Baltimore Bioresearchers Receive $10.7 Million for STD Research

With the assistance of a 5-year, $10.7 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), researchers from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and the University of Maryland School of Medicine will work together to study the causes, prevention, and treatment methods for 2 commons STD's: Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. This grant renews a previous 5-year, $12 million grant Baltimore researchers received to study STDs. (Image courtesy of Acroterion, via Wikimedia Commons).

Researchers in these 2 UMD Baltimore schools will focus on studying how the interactions between host genetics, the urogenital polymicrobial microbiome, and the genetics of the pathogen can cause chlamydial and gonorrheal infections. Researchers will work to identify new biomakers that determine someones susceptibility to STDs as well as the severity of the disease contracted. Further knowledge about how these biomakers influence STDs, there is potential to exploit these biomakers to develop new drug treatments for the diseases. 

This $10.7 million award will help UMD Baltimore establish a Cooperative Research Center on Sexually Transmitted Infection that will focus on 3 main projects of STD research: 

1. Study the role that human genetics plays in determining susceptibility to STDs and their severity through researching communications between pathogens, microbiota, and the host. 
2. Identify biomarkers (antibody and miRNA-based) of chlamydia and gonorrhea infections, and pelvic inflammatory disease to determine whether they can be used to help with clinical and public health. 
3. Research biomarkers associated with the vaginal and penile microbiomes, and study the genetic variation of the host and pathogens that have different degrees of chance of getting chlamydia and/or gonorrhea.  

"This grant is particularly significant because it is the first time that a comprehensive systems biology (or 'multi-omics') approach will be utilized to conduct STD research with the ultimate goal of developing knowledge to prognose, diagnose, prevent and treat sexually transmitted infection and disease," said Jacques Ravel, PhD, professor at the UMD School of Medicine. "By looking at how human genetics and the microbiome affect and influence infections in humans, we can gain a much better understanding of how to protect against these types of infection, which is critical for improving public health."

Researchers at past BioResearch Product Faire™ Events discover new lab supplies and technologies. 

The University of Maryland, Baltimore is a multi-million dollar research marketplace that currently has $197 million in active NIH funding. Departments receiving substantial amounts of this funding include: 

• Medicine and Internal Medicine - $39.2 million
• Microbiology, Immunology, and Virology - $12.1 million
• Pharmacology - $7.2 million
• Biochemistry - $7.1 million
• Pediatrics - $6.6 million

*Data collected from the NIH RePorter. 

Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. has been producing life science tabletop trade shows at more than 50 universities around the U.S. for over 20 years, that give lab supply companies the opportunity to meet face-to-face with hundreds of active researchers. Coming up on March 2, 2015 will be the 1st Annual BioResearch Product Faire™ Event at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. 

To learn more about marketing lab supplies to Baltimore area researchers, visit the link below: 

Interested in meeting with life science researchers in the Northeast region? Take advantage of nearby shows and make the most of your time and budget while exhibiting. Consider participating in the following shows the week of, and after, the Baltimore event:

Georgetown University, March 1, 2015 - 16th Annual BioResearch Product Faire™ Event

Thomas Jefferson University, March 6, 2015 - 6th Annual BioResearch Product Faire™ Event

University of Pennsylvania, March 7, 2015 - 16th Annual BioResearch Product Faire™ Event

Rutgers University, March 8, 2015 - 1st Annual BioResearch Product Faire™ Event

Researchers in the Baltimore area can visit the link below to pre-register for the event and save themselves time at the door: 

Visit the trade show calendar here to find upcoming events in your territory.