George Washington University

NSF Awards · FY 2026 · 2026-09

Human viruses cause serious diseases worldwide. Growing evidence shows that viruses do not exist as single viral particles but as viral vesicles, which are clusters of viral particles surrounded by lipid membrane. The membrane protects the internal viruses from environmental stress and disinfectants. As a result, viral vesicles can survive in water and other environments, potentially increasing their ability to infect people. Despite their public health importance, little is known about why viral vesicles are so stable. It is also unclear how vesicles’ physical properties influence their transmission and infection. This project will use experiments and modeling to investigate the mechanical properties of viral vesicles. It will then examine how these properties influence vesicles’ survival in the environment. By clarifying the mechanism, the project results will improve the design of engineering interventions to control viral transmission. The project will also train students in hands-on scientific research, thereby strengthening the future workforce in engineering and biotechnology. The project will elucidate the viscoelastic properties, environmental stability, and infectivity of viral vesicles using an integrated framework that combines scanning probe microscopy, theoretical mechanics, environmental chemistry, and virology. Viral vesicles will be harvested from cell culture, human stool, and wastewater, and their size distributions and lipid compositions will be quantified. Synthetic liposomes will then be fabricated to match measured vesicle dimensions and membrane compositions, serving as surrogates and mechanical benchmarks to isolate the structural and compositional determinants of vesicle behavior. Atomic force microscopy-based nanoindentation and force spectroscopy will be employed to obtain force-deformation curves, which will be analyzed using the Generalized Maxwell viscoelastic model to extract storage and loss moduli as functions of deformation timescale under environmentally relevant aqueous conditions, including exposure to detergents. The resulting framework will advance fundamental understanding of how mechanical properties govern viral vesicle stability and infectivity and provides predictive insight for engineering-based control strategies. 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.

NSF Awards · FY 2026 · 2026-05

The Traveling Gallery of Fluid Motion (TGFM) is an art exhibition that brings the science of fluid dynamics to public audiences. Fluid dynamics, which studies liquids and gases, shapes everyday life. It appears in oceans, weather, energy, and health. Yet it is often hard to understand without technical training. This project addresses that gap by turning scientific images and videos into interactive exhibits. The artworks come from the Gallery of Fluid Motion (GFM) at the annual American Physical Society - Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS-DFD) conferences. The artworks show both the beauty and the science of fluid motion. The exhibits will be displayed at major science museums in Orlando and Boston during the 2026 and 2027 conferences. The ultimate goal is for the public to see the world differently by learning fluid dynamics principles and applications after visiting the gallery. The project develops and deploys a scalable art and science exhibition model that combines images, videos, and sculptures of fluid phenomena drawn from experimental and computational research. Each installation incorporates locally relevant themes and interactive interpretive materials to support visitor engagement and informal learning. The project uses the Visitor Identification and Engagement with Science (VINES) framework, which describes how museum visitors engage with science exhibits. The spectrum ranges from focusing on artifacts to connecting the experience to their personal identity. At the artifact end, visitors mainly observe objects and factual information, while at the personal end, they relate the experience to their own lives, interests, and sense of belonging in science. The framework helps researchers and educators understand how exhibits can move visitors from passive observation to deeper personal engagement with science. It includes bilingual labels, panel discussions with artists and scientists, and collaborative programming with educators, museum professionals, and researchers. By evaluating visitor experiences and refining exhibition design, the project establishes a transferable framework that inspires interest in fluid dynamics and supports pathways into science and engineering careers. A website documents exhibition content and provides educational resources such as articles, interviews, and guidelines for public. Dissemination efforts help establish TGFM as a model for other scientific galleries. For more information about Gallery of Fluid Motion, visit https://gfm.aps.org/. 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.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2026-05

ABSTRACT Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART), only 65% of people with HIV (PWH) in the United States (US) achieve viral suppression, with significant differences observed across sociodemographic groups. Long- acting injectable ART (LA ART) has the potential to address challenges associated with daily oral ART, but its adoption has been slow, with only 1.44% of PWH—approximately 15,000 individuals—on LA ART after two years of availability. This low uptake highlights persistent barriers and mirrors challenges seen with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), including slow adoption and differences in awareness, interest, and use. Further research is needed to understand factors shaping PWH decisions regarding innovative ART therapies. PWH face complex considerations when selecting treatment regimens, including regimen characteristics, psychosocial factors, and logistical barriers. While these factors are well-studied for oral ART, less is known about how PWH weigh these considerations for LA ART. This study will use advanced quantitative methods, including latent class analysis (LCA) and structural equation modeling (SEM), to identify treatment preference typologies and examine how individual, provider, and clinic-level factors shape ART preferences, addressing critical gaps in knowledge. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Science 2.0, this project has two aims: 1) Identify HIV treatment regimen consideration patterns (classes) and assess the association between class membership and sociodemographic characteristics among PWH; and 2) Examine how patient (treatment regimen preference patterns), provider (trust, shared decision-making) and clinic-level factors (quality of clinical care) influence ART preferences among PWH. Findings will inform multilevel interventions to improve outcomes. Moreover, the identification of patient treatment typologies will enable providers to align discussions and interventions with the unique preferences of PWH. To achieve these aims, the proposed training plan focuses on developing advanced skills in LCA and SEM, deepening expertise in implementation science frameworks, and applying these findings to design multilevel interventions. Through mentorship, coursework, workshops, and applied research, the applicant will gain the knowledge and experience necessary to become an independent behavioral and implementation scientist, equipped to address access challenges in the evolving landscape of HIV treatment. This NRSA award will provide the necessary mentorship and resources to achieve these goals.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2026-05

Abstract Despite decades of efforts to increase representation in American higher education, racial equity in full-time faculty positions for underrepresented minority (URM) groups remains an unrealized goal. Greater representation of Black scholars in American academia and other research positions is needed to foster innovative solutions to cross-disciplinary racial health equity issues. To help address this underrepresentation and to increase diversity in the scientific research workforce, we propose to leverage our team’s health equity- focused research portfolio to provide research training combined with community-based experiential learning opportunities for URM undergraduate students through the Building Research and Implementation capacity for Driving Growth and Equity (BRIDGE) Collaborative Training Program at George Washington University (GWU). BRIDGE trainees will receive six weeks of paid summer residential training and a year-long virtual participatory learning program, culminating in at least one academic publication. The residential program will be hosted at GWU and will provide BRIDGE trainees the opportunity to engage in collaborative research efforts, to meet and network with researchers, clinicians, and community-based organization leaders, and to kickstart their research careers through the training needed to produce original health equity research. Our Specific Aims are: Aim 1: Identify and recruit URM trainees for the BRIDGE Collaborative Training program. We will recruit a total of 8 trainees each summer from 4 participating institutions per year to participate in the BRIDGE collaborative. Aim 2: Implement an HIV implementation science and equity training curriculum, residential research training program combined with community-based experiential learning opportunities in Washington, DC. Aim 3: Form and sustain virtual learning communities that will meet before and after the residential session, provide peer support and guidance among students and receive mentorship from a BRIDGE Collaborative Training program.

