VU Global Projects - Research
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Richard T. D'Aquila, MDDirector Center for AIDS Research
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Current projects:
Vanderbilt Meharry Center for AIDS Research
The Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) will build on existing strong interactions between Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee to develop improved infrastructure support, and to enhance the multidisciplinary, collaborative environment for AIDS research. Innovative research will be promoted in all areas relevant to HIV epidemiology/prevention, pathogenesis, and treatment. The Vanderbilt-Meharry CFAR will function through 4 Cores: Developmental, Clinical Discovery, Immunopathogenesis, and Virology. CFAR will also support development of minority scientists, improve outreach to the community and education for biomedical trainees/scientists about AIDS research, and enhance international HIV research.
HIV Resistance and Treatment Strategies
This project will study mechanisms of resistance to antiretroviral therapy and treatment strategies to further improve chemotherapy effectiveness. Long-term goals are to improve individualized antiretroviral treatment strategies, minimize risk of antiretroviral drug failure, and maximize chance of lifelong suppression or cure of HIV-1 infection. The specific aim of this research is to further characterize mechanisms of drug failure, including virus resistance, drug transporters, and other mechanisms.
Vanderbilt HIV Clinical Trials Unit
The long term objectives of The Vanderbilt HIV Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) are: to develop an effective vaccine to prevent HIV infectin; to provide HIV-infected patients with new and better therapies to control HIV and its co-infections; and to optimize clinical management by minimizing toxicities and complications. This CRS will make important contributions to the most specific aims of the clinical research plan of the proposed treatment research network. The focus will be on translational research and drug development, as well as optimization of clinical management. Public health will benefit from prevention and better long-term medical treatment of HIV infection.
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Raymond Burk, MDProfessor of Medicine
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Current Projects:
Human Selenium Nutritional Requirement and Biomarkers in Health and Disease
Selenium deficiency leads to decreased concentration and therefore functions of selenoenzymes. Some consequences of this in animals are increased susceptibility to infections, to toxicity of certain drugs and chemicals, and to damage by other nutritional deficiencies. This project aims to acquire the knowledge necessary to assess the need for selenium supplementation of populations and individuals and to formulate cost-effective supplements. Dr. Burk has just completed a 40 week study of selenium supplementation of people living in Liangshan Prefecture of Sichuan Province in China. The samples should be shipped to the US in the coming months and, and Dr. Burk hopes to have the analyses done by the end of this year. The goal is to determine the human selenium requirement of people living in this particular region of China.
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Alfred L. George, MDGrant W. Liddle Professor of Medicine |
Current Projects:
Genetic Modifiers of Congenital Long QT Syndrome
Ventricular arrhythmias remain the single most important cause of sudden cardiac death (SCO) among adults living in industrialized nations. Great progress has been made in identifying genes underlying various Mendelian disorders associated with inherited arrhythmia susceptibility as models for understanding more common causes of SCO. This proposal is the first competing renewal of R01-HL68880 which has funded a multi-national translational research collaboration to identify and characterize clinical predictors and candidate genetic modifiers in a large, unique LQTS founder population in South Africa (SA-LQTS). The goals of this study are consistent with the mission of NHLBI. Relevance to Public Health - Identification of long QT syndrome (LQTS) modifiers will enhance our understanding of the pathophysiology of an inherited cause of sudden cardiac death (SCO), provide valuable new information to promote more accurate risk counseling for LQTS families, and will contribute to our understanding of more common arrhythmia syndromes associated with highly prevalent cardiac diseases (e.g. ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure) that are burdened by a high incidence of SCO.
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David W. Haas, MDAssociate Professor of Medicine |
Current Projects:
Clinical Discovery Core
The Vanderbilt-Meharry community benefits from strong programs in HIV/AIDS clinical care, research, and training. A clear focus of the Clinical Discovery Core (CDC) is to foster multidisciplinary, high-impact translational and epidemiology/outcomes HIV research at Vanderbilt and Meharry. The CDC will build upon existing strengths to continue developing a program in HIV outcomes research, with an emphasis on training new investigators, collaborations with established investigators, and the study of racial and gender disparities. A long-term goal is to improve HIV clinical research and training capacity at Meharry, which includes its historic mission of training people of color to serve the under-served via care, education, and research. The two primary components of the CDC are The Epidemiology and Outcomes Unit and The Targeted Research Cohorts Unit. The CDC will greatly accelerate the pace of discovery by all disciplines focused on HIV/AIDS in the Vanderbilt-Meharry community, and will ultimately improve understanding regarding pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of this devastating infection.
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Daniel R. Masys, MDProfessor and Chair of Biomedical Informatics |
Current Projects:
CCASAnet: Caribbean, Central and South America Network
The Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet) brings together the expertise and resources of Vanderbilt University and clinical and research sites in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, and Peru. The goal of the CCASAnet project is to create a shared repository of HIV data from Central and South America and the Caribbean, and use the combined data to answer questions about the characteristics of the regional HIV epidemic. CCASAnet researchers will develop and test new biostatistical methods for HIV epidemiology and conduct a program of education to assist participating sites in improving the quality and consistency of their clinical research activities.
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Xiao-Ou Shu, MDProfessor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine and Public Health) |
Current Projects:
Shanghai Men’s Health Study (SMHS)
Principal Investigator: Xiao Ou Shu
Investigators: Wei Zheng, Gong Yang, Wanqing Wen, Qiuyin Cai, Yu Shyr
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
This ongoing cohort study of 61,000 men is focused on prospectively investigating dietary and other lifestyle factors involved in the etiology of cancer and other chronic diseases. Ninety two percent of study participants donated biospecimens (urine and blood or cheek cells) for future genetic and molecular epidemiological studies.
Shanghai Endometrial Cancer Study (SECS)
Principal Investigator: Xiao Ou Shu
Investigators: Wei Zheng, Qi Dai, Wanqing Wen, Qiuyin Cai, Jirong Long
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
This is a population-based case-control study of 1,204 endometrial cancer cases and age frequency matched 1,212 controls. Main objectives for the study are to investigate the effects of soy food and polymorphisms of estrogen-related genes on the development of endometrial cancer.
Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study
Principal Investigator: Xiao Ou Shu
Investigators: Wei Zheng, Gong Yang, Qiuyin Cai, Jirong Long, Wanqing Wen
Funding Agency: Department of Defense and National Institute of Health
This cohort study of 5,000 breast cancer patients recruited study participants at 6 months after they were diagnosed with cancer and have/will contact the patients at 18, 36 months and 5 years post cancer diagnosis. The main aims of the study are to evaluate the effect of ginseng, soy intake and the use of other complementary medicines on breast cancer survival and the quality of life of survivors. The study was recently expanded to investigate the genetic determinants of breast cancer survival and to evaluate whether diet and complementary medicine can reduce the depress, cognitive decline, bone loss related to breast cancer treatment.
Soyfood and Coronary Heart Disease in Women
Principal Investigator: Xiao Ou Shu
Investigators: Wei Zheng, Doug Vaughan, Gong Yang, Qiuyin Cai, Charles Matthews, Wanqing Wen
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
This is an ancillary study of the Shanghai Women’s Health Study focused on the investigation of the effects of soy food intake on the risk of coronary heart disease and identifying women who are most likely to benefit from consumption of soy food.
Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS): Expansion of Biologic Specimens
Principal Investigator: Xiao Ou Shu
Investigators: Wei Zheng, Gong Yang, Wanqing Wen
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
The purpose of this project is to collect biological samples from the participants of the SWHS and to conduct a methodological study evaluating the validity of the physical activity instrument and evaluating the relationship of physical activity with inflammatory markers. The methodological study includes 300 SWHS study participants and 300 SMHS study participants. The study includes multiple physical activity assessments, physical activity monitoring and collection of biological samples (blood and urine).
