1985 |
Sanberg, Paul R. |
R03Activity Code Description: To provide research support specifically limited in time and amount for studies in categorical program areas. Small grants provide flexibility for initiating studies which are generally for preliminary short-term projects and are non-renewable. |
Topography of Locomotion After Striatal Lesions
Microinjections of nanomolar quantities of kainate (KA) or its analogues into the striatum of experimental animals result in degeneration of local intrinsic as well as efferent neurons, leaving axons and terminals of extrinsic neurons intact. The resulting biochemical and histological picture appears strikingly analogous to that described in the striatum of Huntington's Disease (HD). While there is good evidence for the existence of behavioral deficits in KA-lesioned rats which may resemble the motor abnormalities of HD patients, the interpretation of these findings remains quite controversial as to whether they are actually mechanistically analogous to the human condition. Previous studies could not address this controversy, since the dependent activity measure, i.e. the number of photocells crossed, used by most investigators was not sensitive enough to detect species-dependent locomotion abnormalities that are manifested solely by striatal dysfunction. With recently developed computerized Digiscan Activity Monitors which simultaneously measure over 20 aspects of locomotion, including many indices of horizontal vertical, stereotypical and rotational behavior, it will be possible to characterize for the first time the total locomotion architecture of KA-lesioned rats. Following this careful analysis of the abnormal aspects of this animal model's motor behavior, the effects of various dopaminergic, cholinergic and GABAergic agents on the abnormal locomotion will be ascertained in order to determine if KA-lesioned rats show species-specific behavioral responses that appear analogous to HD patients given the same pharmacological profile. This data would help clarify the locomotor analogies between this animal model of HD, and add greatly to our understanding the role of the striatum in movement. Furthermore, such analysis would produce a more analogous pharmacological screening method for HD, because drugs would be tested on many aspects of abnormal movement in the rat, instead of on one gross "activity" measure as previously used.
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0.943 |
1988 — 1990 |
Sanberg, Paul R. |
R01Activity Code Description: To support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in an area representing his or her specific interest and competencies. |
Neural Transplants, Behavior &Huntington's Model @ University of Cincinnati
Microinjections of kainic acid (KA) into the striatum of experimental animals result in degeneration of local intrinsic as well as efferent neurons, leaving axons and terminals of extrinsic neurons intact. The resulting biochemical and histological picture appears strikingly analogous to that described in the striatum of patients with Huntington's disease (HD). However, a novel excitotoxin, quinolinic acid (QA) has recently been reported to be a more accurate biochemical model of HD. The behavioral consequences and the effects on ChAT, GAD, TH, substance P and somatostatin of QA lesions of the rat striatum will be determined and compared to those produced by KA. Transplantation of day 17 rat fetal striatal ridge tissue into KA lesioned rat striatum produces a time dependent amelioration of the nocturnal hyperactivity observed in KA lesioned rats. The long-term survival of transplanted tissue and the effect of animal sex on the survival of transplanted tissue will be assessed as these variables have potential clinical significance. The optimal time, following neuronal injury with KA or QA, in which transplanted material survives, grows and ameliorates locomotor abnormalities will be investigated in the animal model. The use of human fetal tissue transplants into human patients may encounter ethical or logistical problems. The use of non-human donor tissue might be a possible alternative. The feasibility of cross-species transplants from fetal guinea pig, mouse and cat will be explored using the immune suppressant drug cyclosporin A in host rats. These rats will be tested for any reversal of abnormal locomotor activity to determine functional integration of donor and host tissue. The short-term survival of transplanted tissue from these other species will be determined by histological analysis. Interestingly, the injection of fetal rat striatal tissue into intact adult rat striatum produces "lesion-like" increases in locomotor activity. It is proposed to further investigate the specificity of this phenomenon. These studies should help elucidate the conditions for optimal use of the transplantation technique in a rat model of HD and expedite the investigation of the therapeutic potential of the transplant technique in human HD patients.
