Bioscience Research at West Virginia University
2011—2012
B
ioscience research is a vital part of West Virginia University’s response to the state’s health needs and facilitates the training of future scientists who contribute to the worldwide
and Prevention to provide national and world leadership in prevention of work-related illnesses and injuries. WVU Health Sciences researchers also collaborate with the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute – an
scholarly community. WVU has concentrated bioscience research in
independent, non-profit institute dedicated to the study of memory and
interdisciplinary focus areas that are matched with the state’s needs
memory disorders. BRNI is operated in alliance with West Virginia University.
and the interests of funding sources. Research faculty members from the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center join with WVU
In cancer cell biology, the National Center for Research Resources designated
researchers from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the
WVU as a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in cancer
College of Engineering and Mineral Resources to conduct work
biology. WVU programs for cancer patients – including clinical trials of
that leads to positive discoveries and better biomedical and health
the latest drugs, radiological and surgical treatments – are directly tied to
treatment procedures, products and results.
laboratory research. WVU is also the home of an NIH-designated COBRE in
The following pages contain brief descriptions of just some of the bioscience research under way at West Virginia University. For more information on the University’s research, visit research.wvu.edu and hsc.wvu.edu/research/.
Biomedical research at the WVU Health Science Center Building on a Solid Reputation as a Premier Research Center
sensory neurosciences. In cardiovascular sciences and vascular biology, WVU has a full array of researchers in the basic sciences, in clinical care, and in risk prevention and health promotion working together to address some of West Virginia’s most pressing health issues. A major commitment to research has led to impressive institutional growth. Externally funded research awards have grown over the past decade, and the Health Sciences faculty has been particularly successful in competing for federal funding. The largest such grant will build new 22,000-square-foot biomedical research facility on the Morgantown campus, starting in 2011. Recent facility improvements include the four-story, 118,000-square foot Erma
WVU’s biomedical research focuses on discovery and understanding of new
Byrd Biomedical Research Center and the WVU Pediatric Research Institute.
treatment strategies that are transferred to America’s clinics and thus promote the health and well-being of scores of patients. HSC interdisciplinary research programs are focused upon health disparities that are relevant to West Virginia and Appalachia. WVU’s biomedical research cuts across many disciplines and incorporates a range of activities including the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Research Center as well as highly respected researchers in WVU centers of cardiovascular and neurological research. WVU works closely with the Morgantown-based National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s health effects laboratory division. NIOSH’s mission is to serve as the scientific arm of the Centers for Disease Control 2
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Protea and MBRCC announce cancer research collaboration New technology will probe leukemia cancer cells Protea Biosciences, a leading developer of new bioanalytical technology, has begun cancer research collaboration with the West Virginia University Mary Babb
biomedical research highpoints research featured on journal cover
Randolph Cancer Center (MBRCC). The research will be conducted to help understand why some leukemia cancer cells become resistant to treatment and unresponsive to chemotherapy. The work is under way at Protea’s Morgantown laboratories and the laboratory of Laura Gibson, PhD, professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology and deputy director of the MBRCC.
Making memories last New path for possible Alzheimer’s drugs
A West Virginia University research study that made headlines in 2010 was a cover story in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The cover —a montage of three maps of West Virginia showing the distribution of rural areas in the state— is taken from data collected as a part of a landmark WVU study on asthma and obesity in nearly 18,000 children. “West Virginia is now officially ‘on the map’ of leading respiratory research,” said Giovanni
Findings presented by a team of West Virginia University scientists could
Piedimonte, MD, chairman of WVU Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-
eventually lead to innovations in the treatment of memory loss caused by
chief at WVU Children’s Hospital, who led the study. The journal, he said, is the
Alzheimer’s disease. Han-Ting Zhang, MD, PhD, WVU School of Medicine
top-ranked academic publication in respiratory science.
assistant professor, was the lead author of the study published in the Journal of Neuroscience. He said the results may be the foundation for the development of new memory-preserving drugs.
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Scientists had previously isolated an enzyme they believed contributed to memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients. Called phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), the enzyme breaks down a cellular molecule important for maintaining memory. That molecular substance acts as a signaling pathway in the brain that “turns on” memory genes. Previous studies found that drugs blocking PDE4 improved
Study shows exercise improves pain and physical function in adults with arthritis
the function of these pathways, but caused nausea and vomiting. One of four
A study by researchers in the West Virginia University School of Medicine and
subtypes of the enzyme, PDE4D, seemed to be responsible for the unwanted
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that exercise improves pain
side effect.
and physical function in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. George A. Kelley, DA and Kristi
WVU cancer researcher awarded grant for study on cholesterol lowering medicine
S. Kelley, MEd, researchers in the WVU Department of Community Medicine; Dina Jones, PhD, WVU Department of Orthopaedics, and Jennifer Hootman, PhD, Centers
A researcher at West Virginia University is
for Disease Control and Prevention;
trying to determine whether a drug commonly
studied the effects of community-
prescribed to lower cholesterol can help prevent
deliverable exercise on pain and
a serious complication associated with a type
physical function in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
of bone marrow transplant used in cancer treatment.
Community-deliverable exercise is that which can be performed in a community setting —such as recreation or senior centers, in the home or in
Mehdi Hamadani, MD, of the Osborn
the neighborhood—without the need for a special facility beyond a community
Hematopoietic Malignancy and Transplantation
room or warm pool for aquatic exercise. The leader of these exercises does
Program at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer
not need an academic degree. Cost of participation should be minimal, and the
Center, received a $60,000 grant from the American Society for Blood and
equipment needed should be inexpensive.
Marrow Transplantation for novel research on atorvastatin, otherwise known as Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering medicine. He is leading a clinical trial to
Photo Courtesy: National Institute of Aging
determine if atorvastatin will prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients who’ve undergone matched sibling bone marrow transplantation. Cholesterol Molecule Courtesy: Sbrools, Wikipedia Commons
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online prognostic tool for lung cancer Determining the best way to treat lung cancer – the leading cancer killer for both men and women – is an ongoing challenge to cancer doctors. But researchers at the West Virginia University Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center have developed an online tool to help doctors develop a treatment plan for their patients. Current treatment is based on tumor staging, which determines the extent of cancer and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. While staging is a strong predictor of survival, doctors can not rely on it to predict patient outcomes using various methods of treatment. Patients diagnosed with early disease can respond differently to the same treatment and up to 50 percent of
REsearcher receives international award for work in nanotechnology
those who undergo surgery – the major treatment option – relapse within five years.
When a prestigious international foundation that specializes in recognizing landmark innovations for trauma and musculoskeletal procedures met in Berlin
Cancer Center researchers led by Lan Guo, PhD, have created an online
in summer 2011, a West Virginia University professor’s nanoscale research
prognostic tool called personalizedrx.org aimed at helping lung cancer doctors
aimed at preventing infections in people suffering with open or compound
accurately estimate patient outcomes and determine the best course of
fractures was in the spotlight.
treatment on a patient-by-patient basis. Bingyun Li, PhD, an assistant professor in the WVU Department of Orthopaedics, received the AO Foundation’s Berton Rahn Research Prize. The foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Switzerland and led by an international group of surgeons who specialize in the treatment of trauma and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. It offers affiliated surgeons and operating room personnel global networking opportunities and knowledge services. Dr. Li received the award in recognition of his successful research on innovative ways to treat open fracture-associated infections. His research group piloted 8
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the concept of stimulating appropriate immune responses using a unique
Dr. Wu and his team will use the $100,000 biomedical research grant to study
cytokine, a protein released by cells, to prevent infection and then using
changes in the airways caused by exposure to secondhand smoke during
nanotechnology to deliver infection-fighting medication to fracture sites.
early life. They will focus on nerve growth factor (NGF), which is essential in promoting and maintaining growth and survival of the nervous system.
grant to study secondhand smoke and asthma A West Virginia University researcher has received a grant from the American
Metabolic Link to Asthma Seen in Children
Lung Association to study how secondhand smoke leads to
Children of any weight who have an imbalanced metabolism due to poor diet
asthma.
or exercise may be at increased risk of asthma, according to new research at West Virginia University. The findings, derived from data on nearly 18,000 West
“Secondhand smoke is an environmental trigger factor
Virginia children, challenge the widespread assumption that obesity itself is a
that leads to airway inflammation and
risk factor for asthma.
asthma symptoms in susceptible individuals,” Zhong-Xin Wu, MD,
“Our research showed that early abnormalities in lipid and/or glucose
PhD, research associate in the
metabolism may be associated to the development of asthma in childhood,”
Translational Tobacco Reduction
said Giovanni Piedimonte, MD, chairman of pediatrics at WVU and physician-
Research Program, said. “The children of
in-chief at WVU Children’s Hospital, who led the study. “Our findings also
women who smoke during pregnancy and immediately after giving birth are at
imply a strong and direct influence of metabolic pathways on the immune
an increased risk of experiencing respiratory illnesses later in life. Studies show
mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of asthma in children.”
that the chances of developing or worsening childhood asthma increase in children of mothers who smoke.”
