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July 2014

BY THE NUMBERS

Awards by Sponsor:
June 1, 2014, through June 30, 2014

SPONSOR NO. OF
AWARDS
AWARDS
AMOUNT
National Institutes of Health 111 $28,980,040
National Science Foundation 43 $7,272,014
Department of Education 8 $8,271,379
Department of Defense 23 $4,120,462
Department of Energy 8 $849,930
Department of Agriculture 12 $1,140,755
Department of Labor 1 $34,950
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 15 $998,331
Other Federal 32 $17,146,513
Total Federal 253 $68,814,374
Industry 266 $4,646,293
State of Ohio 16 $1,029,065
Private Agencies 55 $1,964,151
Colleges and Universities 1 $4,320
Other Non-Federal 4 $267,848
Total Non-Federal 342 $7,911,677
TOTAL 595 $76,726,051

THIS JUST IN...

Buckeye Current team member wins Texas Instruments Challenge

Ohio State’s Aaron Bonnell-Kangas, a fourth-year electrical and computer engineering student, was named the overall winner in Texas Instruments Incorporated seventh annual TI Innovation Challenge. The contest showcased inventive projects submitted by aspiring engineers. Bonnell-Kangas’ winning project, an improved battery interface module for the Ohio State Buckeye Current team's electric motorcycle, featured seven TI components in its construction. The design aims to improve the power efficiency and battery management capabilities on the RW-2x, the second electric motorcycle designed and built by the Buckeye Current student team. The competition drew 810 participants from 120 colleges and universities from the United States, Canada and Mexico. Bonnell-Kangas received $10,000 for his first place finish.

RESEARCH NEWS

Kinghorn receives $7.1 M grant to study naturally occuring antitumor agents

A. Douglas Kinghorn, professor and Jack L. Beal Chair in the Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, has been awarded a $7.1 million continuation grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to further his research on naturally occurring antitumor agents from tropical plants, aquatic cyanobacteria and filamentous fungi. Kinghorn and his team of investigators from both the Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, hope to identify and synthetically modify new, naturally occurring lead compounds that have potential as cancer chemotherapeutic agents and advance them toward clinical use. This grant is one of the largest in the College of Pharmacy's history.

Saif appointed to food and agricultural research board

Yehia “Mo” Saif, professor emeritus in the Department of Veterinary Preventative Medicine and head of Ohio State’s Food Animal Health Research Program, has been appointed one of 15 members of the board of directors of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research (FFAR). The new foundation will leverage public and private resources to increase the scientific and technological research, innovation and partnerships critical to boosting America's agricultural economy. Authorized by Congress as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, the foundation will operate as a non-profit corporation seeking private donations to fund research activities that focus on issues of national and international significance, including plant and animal health; food safety, nutrition and health; renewable energy, natural resources and environment; agricultural and food security; and agriculture systems and technology. Congress also provided $200 million for the foundation which must be matched by non-federal funds as the foundation identifies and approves projects.

Ohio State, Sinclair College form drone partnership

Ohio State’s College of Engineering and Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, have forged a strategic partnership focused on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and data analytics. Sinclair recently received $4 million in state funding to expand their campus location to support the mission of the National Center for UAS Training and Education. Ohio State and Sinclair will develop pathways from existing Sinclair UAS certificate and future UAS associate degree programs into Ohio State data analytics and geospatial precision agriculture programs. Ohio State students can take general education courses through Ohio State and, upon completing UAS technical courses at Sinclair, earn a certificate or degree through Sinclair. Ohio State will develop new data analysis curriculum and training focused on UAS and data analytics and incorporate it into the recently launched interdisciplinary undergraduate data analytics major.

Discovery expands search for Earth-like planets

An international team of astronomers, led by Ohio State professors of astronomy Andrew Gould and Scott Gaudi, have discovered an Earth-like planet in a binary, or two-star, solar system located 3,000 light-years from Earth. The discovery provides the first evidence that habitable Earth-like worlds can exist in binary solar systems. The newly discovered planet is twice the mass of Earth and orbits its host star at almost the same distance from which the Earth orbits the sun; however, the host star is much dimmer than the sun, making the new planet too cold to be habitable. The planet was discovered using a technique called gravitational microlensing.

Cowan elected fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh

James Cowan, Melvin S. Newman Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was elected fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s equivalent of the National Academy of Sciences. The Royal Society was instituted in 1783 for the advancement of learning and knowledge and embraces all fields of scholarship and learning including the sciences, medicine, engineering, the arts, humanities, education and public service. Cowan studies the critical roles of metal ions in biology and investigates roles of metal ions in neurochemistry and neurological disease. Cowan is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Young Investigator Award, the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Ohio State’s Distinguished Scholar Award.

Augmenting therapies to treat multiple myeloma

Researchers in the College of Pharmacy and the Wexner Medical Center are using a $100,000 Pelotonia Intramural Research award to augment existing therapies used to treat multiple myeloma (MM), a bone marrow cancer that afflicts more than 20,000 Americans each year. The researchers plan to use preliminary data collected from patients who have undergone an autologous stem cell transplant to develop a dosing algorithm for the drug melphalan, which is used in the treatment of MM. The algorithm will enable clinicians to give appropriate doses of the drug based on the patient’s level of sensitivity to the treatment, thereby reducing or preventing harmful side effects. Investigators on the study are Mitch Phelps, associate professor, pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry; Ming Poi, research assistant professor, pharmacy practice and administration; Craig Hofmeister, associate professor-clinical, hematology; and Susan Geyer, associate professor, hematology.

New center to fight drug abuse, promote prevention

A new Ohio State center, established with $2 million in funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, will serve as the nation’s premier alcohol and drug abuse prevention and recovery resource for colleges and universities. The Ohio State University Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Recovery (OSUHEC) will help college and community leaders develop, implement and evaluate programs and policies to address student alcohol and drug use. John Clapp, professor and associate dean for research in the College of Social Work, is OSUHEC's director. The College of Social Work, College of Pharmacy, Office of Student Life, the Generation Rx Initiative and the Collegiate Recovery Community are collaborators on the project. 

Strayhorn to direct higher education center

Terrell Strayhorn, professor in the Department of Educational Studies, has been named director of Ohio State’s Center for Higher Education Enterprise (CHEE). CHEE is the university’s interdisciplinary research forum which conducts research and policy analysis focused on increasing student success in higher education. Strayhorn will lead CHEE’s mission to provide individuals with access to higher education that is accessible, affordable, excellent and engaged with business and society.

Slot awarded grant to study deadly bat fungus

Jason Slot, assistant professor of plant pathology, has received a $223,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to study the potential of mycoviruses to control the spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats. WNS, a fungal infection that affects the bat's skin and penetrates the tissues of the nose, mouth and wings, is causing the death of large numbers of bats in the eastern U.S. and parts of Canada. Infected bats wake up more frequently than normal, exhausting their limited energy reserves long before spring. Total bat deaths are estimated at nearly 7 million since WNS was first recognized in New York in 2006.

EWI, Ohio State developing a technology roadmap

EWI, Ohio State and the Precision Metalforming Association will work together to develop the first comprehensive U.S. advanced joining and forming technology map. The map will guide efforts to accelerate innovation to meet demand from U.S. manufacturers for improved or new methods for joining and forming materials. The grant, led by EWI, is one of the first awards under the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech) Program, which aims to catalyze partnerships between U.S. industry, academia and government to support efforts to meet the long-term research needs of U.S. industry. John Lippold, Taylan Altan and Glenn Daehn serve on the project’s steering committee. Lippold is a professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Center for Integrative Materials Joining Science for Energy Applications. Altan is professor emeritus of integrated systems engineering and director of the Center for Precision Forming. Daehn is the Fontana Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and director of Ohio State’s Ohio Manufacturing Institute.

