URIs_MOMENTUM_Research_and_Innovation_Magazine_Fall_2024_Mel

Momentum Research & Innovation

DIVISION OF RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

URI LEADS BIOMEDICAL LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH

FALL 2024

The fall 2024 semester got off to a busy and beautiful start. The research community at the University of Rhode Island (URI) continues to do fantastic work. As highlighted in annual report section of this issue, our extramurally funded research portfolio continues to grow, and hit an all-time high of $161.1 million in awards in FY24. Our faculty and researchers continue to do an incredible job seeking funding from a diverse group of agencies to support their work. We launched FY25 with URI leading several large collaborative projects that promise to improve climate resilience and the blue economy in our state and across the country. Since 2019, URI has been the home of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funded Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI), which leads efforts in exploring and mapping the ocean, which just received a five-year renewal of more than $20 million. Led by Professor Adam Soule at the Graduate School of Oceanography, the OECI includes our partners the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Southern Mississippi and the not-for-profit Ocean Exploration Trust. MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

BETHANY D. JENKINS, PH.D. Vice President of Research and Economic Development Professor, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Graduate School of Oceanography

During this year’s general election, voters in Rhode Island will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 2 on a higher education bond that includes $87.5 million in funding that will support a new biomedical sciences building on The University of Rhode Island (URI) campus in Kingston, RI. URI has established a strong foundation to support cutting-edge research and training in the life sciences, and biomedical sciences, including neuroscience. The proposed facility would support the expansion of existing programs and the development of new initiatives and would build on the momentum of the state’s investment in the newly established life sciences hub. The proposed biomedical sciences building would provide state of-the-art laboratory space for faculty and student researchers engaged in important work across a range of biomedical, biotechnology, and life science-related fields. In January, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee proposed the new building as part of URI’s science quad on Flagg Road on its Kingston campus. “We are on the cusp with AI, research, data collection, and the whole next generation of what’s happening in this country,” McKee said at the Rhode Island Life Science Hub Inaugural Summit in May. “This is a unique opportunity for Rhode Island to step up, not only be part of the game but be a leader.” With more than 6,000 students studying a field related to the life sciences, URI is developing an educated workforce that will attract life sciences companies to Rhode Island—creating job opportunities, strengthening the economic vitality, and driving innovation in the Ocean State. “URI is leading cutting-edge research and education in the biomedical and life sciences,” said URI President Marc Parlange. “Our researchers are accelerating important advances in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS. We are helping to drive economic development in the state, and our graduates are making an impact, both locally and globally. We are Rhode Island’s flagship university and we are committed to addressing the needs of our state and improving the lives of all Rhode Islanders.” The collection of articles in this issue of Momentum highlights how the University has grown into a national leader in the biomedical and life sciences. With support from Rhode Islanders, the institution can improve the research facilities on campus, enhance faculty research, student education, workforce development, and the economy of the state. Proposed Biomedical Sciences Building

URI also received $8 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to lead the Rhode Island Network for Excellence in Science and Technology (RI-NEST), which will bolster the state’s research competitiveness and support societal and economic growth. Elin Torrell, director of URI’s Coastal Institute, leads this project which includes the Narragansett Indian Tribe, Rhode Island College, Brown University, Roger Williams University, and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). URI secured NSF funding as well for the ENACTS project (Equitable NAture-based ClimaTe Solutions) that will drive research and workforce development on equitable design and implementation of nature-based solutions. This $6 million project is led by College of Environment and Life Sciences geosciences Professor Soni Pradhanang along with Madison Jones, assistant professor of professional and public writing/natural resources science, Jason Parent, assistant professor of natural resources science, and Emi Uchida professor and department chair of environmental and natural resource economics. They will work with colleagues at the URI Coastal Institute, University of New Hampshire, Antioch University in New Hampshire, RISD, and the University of Louisville. This issue of Momentum: Research and Innovation features the inroads that URI researchers are making to address some of the most challenging health issues of our day. The magazine also showcases how our faculty and students in fine arts enrich our human experiences. Facilities are essential for our community’s work, across campus and across disciplines. We look forward to having advanced studio and gallery spaces and seeing inspiring performances soon in the renovated Fine Arts Center on URI’s Kingston campus. In 2021, the voters of RI supported $57.3 million in bonds toward this project. This fall in the general election, URI will ask Rhode Island voters to support a new biomedical and life sciences building through a yes vote on bond measure 2; a combined $160.5 million higher education bond, with $87.5 million directed to the URI facility. URI is so proud of the work our researchers are doing. This state-of-the-art infrastructure will attract and retain talented faculty and students and accelerate their essential research. I look forward to seeing everyone at the ballot box soon and hope you join me in voting “YES ON 2” this November.

