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

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU-UP）通过研究启动奖为历史上的黑人学院和大学的初级和中期职业教师提供支持，他们正在建立新的研究项目或重新指导和重建现有的研究项目。期望该奖项有助于进一步提高教师的研究能力和效率，并改善本国机构的研究和教学。该奖项授予温斯顿塞勒姆州立大学，支持教师和本科生研究全氟烷基物质（PFAS）的经验，PFAS是一类经常使用的环境毒素。具体而言，将利用不同的实验技术进行综合分析，以评估pfas诱导的线粒体功能变化，其中线粒体作为内源性生物传感器对环境刺激和细胞健康的关键指标发挥作用。本研究的目的是阐明PFASs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)利用薄层显微镜检查和可视化pfas对线粒体结构动力学的影响；2)利用新型细胞计数技术和荧光激活细胞分选技术，在细胞水平上确定pfas诱导的线粒体代谢变化的影响；3)利用基因组学和蛋白质组学方法鉴定和表征与线粒体功能障碍相关的pfas介导的分子特征。本研究将有助于了解环境全氟磺酸对细胞的短期和长期反应效应的机制。拟议的研究将为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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.