Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., (GA-02) is pleased to announce that Mercer University has been awarded $387,616 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The grant is being awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its Research Enhancement Award Program.

“Millions of Americans across the nation face debilitating medical issues that can be physically, emotionally, and financially draining. Academic institutions such as Mercer University provide medical research that is vital to expanding our understanding of diseases as well as finding ways to treat or even prevent them,” said Congressman Bishop. “I am proud to say that Georgians – students, faculty, and physicians – are working right here in Middle Georgia on research that will help improve the lives of many Americans. I will continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle to make sure that Congress remains a reliable partner to support this life-changing work through grants like the one Mercer University is receiving from the NIH.”

The grant will support research at Mercer University to identify the characteristics and potency of rare stem cell populations from patients with inflammatory bowel disorders and its devastating complication, perianal fistula. The research will help advance efforts to design therapies for patients with inflammatory bowel disease which, according to the Center for Disease Control, affects more than 3 million Americans.

“Inflammatory bowel disease is a major health problem in the United States and this research will eventually inform avenues for a new stem cell therapy for patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases. Additionally, cellular therapy with stem cells is an emerging regenerative treatment strategy for a variety of inflammatory and degenerative disorders, and this line of research is significant to the research environment of Mercer University School of Medicine whose mission is to educate physicians and health professionals to meet the primary care and healthcare needs of rural and medically underserved areas in Georgia,” said Assistant Professor and research project director, Raghavan Chinnadurai, Ph.D. “Exposure to these cutting-edge cellular therapy technologies in biomedical science will substantially enhance the knowledge of MUSM students, helping them implement these treatments in rural medicine.”

“We are very proud of the work Dr. Raghavan Chinnadurai and his team are doing. Mercer University School of Medicine is committed to the improving health of rural Georgians while finding sustainable models that will work in other areas of the globe. This research is cutting edge science and very important in assuring health,” noted Jean R. Sumner MD FACP, Dean of the Mercer University School of Medicine.

“I am thrilled about the grant award for the ‘Investigation of Human Gut-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cellular Therapy.’ This project holds immense significance for Mercer University School of Medicine, as it propels us to the forefront of innovative medical research and strengthens our commitment to advancing healthcare solutions for Georgia's rural and underserved populations,” added Sherrie Williams, LCSW, PMP, the Mercer University School of Medicine Project Management Office Director. “For the American public, this research has the potential to revolutionize cellular therapy, offering new hope and improved treatments for those battling inflammatory bowel diseases. We are excited about the positive impact this will have on public health and the well-being of our communities.”