http://newscenter.iupui.edu/ News about Research from Newscenter en-us Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:09:21 -0500 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4349/From-the-Desk-of-the-Chancellor-Nov-16-2009 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4349/From-the-Desk-of-the-Chancellor-Nov-16-2009 The Chancellor’s Professors are some of the most dedicated and distinguished faculty members at IUPUI. I meet regularly with them to hear their ideas. A few months ago, they suggested that the campus invest in giving a boost to the research of faculty at the associate professor level—particularly for researchers whose work holds promise for moving to a new level of prominence in the field or discipline. Thus, I am pleased to announce the establishment of the Research Frontiers Trailblazer Award. Vice Chancellor for Research Kody Varahramyan administers the selection process. Full-time faculty within the first three years of promotion or appointment to the rank of associate professor are eligible. A department chair, dean, or associate dean nominates the candidate and outlines the prospects for the person’s research to earn national or international recognition. Each year, up to three $1,000 cash awards will be given campuswide. The 2010 Research Frontiers Trailblazer Award winners will be recognized at IUPUI Research Day, to be held on April 9, 2010. For more detailed information about eligibility, criteria, and making nominations, go to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.   Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_chancellor-charles-r-bantz-small pic00000000.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_chancellor-charles-r-bantz-small pic00000000.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4245/International-Scholars-to-Hold-Africana-Studies-Conference-on-Globalization-and-Entrepreneurship-Keynote-Speakers-include-Nigerian-King http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4245/International-Scholars-to-Hold-Africana-Studies-Conference-on-Globalization-and-Entrepreneurship-Keynote-Speakers-include-Nigerian-King Scholars from around the world, including a Nigerian king and entrepreneur, will gather at IUPUI to address globalization and economic development in Indiana, the United States and other countries. The first Public Scholars in Africana Studies International Conference will take place Oct. 29-31, 2009, at the University Place Conference Center and Hotel, 850 W. Michigan St., located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. The theme is “Rethinking Economic Development in the Context of Globalization: Entrepreneurship, the Knowledge Economy, and Sustainable Development.” Conference events open to the general public begin Oct. 30, 2009, and include a book fair, along with workshops and keynote lectures on the effects of globalization on economies around the world. Presentations also will offer solutions on how to rejuvenate the economies of America and other countries. “We are now in the midst of an economic recession in which many Americans have lost their jobs and others continue to lose their jobs every day,” said conference organizer and IUPUI faculty member Bessie House-Soremekun. “Now is the appropriate time to assemble some of the best and brightest minds in the world to discuss these critical issues and offer solutions to be used to create more jobs and wealth in the world today.” Specific topics for discussion include: How to Succeed in Business in the 21st Century Knowledge Economy International Business Opportunities in the Changing Global Economy The Impact of Globalization on Africa and the African Diaspora Keynote speakers include His Royal Majesty Oba (King) Michael Aremu Gbadebo, the Okukenu IV and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland in Nigeria. Gbadebo, an accomplished entrepreneur, will speak on “The Changing Role of Nigeria in the 21st Century Knowledge Economy.” Egbaland, located in southwestern Nigeria, has a population of about 1.5 million. “Oba (King) Gbadebo has by dint of hard work, achieved notable success in the highly competitive world of the private sector, which has strengthened his background for the exalted royal position of the Alake, Paramount Ruler of Egbaland,” House said. “During his successful foray for two decades into the private sector, he has promoted and established interest in five corporate organizations.” Other keynote speakers include Dr. Keenan Grenell, vice president and dean of diversity and associate professor of Africana and Latin American studies at Colgate University; Dr. Toyin Falola, Frances Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor in History and a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin; and Chief Jimmy Gboyega Delano, president and CEO of Ilora L’Original Beauty Concepts, Inc., which has headquarters in Chicago, Ill., and offices in many countries of the world. Registration for the two days of public events is $150 per person, and covers panel attendance, the plenary session and the keynote luncheon on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. Registration is $100 for one day of attendance. IUPUI students and Indianapolis high school students can attend for $25 plus the cost of the meals. Tickets for an awards dinner scheduled for Sat., Oct. 31, 2009, are $50 each. IUPUI conference sponsors include the 40th Anniversary Celebration Committee; the School of Liberal Arts; the Office of the Assistant Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research; the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Lifelong Learning; the Committee on African and African American Studies; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for International Affairs; the African American and African Diaspora Studies Program; and the Olaniyan Scholars. For additional information, go to: http://liberalarts.iupui.edu/index.php/signature/C116 .   