Ohio State spinoff developing biosensor technology

ProteoSense LLC, a Columbus-based Ohio State spinoff, is developing sensor technology to detect proteins that are fundamental markers of pathogens that threaten the food safety of fresh produce. Using the RapidScan™, a hand-held device developed by researchers in the College of Engineering and College of Medicine, customers can quickly test produce for dangerous pathogens like salmonella, E. coli and listeria. Instead of waiting days for lab tests, users get reliable, cost effective results in minutes. The company recently received a $1 million investment from the Technology Concept Fund LLC, managed by TechColumbus, and a $100,000 grant from the Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-up Fund. ProteoSense is led by electrical engineering alumnus Mark Byrne. Inventors include Len Brillson, professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics, and Stephen Lee, associate professor of biomedical engineering.

Cracking the genetic code of the deadly tsetse fly

David Denlinger, professor of entomology, was part of an international team of researchers that completed a 10-year study to analyze the genome of the tsetse fly, which transmits the parasitic diseases Human African trypanosomiasis, known as sleeping sickness, and nagana, which infect humans and animals respectively. Currently 70 million people are at risk of infection in sub-Saharan African countries. The team of more than 140 scientists from 78 research institutes in 18 countries hopes the results of the study will open doors to the design of new eradication strategies and provide the research community with resources to help speed the development of approaches to control tsetse fly populations. The research was featured on the cover of the April 25, 2014, issue of Science.

Clean coal R&D attracts $2.5 million grant

The College of Engineering and Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc. (B&W PGG) have received a $2.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy for Phase II development of iron-based coal direct chemical looping (CDCL) technology. Ohio State and B&W PGG will work to design a power plant that captures carbon. Liang-Shih Fan, distinguished professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and director of Ohio State’s Clean Energy Research Laboratory, pioneered the CDCL technology, which chemically harnesses the coal’s energy and efficiently contains the carbon dioxide produced before it can be released into the atmosphere. The new, larger power plant could generate 550 megawatts of electricity.

FOCUS ON DISCOVERY THEMES

Alleviating poverty in developing countries

Sally Miller, plant pathologist and extension specialist with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, has traveled the world over the past decade to help build capacity for plant pathogen and insect pest diagnosis and management through the International Plant Diagnostic Network (IPDN), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Miller recently taught a workshop in Senegal on invasive species identification and management in the tropics. More than 60 percent of Senegal's 13 million people make a living by farming. Globalization and climate change have led to shifts in the geographic range of crop-destroying plant pathogens and pests, where lack of experience dealing with invasive species can result in severe crop losses. Participants from 11 developing countries were provided with simple interventions that could have significant impact on productivity in their areas.

UPDATES

Closing the innovation deficit: Where are we now?

One year ago, a group of prominent university, scientific and business organizations launched a campaign to urge Congress and the President to close the nation’s innovation deficit – the widening gap between actual and needed federal investments in research and higher education – at a time when other nations such as China, India and Singapore are dramatically boosting research funding to develop the next great technological and medical breakthroughs.

On July 31, the same group renewed their call for increased federal investments in research to build a stronger economy, improve medical treatments and strengthen national security. 
Organizations leading the effort to close the innovation deficit will be speaking to members of Congress in the coming weeks, urging lawmakers to make investments in research a high priority in the FY 2015 appropriations process.

Read Vice President for Research Caroline Whitacre’s Buckeye Voices blog and learn more about how a lack of federal funding for research and education will jeopardize our nation’s status as an innovation leader.

Ohio State H3C Innovations Conference travel awards announced

The Health Sciences Innovations Conference and Trade Show, sponsored by Ohio State and the All India Institute for Medical Sciences, will focus on India's rapidly growing biotech and health sciences industry, with the goal of developing strategic partnerships and research collaboration between Ohio State and India's academic institutions and health sciences-related industry. In addition, the conference seeks to engage health sciences companies from the U.S. to seek economic opportunities in India and encourage companies in India to explore opportunities in the U.S., particularly in Columbus, Ohio.
 
The conference will take place January 15-18, 2015, in Mumbai, India. The Office of Research has pledged $10,000 to support travel costs for five faculty researchers. Additionally, the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Based Therapies will award ten $2,000 H3C travel awards. Faculty interested in attending the conference are invited to submit an abstract to Brent.Toto@osumc.edu by August 31, 2014. Following a competitive review, awards will be made based on abstract quality, research results and the relevance of the work to the field of health sciences. 
 
