Programs and Activities Highlights
- Human Tissues and Organs for Research Resource Pilot Award
An ORIP Special Emphasis Research Career Award (SERCA) K01 awardee received a pilot award through the Human Tissues and Organs for Research Resource (HTORR). Launched in 2024, the Pilot Award Program, a component of the ORIP-supported supported HTORR program, supports early-stage investigators by providing up to ten biological specimens to facilitate completion of pilot studies and collection of preliminary data necessary to obtain subsequent funding. This pilot award will allow Dr. Yoko Ambrosini, an ORIP SERCA K01 awardee, to incorporate human new approach methodologies into her research on epithelial–immune–microbial crosstalk in the gut–brain axis of inflammatory bowel disease.
- National Association of Veterinary Scientists D.V.M./Ph.D. Colloquium
An ORIP staff member presented a keynote talk, titled “NIH Funding Opportunities for Veterinarian-Scientists,” at the National Association of Veterinary Scientists D.V.M./Ph.D. Colloquium in August 2025. An ORIP staff member also served as a panelist at the D.V.M./Ph.D. Alumni Panel during this meeting.
- Specialized Research Training in Animal Models and Related Resources: Focus Group, Session 2
ORIP held a series of focus groups involving veterinary trainees, early-career scientists, mentors, and training program directors to identify and cultivate opportunities for collaborations and partnerships that address challenges and synergize strategies and resources supporting recruitment and retention of veterinary scientists. In the second session, held May 15, 2025, selected current trainees supported by ORIP T32 grants were invited to discuss the challenges and opportunities that exist in the current program. Additionally, early-career scientists—including ORIP K01 awardees, applicants, and graduates of the T32 program—were invited to discuss challenges faced by early-career scientists.
- T32 and T35 Directors Consortium
The T32 and T35 Directors Consortium was convened on June 2, 2025. ORIP staff presented the latest NIH policies during the meeting. ORIP offers Institutional Research Training Grants through the T32 and T35 mechanisms to encourage veterinarians to consider a career in biomedical research.
- Specialized Research Training in Animal Models and Related Resources: Focus Group, Session 1
ORIP held a series of focus groups involving veterinary trainees, early-career scientists, mentors, and training program directors to identify and cultivate opportunities for collaborations and partnerships that address challenges and synergize strategies and resources supporting recruitment and retention of veterinary scientists. In the first session, held April 11, 2025, selected training program directors and mentors in the ORIP T32 program were invited to discuss the challenges and opportunities that exist in the current program.
Read more in the archive.
ORIP-Supported Research Highlights
- Inhalable Hsa-miR-30a-3p Liposomes Attenuate Pulmonary Fibrosis
The extracellular matrix is a substance that surrounds the cells to provide structural support and enhance signaling. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an incurable type of lung disease in which too much extracellular matrix is deposited in the lungs. Current treatments for IPF only manage symptoms or slow disease progression. Liposomes, which are fat-like particles that can be created to contain drugs or other substances, may serve as a therapy for IPF. Inhalable hsa-miR-30a-3p-loaded liposomes (miR-30a) were studied as potential treatments for pulmonary fibrosis in 6-week-old male mice. Previous studies have found that exosomes (cellular packages that allow molecules to be passed from one cell to another) with therapeutic effects on pulmonary fibrosis are enriched in these liposomes. The researchers showed that inhaled miR-30a reduced some effects of IPF and improved lung function.
- Cooked Broccoli Alters Cecal Microbiota and Impacts Microbial Metabolism of Glucoraphanin in Lean and Obese Mice
Brassica vegetables, such as broccoli, are a unique source of compounds known as glucosinolates (GSLs). The protein myrosinase turns GSLs into isothiocyanates (ITCs). ITCs are bioactive compounds that display many health benefits and reduce the risk of certain cancers, degenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation. Cooking broccoli deactivates the myrosinase found in the vegetable, so our body relies on bacteria-derived myrosinase to convert GSLs into ITCs. The gut microbiome differs between lean and obese populations, and differences in the gut microbiome can hinder the conversion of GSLs to ITCs. The researchers studied the impact of cooked broccoli on cecal (a part of the large intestine) microbial conversion of glucoraphanin (GRP), the most abundant GSL of broccoli, in 16-week-old lean and obese male mice. The findings suggest that eating cooked broccoli enhances microbial GRP conversion and produces more bioactive ITCs. Eating cooked broccoli also changed the cecal microbiome composition and increased the abundance of several types of bacteria. This study can inform future strategies that focus on changing microbial pathways that break down GSLs to promote health in different populations of people.
- Advances in Targeted Autophagy Modulation Strategies to Treat Cancer and Associated Treatment-Induced Cardiotoxicity
Millions of cancer patients and cancer survivors face an increased risk of developing cardiotoxicity and cardiovascular (system encompassing the heart and blood vessels) dysfunction because of cancer progression and cancer treatments. Irregular autophagy causes this increased risk. Autophagy is the breakdown of old, damaged, or abnormal proteins within the cell that are then recycled for use in other proteins. Managing autophagy could protect the cardiovascular system during cancer treatment. This review notes the advances in regulating autophagy and how it could be applied to treat cardiotoxicity while improving cancer treatment outcomes. The researchers highlight in vitro (outside a living organism) models and other tests that are needed to obtain findings that can allow autophagy therapies to be translated into the clinic.
- A STAT3/Integrin Axis Accelerates Pancreatic Cancer Initiation and Progression
In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), inflammation and cell stress within the environment surrounding the tumor are known to promote cancer cell growth and increase drug resistance. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway directs these responses. Researchers used human cancer cells and mouse models for PDAC (both sexes included) to identify binding sites of STAT3 that regulate gene expression and are linked to poor survival. The results showed that STAT3 interacts with integrin beta 3 to start and grow PDAC tumors. STAT3 also targets 18 genes that are involved in adaptive responses and can be used to identify different survival outcomes. This study highlights a new way to classify PDAC subpopulations for STAT3-targeted therapies.
- Cross-species Protection Suggests Entamoeba histolytica Trogocytosis Enables Complement Resistance Through the Transfer of Negative Regulators of Complement Activation
Amoebae are single-cell organisms that can be parasites to the human body. Entamoeba histolytica, a type of amoeba, causes diarrheal disease when it invades the intestine. E. histolytica spreads through the body using the bloodstream and can evade the immune system. Amoebae eat parts of human cells—an event known as trogocytosis—which allows them to display human proteins and resist being broken down by serum in the blood. Researchers wanted to identify how amoebae resist being broken down. Results showed that amoebae display host proteins that suppress the complement pathway of the immune system, which protects them from being broken down. Other microbes can perform trogocytosis of human cells, so understanding this method of resistance could be relevant to other infections.
Read more in the archive.
