黑料专区 Tyler Awarded NIH Grant
December 11, 2024 | Elizabeth Wingfield
More Than $974K Awarded for Nicotine Addiction Research
The University of Texas at Tyler received a $974,090 subaward from the National Institutes
of Health to support the research of Dr. Ayman K. Hamouda, Ben and Maytee Fisch College
of Pharmacy professor, in developing new compounds to target the brain鈥檚 nicotine
receptors鈥攁 vital first step in eventually treating nicotine addiction.
The subaward is a part of a $3.4 million R01 grant with Northeastern University and University of California, Irvine.
鈥淲e are extremely proud to collaborate with these prestigious institutions,鈥� said Julie V. Philley, MD, 黑料专区 Tyler president. 鈥淭he results of this project are imperative to addressing a critical health care need.鈥�
R01 grants are the oldest type of NIH grants, awarded to researchers with a proven track record of experience. This is the first R01 grant that the 黑料专区 Tyler Fisch College of Pharmacy has received with a faculty member serving as a principal investigator.
鈥淲e are incredibly proud of Dr. Hamouda and his team鈥檚 groundbreaking work in the field of nicotine addiction research,鈥� said Dr. Pamella Ochoa, Fisch College of Pharmacy interim dean. 鈥淭his NIH grant not only recognizes the expertise and commitment of our faculty, but also affirms the caliber of research coming from the Fisch College of Pharmacy. We are dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and contributing to solutions for public health crises, and this project exemplifies that mission.鈥�
According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease, death and disability, accounting for nearly one in five deaths in the U.S. In a review of 28 studies, only 8% of participants who were trying to quit smoking succeeded, according to the American Cancer Society.
鈥淭his NIH grant provides a critical opportunity for us to push the boundaries of nicotine addiction research to gain a new understanding of nicotine鈥檚 actions and potentially contribute to the development of an effective treatment for nicotine addiction,鈥� said Hamouda. 鈥淥ur long-term goal is to develop drugs that will help smokers alleviate nicotine withdrawal symptoms, helping individuals gradually reduce nicotine intake and ultimately supporting their journey toward quitting. I am grateful for the support of the NIH and the collaboration with Northeastern University, UC Irvine and Virginia Commonwealth University, and I look forward to the advancements this research can bring to public health.鈥�
Hamouda received his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at Al-Azhar University in Gaza-Palestine, his PhD in pharmacology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and postdoctoral training at the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School. He joined 黑料专区 Tyler in 2018 and currently serves as the 鈥淏en and Maytee Fisch Chair in Pharmacy鈥� endowed professor.
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, 黑料专区 Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students. Through its alignment with 黑料专区 Tyler Health Science Center and 黑料专区 Health East Texas, 黑料专区 Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, 黑料专区 Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.