The proposed program is designed to motivate minority faculty members to engage in biomedical research, provide opportunities for minority students to gain biomedical research experience, and interest students in pursuing research careers in the biomedical sciences. To this end the subprojects are: 1) MOLECULAR GENOTYPING OF BLACKS WITH GRAVES' DISEASE. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and human leukocyte antigens (HLA) will be determined in blacks with Graves' Disease, their families, diabetics and normal controls. Southern blotting hybridization method will be used and DR alpha, DR beta, DQ beta and DP beta inserts used in nick translation will be obtained from cDNA clones. 2) LIPOLYTIC ENZYMES AND THEIR SUBSTRATES OF HEART, LUNG, KIDNEY AND BRAIN. The goal of this program is to contribute to the understanding of the in vivo purposes of each (and collectively) of the wide variety of endogenous ester, ether and sphingo-lipids characterizing the kidney, heart, lung and brain by an in vitro examination of their endogenous lipolytic capabilities. An elaborate and definitive system of chromatographic analysis of their lipids will provide the data. 3) PERSONALITY FACTORS IN THE DETECTION AND CONTROL OF STRESS-RELATED PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES. This project involves investigation of personality factors related to the individual's ability to detect and voluntarily control physiological variables related to stress induced or psychosomatic disorders. 4) NON-NEPHROTOXIC PLATINUM COORDINATION COMPLEXES IN COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY OF CANCER CELLS. The project includes ultrastructural and histochemical studies of the combined application of iproplatin, carboplatin and platinum-thymine on ascites sarcoma. Dose-limiting side effects in combination therapy will be monitored. The combined drug effects on plasma membrane phosphatases will be investigated. 5) HETEROPOLYFLUOROXOMETALATES AS ANTIVIRAL AGENTS. The principal objectives of the proposal study are to prepare, characterize, and explore the antiviral activity of heteropolyfluoroxometalates anions containing Mo, W, and possibly Ru, and Re as addenda atoms. The antiviral activity will be explored by (1) in vitro screening as antiviral agents, (2) testing samples as part of the anti-HIV screening process, and (3) study the inhibitory effect of the compound on some vital viral enzymes. 6) THE SOLUTION, PURIFICATION, AND SYNTHESIS OF TOXIC AMINO ACIDS HYPOGLYCINE A AND HYPOGLYCINE B. This project involves investigation of two amino acids that could eventually serve as compounds to lower blood sugar. A unique isolation procedure will be used to purify the substances.
| Ofosu, M H; Brown, C; Cheatham, W et al. (1998) TAP1 polymorphism identified in African-American Graves' disease patients. Immunol Invest 27:281-9 |
| Ofosu, M H; Dunston, G; Henry, L et al. (1996) HLA-DQ3 is associated with Graves' disease in African-Americans. Immunol Invest 25:103-10 |
