DALLAS – April 4, 2007 – Researchers from the three University of Texas campuses in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area are combining their expertise in biomedical science, engineering and physical sciences on projects aimed at solving real-world medical problems.
Thirteen interdisciplinary research teams of faculty from UT Southwestern Medical Center, UT Arlington and UT Dallas have received grants totaling about $1.3 million to pursue collaborative projects, with the goal of stimulating efforts at the interface between biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computer science and mathematics.
Each team includes faculty from UT Southwestern and either UT Arlington or UT Dallas. Funding for the projects comes from state and philanthropic sources.
Teams receive up to $100,000 for their respective projects, which program leaders say will allow the researchers to attract additional external funding from conventional sources, such as federal agencies.
"These projects have the potential to have enormous impact on the science and practice of medicine," said Dr. Alfred Gilman, executive vice president for academic affairs, provost and dean of UT Southwestern Medical School. "This program is another step forward in expanding collaborations among the UT institutions in the Metroplex and exploring the interdisciplinary topics that are driving advances in medical care."
A large committee comprising representatives from each institution chose the projects from among more than 80 submissions.
"Only the top tier was approved," said Dr. Ron Elsenbaumer, vice president for research at UT Arlington. "There were many, many meritorious proposals we looked at. I wish we could have funded more."
Dr. Bruce Gnade, vice president for research at UT Dallas, said: "Collaboration and research are natural cohorts, and joint studies with our sister institutions are an exciting – and expected – result of that partnership. We hope these projects are the beginning of many great discoveries that could lead to additional research and, ultimately, solutions to better people's lives."
Funded projects involving faculty from UT Southwestern and UT Arlington are:
"Quantification of in vivo protein dynamics at the single molecule level" – Dr. Georgios Alexandrakis, assistant professor of bioengineering at UTA, and Dr. David Chen, professor of radiation oncology at UT Southwestern. This study will examine the proteins and enzymes involved in DNA repair, leading to a better understanding of cancer onset and progression.
Funded projects involving faculty from UT Southwestern and UT Dallas are:
"Attachment of magnetic particles to kidney stone fragments for improved retrieval" – Dr. Jeffery Cadeddu, professor of urology at UT Southwestern, and Dr. Bruce Gnade, professor of electrical engineering and chemistry at UT Dallas. This study investigates the development of technology to assist in the retrieval of kidney stone fragments.
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Dr. Alfred Gilman - http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/findfac/professional/0,2356,12583,00.html