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In Dedication to Thomas J. Rockett, Ph.D. This issue of Momentum: Research and Innovation is dedicated to Thomas J. Rockett, Ph.D. who passed away on September 19, 2024.

Tom was a graduate of Tufts University and received his master’s degree in geophysics from Boston College and his Ph.D. in mineralogy and mineral engineering from Ohio State University. He began his career with the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, working on early applications of space probes and ceramic heat shields as part of the Apollo program. He also worked as a research scientist for Monsanto, and on materials for the Starr Edwards Heart Valve and other medical devices at American Hospital Supply. He joined URI in 1971 as a professor of chemical engineering and thoroughly enjoyed teaching, mentoring faculty, collaborating with his colleagues, and working with students in the research lab. In his nearly 30 years at the University, he served as chair of the chemical engineering department, advancing to vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School. One of his favorite responsibilities in this role was quoting movies and music from the year in his commencement speech as he imparted his sage wisdom on the graduates.

June 4, 1934 - September 19, 2024

After his retirement in June 2000, he was appointed by Governor Donald Carcieri to the Board of Governors for Higher Education, serving until 2011. He was also a founding member of the URI Research Foundation, until 2023, a founding member of the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council, and board member of the East Greenwich Library. He was a true gentleman, a kind, intelligent, generous, and thoughtful person. He and his wife Sarah, who also worked at URI, were married for 60 years. Tom was dedicated to his family, the University of Rhode Island, and the state of Rhode Island. He found great joy in life and shared that joy with all who knew him. Anyone who spent time with him left with a smile on their face.

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Inside this issue: 8 Growing the Biomedical Sciences Ecosystem in Rhode Island Building on the success of the George & Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, URI seeks support for a state of-the-art biomedical science research facility to grow and strengthen the capacity of the state and the University to combat neurodegenerative diseases. 18 URI’s ESTEEMED Program: Paving the Way for New Undergraduate Research Opportunities The URI ESTEEMED program is giving students from underrepresented backgrounds hands-on research experience in the cutting-edge fields of biomedical, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, and health sciences. 22 Expanding Rhode Island’s Research Capacity for Life-Saving Discoveries URI’s College of Pharmacy has distinguished itself as one of the most prolific pharma research institutions in the country. A new life sciences building could clinch its status. 30 Building a Robust Environment to Support Nursing Research and Education at URI’s College of Nursing URI’s new transformational leader, Dean Danny Willis of the College of Nursing envisions expansion through growth in research funding, advocates for state-of-the-art facilities for research faculty and collaborative workspaces, and being prepared for an ever-changing healthcare landscape—including advanced information technology, telehealth, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.

THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND Marc B. Parlange, Ph.D. President, URI Bethany D. Jenkins, Ph.D. Vice President URI Division of Research and Economic Development

34 URI Nursing Researchers Track Long Term Impact of Preterm Birth For more than 30 years URI nursing professors have researched the impacts of preterm birth and the effects on individuals as they age. 38 On the Horizon for URI’s College of Health Sciences With URI’s new leadership in the College of Health Sciences, Dean Patrick Viver is looking to the future by offering new degrees and building interdisciplinary collaboration to create synergistic opportunities in health care. 41 Research in Motion Susan D’Andrea’s cutting edge research utilizes innovative technologies in her biomechanics lab to help stroke patients walk better and amputees use their prosthetics better. 44 Empowering People with Parkinson’s Disease URI physical therapist Assistant Professor Clarkin works with patients suffering from ALS, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and spinal cord injuries to educate clinicians, to improve interventions, and to engage the community. 48 A New Fine Arts Ushers in a New Era of Creativity URI nears the completion of the Fine Arts Center. The renovation includes 93,000 square feet of new and renovated space to foster collaboration among faculty and students in the many departments in the center.

Professor, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Graduate School of Oceanography Editorial Board Melissa McCarthy, M.A. ‘99, Editor-in-Chief Chris Barrett ‘08 Amy Dunkle Allison Farrelly ‘16 Shaun Kirby ’07 Molly Stevens ‘20 Contributing Writers

Chris Barrett ‘08 Michael Blanding Matthew Brady ‘25 Allison Farrelly ‘16 Nicole Maranhas Molly Stevens ‘20

Layout & Design: Krisanne Murray, DesignRoom.co Photography: Beau Jones ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Momentum: Research & Innovation is published by the vice president for Research and Economic Development with editorial, graphic design, and production by the Office of University Research External Relations.

