Faculty Research

Multidisciplinary Seed Funding Program

In an effort to support and promote the growth of multidisciplinary, multi-investigator sponsored programs at ODU, the Office of Research invited proposals from faculty investigators. The goal of this initiative is to provide seed funding that (a) involves areas relevant to institutional research priority; (b) are multidisciplinary and can produce immediate impact; and (c) builds thematic teams with serious prospects to attract additional and new research dollars.

Participants in the Rounds 1 and 2 of funded teams were not eligible to apply for this round of funding except as unpaid consultants.

We are pleased to report that we received a total of 15 multidisciplinary proposals this year that involved 44 ODU faculty members from 21 departments and 6 colleges. Two investigators were on more than one team. Faculty members affiliated with research units such as Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center, Frank Riedy Research Center for Bioelectrics, and Laser & Plasma Engineering Institute contributed to the development of ideas. An additional 17 co-investigators or consultants partnered from non-ODU institutions including Eastern Virginia Medical School (10), University of London (1), University of Maryland (2), US Air Force (1), Norfolk Office of Emergency Preparedness (1), Christopher Newport University (1) and Hampton University (1).

The proposal consisted of a narrative plan (not to exceed 5 pages) including:

a. Description of the Multidisciplinary Problem.
b. Targets that will be accomplished during this phase and subsequently.
c. A Statement as to how this project could help the proposing team attract new or additional research dollars
d. The target agency and program, or other funder. The rationale for choosing this funding mechanism for the proposed project. A justification of why it is appropriate to apply for intramural seed funding rather than apply to the target agency now.
e. Description of any interactions with the target agency or other funder to date, either through previously funded projects or discussions about the project at hand. Prior to discussing potential intellectual property with any company, please talk with Zohir Handy (zhandy@odu.edu).
f. How this project will bring together investigators from multiple units, departments, and/or centers, and additional resources.
g. A time line for this seed project to be completed by June 30, 2008.
h. A tentative 6 month budget that must not exceed $100K. Include budget justifications. PIs are encouraged to discuss the budget with chairs and deans. If department and/or college will provide some support, this should be stated.
i. Although not a requirement for submission, the Office of Research is interested in exploring collaboration opportunities in partnership with Eastern Virginia Medical School if and where possible. If the proposed project includes a collaboration with any institution other than ODU the project team must consult Mr. Zohir Handy (zhandy@odu.edu) in order to develop an intellectual property agreement. A copy of this agreement should be included in the proposal if possible. The agreement must be in place prior to beginning the project.

Proposal Deadline: early October

Stipulations
Each team is expected to provide a written report, make an oral presentation, and follow up with an aggressive plan to attract external grants.

The fund made available to the teams will need to be expended by no later than June 30, 2008. Each team is expected to provide a written report, make an oral presentation, and follow up with an aggressive plan to attract external grants.

Award Recipients

While it was extremely difficult to make choices from so many great ideas, the ODUOR is pleased to identify five (5) winning teams based on the reviews by a team of experts.

The five Round 3 winning teams together involve fifteen (15) faculty investigators and nine (9) consultants from Darden College of Education, Batten College of Engineering & Technology, College of Health Sciences, College of Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Frank Riedy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Laser & Plasma Engineering Institute, and the University of London. Two of five winning teams have research partners from EVMS.

2007-2008 Recipients

Ali Beskok (PI: Aerospace Engineering), Juergen Kolb (Frank Reidy Center for Bioelectrics); Consultants: Ravindra Joshi (Electrical & Computer Engineering), Stephen Beebe (Frank Reidy Center for Bioelectrics);  "Disease-specific Trapping of Human Cancer Cells," $70,700

Lesley Greene (PI: Chemistry & Biochemistry), and  Li-Shi Luo (Mathematics & Statistics); Consultants:  Alex Pothen (Computer Science),  Chris Osgood (Biological Sciences), Pat Hatcher (Chemistry & Biochemistry), and Christine Orengo (University of London);  "Elucidation of Protein Structure Networks and Beyond,"  $80K

Alex Greenwood (PI: Biological Sciences),  Timothy Bos (Microbiology & Cellular Molecular Biology, EVMS), and Tarek Kandil, (Virginia Prostate Center, EVMS); Consultants: John Semmes (Virginia Prostate Center, Microbiology & Molecular Cell Biology, EVMS); "The Role of Endogenous Retroviruses in Prostate Cancer,"  $80K

