University Of Arizona

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-05

Fresh water is a critical resource for both ecosystems and humans. In arid regions, water is withdrawn from rivers for urban and agricultural use, and river flora and fauna are lost. In arid climate, people also lose ecosystem services, such as cool riparian forests to visit during hot summers. However, recent advances in wastewater treatment allow us to produce high quality treated effluent, which is suitable for restoring flow in dried rivers and for recharging groundwater supplies. In this Biological Research Experiences for Teachers Site (BIORETS) program at the University of Arizona (UA), three cohorts of teacher participants will collaborate with ecologists and natural resource managers to address two main place-based research questions. First, how does the release of effluent affect aquatic and riparian species in and along the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona? Second, how do ecological communities change over time in these newly flowing ecosystems as plant and animal species return to the river? Teachers will work with academic mentors at UA, as well as with members of the local Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui tribes, to collect and analyze data. Teachers also will develop curricula for their K-12 students, have their students participate in ecological studies during the school year, learn about water resource conservation, and help reinvigorate community connections to the river. Historically, treated effluent was generally of poor water quality and it degraded ecological conditions in rivers that received effluent. Although newer wastewater treatment equipment and technology have greatly improved effluent water quality, large knowledge gaps remain regarding how well effluent can mimic ‘natural’ water, restore ecosystem function, and enhance plant and animal populations in and along arid-land rivers. These gaps are important to address because there are many competing demands for effluent, which could reduce its availability to restore flow in rivers. Additionally, numerous basic ecological processes can be studied in these novel urban ecosystems, including community assembly mechanisms such as species turnover and priority effects. In this BIORETS program at UA, teachers and researchers will quantify community structure of multiple taxonomic groups (aquatic invertebrates, riparian birds and mammals, turtles, and wetland plants) in five rewetted reaches of the river over three years, and compare observed patterns with data collected concurrently from nearby dry reaches. Together, these data will elucidate mechanisms of community assembly in novel ecosystems while also providing municipal managers with real-time ecological data to inform water resource management decisions and enhance water supply sustainability in cities. The results of this research will answer important ecological questions, shape water management decisions in the Santa Cruz basin, and provide a model approach for other cities to adopt for restoring flow in rivers and beneficial ecosystem services for local 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 · 2025-05

PROJECT SUMMARY This R03 proposal, responding to PAR-23-179, aims to advance evidence-based practice by developing innovative methods and tools for integrating data from AD/ADRD studies. Our focus is on addressing challenges posed by inconsistencies among evidence from different studies, specifically for comparative effectiveness research in AD/ADRD. Although network meta-analyses have become popular for synthesizing multiple intervention options, their effectiveness largely depends on the assumption that direct and indirect evidence is consistent. However, studies on AD/ADRD can vary significantly in patient population characteristics such as gender and age, making evidence consistency questionable. Summary statistics of moderators are often available from published articles, and network meta-regression incorporating these covariates can partially explain potential evidence inconsistency. Nonetheless, many AD/ADRD studies have small sample sizes due to recruitment challenges and their longitudinal nature, leading to large uncertainties in study-specific covariate summaries. Such measurement errors could bias conclusions from network meta-regressions. This project has two main aims to address these research gaps. The first aim is to develop novel approaches to modeling evidence inconsistency in network meta-analyses with applications to AD/ADRD research. The proposed method will use mixture distributions to model potential evidence inconsistency while remaining parsimonious to avoid overcomplicating the model with too many nuisance parameters corresponding to clinically ignorable inconsistency. This approach will allow for a detailed examination of whether direct and indirect evidence can be combined. The second aim is to develop novel models for network meta-regressions that account for uncertainties in study-specific summaries of moderators with applications to AD/ADRD research. The new method will account for full uncertainties in summary statistics of moderators (e.g., mean ages, proportions of genders, races) extracted from published AD/ADRD studies, thereby correcting potential dilution biases caused by measurement errors. Additionally, we will create a user-friendly, open-source software package to enable applied scientists to accurately use the new models for systematic reviews comparing multiple AD/ADRD interventions. This software will include comprehensive guides and worked examples. By leveraging the collective expertise of our transdisciplinary team in both biostatistics and clinical research, this project aims to significantly advance analytical frameworks in AD/ADRD research. The success of this project will influence the design and prediction of interventions within AD/ADRD and have broad applicability to various other clinical research domains, contributing substantially to advancing evidence-based comparative medicine.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-05

With support from the Chemical Structure and Dynamics (CSD) program in the Division of Chemistry, Professors Oliver Monti of the University of Arizona and Yonatan Dubi of Ben Gurion University are studying the transmission of electrons through layers of non-magnetic chiral molecules. Electrons can exist in two spin states: spin up or spin down. To separate electrons with different spins, magnetic fields are normally necessary. However, when electrons pass through layers of chiral molecules, one spin or the other can be preferentially transmitted, thus accomplishing this separation without magnetic fields. The origin of this chirality induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect is extensively debated and remains unclear. Professors Monti, Dubi and their students will combine sophisticated electron spectroscopies with detailed scattering theory to characterize the transmission of electrons passing through chiral molecules. Their discoveries could provide an experimentally tested and quantitative understanding of CISS, as well as new ways of harnessing spin-dependent effects in quantum-based technologies without the need for magnetic fields or complex device designs. The project will also provide research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as contribute to the development of a quantum-enabled STEM workforce. The overarching goal of the project is to develop, test and implement a quantitative microscopic understanding of CISS. Professors Monti and Dubi will investigate CISS using cutting-edge spin- and angle-resolved photoemission methods from well-characterized and ordered films of near-identical chiral or achiral molecules on highly controlled metal substrates. Systematic and quantitative experimental observations of energy-, momentum-, and direction-dependence of excess spin, the critical fingerprint of CISS, will be compared with results from quantitatively correct scattering theories that range from mean-field to full microscopic descriptions. Both molecular and substrate parameters that could be responsible for CISS will be isolated and quantified, and their impact tested. Undergraduate and graduate students will be trained in carrying out highly controlled and sophisticated surface science experiments and computations to shed light on the mechanism of CISS, and to advance novel approaches in quantum information sciences. 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 · 2025-05

