Detroit - Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid recently announced the awardees from Wayne State's President's Research Enhancement Program, nearly a $1.8 million investment designed to strengthen the university's position as a nationally recognized research institution and as a center of scholarship. It was also created to contribute towards developing research themes for the university that are consistent with an emphasis on its urban mission and global presence.
The program, now in its sixth year, was divided into three sub-programs which included:
• Research in clinical science that encompasses a broad range of potential approaches and disciplines necessary to achieve an authentic change in urban health, including disciplines traditionally not associated with urban health as well as those already engaged."Wayne State has great strengths in a number of research areas that ultimately lead to stimulating our local economy through commercialization and job creation," commented Dr. Hilary Ratner, vice president for Research at WSU. "Continuation of investing in our faculty's research efforts will support the local and state by translating clinical science research, advancing the arts through research and improving knowledge of issues affecting women and girls in an urban environment through research. This investment is expected to lay the foundation for further study and ultimately lead to increased federal funding appropriate for the field of study, potentially leading to new jobs and the development of start-up companies generated from university research," Ratner added.
• Research in social sciences and humanities that addresses issues affecting women and girls throughout the world.
• Research in the arts, creative arts research or research that engages the arts in carrying out the University's urban research mission.
The award recipients for the 2008 President's Research Enhancement Program are:
Clinical Translational Science:
Generation of Non-Human Primate Embryonic Stem Cells Culture Systems for Translational Research - $400,000
Carol Brenner, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Randall Armant, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Barry Bavister, Obstetrics and Gynecology
This project aims to generate a non-human primate embryonic stem cell (ESC) culture system that can be utilized for clinical translational research. This group will design an ESC culture system based on the physiological conditions experienced by the inner cell mass within a blastocyst developing in the uterus. The research is expected to further the understandings of biological processed involved in human health and disease, ultimately translating discoveries into clinical treatments for a variety of diseases.
The Chlamydia Consortium - Effects of the Long-term Sequelae of Chlamydial Infection on Urban Health in Detroit - $250,000
Alan P. Hudson, Immunology and Microbiology
Michael P. Diamond, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Kendra Schwartz, Family Medicine
Jack Sobel, Immunology and Microbiology
Judith Whittum-Hudson, Immunology and Microbiology
This project aims to develop a long-term, large scale study to investigate and define many unaddressed clinical, basic science and eventually translational issues relating to active and persistent genital infections with C trachomatis. It will ultimately gain an understanding of the effects of, and host-pathogen interactions leading to, persistent chlamydial infection, and to significantly improve the ability to detect and treat these infections.
Reducing Health Disparities due to Overweight and Poor Nutrition: An Ecosocial Intervention for Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood - $235,000
K. L. Catherine Jen, Nutrition & Food Science
Cynthia Danford, Nursing
Heather Janisse, Pediatrics
Pramod Khosla, Nutrition & Food Science
Xiaoming Li, Pediatrics
Tonia Reinhard, Nutrition & Food Science
Kendra Schwarz, Family Medicine
Bo Shen, Physical Education
This project aims to examine the effectiveness of an integrated obesity prevention program, including nutrition and exercise, targeting urban, minority preschoolers and their parents/caregivers. The project will identify barriers to healthy nutrition and physical activities of preschoolers and implement a school-based nutrition and physical intervention for preschoolers including parental involvement.
Linking Geospatial Information with Public Health Outcomes: Modeling Asthma Morbidity Across an International Border - $319,000
Linda Weglicki, Nursing
Jason Booza, Family Medicine
Helen Krouse, Nursing
Lawrence Lemke, Geology
Delbert Raymond, Nursing
John Reiners, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Iris Xiaohong Xu, University of Windsor
Phil Graniero, University of Windsor
Alice Grgicak-Mannion, University of Windsor
Paul Villenewve, University of Toronto
Lois Lamerato, Henry Ford Health System
Richard Krajenta, Henry Ford Health System
This project aims to develop spatial-temporal models that review variability of air quality and their effects on health conditions in adults and children (five years and older) between the international cities sharing the same environment. This project has the ability to aid in the development of community, family and school-based interventions that impact the control and management of asthma in children and adults in Detroit and Windsor. It will also produce a framework of data and meta-data resources that can be easily translated and applied to other diseases and health outcomes.
