# K.C. Donnelly Externship - Promotion of Translational/Transdisciplinary Efforts in Graduate and Post-Doctoral Research - Colvin

> **NIH NIH P42** · OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $14,850

## Abstract

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
In brief, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed during incomplete combustion processes such as
cigarette smoking, diesel exhaust, and wood burning, and some have been associated with several forms of
cancer, including lung. PAHs are bioactivated into their reactive metabolites by Phase I metabolizing enzymes
in the body to cause DNA damage and mutations leading to tumor growth. The airway epithelium is a primary
route of exposure for inhaled PAHs. The use of 3D organotypic culture models are demonstrating promise for
use in metabolic studies as compared to traditional in vitro cell culture models that often lack metabolic
competency. My proposed project will evaluate the extent of DNA damage mediated by PAH reactive
intermediates generated in primary human bronchial epithelial cells cultured in both 2D and 3D organotypic
formats as compared to cell lines with reported negative (TK6) and positive (HepG2) results using the newly
developed CometChip assay. In particular, we will apply a method for the CometChip that traps single strand
breaks formed during nucleotide excision repair enabling detection of PAH-bulky DNA adducts. This project will
aid in describing the relevance of the 2D and 3D organotypic models for toxicity studies relating to DNA
damage induced by PAH metabolites. The specific objectives of this project are to 1) obtain training in
CometChip assay techniques such as chip formation, cell loading, electrophoresis, and imaging protocols
using TK6 and HepG2 cells 2) obtain training needed for processing data collected from the CometChip assay
and 3) learn to adapt protocols as needed to utilize the assay for 2D and 3D primary NHBE culture models with
PAH exposures.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10381310
- **Project number:** 3P42ES016465-12S2
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Robyn L Tanguay
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $14,850
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-07-23 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10381310

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10381310, K.C. Donnelly Externship - Promotion of Translational/Transdisciplinary Efforts in Graduate and Post-Doctoral Research - Colvin (3P42ES016465-12S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10381310. Licensed CC0.

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