The research, which was published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, implicates metabolic disorders directly in the development of asthma, and points to a new way of viewing diet and lifestyle as risk factors for asthma, even in children who are not obviously obese or overweight.
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grant to study nanoparticles in the workplace
shared for use by researchers in other departments across the University, guided by experts at the Center.
Workplaces that have heavy equipment —construction sites, mines and garages— have employees who are potentially exposed to nanoparticles
“This award continues our investment
from diesel engine use. A West Virginia University researcher received a grant
in cutting-edge equipment and
that will allow him and his team to study what effects those particles have on
technologies as well as in the people
workers.
– the experts – necessary for our modern research programs,” George
Mike McCawley, PhD, associate research professor in the Department of
Spirou, PhD, director of the Center for Neuroscience, said. “Our scientists are
Community Medicine, will use the $132,000 American Reinvestment and
united by their fascination and excitement in studying the most mysterious of
Recovery Act grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’
biological systems, the nervous system.”
Health Resources and Services Administration to purchase new equipment for WVU’s Occupational Medicine laboratories that can reproduce industrial processes that generate nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are increasingly prevalent in consumer and industrial products, but research into the health effects of these extremely small manufactured materials is just beginning.
link between early menopause and environmental chemicals A study by researchers in the West Virginia University Department of Community Medicine found that women with high levels of an environmental chemical are at increased odds of having experienced menopause earlier in life than those with
WVU Center for Neuroscience awarded $5.5 million The National Institutes of Health has awarded the West Virginia University Center for Neuroscience $5.5 million to support new state of the art research technologies on the WVU Health Sciences campus. The award will be used to further develop five Core Research Facilities
lower levels. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are manmade chemicals that are used in a variety of household products, including stain repellants and waterproofing found in food containers, clothing, furniture, carpet and paint. Because of their widespread use, PFCs are also found in water, air, soil, plants, animals and humans. PFCs are toxins that shouldn’t be in our bodies in the first place, but 98 percent
used extensively by faculty in neurosciences and other researchers at
of people tested have measurable levels
WVU: genomics, advanced imaging, transgenic research, non-linear optical
of PFCs in their blood,” Sarah Knox,
microscopy, and tissue processing. It also will be used to fund collaborative
PhD, epidemiologist and professor in
multidisciplinary pilot projects in neurosciences research.
the Department of Community Medicine and lead author of the study, said.
Core facilities are laboratories that house advanced technology that can be 12
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trials of breast PET scanner show promise Groundbreaking method could reshape current diagnosis and treatment Healthcare providers agree that the importance of regular mammograms cannot be overstated; yet, for women with denser breast tissue, traditional X-ray imaging can fail to identify some tumors. In a recent West Virginia University clinical test, a new 3-D breast scanning system developed by Raymond R. Raylman, PhD, professor and vice chair for research in the
Health effects of mountaintop mining
Pilot study on home telemonitoring for lung cancer patients
Department of Radiology, has proven successful in finding difficult-to-detect
Research has shown health
breast lesions as illustrated by the lesion seen in a dense breast tissue (bottom
disparities in Appalachian coal
The National Cancer Institute
right) compared to a traditional mammogram (bottom left).
mining communities. A new study
has awarded the West Virginia
conducted by the West Virginia
University School of Nursing
University School of Medicine
$366,000 over two years for a
shows that the disparities are
pilot study aimed at reducing
especially concentrated in
high healthcare costs associated
mountaintop mining areas. Those
with lung cancer patients while
areas have the greatest reductions
improving their quality of life.
in health-related quality of life even
The study, to be implemented
when compared with counties
by Georgia Narsavage, PhD,
with other forms of coal mining.
