The KL2 Visiting Scholars Exchange Program is a collaboration between the Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Research (GHUCCTS) and the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research. This collaboration provides KL2 Scholars at each institution an opportunity to present their research at the partnering school. We believe this program offers valuable learning and career development experiences with the goal of sharing Science across disciplines, networking, and formation of new team science collaborations.
Here is a list of our recent webinars, featuring KL2 scholars from both GHUCCTS and VCU.
Upcoming Events:
November 20 -21, 2024
GHUCCTS KL2 Scholars in-person visit at VCU
February 2025
TBD
March 2025
TBD
Past Events:
Understanding Mechanisms of Working Memory Deficits in Muscular Dystrophy
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Mathula Thangarajh, MD, PhD
Friday, May 3, 2024,12:00 – 1:00pm EST
ABSTRACT: Dr. Thangarajh, trained in child neurology, neuroimmunology, and neuromuscular medicine, is a productive tenure-track Assistant Professor of Neurology at Virginia Commonwealth University. As a physician-scientist, her translational research contributions span from molecular, mechanistic, and biomarker studies through animal models, natural history studies, patient reported outcomes, to clinical trials and equity in recruitment to research participation. She has made signal observations of developmental and cognitive abnormalities in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), revealing contributions of brain dystrophin and mechanisms of clinical heterogeneity. Her discipline spanning and highly collaborative work has been supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Science, the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Dr. Thangarajh will share her work on cognitive domains affected in DMD with recent work that has focused on connectivity and advanced diffusion measures with these patients.
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Addressing Perinatal Health Inequities – Operationalizing Principles of Reproductive Justice in Health Services Research and Policy Advocacy
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Christina Marea, PhD
Friday, May 3, 2023,12:00 – 1:00pm EST
The United States consistently ranks last among high income countries in measures of perinatal wellbeing including maternal and infant mortality and severe maternal morbidity – indices that have worsened over the past 20 years. The burden of worsening perinatal outcomes is born disproportionately by Black birthing people, and other structurally marginalized groups. Structural racism drives many of these outcomes, yet are challenging to measure, assess and mitigate with health system interventions. Reproductive justice is a framework that affirms that individuals have the right to have children, not have children, and to parent their children they do have in safe and stable environments. Our team is engaged in research that explores the impact of structural and policy factors on adverse perinatal outcomes. We will discuss the intersection of housing policy and adverse perinatal physical and mental health outcomes, place-based measures of structural racism and likelihood of severe maternal morbidity, and the development and implementation of an innovative model of postpartum care delivered in federally qualified health center.
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Preventing and Treating Heart Dysfunction Related to Cancer Therapy
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Wendy Bottinor, MD
Monday, November 21, 2022, 12:00 – 1:00pm EST
ABSTRACT: Heart disease is a leading cause of death among cancer survivors diagnosed during childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood. Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are approximately seven times more likely to die from heart disease when compared with their peers who do not have a history of cancer. For adolescent and young adult survivors (AYAs), this risk is at least three times higher. Radiation treatment, heart-toxic chemotherapy, Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) race, and high blood pressure all increase this risk. Among CCS and AYAs with multiple risk factors, heart disease occurs more frequently than would be expected by adding the risks from individual risk factors together. The reason for this increased risk is poorly understood, however one possible explanation is that the combination of these risk factors causes faster damaging changes in heart tissue. Our goal is to understand the relationship between these risk factors to improve heart health in CCS and AYAs by helping to identify survivors at the highest risk for developing heart disease, and by providing opportunities to intervene with therapies for heart disease.
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Targeting FOSL1-Super-enhancersEliminates Cancer Stem Cells in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Jiong Li, PhD
Wednesday, June 8, 2022,12:00-1:00PM EST
ABSTRACT: Although significant progress has been made in understanding the self-renewal and pro-tumorigenic potentials of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in HNSCC, a key challenge remains on how to eliminate CSCs and halt metastasis effectively. We show that FOSL1-Super-Enhancers (FOSL1- SE) play a critical role in the transcription of cancer stemness and pro- metastatic genes, thereby controlling the tumorigenic potential and metastasis of HNSCC CSCs. Targeting FOSL1-SEs with specific small molecule inhibitors eliminates CSCs and suppresses tumorigenesis and metastasis of HNSCC. Our study suggests that FOSL1-SEs may serve as novel and effective therapeutic targets for eliminating CSCs, and our novel FOSL1 inhibitors may be tailored for clinical intervention.
