Research Insights
Notable Grants
Linking smoke to fire: The effect of burn conditions on fuel availability, smoke production, and atmospheric processing Monday, September 16, 2024 - The overarching goal of the proposed research is to fill key science gaps in the understanding of smoke production and its physicochemical properties, as well as the evolution of these properties during atmospheric aging, to better understand the effects of smoke on health and visibility. Filling the major gaps in understanding smoke production in prescribed […]
Protein glycosylation and trafficking in Plasmodium falciparum Monday, September 16, 2024 - In all domains of life proteins are modified via glycosylation. This addition of sugar molecules to proteins is critical for their folding, function, and recognition by their partners. Rigorous studies have shown that in well-studied eukaryotic organisms, proteins synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are glycosylated on asparagine residues as well as on serine or […]
Cryptococcal vaccine development based on strong immunity induced by morphological strains Monday, September 16, 2024 - Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (CME) is responsible for more than 15% of the total deaths of AIDS patients. The disease claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year, with global mortality rates of ~70% despite antifungal therapies. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine clinically available for cryptococcosis. The challenges of preventing and treating this fungal disease motivate our […]
Collaborative Research: Characterizing and Fostering Playful Mathematics for Undergraduate and High School Learning Monday, September 16, 2024 - This project will investigate (a) how to meaningfully incorporate playful elements into the foundational secondary and undergraduate mathematics topics of algebra and calculus, and (b) the potential outcomes of “playifying” classroom mathematics for students’ learning and enjoyment. Motivation and engagement are critical factors in supporting students’ abilities to understand and persist in mathematics and the […]
Regulatory control of endogenous viruses to generate novel eukaryotic traits Monday, September 16, 2024 - The proposed activities will enhance understanding of how genes from microbial ancestors can evolve to operate in a eukaryotic genome to produce a new beneficial trait. Expected results are significant to discerning patterns of molecular evolution that lead to evolutionary leaps and phenotypic novelty given the large amount of genetic material from foreign entities entering […]
Identification of a New Transcriptional Network for Cone Photoreceptor Outer Segment Generation using Retinal Organoids and the Brown Anole Lizard Monday, August 19, 2024 - Degenerative photoreceptor (PR) cells contribute to vision loss in AMD patients. The lack of effective models to study PR repair and maintenance is a critical gap in our knowledge, limiting current therapeutic strategies to prevent retinal damage and reinstate vision in AMD. Previous data revealed an ATF6-dependent loss of cone PR outer segments (OS), correlated […]
Comparison of Advanced Glycation End Products, Oxidative Status, and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Healthy Dogs Consuming a Minimally Processed Diet Compared With an Extruded and a Retorted Diet Monday, August 19, 2024 - The health impact of food processing is a relevant and timely topic in human nutrition as processed food constitutes a large part of the world’s food consumption. Approximately 60% of food in the US and UK is ultra-processed. The term ultra-processed food indicates formulations generally including five or more ingredients, mostly of cheap industrial sources […]
Establishing Innovative Community Supervision Through a Person-Centered Model Monday, August 19, 2024 - Beginning in 2020, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS) has implemented a person-centered supervision (PCS) model for officers. This model seeks to meet the dual roles of DCS for accountability and rehabilitation by enhancing the voices of persons on probation and parole while under supervision through relying on elements of procedural justice, technology, and […]
Chicken Ecology and Ecosystem Services (ChickEES) Monday, August 19, 2024 - Livestock integration can restore synergies between animal and plant agriculture, long the cornerstones of sustainable farming. For example, pastured chickens (Gallus domesticus) might feed heavily on pests and weeds while generating nutrient-rich manure, benefiting crops. But chickens also might eat beneficial predatory, detritus-feeding or pollinating arthropods, or spread harmful bacteria (e.g., Campylobacter, Salmonella) that endanger […]
