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![Research shows anti-HIV medicines can cause damage to fetal hearts]()
Research shows anti-HIV medicines can cause damage to fetal hearts
A study by a Wayne State University and Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Medical Center research team is shedding new light on the troubling question of whether the drugs often given to HIV-positive pregnant women can cause significant long-term heart problems for the non-HIV-infected babies they carry.
The study recently published in the journal AIDS shows that while the HIV medications have been successful in helping to prevent the transmission of the virus from mother to infant, they are associated with persistently impaired development of heart muscle and reduced heart performance in non-HIV-infected children whose mothers received the medicines years earlier.
“What our study indicates is that there’s potentially a long-term price to be paid for protecting the children of HIV-infected mothers from the virus,” said Steven E. Lipshultz, M.D., pediatrician-in-chief at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and chair of pediatrics for the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Lipshultz is a specialist in the study of long-term toxic cardiac effects among children affected by cancer and HIV drug therapies.
“These medicines have been very effective at reducing the rate of transmission of HIV from mother to child,” added Dr. Lipshultz, the lead author of the study, “but the findings we’ve just published show clearly that further investigation of their long-term impact on the heart health of the children involved is needed.
“Thanks to the new anti-HIV medications, the rate of transmission has been lowered from 26 percent to less than 1 percent during the past few decades, and that has been a miracle of life for the children involved. Still, we don’t want to be protecting these children from one disease, only to give them another one.”
The study compared heart development and long-term heart functioning in 428 uninfected children of HIV-infected mothers to children who had not been exposed to HIV from 2007 to 2012. The results pointed to a significant association between lagging heart muscle development and impaired pumping ability in the children of the HIV-infected mothers who had received the medications.
“These findings clearly indicate the need for further study,” said Dr. Lipshultz, while pointing to one of the study’s key conclusions: “Subclinical differences in left ventricular structure and function with specific in-utero antiviral exposures indicate the need for a longitudinal study to assess long-term cardiac risk and cardiac monitoring recommendations.”
Dr. Lipshultz, a nationally recognized expert on pediatric cardiac care who 20 years ago led the effort to found the nation’s only registry of pediatric cardiomyopathy, said the study is a “compelling example of how clinical research can be effective in helping to shed light on complex problems in pediatric health care.”
The Children’s Research Center of Michigan team, located at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, involved with this National Institutes of Health-supported multicenter study includes James Wilkinson, M.D., associate director of the center and professor of pediatrics, and research assistant Joslyn Westphal, M.P.H.
Dr. Wilkinson stressed the study “raises the question of how much do we know about the long-term safety of drugs given to children?” He is concerned that “pediatric drug studies remain particularly limited. The lack of information about the long-term safety of drugs prescribed for children is a special worry, both for drugs that may be used for decades for chronic conditions and for drugs for which short-term use may be found to harm children’s growth and development months or years later. Although these are effective medicines for children, in order to understand their safety, long-term pediatric safety studies are needed to potentially allow future options for improvement if serious safety risks are identified.”
“At the end of the day, our goal at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan is to provide the very best possible care for our patients,” Dr. Lipshultz said. “Studies like this one are crucially important for meeting that challenge.”
The PHACS (Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study) is the largest US government study of pediatric HIV and AIDS with over 30 centers. It is a trans-National Institutes of Health study with 10 NIH institutes and centers participating and funding PHACS. Since PHACS's inception more than a decade ago, Dr. Lipshultz has been the NIH-funded cardiology leader of PHACS, a member of its scientific leadership group, and the inaugural and only chair of the NIH PHACS Cardiovascular Task Force, the group which led this study.
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![Technology developed by Dr. Zhou-Hua Pan and licensed by RetroSense gets "green light" for orphan drug designation for retinitis pigmentosa treatment]()
Technology developed by Dr. Zhou-Hua Pan and licensed by RetroSense gets "green light" for orphan drug designation for retinitis pigmentosa treatment
Unique approach combines gene therapy and optogenetics with the intention to treat blindness
Technology to restore vision through the use of a component of green algae developed by Zhuo-Hua Pan, Ph.D., scientific director of the Ligon Research Center of Vision at the Kresge Eye Institute, the Edward T. and Ellen K. Dryer Endowed Professor in Vision and Blindness Research in the Department of Ophthalmology, and professor of anatomy and cell biology in Wayne State University's School of Medicine, was granted Orphan Drug designation for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. RP, a genetic condition, leads to the progressive degeneration of rod and cone photoreceptors in the retina and results in severe vision loss and blindness. Currently there are no FDA-approved drugs to treat the disease.
