NCRR Grants $117 Million in Institutional Development Awards to Underserved States
11 Awards Will Advance Core Research, Enhance Competitiveness

October 29, 2009 – Providing adequate research infrastructure, mentoring and training opportunities for biomedical researchers is crucial to advancing science to improve health. To this end, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently awarded $117 million in continued funding to 11 Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBREs). The awards, administered by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), fund research centers in 23 eligible states and Puerto Rico that focus on critical research and disease areas such as translational neuroscience, infectious disease and cancer genetics.

COBRE awards support multidisciplinary centers that each concentrate on one core area of research in order to strengthen biomedical faculty research capability and enhance research infrastructure. COBREs are a component of the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program, which is designed to improve the competitiveness of investigators in states that historically have not received significant levels of competitive NIH research funding.

“COBRE centers feature scientists who work to accelerate the pace of research discoveries that ultimately may deliver new preventions, treatments and cures for diseases,” said NCRR Director Barbara Alving, M.D. “These new awards will enable the further development of core efficiencies and provide essential mentoring opportunities for young investigators who are then better positioned to become future leaders in biomedical research.”

Applications receiving continued funding include:

• Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge): “Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research” Estimated Five-year Award: 11.2 million.
• Montana State University (Bozeman): “Center for Zoonotic and Emerging Infectious Diseases” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.4 million.
• Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (Oklahoma City): “Molecular Mechanisms and Genetics of Autoimmunity” Estimated Five-year Award: 11.8 million.
• Rhode Island Hospital (Providence): “COBRE Center for Cancer Research Development” Estimated Five-year Award: 11.1 million.
• Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (New Orleans, La.): “Mentoring a Cancer Genetics Program” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.5 million.
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (Little Rock): “Center for Translational Neuroscience” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.4 million.
• University of Kentucky (Lexington): “Center for the Biologic Basis of Oral/Systemic Disease” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.7 million.
• University of Kentucky Research Foundation (Lexington): “Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in the Molecular Basis of Human Disease” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.5 million.
• University of Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha): “The Molecular Biology of Neurosensory Systems” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.2 million.
• University of Nevada, Reno: “Smooth Muscle Plasticity Center of Biomedical Research Excellence” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.2 million.
• University of New Mexico (Albuquerque): “COBRE Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology” Estimated Five-year Award: 10.8 million.

Full descriptions of each of the newly funded projects are available at www.ncrr.nih.gov/cobre/2009.

These COBREs already are making significant contributions to a range of complex health issues. Since its inception in 2003, the Rhode Island COBRE Center for Cancer Research Development (CCRD) has made discoveries that have broadened knowledge of different types of cancer by identifying a new mode of transmitting signals regulating the growth and spread of cancer, a new gene that determines sensitivity to anti-cancer drugs, and another gene elevated by acid reflux that increases the risk of esophageal cancer. Over the next five years, the center will focus its efforts on research aimed at identifying characteristics of cancer stem cells that could serve as therapeutic targets.

During its first five years of funding, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences COBRE has produced a novel potential treatment for tinnitus “ringing in the ears”; a new use for an existing drug that relieves the excessive reflexes induced by spinal cord injury; and an effective new treatment for spatial neglect, which is a common side effect of stroke. 

For more general information about the IDeA program, visit www.ncrr.nih.gov/idea

Contact Information:

W. Fred Taylor, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
Division of Research Infrastructure
National Center for Research Resources
Tel: 301 435 0765
E-Mail: taylorwf@mail.nih.gov

LSU Veterinary School Receives $11.1 Million Grant

Pictured at the 2004 reception in honor of the original COBRE grant are, from left, Drs. Wiliam Jenkins, Gus Kousoulas, Andrew Lackner, Kevin Carman, and Thomas Klei.

In July 2004, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine received a $9.9 million grant to establish a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE). In July 2009, this grant was renewed for more than $11.1 million. This Center grant from the National Center for Research Resources provides substantial funds to developing faculty for independent funding by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) traditional mechanisms. The original grant lasted for five years and was competitively renewed for five more years.

The original grant created a Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research (CEIDR), which constitutes a strategic alliance between the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), the LSU College of Basic Sciences (BASC), and the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC). Konstantin G. Kousoulas, PhD, professor of veterinary virology and director of the Division of Biotechnology & Molecular Medicine, is the administrator of the COBRE program at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Five assistant professors had research projects in the original grant, representing the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, SVM; the Department of Biological Sciences, BASC; and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TNPRC.

The COBRE grant provides funding and research capabilities that give assistant and associate professors the opportunity to establish research programs that will effectively compete for independent funding by NIH. Once a faculty member receives his or her own NIH funding for a particular research program, he or she will be rotated out of COBRE and replaced by other eligible faculty. The overall objective for the COBRE grant renewal is to build upon the substantial accomplishments of the previous funding period and continue efforts toward establishing an independent CEIDR, which relies heavily on the infectious diseases research focus of the LSU SVM, TNPRC and the greater south Louisiana region. Accomplishments by junior investigators JIs) recruited during the last funding period(2003‐2008) includes the award of 5R01, 2R21, 2K22, 1K01 and one NIH‐R01‐subcontract, as well as competitive funding from sources other than NIH. Importantly, SVM and TNPRC were awarded a NIH T32 postdoctoral training grant for veterinarians and a NIH T35 summer training grant for veterinary students. Additional collaborative efforts include shared training in laboratory animal medicine and pathology.

