2025-2026 MCW Radiation Oncology Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 17
2025-2026 Medical College of Wisconsin, Radia琀椀on Oncology Annual Report
The Himburg Lab, Leading the Way
New NIH-NIAID funding
for development of
therapies to counter
normal 琀椀ssue toxicity
In August 2025, the
Himburg lab was
awarded a 5-year $2.6
million dollar NIH
award 琀椀tled
“Mi琀椀ga琀椀on of mul琀椀organ delayed effects
of acute radia琀椀on
exposure (DEARE) with
ACE2 agonist diminazene aceturate.” This award builds
on a recent publica琀椀on in the ASTRO Red Journal by
first author Dr. Guru Prasad Sharma, which shows
therapies targe琀椀ng the enzyme ACE2 promote
regenera琀椀on of organs damaged by accidental
radia琀椀on exposures. In this paper, Dr. Sharma and the
Himburg lab team discovered intes琀椀nal ACE2 plays a
key role in media琀椀ng gastrointes琀椀nal injury and
importantly showed therapeu琀椀c ac琀椀va琀椀on of ACE2
accelerates recovery of intes琀椀nal barrier func琀椀on. The
new NIH award will enable the Himburg team to
expand on this work and examine the role of ACE2 in
injury to other radiosensi琀椀ve 琀椀ssues including the lung
and kidney.
17
First author Dr. Guru Prasad Sharma working with Himburg
lab team member Tiffany Raatz to conduct flow cytometry.
