Grants

Regional Council Capital Fund - RC6

ASP Partners Phase II Capital

Regional Council Capital Fund - RC 2

ASP Partners Phase II Capital

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Aspergillus fumigatus causes an array of respiratory diseases ranging from acute invasive aspergillus to allergic sensitization from chronic colonization. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is one of the most severe and devasting chronic diseases caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. ABPA is particularly important in people with Cystic Fibrosis (pwCF) as it is associated with worsening lung function and increased frequency of exacerbations in those individuals. ABPA is associated with fungal persistence in the lungs, ultimately leading to fungal sensitization, characterized by high total serum IgE levels, as well as a large increase in airway Th2 cytokines that drive airway eosinophilia. Currently, there is a critical knowledge gap in our understanding of the host-pathogen interactions which enable certain Aspergillus fumigatus strains to persist long-term in the lungs thus driving fungal sensitization and ABPA disease progression. In collaboration with colleagues within the Dartmouth Cystic Fibrosis Research Center (DartCF) we have developed a novel ABPA murine model, which we will use to understand both the fungal and host factors enabling fungal persistence and ABPA disease initiation and progression. This proposal fills the aforementioned knowledge gap by examining both the role host lung-resident macrophages in establishing a protective, long-term survival niche for fungal persistence and alterations in fungal resistance to antifungal killing by those same lung-resident macrophages can alter ABPA disease initiation and progression. In SA1, we will determine the fungal- intrinsic pathways enabling Aspergillus fumigatus to persist in those lung-resident alveolar macrophages. Moreover, we will utilize a library of clinical Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from pwCF to determine if there is a selection of these pathways. In SA2, we examine the host pathways within the lung-resident alveolar macrophages which are responsible for long-term persistence of those cells after Aspergillus fumigatus engagement using classic immunological techniques (e.g. conditional knock-out mice and adoptive transfers) and a novel pooled genetic screen. Finally, we seek to provide proof-of- concept data that targeting these lung-resident macrophage populations could alter the disease course of ABPA in our mouse model. Together, these data will provide novel insights into mechanisms of fungal persistence which aids in the development and progression of ABPA in mammals. Overall, this research fills a critical gap by providing the field with a better understanding of how fungal traits beyond allergen expression may regulate chronic allergic fungal diseases, like APBA, while also identifying a unique host-targeted therapeutic approach to limit Aspergillus fumigatus persistence within the lungs of a mammalian host to ameliorate chronic fungal disease.

FALCON ROAD MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT LLC

Service Industry Machinery and Equipment and Supplies

National Institutes of Health

Assay development and screening for discovery of chemical probes, drugs or immunomodulators (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health

Assay Development and Screening for Discovery of Validated Chemical Hits for Brain Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health

Assay Validation of High Quality Markers for Clinical Studies in Cancer (UH2/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health

Assay Validation of High Quality Markers for Clinical Studies in Cancer (UH3 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

Eastern Queens Alliance, Inc.

To collect air and noise pollution data to provide a better understanding of levels of pollution and health concerns of the community.

Eastern Queens Alliance, Inc.

To collect air and noise pollution data to provide a better understanding of levels of pollution and health concerns of the community.