Abstract Micro-optics play a crucial role in biomedical imaging, particularly in endoscopic systems, providing unparalleled advantages in compactness and resolution. However, as the dimensions of micro-optical systems shrink to address clinical demands, the limitations of traditional systems become more apparent, often resulting in potential compromises in optical performance. Recognizing the growing demand in medical arenas and current optical fabrication constraints, we introduce a novel glass micro-optical system where all components are fabricated together as a single unit, with the optical portions transparent and the non-optical portions black. This eliminates the need for mechanical components for structural integrity or to block stray light. This innovation is transformative rather than incremental, enabled solely by the proposed 3D printing techniques and materials. Leveraging the support from the R21CA268190 grant in recent years, we've demonstrated the merits and potential of 3D-printed glass micro- optical systems. By pioneering new printing materials and novel two-photon polymerization (TPP) printing processes, we've developed glass micro-optical systems possessing attributes unattainable through any other manufacturing methods and commercial system, such as GRIN lens. Central to our proposed glass micro-optical system is its holistic integration, which circumvents traditional assembly and alignment hurdles. We've also pioneered materials with a higher refractive index, innovative printing techniques for localized transparency control, and multi-material printing to enhance imaging performance. Our goal is to develop and promote glass micro-optical systems tailored for biomedical and clinical imaging. We will first build a custom 3D printing system with a large field of view (FOV) to achieve high throughput and enable the printing of large glass micro-optical systems, thereby overcoming the limitations of commercially available TPP printers. Concurrently, we will investigate new printing materials with higher refractive indices to enhance imaging quality. We'll also fine-tune printing techniques that control local transparency to boost image contrast and optimize multi-material printing process to improve system performance across a wide spectrum. Ultimately, we aim to design and fabricate three types of glass micro-optical systems, evaluate and compare their performances with commercial GRIN lenses and microscope objective in white light, autofluorescence, and confocal imaging modes with tissue samples. The anticipated impact of this project is substantial, heralding the advent of compact glass micro-optical systems that were previously inconceivable, featuring unparalleled imaging capabilities. Such advancements could expedite the transition of revolutionary imaging tools from the lab to tangible clinical settings. This endeavor promises not only innovations in imaging capabilities but also cost-effective rapid prototyping solutions, unlocking previously unattainable applications in biomedical and clinical imaging.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-04

Abstract. The overall goal of this research is to understand how myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) regulates skeletal muscle contraction and how mutations in the genes encoding slow and fast MyBP- C (MYBPC1 and MYBPC2, respectively) cause congenital skeletal muscle diseases such as distal limb contractures and myogenic tremors. Until now, cardiac MyBP-C (cMyBP-C, encoded by MYBC3) has received intense research attention because mutations in MYBPC3 account for the majority of mutations leading to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, however far less is known about the 2 skeletal muscle paralogs of MyBP-C despite their connections to disease. This is in part because slow and fast MyBP-C are co-expressed in most muscle types and MYBPC1 undergoes extensive exon shuffling and post translational modifications that alter its function. Furthermore, the different sMyBP-C and fMyBP- C paralogs, splice variants, and post translational modifications all are thought to differ in their functional effects, but because of overlapping patterns of expression it has proven nearly impossible to disentangle the distinct functional and structural effects of the individual MyBP-C variants in working skeletal muscles. Here, we overcome this challenge by using a novel “cut and paste” method developed exclusively in the PI’s lab that allows us to selectively modify sMyBP-C, fMyBP-C, or both at their native positions in working sarcomeres to systematically determine distinct functional effects of each paralog, splice variant and mutation on contraction and relaxation in any skeletal muscle (Aim 1). In Aim 2 we combine the cut and paste method with X-ray diffraction measurements to determine the unique structural effects of paralogs, variants, and mutations on both thick and thin filament structure in both active and relaxed sarcomeres. Results from this study will give us unprecedented insights into the structural and functional effects of the MyBP-C family of proteins in skeletal muscle, paving the way for the design of therapeutic treatments that selectively target skeletal MyBP-C paralogs to treat inherited contractures and tremors.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-04

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a virtual reality, surgical simulation trainer for endoscopic surgery. Endoscopic surgery is performed using a scope, a flexible tube with a camera and light at the tip. This technology focuses on endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery, which is particularly challenging due to the proximity of critical anatomical structures in the operating field. When complications occur during these surgeries, patients can develop significant health problems. This technology addresses these challenges by allowing trainees, educators, and surgical industries to acquire fundamental knowledge of surgical anatomy, techniques, complications, and instrumentation prior to performing surgery on living patients. The technology includes the surgical steps, a guided surgical feedback tool, and a virtual reality surgical simulator. The goal is to provide a platform for trainees to practice surgery, improving patient safety. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of a virtual reality (VR), surgical simulation trainer for sinus and skull base endoscopic surgery. Endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery is challenging due to the proximity of critical anatomical structures in the operating field and the use of micro-instrumentation, specialized instrumentation, and angled endoscopes. This technology is based on a hierarchical task analysis to divide complex endoscopic procedures into smaller, more manageable tasks. These tasks are associated with relevant clinical information to highlight where surgical errors might occur. The VR simulator allows users to identify surgical steps, associate two-dimensional computed tomography images to an immersive three-dimensional virtual environment, practice surgical technique. This technology uses a software platform that incorporates patient images into an interactive VR environment using commercially available VR headsets. Results from initial testing showed that trainees and educators found this to be a valuable method for surgical education. This technology may reduce surgical complications and improve patient safety. 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 · 2025-04

