Candida albicans, the major human fungal pathogen, is responsible for a wide variety of systemic and mucosal infections. AIDS patients, organ transplant recipients, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, recipients of artificial joints and prosthetic devices and other immunocompromised individuals are particularly susceptible to C. albicans infections. C. albicans is known to undergo a morphological transition from yeast (single, round budding cells) to pseudohyphal and hyphal filaments (elongated cells attached end-to-end) which is required for virulence.

This proposal addresses developing advanced airway devices for use during respiratory failure and prolonged intubation to deliver therapeutics during intubation for acute respiratory distress syndrome. In a broader context. controlled therapeutic delivery from our endotracheal tube platform may serve a larger role in preventing and treating ventilator associated pneumonia. Our novel ET tube coating provides the additional potential of drug delivery. We propose to employ our existing. novel laryngotracheal models delivering therapeutics to vocal folds.

This research will be carried out via the training and mentoring of a graduate student in the joint graduate program in biomedical engineering to promote activities ongoing in the Extracorporeal Life Support capability area.Autonomous Reanimation and Evacuation Research to include the development. application and validation of extracorporeal life support devices.

Green leaf volatiles (GLV) have been mostly associated with the regulation of defense responses. in particular defense priming. in plants. However. we found that GLV are also regulators of abiotic stress responses and for example protect against cold stress damage. Plants that were treated with GLV at physiological concentrations showed less cold damage and retained normal growth while untreated plants showed severe damage and growth reduction under the same conditions. We have further identified GLV- and cold-inducible sets of genes. which appear to be involved in carbohydrate metabolism.

The goal of this project is to guide the investigation of the effects of the experimental drug on male fertility in male marmosets. Marmoset fertility will be assessed via sperm collection and testicular biopsy to determine whether the drug effectively ends the production of live sperm.

Through this research project. The CIDD will work closely with 4E Therapeutics to prepare a sufficient number of structural analogs to support the goals of the research.The CIDD will provide synthesis support to 4E Therapeutics to prepare and characterize compounds to support the program goals.All novel compound design.

Basic Research

Preterm Infants: Up to 5 pregnant baboons will be moved indoors to single caging. They will have a healthcheck with blood collection as well as an ultrasound to confirm gestational age of pregnancy. The blood will be processed for a CBC and routine chemistry by the SNPRC Clinical Pathology Laboratory. Upon approval by both the SNPRC veterinarian and PI, three animals will be selected to receive two injections of antenatal steroids followed by a C-section for preterm delivery. Unselected dams will be released back to the SNPRC colony.

Basic Research

Basic Research