Valley Research Institutes Receive Stimulus Funds from The National Institutes of Health

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also known as the Stimulus Bill, provides an unprecedented level of funding to the NIH to help stimulate the US economy through the support and advancement of scientific research. The NIH targeted projects that were likely to stimulate the economy, create or retain jobs, and have the potential for making scientific progress in 2 years.

“I’m glad that Valley research institutes, including California State University at Northridge (CSUN), are continuing to receive federal funding for their innovations. These funds are dedicated to sustaining significant scientific research and to stimulating our local economy,” said Congressman Sherman. “I am proud of CSUN for their sustained excellence, and I will continue to highlight important local projects and organizations whenever possible.”

The projects, summarized below, are described in greater detail on the NIH website, https://report.nih.gov/recovery/arragrants.cfm

The ARRA was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009 as the country faced the greatest economic crisis in a generation. Approximately one-third of the Recovery Act comes in the form of tax relief for families and businesses, and the other two-thirds is made up of spending ranging from state financial assistance to infrastructure and technology projects.

1)Role of E4BP4 in Glucocorticoid-Evoked Lymphocyte Apoptosis -- The purpose of this project is to understand the molecular pathway for apoptosis, cell death.

2)An Environmentally Benign Method for the Synthesis of C-Aryl Glycosides -- The objective of the project is to develop an environmentally friendly method for the synthesis of C-Aryl glycosides, a family of natural products which demonstrate properties such as antitumor, antibiotic and antifungal activities. Current methods of synthesis involve the use of corrosive acids and toxic metals.

3)Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) at California State University, Northridge -- The goals of this program are to improve CSUN’s research capacity and infrastructure and to increase minority participation in basic biomedical research.

4)Multiscale Simulations of Transport in DNA and DNA-Carbon Nanotube Systems -- Nanopore sequencing is a method to determine the order in which nucleotides occur on a strand of DNA. The project aims to carry out calculations of the atomic and electronic structure and transport properties of DNA and DNA-carbon nanotube hybrid systems. The motivation for the project is to gain insight into the unusual electronic and transport properties of these systems that could lead to new types of probes and sensors.

5)Temporal and Spatial Relationships of Protein in Yeast NER -- UV rays from sunlight cause chemical reactions in DNA, which give rise to mutations in skin cells and leads to the development of skin cancer. One way the body defends against the effects of UV light is the Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER), a biological process to remove damage to DNA. A complete understanding of the biochemistry by which cells repair DNA is essential to developing new pharmaceuticals that minimize skin cancer.

Mobile Just-In-Time Training of Emergency Response Personnel – Phase II -- Skilled Service Personnel (SSP), such as laborers, operating engineers, carpenters, etc., support emergency response organizations during an emergency, but they rarely have recent training on the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and/or explosive agents they may encounter or personal protective equipment relevant to the incident. The project addresses this shortfall by developing a wireless lesson delivery system called the Just-In-Time Training for Emergency Incidents System.

-- The study will elucidate mechanisms of immune responses to the infused factor VIII (FVIII) used to stop bleeding in hemophilia patients.