Showing grants 1 to 10 of 560 | New Screening Technologies for Drug Discovery of Latent Malaria Infections | | | Ronald Quinn, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - AU |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Ronald Quinn of Griffith University's Eskitis Institute in Australia and colleagues are seeking to discover chemical fragments drawn from a variety of natural sources that bind to proteins expressed by the malaria parasite in its latent stage and the tuberculosis microorganism. In their Phase I and Phase II research, the team is working on identifying compounds that target proteins involved in key metabolic and energy pathways of latency as the basis for new drug therapies. |
| Novel Magneto-Optical Biosensors for Malaria Diagnosis | | | Luke Savage, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Luke Savage and Dave Newman led engineers at Exeter University in the United Kingdom in a program to develop a handheld, inexpensive battery-powered instrument that can rapidly diagnose malaria. By using magneto-optics to detect the hemozoin crystals produced as a byproduct of malaria parasite digestion of hemoglobin in the red blood cell, they avoid relying on invasive blood sampling. The project’s Phase I research produced a robust hand-held diagnostic device able under laboratory conditions to detect malarial infection at well below 100 parasitized red blood cells per microliter in less than two minutes. In Phase II, simpler yet improved second generation devices will undergo further development and clinical testing under field conditions until they can meet the sensitivity and specificity standards required of a test for malaria. |
| Using Outdoor Infrastructure for Malaria Eradication | | | Fredros Okumu, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara Town, Tanzania, United Republic of - TZ |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Existing malaria vector control methods (e.g. nets and insecticide sprays) primarily target mosquitoes that enter or attempt to enter human dwellings, yet mosquitoes also obtain significant proportions of essential resources outdoors. Fredros Okumu of Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania and his co-investigators therefore proposed the use of strategically-located outdoor vector control devices. In this project’s Phase I research, the team created new and easy-to-use outdoor methods for luring, trapping and killing mosquitoes, including major African malaria vectors. By combining mosquito lures with mosquito-killing agents, they showed that in addition to trapping, it was consistently possible to contaminate and slowly kill between 74% and 95% of wild malaria vectors visiting the outdoor devices. In Phase II, the team will improve their decoy prototypes and explore practical ways in which the outdoor mosquito control strategy can be implemented by rural and remote communities in malaria endemic areas. |
| Drugs That Target Multiple Receptors for Anthelmintics | | | Timothy Geary, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada - CA |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Timothy Geary at McGill University in Canada proposed screening chemicals derived from the biological diversity found in Africa to identify lead compounds for the development of drugs to treat infections caused by parasitic nematode worms. In this project’s Phase I research, Dr. Geary established drug discovery centers at the Universities of Botswana and Cape Town, South Africa to screen for compounds that target a nematode family of peptidergic G Protein-coupled receptors. In Phase II, the team is expanding the screening efforts. |
| Use of Microwave Frequency as Treatment for Malaria | | | Jose Stoute, Pennsylvania State University, PA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Carmenza Spadafora of Panama’s Institute of Advanced Scientific Investigations and High Technology Services and José A. Stoute of Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in the U.S. investigated whether malaria can be treated by microwave irradiation, an idea based on the unique electromagnetic properties of hemozoin, a metabolite formed by Plasmodium parasites in infected red blood cells. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that malaria parasites inside red blood cells are sensitive to low doses of microwaves that do not harm uninfected red blood cells. The Phase II grant (awarded to Dr. Stoute) will allow them to extend their results from the Phase I grant (awarded to Dr. Spadafora) by validating parasite killing effects in a mouse model of malaria and exploring the mechanism by which microwaves induce parasite death. |
| Autophagy as a Cell-Autonomous Mechanism of HIV Control | | | Vojo Deretic, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Vojo Deretic of the University of New Mexico in the U.S. proposed that authophagy, a process by which cells destroy cellular components and intracellular pathogens, can be induced through drug therapy to not only destroy the HIV virus in infected cells, but also to block its transmission from dendritic cells to T cells. This project's Phase I research demonstrated that autophagy can destroy HIV, block dendritic to T cell transfer of HIV, and promote antigen presentation by dendritic cells. In Phase II, Deretic’s team will screen for compounds that can induce autophagy to block HIV from infecting cells, limit HIV spread, and enhance dendritic cell immune functions. |
| Design of an Effective Vaccine against HIV: An Alternative Hypothesis | | | Joseph McCune, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Because a robust immune response can actually foster HIV replication and spread, Joseph (Mike) McCune at the University of California at San Francisco in the U.S. proposed that building tolerance to HIV will hinder disease progression better than vaccinations that activate the immune system and trigger HIV activity. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated in a non-human primate model that tolerance to SIV could be induced by introducing SIV antigens to fetuses in utero. In Phase II, McCune and colleagues will work to optimize this approach by identifying which antigens best confer this “protective immunity,” and testing whether and how long this protection lasts after birth. |
| Mucosal Delivery and Retention of Anti-HIV Agents Using Lactobacillus | | | Shi-hua Xiang, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, MA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Shi-hua Xiang of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in the U.S. proposed engineering Lactobacillus, bacteria which normally reside in the human genital and gastrointestinal tract, to carry anti-HIV agents such as neutralizing antibodies, peptides, or other inhibitors. He and his colleagues hypothesized that introducing the engineered bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract would allow the bacteria to colonize and provide long-lasting protection against the virus. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that the engineered anti-HIV Lactobacillus can efficiently block HIV infection in a tissue culture system. In Phase II, Xiang (now at the University of Nebraska) and colleagues are testing this approach in a non-human primate model. |
| Protection Against HIV Disease by Augmentation of Gut Defenses | | | Dennis Hartigan-O'Connor, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Dennis Hartigan-O'Connor of the University of California at San Francisco in the U.S. will test whether expanding Th17 cell populations, a subset of CD4 T cells that protect the gastrointestinal tract against microbes, can augment the gut’s general defenses and protect against the acute and chronic effects of HIV. In this project’s Phase I research, Hartigan-O'Connor and colleagues tested this hypothesis in macaques and found that the Th17 population present before SIV infection has a lasting impact on the course of disease and that natural variability in Th17 populations might partly account for variability in control of SIV infection. In Phase II, the team will test the idea that an oral drug can be used to pharmacologically manipulate Th17 populations in vivo in young macaques, the goal being enhanced control of retroviral replication. |
| Genetically Programmed Pathogen Sense and Destroy | | | Ron Weiss, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Saurabh Gupta and Ron Weiss of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S. proposed creating sentinel cells that can detect the presence of a pathogen, report its identity with a biological signal, and secrete molecules to destroy it. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that commensal bacteria can be engineered to detect and specifically kill the model bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In Phase II, Gupta and Weiss will engineer the human microbiota to specifically detect and destroy the gut pathogen Shigella flexneri, which is responsible for high mortality rates in children. |
Showing grants 11 to 20 of 560 | Protein Glycan Coupling Technology and the Development of Novel Conjugate Vaccines | | | Brendan Wren, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Brendan Wren of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK will test a new bacterial synthesis method, Protein Glycan Coupling Technology. This method uses bacteria to attach proteins to glycans to produce glycoconjugate vaccines, and it could lead to an improved vaccine against pneumococcal disease. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that a Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide could be transferred to a carrier protein in E. coli. In Phase II, this research will be extended to further capsular determinants with the goal of producing a broad coverage, inexpensive pneumococcal vaccine. |
| Reducing the Burden of Malaria by Targeting Hotspots of Malaria Transmission (REDHOT) | | | Teun Bousema, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands - NL |
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Phase II
– Summer 2011 | Teun Bousema of Radboud University in the Netherlands proposed that geographic "hotspots" of malaria disease drive local transmission, and therefore that interventions would most efficiently be deployed if they targeted these hotspots. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that hotspots of malaria transmission are present at all levels of endemicity and can be sensitively detected by serological markers of malaria exposure. In Phase II, Bousema and colleagues will define hotspots of malaria transmission in Africa in a site of moderate endemicity in Mali and in the low endemicity highlands in Kenya. Once hotspots are detected, they will be targeted with a combination of those interventions deemed most efficacious based on a mathematical simulation, the goal being to locally interrupt malaria transmission. |
| Electronic Nose to Smell Tuberculosis from Breath VOCs | | | Ranjan Nanda, International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, Delhi, India - IN |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Ranjan Nanda and Virander Chauhan of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology in India will gather breath samples from tuberculosis patients and use gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify and track unique molecules such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that might serve as biomarkers to diagnose tuberculosis. The overall goal is to then create a handheld “electronic nose” to diagnose the disease in resource-poor settings. The project’s Phase I research demonstrated that although no single VOC could be used as a biomarker to diagnose TB, there are key molecules in breath that do vary based on TB exposure and disease’s level of activity. In Phase II, Nanda will refine the biomarker signature to diagnose TB and test the ability of the portable “electronic nose” diagnostic tool equipped with a sensor array to specifically detect these key molecules in TB patients in India. |
| Targeting Erythrocyte Determinants of Malaria Infection | | | Manoj Duraisingh, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Manoj Duraisingh of the Harvard School of Public Health in the U.S. will use RNAi screening to identify critical determinants in human red blood cells (erythrocytes) that are required for invasion and growth of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. In this project’s Phase I research, Duraisingh’s group developed a RNAi-based approach for genetic analysis of the erythrocyte in vitro, and demonstrated that the major surface protein Glycophorin A is required for efficient invasion by some strains of P. falciparum. The group made progress in the development of a high-throughput RNAi screen, which in Phase II of the project Duraisingh hopes will identify those essential erythrocyte determinants that are most amenable to the development of host-targeted drug therapies. |
| A Therapeutic Strategy to Control HIV-1 Infection | | | Qugui Yu, Indiana University, Indianaoplis, IN, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Antibodies and the complement system work together to specifically detect and clear viruses, but they are circumvented by HIV, which hides itself and the cells it infects by hijacking host proteins such as CD59. Qigui Yu of Indiana University School of Medicine in U.S. will attempt to unmask HIV and HIV-infected cells and render them susceptible to antibody-complement attack. In this project’s Phase I research, Yu and his team identified a potent, specific, and non-toxic inhibitor of human CD59, which is used by HIV to escape destruction by antibody-complement attack. In Phase II, Yu will continue to research how this inhibitor might allow antibodies to regain their complement-mediated activity to destroy the virus and HIV-infected cells, and will also research how HIV-1 incorporates human CD59 onto viral particles to escape antibody-complement immunity. |
| Prevention of HIV by Mucosal Delivery using Lactobacillus | | | Laurel Lagenaur, Osel, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Laurel Lagenaur and the team at Osel, Inc. in the U.S. will engineer a native human vaginal Lactobacillus to secrete a potent and broadly antiviral domain antibody fragment and evaluate the microbe’s ability to prevent HIV infection in the vaginal mucosa. In this project’s Phase I research, Lagenaur’s team examined levels of expression of HIV-neutralizing proteins by Lactobacillus. Recently several broadly neutralizing domain antibodies have been identified. In Phase II, the team will focus on engineering the natural vaginal bacteria to express the higher potency antiviral antibody m36.4, and test in vivo the strain’s ability to protect against (S)HIV challenge in macaques. |
| Using Materials Science to Stop HIV Sexual Transmission | | | Patrick Kiser, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Patrick Kiser of the University of Utah in the U.S. will design a vaginal gel that blocks HIV by becoming impermeable in response to the pH change induced by the presence of semen, and includes a polymer engineered to bind to HIV surface proteins to halt viral transport to susceptible tissues and HIV target cells. In this project’s Phase I research, Kiser and his team engineered a synthetic polymer that has many of the properties of mucus, and demonstrated that the polymers slow or stops the movement of cells in the presence of semen. In Phase II, Kiser will focus on developing a pericoital contraceptive gel that will prevent the movement of spermatozoa into the uterus. |
| Dynamic Evolution of Active and Latent Tuberculosis | | | Philana Lin, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Philana Ling Lin of the University of Pittsburgh in the U.S. will use imaging technologies such as PET and CT scans to study the biological mechanisms related to the reactivation of latent tuberculosis to better understand the fundamental characteristics of reactivation, as well as provide insight about new ways to induce or limit reactivation of latent tuberculosis. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that a variety of tuberculosis lesions types (with both high and low metabolic activity) are seen during latent infection and lesions with higher levels of metabolic activity were more likely to reactivate under immune suppression. In Phase II, Lin will study how these lesions evolve during early infection to determine what factors may be responsible for the development of active disease and latent infection. |
| Development of a Synthetic Anti-Toxic Vaccine for Malaria | | | Louis Schofield, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - AU |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Louis Schofield of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia will develop a synthetic saccharide-conjugated vaccine that would provide immunity against GPI, a toxin produced by the malaria parasite that is a major determinant in the severity and fatality of the disease. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated preclinical safety and efficacy of a synthetic anti-toxin vaccine for malaria, showing that the oligosaccharide target was conserved across all malaria species and life stages. In Phase II, Schofield is extending the preclinical evaluation of efficacy of this candidate vaccine against other species and life stages. |
| Experimental Human Carriage of Pneumococci | | | Stephen Gordon, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Because human carriage of pneumococcus usually results in improved immunity to future infections without any development of disease, Stephen Gordon of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom will use an intranasal inoculation with a safe strain of the bacteria to study the mechanisms of mucosal immunity in the lungs and to explore the potential for a vaccine based on his findings. In this project’s Phase I research, Gordon successfully demonstrated that human carriage of pneumococcus provides improved immunity to future infections, and that nasal inoculation immunizes the lungs against the pathogen. In Phase II, Gordon will work to assess the reproducibility of his model to ensure its robustness as a candidate for a pneumococcal vaccine. |
Showing grants 21 to 30 of 560 | Toll-Like Receptor 8 Agonists as Novel Neonatal Vaccine Adjuvants | | | Ofer Levy, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2011 | Ofer Levy at Children’s Hospital Boston in the U.S. will determine whether synthetic molecules called imidazoquinolines activate newborns’ white blood cells, and could be used as candidate vaccine adjuvants to dramatically enhance immunization at birth. In this project’s Phase I research, Levy demonstrated that Toll-like Receptor-7 and -8 agonists are superior to agonists of other Toll-like receptors and to alum, an already approved vaccine adjuvant, in activating newborn immune responses in studies in vitro. In Phase II, Levy will conduct in vivo studies to test the ability of these molecules to boost vaccine responses, evaluating both the safety and efficacy of this approach. |
| Nanocrystal Therapeutics for the Treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant Pathogens | | | Dan Feldheim, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2010 | Dan Feldheim of the University of Colorado in the U.S. will test his hypothesis that gold nanocrystals coated with drug compounds can effectively inhibit protein-protein interactions that often drive disease pathogenesis, will be less susceptible to evolutionary mechanisms that lead to drug resistance, and offer enhanced drug delivery characteristics. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that gold nanocrystals can be tailored to circumvent many viral and bacterial evolutionary drug resistance mechanisms. In Phase II, he is now studying the ability of small molecule-coated nanoparticles to withstand resistance mechanisms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). |
| Strategies to Disable Hypermutagenesis in Malaria Parasites | | | Pradipsinh Rathod, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2010 | To fight emergence of drug and vaccine resistance in rapidly evolving parasites, Pradipsinh K. Rathod of the University of Washington in the U.S. will identify the parts of the malaria genome which contribute to rapid increases in mutations, and will screen for small molecules that inhibit these mechanisms. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that hypermutagenesis does play a strong role in the development of drug resistance. In Phase II, Rathod’s team is continuing to isolate the genetic drivers of hypermutagenesis with the aim of developing a way to disable the process and improve success rates of anti-malarial drugs. |
| Homing Endonucleases for the Cure of Latent HIV Infection | | | Keith Jerome, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2010 | Keith Jerome of the University of Washington in the U.S. will utilize a class of proteins called homing endonucleases, which have the ability to cut DNA sequences, to target the DNA sequences unique to HIV, thus disabling the virus from making any more copies of itself. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that homing endonucleases can find a model virus hidden in the genes of infected cells. In Phase II, Jerome’s team is now modifying these proteins in hopes of producing several that can specifically target and destroy HIV within infected cells.
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| Multiplex Tetramer Analysis of Vaccine Responses | | | Mark Davis, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2010 | Mark Davis of Stanford University in the U.S. will develop a new method to assess specific T cell responses to vaccinations. Using combinations of labeled tetramers to identify many types of T cell responses, Davis hopes to create better and more comprehensive assessments of immunity generated by vaccines. This project’s Phase I led to the development of a new way to color-code T cells as a way to visually quantify immune response to an influenza vaccine. In Phase II, Davis and his team are extending this approach to quantify immune response to other vaccines in an effort to reduce the time needed to determine if a vaccine is working. |
| Preventing Malaria Transmission via Mosquito Sensory Damage/Disorientation | | | Szabolcs Marka, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase II
– Fall 2010 | Optical information, temperature gradients, trace gases and volatile odors are key sensory inputs for mosquitoes. To mitigate the transmission of malaria, Szabolcs Marka of Columbia University in the U.S. will research how optical irradiation might be used to physically disrupt mosquitoes' sensory systems such that they can't find human hosts. This project’s Phase I research demonstrated that insects are repelled or change their flight behavior in response to different infrared light gradients. In Phase II, Marka’s team will build on this research to design a prototype device that can deter insect vectors from human hosts. |
| A Non-invasive Cell Phone Imaging Probe for Diagnosing Malaria | | | Alberto Bilenca, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel - IL |
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Phase I
| Alberto Bilenca of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel will develop a cell phone imaging system that can non-invasively detect malaria parasites in the blood. The system uses a polarized red laser pointer to illuminate tissue such as a finger tip, and a zoom lens and polarizing filter on existing cell phone cameras, to create images that depict hemozoin crystals in blood following malaria parasite infection, as well as micro-obstructions in the circulatory system that result from the infection. |
| Adapting Cell Phone Technology for the Diagnosis of Malaria | | | Michael Barrett, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Mike Barrett, Jon Cooper and Lisa Ranford-Cartwright of the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom will test the ability of a key component in mobile phones to separate out red blood cells infected with malaria parasites in a blood sample. If successful, such devices could be mass produced for rapid and accurate malaria diagnosis.
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| Cell Phone-Based Near-Infrared Camera for High-Risk Neonates | | | Qianqian Fang, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Qianqian Fang of the Massachusetts General Hospital in the U.S. proposes to develop a portable, low-cost mobile-phone-based near-infrared camera for monitoring brain injury in neonates. If successful, it could help identify and monitor high-risk newborns in resource-limited regions.
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| Digitizing Paper-Based Data Via Mobile Image Technologies | | | Allen Wilcox, VillageReach, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Allen Wilcox of Village Reach in the U.S., working with the University of Washington’s Computer Science & Engineering Department, will refine and field test a mobile scanning application to transform paper data into a scalable digital system. The solution would lower time and cost for data capture, improve data quality from the point of care, and provide access to the same information for all levels in the healthcare delivery system.
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Showing grants 31 to 40 of 560 | Dirt-Power for Cell Phone Charging in Rural Africa | | | Erez Lieberman-Aiden, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Erez Lieberman-Aiden and his team at Harvard University in the U.S. propose to develop a low-cost microbial fuel cell (MFC) to power cell phones in Africa. Certain naturally occurring soil microbes produce free electrons during the course of their ordinary metabolic processes, and MFCs will recharge themselves using power derived from these soil microbes. These fuel cells do not require any sophisticated materials to build, and can be easily assembled using locally available materials.
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| Early Child Health Intervention Using Breathing Sound | | | Insu Song, James Cook Australia Institute of Higher Learning Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore - SG |
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Phase I
| Insu Song and Joachim Diederich of the James Cook University in Singapore propose a cell phone-based system for collecting and analyzing time location-tagged children’s crying and breathing sounds to detect respiratory infections. This system provides treatment information for parents and generates public health data regarding the spread of infectious diseases. |
| eMosquitoNet: Electronic Mosquito Net Application | | | Josiane Nzouonta, Cayoll LLC, Newark, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Josiane Nzouonta and Renita Machado of Cayoll LLC in the U.S. will develop and test a cell phone application, eMosquitoNet, which plays music that includes sound waves at resonant frequencies of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which transmit yellow fever and dengue fever. These sound waves cause uncontrollable vibrations and failure of the mosquito’s navigation system, preventing them from feeding and spreading disease.
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| Malaria Screening With a Cell Phone and Magnetic Levitation | | | Ionita Ghiran, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ionita Ghiran of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the U.S. and collaborator Pierre Striehl of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine propose to develop a cell phone compatible diagnostic screening device based solely on the principles of magnetic levitation, allowing detection of malaria-infected red blood cells. If successful, mass production of the device should be possible due to its construction from basic components.
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| Palm Vein Biometric Identification Prototype | | | Yaroslav Ryabov, BC Portal Inc., Rockville, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Yaroslav Ryabov and Denis Broydo of BC Portal, Inc. in the U.S. propose to develop cell phones as biometric identification devices which use the phone camera to take and analyze near-infrared images of hand palms. The unique vein patterns found in the palm can be used by health workers in remote areas to identify individuals and maintain health records for these underserved populations.
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| SpectraPhone Automated Reagentless Diagnostic System | | | Kenneth Puzey, QuantaSpec Inc., Burlington, VT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kenneth Puzey of QuantaSpec in the U.S. will develop the Spectraphone(TM) to provide automated, rapid, reagent-less diagnosis of malaria and other infectious diseases using an infrared spectrometer embedded in a cell phone.
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| Non-Hormonal Female Contraceptive Targeting Egg-Specific Metalloprotease | | | John Herr, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| John Herr of the University of Virginia in the U.S. will research the egg-specific membrane enzyme metalloprotease as a target for a non-hormonal female contraceptive. After determining the nature of the enzyme’s catalytic pocket, a family of peptidomimetic compounds will be tested for their ability to bind to the enzyme and block its key role in egg fertilization.
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| Biomarker and Transcriptome Analysis of the HIV Reservoir | | | Linos Vandekerckhove, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium - BE |
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Phase I
| Linos Vandekerckhove of the University Hospital Ghent in Belgium proposes to analyze biomarkers and mRNA transcripts to discover well-defined biomarkers that can be used to assess the extent of the latent HIV reservoir in patients with an undetectable viral load. |
| Cell Surface Biomarkers of Latently Infected Cd4+ T Cells | | | Fabio Romerio, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Fabio Romerio of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in the U.S. seeks to identify surface biomarkers of HIV latently infected cells by comparing membrane proteomes of latently infected and uninfected cells. Unique biomarkers allow selective killing of latently infected cells with specific ligands, or targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.
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| Combining HAART and HIV Immunization to Eradicate HIV | | | Nicolas Chomont, VGTI-Florida, Port St. Lucie, FL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Nicolas Chomont of the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute Florida in the U.S. will determine if the stimulation of latently infected cells with HIV antigens is a viable strategy for eradicating the HIV reservoir. If successful, the strategy could be used to cure HIV by combining HAART and immunization with HIV antigens.
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Showing grants 41 to 50 of 560 | Destruction of HIV-infected Cells by Molecular Nano-Switches | | | Marc-André Langlois, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Marc-Andre Langlois of the University of Ottawa in Canada will develop small molecules that combine together to form a toxic compound only when they enter an HIV-infected cell. Because the molecules are non-toxic for healthy cells, they could constitute promising candidates for a vaccine-based delivery system aimed at specifically eliminating HIV-infected cells. |
| Discovery of Tat-mimicking Compounds to Fight HIV Latency | | | Marco Sgarbanti, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy - IT |
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Phase I
| Marco Sgarbanti at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Italy proposes to develop a new class of small molecules designed to mimic Tat gene products found in HIV that stimulate and accelerate the transcription of HIV RNA. These Tat-mimicking compounds could activate the latent virus, creating an opportunity to expose it to effective antiretroviral therapies. |
| Elimination of HIV by X-Ray-Stimulated Photodynamic Therapy | | | Hongxiang Chen, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University., Wuhan, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Hongxiang Chen of Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University in China will develop X-ray-sensitive fluorescent nanoparticles conjugated to antibodies that will selectively bind to HIV. Once bound to the targets, the nanoparticles can be excited by X-rays to kill the virus. |
| Engineering HIV-1 Integrase for Provirus Removal | | | Gorica Rakleova, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria - BG |
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Phase I
| Gorica Rakleova of Sofia University in Bulgaria proposes to identify and create a library of HIV-1 integrase variants that are capable of removing virus sequences from infected cell genomes. If successful, these variants could be used as new HIV therapies. |
| G-quadruplex: A Molecular Target for Selective HIV-1 Cure | | | Sara Richter, University of Padua, Padua, Italy - IT |
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Phase I
| Sara Richter of the University of Padua in Italy proposes to use small molecules to target G-quadruplexes within HIV to induce a signal for DNA degradation. If successful, the virus would be maintained in a latent inactive state resulting in the death of the infected cell. |
| Identification of Candidate Markers of HIV Latency | | | Daniel Kavanagh, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Daniel Kavanagh of Massachusetts General Hospital in the U.S. proposes to use a novel class of molecular probes to identify and characterize individual cells latently infected with HIV. If successful, this project will identify new markers that may be used to target and eliminate HIV-infected cells.
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| Latency: A Biomarker Discovery Pipeline | | | Amalio Telenti, Institute of Microbiology, CHUV-UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland - CH |
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Phase I
| Amalio Telenti of the Institute of Microbiology in Switzerland proposes to identify biomarkers specific to HIV latency using high-throughput screening of RNA sequences and a customized screening tool for validating HIV positive individuals. If successful, the biomarkers could be used in the study of HIV latency reservoirs and aid eradication efforts.
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| Modifying HIV Proteins To Kill Latently Infected Cells | | | Steven R. King, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Steven R. King of the University of Michigan in the U.S. proposes to engineer HIV proteins that can target and destroy HIV in latently infected cells. If successful, these new anti-viral drugs together with conventional treatments could completely clear the virus from people, resulting in a cure for HIV infection.
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| Persisting HIV-1 Integration Sites in Humans in vivo | | | Christof von Kalle, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum / NCT, Heidelberg, Germany - DE |
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Phase I
| Christof von Kalle of Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum/NCT in Germany will study the genomic location and clonal structure of HIV integration sites in host cells. Finding and eliminating these cells could make antiretroviral therapies more effective and increase the survival of infected individuals. |
| Radioimmunotherapy in Patients on ART for HIV Cure | | | Ekaterina Dadachova, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ekaterina Dadachova of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the U.S., in collaboration with Arturo Casadevall, proposes to use radioimmunotherapy as a strategy to eliminate HIV-infected cells in patients on anti-retroviral therapy. Targeting viral antigens on these cells with radioactivity-armed antibodies could lead to HIV eradication.
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Showing grants 51 to 60 of 560 | Reversion of HIV Latency by Small Molecule Inhibition of miR | | | Alexander Deiters, North Carolina State Univ, Raleigh, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Alex Deiters of North Carolina State University in the U.S. will work to discover small molecule inhibitors of short ribonucleic acids (microRNAs) that cause HIV latency in resting T-lymphocytes. Inhibiting the function of these microRNAs could reverse HIV latency, purge HIV reservoirs, and ultimately represent a chemotherapeutic approach to eradicating HIV infection.
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| Selective Apoptosis Induction in HIV-1 Reservoirs | | | Adam Spivak, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Adam Spivak from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the U.S. will perform a high-throughput screen to identify novel compounds able to selectively induce cell death in chronically HIV-1 infected cells. Understanding the mechanism of action of such compounds will inform efforts to target and eradicate remaining HIV-1 reservoirs in patients receiving antiretroviral therapy.
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| Sensor Strategies to Eliminate HIV-1 Infected Cells | | | Joao Goncalves, ADEIM - Faculdade de Farmacia Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal - PT |
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Phase I
| Joao Goncalves of ADEIM - Faculdade de Farmacia Lisboa in Portugal proposes to develop molecular sensor strategies using nanoparticles to target memory T cells to deliver a toxin that will be expressed when zinc-finger proteins detect HIV-1 sequences.
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| Targeting HIV Provirus with Novel Restriction Endonucleases | | | Russell Poulter, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand - NZ |
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Phase I
| Russell Poulter of the University of Otago in New Zealand will test ‘homing’ endonucleases found in the genomes of some microbes for their ability to precisely cleave DNA at very specific sites. If successful, these nucleases could be suitable for cleaving and eliminating integrated HIV.
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| Testing Novel Nanoparticles for Antagonizing HIV Latency | | | Jerome Zack, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jerome Zack of the University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S. will test nanoparticles for their ability to specifically activate HIV from latently infected cells. Once the latent cells express viral proteins, host immune responses and targeted therapies can be used to kill the cell. If successful, this project could provide an effective approach to eliminate an important viral reservoir from HIV infected individuals. |
| Transplantation of Selected Blood Stem Cells as a Treatment | | | Gero Hütter, Red Cross Germany, Mannheim, Germany - DE |
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Phase I
| Gero Hütter of Red Cross Germany proposes to use stem cells transplants to cure HIV. He is planning to develop a program that generates a registry of stem cells that lack the CCR5 protein, which is used by HIV to enter into a cell. If successful these adult stem cells could be transplanted into a HIV patient and effectively “cure” HIV. |
| A "Smart Diaphragm" for the Early Detection of Preterm Labor | | | Larry Rand, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Larry Rand and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco in the U.S. will develop a vaginal diaphragm to detect changes in cervical collagen and wirelessly alert health providers before preterm labor begins. This device would identify a new pre-labor “window” during which intervention could reduce mortality and disability resulting from pre-term birth among at-risk pregnant women.
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| A Device to Treat Post Partum Hemorrhage | | | Glenna Bett, SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Glenna Bett of SUNY University at Buffalo in the U.S. proposes to develop a device to treat postpartum hemorrhage suitable for use even when medical facilities are absent or minimal, and in non-sterile environments. If successful, this has the potential to reduce perinatal deaths worldwide.