For more information contact: Melissa McCarthy, M.A. ‘99, Editor-in-Chief Director, University Research External Relations University of Rhode Island

75 Lower College Road Kingston, RI 02881 USA Telephone: 401.874.2599 E-mail: melissa@uri.edu Website: web.uri.edu/research

Photo: This is a new generation recording electrode called the Neuropixels 2.0, which allows recording the electrical impulses of hundreds of neurons at a time.

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GROWING THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES ECOSYSTEM IN RHODE ISLAND

“Neuroscience is a point of pride for URI with tremendous opportunity for growth. By attracting top scientific talent to the area, training students, and forming collaborative partnerships, URI has very quickly become a dynamic neuroscience and biomedical research community.”

THE GEORGE & ANNE RYAN INSTITUTE FOR NEUROSCIENCE

- John Robinson

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John Robinson and William Van Nostrand, investigate how and why neurodegenerative diseases develop and seeks innovative solutions. “Neuroscience is a point of pride for URI with tremendous opportunity for growth,” says Robinson, who is also the Thomas M. Ryan Professor of Neuroscience. “By attracting top scientific talent to the area, training students, and forming collaborative partnerships, URI has very quickly become a dynamic neuroscience and biomedical research community.” Robinson has helped advance the understanding of the role of diet, exercise, and cognitive stimulation on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other similar conditions. “We know now that Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related disorders are not determined by a single cause,” he says. “They are most likely diseases with multiple contributors that will require more than one form of treatment, and those will not necessarily be the same for every individual.” Van Nostrand, the Herrmann Professor of Neuroscience, echoes his directorial partner’s sentiment: “By understanding the pathological mechanisms of these diseases, we can identify biomarkers that could lead to earlier or improved diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately prevention.” A biochemist by training, Van Nostrand has focused his research career on the role of blood vessels in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. Early in his career he identified an enzyme inhibitor that he

found to be the progenitor of amyloid beta, a protein that accumulates abnormally in the brain of those with Alzheimer’s disease. His expertise in cerebral amyloid angiopathy, which causes bleeding in the brain, could be key to understanding related disorders, including hypertension. Van Nostrand began collaboration with pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly in January 2024 to investigate the bleeding risk associated with newly FDA-approved Alzheimer’s disease treatments. He also collaborated with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on a drug to stop the over-accumulation of amyloid-beta protein that plays a role in Alzheimer’s disease. MindImmune Therapeutics, an independent biotech company based at URI and affiliated with the Ryan Institute, plans to begin clinical testing of an Alzheimer’s antibody drug late next year. “We see that many diseases that affect the brain blood vessels have certain pathologies in common,” Van Nostrand says. “If we can better understand the molecular mechanisms involved, we may be able to find targets for multiple disorders that lead to dementia.” But the Ryan Institute’s mission transcends intervention in active disease. Neurodegenerative disease prevention is another of its key aims. For example, Jessica Alber, assistant professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research assistant professor of neuroscience, holds a $10 million grant

Many URI neuroscience faculty members collaborate with nearby biotech, pharmaceutical,

JOHN ROBINSON Co-Executive Director; Thomas M. Ryan Professor of Neuroscience Professor, Psychology and Biomedical/ Pharmaceutical Sciences

and clinical entities in Rhode Island and

Massachusetts, as well as medical and academic institutions across the U.S. and overseas.

WILLIAM VAN NOSTRAND Co-Executive Director; Herrmann Professor of Neuroscience Professor of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Neurodegenerative diseases—which include Alzheimer’s disease, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Parkinson’s disease, and age-related dementia—have a devastating impact on the lives of millions and are some of the most complex and challenging conditions to understand and treat. The University of Rhode Island (URI) aims to tackle this crisis. By growing a strong biomedical sciences ecosystem, URI enhances our state’s attractiveness to biotechnology companies and startups, spurring job creation and economic development. The George & Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, established in 2013 by Tom Ryan ’75 Hon ’99 and his wife, Cathy, is home to an interdisciplinary group of nine core faculty, as well as a network of affiliated URI faculty, based throughout the Colleges of Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Environmental and Life Sciences, and Engineering. This dedicated team, led by co-executive directors and URI professors

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CLAUDIA FALLINI Assistant Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology Ryan Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience

A cell imager is a type of microscope that can image cells over long periods of time (days, weeks, even months).

electrical nerve stimulation, as an accessible and non-invasive treatment to reduce muscle stiffness in those with cerebral palsy. In another five year grant, Quinlan is researching the role of serotonin on those with cerebral palsy in collaboration with Marin Manuel, assistant professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research assistant professor of neuroscience. Partnering with kinesiology and fellow Ryan institute faculty Christie Ward Ritacco and Susan D’Andrea, Quinlan is studying how gait can act as a potential biomarker for those with ALS. Furthermore, Quinlan is collaborating with researchers at Johns Hopkins University to study a genetic mutation present in certain forms of spinal muscular atrophy that contributes to a leaky blood-brain barrier. This work was recently published in Science Translational Medicine . Katharina Quinlan is collaborating with researchers at Johns Hopkins University to study a genetic mutation present in certain forms of spinal muscular atrophy that contributes to a leaky blood-brain barrier.