Diet and the Neurodevelopment of Impulsivity Monday, August 19, 2024 - Impulsivity refers to the propensity toward rapid action without forethought of the consequences and devaluing rewards that are delayed in time in favor of immediate gratification. Food impulsivity is associated with obesity and binge-eating disorder and can counter efforts to make healthy food choices. Regions of the brain that regulate food impulsive behaviors, such as […]
The Other Side of Genomics: Methods and Tools to Identify the Possible Negative Effects of Genomic Selection Tuesday, July 16, 2024 - Initial findings on genomic selection indicated substantial improvement in major traits, such as performance. Under genomic selection, the selection accuracy increases, and the generation interval decreases, accelerating the selection response. However, recent unofficial reports indicate an increased frequency of deterioration of unselected or negatively correlated traits. This phenomenon may arise due to the mismatch between […]
State economic support policies on the prevention of child abuse and neglect during and post the COVID-19 pandemic: Bridging evidence with policy implementation Monday, July 15, 2024 - Child abuse and neglect (CAN) is a pressing and preventable public health issue with negative lifelong consequences, including early deaths. Children living in economically disadvantaged families and communities are at high risk for CAN. Economic support policies may be effective strategies towards reducing CAN through strengthening families’ financial well-being and reducing related stress. Because states […]
Spatially Explicit Targeting of Northern Bobwhite Conservation Efforts Monday, July 15, 2024 - Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations continue to decline across most of the species’ range. Many states have used conservation triage approaches to identify areas where conservation actions are likely to be effective versus areas likely to never experience population recovery. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has identified over 2.3 million acres as Quail Restoration […]
Analysis of the Metabolic Capabilities of Prokaryotic Cells Monday, July 15, 2024 - The research goals of my laboratory are focused on advancing our understanding of physiologic processes that provide the necessary flexibility to the metabolic network of prokaryotic cells. Such flexibility is needed for cells to survive challenges encountered under the diverse conditions they find themselves in, be it free-living, in association with a host as a […]
Proposal to Expand an Engineering With Nature (EWN) Regional Proving Ground in the SE US Monday, July 15, 2024 - As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) continues to bolster the development and deployment of nature-based infrastructure solutions, the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS) at the University of Georgia proposes to expand its capacity to conduct applied research in conjunction with a broader set of installations and enhance […]
Tracking shifts in phytoplankton iron physiology along a continental shelf gradient Wednesday, June 26, 2024 - Despite significant advancements in our knowledge of marine microbial ecology over the past few decades, gaps remain in our understanding of microeukaryote diversity and physiology across vast regions of the open ocean, and how they contribute to community ecology and biogeochemistry. In an effort to address this, we combined omic and physicochemical measurements across a […]
Analysis of Metabolic Stress and Functional Integration in Prokaryotes Wednesday, June 26, 2024 - A fundamental feature of a living system is its integrated network of biochemical pathways that respond to endogenous and environmental stresses. In humans, there is a strong connection between metabolic network dysfunction and disease, while in microbes metabolic network structure dictates organismal capabilities, including pathogenesis. Metabolic strategies are conserved across biology, and insights obtained from […]
RTG: Geometry and Topology Wednesday, June 26, 2024 - This award supports the research training of postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and undergraduates in the mathematics department at the University of Georgia working in three closely related geometric areas: algebraic geometry, symplectic geometry and low-dimensional topology. These fields deal with both foundational questions at the heart of pure mathematics, such as understanding the possible shapes […]