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| A New Method for Handling Dysfunctional Labor | | | Eva Wiberg-Itzel, Karolinska Institute, Sodersjukhuset, Danderyd, Sweden - SE |
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Phase I
| Eva Wiberg-Itzel of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden proposes to develop an easy and informative test which measures the concentration of lactate in the amniotic fluid of laboring women to help obstetricians and midwifes predict labor outcomes. Measuring lactate levels can give care providers an early indication of whether interventions are needed to reduce maternal and infant mortality in developing countries.
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| A Sensitive Epigenetic Tool for Prediction of Pre-eclampsia | | | Mahua Choudhury, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Mahua Choudhury of University of Colorado in the U.S. will develop a database of epigenetic signatures, changes in DNA and proteins caused by non-genetic factors such as poor nutrition, smoking and environmental contaminants, that could be used as predictors of pre-eclampsia. This information will be used to develop a cost-effective diagnostic tool to detect these markers in blood or urine.
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Showing grants 61 to 70 of 560 | A Vaccine-like Approach for Prevention of Preterm Brain Injury | | | Xiaoyang Wang, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden - SE |
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Phase I
| Xiaoyang Wang of University of Gothenburg in Sweden, along with Harvey Cantor of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the U.S., will test whether inhibition of a key molecule of inflammation can prevent brain injury in preterm newborns with asphyxia. If successful, this could be used to develop a vaccine-like approach to halt the process of neonatal brain injury.
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| Ceramic Umbilical Cord Finger Scissors | | | Margo Klar, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Margo Klar of the Yale School of Public Health in the U.S. proposes to develop the first ceramic umbilical cord cutting device named the “ceramic umbilical cord finger scissors”. The simple and sharp device made from ceramic is expected to reduce the incidence of infection related to poor delivery hygiene in developing countries.
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| Circumferential Abdominal-Pelvic Pressure Device for Postpartum Hemorrhage | | | Mark Hauswald, Global Health Partnerships, Telluride, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Mark Hauswald, Nancy Kerr, and David Wachter of Global Health Partnerships and the University of New Mexico in the U.S. will work with care providers in Nepal to evaluate their use and acceptance of inexpensive devices constructed of local materials that decrease blood flow to the pelvic organs for treating post-partum hemorrhage, a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the developing world.
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| Diagnostic Device for Accurate Diagnosis of Pre-eclampsia | | | Zhenan Bao, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Zhenan Bao of Stanford University in the U.S. will develop a low-cost sensing strip with a diagnostic reader to diagnose pre-eclampsia. The diagnosis is based upon the fact that there is an electrical current change when pre-eclampsia is present. If successful, this diagnostic tool could be used for the early detection and monitoring of this condition to avoid late-stage pregnancy complications.
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| Diagnostic Device for Early Detection of Neonatal Sepsis | | | Karen Wu, Lucerna, Inc., New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Karen Wu of Lucerna, Inc. in the U.S. seeks to develop a portable fluorescence-based device for the rapid detection of procalcitonin (PCT), a biomarker of early sepsis. An inexpensive, simple to use and highly durable device can aid in the early detection of neonatal sepsis, a major cause of infant mortality in developing countries.
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| Effective Treatment to Prevent Preterm Delivery | | | Iain Buxton, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Iain Buxton of the University of Nevada School of Medicine will test the theory that the uterine muscle is regulated by a unique potassium channel that allows it to remain relaxed while a growing fetus continues to exert increasing pressure. Studying the dysfunction of this channel could lead to a therapeutic target to treat preterm delivery.
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| Identification of New Treatments for Neuronatal H-I Encephalopathy | | | Xin Wang, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Xin Wang of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the U.S. will work to identify new inexpensive drugs and their various combinations for the treatment of newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. This condition occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen during birth asphyxia. If successful, the strategy can be used to decrease birth-related brain injury and help reduce infant mortality rates.
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| Low Cost, Low Power, Mobile Diagnostic Ultrasound Scanner for Affordable Healthcare During Pregnancy | | | Manish Arora, GE India Technology Centre Private Limited, Bangalore, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Manish Arora of the GE India Technology Centre Private Limited in Bangalore, India will assess the feasibility of using new low-cost ultrasound transducers to create an affordable diagnostic ultrasound scanner for use in the developing world. Arora’s prototype device will also feature a power-saving mode to save battery power, as well as wireless connectivity features that can enable telehealth solutions in remote locations. |
| Low-cost Pulse Oximetry Probes for Low Resource Settings | | | John Wyatt, Power-free Education and Technology, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| John Wyatt of Power-free Education and Technology in the United Kingdom will develop a durable, low-cost pulse oximetry probe for use with a “wind-up” pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen saturation levels in the blood of newborns, sick children and mothers undergoing cesarean section in low resource settings. |
| Low-Cost Sustainable Solution for Rural Ultrasound | | | Kristen DeStigter, Imaging the World, Charlotte, VT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kristen DeStigter and Brian Garra of Imaging the World in the U.S. will test a newly developed ultrasound imaging and diagnosis system that can be used in rural areas without trained personnel or electricity to help detect critical maternal conditions that increase maternal and infant mortality. |
Showing grants 71 to 80 of 560 | Marinobufagenin Predicts Later Development of Preeclampsia | | | Jules Puschett, Texas A&M Research Foundation, College Station, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jules Puschett of the TAMUS Health Science Center Research Foundation in the U.S. will study initial evidence that elevated levels of the steroid hormone marinobufagenin (MBG) in urine is a very early indicator of preeclampsia in pregnant women. If true, this common and dangerous condition could be diagnosed early with a simple urine dipstick test, and potentially prevented or treated with a molecule called resibufogenin, which counteracts MBG.
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| New Technology for Assessment of Hydration Status of Newborn | | | Noune Sarvazyan, Artann Laboratories, Austin, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Noune Sarvazyan and a team at Artann Laboratories in the U.S. will develop a hand-held ultrasonic device for noninvasive measurement of soft tissue water content to assess dehydration in newborns. Dehydration is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality.
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| Novel Hemostatic Foam to Treat Postpartum Hemorrhage | | | Maria Palasis, Arsenal Medical, Inc., Watertown, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Maria Palasis of Arsenal Medical, Inc. in the U.S. proposes to develop a hemostatic foam device that can be delivered into the uterus to control bleeding following childbirth. Success in this effort will significantly reduce maternal death in the developing world by providing an effective yet simple and inexpensive medical device that is compatible with existing infrastructure.
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| Preventing Preterm Labor in Low Resource Settings | | | Scott Sullivan, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Scott Sullivan of the Medical University of South Carolina in the U.S. will build and test a vaginal insert for the prevention of preterm delivery. The device would mechanically support the cervix and dispense medication that would reduce preterm birth risk. It would be inexpensive, small, storage stable, re-usable and easily self-inserted.
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| siRNA-based Therapeutics for Preeclampsia | | | Melissa J. Moore, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worchester, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Melissa J. Moore of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and S. Ananth Karumanchi of Harvard Medical School in the U.S. propose to develop siRNA-based therapies to silence genes in the placenta which produce excess proteins that cause preeclampsia. Temporarily silencing these genes can prolong pregnancy and protect the life of both infant and mother.
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| Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage Using Uterine Electrical Stimulation | | | Robert Garfield, St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Robert Garfield of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona in the U.S. will develop a compact, battery-powered device to electrically stimulate uterine contraction and prevent profuse bleeding following childbirth. The instrument could be used by any individual to reduce life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage in hospitals and in remote areas where prompt action is necessary.
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| A Novel Way to Increase Intestinal Immunity to Poliovirus | | | Simon Carding, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Simon Carding of the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom will test the feasibility of a new technology using live commensal gut bacteria for the controlled delivery of poliovirus antigens to the intestinal mucosa to generate protective viral immunity.
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| Development of a Non-Infectious Poliovirus Vaccine | | | James Flanegan, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| James Flanegan of the University of Florida in the U.S. proposes to develop a non-infectious poliovirus vaccine using encapsidated replicons or mature empty capsids that retain full immunogenicity. Either approach can be potentially used to develop a new vaccine that can be safely used in a pre- or post-eradication world.
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| Development of a Non-live Liposomal Polio Vaccine | | | David Moss, Lipoxen plc, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| David Moss from Lipoxen plc in the United Kingdom aims to develop a non-live polio vaccine using liposomes to entrap and deliver defined poliovirus antigens effectively to the immune system. If successful, the project will expedite the development and global deployment of a simple, economic new polio vaccine.
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| Empty Poliovirus Capsids as Candidate Vaccines | | | Ian Jones, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Ian Jones of the University of Reading in the United Kingdom will investigate new methods to produce empty poliovirus capsids. These are virus-like particles that stimulate the same immunity as poliovirus itself but are completely non-infectious. A successful technology could offer cost and safety benefits leading to the replacement of traditional polio vaccines.
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Showing grants 81 to 90 of 560 | Enhancing Mucosal Immune Response to OPV with IPV | | | Jacob John, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Jacob John of Christian Medical College in India will test the theory that poor immunity generated by the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) may be responsible for persistence of the disease. John will study the effect of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) on gut immunity in children previously given the oral polio vaccine (OPV). Boosting immunity with IPV could result in strategies for accelerating polio eradication. |
| Improve the Response to Oral Poliovirus Vaccine in India | | | Nicholas Grassly, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Nick Grassly of Imperial College London and colleagues at CMC-Vellore in India will try to improve the immune response to oral poliovirus vaccine among children in India by treating enteric infections before vaccination. If successful, this simple intervention could reduce the number of vaccine doses required to protect children in lower-income countries.
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| Improved Vaccine Technology to Eradicate Polio | | | Ralph Tripp, University of Georgia Research Foundation, Athens, GA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ralph Tripp at the University of Georgia in the U.S. proposes to produce more poliovirus vaccine supply by silencing non-essential virus resistance genes to develop enhanced vaccine cell lines. If successful, these cell lines will increase stocks of vaccine while reducing production costs.
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| Invention of Mobile Poliovirus Diagnostic Platform | | | Róbert Gyurcsányi, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary - HU |
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Phase I
| Róbert Gyurcsányi of Budapest University of Technology and Economics and Tamás Mészáros of Semmelweis University in Hungary are working with virologists and physicists to develop a poliovirus biosensor based on nanopores and aptamers. If successful, the device will allow on-site detection of poliovirus strains, making a poliovirus diagnostic available in low-resource areas. |
| Low Cost, SIngle Dose, Oral, Live Ad4-based VP Polio Vaccine | | | Kenneth Kelley, PaxVax, San Diego, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kenneth Kelley of PaxVax in the U.S. seeks to develop a low-cost, single-dose, oral polio vaccine using a live, safe adenovirus containing protein-encoding genes from poliovirus. If successful, this vaccine can be used to eradicate polio while eliminating the risks of vaccine-derived polio disease and poliovirus re-introduction. |
| Mucosal Immunity in Polio | | | Peter Wright, Trustees of Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Peter Wright of Dartmouth Medical School in the U.S. will determine if preexisting gut immunity predicts shedding of poliovirus vaccine. The study builds on specimens from two previous trials conducted by the WHO. Understanding how inactivated and live poliovirus vaccines protect against shedding of poliovirus is central to strategies for polio eradication.
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| Oral Vaccination by Poliovirus-Like Particle Protein Chips | | | Hajime Mori, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan - JP |
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Phase I
| Hajime Mori of Kyoto Institute of Technology in Japan will develop protein chips that encapsulate poliovirus-like particles (PLP) for use as a safe and effective polio vaccine. When the PLP-protein chips are orally administered, they pass through the stomach without degradation and then are gradually released into the gut to induce a strong immunity against poliovirus infection. |
| Poliovirus Vaccine for the Post Eradication Era | | | Jane Cardosa, Sentinext Therapeutics, Penang, Malaysia - MY |
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Phase I
| Jane Cardosa of Sentinext Therapeutics in Malaysia will design recombinant viruses that can generate self-assembling poliovirus-like particles for use in a poliovirus vaccine. Such a vaccine will be important after wild poliovirus has been eradicated so that people will still have access to a protective vaccine without the necessity of maintaining live poliovirus stocks. |
| Artificial Merozoites as a Blood Stage Malaria Vaccine | | | Bart Faber, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands - NL |
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Phase I
| Bart Faber of the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands will attempt to create a malaria vaccine using artificial merozoites, which are the blood stage form of the disease. Faber will engineer yeast cells to present multiple surface proteins and measure subsequent antibody production. If successful, this yeast vaccine could be easy to produce and easily transported and stored at ambient temperatures. |
| "Lego" like Sanitation System: Pit Latrines Made of Biocomposites | | | Antonio Avila, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil - BR |
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Phase I
| Antonio Avila of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil proposes to develop building blocks made from biocomposites that will replace conventional brick and cement constructions for pit latrines. The team will test these building blocks strength and their rate of biodegradation to determine their suitability for building latrines that will decompose once the pits are filled, allowing for the eventual reintroduction of the land for farming and other community uses. |
Showing grants 91 to 100 of 560 | A Low-Cost Decentralized Sanitary System | | | Bin Fan, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Beijing, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Bin Fan of the Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences in China seeks to develop a decentralized sanitation system which uses a low-cost waterless, vacuum system to collect excrement and kitchen waste. The combined waste can then be processed into organic fertilizer. |
| Algae for the Effective and Economical Treatment of Waste | | | Natalie Cookson, Quantitative BioSciences, San Diego, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Natalie Cookson and colleagues at Quantitative BioSciences in the U.S. are developing an algae-based waste treatment system targeted for third-world applications. Cyanobacteria will treat a community’s waste and produce two forms of renewable energy: nutrient-rich fertilizer to enhance agriculture and biomethane to power the facility and neighboring community.
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| An Energy-Producing Waterless Toilet System | | | Virginia Gardiner, Loowatt Ltd., London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Virginia Gardiner of Loowatt Ltd. in the United Kingdom will develop a waterless toilet that seals waste into a portable cartridge within biodegradable film, for local anaerobic digestion. The digester produces fuel and fertilizer, creating local waste treatment economies.
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| Decentralized Next Generation Sanitation for Diarrheal Pathogens | | | James Blackburn, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| James Blackburn of Southern Illinois University in the U.S. will test a wind turbine-driven sanitation system for its ability to raise and maintain temperatures in an insulated container for the removal of pathogens in human waste. The technology could be used in developing countries in the temperate or equatorial zones to reduce the occurrence of diarrheal diseases.
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| Design of Microorganisms with Semiconducting Membranes | | | Guillermo Bazan, California Nanosystems Institute, Santa Barbara, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Guillermo Bazan of the University of California, Santa Barbara in the U.S. proposes to introduce artificial molecular wires (AMWs) into a waste treatment system as a way to not only break down organic contaminants in human waste, but also catalytically convert the energy present in those microbes into electrical energy for local needs.
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| Develop a Simple Auger-Die Assembly That Treats Fecal Wastes | | | Gary Foutch, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Gary Foutch and AJ Johannes of Oklahoma State University in the U.S. propose to develop a small-scale device in which an auger forces feces and other solid wastes device through a die that results in high temperatures and pressure that dewaters the waste and destroys microorganisms. The device could reduce odor, insects, surface and ground water contamination and the associated spread of diseases.
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| Developing Fortified Excreta Pellets for Use in Agriculture | | | Olufunke Cofie, International Water Management Institute, Accra, Ghana - GH |
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Phase I
| Olufunke Cofie of the International Water Management Institute in Ghana will develop and test fortified fertilizer pellets from treated human excreta for market sale. If successful, the production at large scale would enhance agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa while also contributing to reduction in environmental health risk from untreated human waste. |
| Ecological Sanitation for the Base of the Pyramid | | | Elmer Sayre, Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development Foundation, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines - PH |
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Phase I
| Elmer Sayre of the WAND Foundation in the Philippines will explore how to close the loop between sanitation, health and food consumption by testing low-cost dry toilets appropriate for most conditions and using the human waste in small-scale agriculture efforts. Results and best practices will then be shared for future scale-up of the project.
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| High Efficiency, Sanitary Toilet with Sewage Treatment | | | Peter Dreher, Livvon LLC, Dayton, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Peter Dreher of Livvon LLC in the U.S. will develop and test a simple toilet with integrated sewage treatment that employs a hand crank to dewater feces and turn it into dry, odorless pellets that can be used for fertilizer or fuel. The air-tight system will also control odor and keep out flies and vermin.
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| Hybrid Anaerobic Digester-Microbial Fuel Cell for Energy & Nutrient Capture | | | Leonard Tender, Naval Research Laboratory, Bethesda, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Leonard Tender of the Naval Research Laboratory in the U.S. proposes to develop a low-cost wastewater treatment system comprised of an anaerobic digester that generates organically rich acids to power a microbial fuel cell. If successful, the technology could reduce the burden of waterborne diseases in the developing world while providing useful energy.
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Showing grants 101 to 110 of 560 | Integrated Mobile Sanitation Solutions in Peri-Urban Setting | | | Kory Russel, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kory Russel, Sebastien Tilmans and Katherine Steele of Stanford University in the U.S. are designing a consumer-driven line of latrines that double as containment and transport systems for fecal wastes. The latrines will be low-cost, mass-producible, and easy to ship, enabling various sanitation services and collection businesses to develop in areas just outside dense urban populations.
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| Novel Materials for Low-Cost Sanitary Pad Production | | | Lawino Kagumba, American Friends of ZanaAfrica, Cambridge, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Lawino Kagumba and Megan White of American Friends of ZanaAfrica in the U.S. will work with collaborators in Kenya to develop and test sanitary pads that utilize an agricultural by-product as an alternative absorbent material. If successful, low-income women and girls will have access to locally produced affordable feminine hygiene products.
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| Prototype Microflush- Biofil Toilet Facilities | | | Stephen Mecca, Ghana Sustainable Aid Project, Providence, RI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Stephen Mecca of Ghana Sustainable Aid Project in the U.S., along with partners in Ghana, will develop and field test in Ghana a prototype toilet facility that incorporates an innovative aerobic digester to decompose waste along with a microflush valve that uses minimal amounts of grey water. The field tests will help assess and refine cultural, sanitation and financial aspects of these community facilities.
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| Reusable Self-Decontaminating Sanitary Napkin | | | Joe Schneider, LAAMScience, Inc., Morrisville, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Joe Schneider of LAAMScience in the U.S. will develop a reusable and self-decontaminating menstrual napkin that uses photodynamic dyes to inactivate microbial growth on the fabric. The napkin would prevent the need for expensive disposable pads and tampons while offering a hygienic alternative that self-disinfects in the absence of soap or clean water.
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| Safe Sludge | | | Kara Nelson, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kara Nelson of the University of California, Berkeley in the U.S. proposes to disinfect excreta in latrines by converting the ammonia naturally found in urine and feces into a powerful disinfectant by adding an alkalinizing agent to raise the pH level. By killing pathogens immediately and turning excreta into “safe sludge,” all subsequent activities required for excreta management become safer.
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| Technology to Convert Excreta to Valuable Products | | | Ian Gates, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Ian Gates and Michael Kallos of the University of Calgary in Canada propose to combine two well-established technologies - anaerobic micro-digesters and micro combined heat/power thermoelectric generation units – into a single portable unit that can consume human excreta to generate electricity, heat, methane, fertilizer and water. Each device will be designed to serve a single extended family. |
| The Earth Auger Toilet: Innovation in Waterless Sanitation | | | Marcos Fioravanti, Fundación In Terris, Guayaquil, Ecuador - EC |
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Phase I
| Marcos Fioravanti and Chris Canaday of Fundación In Terris in Ecuador will develop a pedal-operated, low-cost, easy-to-use, odorless urine-diverting dry toilet, in which feces and urine disappear after each use, dry material is mixed in mechanically instead of polluting water, and it all becomes plant fertilizer. |
| The Latrine Training Mat | | | Claire Null, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Clair Null and Silantoi Kisoso with Innovations for Poverty Action in the U.S., along with Michael Kremer of Harvard University, are designing a children’s latrine training mat made from easy-to-clean plastic that fits over an existing latrine hole. The sturdy but easy-to-move platform has a child-sized hole that eliminates the fear and risk of falling into the latrine, promoting good sanitation practices and fostering a life-long habit of latrine use.
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| The Lotus Throne: A Self-Cleaning Solution to Sanitation | | | Kin-Ping Wong, Retina Pharma, Inc., Fresno, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kin-Ping Wong of Retina Pharma, Inc. in the U.S. proposes to test UV-resistant super-water-repellent silica as a coating for toilets, which could reduce the amount of water needed to clean the toilets after use and improve the surface sanitation of the toilets. The silica coating displays the same very high water repellency as the leaves of the lotus flower.
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| Turning Latrines Into Fly Traps | | | Steve Lindsay, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Steve Lindsay of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom seeks to demonstrate that flies are transmitters of diarrheal diseases due to their attraction to fecal matter and to food sources, and proposes to design traps that attract, capture and kill flies in latrines. If successful, the reductions in flies may reduce diarrheal diseases in local communities.
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Showing grants 111 to 120 of 560 | Universal Slum Sanitation with 100% Safe Reuse of Nutrients | | | Karsten Gjefle, Sustainable Sanitation Design, Oslo, Norway - NO |
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Phase I
| Karsten Gjefle of Sustainable Sanitation Design in Norway will design and test a low cost system to rapidly turn human excreta into pathogen-free compost for use as fertilizer for farmers. Gjefle and his team hope to create a viable financial market that will remove untreated sewage from urban areas and also provide farmers with recycled, safe and natural soil improvements.
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| Urban Sanitation Solutions for High-Use, Flooded, and Difficult to Serve Areas | | | Andreas Koestler, Fontes Foundation, Ås, Norway - NO |
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Phase I
| Andreas G. Koestler and Andrew Larsen of the Fontes Foundation in Norway will design and conduct a small field test in Haiti of a new toilet block system that can be erected as a kit in high-density, difficult to serve communities such as refugee camps. The system will feature urine diverting toilet pans as well as enlarged ventilation areas to help eliminate odors and desiccate feces, and will utilize used billboard fabric as waterproof walls, ceilings, and bladders to store excreta and contain pathogens that can foul water supplies.
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| Using Cocopeat for Treating Septic Tank Effluent | | | David Robbins, RTI International, Research Triangle, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Robbins of RTI International in the U.S. will test a septic tank biofilter made from cocopeat, which is a readily available byproduct of coconut processing, for its ability to decompose human waste and produce effluent that can be used for crop fertilization and irrigation. If successful, the cocopeat biofilter could be produced locally and aid in solid waste treatment and water conservation efforts.
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| Using Senecio lyratipartitus Extract After Anal Ablution | | | Asafu Maradufu, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, Eldoret, Kenya - KE |
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Phase I
| Asafu Maradufu of the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton in Kenya proposes to produce a gel-based disinfectant from plant extracts of Senecio lyratipartitus which can be applied to hands. This disinfectant will reduce contamination associated with the practice of anal ablution among certain communities. |
| Using Waste To Move Waste | | | Mark Illian, Nature Healing Nature, Houston, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Mark Illian of Nature Healing Nature in the U.S. will work with villagers in rural Africa to design a pour-flush latrine utilizing readily available urine instead of scarce water for flushing, and drops of used cooking oil for odor control. Achieving a successful design of these latrines could stimulate more latrine building to reduce open defecation and resulting diarrheal diseases.
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| A Disposable SIM Card Biosensor for Rapid Malaria Detection | | | Peter Lillehoj, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Peter Lillehoj and Chih-Ming Ho of the University of California, Los Angeles in the US. will develop a disposable malaria biosensor based on a SIM card platform. This SIM card-biosensor will allow malaria detection to be performed using a cell phone, making diagnostic testing more widely available in rural and decentralized settings.
