Michigan's big three research universities grew their combined economic impact to more than $15.5 billion annually by 2011, while maintaining their standing among peers as one of the top research clusters in the nation. The annual report from the University Research Corridor - a collaboration between Wayne State University, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan - also shows the three exceeded $2 billion in annual research and development spending for the first time. Moreover, the universities increased the number of startup companies cultivated from university research. R&D funding grew 46.0 percent in five years, or by $631 million, and by 6.6 percent from 2010 to 2011. Across the URC and the research clusters with which it's compared, for example, R&D spending grew 6.1 percent from 2010 to 2011 to $61.18 billion from $58.33 billion. In 2011, 8,937 of the 31,683 undergraduate and graduate degrees granted by URC members were in the three high-demand professions. That compares with 8,760 of 31,242 degrees granted in 2010. The $15.5 billion in economic impact that URC members generated in 2011 represents a 20-percent increase from the $12.9 billion in 2007 and equates to a more than 17-to-1 return on investment for the $860 million the state spent to support the three.

Wayne State University just had their largest research contract renewed. According to David Jesse's article in the Detroit Free Press, the grant is worth $165.9 million and will cover the next 10-years. The money comes from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health. It pays for WSU to continue housing the Perinatology Research Branch. The contract will keep the PRB, which conducts perinatal and maternal-fetal medical research, in Detroit through 2023. The PRB has helped more than 20,000 at-risk mothers, most of them uninsured patients of the Detroit Medical Center.

Michigan's 15 public universities collectively rank fifth among U.S. states for total degrees awarded each year, at more than 62,000, and 11th in degrees awarded per capita, despite a No. 37 ranking in state budget funding per full-time-equivalent student, a new online research tool shows. Business Leaders for Michigan on Wednesday launched its Michigan's Performance Tracker for Public Universities online data tool at blmperformancetracker.com. The Performance Tracker compiles financial and other data on all 15 public universities from the 2002-03 to 2009-10 academic years, then uses 30 performance criteria to rate the universities on their relative productivity and efficiency, affordability and access to students, and overall economic impact. Among the key findings of its initial Performance Tracker research, Business Leaders noted: As a group, Michigan's public universities rank fifth in total degrees produced and fourth nationally in critical-skills degrees produced. Those degrees include fields such as science, technology, engineering and math. Ten out of 15 universities were above the average among a selected peer group of public universities in other states for average net price of attendance for in-state students. Thirteen of 15 Michigan universities are above their median in their assigned peer group of out-of-state public schools for producing degrees in critical-skills areas such as medicine, engineering, mathematics, technology and other sciences. Thirteen out of 15 Michigan universities are below their peer average for state support. Ten out of 15 were above their peer median in producing total degrees, with seven among the top 20 percent among their peers.

Whether they're in the same house or continents apart this Valentine's Day, romantic partners have a lot of communication tools available to help them stay part of each other's lives. Technology can be very useful in maintaining romantic relationships despite temporal or geographic separation, said Katheryn Maguire, associate professor of communication in Wayne State University's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. However, she said traditional means of communication still are critical for handling the more complex issues that arise between partners. "The idea of maintaining a romantic relationship at a distance coincides with the notion of face-to-face contact as being essential," Maguire said. "Without that physical contact, some would even question if it is a real relationship. But with the help of communication technologies, these relationships can survive and even thrive."

With the future of Belle Isle up in the air, Craig Fahle took a look at the park's past and its historical significance to African Americans. He spoke with Melba Boyd, distinguished professor and chair of Africana Studies at Wayne State University, about the history of Belle Isle and why African Americans are concerned about selling it.

Have you ever had an idea for a new invention or business? There are many options to protect your ideas, including copyrights, trade secrets and patents. The Wayne State University Law School's Patent Procurement Law Clinic will host an open house Thursday, Feb. 21 offering free legal services for inventors, business owners or anyone interested in patent law. Law Clinic Supervisor Thomas Helmholdt stopped in the studio along with Tech Shop Detroit General Manager Will Brick to talk about the upcoming event.

Julie Webber, a first-year medical student at Wayne State, organized an event to help medical students ease stress with the help of therapy dogs. The students got to spend about an hour with the dogs, which were from Dr. Paws Pet Therapy in Farmington Hills.

