Three 夜色视频 research teams have secured nearly $5 million in National Institutes of Health funding to advance studies of the biological processes behind preterm birth, psychiatric disorders and metabolic health.
Scott Barnett, Mitchell Omar and Meet Zandawala, researchers with the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources' Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, received the awards through a combination of research and training grants. In addition to supporting scientific discovery, the funding will provide research and professional-development opportunities for graduate students.
The , which focuses on developing safer therapies to prevent preterm birth, received a $2.9 million award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Using human tissue studies and animal models, the lab is working to understand why some pregnancies end too soon and identify new ways to help mothers carry babies to term.
The project will examine how proteins that help uterine cells sense and respond to stretching contribute to labor. It will also investigate whether combinations of drugs can better regulate the signals that trigger uterine contractions.
The work addresses a significant public health challenge, particularly in Nevada, where about one in nine babies is born prematurely.
The secured $1.9 million to investigate the molecular mechanisms of AKAP11, a multifunctional protein involved in a range of biological processes and associated with several health conditions, including certain cancers, stress disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Using innovative tools, including a novel mouse model developed by the lab, researchers are exploring how AKAP11 performs distinct functions in different tissues and how disruptions in the protein may influence cortisol production and communication between brain cells. Insights from this work could help identify new targets for future therapies.
Ongoing studies are expected to shed new light on AKAP11's role in cortisol production and brain function.
The research and training efforts earned support for doctoral student Ariana Gayban, who received an $80,000 award to investigate how stress-related hormones influence metabolism and the effects of high-sugar diets. The lab studies neuropeptides, which are chemical messengers that help cells communicate and regulate behaviors and bodily functions such as feeding, sleep, stress response, reproduction and metabolism across species.
Researchers from the Zandawala Lab and collaborating institutions recently published landmark studies that created the first comprehensive maps of the circadian clock and networks in the fruit fly brain, uncovering pathways that could advance understanding of sleep and metabolic disorders. An allows users to explore discoveries from the endocrine network study.
"These awards reflect the exceptional work taking place in our College and the impact our researchers are making on human health," said Bill Payne, dean of the College. "What makes these awards especially meaningful is that they support both groundbreaking research and the training of future scientists who will tackle tomorrow's health challenges."
