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Summer of 2024
The UICHeart
Undergraduate Research Experience
and Mentoring Program
UICHeart for Summer of 2024
The UICHeart Undergraduate Research Experience and Mentoring Program will provide an opportunity for five undergraduate students each year for three years to gain hands-on research experience and exposure to careers in cardiovascular science. The objectives of the proposed program are 1.) To provide a mentored research experience in cardiovascular science and 2.) To provide training in professional skills that will assist the participants in pursuing a research-intensive or research related career.
The cornerstone of the program is active mentored research participation by undergraduate students. Complementing the research experience will be a series of career development activities. Throughout the ten weeks, workshops, panel discussions, and seminars will provide training in experimental design and professional skills, scientific communication, research ethics and the graduate school and professional school application process. The program will culminate in presentations at the UICHeart Research Symposium and Awards Ceremony.
Requirements for student participants:
1. Eligibility Applicants must be currently enrolled as undergraduate students who will have junior or senior academic status during the program. Students must be in good academic standing with a GPA ≥ 3.0. At the time of application, students must be United States citizens or foreign nationals holding a student, exchange or permanent resident visa, including an F1, H1, H1B, J1, PR, TC or TN visa. Awardees must meet American Heart Association citizenship criteria throughout the duration of the award.
The AHA is deeply committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse group of trainees and employees that refleects the AHA patient population and community, with a focus on candidates who are Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM). Students who are economically disadvantaged, disabled and/or part of a group or community that is Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) are strongly encouraged to apply.
2. Participation in research program 100% effort for 10 weeks, equal to 40 hours per week. The trainee should have no additional jobs and should not be taking classes during the funded time.
3. Attend at least 10 professional development activities organized by Prof. Jeffery and colleagues (most will be available via zoom). Workshops, panel discussions, and seminars will provide training in experimental design and professional skills, scientific communication, research ethics and the graduate school and professional school application process.
Completed applications can be returned to Prof. Constance Jeffery at [email protected]. Positions will be filled in a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
Dates of professional development program: May 13 to July 19 (approximately 1 meeting per week)
Satisfactory student participation in the research and professional development activities includes a stipend of $600/week ($6000 total).
Funds are also available for mentees to travel to a scientific meeting (optional) The participants are encouraged to present their research at a national meeting, for example AHA meetings, the SACNAS Conference, or ABRCMS. Travel funds to conferences will be provided through the AHA UICHeart grant.
UICHeart 2024 examples of research projects
Dr. Lindsay Slater, Physical Therapy, College of Applied Health Sciences
Research Program:
Lower limb amputations (LLA) are twice as common as upper extremity amputations. After LLA, the long-term consequences are dauting with most individuals with LLA experiencing severe joint pain in their back, hips, and knee(s). The existing pain can make it difficult for individuals with LLA to remain active and return to work, which can lead to a multitude of concerns. Lack of activity and community engagement is associated with psychological distress (e.g., depression) and worsened health (e.g., higher blood pressure). These health risks are present for individuals with LLA who have the most advanced prosthesis, suggesting that prosthetic design, fit, and use are not the only important factors in outcomes following LLA. The goal of our study is to use an easy and safe treatment, ischemic preconditioning (IC), to improve function in individuals with LLA so that these individuals can lead longer, healthier lives. IC is a treatment that includes the use of an inflated blood pressure cuff on the leg to stop blood flow to the lower extremity (down through the toes) for five minutes followed by five minutes of normal blood flow while the cuff is deflated. This cycle is repeated five times for a total of 50 minutes and can improve strength, increase muscle volume and blood flow. These improvements in the intact limb would lead to better functional performance and activities of daily living.
Our study requires each participant to come into the laboratory up to 10 times over the course of the study, 7 of which are for interventional treatment. The undergraduate student on this project would be paired with a doctoral student to learn and master the IC intervention as well as review physiologic reasons that may be medically concerning. Each participant responds differently to the safe IC intervention and provides an unique learning experience for an undergraduate student to practice communication and empathy while engaging with research participants of varied backgrounds. This experience would be appropriate for a student planning to continue schooling in medicine or research.
Dr. Monica Lee, Center for Cardiovascular Research, Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine
Research Program:
Vascular homeostasis is an essential biological process involving multiple cell types and
signaling pathways. Endothelial cells (ECs) form the innermost lining of the cardiovascular (CV) system, serving as a cellular interphase between circulating blood and the vessel wall.
The constant exposure to circulating factors therefore triggers a variety of biochemical and physical changes in ECs to influence the vasculature. Endothelial health is intricately tied to the controlled exchange of transcription factors through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) to govern the transcriptome and identity of ECs. While the nuclear envelope has garnered interest as a novel regulator of EC function, the mechanisms by which NPCs regulate EC and vascular function are completely undefined. Exciting studies from our lab implicate nucleoporin93 (Nup93), a critical NPC protein, as indispensable players for vascular protection. Moreover, we have identified a previously undescribed phosphorylation residue on Nup93 to suggest a possible regulatory function for Nup93 phosphorylation. Considering nucleoporin abnormalities were only first associated with CV disease within the last decade, we herein present a unique opportunity to bridge an unknown gap between nucleoporins and endothelial regulation. The Lee Lab therefore aims to investigate how Nup93, a major NPC component, influences endothelial and cardiovascular health. Similar to previous undergraduate projects in the Lee lab, trainees will be provided focused research projects that involve direct exposure to primary cell culture and analyses methods. Examples include manipulation of Nup93 expression in primary ECs coupled with: a) immunoblot analyses and functional readouts of endothelial behavior (e.g. inflammation); and b) localization of transcription factors via microscopy techniques. Undergraduate projects are designed such that the trainee works alongside a standing member (graduate student/tech) in the Lee Lab. This not only provides additional guidance but also exposes trainees to the dynamics of a research environment for project engagement. Elucidating the underlying biology of how endothelial NPC components contribute to cardiovascular disease would allow for early diagnosis and the development of therapeutic interventions for an improved quality of life, thus in line with the mission of the AHA.