NSF Awards · FY 2026 · 2026-05

Foundational semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) research provides a core national competitiveness by driving both trillion-dollar economic growth and advances of various transformative technologies. Thus, advancing Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools to enable agile, low-cost, and high-quality development of ICs is a national research priority. While digital ICs have enjoyed mature automated design flows to cope with the need for higher productivity and stronger capabilities, analog ICs have historically relied on manual design processes despite their essential role in ubiquitous electronic systems. This unsustainable, handcrafted process has been a major bottleneck to cost reduction and productivity improvements in the current IC ecosystem. While analog EDA has long been sought after by academia and industry since the 1950s, there are still no mature methods widely embraced. This is largely due to the lack of foundational cyberinfrastructure to address the scalability of the current analog EDA research paradigm. The need for such a cyberinfrastructure has become increasingly urgent due to the recent shift toward AI/ML-enabled analog EDA research, which is inherently data-driven and benchmark-focused. This urgency is further amplified by the unprecedented demand for and scale of analog ICs, driven by the growing complexities of emerging technologies such as generative AI, 5G/6G communication, and quantum computing. This project will develop AnalogEDA-Hub, the first-of-its-kind open and efficient platform for AI-driven analog EDA research at scale. AnalogEDA-Hub serves as a comprehensive open-source infrastructure, offering multi-modal datasets, learning-based tools, and standardized design environments for versatile and representative analog circuits. It aims to facilitate scalable, generalized, and holistic development of diverse analog EDA methodologies across communities. The platform enables users to efficiently develop and benchmark various EDA methods in a structured, interactive, and reproducible manner, while also accelerating the generation/discovery of novel analog circuits to sustain the performance of analog ICs in the post-Moore era. Fully compatible with existing learning frameworks and conventional optimization algorithms, AnalogEDA-Hub ensures broad accessibility and usability, significantly expanding its impact across diverse research and development communities. In addition to advancing research, this project integrates a robust outreach plan and fosters collaboration among stakeholders to train the next generation of talent in the IC, EDA, and AI/ML fields. By engaging graduate, undergraduate, and high school students in education and training, AnalogEDA-Hub will play a vital role in building a skilled workforce for future technology innovation and democratizing domestic analog IC development. 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.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2026-03

Over 43 million people died globally from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in 2021. Mali has one of the highest NCD burdens where it contributes to 59,135 deaths and 16,399 DALYs per 100,000 lost contributing to 25% of the total disease burden annually. We propose a training program to develop Mali’s capacity to recognize, measure, and to respond to the health and economic consequences of major risk factors for NCDs. This program will be based on close collaboration between two institutions – the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health (GWSPH), USA and University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako (USTTB), Mali to respond to two critical gaps – lack of trained human resources and lack of data. The overall goal of the George Washington University-University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako Enhancing Research Capacity on Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors in Mali (NCDRisk- Mali) program is to strengthen capacity on the conduct of research on NCDs, related risk factors and their health, social and economic consequences across the lifespan in Mali. Our model will use US expertise to strengthen a Malian institution, promote a sustainable research enterprise focused on major risk factors for NCDs and enable dissemination of research to influence policy in Mali through the following specific aims. Specific Aim 1: To develop a nucleus of researchers focused on NCD risk factors at USTTB. We will offer (1) enhancement of pedagogical capacity of key USTTB faculty on NCD risk factor curricula and mentoring in Mali; (2) establishment of NCD risk factors specialization within the existing USTTB MPH program including co-development of new courses on NCD risk factors and implementation research; and (3) development of a long-term training program for pre-doctoral (Master of Public Health) trainees and post-doctoral trainees (with demonstrated professional accomplishments per completion of doctoral training) in Mali. Specific Aim 2: To enhance research on NCD risk factors directly relevant to the health priorities of Mali. Our trainees will conduct research around three domains: (1) understanding the prevalence, characteristics and determinants of these NCD risk factors; (2) evaluation of age and sex differences - how risk factors for NCDs differ between and among different sexes and age groups; and (3) expansion of implementation research to support identification of locally relevant, effective policies and interventions for these NCD risk factors. The generated evidence will inform national decisions around NCD risk factors (unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, hypertension, overweight & obesity) that contribute the most to NCD burden (e.g. diabetes, stroke) in Mali. Specific Aim 3: To influence research, implementation, and policy on NCDs, their risk factors and consequences in Mali through short-term training activities. We will (1) implement training workshops at USTTB each year; (2) develop and offer a Certificate Program on NCD risk factors and implementation research and (3) promote the translation of research evidence through annual NCDRisk-Mali Symposium.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2026-03

PROJECT SUMMARY Rett syndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations on the MECP2 gene located on the X chromosome, predominantly affecting females. Resulting symptoms include impairments in speech, motor coordination, learning and memory, cognition, and social functioning. Importantly, motor learning paradigms have shown promise in improving physical impairments associated with Rett syndrome. Our lab’s unique motor learning paradigm has demonstrated benefits including increased lifespan, reduced anxiety, and changes in synchrony between select neuronal pairs in the motor cortex. However, its effects on related cognitive domains, such as spatial learning and memory, remains unexplored. The proposed study will investigate how motor learning impacts cognitive function, associated neural circuitry, and molecular function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of a rodent model of Rett syndrome. Given that global loss of Mecp2 in Rett syndrome disrupts the brain’s excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance, this study aims to understand how behavioral interventions can modulate a disrupted circuit and ameliorate cognitive deficits. I will use established genetic Rett models, an innovative motor learning paradigm, and in-vivo miniaturized microscope imaging to Aim 1) characterize the behavioral impact of dynamic motor training in female RTT mice and Aim 2) elucidate the neural circuit mechanisms underlying motor training benefits. The fellowship training plan includes comprehensive training in advanced neuroimaging techniques, behavioral assays, and calcium imaging data analysis. In Aim 1, I will use established behavioral paradigms to assess cognition, emotional regulation, and coordination. In Aim 2, I will use AAV viral vectors and Inscopix miniscopes to determine how motor training alters pyramidal neuron activity in the mPFC and causally test circuit function using optogenetic manipulation. This training will provide the necessary skills to lead innovative research in neurological disease and contribute to developing effective therapeutic interventions for Rett syndrome.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2026-03