RetroSense Therapeutics, LLC, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company, is developing RST-001 as a first-in-class gene therapy application of optogenetics - a means of conferring light sensitivity to cells that were not previously, or natively light sensitive - designed to restore vision to those affected by RP.
By applying optogenetics to retinas in which rod and cone photoreceptors have degenerated, RetroSense is conferring new light sensitivity to the retina, with the expectation of improved or restored vision. RST-001 is expected to have application to all forms of RP, independent of causative gene or mutation.
"We are pleased that the FDA has granted Orphan Drug status to our lead product, RST-001," said Sean Ainsworth, CEO of Retrosense Therapeutics. "This significant milestone will enable us to continue to develop new and innovative treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, a truly debilitating condition. We are hopeful that the benefits associated with Orphan Drug status will better enable us to advance RST-001 through development and ultimately into the marketplace where it may benefit many who are suffering from blindness due to retinitis pigmentosa."
The FDA Office of Orphan Products Development supports the evaluation and development of products that are intended for the safe and effective treatment, diagnosis or prevention of rare diseases or conditions. The FDA awards Orphan Drug designation as an incentive to develop drugs and biological therapeutics for diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. The benefits of Orphan Drug designation include a seven-year period of market exclusivity following FDA approval, certain tax credits for clinical testing expenses conducted after orphan designation is received, and reduced regulatory fees.
"RetroSense's Orphan Drug designation from the FDA is a major step forward in the development of RST-001," said Joan Dunbar, associate vice president for technology commercialization at Wayne State University. "Sean Ainsworth has dedicated years of extensive efforts to champion this technology to the next level, and because of his motivation and the extensive research of Dr. Pan and his research team, we are closer to a potential treatment for retinitis pigmentosa."
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Grant Opportunities
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Write Winning Grant Proposals seminar for Arts and Humanities Faculty
The Office of the Vice President for Research is pleased to host a research grant writing proposal seminar for WSU faculty, post-docs, and space permitting, advanced doctoral students in the arts and humanities. The OVPR is sponsoring a major portion of the cost to bring Grant Writers' Seminars and Workshops to campus.
Dr. Peg AtKisson will present at the seminar, which will take place Tuesday, March 3, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the McGregor Memorial Conference Center, Room FGH.
The fee for seminar materials for either seminar is $75 and may be paid for by personal check or through a department index account transfer. Payment or index information must be received prior to the seminar to reserve your spot. You must register HERE by February 20, 2015.
The Humanities and Arts presentation of "Write Winning Grant Proposals" conveys the principles and fundamentals of grant writing in a way that can be applied across different potential funders of humanities, arts, and social sciences. The day-long session combines interactive presentation with hands-on practice to demonstrate how the thinking and writing differs between academic scholarship and grant applications.
If you have questions about this seminar, please contact Sarah James at sjames@wayne.edu.
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Limited Submission Funding Opportunities
Some external grant opportunities have limits on institutional submissions. In those cases, internal competitions are organized by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR). Limited submission funding opportunities and details on how to apply internally are listed on Division of Research's Limited Submissions website. If you have questions on the internal coordination of these opportunities, please contact Sarah James.
Below is information on two upcoming limited funding opportunities. The program name is linked to the sponsor's program announcement. Be sure to read through the program guidelines carefully to assess fit and eligibility. Click on the WSU internal coordination instructions for information on submitting your abstract for consideration.
NSF’s Scalable Nanomanufacturing (SNM) Although many nanofabrication techniques have demonstrated the ability to fabricate small quantities of nanomaterials, nanostructures and nanodevices for characterization and evaluation purposes, the emphasis of the Scalable Nanomanufacturing program is on research to overcome the key scientific and technical barriers that prevent the production of useful nanomaterials, nanostructures, devices and systems at an industrially relevant scale, reliably, and at low cost and within environmental, health and safety guidelines.WSU internal coordination instructions for NSF's Scalable Nanomanufacturing (SNM)WSU internal abstract deadline: DEC 8, 2014Sponsor application deadline: JAN 20, 2015
The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Scholar-Teacher Award The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program supports the research and teaching careers of talented young faculty in the chemical sciences. Based on institutional nominations, the program provides discretionary funding to faculty at an early stage in their careers. Criteria for selection include an independent body of scholarship attained within the first five years of their appointment as independent researchers, and a demonstrated commitment to education, signaling the promise of continuing outstanding contributions to both research and teaching. The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program provides an unrestricted research grant of $75,000. Nominees must hold a full-time tenure-track academic appointment, and are normally expected to have been appointed no earlier than mid-year 2009.