Metabolic control of human endothelial development via the COUP-TF/1-deoxysphingosine axis Wednesday, June 26, 2024 - Vascular and lymphatic systems have emerged as attractive therapeutic targets in a variety of diseases. Stimulating angiogenesis accelerates wound healing and tissue regeneration after myocardial infarction whereas inhibition of angiogenesis suppresses tumor growth1 and progression of intraocular neovascular diseases. Likewise, stimulating lymphangiogenesis aids in the treatment of secondary lymphedema, prevents atherosclerosis and could promote cancer […]
Mechanisms of uterine fluid absorption during early pregnancy, Wednesday, June 26, 2024 - Dynamic uterine fluid volume is essential for successful early pregnancy. Uterine fluid volume is the net result of secretion and absorption, which are respectively promoted by ovarian estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) through the uterine epithelium. Dysregulated uterine fluid movement has been associated with impaired early pregnancy, particularly in women with endometriosis undergoing ovarian stimulation […]
CAREER: Uncertainty-aware sensing and management for IoT Friday, May 24, 2024 - Bolstered by a massive scale of ubiquitously connected smart devices, the emergence of Internet-of-Things (IoT) has brought about substantial conveniences to our daily life through a plethora of applications, of which many are safety-critical, including healthcare, surveillance, and autonomous driving, to name a few. For such safety-critical domains, the current toolkits usually fall short in […]
CAREER: Engineering next-generation adrenal gland organoid Friday, May 24, 2024 - Organoids are 3D, miniature versions of human organs, that help us learn about how organs grow and work. Organoids are useful for understanding human organ development, how cells talk to each other, and how our bodies fix themselves. This project focuses on making better organoids that act more like real organs. Organoids are usually made […]
Assessing global measles outbreak risk via classification methods Friday, May 24, 2024 - Large and disruptive measles outbreaks are largely predictable with modern forecasting technology and publicly accessible data. We envision a future where global-scale, country-level risk assessment empowers the advocacy case for targeted immunization in advance of outbreaks. As it stands, WHO regularly publishes retrospective lists of large disruptive outbreaks. Broadly speaking, this grant funds the development […]
PREP@UGA: Post-Baccalaureate Research Training to Diversify Biomedical Science Friday, May 24, 2024 - The University of Georgia (UGA) proposes a renewal of PREP@UGA that builds on the program’s successes to date and continues to advance diversity of the biomedical research workforce. Diversity of the biomedical research workforce is critical to the success of the NIH mission and necessary for research innovation, translation, and justice. However, ongoing, difficult work […]
Multi-omics approaches to lower the barriers to sustainable production of plant natural products with relevance to human health Friday, May 24, 2024 - Plants synthesize complex molecules for defense and signaling using specialized metabolic pathways. These plant natural products enhance their own evolutionary fitness and many of these molecules have been used with great success as pharmaceuticals to treat a wide range of human diseases as exemplified by Paclitaxel and Vinorelbine. However, our access to plant specialized metabolites […]
CAREER: From Underground to Space: An AI Infrastructure for Multiscale 3D Crop Modeling and Assessment Monday, April 22, 2024 - A crop’s traits and 3D structure (the shape and architecture of plants, including both above- and below-ground parts) are the attributes that chiefly influence crop growth and yield and provide critical evidence for plant phenotyping (the characterization assessment of plant traits). Crop yield predictions can be made by assessing 3D plant structures using crop sensing […]
CAREER: Integrating Seascapes and Energy Flow: learning and teaching about energy, biodiversity, and ecosystem function on the frontlines of climate change Monday, April 22, 2024 - Coastal marshes provide a suite of vital functions that support natural and human communities. Humans frequently take for granted and exploit these ecosystem services without fully understanding the ecological feedbacks, linkages, and interdependencies of these processes to the wider ecosystem. As demands on coastal ecosystem services have risen, marshes have experienced substantial loss due to […]
Value-addition Institute for Business Expansion (VIBE): A Georgia-Based Agricultural Innovation Center to Bring Farmers from Fresh to Value-added Markets Monday, April 22, 2024 - Georgia has a rich agricultural history in fresh produce, owing to its long growing season. Creation of value-added markets would provide a valuable source of income to growers during times where fresh produce is not actively being grown and harvested. In rural areas where farms are primarily located, many entrepreneurs lack accessibility to appropriate business […]
FMRG: Cyber: Cyber-Coordinated Analytical Framework for Multi-stage Distributed Future Manufacturing Systems Monday, April 22, 2024 - A manufactured product is the end of a long chain of interwoven manufacturing steps that may span geography, industries, and manufacturing processes. Each step may be optimized, yet for a step there may be uncertainty about the larger context of its contribution that if known during production would allow for greater efficiencies, better quality, and […]
Synthetic multi-component influenza vaccines to elicit broad immunity Monday, April 22, 2024 - Seasonal influenza viruses cause significant disease burden. While seasonal influenza vaccines are available, these are often poorly efficacious due to mismatch with circulating virus strains, particularly in the populations at greatest risk of complications from infection, including the elderly, infant, and immunocompromised. Influenza A viruses (IAV) also pose a pandemic risk for which seasonal influenza […]
CAREER: Detecting Quantum Signatures in Nonadiabatic Molecular Dynamics Thursday, March 28, 2024 - With support from the Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms A (CSDM-A) program in the Division of Chemistry, Melanie Reber of the University of Georgia is developing methods capable of measuring transient changes in the absorption spectra of molecules in the gas phase. Gas phase measurements, specifically in a molecular beam, allow for detailed study of […]
CAREER: New Pericyclic Methodologies for the Convergent Synthesis of Complex Ring Systems Thursday, March 28, 2024 - With the support of the Chemical Synthesis program in the Division of Chemistry, Christopher Newton of the University of Georgia is designing novel molecular “building blocks” that improve the reactivity and versatility of molecular addition reactions. These addition reactions enable the rapid construction of complex organic molecules through the joining of two simpler fragments and […]
Regulation of protein transport in cilia Thursday, March 28, 2024 - Cilia are thread-like microtubule-based cell extensions which function in cell locomotion, fluid transport, and signaling. Many developmental disorders and diseases are caused by defects in ciliary function and assembly. To assemble cilia of a specific size and composition, cells have to transport hundreds of different proteins from the cell body into the organelle. Intraflagellar transport […]
Dissecting Behavioral and Neural Mechanisms of Hand Dexterity after Stroke for Effective Rehabilitation Thursday, March 28, 2024 - Following a stroke, hand dexterity does not recover fully for most patients, significantly reducing quality of life. Optimal and effective assessment and therapies for achieving hand dexterity are currently lacking due, in part, to limited scientific knowledge of human hand dexterity in health and disease. Hand dexterity hinges on multiple essential behavioral components embedded in […]
NSF Convergence Accelerator Track I: SpheriCity — Circularity from Molecules to the Built Environment in Communities Thursday, March 28, 2024 - This project aims to optimize circularity, from the city up, transforming the linear consumption model of raw material extraction, production, use, and disposal that dominates the global economy. This linear model has led to serious unintended worldwide issues, from pollution to resource depletion. This project will reimagine how we design, from molecules and materials to […]
Ethical Industry 4.0: Embedding Legality, Integrity, and Accountability in Digital Manufacturing Ecosystems Thursday, February 22, 2024 - This project is centered around the creation and validation of an innovative digital framework to foster an ethical manufacturing ecosystem where machine ethics, including legality, integrity, and accountability, is mandated throughout the product design-fabrication-service life cycle. In the era of Industry 4.0, manufacturing systems are enhanced with advanced technologies and interconnectivity. While this evolution significantly […]
CSR: Small: Modernizing Dynamic Binary Translation Systems Thursday, February 22, 2024 - Dynamic binary translation (DBT), used to translate executable code from one instruction set architecture to another, supports a range of essential applications, including architectural simulators, hardware emulators, runtime optimizers, program analysis tools, software testing platforms, and more. However, existing DBT systems have not kept up with the rapid evolution of computer software and hardware. For […]