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| A Mobile Phone Enabled Diagnostic Platform for Monitoring Drug Compliance | | | Amit Srivastava, Children's Hospital, Boston, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Amit Srivastava of Children’s Hospital, Boston in the U.S., along with colleagues at MIT, will develop a novel drug compliance platform combining the use of mobile phones for a simple diagnostic test, with economic incentives. The device will include a platform that measures drug metabolites in bodily fluids to generate a readout. Test results submitted on time will result in immediate economic rewards, such as additional cell phone minutes. |
| Cell Based Protocols for Safer Deliveries | | | Marc Mitchell, D-Tree International, Weston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Marc Mitchell of D-Tree International in the U.S. will develop and test a mobile phone-based tool using clinical algorithms that rapidly identify women at risk during labor and delivery and facilitate emergency transfer to a hospital. The tool is a combination of phone decision support, data storage, on-line banking and communications on a single device at the point of care to improve maternal health outcomes. If successful, this tool could significantly reduce maternal mortality in low-income countries. |
| Mobile Content Authoring Platform | | | Megan Beck, Grameen Foundation USA, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Megan Beck of the Grameen Foundation USA is developing a prototype of content authoring and management software for the delivery of health information and tools to low-end mobile phones that can often only display 160-character SMS messages on small screens. Creating a platform for the dissemination of new and already existing information through mobile phones can provide needed access to critical health resources. |
| Mobile Phone-Based Biometric Vaccination Registry | | | Mark Thomas, VaxTrac, Chicago, IL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Mark Thomas of VaxTrac in the U.S. will field test a mobile phone-based vaccination registry that uses fingerprint scans to track those who have received immunizations in hopes of reducing redundant doses and boosting coverage levels in developing countries. |
Showing grants 121 to 130 of 560 | Use of Mobile Phones for Improvement of MNCH Care | | | Terry Ferrari, World Vision, Federal Way, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Terry Ferrari of World Vision will field test in central Mozambique two mobile phone modules that prompt community health workers caring for pregnant women and newborns to assess, to take action, and to refer care in cases of complications and emergencies. Data gathered from this study will help refine the modules and inform plans to scale up the program to other districts. |
| A Novel Female-Controlled Antiviral Contraceptive | | | Renjie Chang, Lavax, Palatine, IL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Renjie Chang of Lavax in the U.S. will develop and test a vaginal suppository that uses a strain of commensal bacteria which has the ability to immobilize sperm and capture viruses. If successful, the bacteria could be used as a reversible contraceptive that also affords protection against viruses such as HIV and herpes. |
| A Novel Nonsurgical Female Sterilization Method, Polidocanol | | | Jeffrey Jensen, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jeffrey Jensen of Oregon Health & Science University in the U.S. will test the feasibility of using the varicose vein treatment polidocanol in a foam format to permanently close fallopian tubes. If validated, the method could offer a low-cost, nonsurgical sterilization method for administration by minimally trained healthcare workers in the developing world. |
| An Innovative “Inject & Forget” Contraceptive Drug Delivery Device | | | Gerrard Poinern, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Gérrard Poinern of Murdoch University in Australia will develop and test an implantable subcutaneous device made from same calcium mineral that bones are made of, which will release contraceptive drugs in a sustained and controlled way for a period of months. Creating of this device uses ultrasound and microwave technology, allowing for eventual low-cost manufacture in developing countries. |
| Anti-Microbial/HIV-1 Peptide as a Vaginal Contraceptive | | | Nongnuj Tanphaichitr, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Nongnuj Tanphaichitr of the Ottawa Health Research Institute in Canada will research whether the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 can be used simultaneously as a contraceptive and an anti-HIV treatment. LL-37 binds to specific sites on sperm which are thought not only to play key roles in egg fertilization but also interact with gp120 used by HIV to gain entry into cells. |
| Development of Cell Phone Fertility Awareness Application | | | Paul Blumenthal, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Paul Blumenthal of Stanford University in the U.S. is creating a cell phone application that collects information on an individual’s menstrual cycle, processes the information with a calendar algorithm, and sends free text messages as a reminder to a woman of her menstrual status. |
| Development of Coated Copper T | | | Abi Santhosh Aprem, HLL Lifecare Ltd, Trivandrum, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Abi Santhosh Aprem of HLL Lifecare Ltd. in India will attempt to eliminate the side effects associated with copper T intrauterine devices by coating the copper with biodegradable polymers. The polymers could prevent bulk shedding of copper ions that cause bleeding, cramping and pain, leading to increased acceptance of this highly effective contraceptive device. |
| Doughnut Microspheres for Local Non-Hormonal Contraception | | | Ludwig Neyses, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Ludwig Neyses, Nicola Tirelli of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and Benjamin Kaupp of the Max Planck Institute in Germany will test an affordable, sustained drug delivery formulation made of microparticle “doughnuts” combined with recently identified non-hormonal substances that immobilize sperm for possible use in a vaginal contraceptive device. |
| Fusogenic Nanoparticles for Combined Anti-HIV/Contraception | | | Samuel Wickline, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Samuel Wickline of Washington University in the U.S. will formulate a vaginal gel that contains nanoparticles which serve as decoys to attract both sperm and HIV. The nanoparticles will fuse with specific receptors in the sperm and virions, causing both to deliver their genetic material into the nanoparticles, which simultaneously delivers a peptide that incapacitates both targets. |
| Nanotechnology-Based Contraception | | | David Clapham, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Clapham of Children’s Hospital Boston in the U.S. will develop and test a nanoparticle contraceptive that releases sperm tail inhibitors in response to vaginal pH changes or exposure to prostatic fluid. If successful, the nanoparticles could be incorporated into a vaginal gel to block sperm motility required for fertilization. |
Showing grants 131 to 140 of 560 | Tampon-Like Foam Device for Dual-Purpose Contraception | | | Giovanni Pauletti, James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, Cincinnati, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Giovanni Pauletti of the University of Cincinnati in the U.S. will develop and test a tampon-like, biodegradable foam device made from polymers that contain a safe spermicide and a microbicide. The device can be self-administered by women and quickly reacts to vaginal fluids to convert to a hydrogel that creates a physical and chemical barrier to sperm and HIV and other virions. |
| The Natural Spermicidal Antimicrobial Subtilosin | | | Michael Chikindas, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Michael Chikindas of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in the U.S. will evaluate the effectiveness of the natural antimicrobial protein subtilosin to not only treat vaginal infections but also act as a spermicidal agent. If successful, the protein could be used in a discrete formulation to help women maintain healthy vaginal flora and prevent pregnancy. |
| The Pill For Men – A Male Contraceptive Development | | | Haim Breitbart, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel - IL |
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Phase I
| Haim Breitbart of Bar-Ilan University in Israel will design and test antisense molecules that will inactivate specific genes within sperm that are essential to the fertilization process. If successful, these antisense molecules can be used to develop a reversible oral male contraceptive. |
| Transcervical Reversible Female Contraception | | | Sujoy Guha, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Sujoy Guha of the Indian Institute of Technology in India will test a new transcervical contraceptive made from a polymer compound for its ability to incapacitate both sperm and ovum. The novel compound is delivered to the fallopian tubes in liquid form, changed to a semi-solid form with an external application of radio frequency, and can be flushed out for fast and complete reversibility. |
| A Newborn Cry-Based Diagnosis System | | | Chakib Tadj, Ecole de Technologie Superieure, Montreal, Quebec, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Chakib Tadj of École de Technologie Supérieure in Canada will design and test a diagnostic tool using computer acoustical analysis of newborn cries to complement conventional diagnostic techniques in detecting medical conditions such as asphyxia, hypoglycemia, and infections. |
| Building a Mobile Midwives' Ultrasound | | | Beth Kolko, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Beth Kolko of the University of Washington in the U.S. will build on recent research that has revealed that current portable ultrasound devices are often too complex for rural midwives in developing countries to use, and will develop instead a streamlined, inexpensive device with limited functionality, a simplified user interface, and a contextual help system. The prototype will be field tested with midwives in Uganda. |
| Cheap, Practical Surfactant Therapy for Premature Infants | | | Charles Smith, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Charles (Skip) Smith of Seattle Children's Hospital in the U.S. seeks to develop a low cost pulmonary surfactant that can be administered by minimally educated health care workers to premature infants as they are being born as a means to avoid infant intubation as well as injury to premature lungs. |
| Community BP Monitoring to Detect Pre-eclampsia in Africa | | | Andrew Shennan, Department of Reproduction and Endocrinology, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Andrew Shennan and colleagues at Kings College London in the United Kingdom will field test in rural Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe a new blood pressure monitor which uses solar power and requires little training for its ability to increase detection rates and improve outcomes of women with pre-eclampsia in these communities. |
| Creation of a Highly Stable Pulmonary Surfactant Replacement | | | Joanna Long, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Joanna Long of the University of Florida in the U.S. will work to develop thermally and chemically stable pulmonary surfactant formulation for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome. If successful, this new synthetic pulmonary surfactant can be easily transported as a dry power and reconstituted in remote clinics to help decrease infant mortality rates. |
| Develop and Test a Tool to Identify PPH at Low Resource Set | | | Md Abdul Quaiyum, ICDDR,B, Dhaka, Bangladesh - BD |
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Phase I
| Md Abdul Quaiyum of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh will develop and test an inexpensive, biodegradable absorbent mat that can be placed under mothers who have just delivered babies to assess immediate postpartum blood loss. The mat can be weighed at regular intervals to measure absorbed blood, providing easy and early detection of postpartum hemorrhaging. |
Showing grants 141 to 150 of 560 | Handheld, Easy to Use Maternal/Fetal Early Warning System | | | Neil Euliano, Convergent Engineering, Gainesville, FL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Neil Euliano of Convergent Engineering in the U.S. is developing and testing a maternal-fetal monitoring system that uses reusable capacitive sensors and smart phones that provide early diagnosis for preeclampsia, labor dystocia, and the presence of preterm labor. The system allows time for transportation of these complicated deliveries to a capable facility. |
| Low Cost Battery Run Photovoltaic Driven Blue LED Blanket Therapy for the Jaundiced Newborn in Developing Countries | | | Arye Rosen, AMT, Inc., Cherry Hill, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Arye Rosen of AMT, Inc., in the U.S., along with neonatologist Harel Rosen will develop and test a prototype, low-cost portable blanket phototherapy system to provide light therapy for the treatment of jaundiced infants at risk for acute bilirubin encephalophathy. This blanket will be powered by a battery charged via a photovoltaic panel, offering a low-cost therapy for newborns in resource-poor areas, including those where grid electricity is unavailable. |
| Low Cost, Needle-Free Treatment for Post-Partum Haemorrhage | | | Michelle McIntosh, Monash University, Clayton, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Michelle McIntosh of Monash University in Australia will develop and test the stability and efficacy of a dry powder formulation of the drug oxytocin, which is used to treat post-partum bleeding, in an inexpensive inhalant format that would be a needle-free, non-refrigerated option suitable for use in remote areas with limited training. |
| Low-Cost Maternal and Infant Mechanical Ventilators for Developing Countries | | | Jussi Saukkonen, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jussi Saukkonen of Boston University School of Medicine and Alex Slocum of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S. will develop and test low-cost mechanical ventilators for infants in resource-poor settings. The use of simple parts and low-cost technology, along with small size and battery power, will allow for ease of use in remote locations. |
| Melatonin to Prevent Birth Asphyxial Brain Injury | | | Euan Wallace, The Ritchie Centre, Clayton, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Euan Wallace of The Ritchie Centre in Australia proposes to test the antioxidant melatonin as a simple and inexpensive intervention to reduce birth-related brain injury. |
| Novel and Very Early Detection of Preeclampsia | | | Guiying Nie, Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Guiying Nie of the Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research in Australia will develop a new assay to measure a protein that is produced by the placenta during its development, and will test the theory that monitoring this protein can reflect placental abnormalities that indicate a high risk for preeclampsia very early in pregnancy. If successful, identifying high-risk pregnancies very early can lead to targeted intervention, saving lives and reducing health care costs. |
| Reducing Preeclampsia Morbidity Through Congo Red Dot Test | | | Irina Buhimschi, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Irina Buhimschi of Yale University in the U.S. will optimize for developing world use a simple diagnostic urine test that uses the synthetic dye “Congo Red” to stain misfolded proteins that have been recently found to be excreted in the urine of women either suffering from or at high risk for preeclampsia. Identifying these proteins could lead to earlier treatment and lower rates of maternal deaths. |
| Targeting mTor Signaling To Prevent Preterm Birth | | | Sudhansu Dey, Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| S.K. Dey of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that the protein mTor, which regulates cell growth and survival, plays a critical role in premature uterine aging that lead to preterm birth, difficult labor and fetal death. This research could lead to the development of new strategies to combat preterm birth. |
| A New Platform for Vaccine Delivery Capable Of Eliciting a Mucosal Immune Response | | | Daniel Stein, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Daniel Stein and Phillip DeShong of the University of Maryland in the U.S. will construct and test a vaccine platform that utilizes low-cost, stable surfactant vesicles to deliver antigens for a sustained mucosal immune response. If successful, the platform could be used to develop low-cost vaccines for bacterial infections where carbohydrates form the basis of protective immunity, such as bacterial pneumonia and diarrheal diseases. |
| A New Whole-Organism Vaccine Against Malaria | | | Miguel Prudencio, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisboa, Portugal - PT |
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Phase I
| Miguel Prudencio of Instituto de Medicina Molecular in Portugal will test the theory that modified live rodent malaria parasites (P. berghei) can be used in a vaccine to elicit a strong immune response in humans without being able to infect human red blood cells and cause illness. |
Showing grants 151 to 160 of 560 | A Simple and Specific Screening Method for M.tb Infection | | | Guozhi Wang, National Institute For Control Pharmaceutical & Biological Products, Beijing, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Guozhi Wang of the National Institute for Control Pharmaceutical & Biological Products in China will assess the effectiveness of a new inexpensive skin test that can differentiate between true Tuberculosis infection and the markers of the BCG vaccination. Because the current TB screening protocol is not sensitive enough to tell the difference, this new test could lead to earlier and better treatment options for those with early-stage infections. |
| A Trick To Control Malaria: Manipulating the Mosquito Innate Immune Response | | | Sumi Biswas, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Sumi Biswas of the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford in the United Kingdom will test three components from the mosquito’s innate signaling pathways for possible use in a malaria vaccine. Biswas will test whether immunizing mammal hosts with these components can induce strong antibodies, which can be passed along to mosquitoes to enhance the insect’s innate immune response, thus leading to the death of the malaria parasite in the vector. |
| Bacillus-Fermented Natto as Edible Vaccines for the Developing World | | | Michael Chan, The Ohio State Research Foundation, Columbus, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Michael Chan of the Ohio State Research Foundation in the U.S. will develop an engineered strain of bacteria used to ferment beans in traditional Asian and African diets, to display an antigen from the Tuberculosis bacterium. The engineered bacillus will then be used to make the traditional Asian dish natto, which can serve as a kind of oral vaccine to elicit a strong immune response. If successful, this strategy can be used to introduce a variety of disease antigens through culturally accepted foods. |
| Biological Control of Mosquitoes with Bti-Engineered Algae | | | David Herrin, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Herrin and colleagues at the University of Texas propose to develop a green-algal food source for mosquito larvae into a biological control agent by engineering their chloroplasts to produce larvacidal proteins. The chloroplast genome has significant advantages for genetic modification, including stability and containment. |
| Chimera-immunoglobulin Against Broad-range Bacteria | | | Yutaka Terao, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita City Osaka, Japan - JP |
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Phase I
| Yutaka Terao of the Osaka University in Japan will construct and test synthetic immunoglobulin derived from the human immune system. If successful, these molecules could provide protection against a broad range of bacteria, including multiple-antibiotic resistant pathogens. |
| Counting and Classifying Insects with Ultra-Cheap Sensors | | | Eamonn Keogh, Computer Science & Engineering Department, Riverside, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Eamonn Keogh of the University of California- Riverside proposes to develop low cost hardware that can automatically count mosquitoes as they fly past a sensor. Accurate counts of the sex/species of mosquitoes are critical for planning intervention and control strategies to reduce malaria disease transmission. |
| Curing HIV Through Elimination of Latently Infected Cells | | | Bent Jakobsen, Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Bent Jakobsen of Immunocore Ltd. in the United Kingdom, collaborating with Cardiff and Oxford Universities, will test whether a novel biologic therapy, engineered from immune cells, can clear virus from latently-infected HIV cells. If successful, the HIV-infected patients could control the disease without retroviral drugs. |
| Development of Functional Foods and Breast Creams that Prevent Against Infectious Disease in Infants | | | Michelle McGuire, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Shelley McGuire of Washington State University, along with Mark McGuire of the University of Idaho in the U.S, will study whether commensal bacteria in human milk is related to maternal consumption of probiotic foods, and whether these microorganisms in breast milk can help prevent infectious diarrhea in infants. If possible, development of low-cost probiotic foods and breast creams could lead to a decrease in diarrheal illness and deaths among infants. |
| Eliminating Human Schistosomiasis with Village Aquaculture | | | Elizabeth Huttinger, Manobi Development Foundation, Pasadena, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Elizabeth Huttinger of the Manobi Development Foundation in the U.S. proposes to launch free-range freshwater prawn farming in rivers and canals where the parasitic disease schistosomiasis is endemic among children. Prawns are natural predators of snails, the intermediate host of the parasite, and reintroducing the prawn as part of a biological approach called Integrated Infectious Disease Control can not only interrupt the life cycle of the parasite, but also provide an income-generating activity for village women who can harvest and sell the prawns. |
| Eradicating HIV from Infected Cells with a Trojan Integrase | | | Alessandro Ripalti, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna S. Orsola, Bologna, Italy - IT |
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Phase I
| Alessandro Ripalti of Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna S.Orsola-Malpighi in Italy will attempt to produce an engineered HIV integrase, an enzyme produced by the virus to integrate itself into host chromosomes, and test its ability to instead cut the virus’ DNA at its integration sites in the human genome. |
Showing grants 161 to 170 of 560 | Generation of Novel Targeted Antibiotics | | | Carl Lowenberger, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Carl Lowenberger of Simon Fraser University in Canada proposes to develop novel antibiotics by combining regions of insect antibacterial peptides in abnormal conformations that will increase the types of organisms they will control and reduce the drug concentration required to kill existing and drug resistant bacteria. |
| Imatinib/Gleevecâ® Treatment of Schistosomiasis | | | Christoph Grevelding, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany - DE |
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Phase I
| Christoph Grevelding of Justus-Liebig-University in Germany will test the effectiveness of Imatinib, a cancer drug which inhibits kinase activity and cellular changes in cells, to impair and kill parasitic worms which carry Schistosomiasis. If successful, Imatinib could serve as a new drug therapy to fight this chronic disease which affects millions in developing countries. |
| Increased Stability and Immunogenicity of Bacterial Vaccines | | | Frank Robb, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Frank Robb of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in the U.S. will genetically integrate heat shock proteins from thermopilic organisms, which thrive at relatively high temperatures, into attenuated bacterial vaccines to try to enhance the viability and immunogenicity of these vaccines during the freeze-drying process. If successful, this method could enhance the delivery of low -cost, highly-effective vaccines without the need for refrigeration. |
| Intravaginal CuPCS to Prevent Sexual Transmission of HIV | | | Ashley Styczynski, University of Illinois, Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ashley Styczynski of the University of Illinois in the U.S. is investigating the use of a copper-based compound as a microbicide to prevent HIV infection through sexual transmission. A ring will be made with the organic molecule CuPCS to maintain the efficacy of the copper anti-HIV properties without disturbing beneficial vaginal bacteria. |
| Iron-Dependent Drug Delivery in Anti-Parasitic Chemotherapy | | | Adam Renslo, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Adam Renslo of University of California San Francisco in the U.S. will develop a new drug delivery technology that exploits the high ferrous iron concentrations in malaria parasites. If successful, this technology would allow delivery of existing and new therapeutics with increased safety margins and reduced potential for the development of drug resistance. |
| Local Skin Hyperthermia Can Prevent Schistosomiasis | | | Jintian Tang, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Jintian Tang of Tsinghua University in China will design and test a portable, non-invasive device for its ability to kill the worm larvae that causes the chronic parasitic disease Schistosomiasis. Tang’s research has shown that the worm larvae, which enters through the skin and causes immediate dermatitis, die at temperatures low enough to not harm human skin. By applying a heated device on the skin upon the first signs of dermatitis, the worm larvae can be eradicated before entering the human blood stream. |
| Long-Acting Insect Repellents for Prevention of Malaria | | | Rosemarie Hartman, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Rosemarie Hartman and Seth Rose of Arizona State University in the U.S. will develop and test
novel skin-binding insect repellents that slowly release the repellent over a period of weeks. The reduced need for repeated application could increase usage to provide sustained protection against mosquitoes that transmit malaria. |
| Longitudinal Feno Levels in Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis | | | Robert Gilman, Asociacion Benefica PRISMA, Lima, Peru - PE |
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Phase I
| Dr. Robert Gilman of A.B. PRISMA in Peru proposes to develop a rapid method of evaluating treatment response to tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant TB by measuring exhaled nitric oxide. Preliminary data has shown that patients with MDR-TB exhibit elevated levels of FeNO, and identifying these patients early can lead to alternative treatments to reduce transmission. |
| Long-Lasting Biological Larvicide for Malaria Vector Control | | | Guiyun Yan, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Guiyun Yan of the University of California, Irvine in the U.S. will develop and field test in Africa new formulations of biological larvicides which utilize plaster matrix materials for the slow release of the insecticide in an aquatic environment, as well as chemical lures that attract and stimulate feeding by the mosquito larvae. |
| Microbial-Based Oral Solution to Prevent Diarrhea in Infants | | | Ruth Connor, Symbiora Inc., Grantham, NH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ruth Connor of Symbiora Inc. in the U.S. will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a low-cost oral solution derived from beneficial strains of human gut bacteria to prevent and treat acute diarrheal illness in infants. |
Showing grants 171 to 180 of 560 | Microstructured Particles for Treating Bacterial Diarrhea | | | Wolf-Dietrich Hardt, ETH Zürich, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland - CH |
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Phase I
| Wolf-Dietrich Hardt of ETH Zurich, Institute of Microbiology in Switzerland will study the “swimming” behavior of diarrhea-causing pathogens, which move using tiny tails called flagella, to develop micro-structures that can trap the pathogen before it infects tissues. If successful, these particles could be delivery orally to prevent diarrheal illness without harming commensal gut bacteria that do not swim. |
| Mucosal Vaccines Based on Trapping Pathogens in Mucus | | | Samuel Lai, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Sam Lai of the University of North Carolina in the U.S. proposes to investigate methods that immobilize Herpes in mucus secretions that coat all surfaces in the body not covered by skin. If successful, his work may lead to new cost-effective approaches that block infections before viruses can infect cells. |
| Nano-Chip Biosensor for Infectious Diseases & Malaria | | | Vipul Bansal, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Vipul Bansal of RMIT University in Australia will develop a nanochip patch that utilizes a surface enhanced raman scattering platform to detect infectious diseases along with Malaria. The patch will be equipped with micro-needles that when applied to the skin come in close proximity to blood vessels which carry biomarkers for infectious diseases. Using a battery-operated laser scanner, Bansal will detect low concentrations of these molecules due to their unique Raman signature. |
| Novel Combinatorial Vaccine to Protect Women Against Disease | | | Ali Salanti, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark - DK |
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Phase I
| Ali Salanti of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark will develop and test a vaccine combining a novel placental malaria vaccine candidate with the cervical cancer vaccine, with the potential of inducing a strong protective response against both diseases simultaneously. |
| Novel Delivery of Protein Anthelmintics | | | Raffi Aroian, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Raffi Aroian of the University of California, San Diego proposes to develop a novel delivery system for non-toxic, anti-roundworm proteins. If successful, mass production of a safe, potent cure for intestinal roundworms that is cheap and compatible with global distribution should be possible. |
| Painting Against Dengue | | | Bart Knols, K&S Consulting, Dodewaard, Netherlands - NL |
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Phase I
| Bart Knols of K&S Consulting in the Netherlands will develop and test a surface coating that slowly releases mosquito attractants and a pesticide that female mosquitoes take back to breeding sites to kill emerging larvae. If successful, the coating can be used as a household paint to induce birth control in vector populations, thus reducing transmission. |
| Protection Against Malaria By “Natural” Antibodies | | | Miguel Soares, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, Oeiras, Portugal - PT |
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Phase I
| Miguel Soares of Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia in Portugal will test the theory that antibodies directed against a specific carbohydrate produced by gut pathogens play a role in immunity against severe forms of malaria. Newborns and young children, who are most susceptible to these severe forms of the disease, have not yet built up antibodies to this carbohydrate. Soares will assess whether stimulating production of this antibody in young children can offer them increased protection. |
| Stop Tooth Decay and Infectious Disease All At Once | | | Rong Wang, Wamax, Inc., Bellevue, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Rong Wang of Wamax, Inc. in the U.S. will develop a tooth filler which can be applied by hand into cavities to provide long-lasting anti-viral and anti-bacterial functions. If successful, the low-cost dental filler could be applied by non-medical personnel and provide long-lasting protection from infectious diseases that enter the body through the mouth. |
| Synthetic Lymph Node | | | Steven Meshnick, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Steven Meshnick and Carla Hand of the University of North Carolina in the U.S. will develop a bio-compatible, biodegradable polymer device that can be placed under the skin to introduce vaccines and antigens to the immune system. The device will attract immune cells and trigger their proliferation as well asact as an adjuvant at the site of injection. If successful, the device could help boost immune response to new and existing vaccines. |
| Use of a Powerful Phage DNA Packaging Motor to Engineer Nanoparticle DNA Vaccines | | | Venigalla Rao, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Venigalla Rao of The Catholic University of America in the U.S. will develop and test a DNA vaccine for HIV that encapsulates multiple HIV envelope genes into bacteriophages that will target antigen presenting dendritic cells. If successful, this could lead to a powerful multivalent DNA vaccine delivery platform against many diseases. |
Showing grants 181 to 190 of 560 | A Novel Method for Controlling Fertility and STD | | | Robert Aitken, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Northern Mariana Islands, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| John Aitken of the University of Newcastle in Australia will study the mechanisms by which organic compounds called quinones may provide simultaneous protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. Aitken will test the capability of quinones to react to enzymes in semen and not only immobilize sperm, but also disrupt the infective nature of pathogenic microbes found in STD infections such as Chlamydia |
| A Zeolite Hydrogel 'Nano-Mop' For Contraception | | | Benson Wamalwa, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya - KE |
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Phase I
| Benson Wamalwa of the University of Nairobi in Kenya will develop and test a vaginal gel that contains zeolite nanoparticles which soak up the fructose present in semen. By “mopping” up the fructose, this gel will rob sperm of the energy needed for motility. If successful, the gel could be used as an inexpensive, non-hormonal contraceptive. |
| Biologic Contraceptive | | | Rachel Teitelbaum, Hervana, Ltd, Beit Shemesh, Israel - IL |
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Phase I
| Rachel Teitelbaum of Hervana, Ltd. in Israel will develop and test a vaginal formulation that secretes an agent which inhibits sperm motility thus interfering with fertilization. It is hoped that this non-hormonal contraceptive will need only infrequent administration to maintain its effectiveness. |
| Contraception Based on Inhibition of the Sperm Receptor | | | Erick Wolf, Innolytics, LLC, Rancho Santa Fe, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Erick Wolf of Innolytics, LLC in the U.S. will test a modified version of a drug currently approved as an anti-protozoal and contraceptive for avians for its ability to alter sperm receptor proteins in mammals. If successful, this drug might be used as an oral, non-hormonal and reversible contraceptive. |
| Discovery of Chemosensory Molecules as Novel Contraceptives | | | John Ngai, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| John Ngai and Scott Laughlin of the University of California, Berkeley in the U.S. seek to identify chemical compounds in the female reproductive system that guide sperm cells to the egg. By characterizing these “odorants,” synthetic versions can be produced and administered to disrupt this navigation system thus inhibiting fertilization. |
| Long Lasting Male Contraceptive Pill Development | | | Michael Skinner, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Michael Skinner of Washington State University in the U.S. will optimize and test a compound that has been shown to impair the functioning of the Sertoli cell, which enables the production and maturation of sperm. Understanding this compound could lead to the development of a reversible, long-lasting male contraceptive pill. |
| Polymersome-based Novel Spermicide/Therapeutic Delivery | | | Gautam Pangu, Vindico NanoBioTechnology Inc, Lexington, KY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Gautam Pangu of Vindico NanoBioTechnology Inc. in the U.S. seeks to develop a vaginal gel that uses nano-sacs called polymersomes, which can control the delivery of spermicides as a contraceptive and other sexually transmitted agents. Peter Ghoroghchian will direct project development and will guide the transition to eventual clinical testing. |
| Triggered Release Microcapsules for Barrier Contraception | | | William Phillips, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| William Phillips, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio will test the feasibility of developing a vaginal tablet containing adhesive microcapsules that would adhere to the vaginal wall and release spermicidal agents upon contact with semen as a method for contraception. |
| Ultrasound as a Long-Term, Reversible Male Contraceptive | | | James Tsuruta, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| James Tsuruta and Paul Dayton of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill will study the ability of therapeutic ultrasound to deplete testicular sperm counts. Characterizing the most beneficial timing and dosage could lead to the development of a low-cost, non-hormonal and reversible method of contraception for men. |
| Women-Controlled Contraception That Also Prevents HIV | | | Guiying Nie, Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Guiying Nie of Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research in Australia will test whether a peptide inhibitor that has been shown to inhibit protein processing critical to HIV transmission can also be used to prevent embryo implantation in the uterus. If successful, the peptide could be used as a non-hormonal contraceptive delivered as a vaginal application, which also protects against HIV. |
Showing grants 191 to 200 of 560 | A Low-Cost, Rapid, and Sensitive Malaria Diagnostic Tool | | | Sang-Yeon Cho, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Sang-Yeon Cho and Immo Hansen of New Mexico State University in the U.S. seeks to develop a malaria test that measures antibody-antigen reactions through a nanohole to indicate the presence of malaria parasites. |
| A Single-Step Device for Monitoring Mucosal Iga Titers | | | Kevin Plaxco, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kevin Plaxco of the University of California, Santa Barbara, United States seeks to develop a diagnostics platform based upon measuring the electric current produced by the binding of antibodies to DNA molecules. If successful, this method will provide a rapid, single-step reagent free measurement of immune antibodies which could significantly augment disease detection and vaccine validation efforts. |
| Compact Disc Diagnostics for Early Disease Detection | | | Robert Dunn, University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc, Lawrence, KS, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Robert Dunn and colleagues at the University of Kansas in the U.S. will develop a diagnostic tool for the early detection of disease that employs writable compact discs that can be read in conventional computer disc drives. Microfluidic structures and immobilized antibodies will be fabricated onto small sections of a compact disc, along with enzymes that produce a reflective “silvering” surface upon recognition of target biomarkers. These changes in reflection can be read by any conventional CD drive, allowing for diagnosis using laptops in low resource settings. |
| Cost-Effective Testing of Blood Samples Using Cellphones | | | Aydogan Ozcan, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Aydogan Ozcan of the University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S. will test the feasibility of a lens-free cell phone microscope for rapid, automated and accurate diagnosis of malaria in field settings. This on-chip cell phone microscope is based on digital holography and does not require any lenses, lasers or other bulky components making it extremely cost-effective and compact. |