WSU internal coordination instructions for Dreyfus Scholar-Teacher AwardWSU internal abstract deadline: DEC 10, 2014Sponsor application deadline: FEB 10, 2015
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Reminder: GRANTS BOOST program - Fall deadline - DEC 1
The Division of Research's Grants Boost Program is designed to boost the chances of funding of a resubmission of new grant. Eligibility for this award includes previous submission of a new grant to an external funding agency within the last 12 months and grant review scores that suggest a likelihood of funding on a resubmission providing additional preliminary data are available. Unscored NIH grant applications are not eligible for this funding.
The size of the award will not exceed $35,000 per year for up to two years. Applicants may only apply for one year's funding at a time. Applications will be accepted three times a year:
- December 1, 2014
- March 30, 2015
- July 27, 2015
Faculty salary cannot be supported through this mechanism and will remain the responsibility of the unit (college, school, department, center, or institute). A letter of support will be required from the department chair, dean or director responsible for providing salary and space support to the applicant.
ASSISTANCE CAN BE REQUESTED FOR THE FOLLOWING EXPENSE CATEGORIES:
- Lab supplies
- Animal Care
- Salaries/benefits for research support personnel
GRANTS BOOST FUNDS CANNOT BE USED FOR:
- Travel
- Budget overdraft coverage
- PI and co-PI salaries (including summer salaries)
- Administrative costs (i.e., school and departmental surcharges)
- Equipment
View APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS and FUNDING CRITERIA on our Research Internal Funding Opportunities website. Faculty members receiving Grants Boost funds may be required by the review committee to have an external reviewer critique the revised grant proposal prior to resubmission. Funding for the external review will be paid for by OVPR. Proposals without external reviews cannot be reviewed.
OVPR has a NEW APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ALL INTERNAL FUNDING REQUESTS:
Starting September 1, 2014, all internal funding requests for the Office of the Vice President for Research need to be submitted through eProp. We have developed our standard eProp system to accommodate internal funding submissions. Each internal funding program will still have its own application guidelines to be followed to prepare a PDF application that will be uploaded into eProp. All approval signatures will be routed through the eProp system. Please allow enough time for your proposals to go through the eProp routing queue so that applications are received in the Office of the Vice President's queue by 5 PM on the grant deadline. Please be sure to select the CORRECT SPONSOR (Grants Boost) when submitting your proposal in eProp.
Please contact Sarah James at sjames@wayne.edu or 313-577-8997 if you have questions. We look forward to receiving your proposals!
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WSU Research Enhancement Programs - Parts 1 and 2 - Announced
President's Research Enhancement Program - Part I: Integrative Biosciences
The Vice President for Research announces the availability of seed money to foster development of integrative research teams focused on major challenges affecting the quality of life across urban communities.
Up to $300,000/year will be awarded and it is anticipated that three integrative research projects will be funded beginning in FY15.
This special President's Research Enhancement Program seeks to establish and support research groups that integrate basic research, translational sciences, knowledge application and where appropriate, community outreach, to focus on specific scientific challenges. Such teams would consist of individuals with complementary skill sets and intellectual expertise.
The topical thrusts addressed by the groups are expected to focus on diseases, living environments and/or health care issues that impact urban life span.
The research teams should include investigators whose collective expertise spans basic discovery driven research and/or applied basic research to clinical and translational sciences leading to knowledge application and implementation sciences. This spectrum would likely include the development and/or use of advanced technologies, bioinformatics and/or medical informatics, community based-participatory research, strategies for effective disease prevention, management and treatment, social-behavioral sciences, and/or population-based investigation.
The teams are expected to develop the necessary infrastructure for success with larger-scale, external funding applications such as Program Project, Center, and Training grants.
A meeting will be held on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 from 12:30 to 1:30 PM at 5057 Woodward Avenue, Conference Room A (sixth floor) to provide an overview of the funding guidelines and answer questions about this program. Potential applicants are highly encouraged to attend; however, if schedule conflicts prevent participation in the meeting, questions may be addressed to Sarah James at sjames@wayne.edu (577-8997).
To view the full announcement, click HERE. Letters of Intent are due December 8, 2014 to rifs@wayne.edu by 5 PM.
Research Enhancement Program - Part 2: Seed Grants for Project Development
The Vice President for Research announces the availability of seed money to support projects that would lead to successful external grant applications by individual or collaborating investigators.
Two categories of topics will be considered.
Topic category 1 includes the following:
- Applied Physics
- Chemical biology
- Communication Sciences
- Next generation manufacturing
- Social/behavioral research
- Transportation safety
- Urban watershed and preservation of healthy water systems
Topic category 2 includes the following:
- Clinical and translational sciences
- Health outcome disparities in the urban environment - biological or socio-economic basis and/or strategies to address such disparities
- Precision medicine - biomarkers, diagnostics, imaging, informatics, targeted therapeutics, nanotechnology sensors and devices
Up to $400,000 is available to fund up to 4 seed grants for each topic category. Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis, pursuant to input from reviewers external to the university.
