NIH-RIMI Grant at Highlands
Grant Number: 5 P20MD001104
RIMI KEY PERSONNEL:
- Linda LaGrange, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
- Rodolfo A. Martinez, Ph.D., Project Director and Subproject Principal Investigator
- Tatiana Timofeeva, Ph.D., Subproject Principal Investigator
- Rey C. Martinez, Ph.D., Subproject Principal Investigator
- Linder, Ph.D., Subproject Principal Investigator
RIMI STAFF:
- Kurt Short, Ph.D., Post Doctoral Fellow
- Craig Gifford, Ph.D., Post Doctoral Fellow
- Ian Williamson, Ph.D., Professor, Research Ethics and Integrity Course
- Anamaria Armijo-Glen, Technician
- Erick Ortiz, Technician
- Ernesto Juarez, Technician
- Angela Vigil Juarez, Grants Manager
- Kay Peck, Program Evaluator
- Mabel Suarez, Project Coordinator
SUMMARY:
The National Institutes of Health
(NIH) awarded a grant to New Mexico Highlands University beginning in 09/30/04. The Building the Biomedical Research Infrastructure at NMHU Project – Research Infrastructure for Minority Institutions (RIMI) has been successful in accomplishing the four primary Specific Aims.
Dr. Rodolfo Martinez
Serves as Project Director for the Building the Biomedical Research Infrastructure Project.
Dr. Martinez has been involved with the National Institutes of Health for over sixteen years in several capacities. He worked for a number of years with the NIH Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) with the contraceptive development branch (CDB) as a synthetic chemist. After he completed his doctorate in chemistry, he then was appointed as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow with the Bioscience and Biotechnology (CST-4), NIH Stable Isotopes Resource group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Shortly after that he was appointed as a Staff Member with the Bioscience and Biotechnology (B-3), NIH Stable isotopes Resource group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He has served as a co-investigator with the NIH stable isotope resource from 1993 until the present. In 2001 Dr. Martinez served as the principle investigator for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Stable Isotope Program at LANL.
Collaborations and publishing
Dr. Tatiana Timofeeva
“Improved Penetration of Photodinamic Cancer Therapy with Arylidenepiperidone Dyes”
Specific aims of the project are the characterization of physical characteristics and biological activity of two-photon absorbing materials that might be used for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. The project includes synthesis of such materials, their spectroscopic and structural (X-ray diffraction) evaluation and assessment of their bioactivity against mammalian cancer cells.
The advantage of this method in comparison with already clinically used PDT based on one-photon absorption mechanism is lower energy of applied radiation (near infrared), its deeper penetration in tissues, possibility to focus radiation beam, and opportunity of significant lowering dose of applied PDT material.
Studies and Results:
Dr. Rey C. Martinez
“The Health and Developmental Impact of Methamphetamine Production on New Mexico Children”
The purpose of this research is to identify the impact of methamphetamine manufacturing and use on the physical and mental health of children. Key variables will include: CNS toxicity; pulmonary congestion; assessment of cardiac arrhythmia; and cognitive awareness. Non-medical variables will include physical & behavioral indicators, language development, social adjustment, cognitive functioning, psychological adaptation.
These variables are to be monitored longitudinally then compared with children’s cases in New Mexico State custody for reasons other than methamphetamine exposure. This prospective design is based on chart review of children’s cases requiring New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD) intervention.
Release time afforded by NIH-RIMI has enabled me to work collaboratively with the New Mexico Department of Health, CYFD, Department of Public Safety, Child Protection Services, and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office to establish protocol and provide training.
Studies and Results:
Dr. Carol Linder
“Characterization and possible rescue of repro27 male infertility mutant mice using organ culture techniques.”
Dr. Carol Linder submitted a successful proposal – “repro27 (pdf), a mouse model of male infertility” Propagation of a species depends on successful transmission of the male genome. The process of germ cell differentiation into mature sperm capable of successful egg fertilization is very complex. Genetic mouse models provide an excellent mechanism to characterize mammalian spermatogenesis and investigate causes of infertility. The goal of this project is to characterize repro27 mice, a model of male infertility. Our sequencing data indicates that the repro27 phenotype is caused by a point mutation in the Golga3 gene. Golga3 encodes a golgi autoantigen that is a member of the golgin protein family.
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of regular unprotected intercourse. Roughly fifteen percent of couples in the United States experience problems conceiving. The financial burden to infertile couples seeking assisted reproductive technologies is estimated to exceed $50,000 per live birth (reviewed by Katz et al., 2002). The causes of infertility include chromosomal aberrations, hormonal imbalances, age, obesity, infectious diseases, psychological disorders, as well as genetic and environmental conditions that cause abnormal gametes or reproductive organ development (Egozcue et al., 2000; Shah et al., 2003). Male infertility accounts for about half of all cases, 25-40% have unknown origins. It is hypothesized that genetic defects leading to abnormalities in sperm number, motility, and morphology may account for a significant percentage of idiopathic male infertility. Advancement in contraceptive technologies provides additional incentives: "All couples and individuals have the right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information and means to do so" (United Nations Population Fund). This will become increasingly more important in the coming decades. It is estimated that over 1 billion people will be entering their childbearing years by 2020 (Holden, 2002). While females have multiple choices for contraception, development of a reversible male contraception method has lagged. Understanding the genetic and molecular basis of male reproductive physiology, and in particular sperm cell differentiation, will increase our ability to successfully diagnose and treat male infertility and may provide novel targets for male contraceptive agents.
RIMI FACULTY DEVELOPMENT |
RIMI DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION |
POST DOCTORAL FELLOWS PROGRAM |
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH PROJECT |
RIMI GRANT