Grant Program: New Investigator Program

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease that affects joints and increases the risk of fibrotic lung disease, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In Wisconsin, it affects about 90,000 individuals and is a leading cause of disability. This study aims to discover new genetic risk factors for RA by using advanced statistical methods to analyze large-scale genetic data from biobank databases. These innovative approaches could uncover previously unknown genetic variants that contribute to RA, paving the way for better diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

More than 25,000 kidney transplants are performed annually in the United States. However, 92,000 individuals remain on the kidney transplant waitlist. Repeat transplants often have worse health outcomes, so preventing graft failure after the first transplant is crucial. Acute rejection (AR) is a major cause of failure, but there is still a lack of understanding of its causes and reliable, noninvasive ways to detect it. This study aims to better understand the pathophysiology of AR and identify noninvasive biomarkers. Modification of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) presents a promising target for early diagnosis and supports the development of more effective therapies.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can cause various health issues including certain cancers. Even with an established HPV vaccine, vaccination rates remain below the national average, putting people at risk for infections and related cancers. Particularly in the Midwest, disparities in race, ethnicity, rural or urban location and Medicaid status contribute to high rates of vulvar cancer nationally. This research aims to identify biomarkers of prognosis and treatment response for vulvar cancer, including the role of immune cells and their interactions with HPV in tumor tissues. The outcomes of this research will clarify and provide better treatment options for patients with vulvar and other HPV-related cancers.

The gut microbiome plays a key role in our health, but poor diets and disease can disrupt its balance, leading to dysbiosis. In Wisconsin, where obesity rates are high, dysbiosis worsens conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease and increases the risk of metabolic syndrome. This study investigates how tuft cells, which are specialized gut cells, help maintain intestinal health and immune responses. Findings will enhance understanding of microbiome-gut interactions and guide the analysis of tissue samples from patients with dysbiosis and inflammatory diseases.

Latinos represent the fastest-growing population group in Wisconsin but are severely underrepresented in health research studies for dementia, despite having a higher risk and burden of the disease. This study aims to increase the engagement of Latinos in dementia research, which could improve the relevance of the research findings, and the development of interventions and programs better suited to serve Latino communities in Wisconsin.

This project aims to elucidate the function of a genetic risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), the leading cause of death in Wisconsin. Identifying molecular pathways driving CAD risk has the potential to inform actionable targets for preventive medicine and enhance health in the state and across the nation.

This project will pioneer a liquid biopsy approach to identify treatment-resistant and aggressive features in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer. The innovative technique, using blood samples, aims to predict the efficacy of standard regimens early, enabling personalized treatment strategies and improving outcomes for breast cancer patients in Wisconsin.

In response to the rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this project seeks to uncover genetic modifiers influencing ASD outcomes using innovative genetic studies in diverse human cell lines. This work has the potential to uncover how common genetic variations impact specific traits in brain cells, laying the groundwork for targeted therapeutic strategies.

This project will evaluate precision methods for measuring key indicators of success for a targeted cancer immunotherapy to expand treatment options for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which typically has low treatment response rates and poses a challenge for inducing remission after relapse. The results of this project will support efforts to improve other targeted immunotherapeutic strategies for AML through broader application of the study methods.

Dr. Alexander Birbrair, assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology, is leading a crucial research project aimed at advancing treatments for melanoma. Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the United States, and it has disproportionately higher mortality rates in racial and ethnic minority populations. Cancer and the nervous system bear a close relationship, and the team is particularly interested in understanding how signaling from a receptor, called PAC1, impacts melanoma progression. The results of this project could inform clinical testing for medications targeting the PAC1 signaling pathway to treat melanoma, ultimately improving survival rates for all melanoma patients.