Gayle McCombs (PI: Dental Hygiene), Michele Darby (Dental Hygiene), Wayne Hynes (Biological Sciences), and Mounir Laroussi (Laser & Plasma Engineering Institute), "Effect of Low Temperature Cold Atmospheric Plasma on Oral Biofilm,"   $83,664

Steven Morrison (PI: Physical Therapy), Sheri R. Colberg (Exercise Science, Physical Education & Recreation), Mira Mariano (Physical Therapy), and  Henri Parson (Strelitz Diabetes Center, EVMS); Consultants:  Aaron I. Vinik (Strelitz Diabetes Center, EVMS) and  Martha Walker (Physical Therapy); "Dynamic Medical Measures: Creating a Model to Study the Neuropathic Process in Diabetes and Normal Aging,"   $80K

2006-2007 Recipients

Shirshak Dhali (PI: Electrical & Computer Engineering), Sacharia Albin (Electrical & Computer Engineering), Helmut Baumgart (Electrical & Computer Engineering), John Cooper (Chemistry), and Zhili Hao (Mechanical Engineering). "Biological and Chemical Deployable Nanosensors for Homeland Security Applications based on Silicon-on Insulator (SOI) Technology Platform," $75,000.

Patricia Hentosh and Dennis M. Peffley (PI: Medical Laboratory & Radiation Sciences), Patrick Hatcher (Chemistry), Sophie K. Thompson (Medical Laboratory & Radiation Sciences), and Danail Bonchev (VCU). "Modeling and Testing Complex Interactions of Chromatin-associated Proteins in Cancer Cells," $78,000.

Barbara Hargrave (PI: Biological Sciences), Peter Blackmore (EVMS), Richard Nuccitelli (Electrical & Computer Engineering), Stephen Beebe (EVMS), Ravi Joshi (Electrical & Computer Engineering), and Jue Zhang (Frank Riedy Center for Bioelectrics)."Novel Approach to Wound Healing: Platelet Activation Using Nanosecond Pulse Electric Fields," $80,000.

Brian K. Payne (PI: Sociology and Criminal Justice), Richard Benjamin (Nursing), Charlie Turner (Economic), Randy Gainey (Sociology & Criminal Justice), Carryl Baldwin (Psychology), Elizabeth Monk-Turner (Sociology & Criminal Justice), Stefan Gravenstein (EVMS), and Ruth Triplett (Sociology & Criminal Justice). "Quality of Life Indicators among Elderly Persons: Measuring and Mapping the Interrelationships between Health, Transportation Needs, Happiness, Economics and Mistreatment," $74,998.

Martha Walker (PI: Physical Therapy), Gianluca De Leo (Medical Laboratory & Radiation Sciences), Jessica Crouch (Computer Science), Stacie Ringleb (VMASC), Bonnie Van Lunen (Exercise Science, Sport, Physical Education and Recreation), George Maihafer (Physical Therapy), and Jean Shelton (EVMS)."Virtual Reality in Gait Rehabilitation," $75,000.

2005- 2006 Recipients

Joshua G. Behr (Political Science & Geography), John B. Baccus (Navy), Aaron I. Vinik (EVMS), Margaret Camarena (Arts & Letters), Stacey Plichta (Community and Environmental Health), James Alan Neff (Health Science), Harry J. Tillman (Nursing), "Health matters: Determinants of Health Disparities in Hampton Roads," $92,000.

Alex Pothen (Computer Science), Muhammad Zubair (Computer Science), Kurt Maly (Computer Science), Chris Osgood (Biology), and Oliver John Semmes (EVMS), "A Prototype of the Human Virus Interactome Resource (HVIR)," $95,000.

 Ariel Pinto (Engineering Management & Systems Engineering), Gavin Welch (EVMS), R. Drake (EVMS), and Michael Bono (EVMS), "Effective Sensor Technology and Development for Biodefense," $38,000.

Mark W. Scerbo (Psychology), Lee A. Belfore (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Hector M. Garcia (Engineering), Michael Jackson (Nursing), Leonard, J. Weireter, Jr. (EVMS), "Virtual Operating Room," $95,000.

Anna Jeng (Community and Environmental Health), Tom Allen (Political Science and Geography), Ling Li (MIS/Decision Sciences), Dayanand Naik (Mathematics and Statistics), and Maria Frontini (EVMS), "Establishment of Environmental Public Health Tracking System in Virginia," $80,000.