Drew Carter, 3, gets excited about fingerpainting during her occupational and physical therapy appointment Wednesday afternoon. Several pediatric OT and PT patients are contributing their artwork to the new pediatric clinical research office. The artwork, in the theme of "Kids Helping Kids," will be displayed in the hallways of their new office space in Medical Center North. (photo by Dana Johnson)
Thirteen investigators were awarded Vanderbilt-funded Intramural Discovery Grants for a two-year period starting this month. A total of $449,558 was awarded to the recipients, who were chosen from a field of 67 applicants.
The program consists of two different types of funding mechanisms intended to stimulate the development of new ideas. Faculty members are eligible for two categories of support: Interdisciplinary or Equipment Grants and Pilot/Feasibility Studies.
The next round of applications will be accepted in fall 2003. Grants awarded from the fall 2002 competition are:
Interdisciplinary Grants
• Daniel Gochberg, Ph.D., assistant professor, Vanderbilt Institute of Imaging Science, “Quantitative MT Imaging Development and Application.”
• Amy Major, Ph.D., research instructor of Cardiovascular Medicine, “The Role of NKT Cells in Atherosclerosis.”
• Phoebe Stewart, Ph.D., associate professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, “Cryo-EM Imaging of Human DNA Polymerase Alpha-Primase.”
• Dr. Matthew Ninan, assistant professor of Surgical Sciences – Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, “Increased Oxidative Stress Predisposes to Acute Lung Injury Following Resection for Lung Cancer.”
• Bo Lu, Ph.D., assistant professor of Radiation Oncology, “Radiation Sensitization via Inhibiting Survival of Breast Cancer and its Vascular Endothelium.”
Pilot/Feasibility Grants
• Dawn Israel, Ph.D., research assistant professor of Gastroenterology, “Identification of Novel Helicobacter Pylori Genes Associated with Gastric Cancer.”
• Kathleen Egan, Sc.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Medicine, Health Services Research, “Variants in Estrogen Receptor Beta (ESR2) and Risk of Invasive Breast Cancer.”
• Hassane McHaourab, Ph.D., assistant professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, “Molecular Mechanism of Multidrug Resistance Phenotype.”
•Dr. Roy Zent, assistant professor of Nephrology, “Role of beta 1 Integrins in Renal Development.”
• Dan Dixon, Ph.D., assistant professor of Surgical Sciences, “Role of HuR in Gastrointestinal Neoplasia.”
• Chin Chiang, Ph.D., associate professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, “The Molecular Etiology of Tracheoesophageal Fistula in Humans.”
• Mark McClain, Ph.D., research assistant professor of Infectious Diseases, “Mutagenesis of C. Perfrongens Epsilon Toxin.”
• Daniela Drummon-Barbosa, Ph.D., assistant professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, “Role of e-endosulfine in Tissue Growth Regulation.”