KATHARINA QUINLAN Associate Professor of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Ryan Research Associate Professor of Neuroscience

Another of the Institute’s leading scholars is Claudia Fallini, an assistant professor of cell and molecular biology and Ryan research assistant professor of neuroscience. Her recent work focuses on a group of proteins that is rarely studied, but which play an important role in cell function and survival: the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. “I’m a person who likes to see things,” says Fallini. “Cell biology is very visual. You can see the inner workings of a cell and how all its components—proteins, organelles, DNA—interact to allow cells to function in an organized way.” Fallini’s lab has observed that the LINC complex becomes compromised in patients with ALS. This disrupts the cell’s critical ability to adapt to its surroundings. She asks, “If you can define how disruptions of this mechanism might lead to degeneration, can we pinpoint specific places where we could intervene and prolong the survival of the neuron?” Her observations raise questions, not only about how LINC complex dysfunction contributes to disease, but also if it might serve as a therapeutic target. Fallini also

“I was drawn to the Ryan Institute because of the therapeutic focus. For ALS, I want to try to help people who have no cure, no therapeutics, nothing to improve quality of life or their survival.” - Claudia Fallini

at Butler Hospital Memory and Aging Program in Providence to study possible screenings for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease in a regular eye exam. This could provide a much-needed way to diagnose and treat the disease before symptoms appear. Demonstrating the Ryan Institute’s ability for interdisciplinary investigation, Katharina Quinlan, associate professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research associate professor of neuroscience, studies ALS, spinal muscular atrophy (another degenerative condition that affects one’s ability to move) and the impacts of injury to the nervous system in conditions like cerebral palsy. Her research is supported by a combined $8.5 million in funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH). In one five-year, $2.8 million grant, Quinlan investigates primary afferent depolarization (PAD) as a contributor to altered movement in cerebral palsy. PAD is a mechanism that adapts reflex response—in other words, the knee-jerk response tested in a typical doctor’s visit to different states of alertness. In cerebral palsy, where a spastic or exaggerated reflex response is present, maladaptive PAD may be at fault. She also studies the use of a potential over-the-counter device, transcutaneous

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ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE AND REPROGRAMMING THE BRAIN LEADING TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Written by NICOLE MARANHAS

As an early leader in brain epigenetics (the study of how, when, and why combinations of genes are turned on and off to make proteins), Nasser Zawia, University of Rhode Island (URI) professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research professor of neuroscience, was among the first to show a potential link between childhood lead exposure and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. “If your brain cells are impacted during this critical window of development, it can permanently reprogram gene expression,” Zawia says. “Once your neurons develop, they mostly stay with you for a lifetime.” His work has helped pave the way for the understanding of how environmental toxins— particularly in poorer communities—can lead to later disease. Chemical pollutants, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) once used in stain repellants, remain present in many household products. Zawia worked on a study with URI pharmacy Professor Angela Slitt on the role of PFOS in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. “These ‘forever’ chemicals enter your body and stay there a very long time,” says Zawia. “We are finding that they have an impact on neuromuscular function and biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD, and autism.” Zawia will serve as consultant on a new grant at Boston University to study the role of metallic toxins in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. His research has also helped shed light at gene-level changes that may precede Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, Zawia looked at the potential to repurpose an anti-inflammatory drug to “turn off” Alzheimer’s disease at the gene level. “Many therapies target Alzheimer’s disease at its end stages,” explains Zawia. “I’m interested to see how we can intervene with the gene machinery before the pathology starts.”

This device was developed jointly by the Manuel and Quinlan labs. It is used to measure joint stiffness in an animal model of Cerebral Palsy.

The Ryan Institute has brought in more than $45 million in federal and private funding in the past five years to research neurodegenerative diseases.

NASSER ZAWIA Professor

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Ryan Research Professor of Neuroscience

studies whether the LINC complex is involved in the heightened risk of Alzheimer’s disease for people after ischemic stroke, which blocks blood flow to the brain. “Studies have shown that risk of Alzheimer’s disease can double after ischemic stroke,” she says. “One of our questions is to look at whether changes we see in the pathways affected by the LINC complex after stroke make surviving brain cells more vulnerable to factors linked to Alzheimer’s disease or age-related stressors.” The Institute’s overall vision, however, is what truly grounds Fallini. “Sometimes people get lost in the details of the mechanisms and lose track of the purpose of why this work matters,” she says. “I was drawn to the Ryan Institute because of the therapeutic focus. For ALS, I want to try to help people who have no cure, no therapeutics, nothing to improve quality of life or their survival. Am I doing work that is meaningful to them? That is the question that drives me.”

