VCOM 2021 Annual Report

VCOM Funded Seed Grants (continued)

VCOM Funded Seed Grants Through 6/30/20 Auburn Campus Darren Beck, PhD • VCOM REAP: Iatrogenic cardiac and skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction in patients with breast cancer after combined chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Two faculty from AU Electrical and Computer Engineering are Co-PIs on this project. Kenny Brock, DVM, PhD • VCOM & AUCVM One Health Program: Phage-peptide constructs as substitute for anti-cancer monoclonal antibody therapy: CD47-based model. Dr. Brock serves as Co-PI in partnership with his collaborator at AUCVM. Two faculty from AUCVM serve as investigators. • VCOM & AUCVM One Health Program: Antigenic and genetic evolution of influenza A viruses in the presence of preexisting homologous or heterologous immunity in the porcine model. Dr. Brock serves as Co-PI in partnership with his collaborator at AUCVM. • VCOM & AUCVM One Health Program: Improved surveillance of mosquito-borne arboviruses in Alabama to promote effective prevention. Dr. Brock serves as Co-PI in partnership with his collaborator at AUCVM.

Carrie Champine, DO • VCOM REAP: Evaluation of Vaginal Microbiome to Estimate Vaginal Health in Gynecology Patients Presenting with Vaginitis. Jim Mahaney, PhD serves as Co-PI, and this project is in partnership with a biotech company. Blaise Costa, MPharm, PhD • VCOM & VMCVM One Health Program: Identification and Characterization of Mechanically Distinct Novel Anti-Viral Agents. A collaborator from VMCVM serves as Co-PI with Dr. Costa on this project. • VCOM REAP (matching funds from VT ICTAS): Pharmacological Characterization of NMDA Receptor Modulators: Using Engineered Microenvironments Representing Brain Disorders. Dr. Costa serves as Co-PI on this project with a faculty member from Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics.

Nathan Neufeld, DO • VCOM & VMCVM One Health Program: Characterizing the analgesic, ablative, and oncologic outcomes after histotripsy ablation of osteosarcoma in an orthotopic murine model. Dr. Neufeld is Co-PI on this project with a collaborator from VMCVM. Gary Mount, PharmD is an investigator. Chris Reilly, PhD • VCOM & VMCVM One Health Program: A novel role of transcription factor EGR2 in regulating pathogenic plasma B cell differentiation in lupus. A collaborator from VMCVM serves as Co-PI with Dr. Reilly on this project. gut microbiome, female reproduction and obesity: Identifying protective molecular mechanisms of the bacterial metabolite, Indole-3-propionic acid, in ovarian and placental cells against obesity-induced cellular stress. Dr. Varghese serves as Co-PI with Melissa Lipsmeyer, PhD on this project. Robin Varghese, PhD • VCOM REAP: Linking the

Jim Mahaney, PhD • VCOM REAP: Evaluation of

Vaginal Microbiome to Estimate Vaginal Health in Gynecology Patients Presenting with Vaginitis. Carrie Champine, DO serves as Co-PI, and this project is in partnership with a biotech company.

90