The Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) is excited to announce the recipients of the Advancing Translational Research and Science (ATRS) Pilot Award. This award supports projects that advance innovative translational research by either identifying broadly applicable new processes or solving common challenges in turning innovations into real-world practice or policy.
This year’s awardees come from the School of Medicine and Public Health, which is the home of ICTR, as well as two partner schools: the School of Nursing and the School of Veterinary Medicine. Below, you can read more about each recipient’s project.
Katelyn Desorcy-Scherer, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Developing Remote Human Milk Collection as a Novel Technique for Transcriptome Sequencing
Dr. Desorcy-Scherer’s project aims to make it easier to conduct large studies on human milk and health. Human milk contributes to lifelong maternal and infant health due to its bioactive factors, which support immune development beyond basic nutrition. Studying ribonucleic acids (RNA) in human milk offers insights into mammary function and overall physiology. However, RNA’s fragility and the need for ultra-cold storage and proximity to a processing laboratory have limited large-scale research.
This study aims to develop a remote, home-based milk collection protocol using self-collection kits with RNA preservation reagents to stabilize the milk. Once returned to a laboratory, the milk will be studied by scientists for use in RNA sequencing.
Nathan Sandbo, MD
Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health
Development of a High-resolution ex vivo Drug Discovery Platform for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Using Spatial Transcriptomic
Most drug failures occur because they fail to demonstrate a sufficient link to disease relevance, a major roadblock in drug discovery. Dr. Sandbo’s study addresses this by developing better drug discovery methods using Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) as a model. IPF is a progressive and deadly disease with limited treatment options, and current animal models don’t accurately mimic IPF. To improve this, the study will use living, precision-cut lung samples from healthy and IPF lungs, test them with drugs, and analyze gene expression to build a more reliable and predictive model for drug development in chronic fibrotic diseases, including IPF.
Susannah Sample, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVS
Assistant Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine
Establishment of a Neuropathic and Molecular features of a Spontaneous Large Animal Model of Hereditary Peripheral Neuropathy
Axonal peripheral neuropathies (PNs) are conditions that cause nerve damage and serious symptoms like weakness and sensory loss. As people age, these conditions can become more common but treatments that can alter or slow the progression of disease are often elusive. Late-onset peripheral neuropathy (LPN), a newly identified condition in Labrador Retrievers, closely resembles human age-related PNs and is linked to a mutation in FAT3 gene.
Dr. Sample’s study looks to establish canine LPN as a model to help develop new treatment approaches in human clinical trials. Researchers will study nerve cells from affected dogs to explore how FAT3 disruption leads to axon damage and changes in motor neuron activity.
Susan Passmore, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Developing Researcher Education for Engagement
The effectiveness of translational research is compromised by a failure to recruit and retain study participants who accurately represent patient populations. While some potential participants may be hesitant to join studies for their own reasons, previous studies have determined that study team members are unsure of their ability to initiate recruitment conversations and may avoid what they anticipate being difficult conversations.
Dr. Passmore’s study will explore the potential to supplement an existing educational program for research team members to increase self-efficacy and effectiveness in recruitment conversations.
The projects described are supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), grant UL1TR002373 and by the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.