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a tool that enables small and medium sized businesses to adopt and scale microservice architectures. A microservice architectural approach is used to develop software applications as a collection of small, independent services that communicate with each other over a network. The challenge comes when these systems evolve. System developers can foster expertise in individual microservices and their specific domains, but problems can occur when changes impact other microservices. Developers quickly lose track of microservices dependencies. This solution addresses these challenges in microservice architecture maintainability and quality by providing just-in-time insights into the architectural impact of changes. The goal is to provide change impact analysis of cloud-native systems alongside quality assurances to improve system evolvability and reliability. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of change impact analysis of cloud-native systems alongside quality assurance. The solution uses static code analysis tailored to distributed, component-based development to enable holistic reasoning and reduce change impact propagation issues. Improperly managing change impact may lead to costly errors during development, including increased communication overhead and delays. Improper management also results in challenges in identifying and addressing the impacts. The technology addresses a critical need for solutions capable of operating across multiple microservice codebases, supporting developers with change impact analysis to prevent inconsistencies and production errors in the system. This tool is designed to automatically generate a comprehensive system representation overview (intermediate representation) by analyzing codebase artifacts, offering practitioners insights into the potential impacts of individual changes on the system-wide interconnected components. In addition, the tool is designed to integrate seamlessly into the existing development and operations pipelines, serving as a quality assurance checkpoint at each stage of system changes. This technology may move the distributed systems community toward a more efficient, systematic process, improving evolvability and reliability. 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 · 2025-03

ABSTRACT Functional gastrointestinal (GI) diseases are the most common diagnoses in gastroenterology. Such disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome or functional dyspepsia, are recognized by altered GI sensitivity and motility. Though the pathophysiology is complex, a conserved feature is the bidirectional alteration in brain- gut signaling. Thus, these are classified as disorders of brain-gut interaction. While the vagus nerve is the main brain-gut link, how the brain relays neural signals that modulate GI epithelial sensory function is unknown. My long-term career goal is to document how neural circuits originating from the brain alter the gut’s ability to sense nutrients. With the support of the NIH Mentored Research Scientist Development Award — K01, the objective of this proposal is to delineate a brain-to-gut neural circuit that could be used to alter sensory transduction at the gut epithelium. This will be accomplished in three aims: Aim 1. Determine the neurotransmitters and hormones released by intestinal sensory cells in response to excitatory neurotransmitter stimulation. An in vitro organoid and sorted single cell assay will be used to measure release in culture. This aim will demonstrate that an excitatory neurotransmitter can stimulate vesicular release in enteroendocrine cells. Aim 2. Pair vagal stimulation with sensory epithelial cell calcium imaging and electrophysiology to evaluate the functional connectivity of vagal neurons synapsing onto intestinal sensory cells. This aim will demonstrate a functional connection where neurons increase the excitability of sensory cells in the proximal small intestine. Aim 3. Utilize both retrograde (post- to pre-synapse) rabies virus and anterograde (pre- to post- synapse) herpes simplex virus to trace a mono-synaptic connection between the brainstem and intestinal sensory epithelial cells. This aim will establish an anatomical map for how the brainstem is connected to neuropod cells. Identifying functional neural circuits connecting the brain and the gut will enable the understanding of the mechanisms behind visceral hypersensitivity. Together with my mentoring team, we have designed this project to provide me with the necessary research and professional training for me to excel as an independent investigator in the field of sensory neurogastroenterology.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

The study of languages, or linguistics, is essential to develop an understanding of human communication and cognition. This conference contributes to improving our understanding of languages by bringing together scholars from a variety of fields to discuss different methodological areas of linguistics. The discussions and collaborations resulting from the symposium promote fresh perspectives and ways to think about language, as well as the development of new interdisciplinary research approaches. These new approaches impact how we come to understand the processing of languages in the brain (for example, what is involved in learning a language and more efficient ways to do so), as well as how languages are used (for example, the systematic ways that languages change when they come into contact). Examples of broader impacts include that scholars at different career stages benefit from exposure to a wide range of methods and perspectives, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to innovate in their own research and the future of the field. This conference has a focus on theorizing methods. The event includes a series of keynote talks, invited panel presentations, and general sessions promoting the exploration of emergent research initiatives. Sessions focus on enhancing the understanding of language processing, language acquisition, and language use across different linguistic communities. Focus is placed on the use of methodological triangulation (combining multiple sources of data) to capture both the ways in which language is processed and the reflective nature of language use. Conference attendees also engage with new approaches to science communication. This conference, along with the research and communications that follow, contribute to the goal of fostering public understanding of educational and scientific activities. By encouraging systematic methodological discussions among scholars at various career stages, the symposium provides a platform for researchers to engage in dialogue about methods and the nature of linguistic data. 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 · 2025-03

SUMMARY Otosclerosis is an age-related bone disorder characterized by pathological remodeling in the otic capsule of the temporal bone, leading to stapedial fixation and hearing loss. The disease is typically bilateral, progressive, and commonly affects women more than men, with onset usually occurring in the 3rd or 4th decade of life. Although conductive hearing loss can be managed through hearing aids or stapes microsurgery, other clinical features such as sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo pose greater challenges in treatment. The pathophysiology of otosclerosis it still poorly understood. The otic capsule has a uniquely low bone turnover rate, a process that is disrupted in otosclerosis for unknown reasons. Genetic factors play a critical role in the disease's development, and our preliminary findings, along with others', suggest a genetic overlap with other skeletal disorders. Additionally, while epigenetic mechanisms have been strongly implicated in other aging- related bone diseases, research on their role in otosclerosis is even more limited. Our proposal aims to uncover the molecular basis of otosclerosis by utilizing advanced genomic and epigenomic techniques on a large cohort of unrelated otosclerosis cases and families. This previously gathered cohort, resulting from a long-standing coordinated endeavor by the research team, provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate the molecular aspects of otosclerosis and identify novel genes implicated in the disease. To achieve our aims, we will: 1) Analyze ultrarare and rare genomic variants in a set of large families segregating otosclerosis via genome sequencing. 2) Study common and rare genomic variants in a large cohort of otosclerosis cases and controls via a genome-wide association study using a blended genome-exome sequencing strategy . 3) Identify epigenetic factors implicated in otosclerosis via genome-wide methylation profiling in cases and controls and multi-omics integration of genetic and epigenetic data. All aims are independent and complementary. By the end of this study, we expect to have gained a great insight into the molecular background of otosclerosis. Our results may aid in the development of therapeutic interventions, diagnostic screening, patient management, and family counseling.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2025-02

