The Pilot Project program is designed to promote alcohol research across the UNC campus. We provide funds to new investigators without current or past research support and to established investigators who propose projects that represent a significant departure from their ongoing research. The goal of the program is to provide sufficient funds to generate pilot data on alcohol research projects that can be used to support applications for research grants. A detailed review process includes Internal solicitation for proposals, involvement and advice from appropriate Center faculty, as well as internal and external review to select studies of the highest quality. The pilot program also takes advantage of funds from the NC Clinical and Translational Research Consortium (NIH Clinical Translation, Science Award) that will match funding by the ARC to outstanding proposals. Previous pilot projects funded by our Center grant have led to new NIH funding for UNC researchers. This process brings new people and new ideas into the center, renewing Its vibrance and innovation and helping to keep us on the forefront of the field. This ARC includes two Pilot Projects (Project 16 and 17) as part of this proposal. Both projects integrate nicely with our theme of ALCOHOL PATHOGENESIS. Project 16 (Ramon Bataller, PI) will test whether p90RSK mediates liver injury and inflammation in alcoholic hepatitis (AH). His group will conduct a translational study with liver samples from patients, where p90RSK expression and activation will be determined and correlated with disease severity. Next, they will investigate whether p90RSK inhibition in mice with experimental AH attenuates liver Injury and inflammation. Project 17 (Donald Lysle, PI) will examine the role of interteukin-1|3 (IL-1 (3) In ethanol binge drinking. His group will test the hypotheses that repeated binge-like drinking increases IL-1 (3 expression in brain and that blocking 1L-1(3 using small interfering RNA (siRNA) or IL-13 receptor antagonist will protect against binge-like ethanol drinking. These Pilot Projects will provide the resources for new investigators to develop preliminary findings important for success In larger research grants. This effort supports the long term growth and success of our ARC.

Public Health Relevance

Pilot projects funded by our Center have opened important new avenues in the alcohol research field and supported the growth and development of young scientists at UNC. The new pilots proposed for this funding cycle enhance the comprehensive investigation of molecular and cellular pathogenesis in alcoholism and may lead to new therapies for alcoholism.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Comprehensive Center (P60)
Project #
4P60AA011605-19
Application #
8975110
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAA1)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2015-12-01
Budget End
2016-11-30
Support Year
19
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Type
DUNS #
608195277
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Jaramillo, Anel A; Randall, Patrick A; Stewart, Spencer et al. (2018) Functional role for cortical-striatal circuitry in modulating alcohol self-administration. Neuropharmacology 130:42-53
Vetreno, Ryan P; Lawrimore, Colleen J; Rowsey, Pamela J et al. (2018) Persistent Adult Neuroimmune Activation and Loss of Hippocampal Neurogenesis Following Adolescent Ethanol Exposure: Blockade by Exercise and the Anti-inflammatory Drug Indomethacin. Front Neurosci 12:200
Broadwater, Margaret A; Lee, Sung-Ho; Yu, Yang et al. (2018) Adolescent alcohol exposure decreases frontostriatal resting-state functional connectivity in adulthood. Addict Biol 23:810-823
Fiorenza, Amanda M; Shnitko, Tatiana A; Sullivan, Kaitlin M et al. (2018) Ethanol Exposure History and Alcoholic Reward Differentially Alter Dopamine Release in the Nucleus Accumbens to a Reward-Predictive Cue. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 42:1051-1061
Hwa, Lara S; Neira, Sofia; Pina, Melanie M et al. (2018) Predator odor increases avoidance and glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the prelimbic cortex via corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 signaling. Neuropsychopharmacology :
Faccidomo, Sara; Swaim, Katarina S; Saunders, Briana L et al. (2018) Mining the nucleus accumbens proteome for novel targets of alcohol self-administration in male C57BL/6J mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 235:1681-1696
Bohnsack, John Peyton; Hughes, Benjamin A; O'Buckley, Todd K et al. (2018) Histone deacetylases mediate GABAA receptor expression, physiology, and behavioral maladaptations in rat models of alcohol dependence. Neuropsychopharmacology 43:1518-1529
Coleman Jr, Leon G; Zou, Jian; Qin, Liya et al. (2018) HMGB1/IL-1? complexes regulate neuroimmune responses in alcoholism. Brain Behav Immun 72:61-77
Fish, E W; Wieczorek, L A; Rumple, A et al. (2018) The enduring impact of neurulation stage alcohol exposure: A combined behavioral and structural neuroimaging study in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. Behav Brain Res 338:173-184
Beattie, Matthew C; Reguyal, Christopher S; Porcu, Patrizia et al. (2018) Neuroactive Steroid (3?,5?)3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (3?,5?-THP) and Pro-inflammatory Cytokine MCP-1 Levels in Hippocampus CA1 are Correlated with Voluntary Ethanol Consumption in Cynomolgus Monkey. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 42:12-20

Showing the most recent 10 out of 227 publications