It is envisioned that building existing strengths in infectious disease research and comparative medicine will enable the future formation of a Louisiana‐based Center of Excellence as a fully recognized and self‐sustaining Center supported in part by the participating institutions and the state of Louisiana. The operational plan toward establishing this Center is to continue building a critical nucleus and network of scientists with complementary interests by recruiting and mentoring additional junior investigators and recruiting key senior investigators working in infectious diseases. In addition, the plan calls for the continued development of infrastructure and research capabilities by enhancing and leveraging available research resources. The COBRE will be administered by senior NIH funded investigators, K. Gus Kousoulas, PhD (LSU‐SVM) and Andrew A. Lackner, DVM, PhD (TNPRC). The proposed program for years 6-10 of the COBRE encompass four integrated research projects under the direction of new junior investigators working on infectious diseases. All of the selected junior investigators (JIs) have an exceptional promise to achieve NIH R01 funding within 1‐3 years of the renewed COBRE funding.

Enhancement of the research infrastructure will be achieved by the continued support and enhancement of the Molecular Immunopathology (MIP) Core Laboratory of the SVM Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine (BioMMED), which will operate as a consortium of existing, well‐supported LSU SVM centralized facilities. The MIP Core will provide state‐of‐the art molecular immunopathology research and training capabilities to COBRE‐CEIDR investigators and pathology residents in collaboration with TNPRC. Individual JIs will be mentored by three NIH‐experienced senior mentors who collectively will constitute the internal advisory committee (IAC) of the Center. The COBRE award will enable the LSU SVM, LSU BASC, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES) and TNPRC to further enhance their substantial collaborative efforts on infectious diseases of far‐reaching importance for health and disease and prepare for NIH program grant applications. Importantly, it affords an opportunity to forge alliances in a consortium with other infectious disease scientists in South Louisiana providing an unprecedented opportunity for research and training for all participating units. It is anticipated that research outcomes will be translated to new diagnostics, vaccines and other treatment modalities for ameliorating human and animal infectious diseases.

“What makes this grant so important is that it continues the momentum we began with the funding of the first COBRE that brought in $9.6 million and will allow us to continue the expansion of our research program in infectious disease as it relates to human health and comparative medicine,” said Thomas Klei, PhD, associate dean for research and advanced studies at the School of Veterinary Medicine. “It is important to know that this program was jump-started by funding from the Governor’s Biotechnology Initiative begun many years ago by Governor [Mike] Foster, which continues to have an important impact. It is the only grant like this currently at LSU. The ultimate goal is to create an independent Center for Infectious Diseases relying on the strengths of the participating institutions in the greater south Louisiana region.”

“This large grant is a testament to the underlying strengths and potential of Louisiana in infectious disease research and biotechnology. We hope that state agencies take notice of our successes and assist us in our research and economic development efforts,” said Dr. Kousoulas.

BioMMED is looking at the origin, transmission, and spread of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza A virus. This virus has been described as swine flu, in the United States as well as the rest of the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this strain is a novel flu virus that can be transmitted person-to-person. To this point there have been in excess of 10,000 known cases including 17 deaths in the U.S. alone (as of 6/02/09).

This figure is a circular cladogram based on the hemagglutinin (HA) sequences from selected 2009 H1N1 strains. The HA sequences were obtained from Genbank (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/FLU/SwineFlu.html). The sequences were deposited in GenBank between 27th April and 1st June 2009. The sequences were aligned using ClustalX and a Neighbor-joining tree was constructed. The tree was rooted using 1995 H1N1 isolate from China (AY289928) and a 1998 H1N1 (AF386778) isolate from Hong Kong, China. Bootstrap analysis was done based on one thousand replicates to lend statistical validity to the branching pattern. Values >70% are generally considered significant and are shown in the figure.

Isolates are represented by their GenBank accession numbers followed by a two letter code for the state (US) or country of origin viz. AU (Australia), CH (China), CD (Canada), DE (Denmark), EN (England), ES (Spain), GE (Germany), IS (Israel), KO (S. Korea), ME (Mexico), NE (Netherlands), NZ (New Zealand), SH (Stockholm, Sweden), TH (Thailand).

The current tree is based on the HA gene alone from a few selected strains. Consequently, it is difficult to establish the origin of the 2009 swine flu outbreak. A larger, more inclusive dataset will be useful to delineate the evolution and spread of the H1N1 flu virus. Additional comparative analysis using the neuraminidase gene (NA) and other genes from the same H1N1 isolates may help establish an evolutionary pattern.

*This evolutionary tree is provided strictly for clulstering informational purposes and cannot, in any way, be interpreted to suggest a specific origin for the swine flu.