Biomedical Research Funded in 1999

Editor’s Note: For 1999, the following researchers and their proposals were recommended for funding by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) and approved by the Board of Directors and General Membership of CFRI. The total funds awarded for 1999 amounted to $401,822.

Spring Cycle

  1. Peying Fong, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Principal Investigator. 

Functional Characterization of Ion Transport in a Model Epithelium Lacking the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator.
Fong is studying the regulation of a chloride channel in the top surface of lung lining cells in relation to the function of the CF chloride channel. 
Amount funded: $50,127

  1. Beate Illek, Ph.D., Children's Hospital Oakland, Oakland, CA, Principal Investigator. 

    Regulation of Basolateral C1 Channels by cAMP and Cell-swelling in Human Airways. 
    Illek is studying the regulation of a chloride channel in the bottom surface of lung lining cells in relation to the function of the CF chloride channel. 
    Amount funded: $44,378
     
  2. John LiPuma, M.D., University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, Principal Investigator. 

Prevalence of Sputum Culture Negative Burkholderia Cepacia Colonization in Northern California CF Centers.
This grant to study gram negative cultures in Northern California CF Centers was previously funded by CFRI at $23,000. Additional funding will be used to pay transportation, phone and salary for a liaison who will work from local CF centers to verify that sputum specimens are mailed promptly.
Amount funded: $2,500

  1. Richard Moss, M.D., Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA. 

Research Nurse/Educator.
This is a supplement to a $64,000 one-year grant funded by CFRI in 1998 for a Research Nurse/Educator position at the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. The salary rate for this position with a Master's Degree in Information Science proved to be $80,000.
Amount funded: $16,000

  1. William Reenstra, Ph.D., Alfred I. Dunn Children's Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Wilmington, DE, Principal Investigator.

    2. Identification of Sites of Domain-Domain Binding in CFTR.
    This grant provides laboratory and other supplies for a post-doctoral fellow who received a salary award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the regulation of the opening and closing of the CF chloride channel.
    Amount funded: $10,230
     
  2. Jonathan Widdicombe, Ph.D., Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA, Principal Investigator. 

    3. Secretion of Endogenous Antibiotics by Airway Surface Epithelium and Glands.
     Widdicombe is studying the mechanism of release of natural antibiotics from the lung lining cells and whether the abnormal chloride channel in CF affects these antibiotics. 
    Amount funded: $50,000 
     

  3. Jeff Wine, Ph.D., Stanford University, Stanford, CA, Principal Investigator. 

    4. CFTR, Glutathione and Neutrophil Function.
     This study is testing whether cells lacking the CF chloride channel release less glutathione into their environment such that neutrophil killing function in the lung is reduced. 
    Amount funded: $44,287 

 Fall Cycle

  1. Jonathan Widdicombe, Ph.D., Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA.

    2. CFRI Bay Area Fellowship/Post-Doctoral Training Program in Cystic Fibrosis.
    The goal of the training program is to strengthen existing CF-related research collaboration between those Bay Area centers whose deans have submitted letters in support of the program: University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Davis, University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), Stanford University Medical Center, and Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, California. The intent is to attract the best possible post-doctoral fellows to the Bay Area and match them with the most promising CF-related projects that are to be carried out in collaboration between any two research laboratories. Currently 17 research scientists from five centers have expressed interest. 
    Amount funded: $86,500
    (Note: CFRI intends to place this training program as first priority for funding during the next five years. Annual funding in each subsequent year, once four fellows are in place, will be approximately $175,000.) 
  2. Neal Schiller, Ph.D., University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, Principal Investigator. 

    3. Antibacterial Activity of Protegrin: A Novel Therapeutic Agent vs. CF.
    This represents a second CFRI year of funding to study mechanisms of action and mechanisms of resistance to protegrins by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia. 
    Amount funded: $37,800
  3. Jacob Bastacky, M.D., Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA. 

    4. Electron Microscopical Studies in CF. 
    This grant will support the establishment and maintenance of electron microscopical facilities at Children's Hospital Oakland. Currently, CF researchers in the Bay Area must use the more-remote facilities at Lawrence Livermore Labs. 
    Amount funded: $35,000
  4. Richard Moss, M.D., and Terry Robinson, M.D., Stanford University, Stanford, CA. 

    5. Spirometer Triggered Stop Ventilation HRCT Imaging and Pulmonary Function Tests in Infants With CF. 
    CFRI has been supporting this research program on high resolution CT evaluation in CF lung disease for three years. The current proposal will extend these studies to infants. The goal is to supply bridge funding until long-term support can be obtained from other sources. 
    Amount funded: $25,000