In support of its goal to encourage investigators to cross boundaries between disciplines to obtain fundamental insight into biological systems and to apply that knowledge to human health, the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute (PBI) has awarded the first Convergence Seed Grants.

Research teams comprising members from at least two different disciplines proposed new projects to push the boundaries of biosciences, biomedicine, and bioengineering.  This seed funding for high-risk, high-reward collaborative proposals allows investigators to test the feasibility of their ideas.  

The following projects each received $100,000 for one year:

Development of New Pharmacologic Agents for Treatment and Investigation of Compulsive Behavior
Andrew Pieper, psychiatry, and Gregory Friestad, chemistry.

Generation of a Novel Pharmacological Approach to Increase Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis
Matthew Potthoff, pharmacology, and James Ankrum, biomedical engineering. 

Identifying Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease Susceptibility Based on Chemical-Induced Gene Expression Signatures
Alejandro Pezzulo, internal medicine, Lee Joseph, internal medicine  David Kristensen, biomedical engineering, Meng Wu, pharmacy, Michael Welsh, internal medicine, and Patrick Breheny, biostatistics CPH.

Targeted Modulation of Hepatic Mitochondrial Metabolism to Provide Ketogenic Protection from Epileptic Seizures
Gordon Buchanan, neurology, and Eric Taylor, biochemistry.

Convergence, Jackson Pollock, 1952