For the first time anywhere, Wayne State University researchers have shown brain connectivity in fetuses, a discovery that could lead to new ways to prevent and treat brain disorders such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia. Moriah Thomason, a developmental neuroscientist, collaborated with other WSU researchers and used magnetic resonance imaging to capture real-time images that showed communication signals between more than 40 regions of the brain of fetuses in utero. "We never, ever have been able to peer into the fetal brain and look at the development of functional networks," said Thomason, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the WSU School of Medicine and principal investigator of the study. "Scientific researchers will take this new method and apply it to a great number of questions, and that will help us all."

Jerry Herron, dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College, was an in-studio guest for a segment examining the Wayne State Word Warriors' "Word of the Week." This week's word is "fug," a heavy, stale, suffocating atmosphere; warm, unpleasantly thick, humid air. Herron has been invited to return as a regular guest monthly to introduce words.

Wayne State University graduate student music major, Brittannia Talori, spoke on a segment of 'The Nine' about 'The Met: Live in HD,' a series of New York Metropolitan Opera performance transmissions shown live in high definition in movie theaters around the world. Talori described how local audiences are able to attend showings of the live, streaming coverage at AMC theatres in metro Detroit. "You can actually see the live productions when they happen, you can dress to the nines and have the whole experience," Talori said. She also described how she works to bring more opera awareness and performance to Detroit and closed the news report by singing a passage from Giuseppe Verdi's 'Rigoletto.'

Research officials at the University of Michigan are preparing themselves for what could be a big cut in funding -- up to $40 million this year -- should the federal sequesters go through next week and slow the flow of federal research money. Federal funding provides 62 percent of U-M's research budget, which totaled $1.27 billion in the fiscal year that ended last June. A Democratic report in Washington said that under sequestration, the National Science Foundation (NSF) would see its funding cut by $375 million between now and the end of September, resulting in "nearly 1,000 fewer research grants, impacting nearly 12,000 individuals supported by NSF, including professors, graduate students and undergraduates." It also said it would lead to the termination of about $35 million in contracts and agreements. Among Michigan institutions of higher learning, Michigan State University was second in research spending last year, with $431 million; Wayne State University was third, at $255 million.

Two National Science Foundation grants to a Wayne State University researcher could amount to far more than a drop in the bucket when it comes to handling liquids for biological screening. Amar Basu, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering at WSU's College of Engineering, received the grants to support his work on microfluidic technologies. The grants, which total $636,000, will help scientists rapidly conduct thousands of chemical, genetic and pharmacological tests through a process called high-throughput screening. The first project, supported by a $335,000 grant through the NSF's Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices program, will investigate what Basu calls a novel approach for controlling the motion of droplets using lasers. Titled "Optofluidic Tweezers," the project focuses on a technique that can generate forces 100,000 times larger than traditional optical tweezers. The technology, recently patented by Wayne State's Technology Commercialization Office, enables novel applications in microscale liquid control, particle manipulation and light-directed assembly.

Two gerontologists at Wayne State University are part of a national study, looking for ways to help wounded vets re-enter society. Record numbers of soldiers return from Iraq and Afghanistan with serious spinal cord injuries. Many are left permanently disabled, and often struggle to adjust to civilian life. Cathy Lysack, professor of occupational therapy and gerontology, and Mark Luborsky, professor of anthropology and gerontology, talked about the obstacles facing disabled vets when they return from war.

A feature story highlights three recent neuro-findings that may explain various personality traits (and how to trump your own gray matter if it doesn't predispose you to them). Using fMRI scans, researchers reporting in The Journal of Neuroscience revealed that bilingual participants required less energy in their brain's frontal cortex - the area associated with short-term memory and mental dexterity - when completing various tasks. "A huge amount of research shows that activities to stimulate cognition are very valuable," said John L. Woodard, a professor of psychology and an aging expert at Wayne State University. "It doesn't need to be a second language. Play an instrument, join a choir, try creative writing, travel more often, or visit more museums. All of these will help."

Officials at Wayne State University have announced plans to build a $12-million technology education center across the street from Macomb Community College's South Campus. According to a statement released by the university, Wayne State's Board of Governors approved the issuance of bonds to partially fund construction of the new Advanced Technology Education Center on a 3.5-acre site on 12 Mile west of Hayes. The planned 40,000-square-foot facility will reportedly involve renovating a vacant building that once housed a Farmer Jack store. "We are excited about implementing this next phase of the university's education strategy in Macomb County, which will serve as a center of excellence and a national model for university-community college partnerships," said Ahmad Ezzeddine, Wayne State's vice president of educational outreach and international programs. "We look forward to working with our partners at Macomb Community College and the Macomb business community to develop and offer educational research programs that meet the talent and work force needs of Macomb and the state of Michigan."

Two National Science Foundation grants to a Wayne State University researcher could amount to far more than a drop in the bucket when it comes to handling liquids for biological screening. Amar Basu, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering, recently received the grants, which total $636,000, to support his work on microfluidic technologies in an effort to help scientists rapidly conduct thousands of chemical, genetic and pharmacological tests through a process called high-throughput screening (HTS). The process is used to identify active compounds, antibodies or genes that modulate biomolecular pathways and can provide the information necessary to design drugs and understand individual biochemical processes.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health has awarded the University a second 10-year contract to continue housing the Perinatology Research Branch. Dr. Valerie Parisi, dean of Wayne State's School of Medicine, spoke with WDET's Pat Batcheller about the $166-million grant.