Project Summary/Abstract A large proportion (40-90%) of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy suffer from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). During treatment, CIPN causes acute sensory dysfunction (e.g. numbness, tingling) and pain, which is the second most common reason for limiting chemotherapy dose and negatively impacts prognosis. After treatment, CIPN can result in chronic symptoms (e.g., debilitating pain, functional impairment). Currently, there is no standardized, reliable tool for assessing CIPN. Our overarching goal is to provide non-invasive, quantitative microscopic biomarkers for CIPN using an imaging technology termed portable confocal microscopy (PCM). Reflectance confocal microscopy is a non-invasive imaging method that could visualize CIPN-associated changes in nerve ending. Meissner’s corpuscles (MCs) are mechanoreceptors in glabrous skin (e.g. fingers, toes) composed of peripheral nerve ending. In confocal images, MCs are readily visualized as bright, round structures with a diameter of 40-75 µm. Dr. Ramnarine (Co-investigator, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital) carried out the first ever prospective study imaging MCs in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with reflectance confocal microscopy. This preliminary study showed that MC density measured by confocal microscopy was i) reduced significantly in CIPN patients compared to the controls prior to chemotherapy, and ii) highly correlated with other validated but time-consuming sensory measures during and after chemotherapy. While this study showed the potential of confocal microscopy for assessing CIPN, the standard device (Vivascope 1500) has several limitations: slow imaging speed, unstable device-to-tissue connection, and high device cost (~$100,000). Dr. Kang (PI, University of Arizona) has been leading development of portable confocal microscopy (PCM) devices. PCM reduced the device material cost to $4-5,000, visualized characteristic cellular morphologic features of skin cancers and benign conditions, and visualized MCs from human fingers in vivo with similar image quality to the high-cost, standard confocal microscope (Preliminary data). In this R01 project, we will develop a new portable confocal microscope that enables rapid, repeatable imaging of MCs and evaluate its clinical utility for assessing CIPN. The new PCM will provide quantitative imaging biomarkers for CIPN and completely change how we 1) conduct clinical trials for prevention and treatment of CIPN, 2) identify patients at risk, and 3) assess, treat, and monitor individual patients with CIPN. The low device cost and portability of PCM will make the technology readily integrated into routine care of cancer patients. We will achieve this goal through following aims: Aim 1) Develop a new portable confocal microscope for rapid MC imaging in cancer patients, Aim 2) Evaluate the clinical utility of PCM for assessing CIPN, and Aim 3) Develop deep learning-based algorithms for automatically counting MCs.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-02

PROJECT SUMMARY Individuals with type II diabetes (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MS) display decreased activity of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and often develop salt-sensitive hypertension (SS HT). PPARγ activation by thiazolidinediones (TZDs) lowers blood pressure in T2DM and MS. Moreover, PPARγ impairment caused by dominant negative mutations (e.g. P467L) that block PPARγ activation by ligands cause severe early onset HT in humans, while selective expression of these mutations in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) recapitulates human HT in mice (S-P467L), suggesting impairment of vascular PPARγ is causal. Using S-P467L mice as a model of vascular PPARγ impairment, I have provided compelling preliminary data supporting an innovative concept that the detrimental effects of PPARγ impairment in VSM may be mediated by enhanced PGE2/E-Prostanoid Receptor 3 (EP3) signaling in pre-glomerular resistance vessels (interlobular artery and afferent arterioles), causing increased renal vascular resistance and blunted renal blood flow during excess salt loading. The blunted renal perfusion is associated with decreased intrarenal nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and increased sodium retention in S-P467L mice fed a 4% high salt diet. We and others have previously published that vascular PPARγ prevents oxidative stress through transcriptional regulation of antioxidant genes. Loss of PPARγ-mediated antioxidant responses may decrease NO bioavailability in renal microvessels through an imbalance between NO and reactive oxygen species such as superoxide. The goal of this K01 award is to investigate the renal mechanisms of salt sensitivity caused by the impairment of vascular PPARγ. Aim 1 will test the hypotheses that a) impairment of vascular PPARγ blunts renal blood flow by enhancing PGE2/EP3 signaling in renal microvessels, and b) pharmacological inhibition of EP3 decreases renal vascular resistance, improves renal perfusion, and attenuates SS HT during PPARγ impairment. Aim 2 will test the hypotheses that a) impaired vascular PPARγ results in decreased NOS-mediated NO generation and/or impaired antioxidant defense in the kidney, and b) intrarenal NO deficiency impairs natriuresis and contributes to SS HT during PPARγ impairment. Successful completion of the mentored scientist development grant will allow me to acquire necessary skills and expertise to transition to independence in the academia of hypertension research focusing on renal vascular biology, redox biology, and tubular physiology.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-02