R.N., dean of the WVU School
Michael Hendryx, PhD, associate
of Nursing, and co-principal
professor in the Department of
investigator, Yea-Jyh Chen, PhD,
Community Medicine and
RN, proposes home telemonitoring
co-author of the study, noted that
as a way for patients to manage
this study also looked at the
their health, stay connected to
health effects on both men and
healthcare professionals and
women. A common belief is
spend less time in the hospital.
that if coal mining causes health problems, those problems are mostly occupational related problems experienced by coal miners themselves.
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sense of taste may be related to risk of tooth decay
WVU heart research awarded $2.5 million grant Renewal continues 26-year study of adenosine
Tooth decay and the sense of taste may be related, according to new research by Richard J. Crout, DMD, PhD, of the West Virginia University School of
Dentistry. Dr. Crout and WVU colleague Daniel McNeil, PhD, found a genetic link between taste pathway genes and the risk of decay.
A $2.5 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute will continue the work of a West Virginia University research team that studies how
“Identification of this relationship between genetics and tooth decay could
chemicals change and interact at the cellular and molecular levels to regulate
help us reduce the poor oral health of so many people in this state. The
blood flow to the heart.
identification of these key genes may explain why some people are more prone to tooth decay,” Crout said. “In addition, it will help us in our efforts to
S. Jamal Mustafa, PhD, of the WVU School of Medicine, has studied
encourage the public to seek treatment. We can also use this information in our
adenosine for much of his academic career. The chemical, he says, carries
efforts to educate the public about proper dental hygiene.”
messages from cell to cell in the body, influencing a wide range of normal functions and altered responses in diseases.
In this study, families were recruited by the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA) for collection of biological samples, demographic data
In his lab at WVU, Mustafa leads a team of faculty researchers and graduate
and clinical assessment of oral health including tooth decay (also known as
assistants who use animal models to study how adenosine interacts with
caries) scores.
various cells in the blood vessels. Using genetically modified mice, they perform research at the basic science level that is aimed at building knowledge that can be used to help design new drugs for the diseases of the lung and heart.
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IMPROVING drug effectiveness; understanding cardiovascular effects of nanoparticles
grant to study a protein’s connection to sight Maxim Sokolov, PhD, a faculty member in the WVU Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, is studying the role of proteins scientists call
Timothy Nurkiewicz, PhD, is studying the
“molecular chaperones” that help newly synthesized proteins mature properly. As
effects of nanoparticle inhalation on the
in all the body’s cells, molecular chaperones function in the eye’s photoreceptors
tiny blood vessels that are the site of origin
– photosensitive cells in the retina that are essential to sight – in ways that are
of many cardiovascular diseases. James
not well understood.
O’Donnell, PhD, will lead a team of scientists at three universities working to identify a new
“Photoreceptors are extremely important to vision,” Sokolov said. “Like any other
biological target for drugs that treat depression
brain cells or neurons, photoreceptors are not replenished throughout the body’s
and anxiety.
lifetime – they do not multiply or divide. You get a certain number when you are young, and you can only go down as you age. If we start losing them, we go
“The potential benefits of nanotechnology are limitless,” said Nurkiewicz, a
blind.”
member of WVU’s Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences. “But if we are to realize these benefits, we must first identify the health effects of
Chaperones appear to play a vital role in keeping photoreceptors functioning.
exposure to such nanomaterials.”
Sokolov’s goal is to find out what chaperones do in photoreceptors and how they work.
Damage to these vessels impairs the body’s ability to regulate the delivery of oxygen to the body’s cells and removal of carbon dioxide. The vessels’ poor functioning is implicated in a number of serious diseases including high blood
anticancer drugs
pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Yon Rojanasakul, PhD, is one of West Virginia University’s more successful researchers. His work to determine how and why cancer cells survive beyond the
O’Donnell – collaborating with Chang-Guo
lifespan of normal cells has won steady support from the National Institutes of
Zhan at the University of Kentucky, Wei Wang
Health (NIH) and other funding sources, and earlier this year WVU named him a
at the University of New Mexico and Han-Ting
Benedum Distinguished Scholar – the university’s premier research honor.