That same mindset drives not just the Ryan Institute and its faculty, but URI’s overall prioritization of neuroscience. URI’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program (INP) offers undergraduate and graduate degrees on multiple neuroscience tracks—cementing the University’s status as a regional biomedical science hub. The program began with three students in the first semester and has now expanded to include more than 150 students. Many URI neuroscience faculty and students collaborate with nearby biotech, pharmaceutical, and clinical entities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, as well as medical and academic institutions across the U.S. and overseas. The Ryan Institute has brought in more than $45 million in federal and private funding in the past five years to research neurodegenerative diseases. However, those funds cannot be used for buildings. The partnerships forged by the leadership of the Ryan institute between academia, industry, and government are crucial to our collective success. The research being conducted by this team will resonate in the lives of people for decades to come.

Zawia was among the first to show a potential link between childhood lead exposure and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

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INTERDISCIPLINARY NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM

Sydney Bartman ’19 was an undergraduate and certified nursing assistant when she first became intrigued by Alzheimer’s disease. She noticed how differently the disease affected the patients in her care. “I thought, what’s causing the heterogeneity of this disease?” she recalls. The question led Bartman to pursue a doctorate in the University of Rhode Island (URI) Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program. She is now a graduate teaching assistant and researcher in the lab of Jaime Ross, URI assistant professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research assistant professor of neuroscience, focused on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction—a disruption in cells’ energy supply—in Alzheimer’s disease and aging disorders. The lab also studies changes in gene expression in age-related diseases. “Aging is a complex process,” says Bartman. “We are trying to pinpoint how some of these key processes are part of aging and disease pathology.” Bartman, who received a Dean’s Fellowship for this academic year, presented her research at the annual Society for Neuroscience conference last fall. “I love the collaborative aspect of research,” she says. “It’s exciting to see how one project can offer insight to another project.” Although she isn’t sure yet whether her career will lead to academia or industry, she is driven by a passion for mentoring. “I love watching students become hooked on research,” she says. “I want my work to make an impact on me, and I want my work to have an impact on the lives of others.”

Written by NICOLE MARANHAS

ELIAN GONZALEZ SANCHEZ ’24 Master’s candidate

Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program

Growing up, Elian Sanchez ’24 dreamed of becoming a heart surgeon—until he watched the Netflix documentary series “The Mind Explained” during the COVID-19 lockdown. He suddenly found he couldn’t stop thinking about the brain. “I felt so strongly that I wanted to learn more,” he says. A standout student in biology and psychology at the Community College of Rhode Island, he transferred to the URI Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program for his junior year. This past spring, he joined the lab of Marin Manuel, assistant professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research assistant professor of neuroscience, whose work has helped advance the study of motor neurons in the spinal cord. “I was really drawn to Dr. Manuel’s work and methods,” Sanchez says. “He is a passionate, kind, and an amazing professor.” As a researcher in the Manuel lab, Sanchez helps investigate whether disruptions in the development or function of neuromuscular junctions––the sites where motor neurons and muscle fibers communicate––contribute to motor deficits in cerebral palsy. The research could help identify

“Research resonates with my goal to make a difference, The more I learn about the brain and spinal cord, the more I want to know.” - Elian Gonzalez Sanchez “I think it is amazing to help find answers to explain things we didn’t know before,” he says. “The more I learn about the brain and spinal cord, the more I want to know.” potential drug targets for the disorder, a motivating factor for Sanchez. “Research resonates with my goal to make a difference,” he says. Sanchez began his master’s in molecular neuroscience at URI this fall, with plans to pursue a joint M.D./Ph.D. program. Even with a goal to become a neurosurgeon, he is inspired to maintain a research career.

SYDNEY BARTMAN ’19 Doctoral candidate Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program

“I want my work to have an impact on the lives of others.” - Sydney Bartman

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URI’S ESTEEMED PROGRAM: PAVING THE WAY FOR NEW UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

written by MATTHEW BRADY ‘25

The University of Rhode Island: An ESTEEMED University

The University of Rhode Island (URI) has many research avenues that students and faculty can engage in, but one of the most profound are the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. Leading in this field is Samantha Meenach, the Victor Baxt Professor of chemical engineering, and biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. She specializes in pharmaceutical engineering, but she is also the director of the URI ESTEEMED (Enhancing Science Technology EnginEering and Math Educational Diversity) program. “This program allows early career undergraduate students to conduct honors level research in accordance with the National Institute for Health (NIH) definition,” Meenach says, noting that the research is both incredibly beneficial not only for student experience, but also for the University’s research enterprise. Engaging a wide range of students The ESTEEMED program is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and trains students interested in the biological sciences and includes a focus on student experience in biomedical, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, and

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research,” Meenach says. “They even have a chance to explore potential labs that they may choose to work in.”

