division of research and sponsored programs · 2018-09-26 · the sfs scholarship program has...

Division of Research and Sponsored Programs2017-2018 Annual Report

Felecia Moss-GrantAssociate Director of Compliance

DIVISION OF RESEARCH AND SPONSORED PROGRAMS

MESSAGE FROM THE DIVISION OF RESEARCH AND SPONSORED PROGRAMS

Tuskegee University recognizes the importance of external support of research and sponsored programs and the impact these vital programs have on the development of its students, faculty and society in general. Tuskegee University has a long-standing reputation of being among the nation’s premiere minority research institutions committed to the total development of its students and faculty. In this annual report it is evident that through our centers of excellence, academic colleges and other institutional units, our faculty, staff and students are engaged in research that is critical to address the needs of today’s citizens, industries and government.

Since 1996, the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs has more than doubled its annual funding for research and other sponsored programs. The university concluded 2017-2018 with a total annual funding of $34.6 million. Credit for this enormous success goes to faculty members and staff, who continue to search for resources and write winning proposals. The staff members in the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs and various departments of Business and Fiscal Affairs are also to be commended for their enthusiastic support of the researchers in the grantsmanship process. These grants and contracts not only allow us to fulfill the research mission of Tuskegee University, but also make a huge impact on our academic programs. Tuskegee University’s Ph.D. programs in Integrative Biosciences, Integrative Public Policy & Development, Interdisciplinary Pathobiology, and Material Science & Engineering are prime examples of programs that are offered solely based on the expertise and resources developed by the faculty members.

Our long-term plan focuses on actively expanding Tuskegee University’s research in the areas of nanobiotechnology, information technology, environmental science and engineering, energy, astronomy, sensors and devices, molecular biology, immunology, public health, toxicology, epidemiology, reproductive and environmental biology, and modeling and simulations.

This report highlights only a few major grants received during the year 2017-2018, while all grants and contracts received are shown toward the end.

Shaik Jeelani, Ph.D., P.E.Vice President for Research & Dean of the Graduate School

Danette Hall Director of Sponsored Programs

ii | Tuskegee University Division of Research and Sponsored Programs Annual Report

Funds Received During 2017-2018Federal Funding Fiscal Year 2017-2018

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

U.S. Department of Education (DOEd)

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

U.S. Department of Interior (DOI)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

AWARDS REWARDED BY UNITS # of Awards Dollar Amount

College of Agriculture, Environmental and Nutrition Sciences (CAENS) 47 $13,157,368.49

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) 22 $3,377,518.00

College of Business and Information Science (CBIS) 9 $1,306,388.00

College of Engineering (CE) 47 $6,675,164.35

College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH) 13 $6,116,248.00

School of Architecture and Construction Science (SOACS) 3 $124,373.00

National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care 5 $376,275.00

Provost 4 $389,696.00

President’s Office 2 $3,145,539.00

TOTAL 152 $34,668,569.84

USDA; $8,527,449.00 ; 30%

USAID; $20,000.00 ; 0%

DOEd; $5,314,728.00 ; 19%

DOT; $169,395.36 ; 1% NASA; $1,800,060.99 ; 6%

DOD; $564,204.00 ; 2%

DOE; $295,625.00 ; 1%

DOI; $119,996.00 ; 1%

HHS; $6,037,773.00 ; 22%

NOAA; $2,240.00 ; 0%

NSF; $5,089,186.00 ; 18%

NEH; $99,673.00 ; 0%

Federal Funding

USDA

USAID

DOEd

DOT

NASA

DOD

DOE

DOI

HHS

NOAA

NSF

NEH

Tuskegee University Division of Research and Sponsored Programs Annual Report | 1

T u s k e g e e u n i v e r s i T y r e s e a r c h c o u n c i l

The Research Council, appointed by the president of the university, functions as the advisory body to the vice president for research and sponsored pro-grams, with the responsibility of recommending policies and procedures to increase the university’s external funding for research and other sponsored pro-grams. The council is also responsible for selecting proposals for submissions to the funding agencies, when there is a restriction on the number of proposal that may be submitted.

