Cell biology receives $1 million grant

By Abena Foreman-Trice

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the world population will increase from 6 billion people to more than 7 billion by the year 2025, reaching 9 billion by 2050. Ninety-nine percent of the global population increase is supposed to occur in developing countries. This could have important ramifications for the status of global health.

In light of this, the U.Va. Medical School's Department of Cell Biology has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health, which supports efforts of American universities to meet the training and research needs of scientists and health professionals in their study of population growth.

"This award is significant for us because it allows us to further our research in contraception development and train new investigators," said John Herr, professor of cell biology, who directs the Center for Recombinant Gamete Contraceptive Vaccinogens. "Through this we can extend the geographic base of our research and help new investigators utilize the powerful tools of contemporary cell and molecular biology in the quest for new contraceptive drugs and vaccines."

The grant also will strengthen the ability of scientists from developing nations to contribute to global population research and advance their own knowledge of population policies appropriate for their countries. Collaborative research programs, with established research centers and institutes in China and India, will address such topics as the testing and characterization of new sperm and egg molecules involved in fertilization. Scientists from these countries will receive training at U.Va. in such areas as gene cloning and protein sequencing, while U.Va. scientists will conduct workshops and lectures at universities abroad.