Biological Sciences Blog

Tag: NIH Grant

New Funding: Yan Zhang

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Yan Zhang
Yan Zhang

Yan Zhang is the principal investigator on a project that has received a $469,500 research and development grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The project titled “High urinary phosphate induces TLR4-mediated inflammation and cystogenesis in polycystic kidney disease” is a potential two-year project.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common, potentially lethal genetic disorder characterized by the progressive enlargement of numerous fluid-filled cysts and the development of interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. ADPKD is caused by the mutation of PKD1 or PKD2 gene. Approximately 50% of patients progress to end-stage renal disease by middle age and require dialysis or renal transplantation. Currently, treatment options for ADPKD patients are limited; thus, the development of new effective therapies is urgent. Dr. Zhang’s research lab investigates the role of innate immunity in the pathological microenvironment of ADPKD and the potential therapeutic effects of manipulating innate immunity. Dr. Zhang’s lab shows interest in determining the function of polycystin-1 encoded by PKD1.

Congratulations Dr. Yan Zhang!

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NIH Grant Helps Dr. M. Tang Explore Cancer Mechanisms and Novel Treatments

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Mark Tang
Mark Tang

Xiaohu (Mark) Tang’s Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism and Functional Genomics is using a three-year $413,090 grant from the National Institutes of Health to find ways to optimize the efficacy of targeted cysteine therapy and broaden its application for the treatment of different subtypes of breast cancer. Tang is an assistant professor of Biological Sciences. He earned his Ph.D. at The Weizmann Institute of Science. Haiying Liu, Professor of Chemistry, is a co-investigator on this project.

“Targeted cancer therapy is an emerging trend in precision cancer medicine,” Tang explains. “It uses the specific genetic makeup of a patient’s tumor to select the safest and most effective personalized treatment, instead of the traditional symptom-driven practice of medicine. Identifying and targeting metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer is a promising therapeutic strategy.”

The NIH grant will also provide research-based training for undergraduates and graduate students in Biological Sciences and the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology programs. “The work will enable students to understand the complexity of cancer and motivate them to seek novel strategies to improve health issues,” says Tang.

Tang’s lab works to characterize the deregulation of cancer metabolism and the role of nutrients during cancer initiation and progression. He is working to understand the underlying mechanisms of cancer to pursue workable alternative treatments for patients. He also hopes that a better understanding of diet-cancer interactions could establish a strategy for long-term cancer prevention.

This blog post initially appeared in the Fall 2022 Biological Sciences Newsletter. Read this article and others like it today.

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Paul Goetsch Receives NIH Grant to Study Cell Cycle Regulation

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Dr. Goetsch assisting a graduate student in the lab

Assistant Professor Paul Goetsch received a $423,381 grant from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Goetsch will study how the DREAM transcriptional repressor complex regulates the cell cycle of cellular progression and cellular quiescence.

Cellular division is extremely important as an organism grows to maturity, but just as important are the mechanisms that stop cells from dividing. Dysfunction in cellular quiescence generally leads to the development of cancer cells, Goetsch explains.

Working in the model system Caenorhabditis elegans, a 1 mm-long transparent nematode, the Goetsch lab is using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to disrupt how the DREAM complex forms and test how that affects its function. “By exploiting advances in genomic editing and genetic tools in a tractable model system, we will gain new insights into how the DREAM complex protects cellular and organismal health,” says Goetsch.

Another part of the grant supports bringing research directly into the classroom for Biological Sciences students in the second-year genetics lab. Goetsch and his colleagues are implementing Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). These are used to provide students a glimpse into research opportunities within the department.

In Spring 2021, Goetsch and his student Emily Washeleski developed a unique experiment combining C. elegans genetics with environmental microbiology. “We are continuing to expand upon our CURE approach to provide students equitable access to research experience as a cornerstone of their professional development within the department,” Goetsch says.

This blog post initially appeared in the Fall 2022 Biological Sciences Newsletter. Read this article and others like it today.

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