NIH Recognizes Promise of Female Researchers Projects

Competition for grants from the National Institutes of Health is enormous, so McMicken College and two of its faculty had cause to celebrate when they were awarded financing to fight two serious illnesses. Distinguished work by Rebecca German, professor of biological sciences, and Theresa Reineke, assistant professor of chemistry, also demonstrates the crucial role that women play in scientific research at the college.

German and Colleagues Take Aim at Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s disease is the focus of the research project by Rebecca German, who has been honored with a $201,969 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant from NIH’s National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders.

Abnormal swallowing or dysphagia is a significant component of Parkinson’s disease since it influences airway protection, nutrition, and quality of life. German and her colleagues have spent 20 years using animal models to analyze the biomechanics and muscle function of swallowing.

She described the aim of the study as an attempt “to collect preliminary data to understand the biochemical failures during swallowing in Parkinson’s disease. We will use videoradiography (x-ray movies) and electromyography (measuring muscle function). Our ultimate goal is to use these data to systematically characterize the Parkinsonian disruption of normal swallowing function.”

German added, “This research will also help us understand the fundamental function of the biomechanics and neural control of swallowing. There is still an ongoing need for animal research to help solve significant problems that confront us all.

While there is much work being done on cures for Parkinson’s, that work is not near to providing help for people currently suffering from this disease. This project is the first step in what our research team sees as an important contribution to improving the quality of life for one of the most common problems afflicting the elderly in our society.”

German’s research team includes colleagues from Harvard, the University of London United Medical Schools, and Arhaus University in Denmark, as well as Lisa Kelchner, assistant professor in Allied Health’s department of communication.

Reineke and Team Stalk No. 1 Cause of Death

The NIH grant awarded to Theresa Reineke represents not only a significant distinction for a scholar in the early stages of her career but also considerable promise for studying DNA therapeutics to treat heart disease. Reineke received a $412,875 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant from the National Institute of Bioimaging and Bioengineering at NIH for her proposal titled “Myocardial Gene Delivery with New Polymeric Agents.”

On learning of the award, she said, “I’m very excited and honored to receive this grant because it will enable my research group to explore and develop novel DNA drugs to treat the major cause of death in the United States.”

Reineke has developed a number of non-toxic methods to deliver DNA-based therapies to diseased cells, and the grant will support further research as she and her team study new medicines that can be used to treat and prevent a variety of ailments such as heart disease, myocardial infarction, and rejection of heart transplants.

Reineke added, “We are currently focused on the design of the polymer delivery vehicles that are needed to carry the new DNA therapeutics specifically to the site of disease. We are also exploring how well these new polymers deliver the DNA therapies in cultured heart cells, which are the first steps to develop of this new type of treatment.”

The Reineke research group is currently teamed with that of assistant professor W. Keith Jones in the department of pharmacology and cell biophysics. Jones’ team will head the animal studies of the new therapeutics.