Posted Sept. 11, 2009 Updated: Oct. 21, 2009 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_king 3 copy.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_king 3 copy.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4312/IUPUI-Chemistry-Professor-Receives-Prestigious-NIH-Grant http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4312/IUPUI-Chemistry-Professor-Receives-Prestigious-NIH-Grant The National Institute of Environmental Health Science at the National Institutes of Health recently awarded Dr. Lei Li, a tenure-track assistant professor in bioinorganic chemistry at the School of Science at IUPUI, a three year R00 grant for $750,000 exploring DNA damage and repair related to Ultraviolet (UV) light in endospore-forming bacteria. New to the School of Science this year, Li will engage undergraduates, graduates and post doctorate researchers in investigations focused on the DNA repair enzyme named spore photoproduct lyase (SPL). Understanding how the SPL enzyme repairs DNA UV damage will help scientists develop inhibitors to prevent the damage repair process. The goal of this research is the discovery of mechanisms leading to the death of the spores which cause diseases such as anthrax, botulism (food poising), and tetanus -- diseases that harm and even kill humans every day. “IUPUI is a renowned institution with many experts studying various aspects of DNA biochemistry,” said Li. “I am thrilled to join experts within the School of Science, and on campus, in collaborative chemical, biological and medical research.” For the past 10 years, Li’s research in the area of bioinorganic chemistry has been internationally recognized. His work to design copper complexes as anti-cancer drugs earned Li two international patent applications and the “Outstanding Invention of the Year Award” from the University of Maryland in 2001. Li is also widely published in top chemistry and biochemistry journals. “The School of Science is honored to have a leader in DNA biochemical research join our faculty,” said Bart Ng, Dean of the School of Science at IUPUI. “Dr. Li’s experience will provide our students with great exposure to research methods and discovery. His work on our campus will eventually improve the way we combat harmful bacteria threats throughout the world.” Li joins the School of Science’s Department of Chemistry this fall from the University of Michigan where he received one of the NIH’s most prestigious career development awards - the Pathway to Independence Award. This award at K99 phase (postdoctoral phase) provided Li the resources to study the structure and mechanisms of radical enzymes, including SPL. Li earned his Ph.D. in Bioinorganic Chemistry from The Johns Hopkins University as well as his Masters of Science in organometallic chemistry and Bachelors of Science in chemistry from Peking University in Beijing, China. About the School of Science at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis The School of Science is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service in the biological, physical, behavioral and mathematical sciences. The School is dedicated to being a leading resource for interdisciplinary research and science education in support of Indiana's effort to expand and diversify its economy. For more information go to www.science.iupui.edu.   Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_li_headshot.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_li_headshot.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4298/Mens-Soccer-Team-to-Wear-Pink-in-Fight-against-Breast-Cancer http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4298/Mens-Soccer-Team-to-Wear-Pink-in-Fight-against-Breast-Cancer The IUPUI men's soccer team will be donning pink jerseys on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009,  when the Jaguars host Oral Roberts in an effort to raise funds in the fight against breast cancer. It marks the second straight year Head Coach Steve Franklin's squad has hosted a 'Kick for the Cure' event and the match will be part of IUPUI's 'Pack It Pink' weekend. The volleyball team will host a similar event on Friday, Oct. 23 when they host South Dakota State at 7 p.m.. All of the proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation as Richard Mann P.C., Attorney at Law will be sponsoring the contest. Last year's event raised more than $2,000. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For additiona information, go to: http://www.iupuijags.com/news/2009/10/2/MSOC_1002093047.aspx .   Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_rp_primary_pink_jerseys_ou_08-1.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_rp_primary_pink_jerseys_ou_08-1.