Nitrogen (N) is an important part of cells in living beings, and it moves around different parts of the Earth like the air, land, oceans, and the deep interior. This movement helps shape the air we breathe and how suitable our planet is for living things over time. Places where the Earth's plates push against each other, called subduction zones, are excellent for studying how nitrogen moves between the surface and the interior. Recent studies show that these subduction zones send more nitrogen deep inside the Earth than volcanoes belch out. The continental crust might be a good place to store some of the nitrogen that is transferred to the Earth's interior in subduction zones. But scientists need to find out how much nitrogen is really in that crust to see if this idea is correct. In this project, the team will find out how much nitrogen is in the continental crust by taking samples from two places: one in Sierra Nevada, California, and another in the Transverse Ranges, California, and its equivalent lower crust in Chino Valley, Arizona. They will do experiments to see how nitrogen is shared between the lower crust materials and the melting rock. Some of their research will also be part of a summer camp for high school students from the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). This camp will focus on the geology of Tucson and Arizona to help students connect with their community. The goal is to inspire students to learn more about geosciences and encourage them to study it at the University of Arizona. The uptake and exchange of the life-essential element nitrogen (N) between the Earth’s surface reservoirs (atmosphere, crust, oceans, biosphere) and the interior (lithosphere and deeper) via plate tectonics has regulated the atmospheric composition and habitability through geological history. The geologically recent subduction zones serve as an excellent natural laboratory to understand these uptakes and exchanges. Current estimates show that the output of nitrogen from subducted slabs is higher than the volcanically outgassed nitrogen. The continental arc crust could be an excellent contender for uptake of the ‘excess nitrogen’ but to test the hypothesis, the nitrogen abundance of continental arc crust needs to be determined. Also, the nitrogen abundance of primitive arc magmas is a key piece in understanding the fluxes of nitrogen between different subduction zone reservoirs and it is poorly constrained. Lower arc crust comprised of cumulates from differentiation of primitive arc magmas may serve as an excellent proxy to determine the nitrogen abundance of the primitive magmas. In this proposal, researchers will determine the nitrogen abundance of the arc continental crust. They will analyze samples from two sections of lower and mid to upper arc crust – one from Sierra Nevada, California and the other from Transverse Ranges, California (mid to upper crust) and its tectonically bulldozed lower crust in Chino Valley, Central Arizona. The team will perform nitrogen partitioning experiments between lower crustal cumulate minerals and arc melt. Finally, they will use those partition coefficients along with modeling the fractional crystallization of arc magmas to determine the nitrogen contents of primitive arc magmas that best explain the measured nitrogen abundances in the lower crust. Some aspects of the research plan will be integrated (along with other methodologies in geosciences) in a summer camp for high school students from Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). The summer camp will be themed around the geological history of Tucson and Arizona to provide the students a ‘sense of place’. The camp will serve as a feeder into a longer-term program to incorporate high school students in research-based education in geosciences. The objective of the summer camp is to motivate local high school students in geosciences, with the expectation that this would eventually result in enhanced enrollment of local high schoolers in geosciences at the University of Arizona. 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 · 2025-01

This doctoral dissertation project examines how young children learning two languages acquire new words and connect them to their existing vocabulary. While bilingual children often know fewer words in each language compared to monolingual children, their combined knowledge across languages can match or surpass that of monolingual peers. This project tests whether the way words are organized in the brain helps bilingual children learn new words, focusing on organization due to shared meanings or related concepts. By studying bilingual toddlers, this research informs how children link their knowledge across languages, providing insights into early language development. The findings may advance strategies for teaching vocabulary to bilingual children, helping parents, educators, and caregivers support language learning in ways that build on children’s existing strengths. This project involves bilingual toddlers from diverse communities. Other benefits to society include providing educational and workforce development opportunities for undergraduate research assistants. This project examines how the connections between words in one language influence learning in the other language. For example, a child who knows many words about animals in one language may find it easier to learn new animal-related words in the other language. This research examines two types of words, completely new words (that require learning both a concept and a label) and translation equivalents (words for the same concept in both languages). Testing is conducted virtually, which increases access for families who might not otherwise participate in research studies. This work (1) advances a scientific understanding of how bilingual children leverage cross-language semantic density to learn new words and translation equivalents, (2) contributes new knowledge to theories and models of bilingual word learning, accounting for cross-language semantic density, and (3) informs models of bilingual instruction, potentially extending their application to an earlier developmental age. 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 · 2025-01

Project Summary/Abstract Our overarching goal is to aid anal cancer screening using a new, non-invasive imaging approach termed probe-based light sheet microscopy (pLSM). Incidence and mortality of anal cancer have been rapidly increasing: mortality increased by 5.7% per year between 2014 and 2020. The recent ANCHOR (Anal Cancer HSIL Outcomes Research) trial published in late 2022 showed that treatment of anal precancer (high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, HSIL) significantly reduces the risk of anal cancer. Therefore, it is expected that anal cancer screening in high-risk populations will become standard of care. However, high-resolution anoscopy, an integral component of anal cancer screening and treatment, has low-to-moderate diagnostic performance, and trained anoscopists are scarce due to a steep learning curve and no standardized training opportunities. In a recent Trailblazer R21 project, we developed a new optical microscopy approach termed scattering-based light sheet microscope (sLSM). While LSM is not new and has been widely used for imaging fluorescence- labelled samples in biology research, we optimized LSM for imaging animal and human tissues using the intrinsic scattering contrast for clinical applications. In our preliminary study, we imaged fresh anal biopsies (n = 110) ex vivo with a bench sLSM device and found that i) sLSM could clearly visualize the critical morphologic features pathologists use to diagnose anal squamous intraepithelial lesions and ii) could provide high diagnostic accuracy (overall accuracy = 87%; HSIL accuracy = 91%). In this 4-year R01 project, we will develop a new, probe-based light sheet microscopy (pLSM) device and evaluate its clinical utility for imaging human subjects in vivo. During anal cancer screening, the anoscopist directly places the pLSM device on the anal mucosa and examines the cellular details of the tissue. The pLSM images are analyzed by a trained clinician (pathologist or anoscopist) or by automated image analysis algorithms. The pLSM image findings guide the clinician to areas concerning for HSIL, which can increase the screening sensitivity and reduce the morbidity caused by unnecessary biopsy of benign and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs). Additional unique benefits of pLSM are: i) providing a novel feedback tool during high-resolution anoscopy training, ii) non-invasive monitoring of suspicious lesions over time, and iii) enabling same-day treatment for patients at a greater risk of being lost to follow up. The specific aims of this project are to Develop a pLSM device (Aim 1), Evaluate the clinical utility of pLSM in an in vivo human imaging study (Aim 2), and Develop automated image analysis algorithms (Aim 3). We are a multi-institute, interdisciplinary research team who has been collaborating successfully for over 4 years. We bring together expertise in optical engineering (University of Arizona, Memorial Sloan Kettering), anal cancer and pathology (Stanford), and image data analysis (UA, MSK).