Zhang at WVU – is investigating whether the
Now, thanks to a grant from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute a
enzyme phosphodiesterase-2 (PDE2), found
WVU graduate assistant will be able to work side-by-side in the laboratory with
in brain cells, could be regulated by new
Rojanasakul, contributing toward the development of future anticancer drugs.
drugs to control anxiety, depression and other
“Cancer cells are resistant to cell death,” he said. “To understand how to treat
psychiatric disorders.
cancer we have to know how to kill cancerous cells.” His laboratory is studying a family of molecules that act as signals that instruct cells to shut down and whether certain types of drugs can activate or interfere with that process. “We’re building knowledge about how cells work so that future researchers can develop new drugs.”
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Cooperation among researchers helps vault WVU onto “best places” list
across town in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences’ Physics Department rode to the rescue and helped build a new ultrasound machine from scratch. Pugacheva, who has received a Career Catalyst Research grant from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and support from the National Institutes of Health, told the magazine that, “this kind of cross-disciplinary aid was something
The interdisciplinary and
that simply wasn’t available at the cancer center. You didn’t have an in-house
cooperative nature of West
department that could do that. It’s a big plus here.”
Virginia University’s research community was a key factor
The Scientist survey judged Pugacheva’s story as illustrative of the magazine’s
in a prestigious magazine for
view of WVU as a place where cooperation and collegiality “keep research
scientists selecting the University
running smoothly in the face of economic adversity.”
as one of the best places to work in academia. WVU’s research enterprise clocked in at number 20 on
genetic marker for repeat lung cancer
the list of U.S. research sites complied by The Scientist – a respected news
Current lung cancer survival statistics present a grim prognosis, but new
magazine that focuses primarily on biology and life science. The magazine’s Best
findings could greatly impact survival rates. Researchers led by Lan Guo, PhD,
Places to Work in Academia survey was released this week.
at the West Virginia University Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center have identified a gene pattern associated with lung cancer patients who are at high
The magazine’s introduction, which noted that most of the top sites were small in
risk for recurrence of the disease.
size, highlighted WVU. Lung cancer recurs in nearly half of early stage patients who initially receive “Though large universities can rarely offer their researchers the camaraderie that
surgery, usually proving fatal. If doctors could predict whose cancer will come
comes from a small, tight-knit community, their size provides access to high-
back, they could develop a more individualized, effective treatment strategy for
end resources,” the magazine wrote. “Enterprising life scientists at West Virginia
each patient.
University, this years #20 US institution, take advantage of their school’s breadth of brainpower by tapping colleagues in the physics department to build custom
The team of WVU researchers has determined that a specific sequence of
tools they need.”
12 genes can be used as a lung cancer prognostic tool. Their work “Hybrid Models Identified a 12-Gene Signature for Lung Cancer Prognosis and
The article noted how Elena Pugacheva, PhD, assistant professor of
Chemoresponse Prediction” has been published in the August 17 edition of
biochemistry and a member of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center in
PLoS ONE, an international, peer-reviewed, online publication of the U.S.
the School of Medicine needed a new, specialized ultrasound machine for her
Public Library of Science.
research on cell proliferation in tumor cells associated with breast cancer. Instead of seeking an expensive private sector remedy for the situation, colleagues 20
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Link between students’ fitness and grades
Harp music therapy For decades, chemotherapy has
Using video game to study stroke, nervous system trauma
Study shows too much, too little sleep can lead to heart disease
Report presented at American
been helping people beat cancer.
Heart Association national meeting
But not everyone who takes the
Motion capture in home gaming
Physical fitness is associated with
cancer killing drugs escapes their
systems is being used every day in
If you’re sleeping less than five
academic performance in young
side effects. A new study at West
different and inventive ways, even
hours or more than nine hours,
people, according to a study
Virginia University will literally be
to help people recover from injury
you could be putting yourself at an
conducted by a West Virginia
music to the ears of patients who
and illness. Valeriya Gritsenko,
increased risk for heart disease,
University researcher. Lesley
are experiencing the two most
PhD, is using motion capture in
according to a study conducted
Cottrell, PhD, said the study
distressing side effects – nausea
the XBOX Kinect to learn how
by researchers at the West Virginia
suggests that focusing more on
and vomiting.
the nervous system deals with
University School of Medicine.
damage that may be cause by a
The study, conducted by Anoop
physical fitness and physical education in school would result
The research underway at the
stroke or other nervous system
Shankar, MD, PhD, associate
in healthier, happier and smarter
Mary Babb Randolph Cancer
related trauma.
professor in the Department of
children. Researchers found that
Center will evaluate the effects of
Community Medicine, examined
the children who had the best
therapeutic harp music on patients
more than 30,000 adults who
average test scores in reading,
with chemotherapy-induced
participated in the 2005 National
math, science and social studies
nausea and vomiting. It is one of
Health Interview Survey. Dr.
were fit at the start and end of
the first studies to test live music’s
Shankar and his colleagues
the study. The next best group
effect on reducing nausea.
found both short and long sleep
academically in all four subjects
durations to be independently
was made up of children who were
associated with heart disease.
not fit in fifth grade but had become fit by seventh grade.