CAREER: Elucidating the hormonal regulation of cellulose synthase complexes by post-translational phosphorylation Thursday, February 22, 2024 - This project seeks to understand how plants control the synthesis of cellulose, a critically important polysaccharide that governs plant growth and development. Cellulose is an important component of food, fiber, textiles, and fuel for human and forage animals. While many of the enzymes that participate in cellulose synthesis in land plants have been identified, it […]
Ecosystem on the Edge: How Coastal Marsh Plants and Microbes Thrive in an Oscillating Environment Thursday, February 22, 2024 - Long term soil carbon preservation in coastal marshes starts with organic matter deposition and depends on the hydrological and biogeochemical environment that affects subsequent transformations and fate. We posit that the intensity of hydrological oscillations, due to tides and plant transpiration and that affect redox conditions, influence organic matter transformations following deposition and set the […]
SCH: Contactless and Engagement-free Sleep Apnea Monitoring and Characterization Thursday, February 22, 2024 - Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major health problem and can lead to or increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, metabolic disease, daytime sleepiness, workplace errors, traffic accidents and death, if it is left undetected. Worldwide it is estimated one billion people, one in seven adults, have OSA. As sleep occurs primarily in the […]
CAREER: Recycling the Radio Spectrum for Science: A New Paradigm for UAS-based Precision Agriculture Friday, January 26, 2024 - Demand for radio spectrum space is growing quickly, spurred by the explosion of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs), and 5G networks. Unfortunately, the growth of active wireless systems often increases radio frequency (RF) interference (RFI) in science observations. As it stands, very little of the RF spectrum […]
CAREER: Additively Manufactured Nanomaterial Layers with Submicron Structures Friday, January 26, 2024 - Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is the process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, instead of conventional manufacturing technologies with subtractive features and a longer lead time. As a revolutionary technology, additive manufacturing significantly improves logistics, quickly enables new products and increases material readiness, critical to bringing […]
Establishing a Socio-ecological System to Support Northern Bobwhite Populations Long-term: Implications for Ecosystem Services and Hunting Opportunities Friday, January 26, 2024 - The Farm Bill has been an important tool for conservation for almost 40 years; however, many of our important game species and associated non-game species that inhabit grasslands, savannas, marginal farmland, and woodlands continue to decline. New conservation models need to be explored that minimize the need for tax-payer-funded subsidies in the long-term and maximize […]
Defining the mechanisms of MSC extracellular vesicle modulation of microglia metabolism and bioenergetics in traumatic brain injury recovery Friday, January 26, 2024 - Neuroinflammation plays a critical role in both the onset and progression of traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, most therapies are unable to address the multifaceted aspects. Following TBI, microglia become activated and produce inflammatory cytokines (including TNF-α and IL-6) that damage blood brain barrier (BBB), tight junctions, and lead to infiltration of peripheral immune cells […]
Advanced Geospatial Analytics and Electromagnetic Shielding Technologies for Enhanced Sustainability (ARL-EDGE) Friday, January 26, 2024 - The University of Georgia research program, titled, “Advanced Geospatial Analytics and Electromagnetic Shielding Technologies for Enhanced Sustainability,” addresses new technological capabilities and novel mechanisms that reside at the nexus of sustainability and autonomy in order to enable multi-domain operations (MDO) in a broad range of challenging environments and applications. Leveraging technology advancements in geospatial intelligence […]
Elucidating mechanisms for artemisinin-induced dormancy in Plasmodium falciparum Monday, December 18, 2023 - Among the numerous problems plaguing the malaria elimination efforts is the emergence and spread of drug resistance in P. falciparum. Resistance to artemisinin has led to reduced efficacy of artemisinin combination therapy (ACTs) and ultimately selection of resistance to the partner drugs (e.g., piperaquine). Clearly, the threat of multi-drug resistant malaria is as important today […]