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-01

PROJECT SUMMARY: Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome and a predominant cause of mortality in adults. The overall objective of this renewal is to continue to elucidate the mechanism of action of the myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) family of proteins on cardiac function. MyBP-C proteins regulate contractile structure and function in both cardiac and skeletal muscles. The present proposal is focused on defining the role of one of the MyBP-C proteins, fast myosin binding protein-C (fMyBP-C), as a negative regulator of cardiac contractility. fMyBP-C is minimally expressed at baseline in the heart but is significantly increased in the cardiomyocytes during HF. In the pilot studies, a novel transgenic mouse that expresses fMyBP-C (fMyBP-CTg) specifically in cardiomyocytes and at levels similar to those observed in HF develops cardiac hypertrophy, decreased maximal force and reduced myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity. In contrast, homozygous fMyBP-C knockout (fMyBP-CKO) mice, when challenged with transverse aortic coarctation (TAC)-induced pressure overload, shows significantly improved cardiac function, compared to controls. Furthermore, in vitro studies revealed that fMyBP-C negatively modulates cardiomyocyte contractility by increasing super-relaxed state of myosin, actomyosin interactions and thin filament activation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of fMyBP-C and, in turn, its impact on sarcomere function, are completely unknown. On the basis of the preliminary findings, our central hypothesis is that fMyBP-C upregulation reduces cardiac function during HF by reducing actomyosin interactions, preventing thin and thick filament interactions and decreasing the rate of force generation, resulting in contractile dysfunction and HF. SPECIFIC AIM 1 will use a novel fMyBP-CTg mouse model to determine the sufficiency of fMyBP-C expression in the cardiomyocytes in reducing cardiac contractility, actomyosin interactions and cross- bridges and developing HF, compared to controls, including cMyBP-C transgenic and null mice. Using the fMyBP-CKO mice, SPECIFIC AIM 2 will define the necessity of fMyBP-C to exacerbate (TAC)-induced pressure overload HF using fMyBP-CKO mice, compared to controls. In the same aim, a novel Mybpc2- mScarlet (fluorescence) knock-in mouse model will be used to fate map fMyBP-C expression during TAC- induced pressure overload. Using these mouse models, SPECIFIC AIM 3 will elucidate the molecular mechanism(s) underlying reduced cardiac contractility using cardiomyocytes from the fMyBP-CTg and fMyBP-CKO mice, as well as recombinant proteins and chimeras of cMyBP-C/fMyBP-C, on various biophysical, biochemical and functional studies in vitro, compared to wild-type controls. Together, these studies will determine the necessity and sufficiency of fMyBP-C to negatively regulate inotropy and cause HF. The results will lead to the identification of potential therapeutic targets to treat HF.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Project Summary How do we decide whether to continue pursuing a goal or abandon the quest? Survival requires both the ability to persist in behavior directed toward a goal and the ability to determine when it is time to stop, a finely-tuned balance of perseverance and disengagement. The optimal balance between goal-directed and disengaged behavior differs depending on internal state and the environment, and sensitive, context-appropriate regulation of this balance is both essential and challenging. Excessive or insufficient goal-directed behavior is associated with psychiatric dysfunction ranging from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to obsessive compulsive disorder to addiction. Disengagement from goal pursuit is an essential process, and it can be elicited by factors with either negative or positive valence. For example, an animal might stop attempting to obtain water because its actions to obtain water have failed, because it has already consumed enough water, or because it needs to quickly respond to an imminent threat to survival. Are the circuits that suppress goal-directed behavior in response to action failure the same as those that suppress goal-directed behavior after satisfying homeostatic needs or in response to threats? The LHb is a major conduit of information from the forebrain to brainstem neuromodulatory centers, and LHb neural activity suppresses midbrain dopamine neural activity via the GABAergic rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg). LHb neurons fire when animals don’t receive expected rewards and when they receive punishments, and stimulation of LHb neurons and glutamatergic inputs to the LHb promotes behavioral avoidance. The objective of this study is to systematically probe the functional role of lateral habenula (LHb) circuits in regulating disengagement from goals in response to action failure, homeostatic resolution, and threat. We will use optical methods to monitor and control LHb neural circuits in order to characterize the long-timescale dynamics and functional role of LHb neurons in regulating the balance between goal-directed and disengaged behavioral states.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2025-01

Abstract Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common group of inherited retinal disorders associated with progressive loss of vision. RP is typically diagnosed in adulthood following the onset of night blindness and impaired peripheral vision. Longitudinal studies of patients with RP reveal that their loss of visual acuity is significantly slower than the deterioration of their photoreceptor function. How the visual system sustains acuity despite the progressive loss of photoreceptors is unclear. Our hypothesis is that flexibility within the circuits of the visual system engage with the progressive loss of visual output to impair acuity. We will test our hypothesis by first characterizing the deficit in acuity and related functional characteristics in visual cortex and retina in using the rhodopsin P23H/+ (rho P23H/+) mutant mouse model. These mice have similar declines in retinal function and are a good model of human RP. Then we will evaluate whether enhancing or reducing experience-dependent plasticity affects the trajectory of the progressive loss of vision of rho P23H/+ mice by then characterizing the deficit in acuity and related functional characteristics in visual cortex and retina in using the rhodopsin P23H/+ (rho P23H/+) mutant mice that also lack a gene that limits plasticity in adult visual circuitry (nogo-66 receptor, ngr1) or that is required for visual plasticity (activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein, ARC). Mice lacking ngr1 (ngr1 -/-) display greater visual plasticity than adult wild-type mice while mice lacking ARC (ARC -/-) exhibit reduced visual plasticity.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2025-01

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The mammalian intestine represents one of the most complex and immunologically-relevant organ systems. This is due to its heterogenous mixture of epithelial cells that constantly interact with the trillions of microbes comprising the intestinal microbiota and the underlying immune cells that inhabit the lamina propria. It is well accepted that host-microbiota interactions at these mucosal sites are critical to localized and systemic immune development, and disruptions in these interactions are associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases like inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Yet, there is still much we do not understand about how the communication networks between microbes, epithelial barriers and immune cells dictate the balance between productive immunity and immune tolerance. Several mammalian pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) expressed by immune cells and intestinal epithelial cells have been implicated in linking microbe-epithelial- immune interactions during the regulation of IBD, with mutations in NOD2 being heavily associated with human Crohn’s disease. Additional PRRs provide protective effects during animal models of experimental IBD, including members of the NOD-like receptors (NLRs) and related DNA sensor Absent in Melanoma 2 (AIM2) through formation of a multi-protein complex called the “inflammasome” and other non-inflammasome-mediated functions. We have evidence that AIM2 is also critical to the development of specialized intestinal epithelial cells called tuft cells, which initiate type 2 innate immunity in the small intestine. Tuft cell-driven type 2 immunity can counteract the pathological Th1/17 immune responses that are hallmarks of many forms of IBD. However, the molecular and cellular processes by which AIM2 accomplish this function is completely unknown. These questions will be addressed using tissue-specific animals models of AIM2 deletion, intestinal epithelial organoid models and experimental models of small intestine inflammation. The successful completion of this project will lead to the identification of novel innate immune targets, cellular signaling pathways and microbial triggers that can redirect immune activation, thus revealing new intervention points to promote IBD resolution.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2025-01

