Three Sanford researchers awarded major grants from NIH
Contact:
Jon Berg
Sanford Health Media Relations
605-366-2432 / Jon.Berg@SanfordHealth.org
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Sanford Research has been awarded more than $8 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study ovarian cancer, binge eating disorders and G protein-coupled receptor (GCPR) signaling.
Dr. Leah Irish, associate professor of psychology at North Dakota State University and adjunct faculty with Sanford Research, received a $3.2 million grant to research the link between sleep disturbance and binge eating. Sanford Research will contribute to the grant from the National Institute of Mental Health with a team including Drs. Lauren Schaefer, Leslie Laam, Stephen Wonderlich, Scott Engel and Kristine Steffen.
Dr. Pilar de la Puente and her lab were awarded a $2.75 million grant to study ovarian cancer. The lab will investigate how chemotherapy triggers changes in the tumor’s surrounding environment, which in turn can worsen treatment resistance. The lab’s goal is to identify new ways to improve chemotherapy effectiveness for women with this devastating disease.
Dr. Ikuo Masuho and his lab have been awarded a $2.1 million grant to study G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), one of the most important targets for drug development. The team aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and structural basis by which GPCR signaling molecules regulate diverse cellular functions, identify the underlying causes of disease, and translate these insights into medical applications. Their ultimate goal is to develop pharmacotherapies with minimal side effects and to pioneer personalized treatments that improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
For more information about Sanford Research, visit Research.SanfordHealth.org.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
