Research Initiation Award: Environmental Factors Modulation of Structure-Function of Biological Systems

通过研究启动奖的历史黑人学院和大学本科课程(HBCU-UP)为历史黑人学院和大学的初级和职业生涯中期教师提供支持，这些教师正在建立新的研究项目或重新定向和重建现有的研究项目。预计该奖项有助于进一步提高教师的研究能力和有效性，并改善所在机构的研究和教学。这一奖项授予温斯顿·塞勒姆州立大学，以支持教师和本科生研究全氟烷基物质(PFAS)的经验，全氟烷基物质是一类经常使用的环境毒素。具体地说，将利用不同的实验技术进行综合分析，以评估PFAS诱导的线粒体功能的变化，其中线粒体是对环境刺激的内源性生物传感器，并作为细胞健康的关键指标。本研究的目的是阐明PFAS对生物系统中亚细胞细胞器、线粒体的多尺度结构-功能(结构、细胞和分子)的影响。该项目的具体目标是：1)利用光片显微镜检测和可视化PFAS对线粒体结构动力学的影响；2)使用新型的质量细胞术和荧光激活的细胞分选在细胞水平上确定PFAS对线粒体代谢变化的影响；以及3)使用基因组和蛋白质组方法识别和表征PFAS介导的与线粒体功能障碍相关的分子特征。这项研究将有助于理解环境PFASs对细胞的短期和长期响应效应的潜在机制。这项拟议的研究可能会为PFAS对生物系统和环境的风险评估和毒性的长期努力提供信息。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Research Initiation Awards provide support for junior and mid-career faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are building new research programs or redirecting and rebuilding existing research programs. It is expected that the award helps to further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness and improve research and teaching at the home institution. This award to Winston Salem State University supports faculty and undergraduate research experiences investigating perfluoroalkyl-substance (PFAS), a class of frequently used environmental toxins. Specifically, a comprehensive analysis, utilizing different experimental techniques, will be used to assess PFAS-induced changes in mitochondrial function, wherein the mitochondrion serves as an endogenous biosensor to environment stimuli and functions as a key indicator of cell health.The goal of the proposed study is to elucidate the effect of PFASs on multiscale structure-function (structural, cellular, and molecular) of the subcellular organelle, mitochondrion in biological systems. The specific aims of this project are to: 1) examine and visualize PFAS-induced effects on mitochondrion structural dynamics utilizing light sheet microscopy; 2) determine PFAS-induced effects on mitochondrial metabolic changes at the cellular level using novel mass cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting; and 3) identify and characterize PFAS-mediated molecular signatures associated with mitochondria dysfunction using genomic and proteomic approaches. This study will result in understanding the mechanism underlying short and long-term response effects of environmental PFASs on cells. The proposed research will may inform long-term efforts for risk assessment and toxicity of the PFAS on biological systems and environment.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.