RLI-S10 instrumentation grant: acquisition of hypoxic chamber that creates a comprehensive range of oxygen levels

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded $182,706 to the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (doing business as RFCUNY - Brooklyn College) on July 1, 2026, under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) to acquire a HypoxyStation H35 hypoxic chamber for Brooklyn College's School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences.

The chamber will enable faculty and students across multiple departments—Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Health and Nutrition—to control precise oxygen levels in experimental settings. Research applications include studying hypoxia-induced gene expression in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and metastasis; the role of methyl nutrients and polyunsaturated fatty acids in prenatal programming of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis pathophysiology; geochemical processes in redox-sensitive environments; and mechanistic organic photochemistry in toxicity priming. The instrument will also support microbiology laboratory coursework, particularly the urban microbiome project and cultivation of facultative anaerobes.

Brooklyn College, a primarily undergraduate institution with historically limited NIH research funding, has expanded its research footprint since recognition of the Brooklyn College Cancer Center in 2020. PhD students and undergraduates will receive practical scientific research training through multi-disciplinary projects that depend on differential oxygen tension control.

Performance takes place in Brooklyn, New York, with a period of performance from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The award is classified as a Project Grant, an assistance type supporting discrete, time-limited research activities.

Abstract

We request the purchase of a hypoxystation H35 to be housed at the school of natural and behavioral science (SNBS), biology department at brooklyn college (BC), city university of new york (CUNY). Brooklyn college is a PUI (primarily undergraduate institution) with substantial limited NIH research funding. Even so, faculty at SNBS are actively engaged in multi-disciplinary research projects where PHD students and undergraduates, amongst others get practical training in scientific research. With the recognition of the bccc-cure (brooklyn college cancer center), in 2020, we have witnessed significant inter-disciplinary research expansion at the college. Many of our faculty research include studying mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis and/or other pathological conditions or focused on developing novel therapeutics to target such diseases. An important component in the ongoing projects is to understand how differential oxygen tensions impact biological outcome. Scientists from different departments including biology, chemistry & biochemistry, earth and environmental sciences, and health and nutrition, will have an ability to control precise oxygen level in each experimental setting with hypoxystation H35. The various research projects encompass studying the control of hypoxia-induced gene expression in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and metastasis; role of methyl nutrients and polyunsaturated fatty acid into regulate prenatal programing of pathophysiology of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), geochemical processes under redox-sensitive environments as well as mechanistic organic photochemistry in toxicity priming. Additionally, our microbiology laboratory course includes urban microbiome project, yet, we have very limited and sub-optimal approaches to grow facultative anaerobes. The purchase of hypoxystation H35 will not only benefit researchers but also expose the next generation scientists to this mid-to-high-end equipment for an experiential learning. The plan to house this equipment in a biology space with an independent door will enable all the users and potential new users to efficiently access the equipment to perform their tasks. At BC and even at CUNY, we do not have access to such an instrument and acquisition of H35 will enhance the overall research and educational capacity of the college.