Block Grant R43AA016712

This federal Project Grant award of $594,547.00 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) aims to develop and characterize an orally delivered nanodrug designed to compensate for metabolite-regulated signaling deficiencies in liver and colon cancer patients. The proposed research project will analyze the mechanisms of action and potential cancer-preventive...

This Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) provides $483,591 in funding to the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) to develop novel, biologic RNA molecules (BIORNAs) that can modulate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metabolism. The key products and services to be delivered through this 5-year award include: (1) designing, cloning, expressing, and purifying a focused group of humanized BIORNAs for inhibiting...

This $1,035,519 federal Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.394 - Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research) aims to develop a novel nano-functionalized "cyborg" C. novyi-NT bacteriolytic agent for image-guided trans-arterial treatment of colorectal liver metastases. The key products and services to be delivered under this 5-year award include: Developing an advanced nanomedicine platform combining C. novyi-NT spores with imaging capabilities to enable...

This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), provides $446,025 to the University of Notre Dame to develop a novel Janus bead blood assay for point-of-care assessment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral load and associated liver damage. The goal is to create a rapid, 30-minute, one-step diagnostic platform that can quantify viral load and determine liver disease severity...

This federal Project Grant award of $546,625 from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.394 - Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research) is focused on exploring the therapeutic potential of combining RNAi-mediated knockdown of the IRHOM1 gene and chemotherapy using nanoparticles for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The key objectives are to: 1) Develop and characterize biophysical and biological properties of a nanocarrier (PCL-CP) co-loaded with IRHOM1 siRNA and a prodrug...

This federal Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.395 - Cancer Treatment Research) provides $472,355 to The Methodist Hospital Research Institute (HMRI) to explore the potential of anti-viral drugs elbasvir (ELB) and daclatasvir (DAC) to sensitize and re-sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy. The research aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which ELB and DAC enhance chemotherapeutic drug retention in cancer cells and overcome tumor microenvironment-mediated...

This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) provides $275,000 to Targeting Systems to develop a novel intramuscular gene delivery platform capable of sustained expression and endogenous secretion of bispecific natural killer cell engager (BIKE) therapeutics to treat solid tumors like hepatocellular carcinoma. The platform aims to deliver BIKEs in a less invasive manner than current immunotherapies,...

This federal Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.395 - Cancer Treatment Research) provides funding to Shasqi Inc., a Hispanic American-owned biotechnology company based in San Francisco, to develop a novel drug delivery platform called Click Activated Protodrugs (CAP). The CAP platform leverages click chemistry to spatially control drug activation, with the goal of enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of potent cancer treatments like exatecan and deruxtecan while...

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), under CFDA Program 93.350, has awarded a $331,034 Project Grant to Vector Surgical LLC to develop the Gene Therapy Catheter (GTC) - an electrical pulsing device designed to enhance the delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy to the liver. The GTC aims to improve the efficiency and safety of liver-directed gene therapies by combining local delivery with electrical pulsing and a double-balloon system to isolate the...

The Department of the Army Medical Command awarded a $5.5 million Project Grant to Carogen Corporation to support the Combination of HBV Immunotherapy with shRNA-Mediated PD-1/PDL Checkpoint Inhibition for Treatment of Chronic HBV from September 15, 2022 through September 14, 2025. This funding supports research under the Military Medical Research and Development program (CFDA 12.420), which aims to transform military and public health care through innovative biomedical research and develop...