About This Project
Ask the Scientists
Join The DiscussionWhat is the context of this research?
To develop a diagnostic tool (called the WoundCure gene chip) that can be used in doctors’ offices and hospitals to predict how a patient’s non-healing wound (for example skin ulcer, bed sore) should be treated in order to increase the chance that it will heal. We know that this is an achievable task because it has been done for a few other health problems including the development of a 17 gene chip to test prostate tumors and determine whether they need immediate treatment or should just be carefully watched.
What is the significance of this project?
Tens of millions of people across the world are afflicted with wounds that may never heal. For example, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers (e.g. bed sores), leg ulcers, and other similar chronic wounds are known to have a large impact on health, affecting ~6.5M people and costing ~ $25 billion/year in the US alone. Are you diabetic? Do you know anyone who is diabetic? The probability of becoming diabetic is higher than ever before; many diabetics develop foot wounds that do not heal; some of them will have the limb amputated. It is well known that when limbs are amputated because of non-healing wounds, the patient does not live more than about 5 years (the same life expectancy of a very aggressive cancer).
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What are the goals of the project?
We will use gene chips, called microarrays (commercially available) to identify 10-15 genes most likely playing a role in inhibiting wound healing. The critical genes will then be used to construct the WoundCure gene chip. The microarrays and the computer analysis programs are very expensive.
Budget
Purchasing the microarrays, and materials and supplies to run and analyze the chips to discover which genes are important.
Meet the Team
Affiliates
Team Bio
I am a Professor at the University of California, Riverside, and an expert on the biology of wound healing. From very early on in my career, I became committed to understand the normal processes of healing so that one day I could use that knowledge to cure wounds that are resistant to healing. The time is here and now. My students and I have published more than 90 scientific papers on various aspects of healing and related subjects. We have presented our work in many scientific meetings. Our work has been featured in both the Scientific and Popular Press multiple times. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)My research has been funded by the NIH, the American Heart Association and the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, as well as the medical industry. I have provided many reviews of proposals to these same funding organizations and others as well as reviews of scientific papers published in many of the world’s leading journals in Cell and Molecular Biology. My work is well-cited in the scientific literature. Learn more about my research here.
Manuela Martins-Green
I am a Professor at the University of California, Riverside, and an expert on the biology of wound healing. From very early on in my career, I became committed to understand the normal processes of healing so that one day I could use that knowledge to cure wounds that are resistant to healing. The time is here and now. My students and I have published more than 90 scientific papers on various aspects of healing and related subjects. We have presented our work in many scientific meetings. Our work has been featured in both the Scientific and Popular Press multiple times. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)
My research has been funded by the NIH, the American Heart Association and the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, as well as the medical industry. I have provided many reviews of proposals to these same funding organizations and others as well as reviews of scientific papers published in many of the world’s leading journals in Cell and Molecular Biology. My work is well-cited in the scientific literature. Learn more about my research here.
Sandeep Dhall
Sandeep Dhall graduated from Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) University with a Bachelors in Technology in Biotechnology. During his college studies he also performed research on the Azoospermia Factor micro deletions in Sperm and Blood of Infertile Men to determine whether the germ cell genome harbored similar to the micro deletions (same loci, frequency) in genomic DNA isolated from blood. His work was conducted at Laboratory for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. After he graduated, he joined UC Riverside as a PhD student in the Department of Bioengineering and later advanced to candidacy working in the laboratory of Dr. Martins-Green in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience. As a continuation of his graduate thesis research, Sandeep will be conducting the experiments to identify critical genes to diagnose the state of chronic wounds.
Monika Garcia
Monika Garcia is a local graduate of Riverside Poly HIgh school. She is currently pursuing her BS in Biological Sciences and is an Undergraduate Research Assistant in Dr. Martins Green’s laboratory. She is currently an officer in both Golden Key Honor Society and Student Homeless Aid Relief Project and has completed her lower divisional honors. She has been working with Sandeep for the last 2 years and will continue to assist him with these experiments. This work will not only contribute to her education but will also be part of her UCR Honors Program thesis.
Additional Information
Sandeep Dhall graduated from Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) University with a Bachelors in Technology in Biotechnology. During his college studies he also performed research on the Azoospermia Factor micro deletions in Sperm and Blood of Infertile Men to determine whether the germ cell genome harbored similar to the micro deletions (same loci, frequency) in genomic DNA isolated from blood. His work was conducted at Laboratory for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. After he graduate, he joined UC Riverside as a PhD student in the Department of Bioengineering and later advanced to candidacy working in the laboratory of Dr. Martins-Green in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience. As a continuation of his graduate thesis research, Sandeep will be conducting the experiments to identify critical genes to diagnose the state of chronic wounds. Monika Garcia graduated from Poly High School, Riverside, CA. She is currently pursuing her BS in Biological Sciences and is an Undergraduate Research Assistant in Dr. Martins Green’s laboratory. She is currently an officer in both Golden Key Honor Society and Student Homeless Aid Relief Project and has completed her lower divisional honors. She has been working with Sandeep for the last 2 years and will continue to assist him with these experiments. This work will not only contribute to her education but will also be part of her UCR Honors Program thesis.
Project Backers
- 79Backers
- 50%Funded
- $9,803Total Donations
- $124.09Average Donation