Full-time faculty are invited, by means of this memo, to develop proposals that are responsive to this funding announcement.
A meeting will be held on Monday, November 24, 2014 from 12:30 to 1:30 PM in room 6202 (sixth floor) of 5057 Woodward Avenue to provide an overview of the funding guidelines and answer questions about this program. Potential applicants are highly encouraged to attend; however, if schedule conflicts prevent participation in the meeting, questions may be addressed to Sarah James at sjames@wayne.edu (577-8997).
To view the full announcement, click HERE. Letters of Intent are due December 15, 2014 to rifs@wayne.edu by 5 PM.
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November 2014 foundation and corporate philanthropy grant opportunities
The Foundation Relations and Corporate Philanthropy staff in the Development and Alumni Affairs Division circulates monthly a list of grant opportunities for faculty. By making this information available, we encourage you to consider seeking foundation and corporate grant support.
View the 45 grants totaling more than $16 million in potential funds.
To learn more about these opportunities or discuss a proposal, please contact Julie Burtch (julie.burtch@wayne.edu or 313-577-8847).
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Events
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WSU Research Administrators Meeting - December
The Sponsored Program Administration office is hosting a monthly meeting for research administrators. Meetings alternate between main campus and the School of Medicine.
This meeting is a forum to discuss research administration current events, activities and other important topics that assist WSU grant managers across campus. In addition to grant managers, others involved in the grant administration process are invited to attend.
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Lipids@Wayne with Joy Alcedo
Lipids@Wayne and the Office of the Vice President of Research are pleased to host the next Lipids@Wayne seminar on Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at 5:00 pm in room 1167 Biological Sciences Building. The seminar is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
The featured speaker will be Joy Alcedo PhD from the Department of Biological Sciences.
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PAD Seminar - Qualities of a Good Interdisciplinary/Team Science Leader
The offices of the Vice President for Research, Provost, and Faculty Affairs (School of Medicine) are pleased to offer the Professional and Academic Development seminar series for WSU faculty, chairs & directors, postdoctoral trainees & graduate students, and administrators. Seminars are free, but registration is required.
This seminar, Developing a Budget for Your Grant Proposals, will take place Thursday, December 4, 2014, 1-2:30 p.m. at 5057 Woodward, 6th Floor, Conference Room A.
The moderator will be Julie Thompson Klein, Professor of Humanities, English Department and Faculty Fellow for Interdisciplinary Development, Division of Research.
Topics will include:
- Common problems facing interdisciplinary and team science leaders
- Advice to new leaders
- Stories from leaders who have encountered difficulties
- And more!
Although PAD seminars will no longer be recorded due to low viewing activity, please see past seminar videos and handouts on the PAD website. If you have questions about this seminar series, please contact fgiblin@wayne.edu.
We hope to see you at this informative PAD session!
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Water@Wayne Seminar with Vicki Burns of Save Lake Winnipeg Project
The Office of the Vice President for Research is pleased to host the next Water@Wayne Seminar on December 4, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. Wayne State University's Welcome Center Auditorium, 42 W. Warren, Detroit, MI. The seminar is free and open to the entire campus community; registration is requested. A small reception will follow in the Welcome Center Lobby.
The guest speaker will be Vicki Burns, director of Save Lake Winnipeg Project. She wil present," Blue-Green Algae is Threatening Our Lakes."
A short reception will follow the talk from 4 to 4:30 p.m. outside of the Welcome Center Auditorium.
Abstract:
Blue-green algae blooms are causing increased threats to lakes throughout North America. Human and animal health risks, drinking water contamination, environmental degradation and economic losses in tourism and property values are some of the consequences of these blooms. This presentation will document the contributing factors as well as what we can do to decrease this problem. Changes in human activities over the past half century are at the root of this challenge and specifics, as seen in the Lake Winnipeg watershed, will be outlined. It is possible to decrease this threat to our waters with increased public awareness and support. Solutions will be outlined.
Bio:
Ms. Burns is a graduate of the School of Social Work at the University of Manitoba. She spent the first twenty years of her professional life working in human social services before joining the Winnipeg Humane Society as Executive Director in 1994. Over the fourteen years of her tenure at the Winnipeg Humane Society, she became a vocal advocate for the humane treatment of all animals including those raised for food in animal agriculture. This led to Vicki's interest in environmental protection work and in 2008, she left the Humane Society in order to promote sustainable practices across many sectors of human activities.