“Initially I chose working with DNA because I liked how it was a lot of physical work,” Agyemang says. “But I ended up with Professor Andreu, whose work was more mechanical focused, and it was something I was used to.” Collaboration in science is nothing new, and with that comes a sense of togetherness and camaraderie. In addition to the ability to conduct unique experiments and research in these new facilities, Agyemang also hopes to see the already thriving community within the labs at the University continue to grow in a new building. “Certain labs work together on projects… and it would be beneficial to expand more on those collaborations,” says Agyemang. “So, if I can find a way to expand my research to a different field, I’d like that too.”

SAMANTHA MEENACH

Victor Baxt Professor, Chemical Engineering / Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Director, ESTEEMED Program

Giving students a world-class experience Liza Agyemang is a student in the ESTEEMED program working with Assistant Professor Irene Andreu in chemical engineering. Agyemang’s research involves the construction of a new apparatus for observing magnetic nanoparticles and monitoring how they move over time. In her search for the lab that interested her, she explains that she toured multiple labs at URI to find the one that best suited her. In this search, she notes that her decision could have been drastically different depending on the areas of research to consider.

LIZA AGYEMANG Undergraduate student Chemical Engineering URI ESTEEMED Program

health science research. The NIH program engages students enrolled in URI’s Talent Development program that focuses on recruiting and supporting historically underrepresented groups at the University. “The ESTEEMED program at URI exposes first and second year students to research opportunities in the biomedical sciences,” Meenach explains. “It aims to encourage students to stay in STEM by getting them excited about research and exploring what ‘doing research’ really means.” After students complete the Talent Development program the summer before their first semester at URI, the ESTEEMED program holds a week long orientation that emphasizes how research is conducted. “These students participate in activities in which they learn about what it truly means to conduct

“The URI ESTEEMED program aims to encourage students to stay in STEM by getting them excited about research and exploring what ‘doing research’

really means.” - Samantha Meenach

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KERRY LAPLANTE Dean

College of Pharmacy

LIFE-SAVING DISCOVERIES written by MICHAEL BLANDING EXPANDING RHODE ISLAND’S RESEARCH CAPACITY FOR

“Everything we do is focused not only on advancing training and knowledge for the next generation of students, but also towards advancing health and transforming communities through research.”

- Kerry LaPlante

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When Kerry LaPlante looks out her office window, she can see exactly where URI’s proposed new life science building will be. As dean of the College of Pharmacy, she knows as much as anyone how sorely it’s needed. “We have the talent, we have the expertise, we have the people, we just need the space,” LaPlante says. Since moving into its current building more than a decade ago URI’s College of Pharmacy has grown to the top 10 percent of colleges of pharmacy in research funding, with more than $21 million in annual grants. The college is unique in that nearly all its research is focused on finding practical treatments for diseases and other ailments. LaPlante says, “Everything we do is focused not only on advancing training and knowledge for the next generation of students, but also towards advancing health and transforming communities through research. It goes bench to bedside—the patient comes first, and we put them at the center of everything we do.” Research at the college falls in one of three areas. The first is neuroscience and healthy aging, which focuses on the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and ALS, and age-related illnesses, mental health, and substance abuse issues. Rhode Island is in the top third of all states in the percentage of residents 65 and older, making healthy aging of particular importance in the state, LaPlante notes. The second area of research is immunology, infectious diseases, drug delivery, vaccine development, and natural products, focusing on treatment of diseases, including cancer,

BONGSUP CHO Program Director, RI-INBRE Professor, Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and infectious diseases, as well as nutrition and food as medicine. “We look at the whole patient, and whole health,” LaPlante says, noting that Rhode Island’s reputation as a “foodie” state with fresh seafood makes it a particularly ripe place to study healthy eating. Lastly, the college focuses on issues of health care accessibility, by involving pharmacists in state public health efforts, advocating for fairness in medicine and access to vulnerable populations. There is a broad array of scientists across the research areas investigating a wide range of diseases and potential treatments. The George & Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience (GARIN), which has been based at the college since 2013, conducts cutting edge neuroscientific research on campus. The College also houses the Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (RI-INBRE), a statewide effort sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to build the state’s capacity for biomedical research since 2001.

