Awards by Sponsor:
August 1, 2014, through August 31, 2014

SPONSOR	NO. OF AWARDS	AWARDS AMOUNT
National Institutes of Health	76	$15,577,451
National Science Foundation	50	$16,604,713
Department of Education	13	$4,057,550
Department of Defense	17	$4,056,186
Department of Energy	13	$2,249,516
Department of Agriculture	8	$3,046,295
Department of Labor	2	$196,097
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	13	$972,280
Other Federal	22	$1,804,503
Total Federal	214	$48,564,591
Industry	168	$3,053,968
State of Ohio	11	$2,765,426
Private Agencies	46	$2,589,438
Colleges and Universities	2	$33,241
Other Non-Federal	1	$1,000
Total Non-Federal	228	$8,443,073
TOTAL	442	$57,007,664

Ohio State, Air Force to collaborate on performance research

The Wexner Medical Center and Department of Athletics have entered into a four-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) focused on improving the physical and mental health of military personnel, athletes and patients with conditions such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), traumatic brain injury, stroke, sleep disorders and chronic pain. Researchers will develop sensor technologies, assessment tools and analytics to measure stress, anxiety, sleep and other physiological functions of the targeted populations to improve physical and cognitive performance and quality of life. Ali Rezai, director of the Wexner Medical Center’s Neurological Institute, is leading the initiative for Ohio State.

Brazil Gateway open for business

Ohio State’s Brazil Gateway opened on September 13 with a ribbon cutting ceremony in São Paulo. The Gateway will enable the university to forge new partnerships with a multitude of constituencies, recruit international students, create internship opportunities for Ohio State students, aid curriculum development with international themes, implement dual degree programs, facilitate faculty research and reconnect with the international alumni base. The opening of the Brazil Gateway demonstrates the university’s commitment to being an active participant in knowledge-based centers around the world.

Buckeye Bullet chases down another record

Ohio State’s Venturi Buckeye Bullet team successfully chased down another international record for electric land speed vehicles. Professional driver Roger Schroer guided the Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3 to an average two-way speed of 212.615 miles per hour. Although heavy rains forced the cancellation of Speedweek in Wendover, Utah, the team was able to secure the new record during a private event. Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3 was designed and built over the past four years by undergraduate and graduate students at the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) in partnership with Monaco-based Venturi Automobiles. According to CAR director Giorgio Rizzoni, “The Buckeye Bullet experience is a unique training opportunity and proving ground for our brightest and most dedicated students, many of whom have moved on to successful careers in industry at companies such as Ford, Boeing, A123 and Lockheed Martin.”

NSF/NIH sponsor research at interface of biological and mathematical sciences

Helen Chamberlin, professor of genetics, and Adriana Dawes, assistant professor of molecular genetics and mathematics, received a $1.2 million award from a joint initiative sponsored by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Division of Mathematical Sciences and the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The researchers will study how genetic variability between species, individuals and tissue types can result in differing responses to the same external signal. Signaling pathways are known to be important in human development and diseases such as cancer. The team will use computational modeling and targeted experimentation on a well-characterized signaling network in roundworms.

Gaining insight into the inner workings of a
lithium-ion battery

For the first time, researchers have been able to provide a glimpse into the inner workings of a lithium-ion battery. Using a neutron beam, Ohio State chemists and engineers were able to track the flow of lithium atoms into and out of an electrode as a battery charged and discharged. The researchers are using a technique called neutron depth profiling (NDP) to non-invasively capture images of the interior of a lithium-ion battery to test new, high-capacity electrode materials, including ones containing tin, silicon, germanium and aluminum. These alternative electrodes could be capable of storing nearly three times as much energy as graphite, the material of choice in current lithium-ion batteries. Marcello Canova, assistant professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering, is the study’s principal investigator.

Addressing Ohio's water quality issues

The College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) has initiated a $1 million project aimed at addressing water quality issues across Ohio. “Field to Faucet” was announced by Bruce McPheron, vice president for agricultural administration and dean for the college, during the opening day of the 2015 Farm Science Review. Researchers will pursue partnerships with other universities and organizations that have the capacity to focus on factors contributing to the contamination of drinking water, including improved water treatment, edge-of-field nutrient management and control of hazardous algal blooms in the Lake Erie basin.

New future for cloud computing

Ohio State’s Network-Based Computing Laboratory, led by Dhabaleswar K. (DK) Panda, professor of computer science and engineering, will play a key role in a $10 million cloud computing research project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Called "Chameleon," the project is a large-scale, reconfigurable experimental environment for cloud research, co-located at the University of Chicago and The University of Texas at San Antonio. Chameleon will enable the academic research community to develop and experiment with novel cloud architectures and pursue new, architecturally-enabled applications of cloud computing, including real-time and safety-critical applications like those used in medical devices, power grids and transportation systems.

Payne to lead Data Analytics Collaborative

Philip Payne, chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics, has been appointed inaugural director of the Data Analytics Collaborative (DAC). The DAC, part of the Discovery Themes Initiative, is the virtual and physical foundation for the recruitment of new faculty across campus with expertise in data analytics. Payne will be responsible for oversight and recruitment of new faculty and engagement of the university’s data analytics community. Payne is an internationally-recognized leader in the field of clinical research informatics and translational bioinformatics. His research focuses on the use and application of knowledge engineering and human-computer interaction design principles.

SPIN funding opportunities database updated

The SPIN funding opportunities database has undergone an update to make searching more efficient. Managing custom alerts will also be easier. Users can now create and save custom searches using extensive keyword lists and run ad hoc searches of opportunities with upcoming deadlines.

All Ohio State faculty, staff and students can create a SPIN account which includes 40,000 opportunities from more than 10,000 sponsors (national and international). SPIN users can create and save customized searches that generate daily email funding alerts, organize and share funding announcements with colleagues, access an extensive keyword list and locate various types of funding opportunities. Contact Jeff Agnoli for more information.

Deadline extended until October 15 for H3C conference travel awards

The travel award application and abstract submission deadline for Ohio State’s health conference in India is extended to October 15. The university’s first H3C Health Sciences Innovation Conference and Trade Show is taking place January 15-17, 2015, in Mumbai, India. Join other Ohio State faculty (50+ already participating), U.S. and Indian businesses and international speakers at the conference. Early registration is encouraged as conference planners are assisting with visa applications for Ohio State attendees as a group. The H3C Conference is sponsored by Ohio State and the All India Institute for Medical Sciences and will focus on India's rapidly growing biotech and health sciences industry. The conference will focus on building collaborative opportunities globally to provide faculty with new funding opportunities, recruit international students and develop strategic global partnerships. For consideration, faculty may submit an abstract online.