Each year the editors of GSA journals select for distinction some of the year’s top scientific publications.  Congratulations to Aaron Storey, Hsin-Ping Wang, Reine Protacio, Mari Davidson and Wayne Wahls.  Their research article on Targeted Forward Genetics was featured in the GSA’s annual Spotlight:  A showcase of research and scholarship in selected articles from 2019. The work was supported by a research project grant (GM081766) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to Wayne Wahls.

Mari Davidson, Wesley Wahls, Reine Protacio, Wayne Wahls, Tresor Mukiza, Aaron Storey, Melissa Sorsby, Hsin-Ping Wang

GENETICS SOCIETY OF AMERICA EDITORS’ NOTE  Storey et al. describe a powerful methodology for precisely-targeted, saturating mutational analyses of discrete chromosomal elements in situ.  In this method, more than 100,000 independent allele replacements, distributed over long regions of the target locus, can be generated simultaneously in each experiment.  The approach efficiently generates and identifies functionally-null and hypomorphic mutations throughout the targeted region.  This process of population-scale, targeted forward genetics over large distances allows scientists to rapidly dissect the structure and function of specific chromosomal elements and their encoded factors under native, biologically relevant conditions.

From Dean Westfall’s Accolades – May 6, 2020

As face masks have become the norm on campus and beyond, it’s important to remember the faces behind the masks – the colleagues, friends and strangers whose days and circumstances may be more difficult than we know. It turns out there is something else behind many of these masks: a story of generosity.

Dr. Kevin Raney, Professor and Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, was surprised and grateful when Dr. Tung-chin Chiang, an Assistant Professor in the College of Public Health and research collaborator with Dr. Alan Tackett, dropped off fabric masks for everyone in his department.

Dr. Raney learned that Dr. Chiang and her family have donated thousands of masks worldwide – including over 1,000 at UAMS alone. Dr. Chiang and her husband, COPH Professor Dr. Joseph Su, have put in countless hours to the project at UAMS. Dr. Chiang and her sister Jenny, with help from other sisters in Taiwan, designed their masks and coordinated production and shipment to places with limited immediate access to masks. Their efforts are dedicated to their late father, Fong-chan Chiang, and in the hope of having an impact on reducing the spread of COVID-19.

“We hope everyone can wear masks together to bring down the curve worldwide!” Dr. Chiang wrote to Dr. Raney.

Perhaps you have received one of these masks – or one of many thousands of others that have been made or contributed by generous, resourceful and creative members of Team UAMS and the community. There are countless good folks on our Mask Brigade, and we are grateful for them all.

Dr. Chiang has a great idea for anyone who wants to give thanks for those contributing masks: Make a contribution of time or money to the UAMS Stocked and Reddie Food Pantry. I applaud this idea and encourage you to consider it.

The UAMS Translational Research Institute has selected three early-career UAMS researchers to receive KL2 Mentored Research Career Development Awards.

The KL2 program provides two years of research training to junior faculty. It provides 75 percent salary support and up to $25,000 per year for research, tuition, travel and education.

The awardees are:

Britni Ayers, Ph.D., assistant professor, College of Medicine, UAMS Northwest Regional Campus; “Exploring the Feasibility of a Group Prenatal Program, Kōmmour Prenatal, to Reduce Maternal and Infant Health Disparities among Marshallese Pacific Islander Women.”

Jure Baloh, Ph.D., M.H.A., assistant professor, Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health; “Adapting a Supervision Strategy for Sustaining Fidelity to Evidence-Based Practices in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings.”

Kimberly Stephens, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) Division/Center for Applied Research and Evaluation, Departments of Pediatrics and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine; “Changes in Epigenetic Mechanisms and Symptom Clusters Associated with the Resolution of Persistent Pain following Spinal Cord Stimulation.”

The awardees were selected by a UAMS study section.

The UAMS Translational Research Institute Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HSIE) Postdoctoral

Training Program has named four postdoctoral scholars for its class of 2022. The scholars, selected in a competitive application process, will begin two years of mentored entrepreneurship training July 1.

The HSIE Postdoctoral Scholars – all from the UAMS College of Medicine – their mentors and project plans are:

Emilie Darrigues, Ph.D., will be mentored by Analiz Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., in the Department of Neurosurgery. Her research project will focus on improving circulating-tumor DNA detection in glioblastoma liquid biopsies and devising therapeutic nanoparticles as a strategy to specifically target glioblastoma.

Shana Owens, Ph.D. Candidate, will be mentored by Craig Forrest, Ph.D., in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.  She plans to develop an improved gammaherpesvirus (GHV) vaccine.

John Sherrill, M.P.H., Ph.D. Candidate, will be mentored by David Bumpass, M.D. in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He proposes to design a customized 3D printed stabilizer for orthopaedic applications.

Zachary Waldrip, Ph.D., will be mentored by Marie Burdine, Ph.D., in the Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Research, at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute. Dr. Burdine has a secondary appointment in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He will continue research focused on targeting specific kinases to improve transplant immunotherapy.

UAMS Translational Research Institute (TRI) KL2 Scholar Isabelle Racine Miousse, Ph.D., is the lead author on a publication selected as the best research paper in the March issue of the American Journal of Physiology – Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology.

The selection was announced by the American Physiological Society APSselect.