| Detecting Pathogenic Microbes by a “Microbial Litmus Strip” | | | Liaohai Chen, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Liaohai Chen of Rush University Medical Center in the U.S. will develop nanoparticles which react to the presence of pathogenic microbes by releasing encapsulated substances that quickly amplify the binding signals. These nanoparticles can be placed on the tip of a litmus strip as a colorimetric assay to indicate the presence and concentration of pathogens. |
| Exhaled Diagnosis of MTb | | | Simon Spivack, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Simon Spivack, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the U.S. will test the theory that DNA of the Tuberculosis bacterium can be detected in exhaled breath. The team will capture exhaled breath condensate samples via a non-invasive device and use nucleic acid amplification to detect the presence of mycobacteria. |
| G-Protein Coupled Receptors to Detection Infectious Agents | | | Ethan Lerner, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ethan Lerner of Massachusetts General Hospital in the U.S. will attempt to reverse engineer in vitro G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which usually are used by the human body to sense light, odors, tastes and hormones, to detect selected parasite biomarkers. If successful, these engineered receptors could be used to develop a diagnostic sensor for infectious agents. |
| Hand-Held Proteomic NanoLab for Infectious Diseases | | | Shan Wang, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Shan Wang of Stanford University in the U.S. will refine a prototype diagnostic platform which uses GMR sensors, commonly used in hard disk drives, to detect proteins labeled with magnetic nanoparticles. By employing GMR sensors on disposable “NanoLab” sticks, Wang and his team hope to produce an easy to use, ultraportable diagnostic device for rapid point-of-care HIV screening in the developing world. |
| Instrument-Free Detection of DNA Disease Markers | | | Vyas Sharma, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Vyas Sharma and David Lawrence of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in the U.S. will develop a diagnostic platform based on seed germination by integrating DNA amplification with the expression of reporter proteins in plant seeds to aid in the detection of infectious diseases. |
| Low-Cost, Rapid, Multiplexed Detection of TB | | | Vineet Gupta, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Vineet Gupta of the University of Miami in the U.S. will develop a computational model to identify new DNA sequences in the Tuberculosis bacterium that can be used as biomarkers, and then employ zinc-finger tags to detect the identified DNA sequence in a diagnostic test. |
Showing grants 201 to 210 of 560 | Mass-Producible Microscopes for Low-Cost Diagnosis of TB | | | Mark Schnitzer, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Mark Schnitzer of Stanford University in the U.S. aims to develop miniature microscopes for reliable, low-cost point-of-care diagnosis of tuberculosis. These microscopes will be stand alone, digital diagnostic devices small enough to be carried in a health care provider’s pocket or purse and will also be producible in large numbers. |
| Nano-Dumbbells for Single-Molecule Diagnostics from Saliva | | | Krassen Dimitrov, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Krassen Dimitrov of the University of Queensland in Australia will develop a new diagnostic test which utilizes nanoparticles which bind to specific biomarkers in saliva that are present during infection. With a magnetic particle binding to one side of a biomarker and a non-magnetic particle attaching to the other side, a visual “dumbbell” is formed, which can be detected using a low-cost magnetic reader. |
| Non-Invasive Phage Particle Based Sensors for Active TB | | | John Fisk, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| John Fisk of Colorado State University in the U.S. will develop a phage particle that can detect a protein found in urine of active Tuberculosis patients. The two-sided phage particle will detect the presence of the TB protein and also trigger a signal that can be easily detectable. |
| Novel and Rapid Method for E. coli Detection and Typing | | | Joseph Brown, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Joseph Brown of the University of Alabama seeks to develop a low-cost, rapid method to detect pathogenic microbes present in drinking water. Using a filtration system to concentrate bacteria, a tester would add a engineered particles covered in antibodies to detect the presence of pathogens through visual agglutination. The proposed method would take less than 15 minutes to yield a visual result. |
| Novel EDL Based Molecular Analytical Tools | | | Guigen Zhang, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Guigen Zhang of Clemson University in the US will exploit the capacitive effect of the electrical double layer as an analytical principle to develop low-cost diagnostic tools. This work will lead to highly sensitive and specific and direct-molecule-interfacing biosensors that are inexpensive to build, simple to use, and rugged to deploy. |
| Optomagnetic Finger Scanner for Malaria | | | Eugene Chan, DNA Medicine Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Eugene Chan of the DNA Medicine Institute in the U.S. proposes to develop a battery-powered non-invasive finger scanner to detect and measure hemozoin, a byproduct formed by malaria parasites, through the finger’s capillaries. If successful, mass manufacturing of the scanner should be possible due to basic components. |
| Portable Fluorescence Microscopy | | | Keith Dunning, Millennium Health Microscope Foundation, Bedford, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Keith Dunning of the Millennium Health Microscope Foundation in the United Kingdom will develop a fluorescent variation of a new hand-held, low-cost microscope. Specimens such as Malaria parasites or Tuberculosis bacterium will become fluorescent at specific wavelengths thus easy to detect at low magnifications using this new palm-sized microscope. |
| Rapid Malaria Diagnosis Using Magnetic Nanoparticles | | | Quan Liu, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore - SG |
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Phase I
| Quan Liu of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore proposes to use magnetic nanoparticles with blood samples to attract and amplify hemozoin, a byproduct of malaria parasites found in infected red blood cells. Liu will use resonance Raman scattering (RSS) to observe and quantify the hemozoin for a simplified, rapid diagnosis of malaria. |
| Readerless Point of Care Diagnostics for Viral Load | | | Roozbeh Ghaffari, Diagnostics For All, Cambridge, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Roozbeh Ghaffari, Patrick Beattie, Jason Rolland and Jeff Carbeck of Diagnostics For All & MC10 Inc. will develop disposable paper-based diagnostics devices embedded with optoelectronics, allowing quantitative colorimetric analysis for HIV viral load monitoring. This platform addresses practical limitations of current image capture methodologies and eliminates the need for external readers. |
| RNA Restriction Enzymes to Detect Viral/Bacterial Infections | | | Jennifer Doudna, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley in the U.S. test the ability of newly discovered RNA restriction enzymes to bind to specific RNA sequences inherent in a wide range of pathogens. If successful, this test could potentially be embedded on wickable paper to test human urine samples and produce a colormetric readout diagnostic like a pregnancy test. |
Showing grants 211 to 220 of 560 | Scent of Disease: Diagnostic for Malaria Infection in Humans | | | Consuelo De Moraes, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Consuelo De Moraes, Mark Mescher and Andrew Read of Pennsylvania State University in the U.S. will test the theory that malaria infection induces characteristic odor cues, even in asymptomatic individuals. By identifying these chemical cues with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, De Moraes will determine if there are biomarkers for diagnosis of infection. |
| Separation of Malaria-Infected Erythrocytes From Whole Blood | | | George Whitesides, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| George Whitesides of Harvard College in the U.S. will develop a novel low-cost device that can detect the presence of malaria-infected red blood cells in a drop of blood using an egg beater as a centrifuge. The blood drop is added to a short polyethylene tube filled with three polymer solutions, each of which have different densities and do not mix. The tube is connected to an egg beater and rotated for five minutes, allowing the blood to separate into layers of healthy erythrocytes, infected erythrocytes and white blood cells, detectable in the spaces between the polymer layers. |
| Simple Early Breath Diagnosis of Pneumococcal Pneumonia | | | Hongyue Dang, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Hongyue Dang, of China University of Petroleum (East China) will research whether early-stage pneumonia infection produces specific biomarkers that can be detected in a breath analysis. If so, Dang will produce and test a prototype breath sensor device that can be used in low-resource settings to capture and analyze these signature chemical compounds as a method to diagnose pneumonia. |
| Stable Protein Capture Agents with Antibody-like Properties | | | James Heath, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| James Heath of the California Institute of Technology in the U.S. will build stable, low-cost protein capture agents to target proteins. If successful, these agents could replace expensive and unstable monoclonal antibodies that are currently needed for diagnostic tests. |
| TB Rapid Test (TBRT) Project | | | Carol Holm-Hansen, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway - NO |
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Phase I
| Carol Holm-Hansen of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Norway, along with an international consortium of partners, seeks to develop a simple saliva-based assay test for the diagnosis of Tuberculosis. Serum samples from around the world will be collected to identify and select antigens that characterize the many strains of the bacteria for use in this new diagnostic method. |
| Versatile Pathogen Detection Via Color Change In Body Fluids | | | Gilbert Pacey, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Gilbert Pacey of Miami University in the U.S. will develop a novel diagnostic platform to capture biomarkers in nanoholes. The goal is to produce a simple diagnostic device that reads non-invasive samples and requires no reagents or additional equipment. |
| A Bacterial Protease Inhibitor is a Mucosal Adjuvant | | | Juliana Cassataro, Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina - AR |
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Phase I
| Juliana Cassataro of Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET in Argentina will research whether a bacterial protein can function as both a protease inhibitor to protect antigens delivered in an oral vaccine from degradation and also as an adjuvant to stimulate an enhanced mucosal immune response. |
| A Novel Test to Measure Mucosal Immunity to Vaccines | | | Giulietta Saletti, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea |
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Phase I
| Giulietta Saletti of the International Vaccine Institute in the Republic of Korea will work to develop an assay test that binds to tissue-specific cell markers to not only measure the concentration of anti-body secreting cells, but also identify which of those cells are targeted to mucosal tissues. If successful, this simple test that requires a small blood sample can be used in low-resource settings to measure mucosal immune responses to vaccines in infants and children. |
| Bacteriophage Lambda Mucosal Vaccine Delivery System | | | Sylvia van den Hurk, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Sylvia van den Hurk and Sidney Hayes of the University of Saskatchewan in Canada proposes that bacteriophage lambda, a virus that invades bacterial cells and uses the host’s genome to replicate, can be used as a vector to deliver DNA vaccines into targeted cells. Van den Hurk will test this lambda delivery platform its ability to induce long-term systemic and mucosal immune responses. |
| Enhancing Innate Vaginal Defenses to Reduce the Risk of HIV | | | Ann Kurth, New York University College of Nursing, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ann Kurth of New York University in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that eliminating intra-vaginal practices such as douching will allow the return of healthy vaginal flora conditions which includes ideal pH and an intact vaginal mucosa. By restoring and maintaining this healthy environment, Kurth proposes that incidences of pelvic inflammatory disease and HIV infection can be reduced. |
Showing grants 221 to 230 of 560 | Fine-Tuning Mucosal Barrier Function for Vaccine Delivery | | | Vincenzo Casolaro, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Vincenzo Casolaro of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the United States will test the ability of a novel synthetic peptide, AT1002, to induce the pathways within the mucosa to increase the delivery of antigens. If successful, this peptide could be used as an adjuvant to increase vaccine effectiveness and lower the costs of delivering vaccines. |
| Inducing Mucosal Immunity Using Retinoids & Oral Vaccines | | | Paul Kelly, Barts & The London School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia - ZM |
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Phase I
| Paul Kelly of Barts & The London School of Medicine and a senior lecturer at the University of Zambia School of Medicine will test the theory that a measured dose of vitamin A (retinoic acid) given with an oral vaccine will enhance immunoglobulin secretions in the gut, thus boosting the mucosal immune response. If successful, vitamin A could be used as an effective adjuvant for oral vaccines that target diarrhea, a leading cause of death among children worldwide. |
| Nonspecific Induction of Intestinal Immunity by Rice Bra | | | Elizabeth Ryan, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Elizabeth Ryan of Colorado State University will screen a diverse, global set of rice varieties to identify bioactive components in the bran that augment mucosal immunity against enteric bacterial pathogens. |
| Noroviral Replicon:VLP for Gut Mucosal Immunity | | | Alec Sutherland, Arizona State University, Gilbert, AZ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Alec Sutherland of Arizona State University in the United States will develop and test a vaccine delivery system that uses Norovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) to deliver desired antigens directly to the gut mucosa. The self-replicating RNA in the VLP will not only encode those antigens, it will also act as an adjuvant by activating several signaling pathways for an enhanced and sustained immune response. |
| Plasmablast-Based Assays for Mucosal Antibody Response | | | Harry Greenberg, Palo Alto Institute for Research & Education, Inc, Palo Alto, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Harry Greenberg of Stanford University School of Medicine and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in the U.S. will develop a new assay that evaluates the function and phenotype of plasmablasts in peripheral blood after infection or vaccination. By determining how many of these cells have mucosal-homing receptors, Greenberg believes this new test could provide an accurate measurement of mucosal immune response. |
| POLMITRANSVAC “Pollen Mimetic Transcutaneous Vaccination” | | | Carlos Alberto Guzman, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany - DE |
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Phase I
| Carlos Alberto Guzman of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Germany with Claus-Michael Lehr and Steffi Hansen of the Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research will develop and test a vaccine platform that uses a nanoparticle that mimics pollen, which has been shown to be able to penetrate the skin through hair follicles. The nanoparticle will burst upon contact with human sweat, releasing adjuvants and antigens to deliver a vaccine by targeting dendritic cells that surround hair follicles. |
| Use of Fusobacterium nucleatum as a Vaccine Vector | | | Youngnim Choi, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, South Korea |
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Phase I
| Youngnim Choi of Seoul National University in the Republic of Korea will test whether Fusobacterium nucleatum, a common bacteria often found in human mouths, can be used to deliver antigens to the oral mucosa. This bacteria has the ability to invade epithelial tissues, and Choi hopes to engineer a strain to express a vaccine antigen when given under the tongue to induce both antibody production and a strong cell-mediated immune response. |
| Vaccine Cytokine Trap Technology to Induce Immunity | | | Charani Ranasinghe, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Charani Ranasinghe of The Australian National University will test a new vaccine technology that modulates a host cytokine response to HIV vaccines. If successful, this “cytokine trap” technology may also enhance T-cell mediated immunity to other vaccine antigens, such as Tuberculosis. |
| Vitamin A-Secreting Probiotics to Activate Mucosal Immunity | | | Douglas Watson, SRI International, Harrisonburg, VA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Douglas Watson and colleagues of SRI International will engineer probiotic bacteria that produce Vitamin A to test the hypothesis that these bacteria will stimulate healthy immunity in the GI tract and reduce the impact of diarrheal diseases. |
| A Novel Way Of Controlling Malaria Transmitting Mosquitoes | | | Jasper Ogwal-Okeng, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda - UG |
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Phase I
| Jasper Ogwal-Okeng of Makerere University in Uganda will test whether the insect-eating plants can reduce the population of mosquitoes and their larvae. Ogwal-Okeng will study optimal numbers and placement of such plants and record subsequent impact on mosquito and larvae populations to further refine this vector control method. |
Showing grants 231 to 240 of 560 | A Toxin-Binding Probiotic for Prevention Of ETEC Diarrhea | | | Adrienne Paton, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) cause diarrhea by producing two distinct enterotoxins that attack intestinal cells. Adrienne Paton and colleagues at the University of Adelaide in Australia propose to develop a harmless probiotic bacterium capable of binding and neutralizing both these enterotoxins by mimicking their respective receptors, thereby preventing disease. |
| An “Evolution-Proof” Bio-Pesticide to Control Malaria | | | Jason Rasgon, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jason Rasgon of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the U.S. will engineer a virus to express a scorpion toxin that kills mosquitoes. After infecting mosquito larvae, the virus will express the killer gene when the insect becomes old enough to reproduce, but not old enough to transmit the malaria parasite. By allowing the mosquito to reproduce, the virus not only will be transmitted vertically to the next generation, but will also significantly slow the evolution of resistance to the gene. |
| An Optical “Seek-And-Destroy” System To Vaccinate Against Leishmania Infection | | | Owain Millington, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Owain Millington and Gail McConnell of University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom seek to adapt existing imaging systems to provide non-invasive in vivo imaging of Leishmania parasites present in macrophages and dendritic cells, and then use a targeted laser to destroy them. They will also test the hypothesis that targeting these cells for destruction will stimulate protective immunity against future Leishmania parasite infections. |
| Biological Control For Sandflies Using Free-Living Fungi | | | Peter Ngure, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya - KE |
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Phase I
| Peter Ngure of Daystar University in Kenya seeks to develop a biological control for sandflies using fungi found in the local soil in Kenya. These entomopathogenic fungi, which attach like parasites onto adult insects and larvae and kill them, will be harvested and cultured to isolate virulent strains that can eradicate sandflies, which are responsible for the spread of visceral leishmaniasis. |
| Blocking the P. falciparum Transporter PfCRT | | | Christine Hrycyna, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Christine Hrycyna and Jean Chmielewski of Purdue University in the U.S. will develop novel dimeric drugs designed to block a key protein in the malaria parasite that limits the accumulation of anti-malarials in the parasite’s digestive system. By inhibiting this protein, this new therapy could eliminate drug resistance in malaria parasites. |
| Circumcision tool For Traditional Ceremonies In Africa | | | Kathleen Sienko, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kathleen Sienko of the University of Michigan in the U.S. has developed a prototype circumcision tool for use in traditional ceremonies in Africa, and seeks to demonstrate the functionality, cultural suitability, and potential for low-cost mass production of the device. Such a tool could increase the circumcision rates leading to lower rates of HIV transmission in the region. |
| Complement-Based Antibiotic Microbeads | | | Todd Sulcheck, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Todd Sulchek of Georgia Tech and David White of the Centers for Disease Control in the U.S. will develop and test the ability of a bi-functional microbead to stimulate the innate immune response. On one hemisphere, the microbead will display targeting antibodies that will bind to pathogens, and on the other hemisphere the microbead will feature Fc fragments that activate the complement system and recruit immune cells to destroy the captured pathogen. |
| Defeating Insect-Borne Diseases Using Atomic-Level Structure | | | Filippo Mancia, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Filippo Mancia of Columbia University in the U.S. will perform crystallization experiments on a key olfactory receptor used by mosquitoes to detect humans. The aim of these studies is to determine at an atomic level the common regions on the olfactory receptor in order to develop drug therapies to block these receptors. |
| De-Worming as Intervention Against Secondary Diseases | | | Susanne Spoormaker, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden - SE |
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Phase I
| Susanne Nylén Spoormaker of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden will test the theory that chronic parasitic worm infections not only increase susceptibility to certain infections, but also impair the ability of the immune system to respond effectively to vaccines. Spoormaker will research whether treatment of worms prior to vaccination will improve the efficacy of vaccination for Tuberculosis and Leishmanasis. |
| Hivi: A Novel Weapon to Kill HIV | | | Chang Liu, Nankai University School of Medicine, Tianjin, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Chang Liu and Xiaohong Kong of Nankai University in China seek to develop a self-destructive virus vector called HIVi, which will express small interfering RNA to silence HIV in infected cells, and also replicate in a controlled manner to outcompete the HIV infection before turning itself off. The efficacy of HIVi in interfering with HIV will be assessed using a number of standard HIV cell-based assays. |
Showing grants 241 to 250 of 560 | Identification of a Viral Pathogen in Nematodes | | | Cynthia Kenyon, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Cynthia Kenyon of the University of California, San Francisco in the U.S. seeks to identify a natural viral pathogen that can be used to kill nematodes that cause a wide variety of diseases in humans, most of which disproportionately affect the developing world. |
| Improve Mucosal Immune Responses to Oral Typhoid Vaccine | | | Firdausi Qadri, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh - BD |
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Phase I
| Firdausi QadriI of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (ICDDR,B) in Bangladesh proposes that the presence of parasites in the guts of people who receive enteric vaccines diminishes the resulting immune response. Qadril hopes that by providing children with antihelminthic and anti-giardiasis drugs prior to administration of an oral typhoid vaccine, a robust immune response can be mounted. |
| Insecticide-Treated Traditional Scarves Among Migrants | | | David Sintasath, Malaria Consortium, Bangkok, Thailand - TH |
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Phase I
| David Sintasath of Malaria Consortium in Thailand proposes to treat the traditional scarves worn by migrant workers along the Thai-Cambodia border with insecticides to reduce the overall malaria disease burden. Sintasath will then monitor subsequent infection rates reported by area health facilities, and survey participants to learn more about their knowledge, attitude and use of the treated scarves. |
| Lactoferrin For Prevention of Sepsis in Young Infants | | | Theresa Ochoa, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru - PE |
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Phase I
| Theresa Ochoa of Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Peru will test whether providing newborns with daily oral supplements of a key milk protein can protect them against sepsis during the critical early days in life. Lactoferrin, the most abundant protein in human and bovine milk, has been shown to have broad-spectrum antimicrobial capabilities, and could provide a new tool to fight neonatal infection and mortality in low-resource settings. |
| Leveraging Core Groups to Eliminate Infectious Trachoma | | | Thomas Lietman, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Thomas Lietman of the University of California, San Francisco in the U.S. will use mathematical models and cross-sectional survey data to determine the minimum number of people in a community who need to be treated for trachoma in order to halt transmission of the disease. Determining this core group can eliminate the need for mass antibiotic distribution, which results drug resistance in communities severely affected by this disease that is the leading cause of blindness. |
| Malaria Stopped by a Human Protein Therapeutic | | | Robert Broyles, The Sickle Cell Cure Foundation, Inc, Oklahoma City, OK, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Robert H. Broyles of The Sickle Cell Cure Foundation, Inc. in the U.S. will build on the recent discovery that elevated fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which alleviates sickle cell disease, can also confer malaria resistance. Broyles will test the ability of a stable human protein to reactivate a silent gene that encodes for HbF, makings red blood cells inhospitable to malaria parasites. If successful, the idea is to target the therapy in the host to reduce malaria infections. |
| Microchips to Assess Multifunctionality of Single T Cells | | | Rong Fan, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Rong Fan of Yale University in the U.S. seeks to develop a microchip to assess the functioning of single T cells. If successful, this technology could be used to evaluate HIV-specific T cell response in future HIV vaccine trials. |
| Nonlinear Approaches to Rational Control Of HIV-1 Infection | | | Sheng-He Huang, Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Sheng He Huang of Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles in the U.S. will use a bioinformatics approach to study how microbial infections, including HIV, use dynamic processes of symbiosis and pathogenesis to thrive in host cells. |
| Prevention of Infection By Bovine Milk Oligosaccharides | | | David Mills, University of California, Davis, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Mills of the University of California, Davis in the U.S. will test whether oligosaccharides found in cow’s milk can be used to enrich nutritional strategies of children who have been weaned. While human milk contains oligosaccharides that have been shown protect breast-feeding infants, the older children could benefit from enrichment of intestinal microbiota to prevent intestinal diseases.
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| Safe, Cost-effective, and Functional Strategy for Immune Intervention | | | Sunil Joshi, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Edmond, OK, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Sunil Joshi of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in the U.S. will study the efficacy of delivering a non-invasive low-voltage electric wave pulse in the vicinity of lymphoid tissues to stimulate the activation and maturation of dendritic cells. If successful, this would be a method of boost long-term immunity. |
Showing grants 251 to 260 of 560 | Sentinel Commensals for in situ Temporal Protection against Bacterial Diarrheas | | | Jun Zhu, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jun Zhu and Mark Goulian of the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. propose to use phage display technology to engineer a commensal “sentinel” bacteria that be introduced into the gut flora. Bacterial toxins would be detected by the sentinel commensal, which would bind to the toxin and express enzymes to destroy it. |
| Sweet Medicine For Vectors Transmitting Infectious Diseases | | | Heribert Warzecha, Darmstadt University of Technology, Darmstadt, Germany - DE |
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Phase I
| Heribert Warzecha of Darmstadt University of Technology in Germany will develop a peptide that can be reproduced in plants that generate nectar on which mosquitoes feed. This peptide, when ingested by the mosquitoes, interrupts the parasite transmission process in the insect gut, reducing the risk of transmission to humans. |
| Symbiont-Mediated Control of River Blindness | | | John Jaenike, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| John Jaenike of the University of Rochester in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that infecting blackflies with the bacteria Spiroplasma could impair the ability to transmit the parasite responsible for River Blindness,and also increase fertility of female flies that can pass along this beneficial bacteria to its offspring. |
| Targeting Bacterial Genes for Treating Filariasis | | | Julie Dunning Hotopp, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Julie Dunning Hotopp of University of Maryland in the U.S. seeks to identify genes that have been laterally transferred into filarial nematode worm genomes from Wolbachia. Identifying these genes, could provide drug targets to cure neglected tropical diseases such as lymphatic filariasis and river blindness. |
| Towards Treatment of Pediatric Tuberculosis with IFN-γ | | | Jean-Laurent Casanova, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jean-Laurent Casanova of The Rockefeller University in the U.S. seeks to identify single gene mutations that are critical to immunity against bacterial infections. By characterizing these mutations, Casanova could provide insight into a genetic basis for the susceptibility of some children to Tuberculosis, that could inform a recombinant IFN-y drug therapy. |
| Transgenic Cow Milk Containing Human Antimicrobial Protein | | | Hironori Matsushima, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Hironori Matsushima of the University of Toledo in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that adding an antimicrobial peptide to powdered milk products can confer protection against enteric diseases. Research will focus on testing the peptide for its ability to kill pathogens in stomach conditions, and on its ability to maintain integrity through the milk pasteurization and drying processes. |
| Unleashing Protein Disaggregases to Prevent HIV Infection | | | James Shorter, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| James Shorter of The University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. will engineer enzymes that disassemble protein fibrils found in semen, which are known to allow for the transmission of HIV infection. The ability to reverse fibril formation could block sexual transmission of HIV and provide a new weapon against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. |
| Viral Self-Destruct Sequences: A Novel Vaccine Technology | | | David Jans, Monash University, Clayton, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Gregory Moseley, Stephen Rawlinson and David Jans at Monash University in Australia will engineer a live virus with a self-destruct sequence for use in a vaccine. This virus would be identical to a wild-type virus, but contain destabilizing domains fused to key proteins that can be regulated to first allow the virus to replicate and induce an immune response, and then be destroyed. |
| “Coffee Ring Stain” Diagnostics for Malaria | | | David Wright, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Wright of Vanderbilt University in the U.S. will develop a new low-cost diagnostic tool in which a droplet of malaria-infected blood deposited on a glass slide will, based on fluid dynamics, leave a ring-like pattern as the blood evaporates. The slide will be prepared with a solution that will interact with a particular protein of the malaria parasite to visualize this "coffee ring stain," allowing for easy interpretation and ready diagnosis. |
| Diagnosis of Pneumonia Using Sound Recordings | | | Udantha Abeyratne, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Udantha Abeyratne of the University of Queensland in Australia proposes using low-cost devices such as mobile phones and mp3 players equipped with microphones to record cough and sleeping sounds that do not require direct contact with the patient. Recording will be analyzed using new algorithms in human speech analysis to identify sounds that characterize the presence of pneumonia. |
Showing grants 261 to 270 of 560 | Electrical Detection of TB Signals in Breath | | | William Royea, Next Dimensions Technology, Inc., Pasadena, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| William Royea of Next Dimensions Technology, Inc., in the United States seeks to develop a point-of-care breath analyzer. The proposed system aims to use an array of chemical films that are sensitive to changes in electrical conduction as a result of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by tuberculosis. |
| Highly Sensitive TB Detection using a Paper Cup | | | Scott Phillips, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Scott Phillips, of Pennsylvania State University in the U.S. proposes to develop a polymer reagent to be deposited at the bottom of a small paper cup used to collect a sputum sample, where it will detect proteins secreted by tuberculosis and turn indicate TB-positive samples by changing color. |
| Highly Sensitive, Low-Cost Malaria Test | | | Juan Santiago, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Juan Santiago of Stanford University in the U.S. will develop small, disposable diagnostic device that utilizes isotachophoresis, a technique that separates charged particles, to concentrate a key biomarker of malaria parasites. The goal of this technique is to provide test results within three minutes at a sensitivity much greater than current tests, allowing for detection of malaria at much earlier stages of infection and in asymptomatic individuals. |
| HIV Incidence Testing in Hair | | | Christopher Pilcher, UCSF Positive Health Program, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Christopher Pilcher of the University of California, San Francisco in the U.S. will test the theory that HIV proteins, nucleic acids and antibodies to HIV can be detected in shafts of hair. This possible approach may provide a low-cost tool to determine the timing of HIV infection, which is essential to establish incidence rates in populations. |
| Infrared Signature of Malaria Infection | | | Wei Lu, The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Wei Lu of the University of Michigan in the U.S. will test the theory that red blood cells infected with malaria have significantly different characteristics when subjected to light in ultra-far infrared spectrum. Using these techniques, this project aims to develop a non-invasive tool to scan capillaries near the body surface and diagnose malaria. |
| Lensless Microscope for Diagnostics | | | Changhuei Yang, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Changhuei Yang of the California Institute of Technology in the U.S. will evaluate the feasibility of using a "microscope on a chip" along with a hand-held reader to detect and analyze cells and parasites in bodily fluids. If successful; this technology, which does not use traditional lenses, could provide diagnostic capabilities for a wide range of diseases including malaria. |
| Malaria Diagnosis Using Iron and Plasma | | | Jackie Obey, University of Eastern Africa, Eldoret, Kenya - KE |
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Phase I
| Jackie Obey of the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton in Kenya will test the efficacy of a diagnostic test for malaria in which small amounts of blood are mixed with an iron solution to create vibrant colors that indicate the amount of a protein released by the malaria parasite. |
| Malaria Diagnostics on Skin | | | Howard Bernstein, Seventh Sense Biosystems, Cambridge, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Howard Bernstein of Seventh Sense Biosystems in the U.S. will engineer a skin patch that can detect and measure malaria proteins in interstitial fluid. If successful, an easy-to-use biocompatible device may be able to allow continued monitoring of infection for a few weeks, instead of a single time point. |
| MALiVA: A Malaria Immunodiagnostic for Saliva-borne Antigens | | | Andrew Fung, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Andrew Fung, Jack Judy and Theodore Moore at the University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S., along with Michel Bergeron of l’Université Laval in Canada, will work to identify molecular markers of malaria present in saliva in order to develop a chewing gum diagnostic tool called “MALiVA.” During chewing, particles in the gum will react with these malaria proteins, which can be detected and characterized when this device is scanned with a magnet. |
| Reagent-Free, Needle-Free Microscopy for Malaria Diagnosis | | | Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Rebecca Richards-Kortum of Rice University in the U.S. will measure light scattered by malaria-infected blood by building a small microscope that can be placed on the skin, without the need to draw blood from patients. This novel, rapid, and painless diagnostic would not require consumable reagents or a trained operator, and would not generate biohazardous waste. |
Showing grants 271 to 280 of 560 | Using Acoustic Analysis of Cough to Diagnosis Pneumonia | | | Suzanne Smith, STAR Analytical Services, Bedford, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Suzanne Smith of STAR Analytical Services in the United States will study recorded cough samples with acoustic vocalization-analysis technology to identify sound characteristics that indicate specific symptoms of pneumonia with the aim of rapidly identifying the cause and severity of respiratory illness. It is hoped that such acoustic landmarks would help in the differentiation between viral infections and bacterial illnesses, each of which may require different treatments. |
| A New Tool for Anti-Malarial Target Gene Validation | | | Philip Shaw, BIOTEC, Pathumthani, Thailand - TH |
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Phase I
| Philip J. Shaw of Thailand’s National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology will seek to identify potential drug targets and vaccine antigens in the malaria parasite using a novel technology to reduce specific gene expression. By fusing a natural genetic “riboswitch” onto gene targets, the team will attempt to attenuate gene expression and thereby determine gene function. |
