Congressman Cohen Announces Eye Research Grant to UTHSC

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) will receive a grant of $466,103 from the National Eye Institute for research on sphingolipid signaling in vesicating ocular injury under the direction of Dr. Nawajes Mandal, a professor in the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Sphingolipids are a type of lipid found mainly in the membranes of cells which act on multiple different types of proteins to alter cellular functions. Understanding the formation and regulation of these types of lipids will help facilitate the development of drugs to treat conditions in which sphingolipid dysregulation are associated such as Type 2 Diabetes and ocular degeneration.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"Our medical school stays at the cutting edge of research thanks to investments like this one. I congratulate Dr. Mandal and the UTHSC community for undertaking this critical work."

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