1 2
S U M M E R
2 0 1 5
RESEARCH INKLINGS MUSC Research Newsletter
Robert Adams
Gayenell Magwood
Mark Kindy
Leonardo Bonilha
American Heart Association Award to focus on Heart Disease and Stroke The Medical University of South Carolina has been selected by the American Heart Association as one of four institutions to form the Strategically Focused Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Research Network. This $4 million investment by the American Heart Association, the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, will investigate why recovery from stroke in African-Americans is poor compared to whites. The initiative will be led by Robert Adams, MD, MS, Eminent Scholar in Neuroscience, Director of the SmartState Center of Economic Excellence for Stroke and Director of REACH MUSC TeleStroke Network. The project is called Wide Spectrum Investigation of Stroke Outcome Disparities on Multiple Levels, or WISSDOM. It will bring together scientists from regenerative
medicine, neuroscience and nursing to try to get a better understanding of why recovery from stroke is more difficult for African Americans. •
Mark Kindy, PhD, Professor of Regenerative Medicine, will serve as the project principal investigator for the basic science research in metabolic determinants of vascular stiffness (obesity, diabetes, and age) in health disparities related stroke.
•
Serving as the clinical science principal investigator, Leonardo Bonilha, MD, PhD, is a Neurologist and Assistant Professor in Neurology. He will explore how a person’s health before a stroke affects recovery, looking at everything from brain tissue to heart problems to physical and mental activity. Continued on page 3
RESEARCH INKLINGS
AUGUST 2015
Interim Assistant Provost for Research Infrastructure appointed, Dr. Christopher Davies Christopher Davies, PhD, serves as the Interim Assistant Provost for Research Infrastructure. In this part-time appointment, he provides oversight for Universitysponsored research centers and cores, the Research web site, development of policies and guidelines in the research area, and is the institutional representative for EPSCoR and SCUREF. He serves on the University Research Council (URC) and is Chair of the URC-Operations Sub-committee. Dr. Davies has been with MUSC for 14 years and is Professor and the Graduate Program Director for the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. An active researcher, Dr. Davies studies the structural basis for antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria and development of new antimicrobials. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Willette Burnham named as the University Chief Diversity Officer President David J. Cole, MD, FACS welcomes Willette S. Burnham, PhD to the position of University Chief Diversity Officer. In this new role, Dr. Burnham will work hand-in-hand with Anton Gunn, Chief Diversity Officer for MUHA and Executive Director of Community Health Innovation, to implement the 5-year plan for diversity and inclusion across all aspects of the MUSC enterprise. While Mr. Gunn’s focus will be the Medical Center and community engagement, Dr. Burnham will work directly with colleges, research and support business units to further these values and priorities for our university. With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Burnham has shown her talents and passion as she’s shaped the intercultural and interprofessional training for all of MUSC’s students in the division of Education and Student Life. Dr. Burnham has served as campus chair for the training team with the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI), and she has served the past two years as co-chair of MUSC’s Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion.
2
4 3
RESEARCH INKLINGS
•
AUGUST 2015
Gayenell Magwood, PhD, Department Chair, College of Nursing, serves as the population principal investigator for a project named, Community-based Intervention under Nurse Guidance after Stroke (CINGS). Dr. Magwod will explore ways to improve stroke recovery for African Americans. Her team plans to interview patients who have had strokes along with their families, community leaders and public health experts.
The AHA’s Strategically Focused Research Network on disparities includes investigators from Morehouse School of Medicine, Northwestern University and the University of Colorado. Investigators from these universities will explore the differences that exist and improvements that need to be made when it comes to treating culturally diverse patients. This research grant is the largest single grant the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has awarded to MUSC.
All these scientists from several disciplines will use such approaches as mapping brain connections to find better ways to reduce the impact of stroke, a leading cause of death worldwide.
Research Communications Do you have exciting research news or findings that you would like to see shared with the community? Email research-comm@musc.edu with some basic information about your interests, and you will be contacted by a communications expert! 3
1 2
RESEARCH INKLINGS
AUGUST 2015
MUSC and Bristol-Myers Squibb form Research Collaboration focused on Fibrotic Diseases Discovery and Development executive director and pharmacy associate professor, has been instrumental in spearheading the collaborative effort.
