1
|
Lema C, Cheng KW, Anderson DM, Miller CC, Karp DD, McPherson DD, Kolar SSN. Simultaneous submission of seven CTSA proposals: UM1, K12, R25, T32-predoctoral, T32-postdoctoral, and RC2: strategies, evaluation, and lessons learned. J Clin Transl Sci 2024; 8:e33. [PMID: 38384924 PMCID: PMC10880001 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2024.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Translation is the process of turning observations in the research laboratory, clinic, and community into interventions that improve people's health. The Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program is a National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) initiative to advance translational science and research. Currently, 64 "CTSA hubs" exist across the nation. Since 2006, the Houston-based Center for Clinical Translational Sciences (CCTS) has assembled a well-integrated, high-impact hub in Texas that includes six partner institutions within the state, encompassing ∼23,000 sq. miles and over 16 million residents. To achieve the NCATS goal of "more treatments for all people more quickly," the CCTS promotes diversity and inclusion by integrating underrepresented populations into clinical studies, workforce training, and career development. In May 2023, we submitted the UM1 application and six "companion" proposals: K12, R25, T32-Predoctoral, T32-Postdoctoral, and RC2 (two applications). In October 2023, we received priority scores for the UM1 (22), K12 (25), T32-Predoctoral (20), and T32-Postdoctoral (23), which historically fall within the NCATS funding range. This report describes the grant preparation and submission approach, coupled with data from an internal survey designed to assimilate feedback from principal investigators, writers, reviewers, and administrative specialists. Herein, we share the challenges faced, the approaches developed, and the lessons learned.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Lema
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston,
TX, USA
| | - Kwai Wa Cheng
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston,
TX, USA
| | - Delanderia M. Anderson
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston,
TX, USA
| | - Charles C. Miller
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston,
TX, USA
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical
School, Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute, Houston,
TX, USA
| | - Daniel D. Karp
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston,
TX, USA
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston,
TX, USA
| | - David D. McPherson
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston,
TX, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical
School, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Satya Sree N. Kolar
- Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston,
TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kolar SSN, Manarang JC, Burns AR, Miller WL, McDermott AM, Bergmanson JPG. Contact lens care solution killing efficacy against Acanthamoeba castellanii by in vitro testing and live-imaging. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2015. [PMID: 26208952 DOI: 10.1016/j.clae.2015.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade there has been an increased incidence of Acanthamoeba keratitis, particularly in contact lens wearers. The aim of this study was to utilize in vitro killing assays and to establish a novel, time-lapse, live-cell imaging methodology to demonstrate the efficacy of contact lens care solutions in eradicating Acanthamoeba castellanii (A. castellanii) trophozoites and cysts. Standard qualitative and quantitative in vitro assays were performed along with novel time-lapse imaging coupled with fluorescent dye staining that signals cell death. Quantitative data obtained demonstrated that 3% non-ophthalmic hydrogen peroxide demonstrated the highest percent killing at 87.4% corresponding to a 4.4 log kill. The other contact lens care solutions which showed a 72.9 to 29.2% killing which was consistent with 4.3-2.8 log reduction in trophozoite viability. Both analytical approaches revealed that polyquaternium/PHMB-based was the least efficacious in terms of trophicidal activity. The cysticidal activity of the solutions was much less than activity against trophozoites and frequently was not detected. Live-imaging provided a novel visual endpoint for characterizing the trophocidal activity of the care solutions. All solutions caused rapid rounding or pseudocyst formation of the trophozoites, reduced motility and the appearance of different morphotypes. Polyquaternium/alexidine-based and peroxide-based lens care system induced the most visible damage indicated by significant accumulation of debris from ruptured cells. Polyquaternium/PHMB-based was the least effective showing rounding of the cells but minimal death. These observations are in keeping with care solution biocides having prominent activity at the plasma membrane of Acanthamoeba.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satya Sree N Kolar
