LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $10.6 million grant to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to expand national proteomics resources, on Wednesday, August 26.
This grant establishes the IDeA Resource for Quantitative Proteomics — the first NIH National Resource in Arkansas — “which will serve biomedical researchers across the nation,” according to a UAMS release.
WHAT IS PROTEOMICS?
Proteomics is the study of proteins. A proteome is a set of proteins created in an organism, system, or biological context. Proteomics is used to find protein expression patterns at a certain time in response to a specific stimulus. It also determines functional protein networks at the cell, tissue, or whole organism level. This type of research can help in “the development of new therapies and screening approaches for many diseases, including cancer,” according to UAMS.
The five-year grant was awarded to Alan Tackett, Ph.D., associate director for basic science at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Tackett will serve as the administrative director of the program.
“With this new funding, we will transition our proteomics resource to an NIH National Resource and expand our ability to provide highly advanced research support to scientists in underfunded areas throughout the United States,” said Tackett.
OTHER UAMS CONTRIBUTORS:
- Rick Edmondson, Ph.D.
- Samuel Mackintosh, Ph.D.
- Stephanie Byrum, Ph.D.
- Michael Kinter, Ph.D., at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation who serves as a co-administrative director.
