Faculty and Staff Grants From September 2024

Synthetic Protein Mimetics as Potential Therapeutics for Lewy Body Dementia

• Sunil Kumar and Daniel Paredes, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• Grant from the National Institutes of Health
• Abstract: Currently, more than 55 million people are suffering from dementia worldwide, and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) makes up to 30% of all dementia cases. There are no therapies to cure or slow down/stop the progression of LBD, making the development of therapeutics for LBD a pressing need. This study will identify potent lead therapeutics for LBD.

Colorado Elder Financial Abuse Training and Coalition-Building

• Eric Chess, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Grant from the Colorado Department of Human Services
• Abstract: The Paul Freeman Colorado Older Adults Financial Justice Coalition has been established through federal government funding to support targeted collaboration among the dispersed responders to elder financial abuse in Colorado. There is currently no training addressing both the full scope of multidisciplinary response and the details of Colorado’s state and local regulatory structures and service systems. The coalition’s composition of subject matter experts ensures a uniquely collaborative development process. This training will meet a sorely needed gap that exists in our efforts to support elders in Colorado.

Quantitative Modeling Study of Russia Futures 2035

• Jonathan Moyer, Josef Korbel School of International Studies
• Grant from the Stimson Center
• Abstract: This projected will produce a report on alternative scenarios for the long-term future of Russia and relevant geopolitical trends. It will support Stimson’s efforts to help policymakers in the next U.S. administration as well as U.S. allies and partners to develop strategies for dealing with Russia.

Renewable Energy and Development: Pardee Institute and UNDP

• Jonathan Moyer, Josef Korbel School of International Studies
• Abstract: This project will model renewable energy and development in collaboration with UNDP. It will expand IF’s modeling capabilities to forecast more types of renewable energy production to explore the implications of a global, just energy transition scenario.

Collaborative Research: IGE: Track 2: SciComm LIFT: Leveraging Institutional Capacity for Effective Graduate Student Training

• Robin Tinghitella, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• Grant from the National Science Foundation
• Abstract: Science plays a pivotal role in society’s ability to address environmental change, technology innovation and inequality. However, most scientists feel ill-equipped to share science effectively, and this issue is acute for graduate students. This study will accomplish the following: Goal 1‒ document the extent of graduate-level science communication (scicomm) training in the U.S.; Goal 2 ‒ document assessment practices/evaluation of efficacy; and Goal 3 ‒ scope systemic barriers and incentives faced by grad students and faculty associated with scicomm training.

A High-Throughput Cellular Approach to Identify Potent Antagonists of HTT Aggregation Mediated HTT Pathology

• Emily Oldani, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• Grant from the Movement Disorder Foundation
• Abstract: More than 10 million and 30,000 people  worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Huntington’s Disease (HD), respectively, without any treatment to slow or stop the progression of these neurodegenerative diseases. This proposed work will identify potential therapeutics for PD and HD. This therapeutic consists of a unique molecule that has the potential to help patients suffering from HD using the same platform we used to identify a potent lead therapeutic for PD, which has better promising pharmaceutical properties than those currently in trials.

Office of the Respondent Parents' Counsel: Evidence-Building

• Colorado Evaluation Action Lab
• Grant from the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel
• Abstract: The Colorado Lab will support the ORPC in its interdisciplinary program, present at the ORPC SFY25 Fall Conference, collaborate with ORPC to operationalize its impact, and develop an analysis plan for new evaluation work.

Rural Syringe Access Program (SAP) Needs Assessment

• Butler Institute for Families, Graduate School of Social Work
• Grant from the Mile High Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
• Abstract: The Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work, will provide evaluation in support for Mile High Behavioral Healthcare’s (MHBHC) Rural Syringe Access Program (SAP) by conducting a community needs assessment regarding syringe access and harm reduction resources in Summit County, Colorado. MHBHC’s SAP aims to improve health outcomes for people who inject drugs as well as the greater community by promoting harm reduction practices and increasing access to harm reduction resources.

Collaborative Research: Intertropical Convergence Zone Variations From Stable Oxygen Isotope Tree-Ring Records in the Tropical Americas

• Diego Pons Ganddini, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• Grant from the National Science Foundation
• Abstract: This project will use stable oxygen isotopes in the annual growth rings from trees in Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia in order to reconstruct wet season precipitation variability across the Neotropics and provide novel insights on tropical large-scale climate dynamics that are otherwise unavailable from both current observations and existing paleoclimate records. We will use these new data to study the range of variability and any recent trends in tropical convection and rainfall.

Preparation of Research Paper on Land Restoration and Food Resilience in Yemen

• Jonathan Moyer, Josef Korbel School of International Studies
• Grant from the United Nations Development Programme
• Abstract: This project will improve understanding of land degradation in Yemen. Pardee will collaborate with several other researchers to explore land degradation and restoration scenarios to help outline policy-based solutions anchored within the five pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

University of Denver Museum of Anthropology and Pueblo of Acoma NAGPRA Consultation Project

• Anne Amati, Department of Anthropology
• Grant from the National Park Service
• Abstract: The project objectives are to (1) host Pueblo of Acoma representatives at DUMA for a two-day review of the collection; (2) establish duty of care plans for Pueblo of Acoma cultural items in the possession or control of DUMA prior to repatriation; and (3) engage students in the NAGPRA process. In support of the NAGPRA grant program goals, this project will engage the Pueblo of Acoma in meaningful consultation with the museum, promote ongoing relationships and possibly result in the repatriation of NAGPRA cultural items.

Repatriation of Cultural Items to Gila River Indian Community and Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community

• Anne Amati, Department of Anthropology
• Grant from the National Park Service
• Abstract: This project supports the repatriation of 62 cultural items. This project was a partnership between the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The goal of the project was to physically transfer 62 cultural items to the two Tribes following legal transfer. This repatriation benefited Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community because they were able to bring home cultural items to their communities.

WestAF TourWest 2024

• Aisha Ahmad-Post, Newman Center for the Performing Arts
• Grant from the Western States Arts Federation (subaward National Endowment for the Arts)
• Abstract: WESTAF’s TourWest Grant provides flexible funding for presenters/presenting organizations within the WESTAF region to support their regional touring program. WESTAF also encourages the inclusion of community/educational outreach as part of an organization’s presentation of touring artists.

Preclinical Study of Cdc42 Modulatory Compounds in the G93A Mutant hSOD1Mouse Model of ALS

• Daniel Linseman, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• Grant from the University of South Carolina