The University of Louisville Alumni Magazine: for alumni, faculty, staff, students and anyone that is a UofL Cardinal fan.
Issue link: https://louisville.epubxp.com/i/73647
Highlights A grand challenge: fi ghting tuberculosis worldwide James E. Graham, PhD, associate professor of micro- biology and immunology at UofL, hopes to make his mark – a biomarker, actually – on new, innovative research to identify and validate tuberculosis (TB) bio- markers. His research will be funded through a Grand Challenges grant. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Grand Chal- lenges in Global Health program is an initiative that seeks to overcome persistent bottlenecks in creating new tools that can radically improve health in the devel- oping world. The Grand Challenges TB biomarkers program provides funding for groundbreaking research into TB biomarkers for the development of a low-cost, simple- to-use tool that can quickly and accurately diagnose TB in developing countries. Graham's project is one of 10 Grand Challenges TB biomarkers grants. The UofL project was awarded $576,800 over two years for an interdisciplinary study headed by Graham with Xiao-an "Sean" Fu, PhD, assistant professor of chemical engineering in the Speed School of Engineering; Richard M. Higashi, PhD, professor of chemistry, and Michael H. Nantz, PhD, professor of chemistry, in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Timothy L. Wiemken, PhD, instructor in the infectious diseases division of the Department of Medicine in the School of Medicine. Along with the research itself, the project's inter- disciplinary scope – involving engineering, chemistry, biology and immunology – excites Graham. "It is not often that engineers, chemists and life scientists are able to come together to solve problems," he said. "This is research that none of us could do alone. This grant en- ables us to put our different research expertise together to address a major global health issue." UofL researchers are investigating a device prototype they developed for sampling volatile components of the breath. Their project proposes an easier testing process for patients instead of traditional testing methods. Instead of forcing a cough, patients will simply breathe into a straw and onto a disposable silicon sampling plate with reactive chemical coatings. Researchers will be able to use combinations of detected compounds to identify TB bacteria in the lung, diagnosing the active state, which is the only contagious form of disease. The researchers think their device might ultimately replace sputum smear microscopy, the current test for active TB. The disposable-plate method is less expensive and capable of being the basis for a "point of care" diag- nostic test. This will be key for the goal of developing a global approach to improve TB diagnosis. 40|LOUISVILLE.EDU Top docs: Diversity program graduates fi rst students Eight health sciences students – four dentists and four physicians – are the fi rst UofL Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP) students to graduate from their respective professional schools. The SMDEP is aimed at creating a more diverse medical and dental workforce. It's a program that's close to each student's heart, as they all came from rural, minority or disadvantaged backgrounds. Funded by grants totaling more than $2 million from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and matched by the UofL Foundation and individual donors, SMDEP began at UofL in 2005. SMDEP gives undergraduate students exposure to the academic realities of medical or dental education through participation in an intensive six- week summer program that offers academic credit, books and supplies, a stipend, housing and meals. Each summer, UofL accepts 80 potential medical or dental students to the program. One of the fi rst program participants, Osarumen "Nicole" Nomamiukor, knew early in life she wanted to become a physician. "SMDEP exposed me to the possibility of a medical career. The aspiration to become a physician was no longer a dream, but a vision with a plan," Nomamiukor said. Nomamiukor will now pursue a residency in psychiatry at Harvard Longwood in Boston. "Our goal is to produce a more competitive and highly motivated pool of medical and dental applicants from under-represented and disadvan- taged populations," said Mary Joshua, SMDEP director, Offi ce of Minority and Rural Affairs. UofL is one of 12 medical and dental institutions nationwide that par- ticipate in SMDEP. SCHOOL OF MEDICINE