A new pilot study, conducted by the Mt. Hope Family Center, finds that children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and their families benefit from a multi-component intervention. Children who received the intervention showed lower levels of anxiety and modest, but significant, gains in their ability to control emotions better. The biggest change, however, came in the parents’ understanding of their children’s disabilities and their improved ability to respond to their children’s needs.

“The biggest impact is the effect on parents,” says Christie Petrenko, a research psychologist and the lead author of the study. “The intervention really helps parents understand their children’s behavior and lets them understand why their kids are the way they are.”

The Rochester pilot tested a multi-component intervention called the Families on Track Integrated Preventive Intervention Program. The study is published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. (Click here to read.)

The caregivers and parents who received the multi-component intervention experienced medium to large effects on their ability to interpret the children’s behavior correctly, finding social support, and taking care of themselves. They also reported feeling more confident in their parenting. The researchers observed medium-sized improvements in both groups when it came to reducing the children’s disruptive behavior.

Read more here.

In 2015, the University joined more than 500 American business, industry, higher education, science, and engineering organizations in a call to action for stronger federal policies and investment to drive domestic research and development.

Each organization signed “Innovation: An American Imperative,” a document urging Congress to enact policies and make investments to ensure that the U.S. remains the global innovation leader.

At the two-year mark, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences has released the “Innovation Imperative Progress Report” detailing the status for the group’s seven key science, research, and innovation policy priorities.

Drosophila melanogaster—the common fruit fly—is widely used in laboratory experiments because it can provide insights into the biological processes of other, more complex organisms, including humans.

However, what is seen in fruit flies in the lab may bear little resemblance to what is seen in fruit flies in the wild—especially when it comes to the bacteria found in their intestinal tracts, two University of Rochester researchers and a colleague at Cornell report in Ecology Letters.

Their findings challenge some widely held assumptions about whether an organism’s diet determines the bacteria likely to be found in its gut. The findings also challenge a recent hypothesis about how this bacterial population should vary among different species.

Lead author Vincent Martinson, a postdoctoral research associate in the lab of John Jaenike, professor of biology, collected 215 wild, mushroom-eating fruit flies of four different but ecologically overlapping species in Rochester area woodlands. Theirs is the first study to analyze gut microbiota (the microbe population living in the intestine) at the level of individual flies in wild Drosophila. Intestinal microbes enable an organism to process otherwise inaccessible energy sources in the diet, exclude pathogens, and detoxify certain compounds.

Martinson discovered that:

1. The communities of bacteria in the intestines of the wild flies he collected were quite different from those found in the guts of similar species in the lab. This is a clear indication that the lab is an “abnormal environment compared to what the flies experience in the wild,” says co-author Jaenike.
2. The bacteria most commonly found in the guts of the wild flies were not present, or were found in only small amounts in the decaying mushrooms they feed upon. This contradicts a widely held assumption that “whatever they’re eating, that’s what’s in their gut,” Martinson says. Exactly why the bacterial composition in the gut differs from the diet is not clear, he adds. “Potentially the gut is selecting for a certain set of microbes that can survive with the different oxygen content or the antimicrobials that the host is producing,” Martinson says. “Or there may be microbes specialized to the gut that have identified that this is a good place to live.”
3. The exact composition of gut bacteria varied widely from one individual fly to another, even within the same species. However, there were broad similarities in the types of bacteria found in the guts of all four species despite the “deep” genetic divergence of those species. This contradicts a relatively new hypothesis suggesting that widely divergent species should exhibit fewer similarities in their microbiota.

The findings suggest researchers may want to rethink how they use fruit flies in their experiments. Read more here.

A team led by Xin Li, assistant professor in the departments of biochemistry and biophysics and urology, has shown how a host can turn a virus into a weapon to fight future viruses.

The team at the Center for RNA Biology: From Genome to Therapeutics analyzed rooster testes to examine the role of piRNA – a type of ribonucleic acid (RNA) that’s found most readily in the testes and ovaries – in safeguarding the integrity of the genetic information in germ cells. piRNA silences the genetic sequences of viral intruders. It’s also known that defects or mutations in piRNA lead to infertility in humans and other animals. What’s not known is how piRNAs are generated in the first place.

When a virus infects a host, like a chicken, the virus does everything it can to survive. One method of survival is inserting its genetic material into the chicken’s genome. Over generations, the inserted virus accumulates mutations and eventually becomes harmless to the animal, but it’s still a part of the chicken’s genetic material.

Li’s team focused on avian leukosis virus, which commonly infects and can lead to cancer in domestic chickens. Through molecular and genetic analysis, they discovered that chickens turn these old, existing viruses into piRNA-producing machines. When faced with a new avian leucosis virus (there are many different viruses in the family), the old viruses pump out piRNAs that defend the germ cells, ensuring the passage of intact genetic material to the next round of offspring.