- Texas Eye Research and Technology Center, University of Houston, College of Optometry, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Joseph C Manarang
- Texas Eye Research and Technology Center, University of Houston, College of Optometry, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alan R Burns
- Texas Eye Research and Technology Center, University of Houston, College of Optometry, Houston, TX, United States
| | - William L Miller
- University of the Incarnate Word, Rosenberg School of Optometry, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Alison M McDermott
- Texas Eye Research and Technology Center, University of Houston, College of Optometry, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jan P G Bergmanson
- Texas Eye Research and Technology Center, University of Houston, College of Optometry, Houston, TX, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kolar SSN, Luca V, Baidouri H, Mannino G, McDermott AM, Mangoni ML. Esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2: a frog skin-derived peptide for microbial keratitis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 72:617-627. [PMID: 25086859 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1694-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Revised: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the primary bacterial pathogen causing contact lens related keratitis. Available ophthalmic agents have reduced efficacy and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold promise as future antibiotics. Here we investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-Pseudomonal activity of esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2, derived from a frog skin AMP. The data revealed a minimum inhibitory concentration between 2 and 16 μM against reference strains or drug-resistant clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa without showing toxicity to human corneal epithelial cells up to 50 μM. At 1 μM the peptide rapidly killed bacterial cells and this activity was fully retained in 150 mM sodium chloride and 70 % (v/v) human basal tears, particularly against the virulent ATCC 19660 strain. Furthermore, its dropwise administration at 40 μM to the ocular surface in a murine model of P. aeruginosa keratitis (three times daily, for 5 days post-infection) resulted in a significant reduction of infection. The mean clinical score was 2.89 ± 0.26 compared to 3.92 ± 0.08 for the vehicle control. In addition, the corneal level of viable bacteria in the peptide treated animals was significantly lower with a difference of 4 log10 colony counts, compared to 7.7 log10 cells recovered in the control. In parallel, recruitment of inflammatory cells was reduced by half compared to that found in the untreated eyes. Similar results were obtained when esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2 was applied prior to induction of keratitis. Overall, our findings highlight esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2 as an attractive candidate for the development of novel topical pharmaceuticals against Pseudomonas keratitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satya Sree N Kolar
- College of Optometry, The Ocular Surface Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vincenzo Luca
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 9, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Hasna Baidouri
- College of Optometry, The Ocular Surface Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Giuseppe Mannino
- Ophthalmology Unit, NESMOS Department, S. Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alison M McDermott
- College of Optometry, The Ocular Surface Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 9, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kolar SSN, Barhoumi R, Callaway ES, Fan YY, Wang N, Lupton JR, Chapkin RS. Synergy between docosahexaenoic acid and butyrate elicits p53-independent apoptosis via mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation in colonocytes. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2007; 293:G935-43. [PMID: 17717041 PMCID: PMC4669682 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00312.