COBRE: Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC)

项目摘要/摘要 真核病原体是一些最具破坏性和最难治的疾病的病原体 人类，包括疟疾、阿米巴痢疾、非洲昏睡病、恰加斯病、滴虫病、 曲霉菌病、隐球菌性脑膜炎、弓形虫病和原发性阿米巴脑膜炎(PAM)。 这些疾病的全球影响是巨大的。值得注意的是，这些病原体中的许多都是 被忽视的热带病(NTDS)、被忽视的贫困疾病(NDP)和/或被忽视的疾病的病原体被分类为 生物恐怖主义特工。重要的是，由真核病原体引起的感染在美国正在增加，原因是 全球化。这项科布雷提案的主要目标是增加美国国立卫生研究院资助的科学家的数量 南卡罗来纳州通过支持世界级研究中心真核病原体创新中心 (EPIC)，克莱姆森大学(CU)。EPIC的科学焦点是对重要的全球 真核病原体。EPIC是该州第一家也是唯一一家专注于传染病的公司，也是第一家- 而且--仅在该国，重点是真核病原体。来自目标初级调查人员的四个项目将 得到支持。他们的计划是：1)布氏锥虫轴膜动力蛋白的调节机制，2) NcRNA Afu-182在烟曲霉唑反应和病理生物学中的作用(3) 探讨巨噬细胞在斑马鱼幼体抗真菌药物疗效中的作用，以及4)评价 抗寄生的重氮环丁烯。这些调查人员将与符合以下条件的外部和内部导师相匹配 由美国国立卫生研究院资助的研究人员。这些项目将由一个组织良好的行政核心和 基因组学和成像/细胞分类领域的两个最先进的科学核心。该中心还拥有大量的 基础设施基础和重要的制度支持。例如，CU将额外招聘两名教职员工 成员和两名博士后研究员在项目期间扩大该中心的活动。 对研究生助学金、设备和空间的承诺进一步体现了机构承诺。这个 这个由科布雷资助的中心的继续下去将显著扩大南卡罗来纳州的研究，并将促进 招聘、培训和留住一批在这一重要领域具有跨学科技能的调查人员 研究领域。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Eukaryotic pathogens are the causative agents of some of the most devastating and intractable diseases of humans, including malaria, amebic dysentery, African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, trichomoniasis, aspergillosis, cryptococcal fungal meningitis, toxoplasmosis and primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The global impact of these diseases is immense. It is noteworthy that many of these pathogens are the causative agents of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), neglected diseases of poverty (NDPs) and/or are classified as bioterrorism agents. Importantly, infections caused by eukaryotic pathogens are increasing in the US due to globalization. The primary goal of this COBRE proposal is to increase the number of NIH-funded scientists in the state of South Carolina by supporting a world-class research center, the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), at Clemson University (CU). The scientific focus of EPIC is a multidisciplinary study of important global eukaryotic pathogens. EPIC is the first-and-only in the state with a focus on infectious diseases, and the first- and-only in the country with a focus on eukaryotic pathogens. Four projects from target junior investigators will be supported. Their projects are 1) Regulation mechanisms of Trypanosome brucei axonemal dynein, 2) Functional roles of ncRNA, afu-182, in azole response and pathobiology of Aspergillus fumigatus, 3) Investigating the function of macrophages in the efficacy of anti-fungal drugs in larval zebrafish, and 4) Evaluating anti-parasitic diazacyclobutenes. These investigators will be matched with external and internal mentors who are established NIH-funded researchers. The projects will be supported by a well-organized Administrative Core and two state-of-the-art Scientific Cores in Genomics, and Imaging/Cell Sorting. The center also has a substantial infrastructure base and significant institutional support. For example, CU will recruit two additional faculty members and two post-doctoral fellows to expand activities of this center over the course of the project period. Pledges of graduate assistantships, equipment, and space further exemplify the institutional commitment. The continuation of this COBRE-funded center will significantly expand research in South Carolina and will facilitate recruitment, training, and retention of a critical mass of investigators with cross-disciplinary skills in this important research area.