MEMBERS:

Felecia Moss-GrantResearch & Compliance

Shaik JeelaniResearch & Graduate School

Conrad Bonsi College of Agricultural, Environment & Nutrition Sciences

Mahesh HosurCollege of Engineering

Fan WuCollege of Business & Information Science

Danette Hall Office of Sponsored Programs

Aymen SayeghCollege of Veterinary Medicine

Henry FindlaySchool of Education

Joel WaoSchool Architecture & Construction Science

Gwendolyn Gray School of Nursing & Allied Health

Vijay RangariBiosafety Committee

Clayton YatesCollege of Arts & Sciences

2 | Tuskegee University Division of Research and Sponsored Programs Annual Report

TITLE: CREST Center for Sustainable Lightweight Advanced Materials (C-SLAM), $5M (2018-2023)PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Mahesh HosurCO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Vijaya Rangari, Dr. Shaik Zainuddin (Tuskegee University), Dr. Maria Auad (Auburn University), Dr. Anil Netravali (Cornell University)FUNDING AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF)

Global warming, environment concerns, and depletion of petroleum resources have led researchers to develop materials that are abundant in nature, biodegradable, low-cost, and competitive in properties with existing petroleum-derived non-bio-degradable materials. In view of this glob-ally recognized need for the development of products made using sustainable mate-rials, we have established a Center for Sus-tainable Lightweight Advanced Materials (C-SLAM), a Phase II CREST grant funded

by the National Science Foundation. Continued national and inter-national partnerships will provide Tuskegee University students with crucial experience needed to succeed in globally engaging careers. Research will be carried out through three synergistic subprojects: I). Nanobiomaterials Extraction, II). Biopolymers Design and Synthesis, and III). Advanced Green Composites. Activities in Subproject I in-clude synthesis of a variety of nanomaterials from waste resources like rice husks, bone ash, fish scales, etc., extraction of cellulose in various forms and lignin from plants, and production of nanofibers. Activities in Subproject II include synthesis of biopolymers from ligno-cellulosic biomass, development of resins with excellent thermal and mechanical properties from agricultural and food processing wastes. Subproject III activities will focus on development of advanced green composites through the use of plant fibers, fibers from liquid crystal-line, and bacterial cellulose. In addition, durability and toughening characteristics of advanced composites will be enhanced through the development of autonomously self-healing polymers and compos-ites, toughened fibers and resins. Partnerships with researchers within the U.S. and abroad, and personnel from industry and national labo-ratories will ensure our team addresses basic science questions are addressed while solving global problems.

TITLE: Collaborative Research: SFS Program: Strengthening the National Cyber Security WorkforcePRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Fan Wu CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Charlotte Morris, Dr. Faye Hall Jackson, Dr. Hira Narang, and Dr. Li JiangFUNDING AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF)

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Tuskegee University a $1.776 million CyberCorps: Scholarship for Ser-vice (SFS) grant. The goal of this project is to help prepare qualified and well-trained professionals in cybersecurity to address the global cybersecurity challenges.

The NSF’s CyberCorps: Scholarship for Ser-vice is a highly prestigious and competitive program. With this grant, Tuskegee Univer-sity became a member of a distinguished

nationwide group of 73 institutions that have already begun training the future information assurance professionals who will help protect our nation. This SFS grant will provide senior undergraduate students and students applying to or currently pursuing a Master of Science in Information System and Security Management (MS-ISSM) degree with scholarships, including tuition, stipends, health insurance, book allowances, and professional development allowances. The MS-ISSM program is a unique interdisciplinary program between business and computer science disciplines in the College of Business and Infor-mation Science at Tuskegee University. The SFS grant will help us strength our MS-ISSM program while contributing to the national cy-bersecurity workforce.

The SFS Scholarship program has recruited two undergraduate stu-dents, who start their graduate study in MS-ISSM program in Fall 2018. The two scholars received internships for cybersecurity-related positions from the FBI and NSA, respectively, in summer 2018. This project is in collaboration with the University of Tennessee at Chat-tanooga (UTC). Both institutions hold designations by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as a Cen-ters of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).

Mahesh Hosur

Fan Wu


TITLE: Experiential Learning in the Animal Sciences: Preconditioning of Beef Calves PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Nar GurungCO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Alphonso Elliott**, Dr. Russell Johnson*, Dr. Wendell McElhenney*, Dr. David McKenzie***, Dr. Byeng-Ryel Min*, Dr. Uma Karki**, Dr. Gamal Abdelrahim† and Dr. Nii O. Tackie** *Tuskegee University College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences; **Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Service; †Alabama A & M University,

Normal, Alabama; and ***Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine

FUNDING AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

The goal of the collaborative project is to provide undergraduate animal and veterinary science students with hands-on experiences in preconditioning of beef calves and educate small beef cattle producers in making cost-effective management changes to improve feeder calf value, returns, and profit. Objectives are to (1) establish a preconditioning center at Tuskegee University, (2) provide experiential learning opportunity to animal and veterinary science students, high school agricultural teachers, and county agents, (3) train small and limited

resource beef producers on health, nutrition, and marketing of feeder calves in an organized way, 4) estimate the profitability of preconditioning calves through financial recordkeeping and enterprise budgeting, and (5) develop training materials for stakeholders. As more students enter animal science programs with nonagricultural backgrounds, it is very imperative to provide basic animal husbandry skills through experiential learning activities to enhance their practical knowledge. Preconditioning of beef calves is highly interactive, yet short-duration, program ideally suited for this purpose. Increased profitability to small producer operations requires producers working together to improve herds’ performance by synchronizing breeding and preconditioning calves for about 45 days; thus, improving management, adding value, and receiving better prices. This project enhances the capacity of Tuskegee to educate students to enhance their employability and make small livestock enterprises sustainable.

