March 15th – 18th 2023|Tempe, AZ
New PAIR-UP Research Grant Competition
PAIR-UP Imaging Science Program for Black Imaging Scientists
Scientific Conference on Hallmarks of Aging and Nutrition
Conference Description
Research grants are available to PAIR-UP member scientists who become part of collaborative research teams called Peer-Imaging-Clusters or PICs. A total of 5 PIC teams will be funded. Each PIC (4-6 imaging scientists) is eligible to receive up to $300,000 for 3 years to pursue novel research projects involving imaging science.
The PICs will be formed and proposals are written in person at the conference. Awards are intended to provide seed funding for teams of 4-6 that are formed at the conference.
Black Scientific collaborators needed to build robust teams of scientists to address the biological questions (AI/deep learning computer scientists, mathematical modelers/computational biologists, engineers, biochemist/probe developers, imaging scientists/microscope developers, application scientists, etc.)
The theme of the conference will be Hallmarks of Aging and Nutrition: Aging and nutrition across length scales (from organ-organ interactions to tissues to cells to organelles to macromolecular complexes). All proposals will be related to the theme of the conference. We look forward to individuals bringing experiences and ideas to address this theme.
PAIR-UP Scientific Conference Title:
Hallmarks of Aging (conception to death) and Nutrition (feast to famine) at the tissue/cell/organelle/inter-organelle/macromolecular levels across length scales (from organ-organ interactions to tissues – cells – organelles – macromolecular complexes)
Sample Research Topics areas
1. Time-dependent structure/function changes in adipose tissue/cells upon shifts in nutrition (feast to famine) (time scale: days)
From insects to humans, gametogenesis is inextricably linked to nutritional input, yet little is known about how whole organism physiology coordinates dietary changes with gamete development.
Advanced imaging techniques are needed to examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms of nutrient-sensing signaling pathways that allow fat tissue to communicate to the stem cell-supported ovary; to decipher the mechanisms downstream of adipose tissue amino acid response pathway activity, mTOR-mediated signaling, and insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling that allows the adipose tissue to regulate many aspects of oogenesis.
Advanced imaging techniques are needed to understand how obesogenic diets, high-fat, and high-sugar, impact adipose tissue biology, oocyte development, and fat-to-ovary communication.
2. Time-dependent structure/function changes in neural crest cells (migration) during development in zebrafish embryos (time scale: hours)
The formation and physical separation of the three ectodermally-derived cell types—the non-neural ectoderm (epidermis and placodes), the neural ectoderm (central nervous system), and the neural crest (NC)—occurs almost simultaneously during vertebrate development.
Advanced imaging techniques are needed to determine the mechanisms that drive the separation of NC cells and the formation of NC derivatives. What is the mechanistic framework that links cytoskeletal elements to changes in cell-cell adhesion during embryonic development? What are the microtubule-mediated trafficking mechanisms that regulate rapid changes in cadherin protein localization and cytoskeletal rearrangements driving NC epithelial to mesenchymal transition?
3. Time-dependent structure/function changes in gap junction trafficking upon changes in stress hormone levels (time scale: hours/minutes)
Gap junction channel complexes are critical to a wide array of physiological processes, including proliferation, wound healing, aging hormone response, migration, differentiation, and embryological development. Novel approaches are needed to characterize gap junction plaque channel assembly and removal by internalization that results in the release of annular gap junction vesicles in contacting cells.
Advanced imaging techniques such as super-resolution live-cell imaging are needed to determine the fate, endocytic trafficking, recycling, organelle contacts, and degradation of the annular gap junction channels upon removal from the plasma membrane.
4. Time-dependent structure/function changes in mitochondria cristae during aging (time scale: hours/minutes)
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a factor underlying many neurological disorders and metabolic disorders, such as obesity, aging, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Loss of mitochondrial function causes pathophysiology and might contribute to an age-dependent decrease in organ function. Endoplasmic Reticulum and mitochondria transfer information by physical contact between ER and mitochondria membranes to create a distinct microdomain termed either mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs) or Mitochondrial Endoplasmic Reticulum Contact site (MERCs).
Advanced imaging techniques are needed to create an organelle-organelle connectome to determine how the structure changes across age in specific tissues of humans, mice, and drosophila. Creating a database that characterizes mitochondria and other organelles allows one to determine mitochondria damage, cristae damage, and how MERCs contribute to pathophysiology as aging occurs.
Advanced imaging techniques such as Focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) and serial block-facing scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) are needed to visualize these contact sites in 3D across age in humans, mice, and drosophila, to produce 3D reconstruction for volumetric analysis and better characterization of mitochondria networks and nanotunnels.
Research questions:
- Probes available; probes needed to be developed
- Imaging techniques are needed to address the biological questions.
- Black Scientific collaborators needed to build robust teams of scientists to address the biological questions (AI/deep learning computer scientists, mathematical modelers/computational biologists, engineers, biochemist/probe developers, imaging scientists/microscope developers, application scientists, etc.)
Deadline to Apply: January 13th 2023