And the winner is...
Posted by Leanne Kodsmann on
In late 2019 Innovative Research, Inc. initiated a $10,000 grant opportunity within the life sciences field offering $2,500 in product credit and $7,500 in unrestricted funds. The response was inspiring with dozens of entries.
It is now time to announce that the $10,000 Grant for Post-Doctorate Research in the Life Sciences will be awarded to Luigi Brunetti from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, to aid in his research aiming to identify biomarkers that predict patient progression of the disease COVID-19.
About the Research:
Brunetti’s submission focused on his current work with COVID-19 management in New Jersey, a state that has been hit hard by the ongoing pandemic. With a robust set of patient data combined with whole blood and plasma samples obtained through an IRB-approved protocol, the next step in this research is to look for biomarkers that may help predict patient progression of disease.
The initial selection of biomarkers of interest stems from evidence that patients with COVID-19 can experience symptoms of hypercoagulability, exaggerated inflammation, and an overactive renin angiotensin aldosterone system. This research will look for the presence of biomarkers like serine proteases, interleukins, angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and other coagulation and inflammation-related proteins that could play a role in the evolution of COVID-19, especially in severe cases of the disease to see if any obvious patterns can be found that would help to develop more effective treatment protocols.
About the Researcher:
Brunetti received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2006, completed a Master in Public Health Degree in 2012, and in recent years has shifted attention from clinical care to research and is currently finishing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences to be completed in July of this year. Brunetti’s career path demonstrates a commitment to deeper understanding of therapeutics and how advancing knowledge can benefit patients in a clinical setting. With this well-rounded skill set incorporating both clinical and bench science, Brunetti is positioned to bring together an interdisciplinary team to produce high-impact research.
How this Grant Helps:
The funding from Innovative Research will make the bioanalytics of this research possible by providing ELISA kits via product credit to aid in this testing as well as funding to perform the required analysis. The results of these tests would help to expand hypotheses and identify areas for further research that could aid in improving care for patients with severe COVID-19.
Congratulations to Luigi Brunetti, we look forward to the amazing things to come! In appreciation for all the applicants, a standard discount code has been provided for their use at www.innov-research.com through the end of the year.