CHRB Awards Totaling $1,105,585 to 12 medical
and health researchers in Virginia
Chairman of the Commonwealth Health Research Board, Mr. S. Lawrence Kocot today
announced awards totaling $1,105,585 to 12 medical and health researchers in
Virginia. The researchers are from Eastern Virginia Medical School, George
Mason University, James Madison University, Virginia Commonwealth University,
University of Virginia, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University.
“The research that we are funding with this year’s awards has great potential to enhance the health and well being of Virginia
citizens,” said Chairman Kocot, “We are very pleased to be able to support such a talented group of Commonwealth
researchers.” The seven new grants funded this year include: controlling DNA replication as a method of treating ovarian cancer; studying
antibiotic resistance; repair of cartilage tissue; diabetic retinopathy;
cellular factors leading to diabetes; pathogenic bacteria as biothreat agents;
and, pancreatic islet cell function.
Five investigators have received a 2nd year of funding to enable them to
continue studies on the following areas: complications of diabetes in African-Americans; a method for preventing
thickening of the heart muscle in children with congenital heart defects; the
effect of aspirin and ibuprofen on fertility; causes of sex differences in development of hypertension; and, controlling
cancer cell growth and halting tumor progression.
“It is extremely gratifying to see the success of our competitive grant program
this year, “added CHRB Vice Chairman Kamlesh N. Dave. “The Board received 61 grant applications, many of which were excellent
proposals.”
The list of researchers, their respective research institutions, the amounts of
their awards, the matching funds supplied by the recipient institutions, and
the titles of the projects is attached.
The Board was established in 1997 by the Virginia General Assembly using funds
provided from the conversion of Trigon from a mutual company to a stock
company. The Board awards grants for traditional medical and biomedical
research as well as research related to health services and the delivery of
health care. From 1999 to 2007, the CHRB has awarded over $7 million dollars in research
grant funds.
The CHRB has the flexibility to provide grant funding for creative and
innovative research projects that have scientific merit and hold promise for
maximizing human health benefits for citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. CHRB grant recipients, for grant awards made in 1999 through 2002, have
leveraged almost $13 million in additional private and federal grant funds to
further their research studies.
The members of the Board are: S. Lawrence Kocot, Chairman, Alexandria; Kamlesh
N. Dave, M.D., Hopewell; The Honorable George E. Broman, M.D. Forest; Jan
Burrus, R.Ph., Alexandria; Robert S. Call, M.D., Richmond; Dianne L.
Reynolds-Cane M.D. Richmond; and, Mark J. Werner, M.D., Roanoke.