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Timothy R. Sterling, MD, MPHAssociate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases |
Current Projects
Mentoring in HIV and Tuberculosis Research
Abstract: Timothy R. Sterling, M.D. is on the Physician-Scientist (tenure) track at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, with 80% effort dedicated to research. He seeks funding for the K24 Mid-Career Investigator Award to expand his patient-oriented research program in HIV and tuberculosis, and to mentor clinical investigators in these areas. Dr. Sterling has consistently demonstrated a commitment to epidemiological and translational research in HIV and tuberculosis, and has mentored 20 young investigators to date. His trainees have been very successful in publishing their work, and almost all have remained in academic medicine. The environment at Vanderbilt is extremely conducive to training clinical investigators, with an active General Clinical Research Center, degree programs in Masters in Public Health and Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation (both supported by a NIH K30 award), a Mentored Clinical Research Scholar Program (K12) and several training grants (T32), including infectious diseases, pulmonary, and health services research. There are also several training programs dedicated to women and under-represented minorities. Dr. Sterling has a comprehensive mentoring plan that focuses on ethical conduct of research, formulation of a scientific question, study design, study conduct, manuscript preparation, grant writing, time management, oral presentations, potential conflicts of interest, establishment of a national reputation and establishment of independence. Dr. Sterling's research is focused on the following areas: 1) outcomes of HIV infection that influence timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation; 2) immunogenetic risk factors for tuberculosis infection and disease; 3) novel strategies to treat M. tuberculosis infection and disease; and 4) optimizing effectiveness of treatment of tuberculosis in HIV-infected persons. The K24 award will allow Dr. Sterling to continue to pursue his highly-productive career in patient-oriented research in HIV and tuberculosis, and mentor the next generation of researchers to do the same.
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Scott M. Williams, PhDAssociate Professor of Medicine |
Current Projects:
Hypertension and Arterial Thrombosis (Heart) Study
Principal Investigator: Scott M. Williams
Investigators: Douglas Vaughan , Nancy Brown, Jason Moore (Dartmouth College), Kwabena Poku (University of Ghana)
Funding Agency: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
This population based study of more than 4000 adults from Sunyani, Ghana, is focused the role of genetic variation in blood pressure and plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and tissue plasmingnen activator (tPA). All of the study participants have provided biospecimens (DNA and plasma) for genetic and molecular epidemiological studies.
Preterm Birth Genome Project (PGP)
Principal Investigators: Mario Merialdi, WHO (Chair, Management Committee), Scott M. Williams (Chair Scientific Advisory Board), Michael Katz (March of dimes, Project Director), Ramkumar Menon, Perinatal Research Center, Nashville
Funding Agency: World Health Organziation
This study is being developed to examine the genetic risk factors of preterm birth. Current plans are to perform genome wide studies on samples from more than 10,000 pregnancies from around the world. DNA samples are in hand or are currently being collected from South Korea, Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, and the US.
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Wei Zheng, MD, PhD, MPHProfessor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine and Public Health)
VICC Member |
Current Projects:
The Shanghai Breast Cancer Study ABCS
Principal Investigator: Wei Zheng
Investigators: Xiao-Ou Shu, Qi Dai, Qiuyin Cai, Jirong Long, Chun Li, Yu-Tang Gao (Shanghai Cancer Institute), Wei Lu (Shanghai CDC)
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
This is an ongoing study funded since 1996 to investigate genetic and lifestyle factors as well as other biomarkers for breast cancer risk and survival. Included in the study are approximately 3,500 breast cancer cases and an equal number of community controls recruited among female residents of Shanghai, China. In addition to in-person interview data, biological samples have also been collected from study participants. The resources from the study have supported multiple externally funded research and training grants. To date, over 100 research papers have been published in the SBCS addressing a wide range of significant issues related to breast cancer risk and survival.