| A Novel Virulence-Associated Malaria Drug Target | | | Paul Gilson, Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Paul Gilson of Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health in Australia will study the function of a newly discovered malaria parasite mechanism that exports proteins into host red blood cells in an effort to develop compounds that block this transfer and inhibit parasite growth. |
| An Endothelial Reservoir for Malaria? | | | Michael Leibowitz, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Michael Leibowitz of the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in the U.S. will investigate whether malaria parasites bind to, invade and replicate in the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels to test the theory that endothelial cells play an important role in the development of malaria infection and may serve as undiscovered reservoirs for parasite latency. |
| An Immunity-Enhancing Beverage | | | Steven Maranz, David H. Murdock Research Institute, Kannapolis, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Steven Maranz of Weill Medical College in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that providing children high levels of flavanols, compounds found in chocolate, green tea, cola and shea nuts, deprives malaria parasites of lipids needed to survive, keeping parasite infection at levels low enough to elicit a strong immune response that builds lifelong immunity. |
| Artificial Triggering of Malaria Parasite Relapse | | | Lena Hulden, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland - FI |
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Phase I
| Lena Hulden of the University of Helsinki in Finland will test the hypothesis that saliva from newly emerging mosquitoes activates dormant P. vivax parasites in the liver. By robust statistical analysis of the timing of P. vivax outbreaks, as well as molecular analysis of mosquito saliva, Hulden hopes to eventually identify the trigger for these relapses in hopes of controlling outbreaks. |
| Bacterial Viruses as Tool for Blocking Transmission of Malaria | | | Luiz Ozaki, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Luiz Ozaki and Gail E. Christie of Virginia Commonwealth University in the U.S. will genetically engineer bacterial viruses to carry peptides that block the development of the malaria parasites, survive in the mosquito gut, and spread through vector populations. If successful, these bacteriophages could be used as “gene dissemination tools” for effective control of the malaria. |
| Cell Phone Microscopy for Malaria Diagnosis | | | Daniel Fletcher, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Daniel Fletcher of the University of California, Berkeley in the U.S. will develop a microscope that attaches to cell phones to capture high-contrast fluorescent images of malaria parasites. Custom software on the phone will automatically count the parasite load, with results and patient information wirelessly transmitted to clinical centers for tracking. |
| Drugs That Inhibit Malaria Infection and Block Transmission | | | Victor Nussenzweig, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Victor Nussenzweig of the New York University School of Medicine in the U.S. seeks to develop a small molecule drugs to inhibit key kinase enzymes in the malaria parasite that are thought to control latency in parasite infections. Such fundamental knowledge may enable new tools to clear the latent forms of P. vivax parasites or block transmission of the disease by targeting sporozoites. |
| Eradication of Malaria through the Development of Host Directed Therapy | | | Simon Foote, Menzies Research Institute, Hobart Tasmania, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Simon Foote of the Menzies Research Institute at the University of Tasmania in Australia will use "forward genetic screening" approaches identify mutations that confer resistance after exposure to malaria parasites. The team will use this powerful information to develop drug therapies that target the human host and mimic these protective genetic effects. |
Showing grants 281 to 290 of 560 | Fermentation Based Mosquito Repelling Device | | | Peter Yiga, AdhocWorks Foundation, Johannesburg, South Africa - ZA |
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Phase I
| Peter Lubega Yiga of AdhocWorks Foundation in South Africa will test the efficacy of small household containers in which a non-toxic formulation is mixed with water, releasing carbon dioxide and alcohol vapors as a way to repel mosquitos. The investigators will test the device in independent field trials to optimize its usefulness as an alternative to insecticides. |
| Finding Malaria Relapse Using Liver Function Tests | | | A. Nag, Vivekananda International Health Centre, Kolkata, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Abani Nag and Amiya Hati of Vivekananda International Health Centre in India will test the hypothesis that ultrasound measurements of the liver and spleen, as well as functional liver enzyme tests, will to help differentiate cases of relapse versus re-infection of malaria, leading to more appropriate treatment and drug therapies. |
| Humanized Mouse Model for Malaria Research | | | Moriya Tsuji, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Moriya Tsuji of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in the U.S. will test whether the human malaria parasite can infect mice engineered with humanized livers and red blood cells by producing human erythropoietin. The goal of this project is part of a larger effort to create a mouse model capable of supporting the full malaria life cycle for use in preclinical testing of new anti-malarial therapies and vaccines. |
| Humanized Mouse: Recapitulate P. falciparum/vivax Cycle | | | Joseph Vinetz, University of California, La Jolla, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Joseph Vinetz of the University of California, San Diego in the U.S. will attempt to create a new mouse model that mimics both human liver and blood cell function. These new mouse models should allow human malaria parasites to complete their full life cycle in the models and provide a new tool for testing anti-malarial strategies, including drugs and vaccines. |
| Identifying Drugs to Block Transmission | | | Matthias Marti, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Matthias Marti of the Harvard School of Public Health in the U.S. will utilize a newly developed transgenic malaria parasite that expresses GFP indicating when the parasites are ready to be transmitted to mosquitoes. He will use this technology to screen for compounds that can prevent the development of these gametocytes. |
| K+ Channel Blockers for Malaria Control | | | Lourival Possani, Institute of Biotechnology - National University of Mexico, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico - MX |
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Phase I
| Lourival Possani of the Institute of Biotechnology at the National University of Mexico will investigate the antimalarial effects of scorpine, a newly identified peptide found in the venom of scorpions. The team will test scorpine’s efficacy in blocking K+ channels used by malaria parasites to replicate in mosquitoes. Creating a new generation of malaria-resistant mosquitoes can aid in the eradication of the disease in humans. |
| Light-Activated Pellets for Mosquito Larvae Control | | | Annette Habluetzel, University of Camerino, Camerino (MC), Italy - IT |
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Phase I
| Annette Habluetzel of the University of Camerino in Italy seeks to develop a micropellet food for mosquito larvae made from non-toxic, organic compounds. These pellets, when ingested by the transparent larvae are activated by sunlight and kill the larvae, leaving other animals unharmed. |
| Malaria Detection Using Earth’s Magnetic Field | | | Viktor Vegh, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Viktor Vegh of The University of Queensland in Australia will test the efficacy of using low-cost nuclear magnetic resonance technologies that take advantage of earth’s magnetic field to detect malaria parasites. The team will examine blood samples to detect hemozoin, a waste product of malarial parasites, to determine the presence of malaria infection |
| Manipulating the Mosquito’s Lifespan to Control Malaria | | | Michael Riehle, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Michael Riehle of the University of Arizona in the U.S. will manipulate insulin signaling in mosquito tissues to create a new breed of mosquito that has a shorter lifespan, yet has increased fertility. Because only older mosquitoes can transmit the malaria parasite, the team hopes these fertile, short-lived mosquitoes will replace longer-lived malaria carriers. |
| Microalgal Mediated Eradication of Malarial Mosquito Larvae | | | Richard Sayre, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Richard Sayre of Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in the U.S. will develop and test a transgenic algae that delivers interference RNA (RNAi) elements to mosquito larvae when they feed on it. These RNAi will silence essential genes used by the larvae to develop, thus killing mosquitoes before they can transmit malaria. |
Showing grants 291 to 300 of 560 | Microfluidic Isolation of Red Cells Infected With Malaria | | | Hongshen Ma, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Hongshen Ma of the University of British Columbia in Canada will develop an inexpensive hand-held device consisting of a series of funnels of decreasing size that will separate healthy red-blood cells, which can easily squeeze through openings, from malaria-parasite infected blood cells which become more rigid. A simple integrated optical sensor would then count stained cells in these various stages to determine the state of infection and inform treatment options. |
| PlasmoTrack: Spatiotemporal Tracking of Malaria Parasites | | | Bryan Greenhouse, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Bryan Greenhouse of the University of California, San Francisco, will design a series of microsatellites, short DNA repeats which have variable lengths in different parasites, to track individual parasites in two regions close to malaria elimination. If successful, this approach will provide insight into parasite transmission networks and help to guide future malaria eradication efforts. |
| Pre-Season Elimination of Malaria Infections | | | Sungano Mharakurwa, Malaria Institute at Macha, Choma, Zambia - ZM |
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Phase I
| Sungano Mharakurwa of the Malaria Institute in Zambia proposes to take advantage of the “off-season” in regions affected by malaria. The team will identify asymptomatic carriers of the malaria parasite using a simple, non-invasive diagnostic tool using saliva samples which can be easily used by village community workers. Those individuals will be treated to eliminate the parasite before it can be transmitted during the rainy season, when malaria cases increase. |
| Targeting Malaria Hotspots In Rural Poorly Resourced Settings | | | Roly Gosling, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Roly Gosling of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom will conduct a pilot study in Tanzania to test whether malaria cases can be contained by treating the households and immediate neighbors of those diagnosed with malaria. The goal of this research is to understand whether such community approaches can clear asymptomatic carriers and eliminate parasites within these “hotspots.” |
| Targeting of the P. falciparum Immune Evasion Mechanism | | | Matthew Fuchter, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Matthew Fuchter and collaborators at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom proposes to test whether a novel chemical produced in some fungus species can control enzymes that control immune escape mechanisms in malaria parasites. If successful, this approach may not only force the parasite to present many surface proteins that are normally absent and stimulate a powerful immune response, but could also directly kill malaria parasites. |
| Excreting HIV Using Antibodies | | | Edward Dolk, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands - NL |
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Phase I
| Edward Dolk of Utrecht University in the Netherlands proposes using two-sided antibodies, which bind to HIV and to transport receptors in the epithelium. Binding these receptors will cause excretion of the HIV particles outside of the body, thereby reducing viral load. |
| Inducing Autophagy in Dendritic Cells By DNA Delivery | | | Tanapat Palaga, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand - TH |
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Phase I
| Tanapat Palaga of Chulalongkorn University in Thailand seeks to create a novel DNA vaccine delivery system that targets dendritic cells in GI mucosal tissues. Using chitosan nanoparticles to encapsulate DNA plasmid and protect it from stomach acid, this potential vaccine construct will contain both an antigen and an autophagy-inducing gene to enhance the vaccine’s efficacy. |
| Induction of HIV Protective Mucosal Antibodies | | | Claudia Pastori, Fondazione S. Raffaele del Monte Tabor, Milan, Italy - IT |
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Phase I
| Claudia Pastori of Fondazione S. Raffaele del Monte Tabor in Italy seeks to induce mucosal immunity against HIV by using a bacterial adhesive protein to target antigens to specific cells. The goal of this approach is to present conserved epitopes of HIV in their natural form to elicit the production of protective antibodies in the tissues where these antibodies will be effective. |
| Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase to Treat and Prevent Diarrhea | | | Madhu Malo, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Madhu Malo of Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in the U.S. will investigate whether maintaining the normal intestinal commensal bacteria using oral supplementation of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), a small intestinal brush-border enzyme, will prevent or cure infection by pathogenic bacteria. A successful project would generate a universal prophylactic and therapeutic strategy against diarrheal diseases. |
| Metabolic Engineering of Salmonella and Shigella Vaccines | | | Craig Morita, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Craig Morita of the University of Iowa in the U.S. will engineer Salmonella and Shigella vaccine vectors to overproduce an essential antigen to stimulate gamma delta T cells, to boost mucosal immune response against these enteric pathogens. |
Showing grants 301 to 310 of 560 | Nanoparticle Mucosal Vaccine Platform from Eggshell Proteins | | | Allison Ficht, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Allison Ficht of Texas A&M Health Science Center in the U.S. will develop a new TB immunization delivery system based on the protein used by parasitic worms to seal their egg case. This “sticky coating” for nanoparticle vaccines could protect antigens during intranasal administration, affix them to the nasal mucosa and erode in a controlled way to slowly release antigens for enhanced immune response against tuberculosis. |
| New Intravaginal Delivery System to Induce Mucosal Immunity | | | Emmanuel Ho, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Emmanuel Ho of University of Utah in the U.S. will develop a polyether urethane (PU) intra-vaginal ring designed to slowly release the HIV peptide gp120, as well as the cytokine IL-12 as an adjuvant, directly into the vaginal mucosa to stimulate a sustained mucosal immune response. |
| New Whole-Species Pneumococcal Vaccines | | | Jeremy Webb, School of Biological Sciences, Southampton, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Jeremy Webb and collaborators at the School of Biological Sciences in the United Kingdom will search for unique proteins that allow pneumococcal bacteria to form biofilms on mucosal surfaces. The team will use laser capture micro-dissection “laser tweezers” to dissect these bacterial communities with the goal of finding antigens common to all serotypes and could be used as the basis for future vaccines. |
| Potentiating Mucosal Vaccines by RANKL Induction of M Cells | | | Ifor Williams, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ifor Williams of Emory University School of Medicine in the U.S. will test the theory that a newly characterized cytokine that triggers the development of M cells can be used as an adjuvant to boost immunity in mucosal surfaces and lead to greater uptake of vaccines. |
| Programming T cell Homing to Induce Gut-Selective Immunity | | | Federica Marelli-Berg, Imperial College London, Division of Medicine, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Federica Marelli-Berg of Imperial College London, Division of Medicine in the UK will test the theory that using “homing factors” as vaccine adjuvants will induce the development of memory T cells thereby generating site-specific immunity against pathogens in the gut. |
| Reawakening Retrocyclins to Combat Mucosal STIs in Women | | | Alexander Cole, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Alexander Cole of the University of Central Florida will attempt to restore natural expression of retrocyclins, antiviral peptides whose production in humans has been latent for millions of years. Cole will test inexpensive and widely available antibiotics for their ability to induce production of these retrocyclins, leading to its possible use as a vaginal microbicide. |
| Sublingual Vaccination for Inducing Broad-Based Mucosal Immunity | | | Cecil Czerkinsky, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea |
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Phase I
| Cecil Czerkinsky of the International Vaccine Institute in South Korea will test the efficacy of administering two approved vaccines sublingually – directly under the tongue. The team will attempt to produce not only antibody responses but also cytotoxic T cell responses in distant mucosal organs such as the lungs and reproductive tract. Sublingual vaccine administration could help improve vaccine delivery, compliance, and enhance immunity against a variety of pathogens. |
| Targeted Oral Vaccines to Induce Cellular & Mucosal Immunity | | | Jennifer Maynard, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jennifer Maynard and Nicholas Peppas of the University of Texas at Austin in the U.S. seeks to engineer proteins to be delivered by oral polymeric vaccine that specifically bind to receptors of M cells on the gut mucosa. By targeting these M cells, antigens can be introduced directly to the mucosal system, inducing a targeted, stronger immune response. |
| Vitamin A to Induce Gut Homing of Immune Cells | | | David Schwartz, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Schwartz of Hackensack University Medical Center in the U.S. will test an intradermal injection that increases levels of vitamin A and blocks vitamin D3 metabolism. These important mechanisms can “educate” B cells to home to the gut and to make mucosal antibodies against many viruses, including HIV. |
| A Novel Approach of Creating an Attenuated Pneumonia Vaccine | | | Vijay Pancholi, The Ohio State University Research Foundation, Columbus, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Vijay Pancholi of The Ohio State University Research Foundation in the U.S. will attempt to attenuate the S. pneumonia bacteria by altering export of the GAPDH enzyme, a function thought to be essential to the bacteria’s survival. Preventing export of this key enzyme will decrease bacterial virulence, allowing the attenuated strain to be used for development an affordable live vaccine for pneumococcal pneumonia. |
Showing grants 311 to 320 of 560 | A Novel Effective Vaccine Against Cholera | | | Michael Lebens, University of Gothenburg Institute for Vaccine Research (GUVAX), Gothenburg, Sweden - SE |
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Phase I
| Michael Lebens of the University of Gothenburg Institute for Vaccine Research in Sweden proposes to develop a new oral cholera vaccine using a single cholera strain that expresses antigens for both the Inaba and Ogawa serotypes, as well as produces cholera toxin subunits that act as an adjuvant to stimulate mucosal immune activity. |
| A Single Vaccine Against Pneumococcus and Typhoid Fever | | | Yingjie Lu, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Yingjie Lu and Richard Malley of Children's Hospital Boston in the U.S. will develop a bivalent vaccine by conjugating a fusion of three novel, highly-conserved pneumococcal antigens to the already approved Vi polysaccharide vaccine used for typhus. The team will test its ability to induce strong humoral and cellular immune responses against both pneumococcus and typhoid fever. |
| Dendritic Cell Receptor-Targeted Malaria Vaccines | | | Rajan George, Paladin Biosciences, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Rajan George of Paladin Biosciences, a division of Paladin Labs Inc. in Canada will produce a vaccine with multiple malaria antigens to target dendritic cell receptors and without the need for an adjuvant, in an effort to induce both antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to the malaria parasite at various stages of the infection. |
| Develop Novel Receptor Blocking Vaccines Against P. falciparum and P. viva | | | Deepak Gaur, International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, Delhi, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Deepak Gaur, Chetan Chitnis and Virander Chauhan of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology in India will attempt to develop a blood-stage malaria vaccine that uses a combination of two proteins found among a wide diversity of malaria parasites. Their goal is to stimulate antibodies that would stop parasite infection of red blood cells by blocking multiple pathways of invasion. |
| Development of a Genetically-Attenuated Live Malaria Vaccine | | | Krystal Evans, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Krystal Evans of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia will knock out several proteins that support the expression of the major virulence factor for the malaria parasite. Their aim is create a genetically-attenuated live malaria vaccine that elicits a strong immune response against diverse strains of the parasite. |
| Engineered H. pylori as a Diarrheal Vaccine Platform | | | Martin Blaser, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Martin Blaser of the New York University School of Medicine in the U.S. proposes to engineer a harmless modification of H. pylori, a bacteria commonly found in the human stomach, to deliver antigens to protect against intestinal pathogens such as cholera and campylobacter. This modified H. pylori can only survive in the presence of an enzyme supplied in special drinking water, allowing those administering the vaccine to regulate its colonization. |
| Enhancing TB Vaccines with Gene Silencing | | | Jinhee Lee, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worchester, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jinhee Lee and Gary Ostroff of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the U.S. will test the idea of delivering small interfering RNA (siRNAs) via glucan particles in an oral TB vaccine formulation. The team will utilize the siRNAs’ ability to block immunosuppressive signaling and amplify the immune response. |
| Genetic Fossils Used As Vaccine Targets for HIV | | | Jonah Sacha, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Because HIV infection activates endogenous retroviruses (ERV) in human cells, which are naturally dormant, Jonah Sacha of the University of Wisconsin in the U.S. will target T-cells against these ERV antigens. If true, new host-directed vaccines could be developed to eliminate HIV infected cells. |
| Ghost HIV Virus to Stimulate the Immune System | | | Paul Kim, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Paul Kim of Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. will modify HIV by removing the viral genome and replacing the outer domain of the gp120 protein, used by the virus to invade host immune cells, with receptors normally used by gp120 to bind to host cells. When this modified ghost virus encounters native HIV during an infection, hidden epitopes are exposed to the host immune system, stimulating antibodies to clear the infection. |
| Improving the Immunogenicity of HIV Envelope Glycoproteins | | | Michel Gilbert, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Michel Gilbert of the National Research Council Canada will use the single-celled microorganism T. acidophilum to produce HIV proteins with unique sugar residues found only in archaebacteria such as T. acidophilum. By modifying these glycan structures to ones not recognized by humans, Gilbert hopes to elicit a stronger immune response against the virus. |
Showing grants 321 to 330 of 560 | Inexpensive, Dry, Heat-Stable, Vaccine Skin Patch | | | Tycho Speaker, Transderm Inc., Santa Cruz, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Tycho Speaker of Transderm Inc. in the United States, along with Juvaris Biotherapeutics, will test the efficacy of a dry microneedle skin patch loaded with malaria antigens and a novel adjuvant for its ability to stimulate a robust immune response. If successful, this painless, low-cost, no-refrigeration vaccine delivery system could increase vaccine access to at-risk populations. |
| Low-Cost Multivalent Pneumococcal Vaccine | | | Kevin Killeen, Matrivax R&D Inc., Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kevin Killeen of Matrivax R&D Inc. in the U.S. proposes applying a novel technology which entraps many polysaccharide antigens in a protein matrix. If successful, this prototype platform could increase the breadth of serotypes currently covered by pneumococcal vaccines as well as reduce costs of vaccine production. |
| Malaria Transmission Blocking Vaccines (TBV) Boosted By Natural Exposure | | | Kailash Patra, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kailash Patra of the University of California, San Diego in the U.S. will use proteomics to examine gametocyte, zygote, or ookinete surface proteins of the malaria parasite to test their reactivity to human serum collected from malaria endemic regions, and to identify new antigen candidates for malaria vaccines. |
| Maternal Immunization to Protect Infants Against Malaria | | | Margaret Njoroge, Med Biotech Laboratories, Kampala, Uganda - UG |
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Phase I
| Margaret Njoroge and Thomas Egwang of Med Biotech Laboratories in Uganda will develop and test an intranasal vaccine to be administered to young women before pregnancy, and again after childbirth, to confer anti-malarial immunity in their babies. |
| Preventing Malaria in Both Host and Vector | | | Shahid Khan, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands - NL |
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Phase I
| Shahid Khan of Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands seeks to produce a multi-stage malaria vaccine using transgenic sporozoites. These parasite forms will also present transmission blocking antigens to not only generate protective immunity against early stages of infection, but also generate antibodies to block transmission via mosquitoes. |
| Synthetic Peptides to Inhibit HIV Entry | | | Chang Yi Wang, United Biomedical, Inc., Hauppauge, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Chang Yi Wang of United Biomedical, Inc. in the United States will develop and test synthetic peptide immunogens that mimic conserved sites used by HIV to gain entry to host T-cells. Mimicking the correct three-dimensional structure of these important proteins should generate antibody responses that block this initial step of HIV infection and neutralize the virus. |
| Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Based on Malaria Gamete Surface Protein | | | Nirbhay Kumar, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Nirbhay Kumar of Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. will use a technique called codon harmonization to fully and correctly express a complex malaria gamete surface protein. The sexual stages of malaria parasites have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to antibody targeting. This approach may be able to block the transmission of malaria in insect vectors. |
| Using Common Freshwater Protozoa to Produce Malaria Vaccines | | | William Gordon, Tetragenetics, Inc., Ithaca, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| William Gordon and collaborators at Tetragenetics, Inc. in the United States propose using T. thermophilia, a fresh-water protozoa commonly used in basic research, to produce malaria antigens in a crystalline protein gel. The close evolutionary relationship between T thermophilia and protozoan malaria parasites may allow the antigens to retain their natural conformation. In this way, multiple vaccine components can be readily harvested as a single, low-cost, high-potency vaccine formulation. |
| Using Exercise to Improve Pneumococcal Vaccine Efficiency | | | Kate Edwards, University of California, La Jolla, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kate Edwards of University of California, San Diego in the U.S. will test the theory that brief bouts of exercise consisting of cycling and weight lifting will increase antibody and cell-mediated responses to a pneumococcal vaccination administered immediately after the physical activity. |
| Vaccine for HIV Using a Novel Mucosal Vector and Adjuvant | | | Stephen Kent, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Stephen Kent and John Stambas of the University of Melbourne in Australia will develop and test an attenuated influenza virus vector with an adjuvant that stimulates natural killer cells. The goal of this approach is to induce robust immunity at mucosal surfaces to HIV, which is important in both prevention and control of infection. |
Showing grants 331 to 340 of 560 | Vaccines Against Diarrhea Causing Gram Negative Bacteria | | | Sangeeta Joshi, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Sangeeta Joshi of the Middaugh laboratory at the University of Kansas in the U.S. will develop a novel polymer vaccine composed of assembled versions of “needle” and “tip” surface proteins used by Shigella and Salmonella pathogens to trigger bacterial invasion in human intestinal cells, and test it for its ability to induce antibody response. |
| A Lexicon of HIV-RNA Interactions | | | Alice Telesnitsky, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Alice Telesnitsky of the University of Michigan in the U.S. seeks to define and characterize HIV interactions with host RNA. The team will attempt to determine whether disrupting or mimicking essential interactions with host RNAs may lead to antiviral strategies to which HIV cannot readily develop resistance. |
| A Novel Bactericidal Protein Found in Milk | | | Anders Hakansson, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Anders Hakansson of the University of Buffalo in the U.S. has identified a protein from human breast milk (Human Alpha Lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumor cell, or HAMLET), that kills respiratory tract bacteria. Hakansson will attempt to understand the mechanism by which HAMLET binds to and kills pheumococci without the bacteria developing resistance. |
| A Novel Way of Targeting TB using Aptamers and Nanotechnology | | | Boitumelo Semete, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa - ZA |
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Phase I
| To optimize the effectiveness of current anti-tuberculosis drugs, Boitumelo Semete of the CSIR in South Africa will work with collaborators to develop “sticky nanoparticles” that specifically attach to TB-infected cells. Once taken in by these cells, the nanoparticles will slowly degrade, releasing the anti-TB drugs and killing the bacteria. With this novel drug delivery system, the team aims to improve the bioavailability of the current therapies, with the possibility of shortening the treatment period for TB as well as reduce drug side effects. |
| Anti-TB Drugs That Limit Evolution of Resistance | | | Gerald Smith, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Gerald R. Smith of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the U.S. seeks to identify inhibitors of a bacterial DNA repair enzyme that allows tuberculosis to mutate. Identifying these inhibitors could lead to therapies that kill bacteria and limit drug resistance. |
| Biosynthetic Immunotargeting for Pneumococcal Treatment | | | David Spiegel, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David A. Spiegel of Yale University in the U.S. will pursue an antibiotic strategy called “biosynthetic immunotargeting.” Streptococcus pneumoniae will be fed small molecules which they will incorporate into their cell walls. These small molecules contain an epitope recognized by antibodies in the human bloodstream, leading to immune clearance independent of bacterial antigens, representing a unique, resistance-free approach to pneumococcal disease. |
| Combating Antibiotic Resistance in Tuberculosis | | | Krishna Kodukula, SRI International, Harrisburg, VA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| To test the theory that certain metabolic pathways essential to the survival of bacteria are immutable and therefore promising targets of drug therapy, Krishna Kodukula and colleagues at SRI International in the U.S. will identify peptides that bind key metabolites of M. tuberculosis, and test their ability to kill the bacteria. |
| Drug-Induced Differentiation of Trypanosomes Leads to Lysis | | | Reto Brun, Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland - CH |
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Phase I
| Reto Brun (Swiss Tropical Institute) and Isabel Roditi (University of Bern) seek to identify the molecules that cue African trypanosomes, which are parasites that cause fatal sleeping sickness, to differentiate into the life stages necessary for transmission of the parasite. Knowing how to force this transformation prematurely within the mammalian host will allow new ways to kill trypanosomes. |
| Dual-Mode Binding Inhibitors to Suppress P. falciparum DHFRs | | | Bongkoch Tarnchompoo, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Pathumthani, Thailand - TH |
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Phase I
| Bongkoch Tarnchompoo of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Thailand will attempt to develop and test a novel drug that binds to the two pathways used by the DHFR enzyme in P. falciparum to mutate. By tethering these active sites, the dual-binding drug will suppress the development of resistance to anti-malarial drugs. |
| Host Targets in Mtb Infection | | | Nigel Savage, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiderdorp, Netherlands - NL |
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Phase I
| Because tuberculosis manipulates host cells to resist the immune response and current drug therapies, Nigel Savage of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands will utilize RNAi analysis to identify the essential pathways used by the bacteria to modify its host cell. By discovering these pathways, novel therapies can be developed to counteract this host manipulation without directly targeting the pathogen and causing the development of resistance. |
Showing grants 341 to 350 of 560 | Killing T. brucei by RNA Aptamer-Mediated Immobilization | | | Arthur Günzl, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| T. brucei, the parasite that causes sleeping sickness, must continuously swim forward in human blood to evade immune responses. Arthur Günzl of the University of Connecticut Health Center in the U.S. will attempt to develop serum-stable RNA molecules to immobilize the parasite by interrupting the mechanism driving parasite motility. |
| Robotic Health Assistant for Rational Management of Fevers among Nomads | | | Oladele Akogun, Common Heritage Foundation, Jimeta-Yola, Nigeria - NG |
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Phase I
| Oladele Akogun of the Common Heritage Foundation in Nigeria seeks to develop a “fever kit” for use among nomadic populations to help them accurately diagnose and treat fevers in a way that reduces mortality and drug resistance. The device will be equipped with simple diagnostic tools and prerecorded treatment instructions in the native language to help nomadic caregivers distinguish between malaria and other causes of fevers, and will also contain drug treatments appropriate to the diagnosed illness. |
| Small Molecule Antimicrobial Peptide Mimics as Antimalarials | | | Doron Greenbaum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of the innate immune system that provides resistance to a variety of pathogenic organisms by selectively lysing, or bursting, cellular membranes of invading pathogens. Doron Greenbaum of the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. will test whether small molecules that mimic the natural AMPs can selectively kill the parasite that causes malaria. Such an approach could reduce costs of production as well as limit the emergence of drug resistance. |
| Targeted pH-Gated Nanoparticle Anti-TB Drug Delivery System | | | Marcus Horwitz, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Marcus Horwitz and colleagues at UCLA in the U.S. will develop and test a novel drug delivery system in which nanoparticles loaded with anti-TB drugs selectively target macrophages, and release the drugs intracellularly via a pH-dependent gate, allowing delivery of high concentrations on antibiotics into the host cells for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. |
| A New Way to Prevent HIV Infection During Breastfeeding | | | David Sokal, Family Health International, Durham, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Sokal of Family Health International in the U.S., with colleagues at Cambridge and Drexel Universities, will develop and test low-cost filters coated with safe microbicides that can be inserted into tips of nipple shields to prevent HIV transmission during breastfeeding. |
| A Non-Pathogenic Chimeric THLV-1/HIV-1 Viral Genome as a Model to Study Superinfection Restriction | | | Kuan-Teh Jeang, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kuan-Teh Jeang of the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. will investigate whether cells infected by one virus become resistant to infection from other viruses, and if this viral interference can confer protection against HIV. The team will develop an attenuated virus to test whether over-expression of viral envelope proteins within cells can confer resistance to further HIV infection. |
| A Small Molecule That Blocks Male-to-Female Sexual Transmission of HIV | | | David Eisenberg, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Recent evidence suggests that HIV infection may be drastically enhanced when a specific protein found in human semen is present in fibril form. David Eisenberg of UCLA in the U.S. will design and test a small peptide that can effectively block formation of fibrils on this protein. If successful, the therapy could be administered via spray or liquid drops to inhibit transmission of HIV. |
| Breastmilk shield to prevent HIV transmission | | | Gadi Borkow, Cupron Inc., Greensboro, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Gadi Borkow of Cupron, Inc. in the U.S. will study the efficacy of using newly developed copper-oxide based filters that deactivate a wide range of viruses, including HIV-1, as a shield to enable HIV-infected mothers to breastfeed their infants without risking transmission of the virus. |
| HIV Protease-Dependent Activation of a Cytotoxic Prodrug | | | Craig Crews, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| For viral replication, HIV viruses are dependent upon proteins, called proteases, to appropriately cleave peptides and form functional viral particles. Craig Crews of Yale University in the U.S. will attempt to exploit these proteases by designing a drug that will cleave only to HIV protease and release a cytotoxin that results in programmed cell death. |
| Immunotherapy with iPS Derived From HIV-1 Specific B-Cells | | | Irvin Chen, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| HIV destroys helper T cells, which are essential to activation of B-cells. Irvin Chen of UCLA in the U.S. will utilize inducible pluripotent stem cell technology to generate a constant, self-renewing source of antigen-specific B-cells, which target conserved HIV epitopes to eliminate HIV-infected cells. |
