ANN ARBOR, MI, AUGUST 3, 2021 —In its ongoing commitment to funding research for new treatments for rare diseases, Cayman Biomedical Research Institute (CABRI) has announced its principal investigator grant recipients for the 2021 academic year. 

“We are excited to support these scientists actively researching treatments for often poorly funded diseases,” said Stephen Barrett, Director on the board of CABRI and Vice President of Research, Development, and Production at Cayman. “Selecting from the list of applications has left us hopeful for making a meaningful impact on new therapeutic developments.”

2021 Principal Investigators

$50,000 - Dr. Stefan Zwingenberger at the Center for Translational Bone, Research entitled: “Joint and Soft Tissue Research for Functionalization of Biomaterials with KMN-159 to Enhance Bone Quality in an Osteoporotic Drill Hole Model in Rats.”

$75,000 - Dr. Floyd Chilton at the University of Arizona, Research entitled: “Impact of Circulating Secreted Phospholipase A2 Group IIA on COVID-19 and ARDS Pathogenesis, Organ Failure, and Death.”

$75,757 - Dr. Laura Goodrich at Colorado State University, Research entitled: “Evaluation of the Use of Small Novel Compounds, KMN159 and KMN224, as Osteogenic Inducers in Horse and Sheep Cultures” (2020, 2021).

$75,000 - Dr. Marina Holz at New York Medical College, Research entitled: “Characterization of Estrogen-mTORC1 Signaling Network in TSC/LAM” (2020, 2021).

$70,000 - Dr. Elias Arner of Karolinska Institute, Research entitled: “Inhibition of Prostaglandin D2 Biosynthesis: An Unmet Need in Many Inadequately Treated Diseases” (2020, 2021).

CABRI is actively seeking to fund more research proposals. Research grant applications may be submitted at any time during the year by uploading proposals through an online form. Any principal investigators at academic research institutions who have a plan to extend the clinical or pre-clinical development of CABRI’s mission are encouraged to apply. Application submissions for undergraduate grant students seeking experience in laboratories that study rare diseases will be open in the fall.

About CABRI
CABRI is a private foundation nonprofit located on the research campus of Cayman Chemical Company. Since our beginnings in 2005, we have been dedicated to helping those poorly served by the for-profit medical and pharmaceutical establishment. Our three main focal areas are:

• Rare disease research including:
  
• Congenital lamellar icththyosis Type I
• SNUC (sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma)
  
• Mastocytosis
  
• Basic research support including PI grants, undergraduate work/study grants and research travel grants
  

CABRI is committed to researching, treating, and understanding rare cancers such as SNUC, orphan diseases and genetic defects. Many rare diseases remain without sufficient funding for research due to lack of awareness. CABRI is fighting to change this reality and extend compassionate support to those affected and their families. Our SNUC research is focused on studying the entire DNA composition of SNUC tumors to pinpoint each mutation and alteration with respect to the normal human sequence.

About Cayman Chemical
Cayman Chemical Company helps make research possible by supplying scientists worldwide with biochemical tools used to understand cancer, neurochemistry, oxidative injury, endocrinology, atherosclerosis, and other human health challenges. Our scientists are experts in the synthesis, purification, and characterization of biochemicals ranging from small drug-like heterocycles to complex biolipids, fatty acids, and many others for use as research reagents and qualified standards. We are also highly skilled in all aspects of assay and antibody development, protein expression, crystallization, and structure determination. In addition, Cayman Contract Services provides discovery and pre-clinical development services to the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic research markets. Our diverse suite of services leverages a team of over 150 highly skilled scientists with expertise in medicinal chemistry, structure-based drug design, complex multi-step organic synthesis, analytical chemistry, sample analysis, and custom assay development. Cayman performs generic drug development and production in both Ann Arbor, Michigan and Neratovice, Czech Republic.