“Better understanding piRNA may help us target more viruses, both in chickens and in people,” says Li, whose work is partially funded by a National Institute of Health grant designed to support the early careers of new scientists.

Carmala Garzione, a professor of earth and environmental sciences, and Junsheng Nie, a visiting research associate, surveyed sediment samples from the northern Tibetan Plateau’s Qaidam Basin and were able to construct paleoclimate cycle records from the late Miocene epoch of Earth’s history, which lasted from approximately 11 to 5.3 million years ago. They recently published their findings in Science Advances.

Reconstructing past climate records can help scientists determine both natural patterns and the ways in which future glacial events and greenhouse gas emissions may affect global systems.

Based on previous research on ice core, marine, and sediment records, researchers determined that for the past 800,000 years, Northern Hemisphere ice ages—in which vast areas of North America, Europe, and Asia were covered with thick sheets of ice—occurred about every 100,000 years. Prior to that period, ice ages occurred more frequently, on cycles of 41,000 years, and scientists believed this was the norm.

Using the sediment samples from the Qaidam Basin, Nie and Garzione show that the East Asian monsoon patterns in the late Miocene also follow similar 100,000 year cycles, with stronger monsoons peaking at 100,000 years and diminishing in the periods in between. This reveals a greater than 6 million earlier onset of these 100,000 year cycles than was previously documented.

“People have been thinking that the 100,000 year cycle was a later Quaternary [present-day] climate anomaly,” Nie says. “But from our results, we see that it’s not an anomaly; it was present many years before.”

Read more here.

Researchers have discovered that a protein implicated in human longevity may also play a role in restoring hearing after noise exposure.  The findings, which were published in the journal Scientific Reports, could one day provide researchers with new tools to prevent hearing loss.

The study reveals that a gene called Forkhead Box O3 (Foxo3) appears to play a role in protecting outer hair cells in the inner ear from damage.  The outer hair cells act as a biological sound amplifier and are critical to hearing. When exposed to loud noises, these cells undergo stress.  In some individuals, these cells are able to recover, but in others the outer hair cells die, permanently impairing hearing.  While hearing aids and other treatments can help recover some range of hearing, there is currently no biological cure for hearing loss.

“While more than a hundred genes have been identified as being involved in childhood hearing loss, little is known about the genes that regulate hearing recovery after noise exposure,” said Patricia White, a research associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience and lead author of the study. “Our study shows that Foxo3 could play an important role in determining which individuals might be more susceptible to noise-induced hearing loss.”

Read more here.

Kilean Lucas, PhD student in biomedical engineering, who placed first in the  University’s Falling Walls competition. Lucas won $500 and an all-expenses paid trip to represent the University at the international Falling Walls competition in Berlin this fall. Lucas described how the silicon nanomembranes developed in the lab of his advisor, James McGrath, professor of biomedical engineering, could be used to filter out telltale exosomes (small, cell-derived vesicles) from the blood to provide early detection of cancer. Read more here.

(This is part of a monthly series to help principal investigators understand their role in ensuring that human subject protection requirements are met in their studies.)

Faculty members who advise or mentor students often find themselves acting as principal investigators or co-principal investigators on non-faculty (e.g., student, resident, fellow) human subject research. For faculty in these roles, it is essential to understand — as with any other human subject research you conduct — that you are accountable for those responsibilities identified in the Office for Human Subject Protection (OHSP) Policy 901 Investigator Responsibilities.

For exempt research, when students are allowed to take on the role of principal investigator, the faculty mentor should be listed as the co-principal investigator or sub-investigator.   It is important for the faculty mentor to understand that while you may not explicitly be identified as the principal investigator, the policy referenced above also identifies responsibilities specific to the mentor role. Beyond advising non-faculty Investigators throughout the lifecycle of the project, this includes ensuring non-faculty investigators:

• Meet appropriate training and education requirements regarding human subject research;
• Meet the requirements set forth in OHSP Policy 901; and
• Submit timely final closure reports to the RSRB, as required.

Questions about these responsibilities? Contact your RSRB Specialist. Looking for supplemental training for your mentee? Check out the training opportunities provided by OHSP or contact Kelly Unsworth.

The AS&E Dean’s Office presents an overview of early career funding opportunities from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, May 5, in Douglass Commons, Room 401.

The session will include resources and tips for successful proposal development and submission to multiple funding sources, including the most prestigious National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation (NSF) programs for junior faculty.

The session will feature a panel of faculty who were awarded foundational and federal young investigator/early career awards, and also those who review for the NSF CAREER program.

