Investment from tobacco settlement funding: $19,600
Total portfolio through FY25: $1.32 million
Return on investment: 67 to 1
“Millions of people are struggling with long COVID, yet many existing rehabilitation programs are inaccessible to those who need them most. Our
goal is to develop a treatment option that is safe, effective, and—most importantly—accessible to those who can’t engage in traditional exercise-based therapy. If successful, this research could improve post-illness resiliency, helping individuals regain their independence, mobility, and quality of life.”
— Dr. Gwenael Laye
Dr. Gwenael Layec, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), serves as the co-director of the Vascular and Metabolic Phenotyping Research (VAMPR) Laboratory, an interdisciplinary research hub housed in the Health and Kinesiology (H&K) Building at UNO. The VAMPR Lab is dedicated to understanding the mechanisms governing peripheral oxygen exchange and muscle bioenergetics in healthy and clinical populations, with the mission of identifying and refining therapeutic strategies that improve mobility, vascular function, and overall health.
Dr. Layec’s research examines how oxidative stress, environmental contaminants, and exposures such as cigarette smoke impair mitochondrial function and blood vessel health. By integrating advanced metabolic imaging, vascular assessments, muscle biochemistry, and computational modeling, the VAMPR Lab is uncovering why certain populations experience accelerated mobility loss, and how targeted interventions can reverse or slow this decline.
The lab’s impact is deeply felt across UNO. Students working in the VAMPR Lab receive hands-on training
in cutting-edge techniques, from magnetic resonance spectroscopy to near-infrared spectroscopy and ultrasound-based vascular measurements. These experiences prepare UNO graduates for careers in medicine, public health, rehabilitation, and biomedical research, strengthening both the university’s academic mission and Nebraska’s health workforce.
In FY2025, Dr. Layec secured a $3.2 million NIH grant to evaluate home-based lower-body heat therapy
as a treatment for individuals with long COVID who
are unable to participate in conventional exercise programs. Building on VAMPR pilot studies suggesting that repeated heat exposure can improve vascular function and mitochondrial capacity for energy production, this project positions UNO as a national contributor to solving one of the world’s most pressing post-pandemic health challenges.
Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Biomedical Research Development Fund (NTSBRDF) support has helped
the VAMPR Lab develop essential infrastructure, pilot data, and student training opportunities that set the stage for major federal investments. These resources continue to amplify UNO’s research capacity while advancing discoveries with meaningful implications for community and global health.
Through his leadership of the VAMPR Lab, Dr. Layec is driving scientific progress that benefits UNO, supports Nebraska communities, trains future innovators, and contributes knowledge with the potential to transform mobility and vascular health worldwide.
– Originally posted in the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Biological Research Development Fund 2024-25 Progress Report.