Drs. Senyene Hunter and Diana Dejas are this year’s recipients of the UNC Broyhill Research Award in Child Neurology. Dr. Hunter was awarded $25,000 to study novel genetic defects in participants with infantile spasms, and Dr. Cejas was awarded $12,500 to improve the transition of patients with neurodevelopment spasms from child-centered to adult-oriented care.
Researchers from UNC’s Departments of Genetics and Computer Science led the international consortium to develop the Mini Mouse Universal Genotyping Array (MiniMUGA). This tool intends to improve researchers’ understanding of the genetics of mouse models. The team included 69 researchers spanning UNC, in addition to partners from six other institutions.
UNC School of Medicine lab of Dr. Qi Zhang utilized MRI technology to discover a mechanism to regulate microRNA. MicroRNA are essential to gene regulation, and abnormal microRNA can be linked to cancer and other diseases. Understanding the role of microRNA is important to developing better RNA-targeted therapeutics.
Dr. Evan S. Dellon, winner of a 2018 Innovation Pilot Award from the Center for Health Innovation, is the co-leader of the Anti-Siglec-8 Antibody Trial. This phase-2 trial is the first randomized trial for eosinophilic gastritis and duodenitis, and shows promise for treating these underdiagnosed diseases.
The Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative will further explore the linkage between genetics and eating disorders. This study is led by Dr. Cynthia Bulik with the aim of identifying additional genes that increase a person’s risk of developing eating disorders and other commonly co-occuring mental health conditions. Over 6,000 participants will be recruited for this study.
UNC Researchers Drs. Sarah Linnstaedt and Samuel McLean are leading an NIH HEAL Initiative project. Their research aims to examine if this novel therapeutic can prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain.
UNC is partnering with 19 other research institutions to identify the cause of rare forms of diabetes. This study is led by Dr. John Buse and is funded by the National Institute of Health.
Dr. Zoe McElligott is awarded $1.98M by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The McElligott lab is studying the neural circuit that promotes alcohol consumption, and hopes to find new interventions to prevent alcohol abuse.
A team of UNC Researchers led by Dr. Dale Ramseden was awarded a five-year $8.8M grant. Their research will focus on studying an enzyme called DNA polymerase theta, which has important implications for breast and ovarian cancers.
UNC researchers are partnering with colleagues at four institutions in Africa to study novel screening and diagnostic tools for three HIV-related cancers: Kaposi sarcoma, cervical cancer and lymphoma. Sub-Saharan Africa has the world’s highest prevalence of HIV and HIV-related cancers.