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Grad student seeks clues to fungal exposure
Waging war on childhood obesity The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing $4.7 million to WVU over five years for prevention strategies as part of a national campaign against obesity.
Fungal infections can be dangerous to people with compromised immune
The work can help improve children’s lives and help them live longer. Fifteen
systems. They’re also a hazard for workers in agriculture and other occupations
percent of the state’s ninth- through 12th-graders are overweight, with
where long-term exposure to molds and other fungi can lead to allergies or
another 17 percent considered obese. WVU’s research will focus on families
trigger allergic reactions.
with children in school-based and Head Start or pre-kindergarten settings in Ajay Nayak, a PhD student in the
Kanawha and Monongalia counties.
Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis graduate program in the West Virginia University School of Medicine, is helping researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) develop an early-warning system for
Creating new tests to detect Alzheimer’s
exposure to specific disease-producing
A skin test to detect Alzheimer’s has been developed at the Blanchette
fungi.
Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute at WVU. With the prick of a finger, it detects defective enzymes involved with memory function that are found in
NIOSH operates a major research facility on the University’s Health Sciences
both brain and skin cells. Test results proved 98 percent accurate at detecting
campus. Collaborations between WVU faculty and NIOSH researchers provide
Alzheimer’s, says Daniel Alkon, MD, the institute’s scientific director.
opportunities for students at WVU to participate in federal health and safety
The researchers discovered that low doses of the chemotherapy drug
research. NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes
bryostatin reactivate the defective enzymes. “We can actually rewire
recommendations for preventing work-related illnesses and injuries.
broken connections in the brain and restore memory,” says Alkon. “That’s extraordinarily exciting because it could be used to reverse the dreadful
Nayak’s research mentor, Donald Beezhold, PhD, is the chief of the Allergy
consequences of many brain diseases.”
and Clinical Immunology branch at NIOSH. Together, they are working to develop biomarkers that can help identify fungal exposure among workers. The biomarkers could also help physicians diagnose the fungal infections that often develop among patients undergoing cancer treatments that suppress the immune system.
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WVNANO
WVNano is West Virginia’s initiative for nanoscale science, engineering and education (NSEE). WVNano provides infrastructure to stimulate innovative research in the area of nano-enabled science, engineering and medicine while integrating education, workforce development and outreach programs.
WVNano researchers attract $2.4 million for work in bionanotechnology
Peter Gannett, PhD, professor in the School of Pharmacy at WVU’s Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, received a grant to study metabolic details of P450, an enzyme produced by the liver that is responsible for metabolism of the majority of drugs. His research could result in better and safer clinical trials, and produce data necessary for the determination of correct dosages and improved patient care. Feruz Ganikhanov, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Physics, was awarded an NSF grant to explore a new conceptual approach to a nonlinear microscopy system. The instrument uses a spectroscopy technique for applications that range from chemical to biological research. The successful implementation of the project could lead to collaboration with photonics/biophotonics companies in developing a commercial product. Parviz Famouri, PhD, professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, will use a
West Virginia University nanotechnology researchers have secured federally-
grant from NSF to develop the ability
sponsored, competitive research awards to study drug metabolism, and
to transport specific proteins from one
molecular identification. The WVU researchers are a part of WVNano – a
location to another for health applications.
state-wide initiative that coordinates interdisciplinary scientific, educational and
The fundamental understanding acquired
outreach projects. WVNano also manages major experimental shared facilities
from this work will lay a foundation for the
that are open to all academic and industrial researchers in West Virginia.
future application of autonomous transport and actuation systems, whether biological
Xiaodong Michael Shi, PhD, assistant professor
or inorganic, at the nanoscale level.
of the C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, received an NSF CAREER Award to conduct research that could be instrumental in advancing drug design, fine chemical production and new material synthesis by studying specific transition metal organic compounds. 26
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Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Alzheimer’s disease, which could potentially lead to therapeutic strategies. The Faculty Early Career Development Program is the foundation’s most prestigious award and supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.
