The University of Iowa Center for Hypertension Research has announced the awardees of the second round of Collaborative Pilot and Feasibility Projects. Four pilot projects were selected for funding for the 12-month period starting July 1, 2016. Awards range from $40,000 to $60,000.

The pilot projects will involve collaborations among eight faculty members in five departments in the UI Carver College of Medicine. The program supports faculty who are both new or established in the field of hypertension (high blood pressure) research.

The projects are:

• Regulation of Vascular Reactivity by Endothelial LRRC8 Proteins: Rajan Sah and Kaikobad Irani, Department of Internal Medicine
• Study of a Novel Rat Knockout of RGD1562963 in Hypertension and Metabolic Syndrome: Anne E. Kwitek, Department of Pharmacology, and Garry Buettner, Department of Radiation Oncology
• Preeclampsia Exposure and Neurodevelopment: Infant Outcomes and Mechanisms: Hanna Stevens and Peggy Nopoulos, Department of Psychiatry
• Placental Gαq Signaling in Preeclampsia: Katherine N. Gibson-Corley, Department of Pathology,  Justin L. Grobe, Department of Pharmacology