Applicants will be notified of travel award decisions in September. For additional information, contact Brent Toto

New FY 2015 animal care per diem rates take effect September 1

Animal care per diem rates will increase on September 1, 2014. University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR) has worked very hard to keep per diem increases to a minimum. As a result, the new FY 2015 per diem rates represent the first increase in two years, and in most cases, reflect a less than 2% increase over FY 2013 rates. 
 
Valerie Bergdall, director of ULAR, and her staff will continue to find innovative ways to control costs and keep per diem rates as low as possible in the future. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Bergdall.

Changes to IRB continuing review requirements

Investigators are no longer required to resubmit data collection forms, questionnaires and screening instruments for continuing Institutional Review Board (IRB) review, unless these documents are new or are being revised. The Continuing Review of Human Subjects Research application and Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) policy IRB Submission and Pre-Review have been updated to reflect this change. Contact Ellen Patricia with questions.

90-day sponsored project PETs and HR 9.2

In conjunction with the HR 9.2 implementation, the greater than 90-day PET request and approval process has gone paperlessRequests to transfer sponsored project “personnel expenses 90 days after the costs were incurred” should continue to be initiated using normal department procedures. However, rather than completing a paper form, HR personnel will enter the transfer information into a web-based application. From there, the proposed transfer will route to PIs for review.
 

Free mind-body skills training for resilience, effectiveness and mindfulness

The Center for Integrative Health and Wellness recently launched a new online training opportunity for all. “Mind-Body STREAM” offers 12 interactive modules for those who want to become more resilient in the face of stress. All modules are available for free to Ohio State faculty, staff and students. Use your university email address for registration, and be sure to include your Ohio State affiliation to receive free access. Contact cihw@osumc.edu with questions. 
EVENTS

Research Expo

September 23, 2014
9:30 a.m. - noon
Ohio Union, Great Hall Meeting Room
 

State of Research address and Innovator of the Year awards

October 31, 2014
8:30 a.m.
Ohio Union, U.S. Bank Conference Theater

Inspiring Female Entrepreneurs
at Ohio State
and Beyond

4 - 6 p.m.
Technology Commercialization Office
1524 N. High Street
Columbus, OH 43201
 
Networking and sharing of ideas about moving research or innovation towards commercialization geared towards women faculty, researchers and leadership who are interested in entrepreneurship. Hosted by Gender Initiatives in STEMM, Project CEOS, the Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the Technology Commercialization Office.
 
Contact Jennifer Heckscher for more information. Space is limited so register today.

 

Big IDEAS for Health

August 29, 2014
8 - 9:30 a.m.
Prior Hall (6th floor Seminar Room)
376 W. 10th Avenue

Big IDEAs for Health is back for FY 2015. The event is a forum for Ohio State University Medical Center faculty, staff and students, and the general Columbus community, to pitch new health care product or service concepts and get immediate feedback from a panel of some of Columbus' most notable business leaders and health care experts. Four forums will be held during the the 2014-2015 academic year (August 29, November 14, February 20 and April 10). One concept from each session will be selected to compete for the $10,000 cash prize that will be awarded on May 29, 2015. Submit your health care innovation by August 15, 2014 to be considered for the August 29 session. Register to attend the event.

The Role of Health Information Technology and Informatics in Clinical Transformation

September 3, 2014
7:30 a.m. - noon
Ross Heart Hospital Auditorium

Are you focused on improving health outcomes or quality of care? Do you use secondary health data in your research or daily operations? Do you wish your computational efforts had greater impact on patient care? Or are you seeking collaborators in these areas? If so, plan to attend this workshop hosted by OSUWMC Quality and Operations, the Department of Biomedical Informatics, and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. Register by August 22. 