TITLE: Verizon Innovative Learning Minority Male Makers Program Directed by Tuskegee UniversityPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Olga Bolden-TillerCO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Hira NarangFUNDING AGENCY: Verizon Foundation

The number of jobs that require individuals who possess professional technology skills is steadily increasing. Each year, more sophisti-cated tech tools are introduced into our so-ciety, yet a lack of human workers to manage and navigate these tools remains. Minorities are especially underrepresented in tech and related areas. The Equal Employment Op-portunity Commission (EEOC) reported that the overall tech industry is 68% white, with the next highest group only having a 14% representation. The Verizon Foundation has committed over $200 million to address this

issue and selected Tuskegee University as a partner by awarding it a $300,000 grant to contribute to the overall goal to impact the next gen-eration in the arena of technology. While short-term goals include in-creased technology proficiency, STEM engagement and academic suc-cess, long-term goals of this project are to increase participant interest in STEM educational and career opportunities. With Alabama ranking at the bottom in science and reported as having the worst poverty in a developed world, it is clear that the program will have a great impact. The grant will promote STEM education among minority male students from Macon County, Alabama and surrounding areas. Dr. Olga Bold-en-Tiller, department head of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, serves as the principal investigator (PI) with Dr. Hira Narang, depart-ment head of Computer Science, serving as Co-PI and accompanied by computer science faculty member Dr. Yasmeen Rawajfih as key per-sonnel.

The Verizon Innovative Learning Minority Male Makers Program cur-riculum educates students on next-generation technologies, such as robotics, coding, augmented/virtual reality, 3-D printing, and more. Along with these technical subjects, students will be challenged to en-gage in design thinking, innovative learning methods, and social entre-preneurship training. Throughout the entire program, which includes a three-week summer session and monthly sessions throughout the academic year, students engage in hands-on experience with the tech-nologies in order to better understand them as demonstrated by the creation of original technology products (i.e., apps).

Nar Gurung

Olga Bolden-Tiller


TITLE: RCMI ProjectsPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Clayton YatesFUNDING AGENCY: National Institute of Health (NIH)

An $8.5 million National Institutes of Health grant will enable Tuskegee University researchers to improve our understanding of why diseases — such as cancer, obesity and HIV — disproportionately affect minority populations, and how targeted community education programs can reduce the pervasiveness of these. Research funded by NIH’s National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) program will help researchers in the university’s multidisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research examine the molecular, genetic and epigenetical determinates that contribute to the ferocity of specific diseases among the African-American community.

“Through this NIH-funded research, we will gain a better understanding of the health differences that exist among various races and sub-populations,” said Dr. Clayton Yates, a professor and director of the Center for Biomedical Research. “This in turn will enable physicians in the future to have a better understanding of which therapies will be more effective among minorities, as well as who the most vulnerable and underserved segments of our population are.”

Assisting Yates will be Dr. Temesgen Samuel, an associate professor of pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, who will serve as the grant’s program director. Dr. Honghe Wang, an associate professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences whose specialty is in prostate cancer biology, will contribute to the questions of prevalence and treatment.

In addition to its medical focus, the project also will include a partnership with the Southern Christian Leadership Foundation and other community groups, to engage local communities as partners to increase awareness of diseases like prostate cancer that disproportionately affect blacks, as well as how best to mitigate their risk factors. This focus is led by Dr. Lonnie Hannon, an associate professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences.

TITLE: Morehouse School of Medicine/Tuskegee University/UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center PartnershipPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Roberta TroyFUNDING AGENCY: US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), National Institute of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI)

This project is to strengthen and build upon the established partnership between the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Tuskegee University (TU), and the University of Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Center (UABCCC). The partnership, located in the heart of the Southeast, a region with a large, historically underserved, African-American population, has the overall goal of attaining excellence in research focused on elimination of cancer health disparities and on reducing the cancer burden among underserved populations in the region. The primary objectives are to enhance productive cancer research programs, to develop a pipeline of racial/ethnic minority investigators in cancer research at MSM and TU, and to increase the level of involvement of investigators conducting research on cancer disparities at the UABCCC. The partnership has four cores (administrative, outreach, research education, and planning & evaluation); two full research projects; a pilot research project; and two shared resources (bioethics and biostatistics/bioinformatics).