Bongsup Cho, RI-INBRE program director and a professor in the College of Pharmacy who studies the molecular basis of DNA damage and cancer, explains, “It’s one of the longest-running NIH supported programs, bringing in more than $100 million from 2001 to 2029. This funding significantly

Deoxynucleic acid (DNA) carries genetic instructions for cell growth, and alongside proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. It is an essential component in forming life. Featured here is a customized double helical DNA sequence model.

Gaspar has focused on how plastics exposure in the brain may impact diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The RI-INBRE Centralized Research Core Facility (CRCF) provides the RI biomedical community with various research instruments. One of these is a 3D printer, which produces visual models for researchers such as proteins, nanomaterials, and viruses.

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we age and so we look for biomarkers of aging we can monitor.” Although Ross is trained as a neuroscientist, being at the College of Pharmacy inspired her to research toxic substances and how they affect brain health. Her lab recently examined the effects that microplastics, found in seawater and drinking water, can have on the brain. Working with mice, she found that with just three weeks of exposure, microplastics diffused throughout the body, crossing the blood-brain barrier, and causing confusion and erratic behavior. “The plastics just went everywhere,” she says. “We found that they dramatically affected the cognitive functioning and neuro-behavior of both young and old mice, but especially in older mice.” The RI-INBRE program has also supported the purchase of advanced lab equipment for spectrometry, DNA sequencing, fluorescent microscopy, biosensors, and other specialized tasks. Cho adds, “This is equipment individual faculty cannot afford to have in their lab. Our job is to

JAIME ROSS Assistant Professor, Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Ryan Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience

"We're trying to understand the influence of exercise, diet, healthy sleep habits and other modifiable factors that help us stay healthy as we age and so we look for biomarkers of aging we can monitor." - Jaime Ross

LAUREN GASPAR Doctoral Candidate,

“We’ve supported 218 faculty and 802 projects,” he says. “More importantly, we’ve trained over 2,210 students, mostly undergraduates who represent the next generation of the biomedical workforce.” Among the researchers the program has supported is Jaime Ross, assistant professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research assistant professor of neuroscience, who investigates the molecular mechanisms inside the brain that lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Ross explains, “We’re trying to understand the influence of exercise, diet, healthy sleep habits and other modifiable factors that help us stay healthy as

impacts biomedical capacity building in Rhode Island.” As program director, Cho oversees the distribution of funds to a network of nine institutions across the state, including URI, Bryant University, Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island College, Community College of Rhode Island, Providence College, Roger Williams University, and Salve Regina University. Headquartered on URI’s Kingston Campus, the program provides faculty development support through research grants, the use of core facilities, and student training opportunities.

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

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MARIN MANUEL

Assistant Professor,

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Ryan Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience

“It’s one of the longest-running NIH-supported programs, bringing in more than $100 million from 2001 to 2029. This funding significantly impacts biomedical capacity building in

human health in Professor Ross’s lab since 2020. She studies how exposure to microplastics may interact with other factors such as age and genetic predisposition to disease to exacerbate adverse health outcomes. Gaspar says, “In our first study, we found that short-term exposure to microplastics via drinking water induced behavioral and inflammatory alterations in our subjects. The microplastics were translocated to nearly every major organ, including the brain.” Gaspar has focused on how plastics exposure in the brain may impact diseases such as Alzheimer’s. “I believe the work we have done, and are continuing to do, has far reaching implications in numerous fields including neuroscience, toxicology, and environmental sciences,” Gaspar says. “The technical experience I have personally gained will be invaluable to me as I move forward with my career.” Marin Manuel, assistant professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and Ryan research assistant professor of neuroscience, who joined University three years ago from the Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique in Paris, France, offers an example of yet another researcher who has been making breakthroughs.

“They’ll say this bacterium is resistant to everything, and the patient will not last until Friday,” she says. “My research finds synergistic combinations of different antibiotics with different mechanisms that work together.” In addition, her lab analyzes data from more than 150 Veterans Administration hospitals—the largest health system in the country—to find patterns and reduce the time it takes to research and implement treatments. LaPlante says the new biomedical facility will expand research at the College of Pharmacy, while significantly benefit the University and the people of Rhode Island. “We’re bringing in tenure track faculty from all over the country, and they are excited about our community and our research,” she says. Unlike other science departments at URI, the College of Pharmacy is unique in that nearly all its research is focused on finding practical treatments for diseases and other ailments.