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0.955 |
1994 — 1996 |
Sanberg, Paul R. |
R01Activity Code Description: To support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in an area representing his or her specific interest and competencies. |
Nicotine/Haloperidol Therapy in Tourette Syndrome @ University of South Florida
There is much interest in the role of cholinergic systems in nervous and mental disease. Since nicotine, the psychoactive ingredient in tobacco, is the primary nicotine cholinergic agonist it is important to ascertain the possibilities of this agent for therapy of neuropsychiatric disorders. Although it is commonly felt that "nicotine has no therapeutic applications," recent work has demonstrated that it may prove beneficial as an adjunct therapy for extrapyramidal disorders such as Tourette Syndrome. Tourette Syndrome is a complex disorder with both motor and verbal tics. While the drugs of choice for the disorder are dopamine receptors blockers, such as haloperidol, some patients show only marginal response. Furthermore, these drugs can lead to sedation, exacerbation of learning difficulties, and possible tardive dyskinesia. For these reason, an agent that potentiates the effects of neuroplastics administration of 2 mg nicotine gum alone had little effect. A major problem associated with treating patients with nicotine gum were the associated side effects, such as the bitter taste of the gum, upset stomach and nausea, thus making compliance very difficult especially for younger patients. Since nicotine is beneficial to patients, there may be a tendency for non-complying patients to obtain nicotine from another source, such as smokeless tobacco products. Therefore, it may also be important to find an alternative more compliant nicotine source. With the current availability of transdermal nicotine patches, these problems can be alleviated, thus providing good compliance. Also, it is now possible to determine if continuous nicotine via the transdermal approach in combination with haloperidol can be beneficial for patients. Preliminary studies with 7 mg nicotine patches and neuroleptic in several patients have shown significant improvement of Tourette's symptoms. The present study will examine the effects of transdermal nicotine in a controlled double-blind fashion on patients wit Tourettes Syndrome to determine whether continuous nicotine potentiates the therapeutic effects of haloperidol in this disorder and is more compliant. These studies should help determine the usefulness for treating neuroleptic responsive disorders wit nicotine adjunctive therapy.
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1 |
2010 |
Sanberg, Paul R. |
R13Activity Code Description: To support recipient sponsored and directed international, national or regional meetings, conferences and workshops. |
American Society For Neural Therapy and Repair @ University of South Florida
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This R13 application seeks funding to support travel awards for students and postdoctoral fellows to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair (ASNTR) to be held April 29 - May 1, 2010. Since its founding in 1994, the ASNTR has convened yearly each April/May in Clearwater, Florida. At the meeting various research advances in the fields of transplantation, neuroengineering and gene therapy applied to neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury are discussed via platform and poster presentations. ASNTR focuses on treatment strategies throughout all its sessions. Thus, students and postdoctoral fellows not only learn the basic sciences, they also learn translational issues discussed between basic scientists and clinicians. Therefore, ASNTR is truly a unique gathering. Attendance of this meeting ranges between 125-200 registrants. Each year the ASNTR Education and Training Committee encourages students/postdoctoral fellows to submit their abstracts in a competition and the top rated applicants receive travel awards to cover the cost of their meeting attendance and travel. ASNTR has always placed a high priority on funding travel awards for students and post-doctoral fellows. In the past ASNTR has received donations from biotech companies and non-profit organizations to cover these travel awards, However, in recent years ASNTR has seen these contributions dwindle and although ASNTR will continue to seek funding from the private sector, we do not anticipate any increase in contributions above recent levels in the coming years. Further, last year the ASNTR received almost twice as many applicants for travel awards as we had in 2008, making funding from the NIH essential to ensure that a significant percentage of applicants can attend the meeting this year. This application requests $30,000 in total direct costs to support travel awards for the top 30 graduate students/postdoctoral fellows from US institutions that apply (awards of $1000 per student/postdoc). The ASNTR and the Education and Training Committee includes and encourages participation of women, minorities and persons with disabilities in all its activities. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This application seeks funding for travel awards for graduate students and postdocs to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair. This meeting will allow young and senior scientists and doctors working to discover new treatments for neurological disorders to come together and discuss their new research findings. This meeting will potentially allow new research collaborations to occur that could lead to improved treatments for neurological disorders.