NIA - National Institute on Aging

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a complex etiology affecting over six million individuals in the United States alone, with numbers projected to rise significantly as the population ages. Concomitant changes in gut microbiome and metabolome composition have been observed over the course of Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline, suggesting host microbiota may mediate the pathophysiological processes of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Gut microbes contribute to host metabolism through the production and modification of metabolites, such as bile acids, which collectively influence overall metabolic health. Lifestyle interventions, such as diet modification, are promising strategies for lowering dementia risk, and these modifications are also influential in regulating the gut microbiome. However, the long-term effects of specific dietary interventions on microbially-mediated bile acid profiles and their impact on cognitive decline remain poorly understood, motivating further investigation. This proposal seeks to apply advanced computational and algorithmic approaches to identify compositional and functional changes in the gut microbiome and metabolome over the course of longitudinal dietary interventions. Aim 1 of this proposal will unify three independent cohorts assessing the impact of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, a diet high in plants and healthy fats, on cognitive decline. By conducting phylogenetically-aware metagenomic analyses and network-based untargeted metabolomic analyses, this proposal aims to identify changes in microbial communities and bile acid profiles during Mediterranean dietary interventions, and correlate these changes with host phenotypes indicative of Alzheimer’s risk. Complementarily, Aim 2 of this proposal will assess the prognostic potential of gut microbiome and metabolome features by constructing and evaluating machine learning models to predict cognitive outcomes over the course of intervention. These efforts will deepen our understanding of the relationship between diet, the gut microbiome, bile acid proliferation, and cognitive health by employing standardized and reproducible methodological analyses across large cohorts. Ultimately, this research is poised to reveal mechanistic targets for future study, facilitating the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease in at-risk populations.

NIA - National Institute on Aging

SUMMARY The functions of long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as crucial regulators of transcription, epigenetic modifications, mRNA stability, localization, and translation indicate their potential involvement in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Given the impairment of these fundamental cellular processes in AD, lncRNAs emerge as plausible targets. Consistent with this possibility, several studies have demonstrated altered expression of specific lncRNAs in various AD models. However, the precise roles, mechanisms, and cell-specific contributions of these lncRNAs in AD development remain unclear. This exploratory/developmental R21 proposal aims to systematically investigate the regulation of expression and function of lncRNA SLAMR in the pathogenesis of AD. SLAMR lncRNA was discovered from an unbiased screen of learning regulated lncRNAs. We find that SLAMR lncRNA in mouse CA1 is critical for synapse density, morphology, plasticity and memory. Importantly, we find that SLAMR functions as a key modulator of translation and structural plasticity. Gain of function of SLAMR resulted in enhanced translation and functional synapses. Our preliminary data show that SLAMR expression is impaired in APP knock-in (App NL-G-F) mouse model of AD. We will now assess the role of SLAMR mediated translation in App NL-G-F model and Tau model (PS19) of AD. Our systematic functional experiments are anticipated to unveil the role of SLAMR in the progression of AD pathogenesis. Successful completion of this proposal will shed light on the significance of lncRNAs in AD pathogenesis and influence the development of lncRNA-based therapeutics for AD.

Pratt Properties

Assessment & Cleanup at 1153 W. 2nd Avenue, Eugene

Spring Valley Concerned Citizens Coalition

Assessment of Multiple diesel sources and their effects on Spring Valley residents - Air quality monitoring of bus and train depots with community education.

Spring Valley Concerned Citizens Coalition

Assessment of Multiple diesel sources and their effects on Spring Valley residents - Air quality monitoring of bus and train depots with community education.

Environmental Conservation

Asset Management Plan

Staffordshire Water System Inc.

Asset Management Plan

Tooley Water District

Asset Planning and Leak Detection Study

Composite Approach, LLC

Assist Composite Approach in purchasing equipment, hiring and training 40 employees, collaborating on industry standards, creating and sharing training videos, and collaborating with workforce agencies to recruit, hire, and train underserved people.

Element Six Technologies

Assist Element Six in the construction of a 60,000 square-foot facility on Lot 7 of the Gresham Vista Business Park. The project is expected to be complete by January 2020.

NW Bend Boats, LLC

Assist NW Bend Boats (DBA North River Boats) in the construction of a dedicated training facility for hull fabricator.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association

Assist Oregon Shakespeare with equipment to mitigate future wildfire smoke impacts.

The Higher Taste LTD

Assist The Higher Taste with construction and equipment costs related to food production expansion

Wayfair LLC

Assist Wayfair to build out customer care facility in Springfield, and stand up workforce training, requireing multiple community benefits.