Manuel’s lab examines how the spinal cord works, including motor neurons’ electrical properties that might contribute to the degenerative disease ALS. By inserting tiny electrodes in the spinal cords of mice, his lab has found evidence that these motor neurons start to misbehave long before they die. “That means that somehow the system is able to compensate for this, but has to work extra hard,” Manuel says. “It starts slowly and keeps accumulating problems over time until the system cannot work.” If these changes can be pinpointed eventually, they could possibly serve as markers for the disease or help delay the appearance of symptoms in those afflicted. Dean LaPlante’s research focuses in part on multiple drug-resistant bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). She receives calls from doctors worldwide treating infections resistant to antibiotics and helps optimize therapeutic dosages.

Rhode Island.” - Bongsup Cho

maintain the equipment so they work efficiently.”

RI-INBRE has secured funding from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training to implement a summer workforce development and training program to train students throughout the state on this advanced equipment free of charge. The new biomedical sciences building will allow the University and RI-INBRE to expand their programs. “We’re making a difference in the portfolio of skills that students have to allow them to apply for jobs,” says Cho. Pharmacy doctoral candidate Lauren Gaspar has been researching the effects of microplastics exposure on

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BUILDING A ROBUST

ENVIRONMENT to Support Nursing Research and Education at URI’s College of Nursing

written by MOLLY STEVENS ‘20

“We nurses are collaborative, science based, humanistic, caring, compassionate practitioners.” - Danny Willis

Danny Willis, the newly appointed dean of the College of Nursing, brings with him a wealth of experience and a vision for advancing nursing education, research, and practice-based knowledge development at the University of Rhode Island (URI). “We nurses are collaborative, science-based, humanistic, caring, compassionate practitioners,”

Willis says. “We combine knowledge of science and theory with the art of understanding pattern, being present, facilitating healing, and—a substantive knowledge base and skill set that no one else can really bring in quite the same way.” Looking ahead, Willis envisions evolution in nursing inquiry and research funding, particularly from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and

other federal sources. He also advocates for state-of the-art facilities for research faculty and collaborative workspaces, like innovation hubs and active learning classrooms for students. Central to his vision for the college’s future is building a robust environment and infrastructure to support nursing research and teaching. He emphasizes the

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Willis emphasizes the importance of inspiring others to embrace nursing’s crucial role in health care and in fostering an environment of innovation and collaboration.

“We combine knowledge of science and theory with the art of understanding pattern, being present, facilitating healing, and—a substantive knowledge base and skill set that no one else can really bring in quite the

same way.” - Danny Willis

DANNY WILLIS Dean College of Nursing

Highlighting groundbreaking work already underway at URI’s College of Nursing, Willis commends the extraordinary accomplishments of the faculty. For example, Professor Amy D’Agata’s research following individuals born preterm is the only study of its kind globally. Professor and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Melissa Sutherland, funded by the Agency for Health care Research and Quality (AHRQ), focuses on screening for sexual assault and acts of sexual violence on college campuses. And Professor Erica Liebermann is focusing on women’s health disparities and cervical cancer screening, funded by the Betty Irene Moore Foundation and AHRQ. Willis emphasizes the importance of inspiring others to embrace nursing’s crucial role in health care and in fostering an environment of innovation and collaboration. He answers with a chuckle when asked to describe his leadership style.

He also understands the need for nurses in training to be prepared to face an ever-changing health care environmental landscape. This includes advanced information technology, like telehealth, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.

the nonmedical factors that contribute to a patient’s health outcomes, including the social and environmental conditions in which people are born, grow, work, and live. “I would like to see us be a force for the promotion of human wellbeing—both for ourselves and for our planet,” stresses Willis. “And I would love for us to attract and draw in new faculty and students aligned with our mission, which we are already doing since I have arrived.” He also understands the need for nurses in training to be prepared to face an ever-changing health care environmental landscape. This includes advanced information technology, like telehealth, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. He articulates a need to explore and better understand how artificial intelligence influences health care and can more precisely inform the ethic of belonging and holistic integrative care.

pivotal role nurses play in promoting health and wellbeing, alleviation of suffering, and disease prevention across various spheres of patient care, at the bedside, in the community and world, and in research settings. Willis states, “I am deeply committed to promoting health equity and energized by the innovations we bring in transforming wellbeing and environments as nurses. I am enthusiastic about bringing URI’s internationally recognized nursing faculty to even greater heights.” Recognizing nursing’s capacity to promote wellbeing, health equity and offer holistic care, Willis stresses the need to address health disparities, noting, “Nursing approaches situations from a bio psycho-social-environment means, and even steps beyond that to be more holistic.” He emphasizes the need to understand the impact of the social determinants of health—essentially

“I have had people tell me I am an inspiring and transformational leader,” he says.

In his newfound role here at URI, it’s clear that he—much like nursing as a field—is driven by compassion, curiosity, and a keen determination to use scientific inquiry to make our world a better place.

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