CAMs as counter measures against infectious and inflammatory disease

描述（由申请人提供）：CAMs用于预防和治疗感染性和炎症性疾病，尽管对于许多这些CAMs，其真正功效和其声称益处的分子基础尚未确定和/或证实。我们建议建立一个新的CAMs卓越研究中心（CERC），重点研究各种CAMs在肺部和肠道传染病模型中的作用机制。由于在许多情况下，与肺部和肠道感染相关的炎症反应解释了疾病的实际病理，我们也打算扩大正在进行的使用CAMs的努力，以尽量减少炎症诱导的组织损伤。CERC的最终目标是提供对选定CAMs的作用机制的关键见解，这些CAMs可用于对抗感染肺和肠粘膜的新兴和选定病原体。该中心汇集了具有肺和肠道细菌和病毒疾病专业知识的科学家，研究CAM对先天白细胞和上皮细胞的影响，从粗植物提取物中纯化确定的激动剂，益生菌CAM的使用，以及使用传染病和炎症疾病的啮齿动物模型来确定具体的作用机制。该中心还将利用新的BSL-3设施来研究cam对选定药剂的影响。CERC最初将侧重于三个不同的项目，这些项目将由两个核心提供支持：行政（核心A）和动物模型（核心B）。这三个研究项目是：项目1)增强？？T细胞功能，项目负责人，Mark Jutila博士；项目2)抗病毒cam，项目负责人Michele Hardy博士；抗炎微生物CAMs和关节炎，项目负责人，Dr. David Pascual博士。动物模型核心将作为一个独特的、高度互动的资源，促进三个研究项目之间的协同和合作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): CAMs are used for the prevention and treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases, though for many of these CAMs, their true efficacy and the molecular basis for their purported benefits have not been defined and/or confirmed. We propose a new Center of Excellence for Research on CAMs (CERC) focused on the study of the mechanisms of action of diverse CAMs in models of pulmonary and intestinal infectious disease. Since in many instances the resulting inflammatory response associated with infection in the lung and intestinal track accounts for the actual pathology in the disease, we also intend to expand ongoing efforts in using CAMs to minimize inflammation induced tissue damage. The ultimate goal of this CERC is to provide critical insight into the mechanisms of action of select CAMs that can be used as countermeasures against emerging and select agents that infect the pulmonary and intestinal mucosa. This Center brings together scientists with expertise in bacterial and viral diseases of the lung and intestinal tract, study of CAM effects on innate leukocytes and epithelial cells, purification of defined agonists from crude plant extracts, use of probiotic CAMs, and use of rodent models of infectious and inflammatory disease to define specific mechanisms of action. This Center will also take advantage of new BSL-3 facilities to study the impact of CAMs on select agents. The CERC will initially be focused on three distinct projects, which will be supported by two Cores: Administrative (Core A) and Animal Model (Core B). The three Research Projects are: Project 1) CAMs that enhance ??T cell function, Project Leader, Mark Jutila, Ph.D.; Project 2) Anti-viral CAMs, Project Leader, Dr. Michele Hardy, Ph.D.; and Project 3) Anti-inflammatory microbial CAMs and arthritis, Project Leader, Dr. David Pascual, Ph.D. The Animal Models Core will serve as a unique and highly interactive resource, facilitating synergy and collaboration between the three research projects.