Translate Advanced Neural Implants to Hearing Recovery - $292,000
Jinsheng Zhang, Otolaryngology
Greg Auner, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Edwin Monsell, Otolaryngology
Golam Newaz, Institute for Manufacturing Research
Pamela Vandeword, Biomedical Engineering
Michael Seidman, Henry Ford Health System
Kost Elisevich, Henry Ford Health System
This project aims to develop a new auditory prosthesis system that will counter the existing clinical and engineering problems of current devices used to recover hearing. This new generation of implantable systems will be capable of delivering high definition information to more effectively stimulate/sense neuronal populations in an auditory brain structure. The device will integrate nano- and micro-device structures, new materials, innovative processing strategies and functionally active bioencapsulation. It is anticipated that the developed technologies under this program will help treat other neurological disorders including tinnitus, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
Women and girls:
Personal Narrative and Evolving Notions of Identity: Exploring Girls' Perceptions of Computing and Technology - $50,000
Monica Brockmeyer, Computer Science
Gina DeBlase, Teacher Education
This project aims to discover whether the use of animation programming software as a medium for developing personal narratives will increase the interest and abilities of middle and high school girls in computing disciplines. It also aims to learn if the integration of technology in the teaching of personal narrative and writing contributes to the affirmative and positive development of girls' self-expression and identity formation.
Couples Interaction: Implications for Women's Health - $49,642
Annmarie Cano, Psychology
Michael Diamond, Obstetrics and Gynecology
This project aims to identify important aspects of the marital relationship that may account for the association between fertility treatment-seeking and health in women, with the long-term goal of developing treatments aimed at improving overall health outcomes in women.
Urban Female Adolescents' Intention and Participation in Elective Physical Education - $50,000
Bo Shen, Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies
Xiaoming Li, Pediatrics
Nathan McCaughtry, Physical Education
This project aims to investigate urban female adolescents' intentions and actual participation in elective physical education, particularly to what extent their overall physical activity associated with participation in elective physical education is; primary factors that influence their intentions and enrollment in elective physical education; and what motivational experiences in mandatory school physical education influence their subsequent elective enrollment status.
Arts:
The Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium: An Accredited Summer-Intensive Study of the Michael Chekhov Technique - $14,432
Lavinia Hart, Theatre in collaboration with Kent State University, Case Western Reserve University and the University of Windsor
This project aims to research, develop and begin implementation of an accredited summer-intensive study of the Michael Chekhov Technique for college-bound high school seniors and
theatre majors to enhance the artistic development, talent and leadership of young people committed to a professional career in the theatre.
Delacroix, Art and the Contest for Power in North Africa - $25,210
Jennifer Olmstead, Art and Art History
This project is aimed toward the completion of research and writing of a scholarly book focused on the images of the French painter, Eugene Delacroix. His works depict Moroccans as sovereign and heroic figures during his visit to Morocco when he accompanied a diplomatic mission to the Sultan of Morocco, where King Louis-Philippe made the decision to urge Morocco to remain neutral while the French continued to occupy neighboring Algeria after invading it in 1830.
Boys and Male Youth in Dance: A Qualitative Study of Male Participation & Access in Dance Education in the U.S. - $38,385
Doug Risner, Maggie Allesee Department of Dance
This project aims to understand the experiences of male adolescents and young adult males, an underserved population in Western studying dance at the pre-professional level (dance academies, conservatories, performing arts high schools and university programs) with specific focus on male participants' entry, access, retention and progression in the field.
WSU String Project - $32,525
Laura Roelofs, Music
William Starnes, San Antonio Symphony and US Air Force Strings
This project will create an intensive string teacher-training program in which WSU string students will give small-group instrumental instruction to school-age children under the supervision of a Master Teacher. This independent program will collaborate with the Detroit Symphony's new Power of Dreams education program. This initial program will enroll 40 to 50 children in the third, fourth and fifth grades beginning in the fall.
Woodward Avenue Rephotographic Project Online: Motorcity Metropolis Matrix - $29,410
Marilyn Zimmerman, Art and Art History
This project aims to confluence new technologies such as global positioning systems, iPhones and more, with a uniquely created and vast photographic archive as a research, community and educational resource. The project will build a repository of historical and contemporary imagery of Detroit's Woodward Avenue spanning 100 years to be accessed by the global community as well as the individual walking down the street.
Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world.