Dr. Shane Philips, Professor, Physical Therapy Associate Head, College of Applied Health Sciences
A. Goals of Research Program
Dr. Philips is currently a PI on a 1-year exercise clinical trial in African Americans and Caucasians with high blood pressure. He is experienced in the logistics involved in coordinating clinical studies which is critical for the training of clinical scientists in this program. His laboratory (the Vascular Biology Laboratory) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
routinely measures flow-mediated dilation and arterial diameter using ultrasound, in vitro methods using isolated resistance artery preparations to measure arterial diameter, carotid IMT measurements, pulse wave velocity, mRNA expression of pro- and anti-oxidant pathways
and reactive oxygen species measurements in the vascular wall of biopsy specimens. In addition, the group performs exercise testing and exercise training interventions in a fully equipped research exercise laboratory. Dr. Philips' laboratory collaborates with the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise: A National Data Base (FRIEND) where UIC is a core cardiopulmonary exercise testing site. Long Term Goals: The long term goals of the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Chicago (Department of Physical Therapy) include the development of exercise and dietary interventions for optimal cardiovascular health in patients with obesity, kidney disease, and high blood pressure. More specifically the research group is interested in identifying the molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby elevations in blood pressure during certain exercise interventions (resistance and aerobic) might threaten the health of the vascular endothelium (a critical milestone in the development of heart disease).
B. Projects for Undergraduate Student Training
Students would be involved in research related to diet/nutrition and or exercise. Currently, there are multiple studies being done in Dr. Philips' research lab. One study is examining the effects of protein supplementation and exercise in dialysis patients. Another study is looking at the effects of a low carbohydrate, low fat diet on cardiovascular health. This experience would be a great opportunity for an undergraduate to expand your knowledge and skills in the medical and rehabilitation sciences.
Dr. Dawood Darbar, Director of the Division of Cardiology, Center for Cardiovascular
Research, co-Director of the UI College of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program
(MSTP).
A. Goals of Research Program
The goal of Dr. Darbar's research since its inception has been the translation of cardiovascular pathophysiology from bench to bedside, with a focus on cardiac arrhythmias, a major public health problem. Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects 2-5 million Americans and continues to be a major cause of significant morbidity and increased mortality. Until recently, AF was considered to be a sporadic, non-genetic disorder, but studies at multiple centers including ours have identified both common and rare genetic variants contributing to AF susceptibility. Although the underlying mechanisms have not been entirely worked out, this line of investigation clearly suggests that AF is a genetic disease with variable age-dependent penetrance determined by diverse genetic and acquired arrhythmogenic mechanisms. He has developed a research program that addresses both clinical management as well as underlying genetic issues in AF. He established the Vanderbilt AF Registry, a key enabling resource for studies that now includes clinical data and biosamples from >3000 subjects and their families and more recently the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) AF Registry. His lab has used these resources to identify clinical, genetic, and molecular subtypes of AF, laying the groundwork for a long-term vision of replacing empiric treatment for AF with mechanism-based therapy. These clinical-DNA registries have also been a critical component of national and international genome-wide association studies that have identified over 140 common AF risk loci. The biorepositories major focus on ascertainment of families has also allowed the group to identify novel genes linked with AF using traditional linkage analysis, candidate gene and next generation sequencing. In collaboration with Mayo investigators, Dr. Darbar identified a mutation in NPPA, encoding atrial natriuretic peptide, in an AF family, opening a new pathway for exploration of AF susceptibility. They have identified additional NPPA mutations in their
biorepositories and are now using mouse models to explore how these modulate AF
susceptibility. Furthermore, his laboratory’s experience in functionally characterizing genetic variants associated with AF by in vitro electrophysiology and in vivo zebrafish expression and more recently ex-vivo using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived atrial cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-aCMs) has defined the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of AF.
B. Projects for Undergraduate Student Training
Dr. Darbar has fostered the development of undergraduates, MSTP trainees, medical students, residents, and fellows. He has mentored over 30 trainees over the last decade including 10 K08/23 awardees of which six have transitioned to R01s/VA Merit Awards. His laboratory provides an excellent environment for training undergraduate researchers in projects utilizing molecular biology and genetics, ion channel physiology, human disease modeling, and clinical and translational research. In summary, Dr. Darbar has a demonstrated record of mentoring cardiovascular trainees as well as successful and productive research in translational genetics and pharmacogenomics of arrhythmias.
To apply, please download application form below. Completed applications can be returned to Prof. Constance Jeffery at [email protected]. Positions will be filled in a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
| application_for_undergraduate_uicheart_2024research_opportunity.docx |