Showing grants 351 to 360 of 560 | Mortalizing HIV – A Novel Method to Help Eradicate HIV | | | Reuben Harris, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| A high HIV mutation rate enables escape from powerful immune responses and anti-retroviral drugs. Reuben Harris of the University of Minnesota in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that HIV requires the human APOBEC3G protein to maintain a high mutation rate necessary for HIV survival. Inhibiting this protein may slow the mutation rate and make the virus more susceptible to immune responses. |
| Novel HIV-1 Env Immunogens for Immuno-Focusing | | | Ruth Ruprecht, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ruth Ruprecht of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the U.S. will develop a new vaccine platform for HIV based on the hypothesis that immunodominant regions of the virus may be irrelevant to neutralizing the virus and also prevent access to neutralizing epitopes in conserved regions. The team will also use structural mimics of important epitopes in an effort to generate a strong, broadly neutralizing antibody response against these conversed sites. |
| Novel Method Protecting Infants from HIV in Breast Milk | | | Renjie Chang, Lavax, Palatine, IL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Renjie Chang of Lavax, Inc. in the U.S. has developed a natural food substance that reduces HIV viruses in the mother’s milk, and will test it along with scientists at University of Toledo for its ability to block HIV transmission from mothers to infants. |
| Prevent HIV Infection by Naturally Occurring Antivirals | | | John Fahey, Darmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| To harness a woman’s immune system to prevent HIV-1 infection, John Fahey and Charles Wira at Dartmouth Medical School in the U.S. will identify SERMs (selective estrogen receptor modulators) similar to those used for treating breast cancer and osteoporosis that can induce local immune protection in the reproductive tract against HIV without compromising normal reproductive function or increasing the risk of HIV infection. |
| Zinc Finger Nucleases For in vivo Treatment of HIV Infection | | | Philip Gregory, Sangamo BioSciences Inc., Richmond, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| People born with a genetic mutation in their CCR5 gene are naturally resistant to HIV infection. Philip Gregory of Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. in the U.S. will use zinc finger nuclease technology to specifically disrupt the CCR5 gene as a new strategy to make people resistant to HIV. |
| Development of Indoor Spray to Control Malaria Transmission | | | Walter Focke, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa - ZA |
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Phase I
| Because DDT is the only insecticide that remains effective for more than a year, Walter Focke of the University of Pretoria in South Africa will investigate how insecticides degrade when applied on an indoor surface. Focke will then study whether combining the insecticide with paint to create a “whitewash” can mitigate this disintegration and enhance stability. |
| Giving Malaria Mosquitoes a “Head Cold” to Stop Odor-Driven Feeding on Humans | | | Thomas Baker, Penn State University, University Park, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Thomas Baker, Matt Thomas and Andrew Read of Pennsylvania State University in the U.S. will infect malaria mosquitoes with an insect-specific fungus to determine if the infected mosquitoes’ sense of smell is suppressed and their ability to find human hosts and transmit malaria is reduced. |
| Malaria Prevention With the Help of Anti-Drug Antibodies | | | Erich Cerny, Wissenschaftlicher Fonds Onkologie, Geneva, Switzerland - CH |
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Phase I
| Erich Cerny of Wissenschaftlicher Fonds Onkologie in Switzerland will test whether inducing antibodies against anti-malarial drugs can significantly prolong the half-life of that drug. Antibodies elicited via immunization may form a reservoir of the active drug for long-lasting treatment for malaria. Such a “small molecule vaccine” has significant implications for efficacy and cost of malaria prevention. |
| Mis-Expression of Liver-Specific miRNAs to Eradicate Malaria | | | Jen-Tsan Chi, Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States - US |
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Phase I
| When malaria parasites infect different human cells, including liver and red blood cells, it is thought that microRNAs are important developmental cues that facilitate specific events in the parasite life cycle. Jen-Tsan Chi of Duke Medical Center in the U.S. will test whether expressing liver-specific microRNAs within red blood cells will trick the parasite into undergoing liver-stage development, leading to its death. |
| Mosquitocidal Immunity in Cattle to Augment Zooprophylaxis | | | Jefferson Vaughan, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jefferson Vaughan of the University of North Dakota will seek to augment zooprophylaxis, the practice of using livestock to divert mosquito blood feeding away from humans, by developing an anti-mosquito vaccine for cattle that kill the insect before they bite humans. |
Showing grants 361 to 370 of 560 | Novel Class of Long-Range Olfactory Repellents for Anopheles | | | Anandasankar Ray, University of California, Riverside, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| CO2 present in exhaled air is used by Anopheles mosquitoes to find their human hosts. Anandasankar Ray of University of California-Riverside plans to identify odors that inhibit the mosquito’s CO2- sensitive olfactory neurons, and design long-distance repellents that block the ability of mosquitoes to detect humans and protect large areas. |
| Primaquine Revisited – Safety and Efficacy of PQ Isomers | | | Larry Walker, University of Mississippi, University, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Larry Walker of the University of Mississippi in the U.S. will test an innovative approach to mitigate the toxicity of primaquine, a promising and powerful malaria drug. Walker will separate the drug into two components, called isomers, to see if a single form retains the ability to eliminate the malaria parasite in its latent liver stages and the mature gametocytes while reducing toxic side effects. |
| Rapid Urine-Based Dipstick Test for Diagnosis of Malaria | | | Uri McKakpo, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana - GH |
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Phase I
| Uri Selome McKakpo of the University of Ghana will develop and test a rapid dipstick test that utilizes monoclonal antibodies to detect parasite antigens present in urine of infected individuals. Using this technology, the team hopes to create a new diagnostic test for malaria that requires minimal training to use and does not depend on invasive blood samples. |
| Targeting TRP Channel Heat Receptors to Disrupt An. gambiae Host Seeking | | | Guirong Wang, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Guirong Wang and colleagues at Vanderbilt University in the U.S. have recently identified key sensory heat receptors used by mosquitoes to target hosts. Wang will use these proteins as molecular targets to develop insect repellents and masking agents that block or hyper-stimulate these receptors and reduce the ability of the vectors to find hosts and spread disease. |
| Taste-guided Behavior in Mosquitoes Helps Eradicate Malaria | | | Paul Breslin, Monell Chemical Sense Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Little is known about the role taste plays in the mosquito feeding process. Paul Breslin of the Monell Chemical Sense Center in the U.S. will test the sensitivity of the mosquito taste system to human skin compounds in an effort to identify key compounds that cue the insects to accept or reject blood meals from humans. |
| Using Bacteria to Contain the Spread of Malaria | | | Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in the U.S. proposes to modify bacteria that naturally inhabit the mosquito midgut to secrete proteins that interfere with the development of the malaria parasite in the mosquito that is necessary for malaria transmission. |
| A Novel Vaccination Strategy for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis | | | Shaden Kamhawi, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Because Leishmania is transmitted to humans when sand flies feed on humans, Shaden Kamhawi of the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. proposes to develop a novel vaccine against salivary proteins of sand flies with the aim to induce a strong immune response against the parasite. |
| Adjuvant Effects of a Special Light | | | Mei Wu, General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Laser light at a specific setting can activate antigen presenting cells in the skin and temporarily make cellular membranes permeable. Mei X. Wu and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in the U.S. will test whether injection of a vaccine into laser-exposed skin can significantly enhance immune responses stimulated by the vaccine. |
| An Altruistic Vaccine for Mosquito Transmitted Pathogens | | | Paul Young, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Mosquito transmitted pathogens such as dengue and malaria are a significant disease burden on the world’s population. Paul Young of the University of Queensland in Australia aims to develop a novel vaccine approach that is based on blocking mosquito transmission of these disease agents rather than inducing pathogen-specific immunity. |
| Capturing Nature’s Weapons to Prevent Infectious Diseases | | | Gregory Tew, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| To better understand the role that antimicrobial peptides play in the immune system, Gregory Tew of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the U.S. will test synthetic molecules that mimic these peptides for their ability to clear bacteria by engaging the innate and adaptive immune system. |
Showing grants 371 to 380 of 560 | Customized Insecticides for Combating Disease Vectors | | | John Abrams, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| John Abrams of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in the U.S. will utilize novel mutagenesis and selection strategies to develop new variants of the Cry protein, a toxin producing the pathogen Bt, in an effort to create customized insecticides that can selectively target disease vectors without harming humans and non-target species. |
| Generation of Influenza-Resistant Chicken by Triple Combination Lentiviral Vector-mediated Genetic Modification | | | Chen Yangchao, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Chen Yangchao of the Chinese University of Hong Kong proposes developing a lentiviral vector that targets the entry and replication of influenza viruses in domestic chickens. The team plans to test the ability of these modified chickens to be resistant to various influenza viruses in an effort to reduce the frequency of flu epidemics in poultry and, ultimately, in humans. |
| Human Polyomavirus BKV as a HIV Vaccine Vector | | | Simon Lacey, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| BK virus is a very common and non-pathogenic virus that persists in specific organs for long periods of time. Simon Lacey of Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope in the U.S. proposes using an engineered BK virus as a vaccine vector to introduce HIV polyepitope sequences in hopes of inducing a strong and long-lasting immune response against HIV. |
| Increasing Vaccination Efficacy with ACE Inhibitors | | | Julio Scharfstein, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - BR |
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Phase I
| Julio Scharfstein of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil will study whether a pre-dose of captopril, an established angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and anti-hypertension drug, can increase the potency of vaccines by increasing the activation of dendritic cells. |
| Inhibition of Octopamine Biosynthesis in Invertebrates | | | Mark Alkema, University of Massachusetts, Worchester, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| The neurotransmitter octopamine is unique to the invertebrate nervous system and plays a crucial role in invertebrate behavior and fertility. Mark Alkema of the University of Massachusetts in the U.S. will attempt to design drugs to disrupt the biosynthesis of octopamine as a new strategy to interfere with the lifecycle of invertebrate parasites. |
| Large-Scale MHC Epitope Analysis for Vaccine Development | | | Gustavo Fioravanti Vieira, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil - BR |
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Phase I
| Gustavo Fioravanti Vieira of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil will create 3-D computer models of viral epitopes anchored to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules associated with different MHC alleles to search for “generalist” epitopes. Such epitopes can be used to develop viral vaccines that are effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens. |
| MicroCubes as Vaccines for the Developing World | | | Fasseli Coulibaly, Monash University, Clayton, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Fasséli Coulibaly of Monash University in Australia will design a novel vaccine platform based on protein micro-crystals produced by insect viruses. Coulibaly will engineer vaccines that utilize this stable structure to present multiple antigens with a slow-release delivery, and will test their ability to induce a vigorous immune response without the need for refrigerated vaccine storage. |
| Molecular Scissors to Specifically Disrupt a Pathogen Genome | | | Heimo Riedel, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Heimo Riedel of the West Virginia University School of Medicine in the U.S. will apply zinc finger nucleases as molecular scissors to directly disrupt the genome of human papilloma virus (HPV), the causal agent of cervical cancer. Once validated, this approach could also be applied to fight other infectious diseases including malaria, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. |
| New Highly Potent Insect Repellents to Control Insect-Borne Disease | | | Craig Montell, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Proteins known as TRP channels are responsible for coordinating sensations of taste, temperature, light and pheromones. Craig Montell of Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. will use high throughput screening to identify compounds that can activate these TRP channels in insect vectors of disease for use in a new generation of insect repellents. |
| Novel Arthropod-Based Vaccine System Against Leishmaniasis | | | William Wheat, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| When blood-consuming sand flies transmit leishmaniasis they also inject substances from their saliva into humans that are necessary for small numbers of parasites to establish infection. William Wheat from Colorado State University in the U.S. will test whether a vaccine that neutralizes an important sand fly saliva component (maxadilan) will prevent parasitic infection. |
Showing grants 381 to 390 of 560 | Prevention of Visceral Leishmaniasis Disease in Asymptomatic VL Patients | | | Dinesh Mondal, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh - BD |
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Phase I
| Because malnutrition, micronutrient deficiency and parasitic worm infection are all major risk factors for developing visceral leishmaniasis, Dinesh Mondal of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) will study if VL development can be prevented in asymptomatic patients through nutritional supplements of vitamin A, zinc and iron, as well as anti-helminth treatment. |
| Reducing Risk of ALRI by Improving Indoor Air Pollution | | | Golam Rabbani, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh - BD |
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Phase I
| Golam Rabbani of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) will study the effects that a new model of indoor cooking stove with concealed combustion chambers and ventilation chimney has in reducing indoor air pollution and subsequently, reducing acute lower respiratory infections and TB in children. |
| Signaling a Stop to Cholera | | | John March, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| The intestinal disease cholera uses cell-to-cell signaling to coordinate its growth and virulence in the human gut. John March of Cornell University in the U.S. is developing strains of commensal bacteria that naturally reside in the gut to express the key chemical signals used by cholera to abort the colonization process and allow the pathogen to pass through the G.I. system without causing symptoms. |
| Therapeutic Pseudovirus Particles to Target Superspreaders | | | Leor Weinberger, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Highly infectious “superspreaders” often drive the spread of infectious agents but are difficult to identify and treat. Leor S. Weinberger of UCSD and James Lloyd-Smith of UCLA will develop and test engineered pseudoviruses called Therapeutic Infectious Particles (TIPs), which conditionally replicate along with the pathogen as it spreads through populations, but have their virulence elements replaced with therapeutic elements that slow down disease progression and curtail transmission. |
| Transgenic Tomato for Delivery of RNAi Therapeutics | | | Eric Lam, Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| In an effort to develop a low cost and easily transportable therapeutic, Eric Lam of Rutgers, State University of New Jersey in the U.S. will develop transgenic tomatoes that express RNAs that targets several relevant viruses. The team will test whether these antiviral RNAs can accumulate in mammals after their ingestion to suppress viral proliferation. |
| Vaccine Discovery by Mapping Quasi-species Sequence Space | | | Marco Vignuzzi, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France - FR |
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Phase I
| In organisms that have extreme mutation rates, such as RNA viruses, quasispecies are highly diverse genotypes that may drastically differ from the general population and often become less viable as they continue to mutate. Using new deep sequencing technology, Marco Vignuzzi of the Pasteur Institute in France hopes to identify such RNA viruses that have managed to retain attenuated strains in order to study these genotypes for possible use in the development of viral vaccines. |
| Dominant Lethal Probes to Investigate Latency in TB | | | Babak Javid, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| The physiology of the tuberculosis bacteria during latency is not well understood. Babak Javid of the Harvard School of Public Health in the U.S. will explore the hypothesis that latent bacteria are metabolically active during latency. The team will use novel genetic probes to determine whether transcription and translation occur in the population of cells that are responsible for re-activation of TB from models of latency. |
| Latency in M. tuberculosis – A Highly Dynamic Phenomenon | | | Maria Lerm, Linkoping University, Linkoping, Ostergotland, Sweden - SE |
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Phase I
| Maria Lerm of Linkoping University in Sweden will test her hypothesis that TB latency is a dynamic process in which a portion of the bacilli, when ingested by macrophages, trigger a genetic program where bacteria cycle between active and latent phases. Understanding whether this dynamic cycle exists could give new insights into maintaining or targeting the latent bacteria, which is the major reservoir of TB globally. |
| Metabolosomes: The Organizing Principle of Latency in Mtb | | | Kyu Rhee, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kyu Rhee of Weill Cornell Medical College in the U.S. will test the theory that tuberculosis utilizes metabolosomes, which are protein-based metabolic structures, to enter into, maintain, and exit from latency. Understanding how metabolosomes work will aid in development of drugs that target TB. |
| Stem Cell Basis of Tubercular Latency | | | Bikul Das, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Because adult stem cells reside in a microenvironment that maintains an inactive metabolic state, Bikul Das of Stanford University in the U.S. will examine whether TB hijacks this niche to maintain latency. |
Showing grants 391 to 400 of 560 | A Self-Adjuvanting Vaccine for ST-ETEC | | | Roy Robins-Browne, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) is the leading cause of diarrhea in the developing world. Roy Robins-Browne, of the University of Melbourne, in Australia will evaluate the effectiveness of a prototype vaccine that combines enterotoxin of E. coli (which lacks immunogenicity by itself) with another epitope to attract helper T cells and a lipid adjuvant to ensure delivery of the antigen directly into the cell. |
| A VLP-Based Phage Display System for HIV Vaccine Discovery | | | Bryce Chackerian, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Bryce Chackerian and David Peabody at the University of New Mexico in the U.S. have developed a new phage display system based on highly immunogenic virus-like particles (VLPs), and will utilize this new system as a platform to identify new vaccines that induce broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV. |
| Development of a Glycan Vaccine for Tuberculosis | | | Carlos Rivera-Marrero, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Glycans are an important component of surface molecules in tuberculosis but their role in protective immunity is still largely unexplored. Carlos Rivera-Marrero and Richard D. Cumming of Emory University in the U.S. will develop high-throughput glycan microarrays to identify glycan antigens, determine their chemical structure, and design glycan-peptide vaccines for future testing. |
| Exosomes as a Novel M. tuberculosis Vaccine | | | Jeff Schorey, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jeff Schorey of the University of Notre Dame in the U.S. will evaluate the use of exosomes, which are small membrane vesicles released from macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as a new platform for TB vaccines. Exosomes contain proteins and glycolipids that can elicit a robust innate and acquired immune response. |
| How to Break B Tolerance and Induce HIV-Protective Antibodies to CCR5 | | | Lucia Lopalco, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy - IT |
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Phase I
| HIV uses the CCR5 co-receptor protein found in mammals as a major pathway to enter target cells. Because some patients who are exposed, yet resistant, to the virus, or have HIV but do not ever progress to AIDS can exhibit the presence of CCR5 internalizing antibodies, Lucia Lopalco of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Italy will attempt to generate “anti-self” antibodies against CCR5 to knock out protein’s co-receptor and effectively block HIV entry. |
| HSV-2 Vaccine Vector to Encode Multiple HIV T-cell Epitopes | | | Lynda Morrison, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Lynda Morrison of St. Louis University in the U.S. will develop a vaccine vector based on a prototype vaccine for herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) that encodes multiple CD8 T cell epitopes from HIV proteins, and test its ability to stimulate a robust CD8 T cell response against HIV. |
| Hydrocarbon-Stapled GP41 Immunogens | | | Loren Walensky, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Loren Walensky of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the U.S. will apply a new chemical technology to engineer structurally stable HIV-1 antigens for vaccine development. Walensky will test whether preserving the critical biologically active shape of HIV-1 polypeptides will yield neutralizing antibodies upon vaccination with his laboratory’s synthetic immunogens. |
| Immune Reinforcing Attenuated Whole-Sporozoite as Vaccine | | | Guang-hong Tan, Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Medicine, Haikou, Hainan, China - CN |
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Phase I
| Guang-hong Tan of Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Medicine in China seeks to create a next-generation malaria vaccine by deleting a gene responsible for parasite development in the liver adding a new gene which attracts dendritic cells to the infection site. Using this modified sporozoite in a vaccine could produce a limited infection that, at the same time, induces a strong immune response against malaria. |
| Infinite-Epitope Virus-like Particle Vaccines for HIV/AIDS | | | George Dickson, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, Egham, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| One hypothesis of why protective immunity to HIV in the general population is very low is that the virus can exist in a hidden form in the body and can mutate very quickly to escape immune destruction. George Dickson of Royal Holloway University of London will design and evaluate so-called "infinite-epitope" vaccines for their potential to provide simultaneous and broad protective immunity to the many variant forms of HIV. |
| Liposomal Dendiritc-Cell (DC)-Targeted Vaccines for TB | | | Ines Atmosukarto, Lipotek Pty Ltd, Canberra, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Ines Atmosukarto of Lipotek Pty Ltd. in Australia proposes to develop a novel TB vaccine utilizing synthetic “nano-sacs” called liposomes that carry TB antigens and are anchored with a self-adjuvanting protein that binds to and stimulates dendritic cells. |
Showing grants 401 to 410 of 560 | Nanoparticle Platform for TB Vaccine Targeting Lymph Nodes | | | Melody Swartz, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland - CH |
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Phase I
| Melody Swartz and Jeffrey Hubbell of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, will explore the use of a robust and inexpensive nanotechnology, which may penetrate lymph tissue to more effectively trigger immune responses, as a new tool for prevention of TB. |
| Novel Malaria Vaccine Targets Linked to Cellular Import | | | Kasturi Haldar, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Kasturi Haldar of the University of Notre Dame in the U.S. will rapidly screen malaria parasite genes that are essential for invasion and growth in human red blood cells. Characterizing these proteins may reveal novel vaccine targets for blood stage infection. |
| Vaccine to Prevent Latent TB Infection | | | Gyanu Lamichanne, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Gyanu Lamichanne of Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. will develop a novel vaccine for TB based on existing BCG vaccines modified to express a gene that is specific to latent TB in order to generate a robust immune response to a latent infection. |
| A Novel Antimicrobial Delivery System | | | George O'Toole, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| George O’Toole, a microbiologist at Darmouth Medical School, and Mark Grinstaff, a biomedical engineer and chemist at Boston University, will work to develop an expansile nanoparticle, packed with high concentrations of antibiotics, which would expand and release their content when internalized by host cells. The hope is that more precise delivery of high concentrations of antimicrobial agents, in single or combination therapies, will reduce the development of resistance. |
| A Novel Structure-Based Model for the Prediction and Exploitation of Resistance Mutations | | | Ryan Lilien, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Dr. Ryan Lilien of the University of Toronto in Canada will work to computationally model the structural and functional effects of point mutations on a target protein's active site. With the development of predictive models of pathogen evolution and the spread of resistance, this information can be used to guide drug development and optimization.
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| Antagonist of RNA-Protein Interactions as Activators of A3G | | | Harold Smith, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| A3G, protein found in human cells that inactivates several viruses including HIV, is "switched off" in proliferating T cells. Harold Smith of the University of Rochester will screen for small molecule compounds that bind to A3G in cells and turn its anti-viral activity back on. |
| Design and Setting-up of a Bioinformatics Platform Dedicated to HIV Drug Resistance Problems | | | Ouwe Missi Oukem Odile, Centre International de Reference Chantal Biya, Yaounde, Cameroon - CM |
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Phase I
| Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem of Cameroon’s Centre International de Reference Chantal Biya will set up a suite of computer tools to manage and analyze biological, clinical and epidemiological data collected from African HIV-infected patients to better study HIV resistance to antiretroviral drugs. |
| Developing Bdellovibrio as Living Antibiotics | | | Renee Elizabeth Sockett, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| The bacteria Bdellovibrio -- harmless to humans -- naturally kill a wide range of gram-negative pathogens which are known to cause many infections. Professor Liz Sockett of the University of Nottingham in England will study whether these pathogens have the ability to form resistance to Bdellovibrio, and if Bdellovibrio can be delivered to patients as a living antibiotic. |
| Drugs That Invert Selection for Resistance | | | Roy Kishony, Harvard , Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Roy Kishony of Harvard University will seek to identify chemical entities that act as “selection inverters” which actively target antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Selection-inverters could be used in combination with traditional antibiotics to prevent resistance and possibly even drive a drug-resistant bacteria population back to drug sensitivity. |
| Engineering High Affinity, Broadly Specific T cell Receptors to Target HIV-1 Variants | | | Marilyn Fernandez, Altor Bioscience Corporation, Miramar, FL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Marilyn Fernandez of Altor Bioscience Corporation in the U.S. will engineer single chain T cell receptors (TCR) to deliver immunotherapies to HIV-infected cells. These TCRs will be engineered to recognize known viral variants to linked to the emergence of drug-resistant HIV mutations. |
Showing grants 411 to 420 of 560 | Gene Locking: Sequence-Specific Targeting of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis | | | Samantha Sampson, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Samantha Sampson of Imperial College London proposes introducing short strands of modified DNA into tuberculosis cells for direct and highly specific targeting of DNA sequences. If successful, it will effectively “lock” DNA, obstruct replication and transcription, and prevent bacterial growth and survival. |
| Generation of an Ethnically Diverse Panel of Pluripotent Stem Cells for Drug Screens | | | Jeanne Loring, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Manipulation of skin cells can now create pluripotent cells which can proliferate and differentiate into many human cell types. This new technology will be employed by Jeanne Loring of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research to generate pluripotent cell lines for ethnically diverse populations to be used a genetically appropriate model to develop more specific and appropriate therapies against infectious disease. |
| GP63-Targeted Conjugate for Photodynamic Therapy of Visceral Leishmaniasis | | | Tayyaba Hasan, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Tayyaba Hasan of Harvard University in the U.S. will work to design a conjugate which will attach to the GP63 enzyme of the Leishmania parasite. This therapy will consist of a lightactivatable, non-toxic chemical that will be activated by a light source, killing the parasite but leaving surrounding cells intact. |
| Mycobactin-Linked Nanoparticles for Bacterial Infection | | | Graham Rook, University College London, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Graham Rook of University College London will target an essential bacterial nutrient transport system with an iron-binding nanoparticle. The particle will be designed not only to block the pore and prevent it from taking in needed nutrients, but to also carry antibiotics that can be released in the vicinity of the bacterium. |
| Mycothiol Processing Enzymes as Potential Anti-Mycobacterial Drug Targets | | | Anwar Jardine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa - ZA |
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Phase I
| Anwar Jardine of the University of Cape Town in South Africa will attempt to disrupt the biosynthetic pathway of mycothiol, which is produced by the tuberculosis bacterium as a protective chemical compound. By targeting this metabolic pathway specific to mycobacteria, Jardine hopes to eliminate latent tuberculosis or make it more vulnerable to existing drugs. |
| Resuscitation of Stationary-Phase Pathogens to Enhance Antimicrobial Susceptibility | | | Angharad Davies, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| In an effort to enhance pathogen vulnerability to existing antibiotics, Angharad Davies of Swansea University in the U.K. proposes using peptides which activate stationary-phase microbes, leading to cell growth, with the aim of increasing susceptibility to established treatments. |
| Ribonuclease Zymogen as an HIV Chemotherapeutic | | | Ronald Raines, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ron Raines of the University of Wisconsin proposes to convert a ribonuclease that rapidly degrades RNA into a zymogen, an enzyme precursor that is activated only when cleaved by an HIV protease. Because this cleaving can only occur within HIV-infected cells, the toxic activity of the ribonuclease will be unleashed only in cells in which HIV is active. |
| Structural and Functional Metagenomics of the Antibiotic Resistome | | | George Church, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Employing new high throughput methods, antibiotic screening technologies and rapid genomic sequencing methods, George Church of Harvard University will partner with labs in South Africa to develop a new approach to identifying, studying, and limiting emerging drug resistance. |
| Untimely Triggering of the Fusion Mechanism Used by Viruses for Entry: A New Antiviral Approach Using Engineered Microparticles | | | Anne Moscona, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Anne Moscona of Weill-Cornell Medical College will investigate a new approach to treating respiratory viral disease by using artificial cell-like structures to present molecules that would attract the virus and activate the fusion mechanism it uses to enter cells. By triggering this mechanism prematurely, viruses can’t enter target cells and cause infection. |
| What is the Role of MicroRNA in the Transition from Latent to Activated Tuberculosis? | | | Qian Gao, Fudan University, Shanghai, Shanghai province, China - CN |
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Phase I
| With evidence that microRNA can interfere with host immune response, Qian Gao of Fudan University in China will compare microRNA expression profiles of those with active and latent TB to detect which genes which have significant differences in expression. |
Showing grants 421 to 430 of 560 | A Developing Story: HIV Resistance Among African Populations May be Linked to Genotypic Traits of Type 2 Diabetes | | | Elijah Songok, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya - KE |
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Phase I
| Elijah Songok at the Kenya Medical Research Institute hopes to better understand preliminary findings from studies of sex workers that natural resistance to HIV may be linked to genetic markers for type 2 diabetes.
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| A Mutable Vaccine for HIV | | | Marilia Cascalho, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Marilia Cascalho of the University of Michigan will test whether a “mutable”DNA vaccine in which the gene coding for the antigen mutates a million times more frequently than a typical gene will trigger immune response that anticipates the production of new viral variants and produces broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV. |
| A Novel Approach to Prevent or Cure HIV Infection | | | Karthikeyan Kandavelou, Pondicherry Biotech Pvt Ltd, Pondicherry, India - IN |
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Phase I
| People born with a natural resistance to the HIV virus have a genetic mutation in the CCR5 gene. Karthikeyan Kandavelou of Pondicherry Biotech Pvt. Ltd. in India will attempt to achieve targeted disruption of CCR5 genes, making an important first step in a new strategy to make people permanently resistant to HIV. |
| A Targeted Stealth Weapon of Viral Destruction for HIV | | | Karen Anderson, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| HIV has a very high rate of mutation allowing it to very rapidly develop resistance to AIDS therapies. The essential viral enzyme, HIV reverse transcriptase, lacks a "proofreading" or "repair activity" leading to errors or mutations. Karen Anderson of Yale University is working on "stealth" compounds that have a unique anchor specific for HIV. These compounds encourage the virus to make mutations until the virus is annihilated. |
| Alternative Strategies to Eradicate the Latent HIV-1 Reservoir | | | Olaf Kutsch, University of Alabama , Birmingham, AL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Olaf Kutsch of the University of Alabama proposes that HIV latency is controlled by host-gene promoter interference, a mechanism that prevents the initiation of viral gene expression. Understanding how host-gene promoter interference controls latent HIV-1 infection may aid development of therapies to deplete latent HIV in patients. |
| An Innovative Strategy to Induce Potent Mucosal Immune Responses Against HIV | | | Yue Chen, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Yue Chen of the University of Pittsburgh will attempt to develop an oral HIV vaccine based on Clostridium perfringens, a bacteria able to withstand upper GI conditions to deliver large amounts of antigens to gut-associated lymphoid tissue, a major site of HIV activity. |
| Antibodies to GB Virus C Envelope Glycoprotein E2 Delay HIV Disease Progression | | | Jinhua Xiang, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| To test the hypothesis that immunization with a non-HIV antigen will neutralize the virus, Jinhua Xiang of the University of Iowa will determine if immunization with an envelope protein of the GB Virus C elicits antibodies that block HIV replication. |
| Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Targeted Against HIV-1 Env Glycans | | | Pandelakis Koni, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Pandelakis Koni of the Medical College of Georgia will study the complex sugar coating that surrounds and protects HIV to see if parts of this shield can serve as targets for a vaccine, to generate antibodies that bind to and accelerate the killing of HIV-infected cells. |
| Autoantibody Protection Against HIV Infection | | | Benjamin Chain, University College London, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Benjamin Chain of University College London will attempt to stimulate an antibody response against CCR5, a protein found in the body which is used by HIV to infect cells. By combining a small portion of the molecule with part of the tetanus bacterium, Chain hopes to overcome natural tolerance of CCR5 to deplete the presence of the protein and prevent a way for HIV to enter cells. |
| Controlling HIV/SIV With Drugs that Manipulate Lymphocyte | | | John Altman, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| John Altman of Emory University in the U.S. will research whether a drug which induces lymphopenia and is currently in clinical trials can effectively reduce T-cell exhaustion and induce immune-mediated clearance of the SIV infection. |
Showing grants 431 to 440 of 560 | Curing HIV Infection by Unmasking Conserved Neutralization Sites | | | Abraham Pinter, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Abraham Pinter of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey will study the mechanisms that make neutralizing epitopes within conserved sites of the HIV virus resistant to antibodies, and will screen for reagents that can “unmask” these epitopes so that antibodies can target and eliminate the virus.
