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Abstract or Project Description

Abstract or Project Description

Commonweal’s mission is to provide a forum for civil, reasoned debate on the interaction of faith with contemporary politics and culture.

Abstract or Project Description

Governed by a Board of Trustees, the Conservation Society of California manages and operates Oakland Zoo and is comprised of dedicated volunteers who provide oversight of the organization’s mission, core values and policies.

Abstract or Project Description

Court 13 Arts, a New Orleans-based nonprofit, was founded by Benh Zeitlin in 2015 to support Louisiana artists, inspired by the collaborative spirit behind the film “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Dedicated to fostering creativity through education and public programming, they aim to build a community-based culture of art and filmmaking, anchoring Louisiana talent for long-term benefit while serving as a platform for artists to develop sustainable careers.

Abstract or Project Description

Court 13 Arts, a New Orleans-based nonprofit, was founded by Benh Zeitlin in 2015 to support Louisiana artists, inspired by the collaborative spirit behind the film “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Dedicated to fostering creativity through education and public programming, they aim to build a community-based culture of art and filmmaking, anchoring Louisiana talent for long-term benefit while serving as a platform for artists to develop sustainable careers.

Abstract or Project Description

Individuals with mutations in the receptor for IL-10 suffer from very early onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease. These patients are typically unresponsive to conventional therapies and have a poor long-term prognosis. The only available curative therapy is bone marrow transplantation from a suitable donor, which carries significant risks and often is not available. We propose to use gene transfer into the patient’s own stem cells to restore IL-10 signaling and provide an alternative treatment option for these patients. Our preliminary studies indicate that this gene therapy approach can prevent the development of the disease in a mouse model which mimics the disease symptoms observed in human patients. The team of investigators has deep expertise covering the diverse aspects of this project, with expertise in gene therapy preclinical development, clinical translation and in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and IL-10 biology.

Abstract or Project Description

A multidisciplinary, mobile performance-art installation on Alcatraz Island. Through the collaboration of Northern California First Nations artists and community members, “GROUNDWORKS” will explore native cultural stories .

Abstract or Project Description

Downtown Streets Team builds Teams that restore dignity, inspire hope and provide a pathway to recover from homelessness.

Abstract or Project Description

To support East Bay Agency for Children’s (EBAC) early childhood education program at the Hawthorne Family Resource Center. This program will include Parent-Child Education Support Program and EBAC’s early childhood education program, La Academia.

Abstract or Project Description

To provide support for the planning and implementation efforts associated with the increase in public funding dedicated to expanding child care and early education in Oakland.

Abstract or Project Description

For five Education for Change elementary schools to support improving core instruction and literacy supports for 900 transitional kindergartners to first grade students and their teachers. Funding includes: transitional kindergarten to first grade focused literacy coaches, tutor resources and a facilitated monthly professional learning community for site leaders and teachers to support data analysis and application of evidence-based literacy practices that help children secure the skills they need to be on track for reading success.

Abstract or Project Description

Explores gender-based sexual violence and challenges today’s pervasive rape culture through dance, theater, music and video. Drawing from specific dance forms pioneered by gay men and women of color and engaging with intergenerational, racially diverse stories of survivors, CUNTI seeks to add complexity to narratives of sexual violence.

Abstract or Project Description

Supporting youth programs for Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ). CURYJ (pronounced ‘courage’) unlocks the leadership of young people to dream beyond bars. They look to young people to lead the way in transforming our communities by investing in their healing, aspirations and activism.

Abstract or Project Description

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can be a devastating illness. For reasons that are not clear, the cells that line the intestine in patients with IBD mount inappropriate immune responses toward the harmless bacteria that normally inhabit our gastrointestinal tracts. Treatments for IBD therefore involve suppressing immune responses to limit the damage caused by this immune hyperactivation. These medications have many complications, particularly in children who may be more susceptible to the infectious complications associated with their long-term use. The goal of our research is to facilitate the development of new therapies for IBD that specifically limit the hyperactivation of intestinal immune responses. We have identified a novel regulator of inflammatory responses in the cells that line the intestine and in this proposal we explore the mechanism by which this receptor acts to suppress deleterious immune responses. We hypothesize that these discoveries will offer important insights into the pathophysiology of IBD and will suggest a new therapeutic strategy for this disease.

Abstract or Project Description

A biennial festival that brings together local and national performing artists for performances, panels and workshops. The festival provides participants with unique opportunities for artistic exchange and cross-pollination.

Abstract or Project Description

Fresh Lifelines for Youth is a youth justice organization disrupting the pipeline to prison ang changing the juvenile justice system.

Abstract or Project Description

Oakland Public Library will purchase 14,000 giveaway books for distribution through multiple programs, including but not limited to: Día (Diversity in Action) events, Books for Wider Horizons  preschool graduation giveaways, Summer Reading, Winter Bingo, and Share the Love outreach (distribution at the Oakland Housing Authority picnics, hospital waiting rooms, laundromats).

Abstract or Project Description

Friends of the Lobkowicz Collections is a non profit organization that supports the mission of preserving, studying, and sharing the Lobkowicz Collections in the United States and abroad.

Abstract or Project Description

A series of screen and digital printmaking residencies to explore displacement and the housing crisis affecting San Francisco’s Mission District. Housed in a mobile unit, the residences will travel along the 16th Street corridor between Mission and Bryant streets.

Abstract or Project Description

The intestinal microbiota is the collective term used to described the microbial community living in our intestine and playing important roles. However, the intestinal microbiota is also playing a central role in the development of many chronic inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We previously reported, in mice, that the consumption of dietary emulsifiers, a food additive broadly used by the food industry to improve texture and extend shelf life of processed food, is able to detrimentally alter the intestinal microbiota, promoting the development of intestinal inflammation. In the current research project, we propose to test the impact of dietary emulsifier on human microbiotas from IBD patients, including IBD patients carrying pathogenic bacteria, named adherent-invasive Escherichia coli and known to be involved in disease susceptibility. We predict that IBD microbiotas will be very prone to disturbance by emulsifiers and that such disturbances may initiate/drive intestinal inflammation. The study of the impact of dietary emulsifiers on IBD-derived microbiota may advance a general paradigm of understanding non-genetic factors that can drive IBD development and promote disease flares. Moreover, our studies may result in dietary advice for those at risk of or suffering from IBD.