LSU projects earn $1.48 million in veterinary, medical research

Baton Rouge, La.

-- The Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine is the recipient of eight new grants, totaling $1.48 million, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The grants have been awarded to the following projects:

Dr. Henrique Cheng, assistant professor in the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBS), earned a two-year, $150,000 grant to study the “Role of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin type 4 in dental follicle stem cell differentiation.”

Dr. Marxa L. Figueiredo, assistant professor in CBS, earned an Administrative Supplement Award of $100,000 for two years for the study, “Regulation of Normal and Neoplastic Growth.”

Dr. Thomas R. Klei, assistant dean for research and advanced studies, won a $396,318 grant for the Louisiana Biomedical Research Network (LBRN).

Dr. Shulin Li, CBS professor, won a supplemental award of $219,403 for the project, “Gene-Product Auto-Targeting to Tumor Vessels.”

Dr. Kevin Macaluso, associate professor in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences (PBS),

earned a $108,495 grant for his project, “Role of fleas in transmission of rickettsiae: ecology of flea-borne spotted fever.”

Dr. Arthur Penn, professor of toxicology in CBS, earned a sub award of $39,568 for the project, “Mitochondrial associated CVD susceptibility in humans and mice.”

Dr. Jeyseelan Samithamby, assistant CBS professor, received a $293,496 grant for the study “Neutrophil accumulation of bacterial pneumonia.”

Dr. Gary E. Wise, professor and head of CBS, and Dr. Shaomian Yao, assistant professor in CBS, earned an Administrative Supplement Award for “Molecular Basis of Tooth Eruption.” The grant will provide them with $97,679 in 2009 and $76,145 in 2010.