The Eberly College is the largest and most diverse of WVU’s schools and colleges. Key areas of research and scholarship with bioscience activity include:
physics awarded NSF grant to develop laser diagnostics tool
•
Ecosystem Genomics-Biology
•
Biomolecular Identification and Synthesis-Biology and Chemistry
•
Forensic Biology and Chemistry-Biology and Chemistry
Feruz Ganikhanov, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Physics
•
Nanotechnology-Chemistry and Physics
at West Virginia University, plans to advance the medical industry with an
•
Non-linear Dynamics-Chemistry
alternative diagnostics tool to track biological cell processes that could lead to earlier detection of disease.
decoding nanoscale triggers to Alzheimer’s
He received a National Science
About 5.4 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s disease, and
have micro-imaging abilities
that figure is growing at an alarming rate. Researchers and health providers pre-
to view and scan small,
dict that by 2050, a person will be diagnosed with the disease every 33 seconds.
complex cell compartments
Foundation award to explore a new approach to building laser-based instruments that
without disturbing biological Justin Legleiter, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry
structures. “Our laser device
at West Virginia University, has been awarded federal funding to decode how
will enable broad research in
nanoscale molecular mechanisms may trigger neurodegenerative disorders such
biology, chemistry, physics and engineering, and if successful, the instrument
as Alzheimer’s disease.
promises wide applications from clinical instruments to weapons detection,” said Ganikhanov. The three-year NSF grant investigates a new conceptual
“As we age, significant alterations in our cellular structure, with implications for
approach to a nonlinear microscopy system. He will design a portable,
cellular mechanics, occur,” he said. “Post-mitotic cells, such as neurons, are
compact device that uses a coherent vibrational spectroscopy technique for
particularly susceptible to age related changes, and aging is the primary risk
high detection sensitivity to identify molecular groups or subgroups within
factor associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder.”
complex chemical and biological media.
The National Science Foundation has awarded Legleiter $400,000 to be dispersed over the next five years. He will work to demonstrate that mechanical changes in cells may be associated with increased risk for 28
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chemistry team takes first out of 2,000 applicants Research at West Virginia University is revealing what happens when the chemicals that people are exposed to on a daily basis combine inside the human body. A team of WVU chemistry researchers won an award at the Annual Society of Toxicology Meeting in Washington, D.C. The award was the Best Abstract Award for Presentation for the research on chemical mixtures. There were more than 2,000 applicants, and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jonathan Boyd, PhD, along with a group of students, won first place. Biochip Photo Courtesy: Argonne Laboratory
improving crime scene evidence gathering
Improving biochip technology to treat disease
Sometimes investigators in homicide cases depend upon insects to tell them
A trio of chemistry and physics professors at West Virginia University are
the time since the victim’s death. The approach, however, has limitations. One
developing a cost-efficient device that would improve biochip technology
sector of research that Clifton Bishop, PhD, associate professor of biology
processes that allow for rapid, on-the-spot clinical analysis of biomolecules.
studies is finding a molecular approach to estimate time of deaths.
Such devices can improve the detection and treatment of disease in the hospital, or alert security and military officials to the presence of chemical or
Bishop is researching a molecular approach, which could triple the length
bioweapon hazards. The National Science Foundation has awarded Lloyd
of time an estimate of time of death could be made. This method would be
Carroll, PhD, assistant professor in the C. Eugene Bennett Department of
largely independent of environmental conditions and insects. Bishop is also
Chemistry, a three-year award of $300,000 to improve microchip separation
researching the creation of a portable crime lab to process forensic evidence.
and concentration systems. The device is able to separate and identify contaminants and biomolecules with a higher sensitivity and lower power requirements than current technology. The use of similar systems, often called “lab-on-a-chip,� transfers the complex analytical technology found in hospitals to a mobile, low-powered tool. Labon-a-chip systems are often just as sensitive and much less expensive than the full-sized equipment, allowing for use in the field in battlefield, security or environmental applications.
