique”
Lynda Morrison, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“ADME and PK studies with novel herpesvirus inhibitors from two chemical classes”
Ryan M. Teague, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology and Immunology“Exploring immunotherapy and oncolytic adenovirus as a novel combination therapy for cancer”

Investigator

Department

Research Project
Dale Dorsett, Ph.D.
 Biochemistry & Molecular Biology “Control of transcriptional enhancer function by mediator and cohesin”
David Ford, Ph.D. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology “Novel peptidoaldehyde mediators of inflammation derived from leukocyte myeloperoxidase activity”
Grant Kolar, M.D., Ph.D. Pathology “Complement opsonization of photoreceptor outer segments and binding by CR1 in the retinal pigmented epithelium”
Richard DiPaolo, Ph.D. Molecular Microbiology and Immunology “The role of IL-22 in promoting gastric cancer”
Jinsong Zhang, Ph.D. Pharmacological & Physiological Science “Role of breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance protein BCAR2 in regulation of AIB1 transcription and estrogen receptor alpha signaling”

Investigator

Department

Research Project

Yuna Ayala, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Characterizing the role of TDP-43-RNA interactions in preventing protein aggregation”
Yie-Hwa Chang, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Develop a novel quantitative MALDI-MS method to monitor cellular proteolytic events”
Adam J. Gehring, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology & Immunology“Personalized immunotherapy for chronic hepatitis B virus infection”
Jane McHowat, Ph.D.Pathology“Lifestyle risk and breast cancer progression”
Gul N. Shah, Ph.D.Internal Medicine-Endocrinology“Mitochondrial carbonic anhydrases and microvascular disease”
Debra H. Zand, Ph.D.Pediatrics“A pilot study of ‘Primary Care-Stepping Stones Positive Parenting Program’ (PC-SS Triple P) with parents of children newly diagnosed with autism”
Alessandro Vindigni, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology”Human RECQ1 helicase mechanism of Holliday junction branch migration”

Investigator

Department

Research Project

Maureen Donlin, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Identification and characterization of cell wall stress sensors in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans“
Xiaofeng Fan, M.D., Ph.D.Internal Medicine-Gastroenterology“Viral discovery in acute liver failure with unknown etiology”
Ajay K. Jain, M.D.Pediatrics“New strategies for parenteral nutrition associated liver and gut disease”
Mark Knuepfer, Ph.D.Pharmacological & Physiological Science“Selectivity of renal denervation or deafferentation in altering stress responsiveness”
Wendi Neckameyer, Ph.D.Pharmacological & Physiological Science“A genetic screen to identify genes important for neural circuit”
Alireza Rezaie, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Molecular determinants of the specificity of factor IX and factor IXa interaction with their physiological targets in the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways”

Investigator

Department

Research Project

Michael Ariel, Ph.D.Pharmacological & Physiological Science“Neurophysiological study of deep pain signals within the rat Lateral Reticular Formation”
Ángel Baldán, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“A new pathway linking cholesterol and glucose metabolism”
Robert Mark Buller, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology & Immunology“Adaptation of human norovirus to replicate in a small animal model”
Tomasz Heyduk, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Next generation sequencing as a readout in bioanalytical assays”
Reigh-Yi Lin, Ph.D.Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery“Developing a model for thyroid disease using mouse induced pluripotent stem cells”
Francis Sverdrup, Ph.D.Center for World Health & Medicine“A chemical genetics approach reveals epigenetic modifiers in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy”

Investigator

Department

Research Project

Richard J. DiPaolo, Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology & Immunology“Generating a new mouse model to measure vaccine effector and regulatory T cell responses”
Dale Dorsett, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Transcriptional control of active genes by the PRC1 Polycomb repressor complex”
Sarah George, M.D.IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology“Does GB Virus C NS3 serine protease cleave an HIV protein and block an early step in HIV replication?”
Susana Gonzalo, Ph.D.Biochemistry & Molecular Biology“Testing a new modality of treatment for triple-negative breast cancer”
Daniel Hawiger, M.D., Ph.D.Molecular Microbiology & Immunology“Hopx-mediated suppression of autoimmunity by regulatory T cells controlled with dendritic cells”
Jack Lionberger, M.D., Ph.D.IM-Hematology & Oncology“Use of FTY720 (Fingolimod) in the Prevention of Platinum Induced Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy”
Guangyong Peng, M.D., Ph.D.IM-Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology“Molecular Control of Breast Cancer-induced Immune Suppression for Cancer Immunotherapy”
Studies with multiple PIs:

Investigators

Research Project
Darcy Scharff, Stuart Slavin and Norman White “Sharing responsibility, improving community health”
Randy Sprague and Sergey Dergunov “Targeted delivery of phosphodiesterase inhibitors to erythrocytes: implication for the treatment of vascular disease in Type 2 diabetes”
Jason Windett and Michael Wolff “Evaluating institutions, behavior and outcomes in American state supreme courts”

Studies with single PIs:

Investigator

Research Project
Jennifer Buehler
 “Exploring the challenges faced by dropout and disconnected youth returning to high school”
Joel Eissenberg “Defining targets of RNA Polymerase II elongation complexes in development”
Jin Huang “Food insufficiency, income volatility, and asset holding in low-to-middle income households: a comparison before and after economic recession, 2005-2010”
Jung Huang “Mechanism by which CRSBP-1 ligands unbutton lymphatic intercellular junctions”
Istvan Kiss “Engineering dynamical complexity of chemical reaction networks”
Sergey Korolev “Structure-functional studies of recombination mediator proteins”
Jianguo Liu “IFN-lambda3 promoter polymorphisms and hepatitis C virus clearance”
Nikki Murdick “Research on the effectiveness of parent-focused group training: a cooperative effort by professionals and families of individuals with autism”
Ranjit Ray “Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal cell transition program into primary human hepatocytes by Hepatitis C virus”
Willis Samson “Novel hormonal control of reproduction”
Michael Swartwout “Space mission failures: re-examining history through guided statistical analysis”
Mee-Ngan (Frances) Yap “Mechanistic basis for antibiotic-induced resistance”