Since 2008, after leaving the position as executive director of the Winnipeg Humane Society, she has been involved in various contracts with Community Foundations of Canada, the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation and the Lake Winnipeg Foundation, all aimed at restoring the health of Lake Winnipeg and its huge watershed.
She is currently the director of the Save Lake Winnipeg Project, the primary focus of which is promoting actions required to restore the health of Lake Winnipeg and other Manitoba lakes. She writes a blog about water issues entitled H2O - Ideas and Actions for Canada's Waters http://savelakewinnipeg.org/
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Biosafety/Bloodborne Pathogen Training for Laboratory Workers
This training is required annually for all employees who work with materials that are handled at Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2), including work with human blood, body fluids, tissue, cell lines, animals infected with human pathogens, mammalian viruses, etc. Employees who have taken this class at least once at WSU may take the annual refresher on-line. Topics covered include:
- Explanation of Biosafety Principles and Levels from CDC/NIH
- Contents of the WSU Biosafety Manual & Exposure Control Plan
- Explanation of bloodborne infectious diseases
- Procedures to follow in an exposure incident
- Safe work practices
- Personal protective equipment
- Use of biological safety cabinets and other safety equipment
- Biohazard waste disposal rules, and much more.
Click here to view the Biosafety Powerpoint Presentation (note: viewing these slides does not count as training!)
Click here for an explanation of Biosafety Levels.
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Nano@Wayne Seminar with Mark Verbrugge, General Motors
The Office of the Vice President for Research is pleased to host the next Nano@Wayne Seminar on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. at Wayne State University's Welcome Center Auditorium. The guest presenter will be Mark Verburgge from General Motors Research and Development. He will present,"Global Trends in Vehicle Electrification and Baterry Materials."A reception will immediately follow in the Welcome Center Lobby. The seminar is free; registration is requested.
Bio:
Mark Verbrugge is the director of GM's Chemical and Materials Systems Laboratory, which maintains global research programs-enabled by the disciplines of chemistry, physics, and materials science-and targets the advanced development of structural subsystems, energy storage and conversion devices, and various technologies associated with fuels, lubricants, and emissions.
He is a board member of the United States Automotive Materials Partnership LLC and the United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC. He has received a number of GM internal awards as well as external awards including the Norman Hackerman Young Author Award and the Energy Technology Award from the Electrochemical Society, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Council for Automotive Research. He is a fellow of the Electrochemical Society and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Abstract:
Vehicle electrification is a primary theme in personal transportation. The degree of increased electrification ranges from 12 V start-stop systems to pure battery electric vehicles. In this talk, we highlight the drivers for these trends and current vehicle products. We shall discuss recent technical work associated with the estimation of lithium ion cell life, commensurate with high-energy batteries. Of particular note is the emergence of core-shell structures, which allow electrode designers to (a) place high capacity materials within the core of active particles, and (b) select protective shell materials, usually on the order of nanometers in thickness, to stabilize such systems. This arrangement leads to a central question: under what conditions are the protective (outer shell) materials compromised? In our attempts to answer this question, we develop approaches to understand how thermodynamics, lithium diffusion, side reactions including lithium consumption and solvent reduction, and particle fracture influence cell life.
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Shipping Biological Substances and Dry Ice
This training is for labs who ship any materials on dry ice, and certain biological materials, including human samples. Untrained personnel are not permitted to ship these materials, so this shipping must be done through the OEH&S if you don't have a trained person in your lab.
Please call OEH&S for more details at 577-1200.
Register by email: ab5937@wayne.edu
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Sustainability@Wayne Seminar with Phil Savage, Penn State
The Office of the Vice President for Research is pleased to host the next Sustainability@Wayne Seminar on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. at the Wayne State University Welcome Center Auditorium, 42 W. Warren. The guest presenter will be Dr. Phil Savage, department head of chemical engineering at Pennsylvania State University. He will present, "Under Pressure and in Hot Water." A reception will follow in the Welcome Center Lobby from 3:30-4:00 p.m. The seminar is free; registration is requested.
