EAGER: Exploratory and novel mechanisms of cytoskeleton-induced regulation of Sirt1 in smooth muscles

这个由生物技术、生化和生物质工程项目资助的EAGER奖将利用工程工具探索平滑肌细胞信号转导机制的一个新颖而有争议的假设。该假说涉及细胞骨架在这些细胞中调节机械感应基因的作用。从这个发展研究项目中提出的实验中产生的探索性数据可以首次提供关于特定细胞骨架元件在平滑肌细胞中沉默信息调节剂1 （Sirt1）调控中的新信号作用的基本创新信息。这项研究将由生物工程、生理学、生物物理学和分子生物学专家组成的跨学科团队参与。这项工作的长期目标是有助于理解哮喘中调节气道平滑肌功能障碍的分子生理机制，并揭示可能改变预防和治疗哮喘的介入方法的创新分子机制。该研究的结果可能提供新的探索性数据，可能有助于指导预防和治疗哮喘的介入方法，并改善哮喘患者的生活质量。该奖项将整合科学、分子生物学、生物化学和生理学方面的研究和教育，直接吸引本科生、研究生和可能的医科学生。它将鼓励学生参与和组织科学会议。该项目将通过贝勒医学院的SMART项目吸引本科生，该项目支持代表性不足的学生最初作为本科生从事研究工作。该项目还将有助于培养工程学、生物学和医学交叉领域的研究生。

1156307/ BoriekThis EAGER award funded by the Biotechnology, Biochemical and Biomass Engineering Program will use engineering tools to explore a novel and controverial hypothesis about the mechanism of signal transduction in smooth muscle cells. The hypothesis involves the role of the cytoskeleton in regulating mechanosensing genes in these cells. Exploratory data generated from the proposed experiments in this developmental research project could provide for the first time fundamental innovative information on a novel signaling role of specific cytoskeletal elements in the regulation of the silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) in smooth muscle cells. The research will engage an interdisciplinary team of experts in bioengineering, physiology, biophysics, and molecular biology. The long term objective of the work is to contribute to the understanding of the molecular physiological mechanisms modulating airway smooth muscle dysfunction in asthma, and to uncover innovative molecular mechanisms that could potentially alter interventional approaches for preventing and treating asthma. Results from the proposed EAGER may provide novel exploratory data that could potentially contribute to guide interventional approaches for preventing and treating asthma, and improve the quality of life in asthmatics. The award will integrate research and education in science, molecular biology, and biochemistry, and physiology by directly engaging undergraduate, graduate, and possibly medical students. It will encourage students to participate as well as organize scientificmeetings. The PI will attract undergraduates through Baylor College of Medicine SMART Program that supports under-represented students to pursue research careers initially as undergraduates. The PI will also contribute to the training of graduate students at the interface between engineering, biology and medicine.