Diets high in saturated fat have been implicated in disturbing intestinal homeostasis via multiple mechanisms; however, the contribution of specific saturated fatty acids (SFAs) is largely unknown. Therefore, the goal of this proposal is to examine the effects of specific dietary fatty acids (FAs) on sphingolipid metabolism and their influence on intestinal pathobiology. Specifically, we aim to define the role of ceramide generating enzymes, ceramide synthase (CerS) 5 and 6, in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, inflammation, and lipid metabolism in the intestines. Excess SFAs and a subsequent increase in ceramide generation induce ER stress in multiple tissues. Biopsy samples from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients exhibited dysregulation of sphingolipid enzymes and increased activation of all three ER stress pathways; however, whether a relationship exists between the two is only beginning to be elucidated. In the intestines we and others have implicated CerS as regulators of lipid metabolism and ER stress. Canonically, ER stress is triggered by accumulation of mis-folded proteins leading to activation of effector proteins IRE1α, PERK, and ATF6. Activation of these pathways halts generation of new proteins, leads to degradation of mRNA and proteins, and if left unresolved leads to inflammation and apoptosis. IRE1α activation has been implicated in regulating sphingolipid enzymes and other lipid metabolic proteins, such as stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1). Although there have been a few investigations into the role of SCD1 in intestinal inflammation and colon cancer; there is contention in the literature on whether SCD1 is protective or detrimental. Individually ER stress, sphingolipids, and SCD1 have been implicated in IBD and CRC; but the interplay of these factors in intestinal biology is not well understood. Much of the literature examining the effects of a high fat diets (HFDs) has focused primarily on palmitate, a C16 SFA found in red meat and processed foods. However, we have previously shown that treatment with myristate, a C14 SFA rich in milk-fat based diets, increased activation of IRE1α in a CerS5/6-dependent manner in rat small intestinal epithelial cells (IEC6). Our current work extends these findings in human colon epithelial cells (HCECs). In HCECs chemical inhibition of all six CerS isoforms suppressed myristate-induced ER stress however, knockdown of CerS5/6 exacerbated ER stress. Our novel findings led us to the hypothesis that loss of CerS5/6 reduces SCD1 protein levels both basally and after myristate treatment in an IRE1a-dependent manner. To this end we propose the following specific aims: Specific Aim 1: Define the role of CerS5/6 in milk-fat diet induced IRE1α activation in intestinal biology in vivo. Specific Aim 2: Elucidate the mechanism of CerS5/6 regulation on SCD1 in intestinal biology.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2026 · 2025-01

Project Summary The overall vision of this training program is to cultivate research talent in biomedical engineering by broadening institutional support and fostering a culture of inclusion and quality mentorship for undergraduate researchers, particularly those from groups historically marginalized in engineering and biomedical research. The training program will involve 23 faculty members from biomedical engineering and related disciplines in mentoring a total of 31 postsecondary trainees, comprising four cohorts of seven participants each, along with a pilot cohort of three participants, at the University of Arizona. The specific aims of this project are (1) To recruit a diverse group of high school students from across the State of Arizona and expose them to both research and skill-based training in biosciences and engineering, (2) Develop research self-efficacy and sense of inclusion among trainees by integrating professional development activities with an emphasis on communication skills, domain- specific research skills, and computing skills into the first two years of the undergraduate engineering program, and (3) Provide sustained, long-term, mentored research experience every summer and prepare trainees for graduate studies in biomedical engineering or related fields. The project will provide mentors with specialized training around effective mentoring practices, while offering trainees targeted professional development to enhance their research-related skills and knowledge. Trainees will also have access to a vibrant research environment, rich expertise in a diverse array of biomedical engineering domains, and multiple pathways for research career preparation.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Non-technical summary A team of professors (Arizona State University and University of Arizona) are organizing the second MateriAlZ Winter School to be held in January 2025. They represent key STEM fields ranging from chemistry and materials to manufacturing and engineering and are also the founders of the successful MateriAlZ Seminar series that is accessible remotely every Friday within the school year as well as permanently on the YouTube channel. The team recognizes the importance of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) topics in research but also in education and science communication. To reach the next generation of trained professionals in these areas, the Winter School covers broad and timely topics, such as synthesis and manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and quantum and energy materials. Aside from these core tutorials, the school also includes interactive soft skill training sessions, panel discussions as well as networking opportunities with industry representatives. Students who are interested in applying for graduate studies will be recruited giving priority to underrepresented groups. The organizers will cover travel and lodging (at Biosphere, Oracle, AZ) for the students. A long-term benefit for all participants will be building a reliable MateriAlZ network that is accessible beyond the meeting dates and will be a valuable resource for students, speakers, and industry/government representatives alike. Technical summary This event is the second MateriAlZ Winter School organized by a team of professors at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. The school will be held in January 2025 and slight adjustments are made based on 2024 student feedback (e.g. 1 additional day, more breaks). In the theme of the popular MateriAlZ Seminar series that the team is organizing, the five-day winter school will cover broad topics from the key areas of chemistry, engineering, and manufacturing of materials. The event is free of charge for (junior and senior) undergraduate students and will promote the US Southwest as a growing hub for materials research, showcase large-scale activities at both schools, serve as a networking platform for students interested in US graduate programs and promote careers in high-tech industries throughout the Southwest region. The school will include tutorial sessions on broad materials science and engineering (MSE) topics ranging from quantum materials, semiconductors and energy materials to syntheses and manufacturing and artificial intelligence taught by local and external speakers. The program also consists of soft skill courses (e.g., on networking and making efficient figures) as well as panel discussions on graduate programs and funding mechanisms. The school provides an excellent window into MSE research topics and the general graduate school experience, which is beneficial for undergraduate students as they apply to different graduate schools. The immediate impact will be in providing information and guidance that many undergraduate students lack, especially first-generation students and those that belong to an underrepresented group in science. Moreover, the team will provide sustainable long-term benefits for all participants, even beyond the actual meeting dates that include face-to-face time. This will be accomplished within an online space (MateriAlZ website) where brief summaries of the meeting content will be collected, and photo and video materials will be posted. On top of this, there will be an “Alumni corner” for future interactions and events to provide all participants with a reliable and long-term MateriAlZ network. 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 · 2025-01