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1 |
2015 — 2018 |
Mcdevitt, Valerie Sanberg, Paul Fountain, Michael Sarkar, Sudeep (co-PI) [⬀] |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
I-Corps Sites: University of South Florida: Catalyzing Research Translation @ University of South Florida
This project establishes an I-Corps Site at the University of South Florida (USF). NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Sites are NSF-funded entities established at universities whose purpose is to nurture and support multiple, local teams to transition their technology concepts into the marketplace. Sites provide infrastructure, advice, resources, networking opportunities, training and modest funding to enable groups to transition their work into the marketplace or into becoming I-Corps Team applicants. II-Corps Sites also strengthen innovation locally and regionally and contribute to the National Innovation Network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors.
The site at USF institutionalizes the Lean LaunchPad training process at the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE) and transforms processes in its Technology Transfer Office (TTO) to facilitate faculty and students to transfer STEM research into commercially viable ideas and prototypes. Faculty and students are recruited for this Site using pro-active processes such as: visits to classrooms, capstone design courses, research projects on campus, undergraduate and graduate research displays, individual contacts with faculty with STEM related research grants, and invention disclosures. The TTO also helps teams connect with business mentors by leveraging current contacts. They also are a resource for finding non-NSF funds for innovation-related activities. Faculty from CFE, representing the Colleges of Business, Engineering, Medicine and Sustainability, deliver the NSF training program in a one-week, intensive boot camp format.
Beyond the prototype stage, USF CONNECT, which is the business arm of USF and at the epicenter of Tampa Bay's innovation ecosystem, supports the I-Corps teams throughout the business life cycle, providing facilities, partners, and resources for business development and access to technologies, workforce programs, technology commercialization, critical research equipment, and incubator facilities. The I-Corps program results in an institutional impact by addressing a crucial gap in the USF innovation ecology in creating prototypes and enhancing design.
With an I-Corps site, the potential for increasing STEM technology transfer that feeds Tampa Bay's growing innovation ecosystem is high and contributes to transforming the region through high-technology startups. USF is an economic anchor for the Tampa Bay region and a node of the Florida High Tech Corridor that spans a 23-county region in Florida. Most of the state's medical device manufacturing, defense, aerospace, informational technology, and life sciences companies reside in this region.
USF's diverse student population are also targeted in the I-Corps Sites program. NSF/USF supports the Bridge to the Doctorate and Sloan Minority PhD programs that have enabled USF to be ranked as a top-10 producer of minority (African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino) engineering doctorates. The I-Corps site also nurtures innovation among students who are military veterans, as more than 2,100 veterans and their families are enrolled as students at USF.
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0.915 |
2018 — 2020 |
Zayas-Castro, Jose (co-PI) [⬀] Sarkar, Sudeep (co-PI) [⬀] Sanberg, Paul Mcdevitt, Valerie |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
I-Corps Sites: Type Ii - I-Corps Site At University of South Florida Tampa @ University of South Florida
This project, from the University of South Florida (USF), continues their activities to strengthen Innovation and entrepreneurship within the university and region through their I-Corps Site. Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Sites are NSF-funded entities established at universities whose purpose is to nurture and support multiple, local teams to transition their technology concepts into the marketplace. Sites provide infrastructure, advice, resources, networking opportunities, training and modest funding to enable groups to transition their work into the marketplace or into becoming I-Corps Team applicants. This is a Type II I-Corps Site - Type II projects reside at institutions that have already received a Type I award. I-Corps Sites also strengthen innovation locally and regionally and contribute to the National Innovation Network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors.
This project integrates efforts from the USF Research and Innovation's Vice President for Research (VPR) Office with participants from engineering, business, and medicine, and support from their patent and licensing office. This I-Corps Site reaches across the campus and filled a crucial gap by providing hands-on entrepreneurial training to scientists and engineers about how to think about translating an idea to actual use by society. This Site at USF accomplished a great deal during their first three years and "changed the culture" of the institution - 115 teams completed the Site curriculum, 42 teams completed their boot-camp, and they sent 25 teams to the National I-Corps program.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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0.915 |