The Medical University of South Carolina and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company entered into a translational research collaboration focused on fibrotic diseases, including scleroderma, renal fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Ms. Lackey said, “the goal of this translational research is to shorten the timeline in getting patients the medications and treatments they need. MUSC researchers have unparalleled expertise in fibrosis research, and this collaboration with a leader like Bristol-Myers Squibb in discovery and development of medications is going to take that foundational work to the next level.”
The agreement includes studies designed to improve the mechanistic understanding of fibrosis, and explore patient segmentation based on disease characteristics and/or biomarker approaches and predictors of disease progression. Carl Decicco, Ph.D., head of discovery for research and development with Bristol-Myers Squibb, said “the collaboration with MUSC strengthens and advances the company’s discovery research efforts in fibrotic diseases, which is a strategic area of focus.”
Leaders of Bristol-Myers Squibb and MUSC say they are committed to addressing the unmet need in fibrotic diseases characterized by the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue, by identifying novel medicines to halt or slow disease progression.
“MUSC brings substantial expertise in translational research and drug discovery related to fibrotic diseases, including access to patient derived disease tissue samples, that will help us accelerate the application of scientific knowledge to potential new treatment approaches for patients, ” said Dr. Decicco.
Among the assets in Bristol-Myers Squibb’s fibrosis portfolio are BMS-986020, a lysophosphatidic acid 1 (LPA1) receptor antagonist in Phase 2 development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and a CCR2/5 dual antagonist in Phase 2 development for diabetic kidney disease.
Karen Lackey, MUSC Center for Therapeutic 4
RESEARCH INKLINGS
AUGUST 2015
Research Equipment Enhancement Fund (REEF) - Fall deadline is September 1, 2015
The Office of the Associate Provost for Research announces the 2015-2016 Research Equipment Enhancement Fund (REEF). The purpose of the fund is to allow active investigators and/or departments to replace aging, obsolete or damaged research equipment, or to acquire new research equipment that represents the latest technology. The overall goal of the program is to assist MUSC faculty in purchasing instrumentation necessary to attain their research goals. The program will provide up to $50,000 per successful application. A total of 5-6 awards are anticipated for the 20152016 academic year. Applications for equipment that will benefit multiple research groups will be given the highest priority. Requests where matching funds equal to 50% of the cost or above will be more competitive. Requests for high-speed computer workstations for molecular graphics or high-capacity information management are allowed, but REEF funds may not be used to purchase desktop computers, laptop computers or software packages for routine use. Applicants may request service contracts for an extended warranty as part of an instrument purchase, but REEF funds may not be used to purchase service contracts for existing equipment. Also, REEF funds may not be used to supplement externally funded equipment grants such as an NIH S10 Shared Instrumentation Grant, and faculty start-up funds may not be used to provide a match. All requests must be suitably justified, and the equipment purchased must be directly relevant to the research program of the PI. REEF applications should be submitted as a single pdf file, and contain the following: cover letter, valid quote from the supplier, justification of equipment utility & users, detailed description of the equipment, budget and budget justification, source of matching funds, and the PI biosketch. Application packets should be emailed to Robin Hanckel at hanckelr@musc.edu. To view the detailed RFA click here.