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| Determining the Potential Role of Tolerance as a Novel HIV Vaccine Strategy | | | Barry Peters, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Barry Peters of Kings College London will study the balance of tolerizing and stimulating immunity in HIV patients identified as “long-term non-progressors” in an effort to determine whether it is development of tolerance to HIV, and not immunity, which prevents the progression of the disease to AIDS. |
| Elimination of HIV Infected Cells Via the use of Antibody Targeted, Inductively Heated Nanoparticles | | | Ralph Albrecht, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ralph Albrecht of the University of Wisconsin in the U.S. seeks to develop magnetite nanoparticles conjugated to antibodies that will selectively bind to HIV-infected cells. Once bound to the infected cells, the magnetite is heated using an externally applied magnetic field; melting holes in the membrane of the infected cell and killing it. |
| Eradication of HIV and HIV-Infected cells by Nanoparticle-Activated Autophagy | | | Johnny He, Indiana University, Indianaoplis, IN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Johnny He of Indiana University proposes to engineer biodegradable nanoparticles that target active and latent HIV-infected cells by binding to the carbohydrate portion of the protein gp120, which the virus uses to seek out host cells. The “sticky” nanoparticles would then bind HIV, either in the blood, or within cells, killing the virus. |
| Evolutionary-Based Host Target Therapeutic Approach Sidesteps HIV/AIDS Drug Resistance | | | Walter Messier, Evolutionary Genomics, Inc., Lafayette, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| While humans and chimpanzees share an overwhelming similarity between genes, primates exhibit a resistance to AIDS. Walter Messier of biotechnology company Evolutionary Genomics in the U.S. will research the mechanisms of eight genes that have adapted in chimps to identify how viral suppression works. |
| Expression of Multiple Anti-Viral Molecules Within the Mucosal Milieu via Bacteriophage-Mediated Plasmid Transduction of Endogenous Mucosal Bacterial Populations | | | Leonard Damelin, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa - ZA |
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Phase I
| Lactobacillus bacteria, typically found in the cervix and vagina of healthy women, have been found to provide a natural barrier against HIV infection. Dr. Leonard Damelin will investigate whether anti-HIV molecules can be introduced via bacteriophages into existing Lactobacillus populations to further fortify this protective barrier. |
| Genetic Resistance to HIV in Human African Forest Populations? | | | Alfred Roca, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Using genome scans, Alfred Roca of the University of Illinois will test the possibility that isolated African populations have been repeatedly exposed to chimpanzee immunodeficiency viruses, and have evolved resistance to HIV. Ascertaining whether they display resistance to HIV could lead to new ways to fight HIV in other populations. |
| Immunological Targeting of APOBEC Proteins in HIV | | | Douglas Nixon, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Douglas Nixon of the University of California at San Francisco will test his hypothesis that APOBEC proteins, which have been found to restrict replication of HIV, can be used to as an immunogen to stimulate a T cell response which would act against HIV infected cells. |
| Involving the Private Sector in the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in Uganda: A Randomised Trial to Evaluate Access to HIV Testing and Anti-Retroviral Treatment | | | Anthony Mbonye, Tropical Disease Research Network, Kampala, Uganda - UG |
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Phase I
| Anthony Mbonye of the Tropical Disease Research Network in Uganda will assess the feasibility and effectiveness of using private sector midwives to provide HIV testing and antiretroviral drugs in an effort to reduce mother to child transmission of HIV.
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| Preventing HIV Backwards | | | Stephen Johnston, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Stephen Johnston of Arizona State University will investigate whether HIV causes deficient protein synthesis in infected cells. This knowledge could be used to stimulate normal human T cells to destroy infected cells based on these aberrant host antigens. |
Showing grants 441 to 450 of 560 | Preventing HIV-1 Infection Using a Simian CCR5 Mutant as a Vaccine Immunogen | | | Zhiwei Chen, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China - CN |
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Phase I
| In pursuit of a new type of AIDS vaccine, Zhiwei Chen of the University of Hong Kong will work to use a variant of the primate CCR5 gene as an antigen and test its efficacy in inducing cross-neutralizing antibodies against this important HIV co-receptor. |
| Removal of HIV by Targeted Stimulation of Cellular Uptake | | | Jord Stam, Utrecht University, Rijswijk, Netherlands - NL |
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Phase I
| Jord Stam at Utrecht University in the Netherlands will attempt to create "two-sided" antibodies to fight HIV; one side would attach to HIV, and the other side would safely deposit the virus in cells in which it cannot replicate. |
| Stem Cell-Derived Natural Killer Cells as Potent Mediators of Anti-HIV Immunity | | | Dan Kaufman, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Dan Kaufman of the University of Minnesota will test whether natural killer cells, generated from stem cells can effectively target and eliminate HIV-infected cells. |
| Targeting the Intracellular Transport of HIV as a Novel Antiviral Approach | | | Ali Munawar, Molecmo Nanobiotechnologies, Medford, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ali Munawar of Molecmo Nanobiotechnologies in the U.S. aims to identify the specific protein that enables the HIV virus to access various sites within the host cell for replication. Identification of this protein will advance the development of a novel class of small molecule inhibitors that disrupt the HIV life cycle. |
| Trojan Horse Vaccines for HIV Based on Lentiviral Vectors Expressing Suicide Envelopes | | | George Dickson, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, Egham, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| To provoke an effective immune response against HIV, George Dickson of Royal Holloway –University of London will utilize HIV-based lentivectors encoded with a strong neutralizing epitope derived from tetanus toxin or influenza on its surface. By forcing production of such highly immunogenic and stable antigens, the immune system will respond with corresponding antibodies and control virus replication. |
| A New Platform for Making Effective Vaccines Against Pathogens That Cause Infectious Diseases | | | Ellen Vitetta, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ellen Vitetta of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas is developing a new vaccine platform that will utilize synthetic B cell epitope mimetics (peptoids) conjugated to protein carriers to make vaccines that will induce robust, specific, and protective antibody responses against pathogens. |
| Anaerobic Shock as a Novel Treatment for Tuberculosis | | | Xilin Zhao, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Xilin Zhao of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey will test whether anaerobic gas, which causes rapid depletion of oxygen, will kill the tuberculosis bacteria without permanent damage to surrounding tissue. |
| Arctic Essential Genes Used to Create Temperature Sensitive Pathogens | | | Francis Nano, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Francis Nano of Canada’s University of Victoria will introduce essential genes found in Arctic bacteria into the genomes of “warm-loving” pathogens, making them unable to grow at core body temperatures. Such microbes could survive on human skin, which is cold enough to allow for replication and the stimulation of a strong immune system response, but not survive further dissemination into deeper and warmer tissue. |
| Block Malarial Transmission by Targeting Gametocyte Activation | | | Greg Garcia, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| To interrupt reproduction of the malaria parasite in the mosquito gut, Greg Garcia and Sheetij Dutta of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research seek to identify and block a gametocyte stage receptor for xanthreunic acid, which is known to trigger the differentiation of gametocytes, an essential step in the life-cycle of the malaria parasite. |
| Development of a Single Dose, Multicomponent, Thermostable Vaccine | | | Yasmin Thanavala, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Using thermostable nanoparticles as a delivery mechanism, Yasmin Thanavala of Health Research Inc and Roswell Park Cancer Institute in the U.S. will work to develop a single dose vaccine that can be given as close to birth as possible to protect against multiple diseases. |
Showing grants 451 to 460 of 560 | Development of a Type III Protein Secretion System as a Quasi-Synthetic Protein Antigen Delivery Nanomachine | | | Jorge Galan, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Type III protein secretion systems are used by many bacteria to inject proteins into mammalian cells. Jorge Galan of Yale University will develop an antigen delivery machine based on the type III protein delivery system that will not require the use of live-attenuated bacteria, offering a safer vaccine platform. |
| Development of Methods to Induce or Improve Immune Responses Directed Against Cryptic Microbial Antigens | | | Hugo Soudeyns, Centre de recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Hugo Soudeyns of Canada's Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine will incorporate engineered frameshifting gene cassettes into vaccine vectors in hopes of eliciting broader T helper and cytotoxic T cell response, leading to better protection against disease. |
| DNA Vaccines with Strongly Enhanced Potency | | | Andrew Heath, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Andrew Heath of University of Sheffield in the U.K. will research whether the immune responses to DNA vaccines can be enhanced with novel adjuvants. |
| Efficacy of L-isoleucine Supplemented Food and Vitamin D in the Treatment of Childhood Pneumonia and Diarrhea in Hospitalized Patients: A Novel Therapeutic Approach | | | Nur Alam, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh - BD |
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Phase I
| Nur Alam of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh will test whether adding L-isoleucine and Vitamin D to food served to hospitalized children will induce secretion of antimicrobial peptides that can aid recovery from acute diarrhea and pneumonia. |
| Endectocides for Controlling Transmission of Mosquito-borne Diseases | | | Brian Foy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Brian Foy and Massamba Sylla of Colorado State University will research whether providing endectocides, drugs that kill parasitic worms, to animals and humans will effectively kill mosquitoes which feed on them. Through targeted and spaced drug administration, mosquitoes incubating disease-causing pathogens are expected to die prematurely, thus interrupting disease transmission, but these methods would limit the development of endectocide resistance. |
| Engineered Nanoparticle (Liposome) to Target Viral Genetic Material Through Fusion | | | Nikita Malavia, Children's Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Nikita Malavia of Boston's Children's Hospital has teamed up with MIT's Robert Langer to engineer nanoparticles that mimic host cells in an attempt to deceive viruses into releasing genetic material which is rendered useless by viral inhibitors. |
| Engineering the CD4+ T-Cell Response for Improved Immunity | | | Samuel Landry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Samuel Landry of Tulane University will research the use of immune tolerance of dominant HIV epitopes prior to conventional vaccination with an HIV protein in order to stimulate a broader immune response. |
| Enhancing the Effectiveness of Vaccines by Targeting to a New Dendritic Cell Molecule | | | Irina Caminschi, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Irina Caminschi of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia will test whether a prototype malaria vaccine which targets a newly identified dendritic cell molecule will produce a strong antibody response without the use of adjuvants. |
| Genetic Modification of Bacteria to Rapidly Generate Economical Vaccines for Bacterial Infections | | | Allan Saul, Novartis Vaccines Institute for Global Health, Siena, Italy - IT |
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Phase I
| Allan Saul of the Novartis Vaccines Institute for Global Health in Italy will genetically modify gram-negative bacteria to generate large quantities of their outer membranes, which can be loaded with antigens that stimulate immune responses. This technology could prove to be a reliable and economic platform for generation of new vaccines. |
| Genetically-Encoded Technologies that Support the Design of Molecular Sensing-Regulatory Systems for Targeted Disease Treatment Strategies | | | Christina Smolke, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Christina Smolke proposes to develop synthetic RNA devices that can process and transmit molecular input signals in hopes that this technology will result in more effective, targeted strategies for detecting and protecting against infectious disease. |
Showing grants 461 to 470 of 560 | Green Fluorescent Protein as a New Universal Vaccine Against Influenza? | | | Huan Nguyen, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea |
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Phase I
| Huan Nguyen of the International Vaccine Institute in Korea will explore whether green fluorescent protein is endowed with unique immunological properties which could be used to develop a universal flu vaccine. |
| Identification of Anti-Dengue Viral Proteins from Mosquito Cells Co-Infected with Wolbachia Endosymbionts | | | Pattamaporn Kittayapong, Mahidol University, Nakhompathom, Thailand - TH |
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Phase I
| Pattamaporn Kittayapong of Mahidol University in Thailand will study how Wolbachia, a symbiotic bacteria which infects many species of insects, may to limit dengue virus infection in mosquitoes. |
| Identification of New Drug Targets by Linking HIV Function to Protein Interaction Pathways | | | Judith Klein, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| HIV uses protein interaction pathways to force host cells to make more HIV copies. Judith Klein of Carnegie Mellon University aims to use advanced computational methods to predict parallel pathways that can be found and used to circumvent the points of HIV interception. |
| Identification of Small RNA Molecules Capable of Eliciting Cellular Immunity During RNA Virus Infection | | | Andrew Fire, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| With evidence that RNA interference is a component of virus infection resistance, Andrew Fire of Stanford University will seek to understand how RNAi can function as a natural antiviral mechanism, and how such analysis can enable the design of antiviral interventions. |
| Identification of Surface Structures Common to Gram-Negative Bacteria that are Suitable for Vaccine Development | | | Dirk Linke, Max Planck Society, Tuebingen, Germany - DE |
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Phase I
| Dirk Linke of the Max Planck Society in Germany seeks to identify and classify all the molecules that make up the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria, which causes a major portion of infectious diseases. By recognizing common elements among these molecules, a broad-range vaccine could be developed to protect against a number of these diseases. |
| Induction of Immune Priming in Vectors of Dengue and Malaria in Latin America: A New Strategy to Prevent and Block transmission | | | Humberto Lanz-Mendoza, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico - MX |
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Phase I
| Humberto Lanz-Mendoza of Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica will test whether mosquitoes can become resistant to dengue and malaria by the introduction of non-virulent pathogens, which might stimulate immune priming and protect against subsequent infections. |
| Innovation Bridge: Linking Biotech Breakthroughs to Emerging Vaccine Manufacturers | | | Matthew Davis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| With a team of researchers, economists and physician-scientists, Matthew Davis of the University of Michigan will establish a program to link new vaccine discoveries with vaccine manufacturers in developing countries while simultaneously evaluating ways to help these manufacturers purchase rights to these innovative candidates. |
| Manipulating Gut Flora to Improve Vaccine Responses | | | Barbara Kazmierczak, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Barbara Kazmierczak of Yale University will test whether changes in the bacteria that naturally reside in human bowels affect vaccine responsiveness. |
| Molecular Engineering of Erythrotropic Bacteria for Treatment and Prevention of Human Malaria | | | Joseph DeRisi, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Joseph DeRisi of the University of California at San Francisco proposes to engineer naturally occurring erythrotropic bacteria to target malaria infected red blood cells to serve as a potential prophylactic and treatment for malaria in humans. |
| Molecular Machines Which Catalytically Destroy Pathogen Proteins Required for Infection | | | Philip Bryan, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Rockville, MD, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Philip Bryan of the University of Maryland will use an engineered protease to destroy a specific Plasmodium surface protein that is essential in host cell invasion. |
Showing grants 471 to 480 of 560 | Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Nanoparticles to Capture Viruses in Treating Infectious Diseases - A Synthetic Antibody | | | Yen Wah Tong, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore - SG |
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Phase I
| Dr. Yen Wah Tong of the National University of Singapore will attempt to fabricate nanoscale, imprinted particles that can capture viruses, effectively preventing them from infecting cells. These non-toxic and biocompatible polymers can then be excreted from the body. This synthetic equivalent to natural antibodies would eliminate the need for a human immune response and resulting mutations of the virus’ DNA. |
| Nanopatch Delivery of DNA-Based Malaria Vaccines to Skin: Precisely Targeting the Skin Immune System for Radically Improved Vaccines | | | Mark Kendall, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - AU |
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Phase I
| Mark Kendall of the University of Queensland in Australia will design and test nanopatches, small patches consisting of microscopic silicon projections coated with a malaria vaccine in dry form, to target immunologically-sensitive cells within the skin’s outer layers – that are missed by the needle and syringe – to induce unique and protective immune response against the disease. |
| New Technology for Production of Pneumonia Vaccines | | | George Wang, Ohio State University , Columbus, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| CPS conjugated vaccines, such as those used to combat pneumonia, are difficult and expensive to produce. George Wang of Ohio State University will use bacteria engineered to express CPS, the carrier protein and a key enzyme which will bind the two together in an effort to develop a simpler and more economically feasible method of vaccine production. |
| Novel MucoRice System for the Development of Cold-Chain and Needle/Syringe-Free Vaccine | | | Hiroshi Kiyono, The University of Tokyo, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan - JP |
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Phase I
| Hiroshi Kiyono of the University of Tokyo will work to advance a rice-based oral vaccine that can induce both mucosal and systemic immunity. If successful, the MucoRice™ system can be self-administered and will not require syringes or refrigeration. |
| Novel Ways of Inducing Early Life Immunity | | | Volker Gerdts, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Volker Gerdts of Canada's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization proposes to use live viral vectors to immunize fetuses during pregnancy to induce immune responses in the unborn baby, thereby protecting the infant against early life infections. |
| P. falciparum Sexual Reproduction in Vitro and High-Volume Infectious Sporozoite Production for Whole Cell Vaccines | | | James Kublin, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| To generate the large numbers of infective malaria sporozites needed for use in an effective vaccine, James Kublin of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the U.S. will use high throughput screens to develop a library of media compounds needed to optimize in vitro production. |
| Production of a Transgenic Mosquito, as a Flying Syringe, to Deliver Protective Vaccine via Saliva | | | Hiroyuki Matsuoka, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan - JP |
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Phase I
| Professor Hiroyuki Matsuoka of Jichi Medical University in Japan will attempt to design a mosquito that can produce and secrete a malaria vaccine protein into a host’s skin. The hope is that such mosquitoes could deliver protective vaccines against other infectious diseases as well. |
| Programming Neutralizing Antibodies for HIV Vaccines | | | Nancy Haigwood, Oregon Health & Science University , Beaverton, OR, United States - US |
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Phase I
| To test the theory neutralizing antibodies can be “programmed” to recognize broadly divergent HIV envelope proteins, Nancy Haigwood of Oregon Health & Science University will work to design components of an HIV vaccine using groups of related envelope sequences. |
| Stabilization Against Proteolysis as a Mechanism to Increase the Immunogenicity of Protein Antigens | | | Eduardo Trombetta, New York University, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Eduardo Trombetta of New York University will study whether reducing the ability of lysomes to digest protein antigens in vaccines could enhance the vaccine’s ability to elicit antibody and T cell responses. |
| Systematic Modulation of Poliovirus Attenuation by Deoptimization of Codon Usage | | | Olen Kew, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Olen Kew of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. will attempt to develop a safe and effective polio strain for use in an inactivated vaccine by modifying codon usage patterns in polio strains to control viral mutation rates, lower infectivity, and raise genetic stability. |
Showing grants 481 to 490 of 560 | Testing of a Therapeutic PolyBAIT Concept for In Vivo Protection Against Cholera Toxin | | | Sanah Jowhari, TheraCarb Inc., Calgary, Alberta, Canada - CA |
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Phase I
| Ms. Sanah Jowhari at TheraCarb, a biotechnology company in Canada, will apply polymer-based drug technology to capture and remove the Cholera toxin from the body of a host, and validate an approach to developing a viable drug candidate for Cholera.
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| The Eye as a Source of Novel Broad-Spectrum Anti-Infectives | | | Suzanne Fleiszig, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Suzanne Fleiszig of the University of California, Berkeley will attempt to decipher the molecular mechanisms that maintain broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of the healthy eye, which could lead to innovative strategies to combat infectious disease in general. |
| Turning Houses Into Mosquito Traps | | | Jacques Derek Charlwood, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark - DK |
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Phase I
| By using strips of mosquito netting around houses to turn the homes into mosquito traps, Jacques Derek Charlwood of Denmarks DBL Center for Health Research and Development, in conjunction with the INS of Mozambique, hopes to develop a simple new technique to reduce malaria transmission. |
| Using TBK1, a Novel Molecule Which Controls the Adjuvancticity of DNA Vaccines, to Improve DNA Vaccine Immunogencity against Malaria | | | Cevayir Coban, Osaka University, Suita City Osaka, Japan - JP |
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Phase I
| DNA vaccines, which can elicit killer T-cell response, have thus far failed to elicit reliable, strong immune response in humans. Cevayir Coban of Osaka University in Japan will use newly identified intracellular signaling molecules as components of DNA vaccines against malaria. |
| VACAS: Vaccinating Adjuvant Core Antigen Shell Nanoparticles | | | François Baneyx, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| François Baneyx of the University of Washington in the U.S. will synthesize nanoparticles consisting of an inorganic adjuvant core surrounded by a three-dimensional antigen shell. The particles will target lymph node dendritic cells that play a key role in initiating immune responses to infectious diseases. |
| Chromatin Condensation: The Master Switch for Latency | | | Sarah Fortune, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Sarah Fortune of Harvard University will research whether chromatin crystallization, in which DNA condenses into a protective matrix due to environmental stress, occurs in tuberculosis and is a characteristic of latent organisms. |
| Granuloma Grafting: A New Model for Mycobacterial Latency and Reactivation | | | Matyas Sandor, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Matyas Sandor of the University of Wisconsin will graft granulomas, nodules that form as a result of long-term inflammation , to study the role they play in TB latency and reactivation. |
| Human Genetics of Tuberculosis Infection | | | Alexandre Alcais, Inserm, Paris, France - FR |
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Phase I
| Alexandre Alcais of French National Institute for Health and Medical Research will study whether there is a genetic basis for innate resistance to TB infection through genome-wide linkage analysis of TB-specific T-cell phenotypes. |
| Interruption of Latency and In Vivo Adenovirus-Mediated Elimination of Macrophages Infected with M. Tuberculosis | | | Dmitry Shayakhmetov, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Pulmonary macrophages are the principal host of tuberculosis, where it can remain latent and inaccessible to current TB drug therapies. Dmitry Shayakhmetov of the University of Washington will study whether infecting these host cells with adenovirus will induce rapid cell death, reducing TB load and blocking the re-infection cycle. |
| Investigating the Persistence of Infection with M. Tuberculosis | | | Amelia Crampin, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom - GB |
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Phase I
| Amelia Crampin of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine will study a group of people found to have latent tuberculosis in the 1980s to test her hypothesis that a measurable portion of them have cleared the infection spontaneously. Proof that some people can clear infection opens the door for research to discover how this works.
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Showing grants 491 to 500 of 560 | Prevention of Active Tuberculosis by Infection with Helicobacter pylori | | | Jay Solnick, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Jay Solnick of the University of California, Davis will explore whether the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which can cause peptic ulcers in some people, might enhance immunity to tuberculosis and help maintain tuberculosis in a latent state. |
| Protection Against Latent TB Infection by the Cystic Fibrosis Mutation | | | Jerry Nick, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Because cystic fibrosis patients and carriers appear to be resistant to tuberculosis, Jerry Nick of National Jewish Medical and Research Center in the U.S. will study whether mutations of the CFTR gene, which causes the disease, reduce or eliminate latent TB infection. |
| Senescent and Rejuvenated Mtb Subsets on Exit from Latency | | | Carl Nathan, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Carl Nathan and Gang Lin of Weill Cornell Medical College will test their hypothesis that tuberculosis is able to exit latency by distributing damaged proteins to a senescent cell lineage, while more functional proteins are diverted to a lineage with full replication potential. Regulating this post-latency cell division could be the target of novel drug therapies. |
| Targeted Capture of Latent M. Tuberculosis Cells From a Mammalian Host | | | Kim Lewis, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| In an attempt to capture and study latent tuberculosis cells, which are reservoirs of infection and highly resistant to treatment, Kim Lewis of Northeastern University will pulse-label tuberculosis cells with green fluorescent protein. While active cells divide and dilute the GFP, latent cells, which are dormant, will remain bright green, allowing for their observation and tracking. |
| A Disposable Sub-system for Nucleic Acid Sample Preparation Without Instrumentation or User Intervention | | | Robert Cary, Mesa Tech International, Inc., Santa Fe, NM, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Robert (Bruce) Cary of Mesa Tech International, Inc. in the U.S. proposes to develop nucleic acid purification systems that use a novel configuration of lateral flow materials to bind and wash nucleic acids to yield amplification-ready samples. These devices could provide purified samples from clinical specimens within minutes without user intervention, instrumentation, electricity or costly materials. |
| A Humanized Mouse Model to Evaluate Live Attenuated Vaccine Candidates | | | Dr. Richard Flavell, Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine |
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Phase I
| To develop new vaccines against some of the world's biggest killers, including HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, scientists must be able to evaluate promising candidates. Some of the most promising potential vaccines, are made from weakened live versions of the infectious agent. As a result, they cannot be studied in human trials unless researchers can be confident that the weakened vaccines will be safe. Dr. Flavell and his colleagues are working to genetically engineer laboratory mice whose immune systems are similar enough to humans to permit testing of vaccines against diseases that disproportionately affect people in the developing world. |
| A Live Recombinant Attenuated Salmonella Anti Pneumococcal Vaccine for Newborns | | | Dr. Roy Curtiss III, Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University |
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Phase I
| The current vaccine against bacterial pneumonia (pneumococcus) requires a regimen of four injections given at specific intervals. In developing countries, this not only complicates the vaccination process for health workers and children, but it also is a serious obstacle for families who must travel long distances to the nearest health clinic. Dr. Curtiss and his colleagues are working to develop new vaccines against bacterial pneumonia that require only a single dose, can be delivered orally, and are safe for newborns, infants, and people who are malnourished or whose immune systems are compromised. |
| A Multi-Disciplinary Point-of-Care Laboratory in an Active HIV Treatment Clinic | | | Wendy Stevens, The National Health Laboratory Service and the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa - ZA |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Wendy Stevens of the National Health Laboratory Service and the University of Witwatersrand will lead a multi-disciplinary team to assess the safety, cost effectiveness and impact on clinical outcome of implementing point-of care testing for HIV and tuberculosis in several different clinical settings in South Africa. The aim is to create a sustainable vehicle for future point-of-care evaluation and expansion and to provide sufficient information to inform national policy decisions, bearing in mind the need for equity, affordability and accessibility. |
| A Point of Care Diagnostic System for the Developing World | | | Dr. Paul Yager, University of Washington |
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Phase I
|
In the developing world, lack of convenient and accurate tools that can detect and diagnose diseases and other health problems means that many health risks remain undetected or receive inappropriate treatment. Dr. Yager's team, in collaboration with research groups from private industry as well as the nonprofit sector, is working to develop a low-cost, easy-to-use device that will rapidly test blood for a range of health problems prevalent in developing countries, such as bacterial infections, nutritional status, and HIV-related illnesses. |
| A Universal One-Step Device to Safely and Painlessly Collect Blood | | | Donald Chickering, Seventh Sense Biosystems, Cambridge, MA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Donald Chickering and a team at Seventh Sense Biosystems in the U.S. are developing its Touch Activated Phlebotomy™ (TAP) platform to enable one-step blood collection in a safe, painless, and convenient manner. The device uses an integrated system of microneedles and vacuum capture of a blood sample for downstream analysis. TAP has the potential to expand access to diagnostic testing into underserved and hard-to-sample populations, while also improving safety and ease of collection. |
Showing grants 501 to 510 of 560 | Ambient Stable X-aptamer Affinity Agents | | | Ross Durland, AM Biotechnologies, LLC, Houston, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Ross Durland and colleagues at AM Biotechnologies, LLC in the U.S. propose to develop X-aptamers for detecting and quantifying protein biomarkers for neglected diseases. X-aptamers are modified nucleic acids that tightly bind to specific targets and remain stable at high temperature and humidity. AM Biotech will enhance its process for rapidly identifying X-aptamers that will be integrated into a point-of-care platform for diagnosing many diseases. |
| Bacterial Spores as Vaccine Delivery Systems | | | Dr. Abraham L. Sonenshein, Department or Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine |
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Phase I
| To maintain stability and viability, most childhood vaccines must be kept cool – both heat and freezing can ruin them. That means they must be refrigerated at the correct temperature throughout transportation, storage, and delivery. This cold chain is difficult and costly to maintain, especially in developing countries. Dr. Sonenshein and his team are working to create childhood vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (the DTP combination vaccine), and rotavirus-related diarrhea that can withstand a wide range of temperatures without refrigeration by encapsulating them in harmless bacterial spores that are naturally heat-resistant. |
| Biomarkers of Protective Immunity Against TB in the Context of HIV/AIDS in Africa | | | Dr. Stefan Kaufmann, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology |
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Phase I
| Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem, especially in developing countries. Dr. Kaufmann is leading an international consortium that is studying differences in immune system responses between people exposed to TB who never become sick and those who develop the disease, focusing particular attention on people infected with both HIV and TB in endemic African countries. The project's participating laboratories in Europe and the United States are attempting to learn which host responses provide protective immunity against TB and to identify correlates of protective immunity and host biomarkers of TB disease that could help guide the design and testing of improved TB vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. |
| Brighter Futures | | | Patricia Garcia, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru - PE |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Patricia Garcia of Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Peru will aim to understand the needs for point-of-care diagnostic tests for antenatal and child care in developing countries, and to develop and test a model for enhancing rapid and sustainable uptake of these tests using social and business innovation, which could have a significant impact on maternal and child health globally. |
| Comprehensive Studies of Mechanisms of HIV Resistance in Highly Exposed Uninfected Women | | | Dr. Francis A. Plummer, University of Manitoba |
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Phase I
| A subset of women who apparently are resistant to HIV infection may provide scientists with the genetic and immune system information they need to advance vaccine and drug development. Since 1985, investigators have tracked groups of commercial sex workers in Kenya who do not become infected with HIV despite repeatedly having sex without condoms. If investigators can understand what constitutes and results in protective immunity against HIV, they may be able to replicate it through vaccines. Dr. Plummer's team is conducting an exhaustive analysis of the immunologic and genetic factors that mediate HIV resistance in the women, with the goal of gaining a more complete understanding of what constitutes protective immunity against HIV infection. |
| Developing Coupled Transgenic Ribozyme and Insecticide Resistance Approaches to Establishing Dengue Virus Refractoriness in Natural Populations of Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes | | | Dr. Malcolm J. Fraser, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame |
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Phase I
| Dr. Fraser's team is working to develop and test new approaches to suppressing the replication of dengue virus in the cells of its primary vector, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The team is using genetic strategies to introduce a molecular mechanism that uses the dengue virus' own genetic make-up to initiate a process that results in the death of infected cells in the mosquitoes, limiting their ability to transmit disease. In addition, investigators are working on tools to enhance the application of this and other genetic strategies in mosquitoes. |
| Development of a Hand-Held, DNA Aptamer-Based Surface Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering (SERS) Biosensor | | | Jonathan Blackburn, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa - ZA |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Jonathan Blackburn of the University of Cape Town in South Africa will use tuberculosis as a model disease to develop a low-cost, hand-held biosensor that combines the selectivity of antigen-specific DNA aptamers with the exceptional specificity of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy in order to reliably quantify pathogen biomarkers present in patient specimens at the point-of-care. |
| Development of a Targeted Mucosal Vaccine Delivery Technology | | | Dr. David Lo, Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside |
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Phase I
| In the developing world, infections in the respiratory and intestinal tracts are major causes of sickness and death, especially among children. Vaccine delivery systems that can target respiratory or intestinal mucosal tissue and stimulate immune response there have the potential to be particularly effective against these infections. Dr. Lo's project addresses two needs: the development of vaccine delivery systems that do not require needles and the design of systems that target specific tissues in the body. Using influenza vaccination as a model, Dr. Lo and his team are working to bind vaccine to specially designed molecules that target mucosal tissue. |
| Development of Equipment-Free Nucleic Acid Extraction System and an Isothermal Amplification Platform | | | Qimin You, Ustar Biotechnologies (Hangzhou) Ltd., China - CN |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Quimin You of Ustar Biotechnologies (Hangzhou) Ltd. in China will develop affordable, rapid, and simple nucleic acid extraction devices and an affordable, rapid and simple isothermal nucleic acid amplification assay that can be performed at the village level by minimally trained personnel. |
| Development of Novel Mouse Models for HIV and HCV Infection | | | Dr. Hongkui Deng, Peking University |
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Phase I
| Vaccines are urgently needed to slow the spread of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which together infect an estimated 240 million people, most of them in developing countries. To prepare a human vaccine, investigators need an animal model that can help them screen and prioritize vaccine candidates. Dr. Deng and his colleagues are working to improve techniques for creating mouse models with immune systems and livers that are similar enough to humans to allow testing of potential HIV and HCV vaccines. The team is working to create chimerical mouse models with hematopoietic cells (HSCs) and hepatocytes differentiated from human embryonic stem (hES) cells. |
Showing grants 511 to 520 of 560 | Disruption of Malaria Transmission by Chemical Manipulation of Anopheline Olfactory Responses | | | Dr. Laurence J. Zwiebel, Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University |
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Phase I
| Mosquitoes that spread malaria parasites use their sense of smell to find human hosts. Dr. Zwiebel is leading an international consortium of investigators that seeks to understand and ultimately interfere with the molecular basis of the insects' sense of smell. Their work seeks to develop safe, effective and low-cost products that would either repel mosquitoes or attract them to traps. |
| Drugs for Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection | | | Dr. Douglas Young, Imperial College London |
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Phase I
| An estimated 2 billion individuals—a third of the world's population—have been exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and carry the infection in its latent form, retaining a lifelong risk of developing TB disease. Programs to control tuberculosis now focus on childhood vaccination and treatment for people with active disease. Reversing TB's spread, however, requires an intervention that will prevent disease in those who are already infected. The lack of knowledge about the biology of latent TB infection stands in the way of the development of such an intervention. Dr. Young is leading an international team of researchers from the U.K., U.S., Singapore, Korea, and Mexico that is attempting to further elucidate the fundamental biology of latency and use this knowledge to develop drugs against latent TB. |
| Engineering Immunity Against HIV and other Dangerous Pathogens | | | Dr. David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology |
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Phase I
| Dr. Baltimore’s team is exploring a new way of stimulating the immune system to fight infectious diseases, focusing on HIV. The premise of this project is that for some infections, including HIV, the immune system’s natural responses are inherently inadequate, and the traditional approach of using vaccines to stimulate and boost these responses is likely to be ineffective. As an alternative, Dr. Baltimore and his colleagues propose to "engineer immunity," that is, use genetic engineering methods to produce immune cells that will make specific antibodies to fight off infection. |
| Engineering Rice for High Beta Carotene, Vitamin E and Enhanced Fe and Zn Bioavailability | | | Dr. Peter Beyer, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg |
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Phase I
| Although rice is a primary source of food for much of the world’s population, it is a poor source of many essential micronutrients, as well as protein. As a result, widespread reliance on rice is the primary cause of micronutrient malnutrition throughout much of the developing world. Dr. Beyer is leading an international, collaborative effort called the ProVitaMinRice Consortium. The consortium's members are developing new varieties of rice with increased levels or bioavailability of pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, iron, and zinc as well improved protein quality and content. As their platform, the consortium's researchers are using Golden Rice, which has been genetically engineered to produce and accumulate pro-vitamin A in the grain, and are working with novel transgene-based technologies to enhance the availability of the target nutrients. |
| Enhancing the Immunogenicity and Efficacy of Vectored Vaccines | | | Dr. Adrian Hill, University of Oxford |
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Phase I
| Dr. Hill and his colleagues are exploring a novel approach to enhancing the ability of plasmid DNA, pox, or adenoviral vectored vaccines to stimulate strong immune responses. Building on recent advances in understanding of pattern recognition molecules as well as intracellular signaling pathways, investigators are working to add intracellular adjuvants (molecular signals that have the potential to enhance immunogenicity) to the vaccine vectors. Also being explored is the effect of adding molecules designed to inhibit regulatory pathways that may be limiting protective immune response. The team is focusing on improving vectors for vaccines against malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis. |
| Enzyme-Free DNA Circuits for Signal Amplification and Diagnostic Assays | | | Andrew Ellington, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Andrew Ellington of the University of Texas at Austin in the U.S. proposes to improve enzyme-free DNA circuits by engineering circuit sensitivity and selectivity, ultimately creating multi-layered circuits that greatly amplify signal inputs. These robust amplifiers could be modularly introduced into a variety of point-of-care diagnostics. |
| Fabric Chips: A Versatile Platform for Low-Cost, Rapid and Multiplexed Diagnostic Tests | | | Dhananjaya Dendukuri, Achira Labs Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Dhananjaya Dendukuri and colleagues at Achira Labs in Inida are developing weaving as a platform for the manufacture of Fabchips (Fabric chips) that can be used to perform low-cost, rapid and multiplexed diagnostic tests. Textile weaving is a mature process that can help make reagent-functionalized chips in a convenient, affordable and scalable manner. |
| Flocked Swab Transport Systems for the Identification of Enteric Pathogens | | | David Goldfarb, University of Botswana, Botswana - BW |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: David Goldfarb of the University of Botswana in Botswana will lead a collaborative team in the design and evaluation of a user-friendly flocked swab specimen collection system for the identification of enteric infections. This could have immediate impact in much of the world were diarrheal disease remains deadly and for the large part undiagnosed. |
| Genetic Strategies for Control of Dengue Virus Transmission | | | Dr. Anthony A. James, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California at Irvine |
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Phase I
| Approaches to controlling disease-carrying insects might include inhibiting the development of virus in the mosquito or altering the insects' lifespan so that they die before they can transmit disease. A major challenge to this approach, however, is ensuring that such strategies are effective, safe, and socially and environmentally acceptable. Dr. James is leading an international team of scientists that is seeking to develop methods of controlling the transmission of dengue viruses using genetic techniques, including those that may block virus transmission by mosquitoes and reduce or eliminate populations of mosquitoes that transmit the virus. |
| Homing Endonuclease Genes: New Tools for Mosquito Population Engineering and Control | | | Dr. Austin Burt, Imperial College London |
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Phase I
| The inability to ensure that newly introduced genes will become established within regional mosquito populations has been a major roadblock to the advancement of genetic strategies for vector control. Dr. Burt and his colleagues are investigating homing endonuclease genes (HEGs), so-called "parasitic" genes that can spread rapidly through mosquito populations even if they harm the host insect. This gives HEGs the potential to move newly introduced traits, such as sterility or inability to transmit disease, through a population quickly. The project's ultimate goal is to develop HEGs as a flexible, robust, powerful, and safe system to drive useful traits through populations of mosquitoes that transmit malaria. |
Showing grants 521 to 530 of 560 | Immunity to Prevent Pneumococcal Transmission: Correlates of Protection and Herd Immunity | | | Dr. Helena Käyhty, National Public Health Institute |
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Phase I
| Acute respiratory infections, often due to Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), are a primary cause of death in young children in developing countries. A new vaccine effectively prevents the most serious form of pneumococcal disease and also reduces nasopharyngeal colonization with pneumococci. Because only some people who are infected become ill, researchers must study tens of thousands of vaccinated individuals over a long period of time to determine whether the vaccine guards against disease. Dr. Käyhty is leading an international consortium of investigators whose goal is to establish a quick and inexpensive method of determining the efficacy and expected effectiveness of the pneumonia vaccine. |
| Immunological Strategies for Curing Chronic Hepatitis Virus Infections | | | Dr. Rafi Ahmed, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University |
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Phase I
| People infected with many serious illnesses, including tuberculosis and hepatitis C, may show no symptoms of disease for long periods of time. These inactive, or "latent," infections, however, can develop into active disease without warning, and also can be passed on to others. New approaches that focus on controlling or stimulating the immune system to cure latent infections or prevent them from causing disease have the potential to significantly reduce illness, death, and disease transmission. Dr. Ahmed and his team are working to create safe and effective immunological therapies for chronic hepatitis C infection and other viral infections such as HIV by developing methods to reactivate “exhausted” immune cells that are thought be unable to clear the infection. |
| Implementation Research for Point-of-Care Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis in India | | | Pradeep Das, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Pradeep Das of Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences in India will determine how to ensure that people with Visceral Leishmaniasis, a neglected infectious disease of poverty in Bihar, India, receive the necessary point-of-care diagnosis needed to receive treatment and save lives. Many people die from this disease because they do not receive the available diagnosis and treatment. |
| Improved Vaccine Efficacy via Dendritic Cells and Flavivirus Vectors | | | Dr. Ralph M. Steinman, Rockefeller University |
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Phase I
| Dr. Steinman’s team is developing vaccines that stimulate the immune system’s dendritic cells, which are known to play an important role in stimulating protection against infectious diseases. One approach is to engineer vaccine antigens into monoclonal antibodies against receptors on the surface of dendritic cells. A secondary approach involves engineering genes for the antigens of interest into the yellow fever virus. The project will focus on creating experimental vaccines for a range of diseases, including HIV and malaria. If successful, this technology could identify a better way to create vaccines that stimulate multiple components of the body’s immune response, including those that have been difficult to target with existing vaccine approaches. |
| Improving Cassava for Nutrition, Health, and Sustainable Development | | | Dr. Richard T. Sayre, Ohio State University |
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Phase I
| Poor nutrition is a major global health problem, contributing to half of the nearly 10 million deaths that occur each year in children younger than 5 and much of the death disease and suffering impacting sub-Saharan Africa. A starchy root crop called cassava is the major source of calories for more than 250 million Africans in this region, but cassava has the lowest protein-to-energy ratio of any staple crop. Dr. Sayre is leading a multidisciplinary team of scientists, brought together as BioCassava Plus, that is working to create nutritious cassava for sub-Saharan Africa. Team members are screening additional transgenic plants and expect that complimentary genetic strategies currently underway will soon yield plants that achieve their targeted levels of iron, zinc, and protein. |
| Integrated Microfluidic Universal Sample Preparation and Pre-concentration (USP) Module for Parallel Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases (HIV, TB and Malaria) | | | Luke Lee, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Luke Lee of the University of California at Berkeley in the U.S. proposes to develop a microfluidic sample preparation module using electrical and physical methods that will be compatible with different sample inputs and downstream analytical techniques to provide both plasma and cellular biomarkers for the parallel diagnoses of infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. The device will not require external reagents, will have low power consumption, and can be operated on-site with minimal training. |
| Integrated Rapid Test Platforms Appropriate for the Developing World | | | Dr. David Kelso, Northwestern University |
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Phase I
| In the developing world, many people with health problems never receive an accurate diagnosis or appropriate treatment because clinicians lack tools to detect and diagnose diseases and conditions quickly, accurately, and inexpensively. Sophisticated medical tests that could help improve care are not only often unaffordable, they require extensive laboratory facilities and deliver results days later – a hardship for people who may live many miles from the nearest health clinic. Dr. Kelso's team is developing rapid, affordable, point-of-care systems for both immunological and molecular tests. The project's objective is to design low-cost delivery platforms that can perform assays in resource-poor settings. |
| Learning From the Human Genome How Protective Immunity Against Malaria Works | | | Dr. Dominic P. Kwiatkowski, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford University / Sanger Institute |
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Phase I
| Due to differences in their immune systems, individuals respond to malaria in different ways. While some die, others survive, and still others are infected without becoming ill. Understanding how and why some people naturally resist malaria may help lead to the development of an effective vaccine against the disease. Dr. Kwiatkowski is leading the Malaria Genomic Epidemiology Network, or MalariaGEN, an international partnership of malaria research groups. MalariaGEN partners in 20 countries, including in 14 countries where malaria is endemic, are combining genomic technology with large-scale epidemiological analyses to identify mechanisms of protective immunity against malaria in humans. Their ultimate goal is to guide the development of tools and markers to facilitate the design and testing of vaccines against malaria. |
| Linking Innate and Specific Immunity to Develop Single Dose Vaccines for Neonates | | | Dr. Lorne A. Babiuk, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan |
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Phase I
| Vaccinating infants against infectious disease is complicated by newborns' immature immune systems, the tendency of their immune systems to mount Th2-biased responses, and interference from maternal antibodies. Dr. Babiuk's team is working to develop new formulations of vaccines that can induce a long-lasting, balanced immune response in infants after a single-administration vaccination. |
| Low-cost, High-sensitivity, Reconfigurable Optical Sensing Components for POC Diagnostics | | | Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Rebecca Richards-Kortum and Tomasz Tkaczyk of Rice University in the U.S. propose to develop a plug-and-sense readout and signal transduction (ROST) component for point-of-care devices that will be palm-sized, producible for under $10, and with new interrogation units can be rearranged within the universal fixture to accommodate new sample platforms. |
Showing grants 531 to 540 of 560 | Low-Resource Extraction and Processing of Biological Samples Using Surface Tension Valves | | | Rick Haselton, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Rick Haselton, David Wright and Ray Mernaugh of Vanderbilt University in the U.S. propose to develop a sample processing technology that uses the surface tension between fluids as valves to separate, concentrate, and purify pathogen biomarkers. The proposed device aims to improve on existing biomarker extraction technologies in cost, simplicity, and speed. |
| Microfluidic Immiscible Phase Barrier: Simplified Sample Preparation for POC Diagnostics in the Developing World | | | David Beebe, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States - US |
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Phase I
| David Beebe and researchers at the University of Wisconsin in the U.S. propose to develop a “universal” sample purification platform that readily adapts to various upstream collection components and utilizes an immiscible phase (e.g. oil, wax) barrier to produce a “clean” sample for output to downstream amplification and detection components. |
| Modifying Mosquito Population Age Structure to Eliminate Dengue Transmission | | | | | | | |
Phase I
| Scientists have long known that only relatively old mosquitoes can transmit the agents that cause certain diseases, including dengue fever and malaria. Dr. O’Neill and his multinational team are working on a plan to shorten the lifespan of mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus, which infects up to 100 million people each year. They are introducing into populations of Aedes mosquitoes, strains of a naturally occurring bacterial symbiont, Wolbachia, that kill infected insects before they are old enough to transmit disease. Wolbachia are inherited though the eggs of the mosquitoes and so are passed on from generation to generation. |
| Molecular Analysis and Modeling of HIV 1 Transmission, Containment, and Escape | | | Dr. George Shaw, University of Alabama at Birmingham |
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Phase I
| Dr. Shaw is leading a consortium of investigators from clinical and laboratory research sites in Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States. They are conducting a comprehensive, integrated analysis of humoral and cellular responses to HIV-1 in people in early and acute stages of infection. Investigators are basing their work on the hypothesis that HIV-1 leads to chronic, persistent infection rather than a rapidly lethal disease because elements of the human immune system partially constrain viral replication over long periods. Ultimately, the project's goal is to contribute to the development of vaccines for HIV and AIDS through better understanding of natural immune response to the virus. |
| Molecular Approaches to Alter Olfactory Driven Behaviors of Insect Disease Vectors | | | Dr. Richard Axel, 701 W. 168th St., Columbia University |
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Phase I
| Efforts to control the spread of malaria face serious challenges, including the parasite’s increased resistance to both medications and insecticides and environmental concerns about the use of traditional insecticides. Mosquitoes that spread malaria parasites use their sense of smell to find human hosts, most often by cueing in on the scent of human sweat and the carbon dioxide present in breath. Drs. Axel and Vosshall and their colleagues are seeking to develop a new generation of insect repellents that work by disrupting the olfactory system of the Anopheles mosquito, the primary vector in Africa. |
| Molecular Design of Selective Anticholinesterases for Mosquito Control | | | Dr. Jeffery R. Bloomquist, Neurotoxicology Lab, Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech |
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Phase I
| The malaria parasites’ increased resistance to both medications and insecticides and environmental concerns about the use of traditional insecticides pose major challenges to decreasing the rate and breadth of infection. Dr. Bloomquist and his colleagues are using advanced molecular modeling and a novel chemical synthesis method called "click chemistry" in an effort to produce insecticides specifically targeted to the primary malaria vector mosquitoes, Anopheles gambiae. The insecticides would work by inhibiting the essential enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in mosquitoes. They could be used as a potentially safer and more effective alternative to existing insecticides used in treating bed nets. |
| Multi-Pathogen Point-of-Care Diagnostics (MPDx) in East Africa | | | Achilles Katamba , Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda - UG |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Achilles Katamba and investigators from Makerere University, Northwestern University, the Indian School of Business and the University of Chicago are pioneering a methodological approach to inform the design of point-of-care diagnostic platforms and create a decision support tool to enable implementation of these platforms once they become available. |
| Nanoemulsions as Adjuvants for Nasal Spray Vaccines | | | Dr. James R. Baker, Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and the Biological Sciences (M-NIMBS), University of Michigan |
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Phase I
| Vaccines that can be delivered without needles have the potential to be simpler to administer and less prone to spreading infection. Dr. Baker's team is developing a new way of preparing vaccines so that they can be given as nasal drops. These nanoemulsion-based vaccines use non-toxic lipid droplets less than 200 nanometers in diameter that are absorbed through the mucosal surfaces of the nostrils. They can be easily produced using an extrusion process available worldwide and are antimicrobial, eliminating the need for preservatives or refrigeration. The team is performing proof-of-concept, feasibility, and toxicology studies for a nanoemulsion-based vaccine for hepatitis B surface antigen. |
| Natural Products Inhibit Intracellular Microorganisms Via Cellular Mechanisms | | | Dr. Jian-Dong Jang, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences |
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Phase I
| Dr. Jiang’s team is identifying components of human cells that microbes use to establish an infection and replicate but that are not essential to the human host. Better understanding of microbial replication and survival from the view of host cells, the project team anticipates, will provide a foundation for novel therapeutic approaches to combat infectious diseases while simultaneously providing a low likelihood of inducing drug resistance. These compounds could potentially work by interrupting microbes from creating the environment they need to replicate in human cells. |
| Needle Free Delivery of Stable, Respirable Powder Vaccine | | | Dr. Robert E. Sievers, Aktiv-Dry LLC |
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Phase I
| Many serious infections, such as the measles virus, can enter the body through inhalation. Vaccine delivery systems that can target respiratory mucosal tissue and stimulate immune response there have the potential to be particularly effective against these types of infections. Collaborating with an international group that includes the Serum Institute of India (SII), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the University of Colorado, and private companies, Dr. Sievers and his colleagues at Aktiv-Dry, LLC (AD) are developing a dry-powder version of the measles vaccine that can be inhaled through a disposable plastic device. |
Showing grants 541 to 550 of 560 | Needle Free Vaccination Via Nanoparticle Aerosols | | | Dr. David Edwards, Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Harvard University / Medicine in Need |
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Phase I
| Vaccine delivery systems that target specific areas of the body have the potential to be especially effective against some types of infection. For example, inhaled vaccines may better guard against respiratory diseases, such as tuberculosis, and those that commonly infect the tissues of the nose and throat, such as diphtheria. Dr. Edwards is leading a multidisciplinary team using materials science technologies combined with infectious disease, device, and toxicology expertise to reformulate tuberculosis and diphtheria vaccines into aerosol sprays that can be inhaled. The team's ultimate objective is to develop a cell-based BCG vaccine for tuberculosis and a protein antigen CRM 197 vaccine for diphtheria in the form of novel porous nanoparticle aggregate (PNAP) aerosols. |
| Novel Antigen Design and Delivery for Mucosal Protection Against HIV-1 Infection | | | Dr. Robin J. Shattock, St. George's, University of London |
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Phase I
| Dr. Shattock and collaborators in the U.K. and South Africa will attempt to develop an HIV vaccine that stimulates immunity to the virus in the lining of the vagina. The investigators hypothesize that an HIV vaccine will be most effective at the site where the virus enters the body. Innovative combinations of vaccine antigen formulas and delivery technologies will be used to develop a potentially potent and effective vaccine. The vaccine will be designed to be delivered via low-cost vaginal gels or via silicone rings that fit inside the vagina and can be self-administered. |
| Novel Mouse Models for Testing HIV and HCV Vaccines | | | Dr. Rudi Balling, German Centre for Biotechnology (GBF), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research |
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Phase I
| Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver diseases, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Treatment for chronic hepatitis C is often out of financial reach for people in developing countries, and there is no vaccine against the virus. To prepare a human vaccine, investigators need an animal model that can help them screen and prioritize vaccine candidates. Dr. Balling's team, partnering with Dr. Di Santo's group at the Institut Pasteur in France, is working toward the development of mice with livers and immune systems that are similar to those of humans. These animals might be used to test vaccines for HCV, and potentially, other human pathogens. |
| Novel Therapeutic Vaccines for Acute and Persistent Papillomavirus Infections | | | Dr. Robert Garcea, Health Sciences Center, Dept of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine |
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Phase I
| Each year, about a half-million women, 80 percent of them living in low-income countries, develop cancer of the cervix. The disease kills 250,000 women annually, and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women living in less developed countries. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. Dr. Garcea's team is working to develop an inexpensive therapeutic vaccine against HPV that will not only protect people from developing new infections, but could potentially trigger an immune system response to cure those who are already infected. |
| Novel Therapeutics that Boost Innate Immunity to Treat Infectious Diseases | | | Dr. Brett Finlay, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia |
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Phase I
| Dr. Finlay's team is investigating a new approach to treating bacterial and parasitic infections by enhancing the body's innate defense mechanisms. By acting on the cells of the immune system rather than on the disease-causing microbe directly, investigators expect to lessen the risk of developing drug-resistant organisms and the potential for broad-spectrum activity. The project team is focusing on a number of bacterial and parasitic pathogens, including enteric bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Plasmodium falciparum. |
| Nutritionally Enhanced Sorghum for the Arid and Semi Arid Tropical Areas of Africa | | | Dr. Paul Anderson, A Harvest Biotech Foundation International (AHBFI) |
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Phase I
| More than 300 million people in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa rely on sorghum as their primary source of food. The grain is one of the few crops that grow well in arid climates, but it is deficient in most essential nutrients and is difficult to digest. The African Bio-fortified Sorghum (ABS) Project, a consortium of nine institutions led by Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International, is working to develop new varieties of sorghum that are easier to digest and contain higher levels of vitamins A and E, iron, zinc, and the essential amino acids lysine, threonine, and tryptophan. |
| Optimisation of Bioavailable Nutrients in Transgenic Bananas | | | Dr. James L. Dale, Queensland University of Technology |
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Phase I
| Bananas are the major staple food in Uganda, where the average person consumes more than 1 kilogram of the fruit each day. Banana-based diets, however, are deficient in vitamin A and iron, as well as in vitamin E. A promising long-term solution to this problem may be to genetically modify crops, including bananas, so that they contain high levels of essential nutrients. Dr. Dale is leading a team of scientists in Australia, Uganda, and the United States who are attempting to genetically modify bananas raised in Uganda so that their content of vitamin A, vitamin E, and iron is equal to or exceeds the required daily allowance. |
| Optimization of Vaccine Stability Through High Throughput Formulation | | | Dr. Colin R. Gardner, TransForm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
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Phase I
| To maintain stability and viability, most childhood vaccines must be kept cool – both heat and freezing can ruin them. That means many must be refrigerated at the correct temperature throughout transportation, storage, and delivery. This cold chain is difficult and costly to maintain, especially in developing countries. Dr. Gardner and his colleagues are adapting high-throughput formulation technology developed by TransForm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that can quickly screen different formulations of vaccines to identify those that are most likely to be stable, safe, and effective. The team's initial work focuses on reducing refrigeration requirements for the existing live attenuated vaccine for measles, a freeze-dried vaccine that must be stored at between 2° and 8° Celsius and is very sensitive to heat and light once it is reconstituted. |
| Population Health Metrics Research Consortium Project | | | Dr. Christopher Murray, University of Washington |
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Phase I
| In the developing world, major gaps in methods and technologies to measure health status make it difficult to address inequities in health through changes in policy. Dr. Murray is leading an international team of investigators that is working to develop new technologies and methods for assessing health status in the developing world. Combining epidemiology, biomedical research, and population health assessment, the team hopes to produce new measurement tools that are science-based, standardized, and applicable to different resource-poor settings. |
| Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation of a Post Exposure TB Vaccine | | | Dr. Peter Andersen, Statens Serum Institute |
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Phase I
| To stop the spread of tuberculosis, scientists are working to develop methods that prevent new infections and also eliminate infection in the huge reservoir of people who already are infected with MTB. New approaches that focus on controlling or stimulating the immune system to cure latent infections or prevent MTB from causing disease have the potential to significantly reduce illness, death, and disease transmission. Dr. Andersen’s is leading a collaborative team of international researchers who are studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis to identify the mechanisms that, in some people, allow it to escape natural immune system responses. The project's ultimate goal is to develop vaccines that target latent TB, either before or after an individual is infected. |
Showing grants 551 to 560 of 560 | Protective Genetically Attenuated P. Falciparum Sporozoite Vaccine | | | Dr. Stefan Kappe, Seattle Biomedical Research Insititute |
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Phase I
| Attenuated vaccines, composed of weakened organisms incapable of causing disease, provide prolonged exposure to antigens and have proven effective against several viral or bacterial diseases. Dr. Kappe’s team is attempting to extend this concept to a malaria vaccine. In the case of malaria, disease develops when the malaria sporozoite – the form of the parasite that is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans – enters the bloodstream and moves to the liver. There, it grows and divides into thousands of parasites that invade and destroy red blood cells, causing disease. Dr. Kappe's team is working toward development of a malaria vaccine using a malaria sporozoite that has been weakened by gene deletion to stimulate immune response. |
| Protective Immunity Against Severe Malaria in Young Children | | | Dr. Patrick E. Duffy, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute |
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Phase I
| More than a million people die of malaria each year — most of them infants, young children, and pregnant women, and most of them in Africa. Although severe malaria has a high mortality rate, some children in areas where the disease is endemic might experience only one or two episodes of severe illness before they become resistant to further bouts of the disease. Dr. Duffy's team is attempting to identify the antibodies and other immunological responses that protect children from severe illness and death due to the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly of the four parasite species of human malaria. |
| Protein Capture Agents With 40 °C Shelf Life for Developing World POC HIV-1 Diagnostics | | | James Heath, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| James Heath of the California Institute of Technology in the U.S. will work to develop protein catalyzed capture agents, which are synthetically-created peptides that may act as drop-in replacements for antibodies in diagnostic assays. These agents, designed to be stable up to 40°C for extended periods, aim to be as sensitive as antibodies, but due to their chemical structure, more easily transported, stored, and used in various diagnostic platforms in developing world settings. |
| Quadruplex-based Technology for Isothermal DNA Amplification and Non-enzymatic Detection | | | Besik Kankia, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Besik Kankia of the Ohio State University in the U.S. proposes to develop isothermal amplification of nucleic acids using a simple fluorescence detection method. If successful, the fluorescence signal will be detected by a portable fluorimeter or by eye after excitation with an appropriate light source. |
| Quantitative PCR Reconceived for Developing World Point-of-Care Diagnostics | | | Axel Scherer, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Axel Scherer of the California Institute of Technology in the U.S., along with collaborators at Dartmouth, will develop a prototype quantitative PCR (qPCR) amplification/detection component module that can rapidly detect a wide range of pathogens with low cost, low internal and outward complexity, low power consumption, a small size, and a rugged design. |
| Sample Collection and Processing for Multiplexed Blood-Based Point-of-Care Analysis | | | Nguyen Trung, Nguyen Van Kinh, National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Viet Nam - VN |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Nguyen Trung and Nguyen Van Kinh of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Vietnam will develop a patient-to-chip microfluidics component for the collection and processing of whole blood into plasma and cells for downstream testing to target highly prevalent tropical diseases. |
| Sample Preparation/Nucleic Acid Extraction From Biological Samples | | | Chandrasekhar Nair, Bigtec Labs Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India - IN |
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Phase I
| Grant funded by Grand Challenges Canada: Chandrasekhar Nair of Bigtec Labs in India aims to create a low-cost, reliable, automated sample preparation system that can be interfaced with nucleic acid detection techniques such as real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Loop-Mediated Isothermal PCR (LAMP), thus enabling molecular diagnosis at the point-of-care. The technique involves the creation of a device to extract pathogenic DNA/RNA from biological samples such as blood, sputum, urine, and nasal/throat swabs. |
| Self-amplifying DNA Polymers for POC Diagnosis Through a Portable CMOS Sensor | | | Dan Luo, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States - US |
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Phase I
| Dan Luo of Cornell University in the U.S. proposes a “self-amplifying-DNA-polymer” system in which monomers bind to specific pathogen biomarkers and then create polymer aggregates when exposed to light. This amplification step, to be used as a component for future diagnostic devices, is totally enzyme-free and only occurs in the presence of specific pathogens. |
| Surface Modified Nanostructures as Delivery Vehicles for Transmucosal Vaccination | | | Dr. Maria J. Alonso, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela |
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Phase I
| Most vaccines are delivered by injection, which increases the risk that HIV, hepatitis, and other serious diseases may be transmitted by syringes and needles that are not sterile. Dr. Alonso's team is working to develop a new generation of delivery systems that can easily and effectively carry hepatitis B vaccine through the mucosal lining of the nose. In addition, the team is evaluating whether these delivery systems and the vaccine they carry can be freeze-dried into an inhaled powder that could be stored without refrigeration. |
| Thermostable Vaccines with Improved Stability at Non Refrigerated Temperatures | | | Dr. Claire Coeshott, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
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Phase I
| To maintain stability and viability, most childhood vaccines must be kept cool – both heat and freezing can ruin them. Drs. Sarkari and Coeshott and their colleagues are working to identify Pluronic polymer-based formulations that stabilize vaccines from -10°C to 45°C; Their aim is to develop vaccines that are resistant to freezing and form protective matrices at elevated temperatures. Investigators are evaluating formulations based on Pluronic F127 using vaccines for measles and hepatitis B. |
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