Research Ethics at The Ohio State University

September 8-11, 2014
The Ohio Union
1739 N. High Street
Columbus, OH 43210

The Office of Responsible Research Practices (ORRP) has partnered with Public Responsibility in Medicine & Research (PRIM&R) to bring three highly-acclaimed research ethics educational programs to campus. Institutional Review Board (IRB) 101, IRB Administrator 101 and Essentials of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Administration are designed for those involved in human subjects protections and animal care and use. For more information, visit the PRIM&R website.

Climate Exploration Series: Glaciers, Mountains & People

5 - 9 p.m.
Battelle Darby Creek
Metro Park Nature Center
1775 Darby Creek Drive
Galloway, OH 43119
 
An evening of family-friendly activities and a screening of the film Glacial Balance. Explore the mountains, glaciers, people and changing climate conditions along the spine of the Andes Mountains. 
 
Project partners include the Byrd Polar Research Center, Extension, 4-H, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory, and Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park. 
 
For more information, call 614-688-8279.

 

Farm Science Review

September 16-18, 2014
Molly Caren Agricultural Center
135 SR 38 NE
London, OH 43140

The 52nd annual event will showcase the latest technological advances in agriculture. Sponsored by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, the Review features educational workshops, presentations, demonstrations and other opportunities delivered by the experts from Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

Health Sciences Innovations Conference and Trade Show

January 15-18, 2015
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
Mumbai, India

The conference is sponsored by Ohio State and the All India Institute for Medical Sciences. Early bird registration ends August 31, 2014. For additional information, contact Brent Toto
OPPORTUNITIES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Center for Integrative Health and Wellness Pilot Grants and Research Awards

Funding Opportunity
Deadline: August 31, 2014

Three pilot grants will be awarded, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. Two $500 research awards will be given - one to a student (undergraduate through post-doctoral) and one to a faculty member. Project topics must be focused on improving the evidence base regarding integrative health and wellness. Faculty and students at all levels of training are welcome to apply. Applications are available from Jennifer Long.

Bioproduct Innovation of the Year nominations sought

Deadline: August 31, 2014

The Ohio Bioproducts Innovation Center (OBIC), located at Ohio State, is seeking nominations for its inaugural "Bioproduct Innovation of the Year" award, which will recognize leadership from the emerging biobased products industry. The award will be presented as part of the Bioproducts World Showcase and Conference which will be held in Columbus, Ohio, October 5-8, 2014. The goal of this first-of-its-kind event, hosted by OBIC, is to accelerate the manufacturing, distribution and use of biobased products. Biobased products that have been introduced into the market from April 1, 2013, to October 1, 2014, are eligible for nomination. Download the application.

Call for Nominations: National Academy of Inventors Fellowship

Fellowship opportunity
Deadline: November 1, 2014

Election to National Academy of Inventors (NAI) fellow status is a high professional distinction accorded to academic inventors who have demonstrated a highly prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. There are currently 244 NAI Fellows worldwide, representing 121 universities and non-profit research institutes. Collectively, they hold more than 9,000 issued U.S. patents. Ohio State has two NAI Fellows.

Nominations for 2014 Fellows opened July 1, 2014. Nominees must be a named inventor on at least one patent issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and must be affiliated with a university, nonprofit research institute or other academic entity.

Undergraduate Research Scholar award

Funding opportunity
 
Are you an undergraduate student interested in pursuing your first faculty-supervised research project or creative activity? If so, you can apply for a $1,000 Undergraduate Research Scholar award to get your project started. The Office of Undergraduate Education, in partnership with the Undergraduate Research Office, makes up to 300 awards each year to first-time undergraduate researchers. Applications are accepted year-round, on or before the first of each month.

COSI recruiting researchers for the Portal to the Public (PoP) project

The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is recruiting scientists, researchers and professionals interested in participating in COSI Portal to Public (PoP) projects aimed at engaging the community and experts in science-related events. Learn how to better communicate your research to the public through the development of hands-on activities.
Did you know? You can spot birds, learn their calls and discover their habitats during a free guided bird walk at Secrest Arboretum 

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208 Bricker Hall, 190 North Oval Mall, Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: 614-292-1582 | Fax: 614-292-6602 | Email the Office of Research

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