CIHD Pilot and Feasibility Program Grant Awards 2018-19
Dean Tantin, Tracey Lamb Tantin, Associate Professor. Does Oct1 loss-of-function in bone marrow progenitor cells exacerbate the severity of malarial anemia?
Oleh Khalimonchuk, Amit Reddi. co-investigator Assoc Prof, University of Nebraska, Department of Biochemistry Mitochondrial Behavior and Heme Transport in Erythropoiesis
Betty Leibold. Professor, University of Utah. Cell-Cycle Regulation of IRP2 Phosphorylation during Hematopoiesis
Amy Medlock, Amit Reddi. co-investigator Assoc Prof, University of Georgia. Creation of Transgenic Zebrafish with Erythroid Expressed Heme Sensors
Ryan O’Connell. Assoc Prof University of Utah Dept of Pathology. Determine the role of Rab27a/b during mitochondria release from maturing erythroblasts
Joe Prchal. Professor, University of Utah. Search for Novel Parameters of Augmentation of Erythropoiesis. Deciphering Molecular Differences of VHL Mutated Congenital
Polycythemia versus Tumor-Predisposition
Paul Sigala. Assistant Professor, University of Utah. Structure and Function of a Divergent Eukaryotic Cytochrome c
Diane Ward. Research Associate Professor, University of Utah. The role of Abcb10 in red cell hemoglobinization
CIHD Pilot and Feasibility Program Grant Awards 2017-18
Congratulations to the the following five investigators whose proposals were funded in the CIHD 2017 Pilot and Feasibility Grants Program:
Matthew Barber: Host-pathogen conflicts shaping bloodstream hemeprotein evolution
Adam Hughes: The role of lysosomes in maintenance of cellular iron metabolism
Elizabeth Leibold: Cell-cycle regulation of IRP2 phosphorylation during hematopoiesis
Paul Sigala: Role of Acyl Carrier Protein in Iron/Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis by Malaria Parasites
Diane Ward: The role of Abcb10 in red cell hemoglobinization
Utah CIHD Pilot and Feasibility Grant Awards for 2016-17
Our NIDDK-funded Center for Iron and Hematology Disorders has awarded three pilot research grants for the 2016/2017 fiscal year. Six proposals were considered for funding and the three successful applicants include the following:
Dr. Paul Sigala, Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah
Dr. Sigala will focus on the role of the acyl-carrier proteins present in the mitochondria and apicoplast of Plasmodium in iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis in the two organelles and the role of each pathway in the physiology of Plasmodium parasites. A long-term goal of his research is developing new therapeutic targets in treating malaria.
Dr. Amy Medlock, Assistant Professor, University of Georgia
Dr. Medlock is addressing the role of two novel proteins PGRMC1 and PGRMC2 in modulating heme synthesis in mammalian cells. She demonstrated that these proteins interact with ferrochelatase and regulate its activity. She proposes to generate knockout cell lines in culture and zebrafish to investigate the physiological consequences of loss of these proteins on heme production.
Dr. Matt Barber, Assistant Professor, University of Oregon
Dr. Barber is focused on the evolutionary battle between pathogens and primate hosts for access to iron and heme. He will address how primates evolved in response to iron and heme piracy by pathogenic bacteria. In his proposed studies, Dr. Barber will focus on phylogenetic analyses of hemoglobin and hemeopexin.