An article examines why science is not a strong subject for most of Michigan's pre-high school students. Of the five test areas on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program test, Michigan students performed the worst in science, according to results the state Department of Education released Monday. In K-5 buildings, teachers are certified in all subjects and put a primary focus on reading, writing and math, said Maria M. Ferreira, head of the Science Education Program at Wayne State University's College of Education. It's rare to have a certified science teacher instructing youngsters until middle school or high school, she said. "Science is being taught, but at the elementary school level it is a hit-or-miss," she said. "They may get a little here and there, but not a serious science curriculum."

During the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, Wayne State's Piotr Jachowicz took down the NCAA Division II record in the men's 200-yard IM. Jachowicz raced to a time of 1:45.92 in the event, becoming the first NCAA Division II man to clear the 1:46 mark. Jachowicz is a 6-5 sophomore from Lodz, Poland, who earned six All-American citations during his freshman year with Wayne State, including a second-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division II Championships in the 200-yard IM.

Michele Cote, associate professor of oncology in Wayne State's School of Medicine and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, recently reviewed data from about 1,400 20- to 84-year-old African-American women who underwent breast biopsies between 1997 and 2000. Researchers identified biopsies that showed benign breast disease (BBD) and also tracked subsequent breast cancers. BBD is an established risk factor for breast cancer among Caucasian women, Cote said, but less is known about it in African-American women, who tend to get breast cancer earlier, in more aggressive forms and die more frequently from it. She said her study marks a successful collaboration between Wayne State University, Karmanos and the Mayo Clinic that helps identify those at greatest risk for breast cancer and lays the groundwork for studying additional pathological characteristics. "Better characterization of the risk of breast cancer among women with BBD, considering both ethnicity and detailed molecular findings, can lead to better surveillance, earlier diagnosis and, potentially, improved survival," Cote said.

WDIV visited Wayne State last night to receive comments from students about President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address. WSU student Briana Parker offered her take on the address.

The Oscar-winning Disney film "The Lion King" won over moviegoers in 1994 with its wonderful storyline, rich animation and uplifting musical score. The tale of a lion cub destined to be king was made into a Broadway musical three years later (it plays the Detroit Opera House starting Wednesday). And like the movie, it has enjoyed major success, winning six Tony Awards in 1998. One of those coveted Tony Awards went to Garth Fagan for best choreography. He also earned a prestigious Laurence Olivier Award in 2000. The 72-year-old Jamaica native, who moved to the United States in the 1960s when he was 20, is a Wayne State University alum and went on to become director of Detroit's All-City Dance Company. Fagan also was the principal soloist and choreographer for Detroit Contemporary Dance Company and Dance Theatre of Detroit. He choreographed for renowned New York-based dance companies Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Theatre of Harlem, earned a Guggenheim Fellowship and was a Fulbright 50th Anniversary Distinguished Fellow in 1996.

Expanding its presence in Macomb County, Wayne State University plans to build a facility in Warren offering engineering, computer science, business, advanced manufacturing and other programs. The Advanced Technology Education Center would be on 12 Mile Road, by Macomb Community College's south campus. The 3.5-acre site includes a 40,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by a Farmer Jack grocery store. The project cost is estimated at $12 million and would be funded partially by bonds to be issued by the university. A date for the start of construction and renovations has not been set but officials have targeted autumn 2014 for classes to start. "We are very excited about the program and the project several years in the works. It's really building on our education strategy for Macomb County," said Ahmad Ezzeddine, Wayne State's vice president of educational outreach and international programs. Design and budgetary details will be submitted to the Board of Governor for final approval in May, Ezzeddine said.

TechTown, the Detroit business incubator at Wayne State University, announced Monday that it will use a $1-million state grant to launch an initiative aimed at creating and retaining more talented entrepreneurs and growing their start-up businesses. The Detroit Technology Exchange will include a six-person fellowship program for mid-level entrepreneurs, an executive-in-residence program for experienced professionals, and a paid boot camp for Michigan college and graduate students interested in launching tech-based companies.

Jessica Young's research goal involves the creation of a camera that would give surgeons more autonomy in the operating room. She's part of a team hoping to help eliminate unnecessary communication between a surgeon and a camera assistant during laparoscopic surgery. Young is a senior in Wayne State University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Like many undergraduate students at Wayne State, she works directly alongside internationally renowned researchers and scholars. This particular project, under the leadership of professors Abhilash Pandya and Brady King and in collaboration with the Children's Hospital of Michigan, could have significant ramifications in operating rooms around the world. "Laparoscopic surgery today requires the use of a camera assistant, which burdens the surgeon with unnecessary communication as well as adds an additional person to an already crowded operating room," Young said. "Our camera would give the surgeon more autonomy, but will not burden the surgeon with additional workload."