PROJECT SUMMARY Macrophages are innate immune cells that assume tissue-specific functions in tissue development and disease of many organs. The prostate is one of the few organs that develops postnatally and continues to grow in adulthood. Growth and function of the prostate is dependent on innervation, and ablation of prostate innervation results in abnormal prostate growth. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), characterized by increased proliferation and progressive enlargement of the prostate, is a highly prevalent disease in older men and is associated with lower urinary tract dysfunction, kidney failure, and even death. An increase in macrophages in the prostate is observed with BPH progression, however the mechanisms controlling prostate growth in BPH are unclear. This proposal aims to elucidate fundamental knowledge of the role of macrophages in prostate growth. Our previous experiments using genetic macrophage ablation suggest that macrophages are important for prostate organogenesis and influence neuronal patterning of the prostate. Tissue-resident macrophages can arise from embryonic origins or derive postnatally from the bone marrow. In other organs, the hematopoietic origin of macrophages is linked to distinct tissue-specific functions. Lineage tracing studies in the gut, skin, and brain show that nerve-associated macrophages derive from embryonic origins. Our lineage tracing of macrophages in the prostate revealed that both embryonic and postnatal origin macrophages reside in the prostate and are maintained throughout development, suggesting heterogenous functions of prostate macrophages. Based on these results, I hypothesize that a subset of embryonic-origin macrophages in the prostate directly refine neuronal innervation during prostate growth. In Aim 1, I will determine the role of nerve-associated macrophages in the prostate. My preliminary studies show that transient ablation of macrophages during development results in abnormal growth of prostate epithelial cells, resembling hyperplasia. I will further assess the effects of genetic macrophage ablation on nerve morphology and indirect effects on prostate histology to elucidate the fundamental role of macrophages in prostate growth. Using ex vivo prostate explant culture, I will interrogate macrophage engulfment of neural material through live imaging and assess the direct effects of macrophages on nerve fiber function. In Aim 2, I will determine the hematopoietic origin of nerve fiber-associated macrophages in the prostate. I will perform genetic lineage tracing to study the direct influence of macrophages from each origin on prostate cells and nerve fibers in co- culture. To distinguish the function of embryonic and bone marrow origin macrophages in the mouse prostate, I will perform bulk RNA-seq analysis on lineage traced macrophages. Results from the genomics analysis will then be validated by immunofluorescence in lineage traced mouse tissue and tested in BPH patient samples. This proposal will provide training opportunities in technical skills, critical analysis, and scientific communication, supporting my development as an independent researcher.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Summary Soil transmitted helminths (STH) are parasitic nematodes that infect over 1 billion people in developing countries. Of the 3 major STH, hookworms are the most virulent, causing anemia and stunting physical and cognitive development in heavily infected people. Currently, morbidity from hookworms and other STH is controlled by mass drug administration (MDA) using the anthelmintic drug albendazole (ABZ), a member of the benzimidazole (BZ) family of drugs. While relatively effective, rapid reinfection following treatment requires annual or biannual treatment in endemic areas. The rapidity with which anthelmintic resistance (AR) developed in parasitic nematodes of livestock suggests that increasing the selective pressure on human helminths by MDA will rapidly generate resistant worm populations as well. Detection of emerging AR will be critical to avoid losing the most effective anthelmintics for treatment of hookworm. Naturally resistant hookworm isolates are required to determine the genetic mechanism of resistance and for the development of molecular tools for detection of AR in natural populations. We identified a naturally occurring isolate (BCR) of the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum that is resistant to drugs from the 3 major anthelmintic classes: the BZs, the macrocyclic lactones (ML), and the tetrahydropyrimidines (THP). While testing a commercial dewormer for efficacy against the BCR strain, we found that treatment with a combination of the ML moxidectin (MOX) and the THP pyrantel pamoate (PYR) increased the frequency of the allele that confers BZ resistance to BCR without exposure to any BZ drug. This cross-drug class selection suggests linkage between one or both of the drug target mutations and the genetic mutation that confers BZ resistance, and therefore may provide insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms of IVM and PYR resistance, neither of which is currently known. Furthermore, confirmed linkage of resistance genes of one or both drugs to the known BZ resistance gene would provide a genetic marker to rapidly identify likely multi-anthelmintic drug resistant (MADR) populations of hookworm before they reach phenotypic resistance and treatment failure. Finally, knowledge of cross-class selection would permit rational deworming strategies that avoid generating multi-drug-resistant hookworm populations. In this project, we will confirm cross-selection and determine which drug is responsible, determine the resistance status of selected hookworms, and generate materials for future genomic studies to determine the underlying mechanism of cross-drug class selection.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2026-02

PROJECT SUMMARY Helminth infections are a major public health concern affecting over 1.5 billion people worldwide. Type 2 immune responses, marked by strong production of signature cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, are the hallmarks of helminth immunopathogenesis. While it has been shown that human genetic variations contribute to the heterogeneity of Type 2-associated immunity, the genetic determinants predisposing individuals to become more susceptible/resistant to helminth infections remain unknown. Ascaris sp., the most prevalent helminth parasite globally, has a life cycle involving transient larval migration through lung tissue and airways, leading to a pulmonary eosinophil-rich Type 2 inflammatory response. The well-studied murine model of Ascaris infection replicates the human biological process, providing a valuable tool to study tissue-specific immune responses and host susceptibility, which are challenging to investigate in human populations. This project leverages the high genetic variability of a large panel of recombinant Collaborative Cross (CC) mice to uncover novel genetic determinants of host immune responses during Ascaris infection. We hypothesize that host immunity to Ascaris is genetically determined, with genetic differences driving distinct immunological responses that affect the progression of the infection. By integrating phenotypic screening with advanced genetic mapping techniques, we aim to identify and validate key genes that modulate host-parasite interactions during the lung stage of infection. Preliminary studies using eight genetically distinct Collaborative Cross (CC) founder strains, A/J, C57BL/6J, 129S1/SvImJ, NOD/ShiLtJ, NZO/HILtJ, CAST/EiJ, PWK/PhJ, and WSB/EiJ, we showed that host immunity to Ascaris is genetically determined. Our data revealed significant variability in parasite burden and lung inflammation phenotypes, notably a unique SiglecF+ eosinophilic response in the resistant CAST/EiJ strain. In this study we take an innovative approach of combining phenotypic screening of parasite burden and its associated immunopathology in the lung with advanced genetic mapping techniques, using a large panel of 50 fully sequenced CC mouse strains. The outcomes of the following AIMS will represent the significant reward of mapping not only the genetic loci of the host protective immunity against Ascaris parasites, but also identifying key genes involved in the development of Ascaris-induced pulmonary eosinophil-dominated inflammatory response in the lungs (Loeffler syndrome), filling a significant knowledge gap. Using quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, we aim to identify loci associated with pulmonary inflammation-mediated parasite resistance. This study seeks to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of a protective immunity to helminth infections, ultimately contributing to improved prevention and treatment strategies.

