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
- Lung Cancer Cells Secrete Glutamine to Accumulate Tumor-Associated Macrophages
Macrophages are a type of immune cell that are highly plastic—meaning environmental cues change their phenotype (physical characteristics) and behavior. Cancer cells take advantage of this plasticity to recruit and create tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) that benefit the tumor microenvironment and promote tumor development. However, the underlying mechanism that cancer cells use to recruit TAMs remains unknown. In this study, researchers used murine and human non-small cell lung cancer cell models to show that integrin αvβ3 expression is needed to drive TAM accumulation. This research highlights a novel mechanism—αvβ3-mediated glutamine secretion—to promote TAM accumulation and begin tumor development. Developing therapies that target this signaling axis could help treat αvβ3-expressing cancers.
- Apparent Expansion of Virulent Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Humans and Sea Otters
Vibriosis, caused by Vibrio species, causes about 80,000 human cases of illness in the United States each year. It is considered the most important public health threat from seafood consumption and marine recreational activities. In addition, pathogenic (disease-causing) Vibrio species infect marine animals, including otters. Although sea otters could be used as a marine bioindicator, virulence (ability of the bacteria to cause disease) factor data on Vibrio species that infect northern and southern sea otters are limited. Researchers used genomic epidemiology data to identify virulence factors of Vibrio species collected from different sources in the United States. Virulence factor prevalence varied depending on whether the isolate was environmental or derived from an organism. Specific virulence factors in V. parahaemolyticus were most prevalent in humans and northern sea otters. Co-occurrence of T3SS2 and T6SS1, two virulence factors, was linked to disease findings. This study highlights that V. parahaemolyticus undergoes selection pressures that result in the expansion of virulent strains that infect humans and sea otters.
- Inducing Ferroptosis to Impede Metastasis by Inhibiting the Calcium Channel TRPC6
Aggressive cancers such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) are able to resist standard chemotherapy and metastasize (spread to other parts of the body) quickly. Previous research shows that the calcium channel TRPC6 helps a subset of cancer cells remain quiescent (a reversable, inactive cell state), which promotes chemotherapy and ferroptosis resistance. Researchers noted that circulating tumor cells isolated from breast cancer patients displayed a higher level of TRPC6 than the primary tumor. Using in vitro (outside of an organism) experiments and 6- and 12-week-old female mice, researchers studied whether the quiescent subset of TNBC cells was sensitive to ferroptosis when targeting TRPC6. Results showed that TRPC6 can cause ferroptosis resistance. The underlying mechanism for ferroptosis resistance was that TRPC6 limits c-Myc to sustain high levels of glutathione. TNBC metastasis was significantly reduced when a TRPC6 inhibitor was used. This study supports a possible opportunity to mitigate TNBC metastasis by targeting TRPC6.
- Dual Chitosan Hydrogel and Polylactic Acid Microparticle Delivery System Reduces Staphylococcal Osteomyelitis and Soft Tissue Infection
The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of the bone infection osteomyelitis (OM). Biofilms are a community of bacteria within a matrix that grows on surfaces and is hard to treat with antibiotics. This biofilm-forming bacterial infection is treated with long-term, high-dose antibiotics. However, this extended use of antibiotics can cause organ damage and promote antibiotic resistance (meaning the drug is no longer effective in treating the bacterial infection). Developing biomaterials (naturally derived or engineered substances for medical use in the body) for localized antibiotic delivery is key to avoiding these negative outcomes. Researchers used polylactic acid microparticles in antimicrobial chitosan hydrogel (CH PLA), both loaded with fosfomycin antibiotic, to combat S. aureus infection. Using 13-week-old female CD rats, researchers showed that CH PLA reduced S. aureus infection. Local treatment of OM using CH PLA decreased the bone defect area and the amounts of bacteria present in the bone and soft tissue. CH PLA is a promising biomaterial that may be an effective alternative to long-term antibiotic use to prevent S. aureus–mediated OM.
- Identification of Antibodies to Chondrocyte and Synoviocyte Antigens in Equine Osteoarthritis
Approximately 33 million people in the United States suffer from osteoarthritis (OA), and the rate has doubled in the past 30 years. The immune processes that drive OA development are not well understood. Past rheumatoid arthritis studies have shown that antibodies (proteins that bind to a specific molecule and help the immune system destroy it) will target molecules on living cells in a patient’s body. OA is common in horses, which makes them a relevant model for studying the condition. To understand whether antibodies target live cells in joints, causing OA to worsen, researchers used 2- to 18-year-old horses (both sexes used). Blood and synovial fluid samples contained antibodies that target live cells—chondrocytes and synoviocytes—in the joint, and antibody concentrations were correlated with OA severity. This research will help inform future studies on antibody production and therapies to target immune pathways in OA.
Read more in the archive.
