Dr. Margaret Bell receiving the Young Investigator AwardThe UAB Department of Pathology recently funded travel awards to three postdoctoral research fellows, Drs. Joshua Kramer, Margaret Bell and Sini Sunny, who presented their research at national meetings.
Joshua Kramer, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Jianhua Zhang, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular and Cellular Pathology, recently presented at the International Research Conference on Neurodegenerative Diseases (IRCND) at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he shared how O-GlcNAcylation modulates microglial and astrocytic responses, reducing neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's models. His findings, including the significant inhibition of GFAP and IBA1 and upregulation of TMEM119, suggest an anti-inflammatory effect that his team is continuing to explore. Kramer received an IRCND Young Investigator Award for his research.
"The IRCND conference's close-knit atmosphere provided an excellent opportunity for in-depth discussions and networking," Kramer says. "I am especially grateful to the Department of Pathology for the travel award which made this enriching experience possible."
Margaret Bell, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratories of Dr. Jianhua Zhang and Victor Darley-Usmar Ph.D., Endowed Professor of Mitochondrial Medicine and Pathology, Senior Associate Dean for Research Compliance and Administration, Heersink School of Medicine, also attended IRCND. While there, Bell presented a poster, titled, “Transcriptional regulation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR axis and consequences in metabolism.” The poster encapsulated her work over the past 3 years, which focuses on O-GlcNAc regulation of metabolism in diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Bell was awarded an IRCND Young Investigator Award.
Sini Sunny, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Rajasekaran Namakkal-Soorappan, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Molecular and Cellular Pathology and in collaboration with Jianyi "Jay" Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering, presented, "Tandem Mass Tagging (TMT)-based Identification of Proteome Signatures for Ischemia-Reperfusion Injusty in Swine" at the 2024 American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions in Chicago, Illinois.
"We identified novel redox markers for myocardial infarction (MI) caused by surgical ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) insult in swine using Tandem Mass Tagging proteomics. By tracking the circulatory proteome at various time points, the analysis revealed significant temporal changes, particularly at 4 hours post-I/R. Notably, a group of proteins, including endopin-1, fibronectin B, and key redox proteins such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase, were identified during MI," says Sunny. "These findings highlight the crucial role of these proteins in the progression and resolution of I/R injury, paving the way for potential therapeutic strategies."
Ten travel awards up to $500 will be available each year in three cycles, with at least three awards available each cycle. The program is now accepting applications for the November 2024 - February 2025 cycle. The deadline for applications is November 1.
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Required application materials:
- A copy of the submitted abstracted, oral or poster presentation, and copy of email confirmation of submission and acceptance.
- A short paragraph outlining what scientific meeting will be attended and how attending this meeting contributes to training.
- Brief biosketch/CV of applicant, including years in program, research lab and qualifying exam status (student) or years in lab (postdoc).
- A letter of support from PI/mentor.
Application submission:
Email all required materials as a single pdf file identified by the applicant’s name (i.e., LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME) using: Novembe.np7vpzcgmpepmum8@u.box.com
For more information on eligibility, requirements, review criteria, and subsequent deadlines contact Fatima Igdoura at figdoura@uabmc.edu or Shannon Bailey, Ph.D., Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs, at: shannonbailey@uabmc.edu.