NSF Awards · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Artificial intelligence (AI) needs random numbers for its complex computing tasks. A random number is a number randomly chosen from a given distribution or a set of numbers, where there is no relationship between numbers chosen one after the other. There is an increasing demand for drawing random bits from specific distributions such as uniform, Gaussian, and exponential, which are critical for efficiently solving complex computing tasks. For example, Gaussian distributions play a key role in generative and diffusion models used for large artificial intelligence applications. However, generating trillions of numbers from these distributions in a fashion that is truly random and ultra-fast within fractions of a second is a challenging task using the current hardware. The need to innovate new types of hardware based on emerging devices to generate these random numbers at scale is now critical. This project aims to develop such hardware based on new type of devices called stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions. The stochasticity in these devices helps at the physical level to generate random bits from distributions of interest with high computational efficiency. This project will fabricate stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions integrated with commercially developed silicon wafers with high yield and reliable switching and test this new hardware for random number generation in AI tasks. This project will involve students at different educational levels, e.g., graduate and undergraduate, and enhance hardware prototyping platforms of interest for future application-relevant translation. This project is organized into three objectives. The first objective is to iteratively optimize the stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions fabrication process on wafers with similar surface properties as the commercially planarized wafer. The device properties will inform circuit designs for small scale demonstrations of problems covered in the following objectives. The second objective is the co-integration of stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions developed in the back-end-of-the-line of a foundry-planarized memory characterization array. The crossbar array consists of 20,000 crosspoint memory cells partitioned into four banks of 5,000 devices in a 180nm process, with transistor-based circuit multiplexing, control and compliance infrastructure. The third objective is the development of peripheral circuits that enable statistical sampling from uniform, gaussian and exponential distributions. The project team is in a unique position to achieve high yield and reliability by leveraging pre-existing knowledge in stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions fabrication at SPINTEC (France) and foundry-planarized mid-production wafers with exposed vias developed specifically for memory characterization by members at George Washington University (USA) in a previous program. This will enable iterative refinement of the stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions process over a fabrication interface with minimal surface roughness by the French team followed by an automated characterization schedule with probe card instrumentation developed by the American team. The resulting demonstrators will illustrate how physical randomness and stochastic switching can be harnessed for tasks such as data generation, classification, and time-domain inference, offering a better alternative to purely digital or software-based probabilistic computing approaches. 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.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2025-12

Abstract The ANCHOR Biorepository at the University of Arizona and now formally integrated into the AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR), is a critical infrastructure supporting translational research on HPV- associated anal neoplasia. Originating from the NIH-funded Anal Cancer/HSIL Outcomes Research (ANCHOR) study (NCT02135419), the biorepository contains over 675,673 biospecimens collected longitudinally from 10,537 participants, including serum, plasma, whole blood, anal swabs, and formalin- fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks. Its unique strength lies in the systematic, longitudinal collection of biospecimens from screened and randomized participants—including those in the observational arm—prior to treatment, thus preserving the natural history of HSIL progression to cancer or regression, respectively. The ANCHOR study successfully demonstrated that treatment of HSIL prevents progression to cancer resulting in the release of new guidelines for anal cancer screening. However, the lack of physicians skilled in anal high resolution anoscopy (HRA), a technique to diagnose and treat HSIL, requires further optimization of current screening, diagnostic and treatment guidelines. The ANCHOR Biorepository is an integral resource of the ANCHOR Correlative Science Studies addressing critical gaps in our understanding of the pathobiology of anal cancer, particularly among persons living with HIV (PLWH), as well as HIV-negative individuals disproportionately affected by anal cancer, especially women. In the context of public health, all people regardless of HIV status will benefit from optimized strategies for anal cancer screening and prevention, especially people with oropharyngeal cancer and women with cervical cancer. For the grant year 2025-2026, over 50,000 specimens have already been approved for use, with at least 20,000 more in planning. Operationally, the biorepository is maintained under strict GLP and CAP-accredited protocols. Stewardship activities include temperature- and humidity-controlled cold storage (47 active and backup units), rigorous QA/QC procedures, and comprehensive informatics through Freezerworks. Sample distribution is governed by project specific SOPs, LOI approvals by several committee including NIH-CTEP, and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs). An integral initiative of the biorepository is the development of a digital pathology library, which will be offspring of over 4,000 FFPE tissue blocks to create a slide repository for remote pathology review, AI-driven diagnostics, and deep annotation of histopathologic features. By providing high-quality, deeply annotated biospecimens, the ANCHOR Biorepository advances research on anal HSIL and anal cancer across populations. It represents a gold-standard model for biobanking in HPVrelated malignancy research and will continue to be a cornerstone for future discovery in screening, prevention, and therapeutic strategies.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-10

This project is jointly funded by the Arctic Observing Network (AON) program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The layer of ground above permafrost, the active layer, thaws and refreezes annually. Active layer thickness is essential in understanding cold regions as it directly affects vegetation, water flow, and other processes such as ground stability, with implications for community resilience, infrastructure, natural resource management, and socioeconomic development. For example, knowledge about the active layer is critical to building houses, roads, pipelines, and other types of infrastructure on permafrost. The data collected by this project will provide knowledge of geographic distribution and trends in a form that can be used by developers, engineers, local communities, and planners to support smart infrastructure development in Alaska under rapidly changing Arctic conditions. These data will also help to improve the reliability of global ecosystem models and satellite mission products. The Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) project helps to coordinate an international permafrost network, contributing to a widely used public database. This research supports national interests by enhancing understanding of the Arctic, permafrost, geostrategic and infrastructure planning, and workforce development through training students. The CALM project focuses on long-term standardized measurements of active-layer thickness (ALT) and dynamics. Local site conditions and seasonal variability create complex interactions that determine the magnitude of seasonal soil thaw and resulting biogeochemical processes. Time series of thaw measurements at the same locations and across terrain types and regions are required to identify scales of spatial variation, establish trends, and validate models. This project measures long-term active layer and ground temperature as well as thaw subsidence, at sites along three geographical, climatic, and ecological transects in northern Alaska. During the research period, further standardization of the instrumentation and characterization of macro and micro-scale conditions at each northern Alaskan site and comparative analysis of the relative influence of these conditions will be completed. This project also supports the integration of ALT, ground temperatures, and ancillary data with those from international partners (almost 300 sites are in the network) into the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost database. Recommended standard protocols for subsidence measurements and data archiving will be finalized to aid in comparison between sites, like those previously developed for ALT and near-surface temperatures. These data provide a basis for comprehensive assessment of changes in active-layer and near-surface permafrost, assist in detailed process studies, and support the development and validation of engineering, ecological, hydrological, and geocryological models. The previous CALM data have been used effectively and extensively by the modeling and remote sensing communities. 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.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Project Summary: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common cancers, killing tens of thousands in the US, annually. CRC screening reduces morbidity and mortality by 60%. Despite availability, significant disparities exist in cancer screening for 3.5 million persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) in the US. Socio-economically disadvantaged PEH are overwhelmingly from racial and ethnic minorities; many are in their fifties. Cancer is one of the top two leading causes of death in PEH over 45 years old. PEH have four times the cancer rates and twice the cancer mortality of the general population. There is low cancer health literacy and the rates of CRC screening in PEH is as low as 19.7% vs. 71.6% in the general population. In PEH, the usual route of provider counseling and referral to specialists does not address barriers and is difficult to effectively incorporate into their routine care. Around 85% of PEH reside in shelters. Shelters are among the very few places where PEH congregate, are reachable, and can access health promotion programs. Patient navigation is widely accepted and tested in improving cancer screening among minorities. mHealth strategies have been tested in the general as well as PEH populations to improve access to care. mHealth-based navigation for cancer screening has not been tested in PEH. This proposal seeks to evaluate the extent to which an SMS text-based patient navigation for CRC screening will address some of the barriers to and improve CRC screening among PEH. A streamlined approach will be carried out through an SMS texting strategy in the shelter-clinics of a community organization serving PEH, Project Renewal, in NYC: to explain cancer risks and screening options, provide test instructions and support, identify and address barriers to screening, answer questions and concerns, make appointments for screening, support screening completion, provide post-screen counselling, and obtain test results to complete screening loop. The specific aims include; AIM 1) to evaluate the effect of 6- month SMS text-based patient navigation for CRC screening (INT) versus an attention control (CL) of general health promotion on the completed rates of CRC screening using a randomized trial design in shelter-clinics in New York City (NYC): Hypothesis 1) among PEH age 45-75 not up-to-date with CRC screen, those randomized to the INT (n=294) will have higher CRC screening rates in the magnitude of 10 percentage point, compared to those randomized to the CL (n=294) at 6 months post-enrollment; AIM 2) to evaluate perceptions, attitudes and experiences of PEH (n=50), providers and staff (n=20) on SMS texts navigation for CRC screening in shelter-clinics using semi-structured interviews; AIM 3) to evaluate perceptions and attitudes of program staff (n=20) from agencies servicing PEH at the NYC and national levels on challenges and opportunities of implementing SMS text-based navigation for cancer care and control in shelter system using semi-structured interviews. In this controlled trial, individual level randomization will be employed in shelter- clinics. The primary outcome is CRC screening (completed colonoscopy/FIT/mt-sDNA) at 6 months.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Project Summary Ending the HIV epidemic in the United States will require innovative strategies focused on both HIV prevention and care. While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective biomedical intervention that can reduce HIV incidence, uptake has been modest, particularly among groups at highest risk for acquiring HIV (e.g., MSM, young people, racial/ethnic minorities, and women of color). Barriers to successful PrEP initiation include structural and individual-level issues as well as social determinants of health (SDoH). Innovative strategies are needed to improve PrEP awareness, access, and uptake in venues that routinely care for vulnerable patients. Emergency Departments (ED) serve as a safety net for underserved individuals that are unlikely to access or engage in routine health services. Efforts to scale-up PrEP and expand its reach have included ED-based PrEP prescribing, yet PrEP uptake, linkage to care and persistence have proven challenging. A focus on application of evidence-based interventions using implementation science (IS) to strengthen PrEP delivery in the ED and urgent cares (UC) to those who will benefit most has been limited to date. This project seeks to use established IS methods to develop, validate, and pilot test a patient-centered Decision Support Tool (DST) to promote PrEP persistence post ED/UC care. Based on the WHO SDoH framework, we seek to develop a DST that can be administered in ED/UC settings and will assist PrEP eligible persons to identify their HIV risk, promote self-efficacy, and provide support for SDoH needs identified through the tool. First, we will use pilot data, previously validated tools, and evidence from the ED PrEP implementation landscape to design a patient- centered PrEP DST using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. We will then refine the DST using a participatory prototyping workshop engaging current, prior and potential PrEP users. The DST will be designed to optimize PrEP initiation, adherence and persistence post-ED/UC care by improving HIV risk assessment, self-efficacy, and by identifying and addressing the multifaceted medical and social needs of the individual patient. Next, we will determine the acceptability of the DST using the Normalization Process Theory across EDs and UCs in the DC-Baltimore region. Finally, we will conduct preliminary effectiveness testing of the DST among 120 PrEP eligible patients through a pilot implementation study at two EDs and one UC in Baltimore and DC comparing PrEP prescription only to PrEP and the DST. The primary outcome will be 4- month PrEP persistence; we will also measure PrEP linkage to care, initiation, persistence, and adherence at 1-week, 1- and 4-months using self-reported, clinical, and biological measures. This project aligns with NIH and EHE priorities as it seeks to improve the PrEP continuum of care in two urban areas with high HIV prevalence rates, reduce health inequities, and improve health outcomes. Implementation research will identify factors that support successful implementation with the goal of using these data to improve PrEP uptake, provide lessons learned, and seek to expand the program to other EDs both locally and nationally.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Increasing population levels of daily physical activity has assumed considerable public health significance in the past three decades, and recent efforts have expanded from targeting individual behavior change toward addressing environmental risk conditions that affect everyone within a community. Indeed, the built environment and urban design are now recognized as primary drivers of achieving an active and healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, the distribution of these health-promoting environmental resources is not uniform, and people living in low-resource areas (urban and rural) bear a disproportionately higher burden of risk conditions and lifestyle-related chronic diseases, compared with their more affluent counterparts. This may be especially so for older people who have lived with adverse environmental risk conditions since childhood. Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) strategies for promoting physical activity and other healthy behaviors are gaining momentum within the public health arena. The PSE framework comprises strategies for change that are both multi-sectoral and multi-level. Moreover, since they are directed toward the entire community, they are more maintainable and can address differences in opportunities and outcomes better than interventions targeted to the individual. One the other hand, PSE intervention strategies can be very expensive and require considerably more time to enact within communities. Thus, it becomes advantageous to identify naturally-occurring “interventions” (i.e., natural experiments) for which their impact on population behavior and health can be determined over time. The 11th Street Bridge Park Project (planned to break ground in late 2025 and open in 2027) offers an elegant strategy for accomplishing this, as it will connect one of the more affluent wards in DC (Ward 6) with the least affluent ward (Ward 8). We will examine the impact of this Bridge Park on longitudinal changes in the built environment itself, as well as in physical activity patterns and dietary choices within the areas directly affected by it. Specific Aims: 1) To determine the impact of the 11th Street Bridge Park Project on the built environments of Wards 6 and 8 that are within the sampling area (1-mile radius) surrounding the new park; 2) To determine the influence of this Project on spacio-behavioral characteristics of the park itself, as well as of the sampling areas of Wards 6 and 8 surrounding the park; and 3) To determine the impact of the 11th Street Bridge Park Project on individual- and family-level lifestyle behavior changes, as well as on perceptions of neighborhood safety, social connectedness, and food security using an intergenerational approach.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-09

