East Carolina University
Grant: $34,096 - National Institutes of Health - May. 31, 2009
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Award Description: As brief background about the research project, cyclic nucleotide signaling including cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP serves many beneficial functions in vascular smooth muscle (VSM), yet concerns over unwanted side effects from traditional cyclic GMP/cyclic AMP signals have warranted investigation into alternate routes for their control in VSM. Recently observed unanticipated findings from two distinct pharmacologic approaches that were used to modulate vascular growth (included in a recently published manuscript) provide basis for this supplemental, CER-based summer project. Thus, the overall goal of this summer research project was to compare upstream stimulators of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) to downstream inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide-degrading phosphodiesterases (PDE), both cyclic nucleotide-stimulating processes, with regard to their abilities to regulate VSM growth. Specific Aim 1 compares influence of these distinct approaches on proliferation and apoptosis in rat primary VSM cells in order to test the hypothesis that they inhibit VSM proliferation and elevate cell apoptosis in parallel fashion. Aim 2 evaluates the regulatory impact of these approaches on VSM cell migration and extracellular matrix (ECM) balance to test the hypothesis that they independently inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, increase VSM matrix components, and reduce VSM migration. These studies promise to characterize these distinct upstream and downstream modes for VSM control and to provide new insights into cyclic nucleotide signaling. This research project is directly in line with and will enhance the goals of the parent grant, and this experience will directly benefit the educator through her exposure to rigorous scientific research and inquiry, through learning new scientific methods and technologies to expand her current classroom pedagogy, and by expanding her network of academic educational and scientific collaborators. As outlined in the grant, in addition to the research project she will participate in professional activities within the lab group, become involved in online teacher-researcher scientific discussion forums, and encouraged to present her findings at upcoming scientific/educational symposia. She will also extend her insights and knowledge to the classroom setting to enhance your classroom pedagogy and to benefit her fellow teachers and colleagues. It is expected that, through these supplemental studies, the overall goals and scientific progress of the parent grant will be advanced through the addition of this educator who is keenly interested in the cardiovascular sciences and in particular in the proposed work described in this supplement and who will bring a high level of biologic knowledge and insights and potential new directions to this ongoing project. This supplement, over two successive summers, may pave the road for continued collaboration with her and/or perhaps others beyond the scope of the current project. Also, through this supplemental support, the hiring of this educator to the scientific workforce is a direct promotion of job development and serves to enhance our nation’s overall economy.
Project Description: 1 Provide employment for an educator’s job development and economic security. Summertime employment has been provided to a high school Biology teacher in my research laboratory at East Carolina Univ and will continue in 2010. 2 Educate in broad aspects of research - through daily communications, lectures, and hands-on training. We have provided her education in vascular physiology and VSM functions as well as experiences in aspects of genetics, molecular and cell biology, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. 3 Educate in the overall research approach including scientific inquiry, experimental design, performance of experiments, and the fruition of a comprehensive scientific study. She has gained insights into scientific inquiry and research design as well as the performance of experiments and has been exposed to a range of research approaches including survival animal vascular surgery and associated histology, primary cell culture, in vitro assays for cell proliferation and migration, Western blot analyses, data collection and interpretation, and study presentation. 4 Teach skills and experimental approaches in order to carry out independent research experiments. She has independently performed research methodologies including cell culture, proliferation and migration assays, image analysis, data collection and interpretation, and study presentation and has presented a research poster highlighting her findings. It is planned that her research will be included in a manuscript prepared for submission this fall. 5 Enable this educator to expand her classroom pedagogy. Her insights and skills gained in new science and updated research methods will be brought to the classroom. 6 Enable her to expand her network of academic and scientific collaborations and relationships – this will continue through the work and associations in my laboratory.
Infrastructure Description: N/A
Jobs Summary: Temporary Faculty (Total jobs reported: 1)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on May. 31, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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