The Shanghai Women’s Health Study (SWHS)
Principal Investigator: Wei Zheng
Investigators: Xiao-Ou Shu, Gong Yang, Wanqing Wen, Qiuyin Cai, Jay H. Fowke, Conrad Wagner, Yu-Tang Gao (Shanghai Cancer Institute), Wong-Ho Chow and Nat Rothman (NCI), Adrian Franke (Hawaii Cancer Research Center), Fung-Lung Chung (Georgetown University)
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
This is a large population-based prospective cohort study initiated in 1996. From 1996 to 2000, approximately 75,000 Chinese women who lived in Shanghai were recruited into the study (AJE, 162:1123, 2005). In addition to survey data, most study participants donated blood and urine samples at baseline. This cohort of women are being followed for the occurrence of cancer and several common diseases through biennial home visit and record linkage with files routinely collected by the Shanghai Cancer Registry and the Vital Statistical Unit. In the current funding cycle, the study focuses on evaluating dietary factors that may reduce the risk of cancers. The resources from this study have supported multiple projects that address etiologic hypotheses for cancers, and other chronic diseases, such as coronary heart diseases, asthma, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and bone fracture.
The Nashville Breast Health Study
Principal Investigator: Wei Zheng
Investigators: Mark C. Kelley, Sandy Deming, Xiao-Ou Shu, Martha J Shrubsole, Qiuyin Cai, Jirong Long, Fritz F Parl, Bill Dupont, David Page, and Alecia Malin-Fair (Meharry)
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
This is an ongoing study based in the Nashville metropolitan area to evaluate lifestyle and genetic factors as well as gene-environment interaction in breast cancer etiology. Approximately 3,000 cases and controls will be recruited in the study by the end of 2007. Survey data and biologic samples collected from study participants are being analyzed to address several new study hypotheses that cannot be adequately investigated in existing studies.
Molecular Epidemiologic Study of Breast Cancer
Principal Investigator: Wei Zheng
Investigators: Xiao-Ou Shu, Qiuyin Cai, Jirong Long, Jay H. Fowke, Shimian Qu, Chun Li
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
This ongoing study is to evaluate gene-gene and gene-diet interaction in relation to the risk of breast cancer. Included in the study are approximately 3,500 breast cancer cases and 3,500 community controls recruited among female residents of Shanghai, China. In the current funding cycle, the study focuses on evaluating the association of breast cancer risk with genetic factors that regulate tumor environment.
Tennessee Colorectal Polyp Study (TCPS)
Principal Investigator: Wei Zheng
Investigators: Reid M. Ness, Martha J. Shrubsole, Walter E. Smalley, Shimian Qu, Jason Morrow
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the United States and many other countries. Most colorectal cancers arise from adenomatous polyps. As part of the Vanderbilt SPORE in GI cancer, we are conducting a colonoscopy-based study to evaluate biomarkers and lifestyle factors for colorectal polyps. As of November 2007, nearly 6,000 patients were recruited into the study. Most of the study participants completed a detailed survey of lifestyle factors and provided biologic samples to the study. The resources established in this study have supported multiple research projects addressing biomarkers and risk factors for colorectal polyps.
Tumor Markers and Recurrent Adenomas: A Follow-up Study
Principal Investigator: Wei Zheng
Investigators: Reid M. Ness, Martha J. Shrubsole, Walter E. Smalley, Kay Washington, Bill Grady, Ayumi Shintani, Robert Dittus, Douglas Rex and Thomas Albright (Indiana University)
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Most colorectal cancer cases arise from adenomatous polyps, and a large proportion of adenoma patients will develop recurrent adenomas. Studies assessing predictors for recurrent adenomas would provide valuable information for designing personalized surveillance strategies for adenoma patients. This on-going study will evaluate approximately 20 tumor markers in relation to adenoma recurrence in a large cohort of patients with multiple or advanced adenomas.