Abstract:
Society has been on unsustainable trajectories in the past but technological innovations emerged to render moot the perceived limits. Likewise, a modern path to environmental sustainability that is consistent with present realities (i.e., a growing global population that desires an improved standard of living) requires scientific discovery and technological innovation. This talk will discuss some key aspects of sustainability, take a look back at sustainability challenges in the past, and then shift to our present challenges. After this broad overview, the talk will focus more sharply on sustainable energy options and the role that microalgae might play in allowing society to transition from being energy hunter-gatherers to energy cultivators. In particular, we will show that processing microalgae in hot compressed water offers opportunities to make some of the materials society demands and to make liquid transportation fuels. Algal biomass is an attractive renewable feedstock because it requires less land area and has a higher photosynthetic efficiency than terrestrial biomass and it does not involve a food/feed vs. fuel competition as does corn ethanol or soy biodiesel. Microalgae grow to biomass densities of around 1 g/L in nature, so a tremendous amount of water accompanies the biomass feedstock. Conventional algal bioenergy processes first remove the water and then process the dried biomass. These dewatering and drying steps are costly and energy intensive. Thus, there is a need for algal biomass conversion processes that operate in the aqueous phase. We are helping to develop the science, engineering, and technology foundations for hydrothermal processes that can convert wet algal biomass to biofuels directly (no drying) and thereby reduce process energy demands for biofuel production. This talk will outline recent progress made in understanding and optimizing the use of hydrothermal technologies for converting wet algal biomass into liquid fuels, chemicals, and high-value products.
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Lipids@Wayne with Sarah Veatch, Ph.D.
Lipids@Wayne and the Office of the Vice President of Research are pleased to host the next Lipids@Wayne seminar on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014 at 5:00 pm in room 1167 Biological Sciences Building. The seminar is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
The featured speaker will be Sarah Veatch, Ph.D. from the Department of Biophysics at the University of Michigan.
Title: Phases and fluctuations in biological membranes: functional roles and misregulation by general anesthetics.
Abstract: The thermodynamic properties of plasma membrane lipids play a vital role in many functions that initiate at the mammalian cell surface. Some functions are thought to occur, at least in part, because plasma membrane lipids have a tendency to separate into two distinct liquid phases. We propose that these lipid mediated functions occur because plasma membrane composition is tuned close to a miscibility critical point at physiological temperature. This hypothesis is supported by our observations of micron-sized and dynamic critical fluctuations in isolated plasma membranes near their critical temperature of roughly room temperature. In this talk, I will discuss our ongoing efforts to probe for the existence and consequences of criticality in the plasma membranes of intact cells. These recent efforts include using quantitative super-resolution fluorescence localization microscopy to monitor the organization of plasma membrane proteins in B cell lymphocytes, both in resting cells and in cells stimulated with multivalent antigen against the B cell receptor. We also have identified a range of membrane perturbations, including n-alcohol anesthetics, which alter both the magnitude of fluctuations in isolated vesicles as well as the functioning of biological processes.
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Research Highlights
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Consensus statement questions science behind brain-training claims
The American population is aging. With advanced age comes concern about declining cognitive function. Can anything be done to slow or stop this decline?
Vendors of so-called "brain-training" software claim their products can, but internationally renowned experts on the brain and cognitive aging disagree. According to a statement issued on Oct. 21 by the Stanford Center on Longevity in Palo Alto, California, and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, and signed by 70 scientists from the world's leading centers devoted to studying the aging brain, there is no evidence brain games prevent or alleviate dementia.
According to the statement, which was based on multiple empirical studies, brain games may indeed significantly improve performance on a specific task in persons of all ages, but there is no consistent indication that the improvement on a particular skill extends into the realm of broad abilities such as reasoning and problem solving. There is even less evidence of improvement relevant to real-world functioning. Should scientists and older adults stop trying to mitigate the effects of aging on the brain and cognition?
Naftali Raz, professor of psychology and director of Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience Program at the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University, does not think so. "The purpose of the statement is not to close the book on cognitive training research," said Raz, a signatory on the current consensus statement as well as a similar one issued in 2008. "On the contrary, we are in the midst of a painstaking search for effective intervention strategies aimed at mitigating age-related declines in cognitive functioning. Some of the colleagues who signed the statement actively participate in various ventures aimed at developing effective cognitive training programs for older adults. However, we are still far from producing results that would merit definitive recommendations to the public."
For those who enjoy playing brain games, Raz has this advice. "Make a list of activities on which you would like to spend your spare time, energy and financial resources. If playing brain games winds up at the top of the list, by all means go for it. But be aware that this activity is unlikely to slow or undo age-related changes in real-life cognitive functioning. If you think your time is better spent reading, playing with your grandchildren or learning a foreign language, give brain games a pass."
Will anything benefit an older adult who hopes to delay cognitive declines? "There is no magic bullet," Raz said. "We do know that people who maintain healthy levels of blood sugar and normal blood pressure, make moderate exercise part of their life, are socially engaged, and do not experience high levels of stress and depression are less likely to develop significant cognitive difficulties as they age. "
Unfortunately, Raz said, it's easier to harm the brain's function than improve it. "Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lack of physical activity and obesity are among established risk factors for cognitive decline, and reducing any one of them is a very good idea" Raz said. "But adding brain games is unlikely to buy extra protection."