The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) currently operating and the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) under construction at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) are recognized worldwide as premier laboratories for nuclear science. By analyzing high-energy collisions of electrons and nuclei, these research facilities provide access to a new frontier in nuclear physics, ensuring US leadership in both nuclear science and accelerator physics and technology. This project aims at theoretical studies of electromagnetic radiation effects taking place during electron-nucleus collisions. By employing advanced models of electron-nuclear collisions, the PI and his collaborators will develop new methodology for relating the energy and momenta of collision products to intrinsic properties of fundamental building blocks of matter, namely, quarks and hadrons. Results of the project will provide scientific guidance for new experiments at EIC and TJNAF. In addition, the project supports an educational component, contributing to training of nuclear workforce in US. This project aims at developing theoretical approaches for the analysis of electron-nucleus and electron-proton collisions to be studied at the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). This project will advance the current understanding of electromagnetic interactions of hadrons beyond the leading order in Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) by developing new theoretical and modeling approaches. Current and forthcoming experimental programs in hadronic physics achieve unprecedented precision aiming to provide 3D imaging of hadronic structure. However, interpretation of the measurements in terms of hadronic structure parameters – such as Generalized Parton Distributions (GPD) and Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distributions (TMD) - can be limited due to higher-order electromagnetic QED effects. The main challenge in evaluating these effects is that relevant calculations require knowledge of hadronic structure. This project will provide a systematic analysis of structure-dependent high-order QED corrections for scattering of electrons and positrons on nuclei and nucleons. The PI and his collaborators will focus on lepton-scattering reactions leading to single-spin asymmetries and charge asymmetries that are otherwise zero in the leading order of QED. The team will analyze the theory-experiment discrepancy of the measured transverse beam asymmetry on 208Pb at TJNAF; underlying physics mechanisms for a large observed transverse target spin asymmetry due to two-photon exchange in inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) and their implications for analyses of spin effects in semi-inclusive DIS; and high-order QED effects in the measurements of deep-exclusive processes on hadrons. The new approaches and computer codes will be made available to the hadronic physics community for the purposes of experimental data analysis. 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.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Project Summary Arrhythmias are life-threatening heart rhythm disorders that significantly impact the quality of life for millions of patients in the United States. They are associated with abnormalities in myocardial electrophysiological properties and calcium handling. Specifically, heart contraction and relaxation are regulated by intracellular calcium, which rises and falls in response to membrane potential depolarization and repolarization. In turn, calcium influences membrane potential via calcium-dependent ionic currents. One major challenge in studying arrhythmia mechanisms is the lack of techniques to simultaneously map and modulate calcium transients, electrical activities, and excitation-contraction coupling over time from the beating heart in vivo. The R01 proposal aims to overcome these limitations by developing a wireless, soft, implantable platform for in vivo cardiac calcium-voltage mapping and pacing. The device will be used to gain new mechanistic insights into arrhythmia pathogenesis and treatment. It comprises a soft probe, a wireless electronics module, and graphical user interfaces. The probe integrates arrays of sensors and actuators to enable colocalized, crosstalk-free spatiotemporal mapping of electrical excitation and calcium signaling, with additional options for cardiac pacing. Its mechanically soft design allows it to conform to the highly curvilinear epicardial surfaces and withstand repetitive strains from the heartbeat. The miniaturized wireless electronics module will be optimized for energy harvesting, storage, control, and bidirectional data communication, designed for full subcutaneous implantation and long-term in vivo studies with minimal impact on small animals. The user interfaces will enable real-time control of device operation and data analysis. The proposed work will be fulfilled via three Aims: In Aim 1, we will develop the soft cardiac calcium-voltage mapping and pacing probe; In Aim 2, we will design and optimize fully implantable Bluetooth based wireless electronics and software interfaces to support chronic in vivo operations of the probe; In Aim 3, we will use the system to systematically study electrical excitation, calcium signaling, and their interactions during arrhythmia development, progression, and pacing treatment with three common clinically relevant arrhythmias: ventricular tachycardia, atrioventricular block, and atrial fibrillation. The proposed work builds on our recent development of a flexible, wireless optoelectronic interface for acute and regional calcium-voltage mapping of heart function in vivo. Successful completion of this project will produce a first-of-its-kind in vivo platform to comprehensively study calcium, voltage, and their coupling in heart function and diseases. This technology holds the potential to greatly enhance our ability to investigate and treat cardiac conditions, with implications for widespread clinical applications. To maximize the impact, the team will make all tools and methods as freely as possible, host visitors for hands-on learning, and pursue commercialization opportunities to enhance scalability, tunability, and robustness for broader adoption.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-09

SUMMARY The global burden of pulmonary allergic diseases, including asthma, continues to rise, with an estimated 262 million cases worldwide. House dust mites (HDM) are among the most common aeroallergens, sensitizing 85% of asthma patients. The pathogenesis of pulmonary allergic diseases is multifaceted, involving genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and host factors. While the components and functions of Type 2 immune mediators driving allergic responses are well understood, the early immunological triggers that initiate Type 2 immunity at mucosal barrier surfaces remain unclear. Given that 10% of the mammalian genome consists of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and that their reactivation has been linked to the progression of several diseases, though not yet studied in the context of allergies, this pioneering study will investigate the role of ERVs in the early development of Type 2-dominated inflammation in the lungs induced by HDM. We hypothesize that the reactivation of ERVs during allergen sensitization fine-tunes Type 2 immune responses in the mucosal epithelium, affecting Th2 cells, eosinophils, mucus production, and IgE levels, ultimately exacerbating allergic phenotypes. Building on preliminary data showing upregulation of ERVs in both human and mouse allergic tissues, as well as in lung epithelial cell lines stimulated with HDM allergens, this research will explore the downstream effects of Type 2 allergic inflammation triggered by HDM-induced ERV reactivation (Aim 1) and investigate the upstream regulatory epigenetic pathways that modulate ERV expression during allergic inflammation (Aim 2). Using in vitro and in vivo conditional knockout mouse models and employing advanced techniques such as multiparameter flow cytometry, high-throughput cytokine and chemokine profiling, bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, and ATAC-seq in allergic tissues and human and mouse epithelial cell lines stimulated with HDM, this study will provide insights into when, where, and how ERVs regulate downstream Type 2-associated allergic responses following HDM sensitization. Key components of the research include mapping ERV reactivation in the allergic airway mucosa, analyzing the temporal dynamics of ERV reactivation during the development of Type 2 inflammation, assessing the effects of ERV depletion (using mutant mice) or blockade (with antiretroviral drugs) on Type 2 inflammatory responses in the lungs, and investigating the epigenomic regulation of ERV-induced Th2 responses. By unraveling the intricate network involving the endogenous virome, the mucosal barrier, and HDM-driven pulmonary Type 2 immunity, we will take allergy research in a new direction. We will explore the previously unexamined role of endogenous retroelements in regulating Type 2 immune responses in both mouse and human models, which may ultimately pave the way for new therapeutic strategies against asthma and related conditions.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-09

