WCMC-Q Researchers Awarded $15.2 Million in NPRP Grants

June 28, 2010

 

 

Genetics of Risk for Retinopathy Among Qataris with Type 2 Diabetes
Ronald Crystal, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (PI)
Abdulbari Bener, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)
Maha El Shafei, MD, Hamad Medical Corporation (Co-PI)
Alvin Mushlin, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Donald D’Amico, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Hassan Ghomrawi, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Szilard Kiss, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)

The research team aims to zero in on genetic locations associated with diabetes and find loci associated specifically with diabetic retinopathy—the deterioration of the retina as a symptom of diabetes. Drawing on the most advanced genetic analysis approach, they will evaluate single nucleotide polymorphisms—differences in DNA base pairs that show up as a disruption in expected patterns—among a sample of Qatari subjects. This project is one part of a collaborative effort to analyze diabetes at the genetic level in Qatar.

Genetic Variability and Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes in the Qatari Population
Ronald Crystal, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (PI)
Laith Abu-Raddad, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)
Abdulbari Bener, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)
Marcus Butler, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)

This study will segregate three—TCF7L2, FTO and CDKN2B—of the 15 known genes associated with type 2 diabetes and, using the information gathered from European populations, compare the functionality of these genes in Qatari diabetics. The drug Metaformin is a mainstay of therapy among European populations, with its effectiveness among Europeans related in part to another gene, SLC22A1—the functionality of this drug will also be tested among Qatari subjects.

Integrative Approach to Microenvironment and Host-immune Response in Colon Cancer
Jerome Galon, PhD, INSERM (Lead PI)
Arash Rafii Tabrizi, MD, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)
David Kerr, MD, PhD, Sidra Medical & Research Center (PI)

Researchers will investigate the interaction between colon cancer cells and mesenchymal stem cells, with particular focus on the analysis of immune response against cancer.

Effect of Shisha Smoking on the Biology of the Airway Epithelium in Qataris
Neil Hackett, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Lead PI)
Abdulbari Bener, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)

The research team will perform bronchoscopies to attain samples of tissue from the airway of shisha smokers in order to analyze the genetic implications of exposure to the smoke. Samples will be assessed in the genomic core lab at WCMC-Q in terms of microarray-based gene expression, complete RNA sequencing and other sequencing methods that will target single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)—among the most advanced analytical markers in genetics today. The results will be compared to those based on samples of tissue from cigarette smokers.

Genetic Vaccine Development for Infectious Disease
Stephen Kaminsky, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Lead PI)
Ali Sultan, MD, WCMC-Q (PI)

Researchers will work to develop a new genetic vaccine strategy that results in rapid production of antibodies to evoke an immune response to fight viral infection as well as antigens to ensure long-term immune sensitivity to the same infection. The study will target the pathogen Y. pestis, which is a significant threat to immunocompromised patients in Qatar and elsewhere. The delivery system will, however, be flexible and readily adaptable to a range of bacterial and viral pathogens.

Understanding the Link between Moisture Dynamics and Microbial Activity in Mobile Dunes
Michel Louge, PhD, Cornell University—Ithaca (Lead PI)
Christopher Ogden, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)
Anthony Hay, PhD, Cornell University—Ithaca (Co-PI)
Renee Richer, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)

Researchers will study the connections between water balance and the potential for microbial growth in subsurface sands of mobile dunes in a hyper-arid desert. This research has the potential to affect strategies for reversing desertification and minimizing its impact on agriculture and infrastructure.

Zinc-dependent Regulation of the Cell Cycle Regulator Cdc25 as a Potential Anti-cancer Target
Khaled Machaca, PhD, WCMC-Q (Lead PI)
Hala Muhtasib, PhD, American University of Beirut (Co-Lead PI)

Researchers will investigate the relationship of a zinc-binding protein, Cdc25, and its role in the cell cycle. Several approaches that interfere with its regulation as possible anti-cancer therapies will be undertaken.

