EXCEED THE SPACEPROVIDED.Homeostasis and remodeling of the vessel wall and the formation of new blood vessels by the process ofangiogenesis involve complex interactions between endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells andblood-borne bone marrow-derived cells. These interactions are regulated by growth factors and cytokines,their receptors, extracellular matrix components, proteases and lipids. Loss of regulation by any of thesemediators may lead to pathologies impairing vascular function. This renewal application to the IDeA Programexpands upon the successes of the previous funding period and requests support for this COBRE inVascular Biology. The goals of application are to 1) support young and early career investigators towardsenior investigator status, 2) support and expand Core facilities established in the previous funding period tosupport ongoing and future needs of COBRE as well as other MMCRI investigators, 3) recruit additionalsenior investigators to build the right balance of junior and senior investigators to guide the vision and growthof the Center, and 4) to succeed in the vision of nurturing an international recognized Center of Excellence inVascular Biology that was conceived and initiated in the previous funding period. This application iscomprised of five projects: Project 1, Control of vascular fibrosis and collagen deposition by a novelregulator, Cthrc-1 Project 2, The contribution of smooth muscle cells to the pathology of gastrointestinalstromal tumors; Project 3, SMAD-independent TGF(3 signaling mechanisms in angiogenesis; Project 4,Mechanism of non-classical release of the angiogenesis regulator interleukin 1a;and Project 5, Sproutyaction in hematopoietic compartments. Proposed expansion of the program includes recruitment of 1) ajunior magnetic resonance imaging scientist, 2) a senior investigator studying vessel-wall relatedinflammatory mechanisms, and 3) a senior investigator studying mechanisms of arteriogenesis. Projects willbe supported by the Protein, Nucleic Acid Analysis, and Cell Imaging Core, the Mouse Transgenic andMagnetic Resonance Imaging Core, and the Cell Culture and Viral Vector Core. It is anticipated that thisrenewal award will enhance the further growth of the Center that was established by the previous award andwill result in a self-sustaining, internationally recognized Center of Vascular Biology.
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