May 2, 2024
National Science Foundation supporting Ferris State College of Pharmacy project to battle cancer
A “bacterial cell factory” to study natural cancer treatment agents is coming to a Ferris State University College of Pharmacy laboratory with support from the National Science Foundation.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Eric Nybo received a second three-year grant to fund the production and study of anthracyclines, which he called “the most complex structures in nature.”
A $369,651 award from the foundation’s Chemistry, Bioengineering, Environment, and Transportation Systems Research division follows an approved $407,901 grant approved in 2020.
The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the federal government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.
The funding is directed to the “BIOPOLYMER” or BIObricks POLYketide Metabolic EngineeRing platform. Nybo, the project’s principal investigator, said their assistance comes from the foundation’s Research at Undergraduate Institutions resources.
“We have developed a bacterial cell factory to produce anthracycline compounds, which has resulted in the creation of between 30 and 40 distinct chemical structures,” Nybo said. “Approximately 2,000 naturally occurring anthracyclines have been identified globally. We are developing anthracyclines into designer drugs for the treatment of cancers.”
The NSF grant allows Nybo to provide valuable research experience to Ferris students in Pre-Pharmacy and other science-focused undergraduate degree programs.
Nybo said he presented findings in six publications, with 11 students contributing to the first round of research.
“The new grant cycle allows us to continue creating the most complex structures in nature,” he said.
Nybo said the NSF award runs through February 2027. It will allow a dozen students to be paid for their contributions to the project. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs assists faculty in identifying and managing grant opportunities; ORSP Director and Ferris Pharmacy alumnus Thomas Dowling said this is the university’s fourth award from the NSF.
“Research activities at Ferris are focused on innovation, a pillar of the University Strategic Plan,” Dowling said. "Engaging students in research with mentors like Dr. Nybo and others is a high-impact practice known to improve student success, with many students pursuing graduate (Ph.D.) programs after their time at Ferris. We take pride in creating this type of vibrant intellectual community for our students.”
Nybo said the BIOPOLYMER study team includes Professor Mikko Metsa-Ketela of the University of Turku in Turku, Finland, and the University of Kentucky Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Khaled Shaaban.