How can communities work to bridge the education gap for underprivileged students? Carolyn Shields, Wayne State University dean of the College of Education, talked with Craig Fahle about the upcoming symposium, "Understanding the Impact of Poverty on Education." Jean Anyon, keynote speaker, professor of social and educational policy in the Urban Education Doctoral Program at the City University of New York, also joined the conversation. The symposium will take place Thursday, Feb. 28 to Saturday, March 2, at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center.

In 2012, Wayne State University students came together to support the Gift of Life Campus Challenge, in memory of Rebecca Joy Butler, a 20-year-old student who died while waiting for a transplant. Butler was pursuing a marketing degree at Wayne State when she was diagnosed with a rare lung disease. She learned that more than 100,000 people were waiting for transplants and made it her mission to start a donor registry at Wayne State. She was waiting for her own lung transplant when she died in May 2011. In memory, Rebecca's parents and sorority sisters started a campus-wide campaign to increase the number of registered organ donors. Wayne State University ended up with 1,133 supporters and won the Gift Of Life Campus Challenge. Wayne State is among 15 Michigan colleges and universities competing to have the most people join the state's donor registry.

A feature story focuses on Marcus Clarke, business development manager with the Detroit Economic Development corporation. Clarke moved from California to Detroit to become a Detroit Revitalization Fellow at a program run by Wayne State University, with funding by Kresge Foundation, Ford Foundation, Hudson-Webber Foundation and the Skillman Foundation. The program matches rising professionals with organizations working at the forefront of Detroit revitalization efforts. In September 2011, he and 28 other Fellows from around the country started work at 25 organizations ranging from community organizations to business networks to the Mayor's office.

Wayne State University and the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art announced the launch of a new online resource, "The Story of the Beautiful: Freer, Whistler, and Their Points of Contact," a comprehensive guide to James McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room and its dynamic history (www.peacockroom.wayne.edu). The Peacock Room, an elaborately painted former dining room and one of the most famous masterpieces in the Freer's collection, will celebrate its 90th anniversary of being on public view in 2013. Project coordinators from the Freer's American Art department and the Wayne State Library's Digital Publishing and Discovery Services units intend to offer the site as a major resource for scholars, teachers and students, as well as a deeper experience for museum-goers.

Claude Pruneau, professor of physics and director of WSU's planetarium, talked with Fox 2 reporter Amy Lange about asteroids. "There are literally thousands of these objects, the so-called near earth objects, NEOs, out there. It's a pretty scary proposition," said Pruneau. Commenting about the massive asteroid that passed by Earth Friday afternoon Pruneau says sonic booms like this happens millions of times a day, but most of the time they're so tiny that we cannot perceive them. We cannot see them." He adds that those that are big enough are on NASA's radar, such as the asteroid that just passed by, and they can be deflected if they're on a direct collision course with Earth. To put this in perspective, scientists say this cosmic display we just saw in Russia really pales in comparison with what wiped out the dinosaurs. "Dinosaurs were extinct 65 million years ago most likely because of an impact in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, but this was a major, major colossal event," said Pruneau.

The Wayne State University College of Engineering will celebrate National Engineers Week Feb. 17-23 with a number of events and activities. The college launches activities on Monday, Feb. 18 with the WSU Insiders hosting a series of presentations and a panel featuring WSU College of Engineering faculty, students and alumni. Events will follow throughout the week concluding on Saturday, Feb. 23 with FutureSWE!, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at the Marvin I. Danto Engineering Development Center Lobby.

The Detroit Revitalization Fellows Program, a Wayne State University project, is accepting applications for fellowships with the goal of helping advance the renewal of Detroit. Rachele Downs, manager of the program, and Regina Ann Campbell, a current fellow, talked with Craig Fahle about this opportunity and what their program is doing for the revitalization of Detroit.

Wayne State University's faculty union could reach a contract that would block a right-to-work option as soon as this week, union officials said Monday. WSU's union is among several teacher unions trying to ratify contracts before the state's right-to-work law takes effect March 28. Securing a contract before then denies union members the choice of whether to pay dues.

Ed. Note: More than 300 media outlets globally ran stories Wayne State University officials announced last night that the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health has awarded the University a second 10-year contract to continue housing the Perinatology Research Branch. The contract, awarded through a competitive bidding process, ensures the PRB will continue conducting critical perinatal and maternal-fetal medical research in Detroit through 2023. "This is terrific news," said Debbie Dingell, Chair of Wayne State University's Board of Governors. "A contract of this size gives us the resources to continue conducting groundbreaking research in this critical health area. Our record at the PRB has been extraordinary, and we look forward to more and more research that will help so many people." Added Wayne State President Allan Gilmour: "I would like to thank the exceptional people at Wayne State and our partners in the PRB whose daily efforts improve and save the lives of the most vulnerable among us. The renewal of Wayne State's contract is a testament to the confidence the NIH has in our people and the quality of our university." Dr. Valerie M. Parisi, dean of Wayne State's School of Medicine, said research conducted at the research branch "are changing medicine and saving lives around the world. Premature birth and its attending lifelong health problems in Michigan are so severe that Gov. Rick Snyder has made it, along with obesity, one of his administration's two top health priorities. Remaining the home of the Perinatology Research Branch ensures that Wayne State University continues to be on the front lines of the battle against preterm birth."

Craig Fahle sat down with Wayne State University Lecturer in the Department of Near East & Asian Studies, Saeed Khan, to discuss drones and Pakistan.