LEoPARD awarded internal grant from Vermont Biomedical Research Network

LEoPARD has been awarded an internal grant at maximum value — a full request of $2,000 — by the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN). Funds received from the grant application — entitled “Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study of commercially-available capsaicin, capsaicinoids, capsinoids, and their biosynthetic intermediates: enzymatic and cellular approaches” — is added to a previous startup supplement already awarded by the VBRN and a startup package from Saint Michael’s College, totaling $25,000.

The $2,000 internal grant will be used to purchase commercially-available capsaicin, capsaicinoids, capsinoids, and other vanilloids — as well as other biochemical reagents and enzymes — to support LEoPARD’s undergraduate research in metabolic biochemistry and discovery of novel insulin sensitizers towards the reversal of insulin resistance.

With these successful steps, LEoPARD has already begun to recruit undergraduate students at Saint Michael’s College, gearing up our Fall 2022 research and looking forward to Spring 2023 as well as Summer 2023. With that said, we are always open to new ambitious and enthusiastic undergraduate students, whom we invite to read about our research, and consider applying to be a member of our group.

Adapted from the VBRN website: The VBRN, formerly the Vermont Genetics Network (VGN), is in its fourth phase of funding with a five-year $19.4 million award from the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health. The mission of VBRN is to build human and physical infrastructure in Vermont for biomedical research. The lead institution, the University of Vermont (UVM), has developed state-of-the-art facilities for Proteomics and Bioinformatics as well as a Professional Development and Education Core to provide to researchers across Vermont the resources they need to carry out world class research and compete for federal funding. To address workforce development and its diversity, UVM builds cultures of research by supporting faculty and student research at its Baccalaureate Partner Institutions (BPIs): Castleton University, Middlebury College, Northern Vermont University (Lyndon and Johnson campuses), Norwich University, and Saint Michael’s College. UVM also works with students in college lab classes throughout Vermont in order to bring cutting edge research resources into their education, including at the Community College of Vermont, Landmark College, and Champlain College.

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Laboratory for Evaluation of Pharmacological Agents in Remediation of Disease (LEoPARD) is a biochemistry-focused undergraduate research group at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, VT (Burlington metro area). We offer transformative, real-world laboratory experiences to ensure that our hard-working students evolve into our successful alumni! Interested students are invited to read about our research, and consider applying to be a member of our group.