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4297/Depression-Predicts-Increases-in-Inflammatory-Protein-Linked-to-Heart-Disease http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4297/Depression-Predicts-Increases-in-Inflammatory-Protein-Linked-to-Heart-Disease Which comes first, depression or inflammation? To help solve this long standing chicken and egg conundrum, researchers led by Jesse Stewart, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis asked two critical questions. Does depression lead to elevated inflammatory proteins in the human body? Or does an increase in these proteins lead to depression? They found that the answer to the first question appears to be “yes,” and the answer to the second question may be “no” among healthy adults. The researchers report that depressive symptoms are associated with increases over time in interleukin-6, an inflammatory protein that predicts cardiovascular events. In contrast, levels of interleukin-6 were not related to later increases in depressive symptoms. The new study, published in the October 2009 issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, is the first to examine both directions of the depression-inflammation connection and to measure the physical symptoms of depression, such as fatigue and sleep disturbance, in addition to the cognitive-emotional symptoms, such as pessimism and sadness. Several previous studies have linked depression to increased inflammatory protein levels measured at the same time. These studies, however, cannot speak to which is the cause and which is the effect. “There is two-way communication between the brain and the immune system, so we had to determine whether activation of the body’s immune system sent a signal to the brain to affect mood and behavior or whether the depression activated the immune system,” said Dr. Stewart, a clinical health psychologist in IUPUI’s School of Science and an IU Center for Aging Research affiliated scientist. Participants in the study were 263 healthy men and women aged 50-70 years at the start of the study. They were tested at baseline and again six years later to determine their levels of depressive symptoms and interleukin-6. Levels of C-reactive protein, another inflammatory protein, were also measured but were not related to depression. The strength of the association of depression with future heart disease is similar to that of traditional risk factors like smoking, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, according to Dr. Stewart. “Promotion of inflammation may be one pathway through which depression may ‘get under the skin’ to negatively influence cardiovascular health. The link to cardiovascular disease demonstrates that there may be physical as well as mental health reasons to treat depression,” said Dr. Stewart. Co-authors of “A Prospective Evaluation of the Directionality of the Depression–Inflammation Relationship” are Kevin Rand, Ph.D., of the Department of Psychology in the School of Science at IUPUI; Matthew Muldoon, M.D., M.P.H., and Thomas Kamarck, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh. This study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.   Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_stewart-40.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_stewart-40.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4291/ASM-Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship-Awarded-to-School-of-Science-Student http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4291/ASM-Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship-Awarded-to-School-of-Science-Student The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has selected Tiffany Blackgrove from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis as a 2009 award recipient of the ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship. This fellowship is aimed at highly competitive students who wish to pursue graduate careers (Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D.) in microbiology. Fellows have the opportunity to conduct full time summer research at their institution with an ASM mentor and present their research results at the 2010 ASM General Meeting in San Diego, CA if their abstract is accepted. Each fellow receives up to a $4,000 stipend, a two-year ASM student membership and reimbursement for travel expenses to the 2010 ASM General Meeting. This year, sixty-nine applications were received and thirty-three were awarded. Of the thirty-three awardees, twelve students were from doctoral/research universities—extensive institutions, four students were from doctoral/research universities—intensive institutions, one student was from a specialized institution—schools of engineering and technology, eight student were from a master’s college and university institutions, and eight students were from baccalaureate colleges. Dr. Anna Malkova from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis is Tiffany Blackgrove’s mentor. The title of the research project is: Analysis of proteins in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in break-induced replication. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM), headquartered in Washington, DC, is the oldest and largest single biological membership organization, with over 40,000 members worldwide. Please visit http://www.asm.org/students for more information on this fellowship.   Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4290/Researchers-at-IUPUI-to-Study-Goals-End-of-Life-Decisions-in-Advanced-Cancer-Patients http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4290/Researchers-at-IUPUI-to-Study-Goals-End-of-Life-Decisions-in-Advanced-Cancer-Patients Imagine being told you have an advanced form of cancer that threatens to end your life. What goals would you set for yourself, how might those goals influence what kind of health care you want, and would the health care you receive match those goals? Dr. Kevin Rand, a psychology professor in the School of Science at IUPUI, and Dr. Larry Cripe, a professor of medicine and oncologist at the IU Simon Cancer Center, have launched a two-year, $330,000 American Cancer Society funded study to examine those questions. The project is titled “Goal-related thoughts & end-of-life decisions in advanced cancer patients.” The focus of the study will be some 60 patients who have been diagnosed with advanced lung or gastro-intestinal cancer, Rand said. The median life expectancy of these patients is less than a year. “We are interested in understanding how these patients make treatment decisions as they go through their care and how their thoughts about the goals they have for their life and for their health care change over the course of their illness and how these goals predict treatment decisions, especially as they get close to the end of their lives,” Rand said. “Do they choose to enroll on hospice, or get aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy even though they may have been told it is unlikely to benefit them? What do their goals predict as to their health care choices? Are they getting health care in line with their goals?” Patients will be interviewed twice, three or four months apart. Each time, they will be asked to list their life goals and treatment goals. Among the questions: What are your most important goals? Patients will also be asked how they would invest their time and energy in pursuing those goals. “We want to see if the goals of the patients change over time and if those changes relate to the progress of their disease or treatment,” Rand said. Whether patients are making decisions and then receiving treatment that is in line with their goals isn’t really known, Rand continued. “If the answer is yes, that’s great. But if not, we want to know why not. There are lots of reasons why that might not happen. Health care providers may not be aware of the goals as well as they should be, or the goals may be so dynamic and changing that it would be hard for the treatment they receive to be in line with the goals because they are in flux.” The study itself has an ultimate goal. “We want to design an intervention for health care providers so that everyone understands what the goals of the patient are and to help ensure patient care is in line with those goals.” According to Rand, the two-year study will demonstrate the feasibility of gathering necessary information from patients who may be near the end of their lives. The next step would be to engage in a longer term study involving a larger number of patients.   Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_rand_kevin.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_rand_kevin.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4285/Bodys-Immune-System-Response-to-Dental-Plaque-Varies-by-Gender-and-Race http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4285/Bodys-Immune-System-Response-to-Dental-Plaque-Varies-by-Gender-and-Race Will neglecting to brush your teeth damage more than just your smile? Can failing to attack dental plaque increase your risk of heart damage? The answer to both questions may be yes if you are male and black, an Indiana University School of Dentistry study published in the current issue of the Journal of Dental Research reports. The researchers, led by Michael Kowolik, B.D.S., Ph.D., professor of periodontics and associate dean for graduate education at the IU School of Dentistry on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, studied 128 black and white men and women and found that dental plaque accumulation did not result in a change in total white blood count, a known risk factor for adverse cardiac events. However, in black males the researchers noted a significant increase in the activity of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell and an essential part of the immune system. Unlike most other studies that attempt to understand the link between oral inflammatory disease and heart disease risk, these study participants did not have periodontal disease. They were healthy individuals who by the study design were asked to neglect oral hygiene. “We are talking about healthy people who simply neglect oral hygiene and if they were male and black, we found a response from their white blood cells, or neutrophils, that might be a cause for concern," said Dr. Kowolik. “If you get a bacterial infection anywhere in the body, billions of neutrophils come flooding out of your bone marrow to defend against the intruder. Our observation that with poor dental hygiene white blood cell activity increased in black men but not black women or whites of either sex suggests both gender and racial differences in the inflammatory response to dental plaque. This finding could help us identify individuals at greater risk for infections anywhere in the body including those affecting the heart,” he said. Physicians have known for about a quarter of a century that one of the principal risk factors for a heart attack is an elevated white blood cell count. "While we did not observe higher white blood cell counts as the result of dental plaque accumulation, the increased activity of white blood cells, which we did find, may also carry a higher risk for heart disease," he added. “Neutrophil Response to Dental Plaque by Gender and Race” appears in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of Dental Research and adds to the body of evidence that dental hygiene plays an important role in a preventive health program for the whole body. Other authors of the study, which was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, are Vivian Y. Wahaidi, B.D.S. of the IU School of Dentistry; Sheri A. Dowsett, B.Ch.D., Ph.D. of Eli Lilly and Company and the IU School of Dentistry; and George J. Eckert, M.A.S. of the Division of Biostatistics of the IU School of Medicine. ### Located on the Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis campus, the Indiana University School of Dentistry is one of the oldest dental schools in the United States and has more than 11,000 living alumni who are pursuing careers throughout the nation and in more than 30 other countries. The only dental school in Indiana, it has educated about 85 percent of Indiana dentists.   Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_kowolik michael2009.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_kowolik michael2009.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4283/IUPUI-to-Participate-in-eCitizenship-Study http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4283/IUPUI-to-Participate-in-eCitizenship-Study IUPUI is one of 34 colleges and universities selected by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to join the American Democracy Project (ADP) in a three-year initiative to study technology’s power to engage and empower citizens. The initiative, “eCitizenship: New Tools, New Strategies, New Spaces,” will explore how students can use new technologies, especially social networks, to become more politically engaged and coordinate their efforts, said Johnny Goldfinger, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Campus Coordinator for the Political Engagement Project, and co-director of the eCitizenship Study at IUPUI. Youngbok Hong, Associate Professor of Visual Communication, in the Herron School of Art and Design, is also co-director. IUPUI and the other universities will send teams to an organizational meeting in November at Wayne State University to begin collaborating on the project. The initiative is being led by the Center for the Study of Citizenship at Wayne State University. According to the AASCU announcement of the eCitizenship initiative, Facebook, wikis, blogs and a host of other technology-based tools are transforming the ways that citizens interact with others and with government. It does not take an expert to see that technology is transforming our democracy. It does take an expert—in fact, a team of experts—to understand this transformation and to find ways for colleges and universities to use these tools to prepare informed, engaged citizens. The American Democracy Project, which includes almost 300 campuses across the United States, is an initiative focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy. It began began in 2003 as a project of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), in partnership with the New York Times.   Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4258/IUPUI-School-of-Science-Partners-with-Federal-Government-Twoyear-Contract-Granted-to-Study-Explosive-Detecting-K9s http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4258/IUPUI-School-of-Science-Partners-with-Federal-Government-Twoyear-Contract-Granted-to-Study-Explosive-Detecting-K9s The School of Science at IUPUI announced today the Forensic and Investigative Science (FIS) program has engaged in a two year contract with the federal government to study explosive detecting canines. An expert in explosives, Dr. John Goodpaster received a contract for $473,000 to research the characteristics of explosives vapor and odor compounds to better train K-9s in detecting explosives. “We know K-9s can detect even the smallest amount of explosives,” said Goodpaster, professor of chemistry at the School of Science at IUPUI. “What we want to learn more about is how they are able to detect compounds so that we can train them to be more effective at finding explosives.” The grant will allow the FIS program to purchase new testing equipment in addition to funding a graduate student researcher to help facilitate the program. According to Goodpaster, the study will involve three phases of testing over the next two years. During the first phase, Goodpaster along with graduate and undergraduate students will model odor availability to determine whether the amount of explosives plays a factor in detection and whether confinement of an explosive effects K-9 detection. The second phase of the study will focus on the difference of volatile versus non-volatile explosives. “In volatile explosives, we believe the K-9s can smell or detect the vapors emitted from the compounds in the explosive,” said Goodpaster. “However, with non-volatile explosives there is no vapor - yet the K-9s can still detect an explosive. We’ll be studying the characteristics of both types of explosives to better understand what the dogs are detecting and how much must be present in order for them to detect.” The final phase of the study will be testing the findings on trained explosive detecting K-9s from state, local and federal agencies. Goodpaster served as a Forensic Chemist with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Laboratory and is currently an Assistant Professor in the FIS program at the School of Science. # The School of Science is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service in the biological, physical, behavioral and mathematical sciences. The School is dedicated to being a leading resource for interdisciplinary research and science education in support of Indiana's effort to expand and diversify its economy. For more information go to www.science.iupui.edu.   Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400