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Current Research Projects

10/

The Role of TGFb2 and Macrophages in Cancer Cachexia

09/

The Role of Platelets in Cancer Cachexia

08/

Benefits of anti-inflammatory diet on biomarkers associated with metabolic dysregulation: dependent or independent of a reduction in calories?

07/

Development of Ojeok-san as a safe and effective analgesic to treat chronic pain

06/

Cellular and Molecular Mechanism of Fibrosis in Skeletal Muscle of Cachectic Mice

05/

Silybin as an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agent in cancer cachexia

04/

Effects of ojeok-san on pain-like behaviors in a mouse model of colitis

03/

Characterization of spontaneous pain in colorectal cancer

02/

Development of dietary quercetin to treat muscle wasting disorders

01/

The effects of Ojeok-san on neuroscience-immune interactions in cancer-induced visceral pain

Our lab investigates whether macrophages are involved in the progression of cancer cachexia. R01CA288578-01, NCI-NIH, K Velázquez

Our lab investigates whether platelets promote the development of cancer cachexia (Akyla Aiken, Luannete Peña). R21CA289464, NCI-NIH, K Velázquez

Our lab wants to determine if the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet are contingent upon caloric reduction or if they occur independently. MEDOC, K Velázquez

Our lab aims to discover new therapies with efficacy comparable to opioids but with minimal or no potential for generating dependence and addiction (Cassidy Socia, Jonathan Kennedy, Olivia Strock). SCORF, K Velázquez

Our lab wants to better understand how cancer promotes cachexia and how to develop novel therapies that may ultimately improve skeletal muscle function (Patrice Cunningham, Akyla Aiken, and Luannete Peña). RDA-VA, K Velázquez

The goal of this research proposal is to test the hypothesis that silybin attenuates skeletal muscle fibrosis and impaired function through TGF-beta signaling (Patrice Cunningham and Ella James). NIGMS/NIH P20GM103641, Target PI:K Velázquez

The goal of this Magellan Scholar Program (Emma Patton) proposal is to determine whether Ojeok-san can be used as a therapy to treat mechanical referred hyperalgesia in colitis and to determine if these effects are mediated via TNF alpha.

The goal of this project is to measure spontaneous pain in animal models of colorectal cancer using telemetric technology together with behavioral and metabolic cages of Promethion Sables System. SSMN-Seed Grant, K Velázquez 

In this Phase I SBIR project we will test the hypothesis that dietary quercetin will ameliorate the cancer and chemotherapy-induced cachexia and thereby result in improved therapeutic outcomes (Patrice Cunningham). NIH/NCCIH, R43AT011171, K Velázquez and B VanderVeen 

The central hypothesis is that Ojeok-san attenuates cancer induced visceral pain by polarizing macrophages to an anti-inflammatory phenotype and decreasing TNFalpha (Patrice Cunningham, Aman Sumal, and Gustavo Martínez-Muñiz). NIH/NCCIH-K99/R00, K Velázquez

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