Candidate: The candidate, Patrick Nana-Sinkam, M.D., is an Instructor in the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He is currently supported by an NIH minority supplement grant to the parent grant NIH E PATHO. PROJ IV 5P01 HL066254-03S1, """"""""Prostacyclin Synthase and Prostacyclin Receptor in Severe Pulmonary Hypertension."""""""" Dr. Nana-Sinkam has previously worked on transgenic murine models of disease and has developed a particular interest in the eicosanoid pathway and its role in disease susceptibility as well as identifying products with clinical application. His short-term goal is to continue to develop both the professional and research skills to eventually become an independent investigator. Long term, Dr. Nana-Sinkam hopes to develop a successful, independently funded laboratory in eicosanoid biology. This proposed Mentored Clinical Scientist Award would provide him with the support to develop these skills. Career Development: Dr. Nana-Sinkam's career development will include: 1) developing new research skills such as the development of transgenic animal models, research design and professional skills necessary in an academic center, 2) formal educational activities including courses in molecular biology techniques and grant writing, and 3) involvement in administrative activities essential to developing professional skills such as serving on the School of Medicine's Admission and Scholarship Committees and Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee. Environment: Dr. Nana-Sinkam is currently in an environment that is conducive to excellent research. His sponsor, Dr. Mark Geraci, and co-sponsors, Drs. Norbert Voelkel and Raphael Nemenoff, are outstanding, extramurally funded, independent investigators with established records in research. Research: Dr. Nana-Sinkam's general goals will be to attempt to elucidate the mechanisms by which prostacyclin prevent vascular remodeling and are regulated in pulmonary hypertension. The hypotheses will be that 1) the development of a conditional transgenic murine model for overexpression of prostacyclin synthase can assist in defining the temporal relationship between gene expression and remodeling, 2) key regulators of gene transcription involved in suppression of prostacyclin in pulmonary hypertension can be identified by a model for gene transcriptional regulation, and 3) prostacyclin synthease gene polymorphisms exist in defined human populations and have a potential impact on gene function and subsequent susceptibility to disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
1K08HL077717-01
Application #
6817114
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-M (M1))
Program Officer
Colombini-Hatch, Sandra
Project Start
2004-08-15
Project End
2009-07-31
Budget Start
2004-08-15
Budget End
2005-07-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$131,490
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Colorado Denver
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
041096314
City
Aurora
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80045
Nana-Sinkam, Serge P; Hunter, Melissa G; Nuovo, Gerard J et al. (2009) Integrating the MicroRNome into the study of lung disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 179:4-10
Wu, Xin; Piper-Hunter, Melissa G; Crawford, Melissa et al. (2009) MicroRNAs in the pathogenesis of Lung Cancer. J Thorac Oncol 4:1028-34
Crawford, Melissa; Batte, Kara; Yu, Lianbo et al. (2009) MicroRNA 133B targets pro-survival molecules MCL-1 and BCL2L2 in lung cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 388:483-9
Crawford, M; Brawner, E; Batte, K et al. (2008) MicroRNA-126 inhibits invasion in non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 373:607-12
Nana-Sinkam, S Patrick; Lee, Jong Deog; Sotto-Santiago, Sylk et al. (2007) Prostacyclin prevents pulmonary endothelial cell apoptosis induced by cigarette smoke. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 175:676-85