Trafficking and Recycling of the Store-operated Calcium Channel Orai 1
Timothy McGraw, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Lead PI)
Khaled Machaca, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)

Since calcium (Ca2+) is essential to mechanisms behind muscle contraction, fertilization, cell proliferation and the cell cycle, understanding its regulation is fundamental to the decoding of many diseases at the molecular level. The research team will be focusing on a specific passageway on the cell membrane called Orai 1 as it plays a critical role in the movement of calcium across the membrane and is thus key to the activation of immune cells in particular—mutations in Orai 1 lead to severe immunodeficiency symptoms in humans. The goal is to understand what regulates the recycling of this passageway as cells divide and increase in number.

Assessing the Genomic Signature of Breast Cancer in Qatar
Nady Nady Mohamed, MD, WCMC-Q (Lead PI)
Yufei Huang, PhD, University of Texas-San Antonio (PI)
Yidong Chen, PhD, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (PI)
Erchin Serpedin, PhD, Texas A&M University at Qatar (Co-PI)
Lotfi Chouchane, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)

Due to the lack of systematic study of breast cancer in Qatar—employing high-throughput technologies—the progress in understanding, diagnosing and treating breast cancer, with genetic implications specific to Qatar, has been compromised. The research team will begin a project to amass genome-level data from Qataris affected by breast cancer. This project is designed to impact the research, education and public awareness of breast cancer in Qatar.

Nicotine Signaling in Obesity-induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathies
Zaher Nahle, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Lead PI)
Khaled Machaca, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)

Researchers will study the molecular mechanisms leading to heart disease in the context of obesity and diabetes and the adverse contributions of smoking to this process.

Creation of an Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Core in Doha, Qatar
Arash Rafii Tabrizi, MD, PhD, WCMC-Q (Lead PI)
Chad Cowan, PhD, Harvard Stem Cell Institute (Co-PI)
Laurence Daheron, PhD, Harvard Stem Cell Institute (Co-PI)

Researchers will build an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell core facility in Doha, set up a training program to build an iPS team, set up the iPS core facility, and start deriving disease specific human iPS cells of Qatari origin to facilitate translational research.

Abnormalities in Bone Development Associated with Pre-eclampsia
Fayez Safadi, PhD, WCMC-Q (Lead PI)
Robin Davisson, PhD, Cornell University (Co-PI)
Arash Rafii Tabrizi, MD, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)
Salma Abdalla, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)

Researchers will investigate bone abnormalities associated with pre-eclampsia and the development of therapeutic strategies for the disorder.

Epigenetic Control of Odorant Receptor Gene Choice
Benjamin Shykind, PhD, WCMC-Q (Lead PI)
Tao Sun, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)

The goal of this research is to reveal the epigenetic state of the odorant receptor genes to further the understanding of the control of this largest gene family in mammals and to uncover general principles of gene regulation critical to development and disease.

Cardiovascular Progenitors Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells
Ed Stanley, PhD, Monash University (Lead PI)
Arash Rafii Tabrizi, MD, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)

Researchers will demonstrate the participation of endothelial cells in supporting self-renewal and specification of cardiomyocytes, heart muscle cells, and try to identify the mechanism by which endothelium supports or promotes specification and maintenance of heart muscle cells and optimizes generation of functional transplantable heart muscle cells.

Human Papillomavirus in Arab Women: Molecular, Clinico-pathological, Serological, and Vaccine Impact Studies in Select Arab Countries
Ali Sultan, MD, PhD, WCMC-Q (Lead PI)
Shahinaz Bedri, MD, Ahfad University for Women (Co-PI)
Elham Hassen, PhD, University of Monastir Faculty of Medecine, Monastir, Tunisia (Co-PI)
Muntaser Ibrahim, PhD, Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum (Co-PI)
Asma Althani, PhD, Qatar University (Co-PI)
Nahla Afifi, PhD, Qatar University (Co-PI)
Gerardo Guiter, MD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)
Laith Abu-Raddad, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)
Nady Nady-Mohamed, MD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)

Researchers will study the geographic distribution in Arab countries of the human papillomavirus (HPV), identified as the major cause of cervical cancer. They will then assess the impact two vaccines recently approved in the US and Europe could have in Arab countries and design policy for HPV vaccination.