The Institute of Gerontology researches the aging process, educates students in gerontology, and presents programs on aging issues relevant to professionals, caregivers and older adults in the community (iog.wayne.edu). The Institute is part of the Division of Research at Wayne State University, one of the nation's preeminent public research institutions in an urban setting. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.
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Data@Wayne: NIH expands policy on genomic data sharing
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a new policy on genomic data sharing (GDS) which affects grant applications submitted on or after January 25, 2015. The policy applies to all NIH-funded research that generates large-scale human or non-human genomic data regardless of funding level, as well as the use of these data in subsequent research. The GDS policy describes the responsibilities of investigators and institutions for the submission of genomic data to data repositories and for the secondary research use of such data, as well as expectations regarding intellectual property.
The new policy attempts to accelerate the understanding of factors influencing health and disease through the broad sharing of large and information-rich datasets, while providing appropriate protections for the confidentiality and preservation of data from human subjects. In this sense, the new policy can regarded as an extension of (and replacement for) the previous NIH policy on the sharing of data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
In the context of the policy, "large scale" data include genome-wide association studies (GWAS), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) arrays, and genome sequence transcriptomic, epigenomic, and gene expression data. NIH has published Supplemental Information to the GDS Policy to help researchers implement the new policy; this resource includes examples of data falling within the scope of the GDS policy, and guidance on data description standards. Investigators are required to submit data-sharing plans that meet the expectations of the GDS policy with the extramural funding application, and NIH has provided a GDS Data Repository page which lists examples of digital repositories recommended for the deposit of genomic data.
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Research Data Services of the WSU Library System can help you navigate the new NIH GDS policy, identify appropriate data repositories for genomics data, and prepare an NIH data sharing plan. Contact us at rds@wayne.edu.
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Wayne State University receives $100,000 Kresge Foundation grant to support CitizenDetroit
The Kresge Foundation has awarded Wayne State University a $100,000, one-year grant to support CitizenDetroit, a community outreach program of the Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS).
Since its inception in 2012, CitizenDetroit has educated and mobilized residents of all ages, providing a framework for constructive political discourse. Community participants co-create the standards for evaluating political leadership and decisions made in Detroit.
CitizenDetroit is directed by Irvin D. Reid, inaugural holder of the Wayne State University Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement and President Emeritus, and his collaborative partner, former Detroit City Council member Sheila Cockrel.
"CitizenDetroit challenges the tendency of individuals to sit on the sidelines and oppose the actions of city leaders based solely on media coverage and urban legends," said Reid. "Access to better information means citizens will better understand how difficult it is for elected and appointed leaders to make tough decisions that affect other people's lives." The grant funds will support the ongoing efforts of CitizenDetroit to:
- Reach high-performance voters and first-time voters about historical myths and facts that may misguide community dialogue objectives.
- Inform influential older adult voters about entrenched policies that impede government's ability to serve the needs of constituents or adapt to current economic, environmental and social challenges.
- Challenge youth and older adults to evaluate the actual policymaking dilemmas facing lawmakers today so as to create a cadre of informed civic and political activists.
"CitizenDetroit recognizes Detroit's diverse stakeholders and promises to create platforms and spaces for vital discussions," says Wendy Lewis Jackson, deputy director of The Kresge Foundation Detroit Program. "From transportation to public safety, there's not an issue facing the city for which the solution doesn't include an engaged public."
About FOCISEstablished in 2007, FOCIS is a special initiative that focuses Wayne State University's problem-solving resources on an eclectic range of topics important to the campus community and beyond. FOCIS lectures and related events bring together the institution's teaching, research and service missions to advance the frontiers of knowledge, promote informed debate and encourage responsible citizenship in an increasingly fast-paced, interconnected and complex global society. FOCIS presents coordinated public programs, foreign-study projects, research opportunities and ongoing community dialogues addressing specific issues that confront the citizens of Detroit, the United States and the world. For more information, visit focis.wayne.edu.
About the Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community EngagementThe Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement was created through the generosity of alumnus Eugene Applebaum, founding chair of the Wayne State University Foundation. The Applebaum Chair is a catalyst for cooperation between the university and community organizations on issues in business and economic development, education, health, international outreach, politics and other areas. FOCIS is the Applebaum Chair's primary public platform.
About The Kresge FoundationThe Kresge Foundation is a $3 billion private, national foundation that works to expand opportunities in America's cities through grantmaking and investing in arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development efforts in Detroit. In 2013, the Board of Trustees approved 316 awards totaling $122 million; $128 million was paid out to grantees over the course of the year. In addition, our Social Investment Practice made commitments totaling $17.7 million in 2013. For more information, visit kresge.org.