The Detroit Revitalization Fellows Program is looking for a few more good men and women to help advance the renewal of Detroit and build upon the ongoing success of its 2011-13 cohort. Wayne State University, which administers the program, is now accepting applications for the next class of fellows, who will begin their assignments in August 2013. The Detroit Revitalization Fellows Program seeks to build capacity for key organizations focused on the revitalization of Detroit, provide leadership development and training for fellows working in these organizations, and develop a network that fosters inter-agency connections and organizational collaboration. The Kresge Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, the Skillman Foundation, the DTE Energy Foundation and Wayne State University have funded the program. "Our current fellows are well educated and talented professionals," said Ned Staebler, WSU vice president for economic development. "We see the impact they are making and we are anxious to recruit more of these leaders to join in the revitalization of Detroit."

In the next three years, Wayne State University could complete almost $170 million in planned construction in Detroit and Warren, adding 115,000 square feet of new building space along with research labs, classrooms, parking areas and a new vehicle technology center. The university expects to spend about that sum across six capital projects by the 2015-16 academic year, according to reports furnished to the university's board of governors last week. The board of governors authorized a $90 million sale of 30-year bonds this spring, using Bank of America Corp. as underwriter. The bonds are financed through future general fund revenue outside of the university's state budget appropriation, said Rick Nork, Wayne State's vice president for finance and business operations. The largest capital project is the $93 million Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research Building proposed on the grounds of the former Dalgleish Cadillac Building on Cass Avenue in Detroit. The bond sale this spring will also put $9 million toward a $12 million Advanced Technology Education Center in Warren. Another $18 million from the bond sale would go to renovate the WSU Student Center building, and $23.5 million would go toward the $33.5 million cost of new laboratory classrooms and renovated research lab space in the physics, engineering and Shapero buildings. In addition, $8.5 million is designated to renovate Manoogian Hall and a separate electrical infrastructure upgrade.

At a public safety meeting held in Spirit of Hope Church Saturday, nearly 75 residents attended including Wayne State University Police Chief Anthony Holt. Although living in Detroit, Woodbridge residents often contact Wayne State's police department. Holt spoke to the attendees for nearly a half hour, fielded questions and spoke about some of the things his department are doing. The department conducts bi-weekly crime date meetings and identified hot spots each week. "We don't just do increased police presence, we put a strategy together. And that strategy might be undercover officer, it might be our mobile cameras, it might be creating a task force, and when we come back two weeks later we need to see a significant decrease." The Wayne State Police Department (WSUPD) is funded through the university and tasked with campus safety, but has jurisdiction throughout the city and has stretched its patrols to include adjacent neighborhoods, thereby buffering the campus. A unique service Holt said his department offers is "safe walks." Residents desiring a police presence while they walk between their cars and their destination may call the WSUPD and state their location and destination. A patrol vehicle will be immediately dispatched to the area, said Holt, whose department runs about six patrol vehicles a night.

A team of Wayne State University School of Medicine physicians will seek to develop methods to better identify women at increased risk for stroke using a new type of professional education grant. The study, "Improving the Identification of Women at Increased Risk for Stroke in an Urban Medical Center," is funded by a $492,800 grant from Pfizer Inc. It will be overseen by Seemant Chaturvedi, M.D., WSU professor of neurology. Chaturvedi and the team will study the rate of compliance for following recommended guidelines to identify women at risk for stroke by WSU and Wayne State University Physician Group doctors in five WSUPG clinics.

Wayne State University's Board of Governors Wednesday approved the issuance of bonds to partially fund construction of the Wayne State University Advanced Technology Education Center (ATEC) in Macomb County. Total estimated project costs for the planned 40,000-square-foot facility are $12 million. The ATEC will be adjacent to Macomb Community College's Warren campus. The new ATEC will offer students in Macomb County the opportunity to attain four-year degrees in marketable academic programs such as engineering, computer science, business, advanced manufacturing and other disciplines, while providing collaborative opportunities with the business community in the area. "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, vice president of educational outreach and international programs at Wayne State University. "We look forward to working with our partners at Macomb Community College and the Macomb business community to develop and offer educational and research programs that meet the talent and workforce needs of Macomb and the State of Michigan."