Initial Indiana CTSI Collaboration Grants Announced

Twelve teams of Indiana scientists have been awarded the first grants from the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, awards meant to foster collaborative efforts to develop new medical treatments and services.

The teams, each of which received up to a $75,000 CTSI Collaboration in Biomedical/Translational Research Pilot Program Grant, include researchers from Indiana and Purdue universities and the University of Notre Dame.

The grants are meant to help Indiana scientists conduct early-stage research projects that will lead to grant awards from external sources, such as the National Institutes of Health. In order to foster collaboration, each grant proposal had to include participation from scientists from two or more of the sponsoring academic campuses: Purdue, IU Bloomington, IUPUI, IU School of Medicine, Purdue and Notre Dame.

The Indiana CTSI is a statewide collaboration of researchers and health care specialists in academia, business and government created to transform scientific discoveries into new medical treatments and services. The CTSI was formed in 2008 with a $25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The recipients and their research projects are:

• Brian M. Baker, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Notre Dame, and Samy Meroueh, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, IU School of Medicine: “Development of a supraphysiological T cell receptor for the immunological treatment of melanoma.”
• Monet Bowling, M.D., assistant professor of surgery, IU School of Medicine, and Sulma Mohammed, associate professor of comparative pathobiology, Purdue: “Metastasis Biomarkers.”
• James. C. Clemens, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry, Purdue, and Zhong-Yin Zhang, Ph.D., Robert A. Harris Professor and chairman of biochemistry and molecular biology, IU School of Medicine: “Identification of Ack selective inhibitors for the treatment of cancers arising from deregulated Ras signaling.”
• Ann E. Elsner, Ph.D., professor of optometry, IU-Bloomington, and Haiyan H. Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering technology, Purdue: “Low Cost Biomedical Imaging via Inexpensive Laser Scanning.”
• Andrew Goddard, M.D., professor of psychiatry, IU School of Medicine, and Ulrike Dydak, Ph.D., assistant professor of health sciences, Purdue: “GABA Neuronal Dysfunction in Panic Disorder: Assessing the Effect of Family History.”
• William P. Hetrick, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, IU-Bloomington, and Charles Goodlett, Ph.D., professor of psychology, IUPUI: “Translational Evaluation of Secretin's Effects on Cerebellar Function.”
• Michael N. Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, IU-Bloomington, and Andrew Saykin, Psy.D., Raymond C. Beeler Professor of Radiology and Director of the IU Center for Neuroimaging, IU School of Medicine: “Network Models of Semantic Degradation in Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type.”
• Gregory Knipp, Ph.D., associate professor of industrial and physical pharmacy and associate director of the Dane O. Kildsig Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research, Purdue, and Rachel Vreeman, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics, IU School of Medicine: “Development of Novel Pediatric Formulations for the Treatment of Infectious Diseases.”
• Ken Mackie, M.D., professor of psychological and brain sciences, IU-Bloomington, and Michael Vasko, Ph.D., Paul Stark Professor and chairman of pharmacology and toxicology, IU School of Medicine: “Mechanisms of CB2 cannabinoid receptor signaling in models of neuropathic pain.”
• Brian F. O'Donnell, Ph.D., professor of psychology, IU-Bloomington; Alan Breier, M.D., professor of psychiatry and Paul Lysaker, Ph.D., associate professor of clinical psychology in clinical psychiatry, IU School of Medicine: “Cognitive Remediation of Neurobehavioral Abnormalities in Schizophrenia.”
• Li Shen, Ph.D., assistant professor of radiology, IU School of Medicine, and Yuan (Alan) Qi, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science, Purdue: “Integrating Imaging Phenotypes and Genotypes for Early Detection of AD.”
• You-Yeon Won, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemical engineering, Purdue, and Brittney-Shea Herbert, Ph.D., assistant professor of medical and molecular genetics, IU School of Medicine: “Targeted Delivery of Telomerase-Inhibiting siRNA for In Vivo Breast Cancer Treatment.”