Informing Coastal Adaptation and Management through the Coastal Dynamics of Sea Level Rise (iCAM-CDSLR) Monday, December 18, 2023 - Gulf coast resource managers and decision-makers are increasingly exploring how to improve community resilience in the face of extreme storms and sea level rise (SLR), particularly with nature-based infrastructure. The Coastal Dynamics of SLR (CDSLR) paradigm, a mature ESLR-funded approach developed in 2010, will be used to evaluate flood hazard mitigation and the socioeconomic and […]
CESU-Piedmont Deer-tested Fences: Innovations to reduce conflicts with deer and fencing in suburban habitats Monday, December 18, 2023 - Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) Urban Wildlife Program responds to numerous calls from metro Atlanta residents about white-tailed deer becoming entangled in residential fences (e.g., wrought iron). These emergencies present concerns for the welfare of deer and the safety of residents and responding personnel. Although fences greater than 10 feet in height are known […]
The Electrical Hydrogen Sensor Technology with a Sub-minute Response Time and a Part-per-Billion Detection Limit for Hydrogen Environmental Monitoring Monday, December 18, 2023 - The goal of this project is to develop a field deployable hydrogen sensor with environmental monitoring capabilities to detect hydrogen content at environmentally relevant conditions that meet DOE goals. The project is organized around three technical areas: research and development with laboratory testing, sensor system integration, and simulated field testing. The team of scientists and […]
Promoting Rights-based Evaluation Monday, December 18, 2023 - The long-term goal of this project is to strengthen the use of partner-centered evidence to promote equitable design, implementation, and evaluation of human rights policies and practices; in turn, reducing the disparities between disenfranchised communities’ and funders’ knowledge and values. This project is innovative in that it attempts to actionably move evaluation to a community-collaborative […]
Investigating the Role of Cerebrovascular Dysfunction in Chronic Cerebral Atrophy after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Lohitash Karumbaia Thursday, November 30, 2023 - Cerebral atrophy is commonly encountered in penetrating severe Traumatic Brain Injury (sTBI) survivors. Brain infiltration of blood-borne cytotoxic proteins and immune cells due to cerebrovascular dysfunction is an important factor contributing to progressive cerebral atrophy and onset of Alzheimer’s Disease dementia in sTBI patients. However, there have been no efforts to develop interventional therapies that […]
Collaborative Research: Identifying Systemic Racism in Mathematics Teacher Education: Building a Cross-Site Community with Preservice Teachers of Color from an HBCU, HSI, and PWI, Dorothy White Thursday, November 30, 2023 - This project will make significant contributions to racial equity in STEM by identifying and describing forms of systemic racism inherent in mathematics teacher education programs (MTEPs). Racialized mathematics teaching practices are systemic in elementary mathematics classrooms, and the impacts of systemic inequities in K-12 mathematics education both deter students from diverse backgrounds from becoming interested […]
Synaptic Dysfunction and Energy Failure in Parkinson’s Disease, Hui Zhang Thursday, November 30, 2023 - Summary Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Loss of substantia nigra compacta (SNc) dopaminergic projections and decreased striatal dopamine levels are the characteristic features of PD. Emerging evidence suggest that synaptic dysfunction of dopamine neurons is an early event in the pathogenesis of PD occurring prior to the onset of symptoms. […]
Molecular mechanisms of physical interactions between bacteria and their surroundings, Courtney Ellison Thursday, November 30, 2023 - Project Summary To survive in diverse environments, bacteria must dynamically interact with their physical surroundings to sense and incorporate stimuli into physiological responses. Bacteria often achieve this interplay between extracellular cues and intracellular signaling by using surface-exposed nanomachines that connect the intracellular space to the cell surface. The most broadly distributed surface-exposed nanomachines are appendages […]
Randomized Controlled Trial of Dyadic Financial Incentive Treatment for Dual Smoker Couples: Evaluation of Efficacy, Mechanisms, and Cost Effectiveness, Michelle Vandellen Thursday, November 30, 2023 - Project Summary/Abstract Smokers partnered with other smokers (i.e., dual-smoker couples) represent ~2/3 of all smokers. Dual- smoker couples (DSCs) are less likely to try to quit smoking and more likely to relapse during a quit attempt, reducing overall smoking cessation rates and representing a high-risk clinical population. Despite their high prevalence and risk for persistent […]