UMMC's July-Sept. grants, awards exceed $17M

The Medical Center garnered 66 new, renewed and continuing grants and awards during July-Sept. 2018 totaling $17,018,919.

The following faculty and administrators received the largest new grants and awards during the quarter. Dollar values are shown as annual figures for the first year of funding:

Dr. Bradley Walters, assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences, received a $775,467 grant from the Office of Naval Research for the project, “Zeiss 880 Confocal with Airyscan to Study Auditory/Vestibular Function” and a $54,250 grant from the National Institutes of Health for the project, “Molecular Determinants of Cell Fate in the Inner Ear.”

Dr. Melissa McNaull, associate professor of pediatrics, received $307,129 for an industry-sponsored research agreement.

Dr. Shou-Ching Tang, professor of medicine, received $246,552 for an industry-sponsored research agreement.

Dr. Hong Zhu, professor of otolaryngology and communicative sciences, received a $232,303 grant from the National Institutes of Health for the project, “A Novel Animal Model of Blast-induced Vestibular Deficits.”

Dr. Thomas Amankonah, associate professor of medicine, received $138,880 for an industry-sponsored research agreement.

Dr. Merry Lindsey, professor of physiology and biophysics, received $85,600 for an industry-sponsored research agreement and a $51,844 grant from the AHA for the project, “Metabolic Dysfunction and Hypertension Effects on Post-MI Macrophage Physiology.”

Dr. Kelly Wilkinson, assistant professor of medicine, received $133,095 for an industry-sponsored research agreement.

Dr. Alejandro Chade, professor of physiology and biophysics, received a $100,000 grant from the American Heart Association for the project, “Selective Renal Targeting to Counteract Inflammation in Chronic Kidney Disease Via Kidney-specific Delivery Technology.”

Dr. Kevin Freeman, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior, received a $57,599 subcontract from the NIH and ElSohly Laboratories for the project, “An Opioid/Cannabinoid Analgesic that Boosts Pain Relief and Blocks Opiate Reward.”

Dr. Mark Cunningham, instructor of pharmacology and toxicology, received a $77,000 grant from the AHA for the project, “Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in the Heart and Brain During Pregnancy and in Postpartum Rats with Placental Ischemia.”

Dr. Jeannette Simino, assistant professor of data science, received a $55,444 subcontract from the NIH and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston for the project, “Trans-omics Analysis to Unravel Molecular Underpinnings of Heart, Lung and Blood Disease Risk Factors.”

Dr. Christopher Spankovich, assistant professor of otolaryngology and communicative sciences, received a $55,000 grant from the American Otological Society for the project, “Cool Vestibular Caloric as a Novel Approach to Prevention of Drug-induced Hearing Loss.”

Dr. Bhavisha Bakrania, postdoctoral fellow in physiology and biophysics, received a $54,316 grant award from the AHA from the project, “Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase as a Therapeutic Target for Preeclampsia.”

Dr. John Spurzem, professor of medicine, received a $54,000 grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for the project, “Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Staphylococcus Aureus Proteases and Toxins in CF Exacerbations.”

Gwen Davis, Ph.D. student in physiology and biophysics, received a $28,300 grant from the American Physiological Society for the project, “Increased Blood Pressure in the Aging IUGR Female Rat.”

Subhi Younes, M.D./Ph.D. student in physiology and biophysics, received a $26,844 grant from the AHA for the project, “The Role of Anti-angiogenic Factors in Cerebrovascular Dysfunction of Preeclampsia.”

Victoria Wolf, Ph.D. student in physiology and biophysics, received a $26,844 grant from the AHA for the project, “Impact of Immunosuppression on Estrogens, Hypertension and the Kidney During Autoimmune Disease.”