This IRES project explores ways to implement new energy technologies that best meet society's needs by looking at Sweden's energy transition (SWEET) as an example. Through this project, cohorts of U.S. undergraduate and graduate students engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research during five weeks each summer with faculty at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden. The project considers business, policy, historical, and product-innovation perspectives as the students and faculty mentors examine new technologies and their impacts on jobs, housing, and overall well-being. The Swedish mentors work closely with local stakeholders in industry, government, and local communities to better understand quickly evolving energy innovations, community attitudes regarding energy technology, and the impacts of energy infrastructure on local populations and environments. Student participants are recruited by George Washington University faculty, who prepare them for the experience with training before their summer research trip, and work with them upon return to the U.S. to develop the research results into a set of best practices that can be applied in the American context, including articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals. This IRES experience contributes to developing globally informed, community-centered, and multidisciplinary research and critical analysis skills in a future generation of U.S. academic, industry, and policy leaders. New energy technologies that are potentially cheaper and more efficient than existing fuels often have difficulty gaining community acceptance because they raise questions about implications for the workforce, housing availability, and environmental and social impacts. This research project develops a holistic understanding of the implementation of new energy technologies by leading a series of summer schools for American students in collaboration with the Luleå University of Technology in northern Sweden. The SWEET student cohorts apply community-based research methodologies to examine how to implement new energy technologies that are beneficial to all members of society. By combining social science and engineering techniques, researchers can better understand both the benefits and risks of new energy technologies, and the technical feasibility of different implementation strategies. While there is substantial scientific literature on the technological innovations in the energy space, a gap remains in how social scientists, engineers, and community members can learn from each other to create a more effective and efficient transition. Outcomes of this IRES research project include changes in the way society conceives of, plans for, and develops alternative futures, while preparing students to approach these complex, multifaceted challenges. This early-career networking and research experience helps to prioritize community needs and priorities as well as holistic thinking about the challenges posed by a large societal transformation. By engaging with peers and faculty across disciplines, students learn how to apply a variety of research skills to complex energy issues while considering multiple perspectives and integrating several methodologies. Working with policymakers and local stakeholders, students are able to investigate how research can be co-produced alongside communities to be truly use-inspired. 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.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-09

This IMPRESS-U project is jointly funded by NSF, National Science Center of Poland, and US National Academy of Sciences. The research will be performed in a multilateral international partnership that unites the Institute for Nuclear Studies of the George Washington University (USA), Stony Brook University (USA), University of South Carolina (USA), Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT, Ukraine), and National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ, (Poland). US portion of the collaborative effort will be co-funded by Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE), and Division of Physics of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate. The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) under construction at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) was identified by US Nuclear Science Advisory Committee as a powerful discovery machine, operating like a precision “microscope” capable of taking 3D pictures of nuclear matter at femtometer scales. By analyzing high-energy head-on collisions of electron and nuclei, it will provide access to a new frontier in nuclear physics, ensuring US leadership in both nuclear science and accelerator physics and technology. Under the proposed project, a trilateral collaboration of nuclear physicists from USA, Poland and Ukraine will develop techniques that will relate characteristics of electron-proton collisions to the internal structure of proton described in terms of elementary building blocks – quarks – and quantum interactions between them. Results of the project will provide scientific guidance for new experiments at EIC. In addition, the project will lay a foundation for a resilient and sustainable US-Poland-Ukraine partnership for EIC science, contributing to training of nuclear workforce in these countries. This project aims at developing theoretical approaches to the analysis of deep-exclusive processes to be studied at Electron Ion Collider (EIC) in Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). This project will advance current understanding of electromagnetic interactions of hadrons beyond the leading order in QED by developing appropriate theoretical and modeling approaches. EIC will be a major next-generation US facility for nuclear science. One of its main goals will be to study the 3D structure of the nucleon through exclusive photon and meson production in electron-proton collisions. An important subset of these processes is deep-exclusive photo- and electroproduction where the produced photon or meson has a high invariant mass and decays into a lepton pair. We propose a two-year theory research program focused on the processes of time-like Compton scattering and J/ψ meson production with subsequent decay into a lepton pair. The scientific goal of this EAGER project is to carry out detailed studies of these deep-exclusive processes, involving a trilateral collaboration between Ukrainian, Polish and US scientists, and addressing aspects of the studies: Calculations of the primary processes, electromagnetic radiative corrections, and simulations for future measurements at the EIC. Theoretical foundations will be established and analysis tools developed for the future studies of Generalized Parton Distributions of a nucleon via deep exclusive processes in the collider setting. Results of the project will provide scientific guidance for new experiments at EIC. The project will lay a foundation for a resilient and sustainable US-Poland-Ukraine partnership for EIC science, which over time could grow to encompass related topics and other institutions involved in the EIC at BNL. Training of early-career scientists - graduate students and postdocs - in US, Ukraine and Poland is one of the key objectives of the project. An international workshop, proposed as a part of this Project, will bring together international attendants, both advanced experts and early-career scientists, and will foster new scientific networks and collaborations focused on the science to be studied at EIC. 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.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-08