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid fiber fermentation product, induces colonocyte apoptosis in part via a Fas-mediated (extrinsic) pathway. In previous studies, we demonstrated that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6(Delta4,7,10,13,16,19)) enhances the effect of butyrate by increasing mitochondrial lipid oxidation and mitochondrial Ca(2+)-dependent apoptosis in the colon. In this study, we further examined the mechanism of DHA-butyrate synergism in 1) human colon tumor (HCT-116 isogenic p53+/+ vs. p53-/-) cells and 2) primary cultures of rat colonic crypts. Herein, we show that DHA and butyrate promote apoptosis by enhancing mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation in both isogenic cell lines. Ca(2+) accumulation and apoptosis were inhibited by blockade of mitochondrial uniporter-mediated Ca(2+) uptake. In addition, Mito-Q, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, also blocked apoptosis induced by DHA and butyrate. In complementary experiments, rats were fed diets supplemented with either corn oil (control, contains no DHA) or fish oil (contains DHA). Colonic crypts were isolated and incubated with or without butyrate, after which the mitochondria-to-cytosol Ca(2+) ratio and crypt viability were measured. No significant difference (P > 0.05) in basal mitochondrial Ca(2+) levels was observed between fish oil- or corn oil-fed animals. In contrast, when fish oil was the dietary lipid source, crypts incubated with butyrate exhibited a significant increase (3.6-fold, P < 0.001) in mitochondrial Ca(2+) compared with corn oil plus butyrate treatment. On the basis of these data, we propose that the combination of DHA and butyrate compared with butyrate alone further enhances colonocyte apoptosis by inducing a p53-independent, oxidation-sensitive, mitochondrial Ca(2+) -dependent (intrinsic) pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satya Sree N Kolar
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Kleberg Biotechnology Center, MS 2253, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2253, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kolar SSN, Barhoumi R, Lupton JR, Chapkin RS. Docosahexaenoic Acid and Butyrate Synergistically Induce Colonocyte Apoptosis by Enhancing Mitochondrial Ca2+Accumulation. Cancer Res 2007; 67:5561-8. [PMID: 17545640 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-06-4716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid fiber fermentation product, induces colonocyte apoptosis via a nonmitochondrial, Fas-mediated, extrinsic pathway. Interestingly, fermentable fiber when combined with fish oil containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) exhibits an enhanced ability to induce apoptosis and protect against colon tumorigenesis. To determine the molecular mechanism of action, the effect of DHA and butyrate cotreatment on intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis was examined. Mouse colonocytes were treated with 50 micromol/L DHA or linoleic acid (LA) for 72 h +/- butyrate (0-10 mmol/L) for the final 24 h. Cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ levels were measured using Fluo-4 and Rhod-2. DHA did not alter basal Ca2+ or the intracellular inositol trisphosphate (IP3) pool after 6 h butyrate cotreatment. In contrast, at 12 and 24 h, DHA- and butyrate-treated cultures exhibited a 25% and 38% decrease in cytosolic Ca2+ compared with LA and butyrate. Chelation of extracellular Ca2+ abolished the effect of thapsigargin on the IP3-releasable Ca2+ pool. DHA and butyrate cotreatment compared with untreated cells increased the mitochondrial-to-cytosolic Ca2+ ratio at 6, 12, and 24 h by 73%, 18%, and 37%, respectively. The accumulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ preceded the onset of apoptosis. RU-360, a mitochondrial-uniporter inhibitor, abrogated mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation and also partially blocked apoptosis in DHA and butyrate cotreated cells. Collectively, these data show that the combination of DHA and butyrate, compared with butyrate alone, further enhances apoptosis by additionally recruiting a Ca2+ -mediated intrinsic mitochondrial pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satya Sree N Kolar
- Faculty of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2253, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kolar SSN, Barhoumi R, Callaway ES, Lupton JR, Chapkin RS. Docosahexaenoic acid and butyrate synergistically induce colonocyte apoptosis by enhancing mitochondrial calcium accumulation. FASEB J 2007. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Satya Sree N Kolar
- Faculty of Nutrition, Nutrition and Food ScienceTexas A&M University, 218 Kleberg Center, College StationTX77843‐2253
| | - Rola Barhoumi
- Center for Environmental and Rural Health, Texas A&M UniversityB20FCollege StationTX77843‐4458
| | - Evelyn S. Callaway
- Faculty of Nutrition, Nutrition and Food ScienceTexas A&M University, 218 Kleberg Center, College StationTX77843‐2253
| | - Joanne R. Lupton
- Faculty of Nutrition, Nutrition and Food ScienceTexas A&M University213 KlebergCollege StationTX77843‐2253
- Center for Environmental and Rural Health, Texas A&M UniversityB20FCollege StationTX77843‐4458
| | - Robert S. Chapkin
- Faculty of Nutrition, Nutrition and Food ScienceTexas A&M University, 218 Kleberg Center, College StationTX77843‐2253
- Center for Environmental and Rural Health, Texas A&M UniversityB20FCollege StationTX77843‐4458
| |
Collapse
|