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Wayne State's Michigan Area Health Education Center receives $1.1 million grant from U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to enhance statewide network of regional centers
The Michigan Area Health Education Center (AHEC), a Wayne State University program that seeks to increase access to quality primary care providers in underserved communities, today announced that it has been awarded a one-year, $1.16 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Michigan AHEC will use the funds to continue developing its infrastructure - which includes maintaining its four existing regional centers and launching a fifth - and to promote and provide health care career preparation initiatives, clinical experiences and continuing education programs across Michigan.
"Communities across the state are the heart of our work," said Wanda Gibson-Scipio, co-program director of the Michigan AHEC and assistant professor in the WSU College of Nursing. "Our efforts are focused on making connections with communities to support efforts to improve recruitment and retention of a diversified health care workforce, access to care and the achievement of quality health outcomes. We are excited to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the citizens of the great state of Michigan."
According to the federal and state government, 79 of Michigan's 83 counties have at least partial designation as primary care health professional shortage areas, 76 have a shortage of dental professionals and 45 are designated as mental health care professional shortage areas. Michigan AHEC strives to address these shortages by working with schools, community organizations, government agencies and health providers to prepare underrepresented and disadvantaged youth for health care careers, promote clinical training opportunities for health professions students in shortage areas and provide professional development programs for health professionals. Five regional centers will manage these efforts: the Southeast Regional Center (Detroit), Mid-Central Regional Center (Mount Pleasant), Western Regional Center (Grand Rapids), Upper Peninsula Regional Center (Marquette) and the Northern Lower Regional Center, slated to open in 2015.
"Now, all 83 counties in Michigan will have access to a regional center. Federal funding for all five centers will allow us to expand our work to correct the maldistribution of primary care providers in underserved communities, particularly rural underserved areas," said Ramona Benkert, co-principal investigator of the Michigan AHEC grant and interim associate dean for academic and clinical affairs and associate professor in the WSU College of Nursing. "AHECs nationwide have been able to increase and diversify the health care workforce. HRSA's support will allow us to achieve similar results in the state of Michigan."
"Working in partnership with community organizations, health providers and government agencies, Michigan AHEC promotes health career opportunities to students and underrepresented minorities, encourages students and health professionals to work in areas with limited primary care providers, and enhances the knowledge and skills of a diverse workforce of health professionals throughout Michigan," said Dr. Valerie M. Parisi, dean of the School of Medicine and co-principal investigator of the Michigan AHEC grant. "This is critical to our state, which faces a dire shortage of physicians at a time our population is aging and needs more health care and more health care providers."
The Wayne State University College of Nursing and School of Medicine established Michigan AHEC in 2010 through a federal grant from HRSA. Additional program partners include the WSU Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, WSU School of Social Work and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. Host partners that help manage the regional centers include the Central Michigan University Dow College of Health Professions, Greater Detroit Area Health Council, Northern Michigan University School of Health and Human Performance, and the Western Michigan University College of Health and Human Services.
Some of Michigan AHEC's major accomplishments during the last four years include: • Exposing more than 5,300 students to health care careers through enrichment, outreach and informational activities• Introducing 1,013 teens and young adults to health care careers through 18 regional AHEC activities• Assisting more than 100 students perform more than 200 rotations, contributing more than 20,000 training hours• Training more than 175 individuals who work with young people in Youth Mental Health First Aid through a partnership with the WSU School of Social Work and AmeriCorps• Working with the Michigan Department of Rural Health to create a physician retention plan that was distributed to 200 community clinics• Offering 25 continuing education programs that served 1,170 participants who earned more than 140 hours of training
"Michigan AHEC has made great progress in terms of exposing young people to health care careers, engaging health profession students in clinical experiences and developing continuing education programs for health professionals," said Dr. Dennis Tsilimingras, co-program director of Michigan AHEC and assistant professor in the WSU School of Medicine. "We look forward to expanding our reach and working with more schools, professional associations, health centers and health providers so that we are able to build upon our efforts to recruit, train and retain primary care providers and expand access to care in Michigan."
Congress created the national AHEC program in 1971. Nationally, more than 50 community-based AHECs build partnerships with more than 120 medical schools, over 600 nursing and allied health schools, and hundreds of health care employers. These partnerships enhance access to quality care by improving the supply, distribution and diversity of the nation's health workforce.
Created in 1982, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable, HRSA's mission is to improve health and achieve health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce and innovative programs. For more information, visit www.hrsa.gov.
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