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College of Engineering and mineral resources
According to Klinke, the underlying idea he aims to test is that cancer cells fight back. They secrete biochemical signals that interfere with how natural killer cells recognize and destroy cancer cells that monoclonal antibodies have labeled. Klinke is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at WVU’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. He is also an adjunct
Biotechnology/Bioengineering
professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology
WVU is building a strong interdisciplinary program in biomedical engineering
has authored 30 publications and holds two patents.
and the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at WVU’s School of Medicine. He
based on cross-disciplinary collaboration between engineering and health sciences faculty. This increasingly important research area is fueled by the growing need for sophisticated medical devices, the emergence of biology as an enabling science within engineering, and the need to quantify and model the behavior of physiological systems. Biomedical engineering research at WVU includes a wide range of topics, including the development of high-resolution ultrasound technologies for
Engineering professor develops nano-biotechnology to diagnose cancer and toxicity of nanoparticles
diagnosis and treatment of disease, computational techniques applied to biological subjects, tissue engineering, biomedical signal processing, and others.
Every day, cancer kills about 1,500 people in the United States. Nick Wu, PhD, is determined to change that. Wu, an associate professor in Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at West Virginia University’s College of
CAREER Award for study of cancer cells
Engineering and Mineral Resources, recently received two National Institute
Sometimes, cancer cells are able to duck the one-two punch of drugs and
environmental toxins.
of Health grants to develop nano-biotechnology to diagnose cancer and toxicity of nanoparticles. By incorporating nanomaterials with biomolecules, he is working to develop biosensors for detection of cancers, drugs and
nature. West Virginia University chemical engineering professor David J. Klinke, PhD, is working to figure out why and the National Science Foundation
Wu’s group is developing nanoparticles and nano-dots as an optical or
is backing his research.
electronic “tongue” to sense the ovarian cancer biomarkers. If successful, the device to be developed could be potentially used to screen ovarian cancer at a
Klinke is the recipient of a $416,483 Faculty Early Career Development award
clinic office during a routine health examination.
from the NSF. “Without a better understanding of how cancer cells resist the action of molecular targeted therapies, designing effective treatments will remain limited,” he said. 32
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Unlocking secrets of biological polymers for tissue engineering
with more support pending from National Science Foundation to unravel the mechanisms of cellular uptake of carbon nanotube and associated toxicity. This research suggests caution should be used in the handling and processing of carbon nanotubes and could possibly lead to new regulations for the Permissible Exposure Limit of nanomaterials of carbon.
Robin Hissam, PhD, a chemical engineering assistant professor, is unlocking the secrets of using polymers of proteins and peptides for better drug delivery, tissue engineering and biosensors. Biological polymers have an advantage over synthetic polymers because their molecules can be designed with specific sequence, molecular weight and functionality. The research holds great promise for innovations that can assist in wound healing and even data
Engineering, dentistry researchers team up to improve oral health
storage. Hissam and other researchers in the
Engineering and dentistry researchers
College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
at West Virginia University are working
are also working on biosensors by monitoring
together to develop a better tool for the early
interactions between target molecules and
detection of periodontal disease, a common
specific peptide sequences through changes in
cause of tooth loss in older adults.
electrical conductivity on graphene substrates. Osama Mukdadi, PhD, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, is the lead researcher on the two-year project, “Non-Invasive High-
CEMR and Pharmacy professors receive grant to study health impact of nanotechnology
Resolution Diagnosis of Periodontal Attachment Levels Using Real-Time Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging.� Peter Ngan, DMD, professor and chair of orthodontics, and Richard Crout, DDS, MS, PhD, an expert on gum disease and associate dean for research in the School of Dentistry, are collaborating with Mukdadi on the project.
Cerasela Zoica Dinu, PhD, an assistant professor at West Virginia University,
The project involves the use of ultrasound imaging to construct three
College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, in the Department of Chemical
dimensional images of the human jawbone and surrounding tissues.
Engineering is working together with Dr. Linda Sargent at the National Institute
Ultrasound imaging can produce a three-dimensional image of the human jaw
for Occupational Safety and Health and Prof. Yon Rojanasakul, PhD, at the
that can identifies minute defects that are difficult to detect using current two-
WVU Health Sciences Center to study cytotoxicity of nanomaterials.
dimensional radiographic (x-ray) images, said Mukdadi, an expert in biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound.
Dr. Dinu and Dr. Rojanasakul had received NSF EPSCoR support to use real time analysis of single cell in response to nanomaterials of carbon nanotubes 34
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