The Baylor BIRCWH has as its mission increasing women's health research by developing and supporting women's health Scholars, providing them instruction and training in a variety of interdisciplinary topics, scientific disciplines and methodologies. All Scholars will receive intense mentoring from nationally recognized leaders. In order to identify, recruit and train Scholars with strong commitments to women's health, we envision a collaborative arrangement involving not only the departments that traditionally deliver the greater part of women's healthcare (Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology), but other disciplines -Rehabilitation, Ethics, Molecular Medicine, Health Services Research. A strong Advisory Committee includes expertise in both Molecular/Clinical research (P.I. Joe; Leigh Simpson, Arthur Beaudet, Colin Bishop, Bert O'Malley, Larry Chan, Huda Zogbhi) as well as Clinical/Health Services/Population Research (Co. P.I. Nelda Wray, Program Director Jennifer Hays, Margaret Nosek, Baruch Brody). Baylor already has a strong internal pool of candidates, and we will aggressively recruit candidates outside Baylor, especially minority candidates and candidates with disabilities. Candidates will first select a mentor and then with the mentor prepare an application detailing prior research and educational experiences and the proposed educational, research, and mentoring plan for the BIRCWH award. All applicants will be reviewed and selected by the Advisory Committee. IWHR Scholars may select either a Molecular/Clinical pathway or a Clinical/Health Services/Population Research pathway, with the goal of academic independence. All IWHR Scholars will be required to take three didactic courses encompassing women's health issues and the fundamentals of clinical investigation and academic success. Irrespective of pathway, Scholars will be further stratified by prior research experience (Track 1 significant, Track 2 little to no research experience or training). Track 2 Scholars in Clinical/Health Services/Population Research will be required to complete an appropriate Master's program (e.g., M.P.H.). Regardless of pathway or track, the goal is for the Scholar to submit an NIH grant in 2-3 years. A variety of additional activities, including BlRCWH research conferences and a BIRCWH Distinguished Speaker series, will bring all BIRCWH Scholars and mentors together in an ongoing fashion to leverage ideas, cross-fertilize projects, and enhance women's health research at Baylor. GRANT-F31AT00064-01 Long term objectives of the proposed work are to receive training in identification and characterization of botanicals, bioassay guided fractionation, isolation and elucidation of active constituents, and production of extracts for human use.
The specific aims are to first collect stem bark samples of Viburnum prunifolium L., characterize the material using macroscopic features, light and scanning electron microscope techniques, and arbitrarily-primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) DNA analysis. A crude methanol extract will be produced and an HPLC profile established. The extract will be subjected to estrogen receptor binding, serotonin receptor binding, and uterine relaxation bioassays. Bioassay directed fractionation will be used to isolate active compounds; HPLC and LC-MS will be employed for subsequent structure elucidation. An alcoholic extract will be formulated with parameters for standardizing to the active constituent. These goals are vital to public health in contributing to the establishment of methods for production of safe, effective, quality herbal extracts for consumer use.
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