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Ready. Set. Go! MicroRNAs as Markers and Mediators of Diabetic Kidney Disease
KL2 Scholar:Dr. Maurice Fluitt, PhD
January 27, 2021, 12PM - 1 PM EST
Emerging Roles of microRNAs in Cancer
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Mario Acunzo, PhD
Tuesday, May 18, 2021, 12PM - 1 PM EST
ABSTRACT: The role of RNA (A to I) editing in Lung Cancer. microRNA Adenosine-to-Inosine A to I editing modifications result dysregulated in Lung Cancer, and it can cause changes in microRNAs function and expression. Thanks to bioinformatic analysis of small RNA Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) data, we progressively uncovering the meaning of microRNA A to I editing in Lung Cancer while also investigating the microRNA editing phenomenon as possible biomarkers of lung cancer progression. Design of artificial microRNA as therapeutics in Lung Cancer. There are several genetic mutations responsible for lung cancer phenotype. While some of these mutations are targetable using specific drugs, some others still result “Untargettable” like mutated KRAS. We have recently developed a method for specifically target point-mutated KRAS mRNA in Lung Cancer using artificial microRNAs. This method reduces the off-targeting effects sparing the wild-type KRAS mRNA targeting. Another goal of this project is to design artificial microRNA for targeting multiple selected targets for knocking down some crucial pathways in Lung Cancer.
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A novel protein-degradation-based mechanism for fast homeostatic plasticity
KL2 Scholar: Haiyan He, PhD
May 25, 2021, 12 PM - 1pm EST
ABSTRACT: Protein synthesis and degradation are both known to be required for brain function and plasticity. Despite the vast number of studies on the involvement of protein synthesis and degradation in the induction and maintenance of synaptic plasticity, our understanding of how neurons achieve the requisite balance of proteostasis remains incomplete. The majority of studies on protein degradation focus on ubiquitin-mediated proteosome function. Here we present evidence for a new mechanism of proteostasis regulation employed by the vertebrate brain that is mediated by a newly-discovered neuronal membrane proteasome (NMP). In vitro studies in hippocampal neuronal cultures showed that NMPs degrade nascent proteins in a ubiquitin-independent manner. We investigated the NMP function in the intact brain using the optic tectum of Xenopus laevis tadpoles. Combining the bio-orthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) method and functional Ca imaging, as well as behavioral learning paradigm, our data demonstrate that NMPs homeostatically regulate neuronal activity and their function is needed for learning-induced behavioral plasticity. By controlling the accumulation of nascent proteins, NMPs are uniquely positioned to fine tune proteostasis in response to elevated neuronal activity. The NMP-mediated degradation of activity-induced nascent proteins provides a timely regulatory mechanism for the dynamic maintenance of the fine balance needed for proteostasis in neurons, especially in face of fluctuations of neuronal activity, when protein synthesis changes rapidly.
Examining mental, behavioral, and justice related outcomes among court involved, sex trafficked girls
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Mekeila Cook, PhD
March 29, 2021, 12-1 PM EST
ABSTRACT: Dr. Cook is a sexual violence and health equity researcher. Her research includes examining health outcomes of adverse childhood experiences, justice involvement related to sex trafficking, and coping mechanisms among survivors of
sexual violence. In this talk, Dr. Cook will present her research findings on justice and behavioral characteristics of adolescent girls who are survivors of sex trafficking. She will also discuss her findings from her qualitative research that sought to understand and contextualize facilitators and barriers to engaging in social and medical services among justice-involved adolescent girls.
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Barriers to Attendance of Prenatal and Well-Child Visits
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Elizabeth R. Wolf, MD, MPH
Tuesday October 13, 2020, 12-1 PM EST
ABSTRACT: Prenatal care (PNC) attendance is associated with improved health outcomes including decreased low-birth weight, decreased prematurity and decreased infant mortality. Well-child visit (WCV) attendance is associated with decreased emergency department utilizations and hospitalizations. Despite these well-established benefits, many mothers and children continue to miss preventive visits. Poor attendance of preventive visits is a two- generation problem – a mother’s poor PNC attendance is associated with the poor WCV attendance of her child. Studies have found that a mother who has adequate PNC was almost twice as likely to have a child with adequate WCV attendance. This could be because the same factors that decrease a mother’s likelihood to attend her own PNC visit may also affect her ability to bring her child to his/her WCV. We aimed to determine if the factors affecting maternal and child attendance are the same or different. We will discuss the findings of our study and their relevance to current health policies.