Predoctoral Research Training Funding Opportunity The SCTR Institute is currently accepting applications for the TL1 (T32) Predoctoral Clinical & Translational Research Training Program. The NIH-funded predoctoral training program is designed to increase the number of well-trained translational researchers who also will assume leadership roles within the academic and research communities. The program is designed for PhD and dual degree candidates with strong interest in clinical and translational research careers. The training program will provide early exposure and appropriate instruction in clinical research methodology, the application of cutting edge technology to clinical research and address pipeline issues by stimulating interest from doctoral students in health- and disease-related disciplines. The program combines rigorous research experiences with a complementary didactic curriculum with a team science approach. The applications are due by Friday, August 7, 2015 by Noon. For more information, including the Request for Applications (RFA) and TL1 Handbook, please contact Bridget Micka at micka@musc.edu. 5
RESEARCH INKLINGS
AUGUST 2015
Carolyn D. Britten, MD, named Director of Hematology/Oncology Division Carolyn D. Britten, MD, has been named Director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology. In her new role as Director of the Hematology/Oncology Division, Dr. Britten has a vision to greatly expand the clinical services and research within the division through doubling the numbers of clinicians committed to clinical and translational research, leading the development of partnerships with regional community-based cancer programs to extend the specialized oncology services of the division, and refining the training within the division’s fellowship program to yield a new generation of medical oncologists equipped to practice in an era of targeted therapies. Dr. Britten was recruited to MUSC in 2012 from the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she held several leadership positions from 2001 to 2012, including Associate Director of the Signal Transduction and Therapeutics Research Program. Dr. Britten will continue as Associate Director for Clinical Investigations for Hollings Cancer Center.
Holling Cancer Center Research Retreats Planned
Clinical/Translational Research Retreat
Scientific Research Retreat
Dr. Adam Bass, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Dr. Kwok Kin Wong, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Nov 5, 2015 at 5:30 pm
Nov 6, 2015 from 8:15 am - 4:30 pm
Hollings Cancer Center, Room 120
Daniel Island Club 6
2 1
RESEARCH INKLINGS
AUGUST 2015
Hollings Cancer Center welcomes new faculty members to the Hematology/Oncology Division Juan Carlos Varela, MD, PhD, earned his MD and PhD, with Distinction, through the MUSC Medical Scientist Training Program, studying under the MUSC College of Graduate Studies and Department of Microbiology and Immunology. After medical school, Dr. Varela completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Osler Medical Training Program and a Hematology Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.
University/Sevastopol City Hospital #1, Sevastopol, Ukraine, and at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center. He then completed a Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. For the last five years, he has served as a Hematologist/Oncologist at three hospitals: Warren General Hospital, Warren, PA; Titusville Area Hospital, Titusville, PA; and Corry Memorial Hospital, Corry, PA. Ming Yeong Lim, MD, joined MUSC in July as an Assistant Professor with a focus on Benign Hematology.
He also conducted research as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Johns Hopkins University Department of Immunology. Dr. Varela is an Assistant Professor with a focus on Malignant Hematology/BMT. Please welcome back Dr. Varela.
Dr. Lim received her medical degree from Cambridge University School of Clinical Medicine in England and a Diploma in Palliative Medicine from the University of Cardiff, Wales.
Valeriy Sedov, MD, joined MUSC as an Assistant Professor. His clinical focus is on Malignant Hematology and BMT.
She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the Mayo School of Graduate Medicine Education, Rochester, MN, and a Hematology / Oncology Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Sedov completed Internal Medicine Residency at Crimea Medical 7
Donors Cure Supports MUSC Researchers Donors Cure, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of South Carolina, allows members of the general public to donate directly to biomedical research projects led by active researchers at US universities and institutions. Co-founded by Joseph Helpern, PhD, MUSC Professor of Radiology, Donors Cure works closely with MUSC researchers to give feedback to their donors about their progress. The result of this is two-fold: researchers learn to communicate their work to individuals outside of their immediate field, and donors can see exactly who and what they have supported. Researchers depend heavily on grant support, but Donors Cure provides an alternate mechanism to support their innovative biomedical research. As a donor, you can browse through projects from researchers at accredited universities and recognized institutions across the United States and give any amount to the ones that mean something to you or simply catch your eye. In return, you'll get to interact and engage with the researchers you support and be directly involved and connected to them as they try to find a cure or alternative path to treatment or care. Please help support these MUSC investigators and their reserach:
OSTEOARTHRITIS
DIABETES
BREAST CANCER
FAMILY HEALTH
CANCER
SICKLE CELL ANEMIA
PROSTATE CANCER
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
AUTISM
ADHD
TOURETTE'S SYNDROME
ADDICTION