Cannabis is the most commonly used federally illicit drug in the US, especially prominent in young adults (YAs). Since 2012, 23 states have legalized non-medical cannabis use and established regulations (given its federally illegal status). Meanwhile, derived psychoactive cannabis products (DPCPs) entered the US market as a result of the 2018 US Farm Bill, which classified cannabis products with <0.3% Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by dry weight as hemp, making DPCPs assumed to be legal by some, but unregulated at the federal level; state regulations vary. Marketing is a key determinant of perceptions and use; however, limited research has examined DPCP marketing or its impact. DPCP marketing may differ from cannabis marketing given its unique legal landscape. For example, in contrast to state-mandated restrictions for cannabis, DPCP packaging often lack warnings (particularly those mentioning potential psychoactive effects), and DPCP advertising often minimizes risks (e.g., safe, legal). Perhaps as a result, some individuals perceive DPCPs as less risky than ‘traditional’ cannabis, and youth are particularly at risk. DPCPs appeal to youth through brightly colored packaging, flavors, and graphics and emphasis on lack of age restrictions. In addition to youth, certain subpopulations may be differentially impacted by DPCP marketing due to targeted marketing. This K01 research aims to catalyze critical, timely research to understand DPCP marketing and product characteristics, perceptions, and high-risk groups to inform laws/regulations (e.g., warning labels, ad restrictions) to address use and related inequities. Guided by Socio-Structural Determinants of Health and Diffusion of Innovations perspectives, we will develop a set of DPCP marketing surveillance tools and use marketing surveillance data to examine DPCP marketing characteristics and their impact over time among YA consumer segments. Our specific aims are to: 1) develop and implement DPCP marketing surveillance methods to assess ads, target consumers, product characteristics, and regulatory factors via: marketing surveillance, point-of-sale audit, and website audit data; 2) examine associations between DPCP marketing exposure, perceptions, and use behaviors over time in YAs representing distinct psychographic market segments using longitudinal data of 500 YAs ages 18-34; and 3) explore perceptions of different ads and warnings among YA segments via a survey-based experimental design (manipulating ad messages and warnings) as part of the longitudinal survey; explore findings via semi-structured interviews. Building on Dr. LoParco’s existing knowledge and skills, the training goals focus on: 1) methodological expertise in advanced quantitative analyses and mixed methods; 2) multilevel conceptual frameworks relevant to determinants of DPCP use; and 3) professional development and research career goals. This study will advance the literature by using rigorous methods to address key questions related to un- or under-regulated psychoactive substances. Findings address NIDA priorities and inform prevention and policies. This K01 will catalyze Dr. LoParco’s career, making critical contributions in this rapidly evolving but understudied area.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-08

Project Summary This project aims to explore how early life stress (ELS) and adversity contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in adulthood using a preclinical mouse model. Clinical research demonstrates that ELS accelerates aging processes and increases susceptibility to neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, with a particular focus on vascular dysfunction. However, the complex behavioral and social factors associated with ELS make it difficult to pinpoint specific mechanisms linking ELS to CVD. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this proposal addresses this gap by investigating how ELS affects cardiovascular structure, function, aging, and future CVD risk. The project will examine two specific objectives using an animal model of early life adversity. (Aim 1) Evaluate the effects of early life adversity on vascular structure and function in adulthood. (Aim 2) Investigate vascular molecular changes in adulthood due to early life adversity. This study will advance understanding of how ELS influences adult CVD risk, identify potential sex-specific vascular markers, and provide insights into therapeutic targets for CVD linked to early-life adversity.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-08

We request funds to purchase a Becton Dickinson (BD) FACSDiscover S8 CellView spectral flow cytometer and live cell sorter for use in The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (GW SMHS) Flow Cytometry Core Facility. The instrument will be equipped with 5-lasers (349 nm UV, 405 nm violet, 488 nm blue, 561 nm yellow-green, and 638 nm red) and 78 fluorescent APD detectors allowing for broad detection of complex fluorescent panels. The instrument has an additional six imaging detectors generating live images of cells with up to 3 fluorescent colors used collected in the images. This is novel technology and the first live cell sorter capable flow cytometer to incorporate images of each cell into both spectral analysis and sorting. The images incorporate light scatter characteristics such as: forward and side scatter, center of mass, light loss, fluorescent intensity, correlation, diffusivity, eccentricity, and radial moment to determine physical characteristics of the cell and fluorescent labeling to render a live image of the cell. The image properties can then be used to determine which cells will be collected by sorting or analyzed as part of typical FCS files generated by the instrument. The S8 is capable of up to 6 population sorting, plate and index sorting, and standard tube sizes. We selected this instrument to replace a BD Influx 4-laser 15-color sorter that is entering end of life and will be removed from service contracts at the end of 2025. The Flow Core currently operates a Cytek Aurora 3-laser spectral analyzer capable of fluorescent panels of 25 colors. Users have come to rely on the Aurora for the enhanced analysis capabilities of larger color panels. The ability to translate the spectral panels to live cell sorting using the S8 will provide the ability to isolate and study rare/difficult to isolate cell populations while continuing to serve all core users with sorting needs. The S8 will also serve as an additional spectral analysis instrument. It utilizes user friendly software, BD Chorus, with automatic setup providing the option to train independent users to perform analysis and sorting experiments without the current limitation that only core staff may operate the Influx due to its complex setup and operation. Chorus is also fully integrated into the BD Cloud platform for easy panel design and analysis of imaging/spectral data from the instrument. BD Cloud will be fully supported by the Flow Cytometry Core Facility to allow users access to those tools. The core currently supports a FlowJo (part of BD) license and training for core users to aid in data analysis. The instrument will be immediately available to current Flow Core users that utilize the Influx and Aurora. Removing the staff requirement imposed by the current sorter will allow for higher capacity and more users on the S8. The instrument will be housed and managed in the SMHS Flow Cytometry Core Facility with all administrative tasks and user supported provide by the core. Core staff will attend BD provided training for the instrument to ensure the highest quality experience for users. Acquisition of the S8 is fully supported by the GW SMHS to provide services to a broad range of researchers from multiple disciplines.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-08

Many viruses in the environment threaten human health. Enteric viruses that cause diarrhea in humans are commonly found in municipal wastewater. Treated wastewater is increasing being used in farming, in industrial processes, in recreation, and in other proposes. It is imperative to guarantee that disease-causing viruses are effectively removed from this water source. Treatment can be challenging because of the small size of viruses and their tendency to stick together with bacteria to infect humans more easily. This project will determine how these enteric viruses from wastewater cause human illnesses. This project will use cross-disciplinary tools in laboratory experiments and environmental surveys to address the question. The study outcomes will aid in the effective management of wastewater and will help protect public health. This project will also train students and help the public learn more about environmental viruses. Advancing knowledge about the association between viruses and bacteria in aquatic environments is necessary to develop effective pathogen control strategies. This project will fill research gaps on the transmission, occurrence, and health impacts of bacteria-associated enteric viruses in aquatic environments and provide insights into the control of viral pathogens and protection of public health. The objectives of this research are to i) elucidate the impact of bacterial association on infectivity, environmental persistence, and disinfection resistance of enteric viruses; ii) investigate the occurrence, abundance, and removal of emerging bacteria-associated viruses in wastewater treatment and natural environments; and iii) explore the health impacts of bacteria-associated viruses through examining host responses. A suite of microbiology, omics, surveillance, and immunology tools will be integrated to achieve these objectives. The research will also be integrated into education to i) develop new education modules to foster students’ understanding in environmental pathogens and water disinfection; ii) increase the number of students from diverse educational backgrounds pursuing careers related to water; and iii) raise the understanding of the public about environmental pathogens and their control. The outcomes of this project will provide a framework to evaluate the fate and transport of pathogens interacting with other substances in complex environments. In addition, this project will extend the boundaries of environmental engineering and environmental virology to include immunology, which will enhance the understanding of health risks posed by environmental pathogens through host-pathogen interactions beyond mere infection. 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.