SPRIG

2014-2015 Pilot Program Awardees

PROJECT 1:

Title:  Neuronal mitochondrial quality control in vivo: live imaging of mitophagy in dopamine neurons during aging and age-related neurodegeneration

Investigators:
Edward A. Burton, MD, DPhil, FRCP, Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine
Sarah B. Berman, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine
Claudette M St Croix, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health

PROJECT 2:

Title:  Mitochondrial calcium in aging and degenerating neurons

Investigators:
Charleen T. Chu, MD, PhD, Professor, A. Julio Martinez Chair in Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine
Arjumand Ghazi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine
Zachary Wills, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine

PROJECT 3:

Title:  Study of the utility of oral nitrate therapy to improve skeletal muscle bioenergetics and physical capacity in older heart failure patients

Investigators:
Daniel Forman, MD, Professor , Department of Medicine, School of Medicine
Mark Gladwin, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine
Sruti Shiva, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, School of Medicine
Ana Mora, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine
Anne Newman, MD, MPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Epidemiology, Medicine and CLincal a& Translational Science, School of Public Health

PROJECT 4:

Title:  Assessment of peripheral mtDNA damage and dysfunction as a biomarker of Parkinson’s disease

Investigators:
Laurie Sanders, PhD, Assistant Professor, Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine
Sruti Shiva, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, School of Medicine
Samay Jain, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine