Cocaine use disorder, asthma and conduct disorder: Wright Center funds three pilot projects
The Wright Center has awarded three VCU researchers grants from the CCTR Endowment grant program for health sciences research.
The awards support preliminary studies that enable researchers to develop hypotheses, collect preliminary data and establish methods necessary for successful external funding.
Rebecca Martin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, was awarded for her project: “Metabolic reprogramming of dendritic cells regulates allergic sensitization in asthma.”
Sammanda Ramamoorthy, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, was awarded for his project: “Dopamine transporter phosphorylation site as a novel and potential therapeutic target for cocaine use disorder.”
Nicholas Thomson, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, was awarded for his project: “Distinguishing youth with conduct disorder with callous-unemotional traits using cardiovascular psychophysiology during virtual reality fear induction: A pilot study.” The National Institutes of Health also recently funded a similar, larger project of Thomson’s.
Congrats to Thomson, Ramamoorthy and Martin!
The Wright Center Endowment Fund grants are awarded four times a year – three of those times to individual investigators and small groups of investigators, and once to multi-school projects. VCU faculty from both the MCV and Monroe Park campuses are encouraged to apply.
The next deadline is August 1, for an individual or small group project funded at up to $50,000.