Event Page | Download PDF | Webinar Recording
Differences in the Cervicovaginal Microbiomes of Women Who Naturally Control HIV Progression
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Katherine G. Michel, PhD, MPH
Tuesday August 25, 2020, 12-1 PM EST
ABSTRACT: Much research has focused on understanding the etiology of how a small percentage of HIV-positive people naturally control HIV viral levels without using antiretroviral medications. HIV-positive controller status does not seem to associate with demographic, social, or behavioral factors, nor does it develop through infection with replication- incompetent HIV. Data suggest HIV-positive controllers have unique immune phenotypes and gut microbiome compositions, however little research has focused on the potential role of other mucosal microbiomes. Our preliminary data suggest altered cervicovaginal microbiomes in women who naturally control HIV, particularly elevated populations and increased genetic diversity of key Lactobacillus sub-species.
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Improving Detection of Microscopic Disease to Improve Survival of Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Chukwuemeka Ihemelandu, MD, FACS
June 23, 2020, 12-1 PM EST
ABSTRACT: Microscopic residual disease, following a curative oncologic resection for gastrointestinal malignancies in the form of a positive resection margin or peritoneal micrometastases, impacts patient prognosis adversely with 5-year survival rates of approximately 60%, 31% and 0% for patients with no tumor at the margin, microscopic tumor at the margin, and macroscopic tumor at the margin, respectively.
Intra-operative morphological identification of microscopic residual disease by the naked eye is not possible currently. However, this barrier can be overcome by the use of intra-operative optical fluorescence molecular imaging and spectroscopy with near-infrared (NIR) light using antibodies that specifically target cancer cells.
Fluorescent-labeled antibodies that specifically target certain receptors can be used for accurate real-time localization of cancer cells. A number of these antibodies such as ramucirumab, cetuximab, trastuzumab which bind to the membrane receptors VEGFR-2, EGFR and HER2, respectively, have been optically labeled for tissue localization and used for real-time imaging of subclinical disease during oncologic procedures for disease sites such as breast, head and neck, and skin. However, none of these fluorescent-labeled proteins has been validated for gastrointestinal oncology procedures in the USA. We believe that it is feasible to translate into the clinic the use of IRDye 800CW-labeled ramucirumab and cetuximab for their potential use as an intraoperative imaging agent for VEGFR-2 and EGFR-expressing gastrointestinal malignancies.
Deliver Nanomedicines to Lymph Nodes and Tumor to Potentiate Melanoma Immunotherapy
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Guizhi Julian Zhu, PhD
Wednesday June 17, 2020, 12-1 PM EST
ABSTRACT: The ultimate goal of my research group is to develop clinically translatable cancer therapeutics. In this talk, we will discuss a novel and simple drug delivery systems based on reversibly albumin- binding prodrugs for efficient delivery to tissues and cells in cancer immunotherapy, gene therapy, and chemotherapy. We will discuss the delivery of multiple types of drugs including small molecule immunostimulants, oligonucleotides, peptides, and chemotherapeutics, for the delivery to tumor tissues or cells as well as lymphoid tissues and antigen-presenting cells. Such albumin-binding technology enhanced the in vivo half-lives and tissue delivery efficiencies by up to 2 orders of magnitudes, while reducing off-target dissemination and toxicities. The efficient drug delivery potentiated the therapeutic efficacy for tumor, including a combination melanoma immunotherapy based on albumin-binding vaccines and immune checkpoint blockade. Worth noting, the reversible albumin binder is derived from Evans blue that has been used in the clinic for nearly a century, and the resulting Evans blue derivative was validated for tumr or lymph node targeting with undetectable toxicities in clinic trails, which should facilitate the clinical translation of this type of drug delivery system.
Event Page | Download PDF | Webinar Recording
Developing a Culturally Adapted Telephone Genetic Counseling Intervention to Enhance Genetic Risk Assessment in Underserved Latinas at Risk of Hereditary Breast Cancer
KL2 Scholar: Dr. Alejandra Hurtado de Mendoza, PhD
Tuesday November 19, 2020, 12-3 PM EST
Dr. Hurtado de Mendoza will discuss disparities in genetic counseling and testing uptake among Latina women at-risk of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian cancer and the process of adapting an evidence-based telephone genetic counseling intervention for at-risk Latina women to overcome barriers and reduce disparities and reduce disparities in counseling and testing uptake in this population.
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