Space is limited—RSVP by May 2 by emailing paula.losey@rochester.edu. Direct questions to cindy.gary@rochester.edu or debra.haring@rochester.edu.

Need help with programming or data analysis this summer? University computer science and data science undergraduates and masters students are looking for summer internships. These students are available to assist with programming, data analysis, and software support. University personnel can browse the resumes in this Box folder.

The resumes will include examples of completed projects to review each student’s skills. If interested in hiring an intern, please check with your department administrator. If you wish to take advantage of this opportunity, please act promptly.  Classes end on May 3, and most students will be returning home after that date. When contacting a student, indicate that you received the resume through Professor Henry Kautz from the Goergen Institute for Data Science.

Carolyn Klocke, Toxicology, “The Disruption of Fetal Neurodevelopment as a Consequence of Gestational Exposure to Concentrated Ambient Fine and Ultrafine Particles in the Mouse.” 9 a.m., May 1, 2017. K-307 (3-6408 Medical Center). Advisor: Deborah Cory-Slechta.

Bradley Mills, Pathology, “Intratumoral Induction of Dual Specificity Phosphatase 1 Regulates the Growth and Survival of the Glioblastoma Tumor Progenitor Population.” 1 p.m., May 2, 2017. Whipple Auditorium (2-6424 Medical Center). Advisor: Marc Halterman.

Kevin Lyons, Physics, “Precision Optical Measurements Using Weak Values and Nonclassical States.” 3 p.m., May 3, 2017. Bausch and Lomb 372. Advisor: Andrew Jordan.

Wenxuan Liu, Genetics, Development and Stem Cells, “Contributions of Adult Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells to the Regeneration and Lifelong Maintenance of Neuromuscular Junctions.” 9:30 a.m., May 9, 2017. Upper Auditorium (3-7619 Medical Center). Advisor: Joe Chakkalakal.

Michael Sloma, Biochemistry, “Computational Tools for RNA Structure Prediction.” 1 p.m., May 12, 2017. Neuman Room (1-6823 Medical Center). Advisor: David Mathews.

John O’Donnell, Neurobiology and Anatomy, “Extracellular Ions and Volume Regulation in Brain States.” 9 a.m., May 15, 2017. K-307 Auditorium (3-6408 Medical Center). Advisor: Maiken Nedergaard.

Today: “How Artificial Intelligence is transforming Humanity’s Future,” presented by Henry Kautz, professor of computer science. Pangaea group discussion, hosted by the SMD Graduate Student Society and AS&E Graduate Student Association. 4:30-5:30 p.m., Goergen 108 (River Campus). Snacks, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate will be provided. Visit the GSS Facebook page for more student event updates.

May 1: Deadline to apply for Clinical and Translational Science Institute Population Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship.

May 5: Overview of early career funding opportunities, presented by AS&E Dean’s Office. Resources and tips for successful proposal development and submission; panel of faculty who have been awarded foundational/early career awards, and who review for NSF CAREER program. 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Douglass Commons, Room 401. RSVP by May 2 by emailing paula.losey@rochester.edu. Direct questions to cindy.gary@rochester.edu or debra.haring@rochester.edu.

May 12: Technology & Rare Neurological Diseases Symposium, 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Helen Wood Hall Auditorium. Center for Human Experimental Therapeutics. Patients, patient advocates, clinical research policy and regulatory experts, and researchers from academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries will brainstorm ways to apply novel mobile health technologies to rare neurological diseases. Register here; learn more on the TRNDS website.

May 15: Deadline for submitting applications for population health pilot projects supported by the Department of Public Health Science. Learn more…

May 22: Deadline to apply for pilots awards from the Center for AIDS Research, including awards of up to $50,000 each focusing on: HIV-associated cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease; stress, trauma, and vulnerable populations; and HIV cure (click here for RFA) and awards of up to $25,000 focusing the National Institutes of Health HIV/AIDS High Priority Research Topics (click here for RFA).

May 22: Deadline to apply for research awards from the Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences to collaborate with New York state companies on projects in ophthalmic and vision science, fiber optic communications, biomedical imaging, geospatial imaging, precision optics, consumer imaging and displays. Click here to learn more.

May 30: Deadline to apply for awards of up to $10,000 from the Center for AIDS Research for collaborative clinical and translational pharmacology proposals involving University of Rochester and University at Buffalo faculty. Click here for RFA.

June 1: “Excellence Through Equity: Creating Schools that Serve All Children Well,” presented by Pedro Noguera, professor of education at UCLA. Followed by panel discussion. Hosted by Warner School’s Center for Urban Education Success. 6 p.m., Edward J. Cavalier Auditorium at East High School. Free and open to the public. Read more here.