“Center for Neuroplasticity at the University of Puerto Rico”
Major Goals: The Puerto Rico Center for Neuroplasticity (PRCN), a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE, NIH NIGMS), will significantly strengthen the research infrastructure of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus and will impact biomedical investigation throughout the island. The specific aims of this COBRE are to: 1) Foster development of junior investigators into competitive researchers working on projects with direct biomedical significance. An intensive mentoring program will be implemented with the goal of creating a “culture of research” comparable to that of major research-intensive universities. 2) Provide a Neuroimaging and Electrophysiology Facility (NIEF) that will offer state-of-the-art instrumentation, training, and expertise to the neuroscience community of Puerto Rico. 2) Provide a Neuroimaging and Electrophysiology Facility (NIEF) that will offer state-of-the-art instrumentation, training, and expertise to the neuroscience community of Puerto Rico.
*Status of Support: ACTIVE
Project Number: P30GM149367 NIGMS
Name of PD/PI: Lasalde-Dominicci, J.A
*Source of Support: NIH/NIGMS
*Primary Place of Performance: University of Puerto Rico Rio MSC, Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Sciences Research Center (MSRC)
Project/Proposal Start and End Date: (MM/YYYY) (if available): 07/01/2023- 06/30/2028,
* Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $5,558,315
“UPR Center for Incubator and Technology Transfer at the University of Puerto Rico (UPRCITT)”
Major Goals: The goal is to create the UPR Center for Incubator and Technology Transfer at the University of Puerto Rico (UPRCITT) for entrepreneurial collaborative scientific research and graduate education in multiple disciplines. To achieve the UPRCITT, we will fit out one floor, 20,000 net square feet, in the eight-story UPR Molecular Sciences Research Center (MSRC, http://cicim.upr.edu/) shell constructed in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The main goals of the UPRCITT are to: (1) enhance Puerto Rico’s economic development by founding an innovation ecosystem that will stimulate the creation and incubation of start-up companies by providing cGMP state-of-the-art laboratories and CORE facilities, (2) establish a program for mentorship in entrepreneurship for faculty and students, (3) promote collaborations among Biotech and Pharmaceutical companies and UPR researchers, and (4) provide workforce development by training underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to work in teams in an innovation ecosystem that will promote the culture of entrepreneurship in Puerto Rico.
Project Number: 1 C06 OD035989-01 NIGMS
Name of PD/PI: Lasalde-Dominicci, J.A
*Source of Support: NIH/NIGMS
*Primary Place of Performance: Molecular Sciences Research Center (MSRC)
Project/Proposal Start and End Date: (MM/YYYY) (if available): 09/01/2023- 08/30/2028.
* Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $8,000,000
“The Role of Acetylcholine Receptors in Merkel Cell Polyoma Virus-induced Merkel Cell Carcinoma”
Status of Support: ACTIVE
Project Number: 5U54CA096300-17 Supplement- 09/01/2022- 08/31/2024
Name of PD/PI: Lasalde-Dominicci, J.A
*Source of Support: NIH/NIGMS
*Primary Place of Performance: University of Puerto Rico Rio MSC, Molecular Sciences Research Center (MSRC)
Project/Proposal Start and End Date: 09/01/2022- 08/31/2024,
* Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $170,000
“Instrumentation Supplement“
Status of Support: ACTIVE
Project Number: 3P20GM103642-10S1 Supplement
Name of PD/PI: Lasalde-Dominicci, J.A
*Source of Support: NIH/NIGMS
*Primary Place of Performance: University of Puerto Rico Rio MSC, Molecular Sciences Research Center (MSRC)
Project/Proposal Start and End Date: – 07/01/2022 – 10/30/2023
* Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $249,888
“Understanding the cholinergic anti-inflammatory response in the context of SARS Cov-2: Uncovering a potential therapeutic strategy to counteract the cytokine storm in COVID-19”
Name of PD/PI: Lasalde-Dominicci, J.A
*Source of Support: COVID 19 funds ARPA initiative
Project/Proposal Start and End Date: – 07/01/2023 – 06/30/20234
Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs)Direct Cost $250K
“A lipid-based approach towards a high-resolution structure of a functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptor”
Lasalde, JA – Principal Investigator (R01 GM098343)
Period: 08/01/13 – 06/31/19
The goal of this proposal is to establish a lipid-based approach to assess the function and stability of the nAChR–detergent complex (nAChR-DC) using a list of 50 detergents with the primary goal of defining the manner in which detergent structure affects the lipid composition, ion channel function, agonist binding, state of aggregation of the nAChR-DC, and ultimately the ability to form nAChR diffractable crystals.
“Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) Biomolecular Resources Platform to Promote Basic and Translational Research in Neuroplasticity”
Miller Mark – Principal Director (P20 RR028285)
Lasalde, JA – Director of the NeuroImaging and Electrophysiology Facility (NIEF)
Period: 07/01/13 – 06/30/2019
The goals of this proposal are to: 1) To foster the development of Junior Scientists into the arena of competitive research with clinical and translational applications, 2) To provide a competitive research environment in areas that support the efforts of Junior Scientists and stimulates collaboration; the BRP will build strong research core facilities in bio-imaging to support the efforts of the Junior Scientists and to develop translational initiatives among other scientists, and 3) To carry out programmatic activities that increase interdisciplinary collaborations and initiation of translational research projects, especially those impacting health disparities in Hispanic communities.
Optimization od HIV glycoproteins as vaccine candidates
Lasalde, JA – Principal Investigator (R01AI122935) – In kind
Period: 07/01/2016 – 06/30/2020
More than thirty years after its discovery, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a major global concern. Despite a reduction in the number of new infections worldwide (2.1 million new infections in 2013 vs. 5 million in 2005), the HIV pandemic is far from over. In the United States alone, there are nearly 45,000 new HIV diagnoses each year, with some ethnic groups being disproportionately affected. Thus, the search for a prophylactic vaccine against HIV is of paramount importance. In this project, a consortium that combines a research university, a startup biotech company, and the advisory input from the local biopharmaceutical manufacturing sector, aim to optimize the pipeline for the production of HIV vaccines for clinical trials by addressing some of the hurdles that have hindered progress in this field over the years.
“Structural Determination of nAChR: A Comprehensive Lipid-Based Apprach (Not a source of funding, it provides access to synchrotron beam time)
Lasalde, JA – Principal Investigator (Proposal ID: 33562 )
Type: General User Beamtime
Request ID: 77911
Shifts: 3
Argonne National Laboratory
The goal of this short proposal is to gain access to one of the advanced radiation sources in the United States, namely the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago.
“COBRE Phase 2: Center for Neuroplasticity at the University of Puerto Rico”
José A. Lasalde Dominicci – Principal Investigator (P20GM103642)
Period: 07/01/2018 – 06/30/23
