Courtesy of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
A collaboration of faculty members from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), and the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) is leading the way to improving the quality of life and stimulating economic growth through the Connect Arkansas Research Scholars (CARS) program. Scientists, professors, researchers, faculty, and staff gathered in June for the second annual CARS meeting held at the STEM Conference Center on the UAPB campus.
CARS, part of the Arkansas Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program, is funded by the Arkansas Health Department (ADH). The program focuses on biomedical research aimed at preventing, treating, and curing minority health and tobacco-related health issues, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Attendees received the latest updates from CARS Teams, who reported on research outcomes, funding opportunities, and future directions of various projects. The meeting featured a question-and-answer session, a working lunch, and an opportunity to network. “This meeting is to discuss our program’s objectives and progress and recognize the efforts of our research faculty, collaborators, and supporters,” says Azarin Yazdani, UAPB Research Project Analyst and CARS Program Manager in UAPB’s Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development.
Dr. Mansour Mortazavi, UAPB Vice Chancellor for Research and Professor of Quantum Optics, and Dr. Nancy Rusch, UAMS Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the College of Medicine, are leading the efforts. “The concept of collaboration between Arkansas institutions goes back for many years. Now, with the CARS program, we are excited to have teams of scientists from Arkansas institutions who are connecting for the advancement of research and education for the benefit of humanity. We are also aiming for this to be a model to include other universities in the future,” according to Dr. Mortazavi.
CARS launched in the Summer of 2022 and brings together over 20 research scholars from Arkansas organizations. The mission is to share talent, expertise, and resources to increase biomedical research across Arkansas to improve health outcomes and drive economic growth. “Our research vision has come to fruition because of innovative research partnerships at UAPB. This collaboration will be sustainable in the future,” said former UAPB Chancellor Dr. Laurence B. Alexander during the event.
“Today’s CARS meeting provides a critical link between education, research, and health thanks to the current research between UAPB, UAMS, and Arkansas Children’s Research Institute,” says Dr. Calvin Johnson, Program Director of UAPB’s Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office. The program also serves as a training ground for several UAPB students who have worked directly with the scholars. Undergraduate students Fidaus Razak and Zach McGowan were team members with Dr. Qinglong Jiang, Associate Professor in UAPB’s Department of Chemistry and Physics, and Dr. Alexei Basnakian, Professor in the UAMS Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, for a project entitled “3-D Hollow Nanobeads and Drug Delivery.”
McGowan is currently working on a “Precision Medicine Zebrafish Model for Glioblastoma” under the mentorship of Dr. Grace Ramena, an Associate Professor in the UAPB Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, and Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, an Associate Professor in the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery.
Carvis Campbell III, who is studying Environmental Biology at UAPB, was a team member with Dr. Vinay Raj, Assistant Professor in UAPB’s Department of Biology, and Dr. Behjatolah Karbassi, Associate Professor in the UAMS Department of Pathology, for a project entitled “Role of Membrane-Bound Glycans in Exosome-Macrophage Interaction.”
Madison Purifoy, majoring in Nutrition and Food Science at UAPB, is pursuing a research internship under the supervision of Dr. Shengyu Mu, Associate Professor in the UAMS Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. She was a team member with Dr. Sankar Devarajan, Associate Professor in UAPB’s Department of Human Science – Nutrition and Food Science. The focus of this team’s project on the antihypertensive effects of unique rice bran and sweet potato extracts is two-fold: “Leveraging the Medicinal Properties of Arkansas Rice Bran Varieties to Strengthen the Nutrition Expertise and Research Skills of Undergraduates by Collaborative Research and Extension Efforts” and “Screening the Chymase Inhibitory Potential of Different Varieties of Sweet Potato.” The collaborative research of this CARS team was recognized recently by a three-year USDA grant awarded to Dr. Devarajan with a subaward to Dr. Mu that takes advantage of their complementary research talents.
“Our (research) initiative aims to boost nutrition education and healthy living advocacy in minority communities impacted by tobacco use,” the Deverajan-Mu team report stated. “Focusing on dietary strategies to prevent hypertension and related diseases, we explore Arkansas rice bran-based interventions to mitigate health risks. We provide communities with vital resources for effective tobacco prevention, treatment, and cessation.”
Kennedy Abanihe, who is majoring in Registered Nursing with a concentration in Pre-medicine at UAPB, served as a team member with Dr. Peter Wui, a Professor in UAPB’s Department of Business Administration, and Dr. Corey Hayes, Associate Professor in the UAMS Department of Biomedical Informatics, for a project entitled “Analyzing the Impacts of Marijuana Consumption on Cigarette Addiction in the USA: An Empirical Investigation.”
Other CARS Team members at UAPB are Dr. Zeeshan Habeeb, an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics; Dr. Yasser Sanad, an Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture—Food Safety; and Dr. Shahidul Islam, a Professor of Agricultural Relations in the Department of Agriculture—Plant Biochemistry & Food Science.