Miousse is an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the UAMS College of Medicine. The title of her paper is “Methionine dietary supplementation potentiates ionizing radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome.” Its co-authors are Laura E. Ewing, M.S., Charles M. Skinner, B.S., Rupak Pathak, Ph.D., Sarita Garg, Ph.D., Kristy R. Kutanzi, Ph.D., Stepan Melnyk, Ph.D., Martin Hauer-Jensen, M.D., Ph.D., and Igor Koturbash, M.D., Ph.D., senior author.

The team found that in mice, high levels of the amino acid methionine in the diet increased the amount of damage to the gut caused by radiation. It suggests that a diet high in methionine (found in meat, fish and dairy), such as a typical Western diet, may worsen gastrointestinal side effects from radiation therapy. This, in turn, may prevent cancer patients from receiving the most effective doses of radiation therapy.

The KL2 Mentored Research Career Development Award Program is supporting Miousse’s research in improving survival in patients with metastatic melanoma by exploiting cancer cells’ dependence on methionine. KL2 scholars receive two years of research support, including 75 percent salary support and $25,000 per year for research, tuition, travel and education materials in support of the scholar’s career development plan.

Newly awarded grants are advancing research efforts at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Three Seeds of Science small grant awards of $50,000 each were presented March 5 to UAMS cancer researchers at “The Doctor is in” event hosted by the Envoys volunteer advocacy group. The event included a research poster showcase highlighting ongoing cancer-related projects.

Funding for one of the awards was made possible by proceeds from the 18^th annual Village Walk for Cancer Research, held Sept. 28, 2019 in Hot Springs Village. Organized by volunteers, the walk unites the community located one hour southwest of Little Rock, in support of cancer research.

The 2020 walk is scheduled for Sept. 26 at Balboa Pavilion in Hot Springs Village and will include the option to kayak in Lake Balboa.

Kimberly Stephens, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N., (second from right) received a grant funded by proceeds from the Hot Springs Village Walk for Cancer Research. Representatives from the walk joined Stephens and Cancer Institute Director Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., (far right) at the awards reception. They are (from left) Corina Hickman, Gloria Lyda, Donna Aylward and Christy Etheridge.

“We’re a grassroots group that is really passionate about finding a cure for cancer. Over the last 19 years, we’ve raised about $500,000 for research programs at the UAMS Cancer Institute. Knowing the money we raise is used to advance cancer research right here in Arkansas is very satisfying for those of us who organize the walk and participate in it,” said Melanie Pederson, chairman of the walk.

The other two awards were provided by the Envoys, an advocacy group of the UAMS Cancer Institute.

“These grants are extremely important as they support pilot cancer research projects and young investigators as they pursue new ideas,” said Jenny Long, president of the Envoys.

Award recipients were:

• Carolina Schinke, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and Michael Bauer, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, both in the UAMS College of Medicine

Schinke and Bauer are working to understand the importance of myeloma’s surrounding bone marrow microenvironment in the development of the disease and its role in progression and relapse. They hope the results of their study will lead to new treatments aimed at modifying changes in that microenvironment that contribute to the development of myeloma and its resistance to treatment. This project was supported by a grant from the Envoys.

Envoys President Jenny Long speaks to the crowd.

• Kimberly E. Stephens, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N., assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics with a secondary appointment in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Stephens hopes to identify the genomic regions associated with the initiation and progression of chemotherapy-induced nerve damage, which is often resistant to existing treatments and associated with adverse health outcomes in cancer survivors. While substantial advances have been made, current understanding does not explain what causes the development of nerve damage during chemotherapy.  This grant was provided by the Village Walk for Cancer Research.

• Analiz Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery

The aggressive brain tumor glioblastoma has a grim prognosis with a median survival of 15 months and limited treatment options. In her study, Rodriguez hopes to establish a new way to examine molecular characteristics of clinical specimens and rapidly screen different treatment regimens, which could one day help guide clinical management of these deadly tumors. Rodriguez’s grant was supported by the Envoys.

The Seeds of Science program has provided funds to jumpstart small cancer research projects at the Cancer Institute since 2009. The goal of the program is to provide “seed” funding that will allow researchers to make discoveries that can be used to apply for larger federal grant awards.

Congratulations to all of the winners of Student Research Day Competitions!

Megan Reed is a 5th year graduate student in the lab of Dr. Robert Eoff. She won first place in the graduate student division as well as second place for the Bhuvan Award for Excellence in Biochemistry Research for her poster entitled “hpol k is essential for maintaining genomic stability in glioblastomas”.

Dustyn Barnette is a 5th year graduate student in the lab of Dr. Grover Paul Miller. He won first place for the Bhuvan Award for Excellence in Biochemistry Research for his poster entitled “Dual mechanisms suppress meloxicam bioactivation relative to sudoxicam”

Allie Schleiff is a 3rd year graduate student in the lab of Dr. Grover Paul Miller. She won third place for the Bhuvan Award for Excellence in Biochemistry Research for her poster entitled “Bioinformatic, Computational, and Experimental Assessment of the Bioactivation of Structurally Similar Haloaromatic NSAIDs into Reactive Quinones”

Kirk West, Ph.D., an alum of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, is currently a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Justin Wai Chung Leung. He won first place in the postdoctoral division.