The broader impact of this I-Corps project is the development of a software tool for personalized pregnancy care. Currently, uncertainty in the ability to predict when labor will begin has significant implications for maternal morbidity and financial consequences for patients and health systems. Consequences range from reduced fetal/newborn survival for preterm to complex prolonged pregnancies, lack of timely access to appropriate levels of care (e.g., rural residents), extended hospitalization for false labor or labor induction, added strain on patients without social support needing to plan work leave or childcare, and higher morbidity and mortality for patients for whom labor is contraindicated. Removing the guesswork around the onset of labor may improve the pregnancy experience and allow women to self-monitor their pregnancies, communicate with their care providers, and access the right level of care at the right time. This technology could provide a tool to monitor physiological change during pregnancy, especially between prenatal care visits, and guide decision-making helping patients as well as care providers across gestation stages. The overall goal is to improve pregnancy outcomes by improving decision-making and addressing uncertainty. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of an artificial intelligence (AI) model to monitor pregnancy and predict when labor will begin. The technology is designed to collect data from a non-invasive wearable sensor to measure skin temperature. An autoencoder was trained using a long short-term memory (AE-LSTM) model on continuously measured temperature data from the skin using a smart ring. Data was used to predict the number of days until the onset of labor. Results show that across 37-42 weeks of gestation, the model predicted the onset of labor 7 days before the participants’ report of symptoms of labor. The research confirmed that the predicted gestation and onset of labor aligned with actual gestational age at labor onset (linear fit of R2 of 0.93). In addition, predictions had an average error of <2 days from the labor onset. The goal is to develop a tool for predicting labor onset that could be employed by pregnant individuals or used by care providers in helping guide care. 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 · 2025-01

Quantum computing holds the potential to revolutionize fields such as cryptography, materials science, and artificial intelligence. However, errors in quantum systems pose a significant challenge to the practical realization of large-scale quantum computers. This project seeks to address a fundamental issue in quantum computing: developing error correction techniques that can scale effectively as quantum systems grow. Current error correction methods become inefficient as the number of qubits increases, which limits the scalability of quantum computers. This research aims to overcome these challenges by developing a new class of quantum error correction codes - quantum low-density parity-check (QLDPC) codes, along with novel decoding methods. The results of this project should accelerate the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing, benefiting various industries and national security. Additionally, this project will provide valuable training opportunities for graduate students in advanced science and engineering, contributing to the development of a highly skilled workforce in this critical area of technology. This project seeks to develop practical finite-length quantum low-density parity-check (QLDPC) codes, which are critical for overcoming current limitations in quantum error correction. These codes are designed to address the complex challenges of stabilizer commutativity and the long-range qubit connectivity required in scalable quantum systems. The research will focus on constructing QLDPC codes with minimized trapping sets---configurations within the code structure that hinder error correction---and on developing novel anisotropic iterative decoders. These decoders will leverage the inherent degeneracy of quantum codes to correct multiple errors with the same syndrome, significantly improving decoding performance. By introducing flexible message-passing update rules that adapt based on node positions in the code graph, the project aims to create decoders capable of near-optimal error correction without the latency typically associated with complex post-processing approaches. Furthermore, the project will explore new quantum-specific methods for estimating minimum distance in degenerate codes, such as the quantum impulse method, and optimize code construction with practical hardware constraints in mind. The resulting advances in QLDPC codes and ultra-fast decoders will contribute to the realization of fault-tolerant quantum computing, with significant implications for both theoretical research and practical applications in quantum technology. 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 · 2025-01

Increasing fire activity has exposed more communities, infrastructure, and resources to postfire flow hazards, including postfire debris flows and floods. Hazards associated with postfire flows include impacts to infrastructure and loss of life as well as long-term effects on water quality and reductions to reservoir storage capacity. Solutions to mitigate hazards and minimize risks associated with postfire flows include fuel reduction treatments, construction of sediment retention basins, public outreach and education, and planning evacuation routes. Implementation of mitigation strategies can be costly and time consuming, which limits the ability of communities to respond after a fire starts. This can be problematic since many postfire debris flows initiate in the first 60 days after fire and most initiate in the first year after fire. Prefire assessments of postfire flow hazards are therefore a valuable tool for mitigating the effects of postfire flows because they allow for additional time to evaluate and implement mitigation strategies. However, fundamental science questions remain that limit our ability to predict where postfire flow mitigation efforts are needed and which strategies will be most effective. This planning project will identify knowledge gaps and co-design the scientific approaches needed to evaluate solutions to proactively mitigate hazards and reduce risks associated with postfire flows before a fire begins. The project team will co-develop research questions with Yavapai County Flood Control District that, when answered, will fill key knowledge gaps in understanding of (1) fire effects on Earth surface processes, (2) uncertainty propagation through linked models within the context of hazard cascades, and (3) decision frameworks used by local agencies to mitigate postfire flow hazards. This project will also lead to the development of a place-based process for understanding prefire local decision-making regarding postfire flow hazards and risks. This framework can then be adopted and tested across diverse locations to optimize hazard and risk mitigation processes after fire. The success of this project will help identify areas at risk from postfire flow impacts and provide data for planning long-term flow control measures and mitigation needs, which will contribute to the protection of values at risk such as public safety and critical infrastructure. It will also provide training and professional development opportunities for graduate students and several early-career researchers. 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.