The Partnership will: 1) identify molecular mechanisms and new therapeutic targets for metastatic prostate cancer, which is pres-ent at a higher rate in African-American men; 2) apply an innovative cancer survivor care plan at MSM, TU, and the UAB CCC by linking community- and health system-based patient navigators; 3) employ an integrated cancer research education program

that involves capacity building and linkages to undergraduate and graduate students and junior faculty; and 4) continually assess/evaluate the outcomes of the cores and the research.

Clayton Yates

Roberta Troy


TITLE: Targeted Infusion Project: Integrative Makers Course and Laboratory for STEM UndergraduatesPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Shaik ZainuddinCO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Mahesh V. Hosur, Dr. Mohammed Qazi, Dr. Vijay K. Rangari and Dr. Alfred Tcherbi-Narteh FUNDING AGENCY: National Science Foundation

Research on STEM education advocates that the four disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) be taught in a cohesive, integrative way based on real-world applications. Yet, the vast majority of institutions in the U.S. offer STEM programs as distinct, compartmentalized courses that focus on rules, procedures, laws, theorems, and formulas to memorize rather than emphasize a unified approach to STEM learning. As a result, STEM majors rarely get an opportunity in their undergraduate education to experience how STEM concepts can be made to interact to solve contemporary real-world and industry-like problems. To make STEM learning purposeful and fulfilling, this NSF-funded

HBCU-UP TIP grant provide STEM juniors and seniors at Tuskegee University with experiences that are aligned with industry practices through a new and novel makers course and associated makers laboratory (MC&ML) called “Conducting Integrative STEM Research in a Makerspace.”

The novelty of the MC&ML lies in its framework of the “makerspace,” a dedicated physical area where students from different STEM disciplines

will convene for work on collaborative hands-on research projects in advanced multidisciplinary fields such as nanocomposites, biomaterials, smart materials, and computation modeling. The MC&ML is designed

to provide students with industry-like experiences needed for STEM workforce readiness and will have adequate space and equipment to serve TIP Scholars. The HBCU-UP TIP program interventions include: (1) establishment of the MC&ML; (2) use of “learning through lectures and making,” whereby teams of multidisciplinary faculty will lecture, mentor students and supervise projects on dedicated MSE-focused topics; (3) presentations and workshops from invited industry personnel; (4) paid research experiences for STEM students in the MC&ML during summers; (5) preparation for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); (6) workshops for the Graduate Research Fellowship Programs and STEM-Related Workforce Preparation; (7) summer research internships; (8) participation in the Tuskegee Young Material Scientists Makers Research Conference and Graduate School Fair; and (9) presentation at national conferences and meetings.

TITLE: MRI: Acquisition of a Nanoindentation Equipment for Research and Education Training in Nanomechanical Characterization of NanoBio MaterialsPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Shaik ZainuddinCO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Mahesh V. Hosur, Dr. Vijay K. Rangari and Dr. Tamesgen SamuelFUNDING AGENCY: National Science Foundation

Through this NSF-funded Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant, Dr. Zainuddin and his colleagues have acquired a state-of-the-art Hys-itron TI-980 Triboindenter to strengthen the research capability in the emerging areas of nanobio, self-healing materials and other structural and multifunctional materials. This instrument enhanced TU’s research support infrastructure by giving TU a unique resources to characterize micro/nanomechanical aspects of material behavior and pursue future funding in this area.

The instrument will be used by faculty and students at TU and those at collaborating partners, thereby encouraging synergistic research collaborations. In addition, a col-lection of course-related projects and ex-periments will be made available to under-graduate and graduate students. Also, the addition of this facility will assist TU faculty in developing new proposals that will not only help them understand the fundamental science of ma-terials, but will also help TU to produce a talented and well-qualified pool of Afri-can-American graduates with the necessary training to compete in a market for high-technology appli-cations. It is also anticipat-ed that the fundamental studies delineated from the research will eventual-ly result in advancing the nanobio materials appli-cations in aerospace, au-tomobile, biomedical and pharmaceutical industries.

Shaik Zainnudin


TITLE: Genome editing of FAD2 Genes to Improve Oil Quality in PeanutsPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Guohao HeCO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Martin H. Spalding, Dr. David A. Wright (Iowa State University); Dr. Ming Li Wang (USDA/ARS at Griffin, Georgia); Student: Crystal Lee (Tuskegee University)FUNDING AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

The goal of this project is to improve peanut oil by gene-editing FAD2 genes through CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The FAD2 genes catalyze the conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid. Because oleic acid has a high level of auto-oxidative stability, peanut plants with a high level of oleic acid have a longer shelf life and are nutritional beneficial for consumers. Modification or disruption of FAD2 genes will reduce the activity of this enzyme to convert oleic acid to linoleic acid, thus to accumulate the level of oleic acid in seeds. Successful outcomes of this project will provide high oleate lines for peanut breeding to breed for varieties with high oleate content. Seeds having a high level of oleic acid will supply good quality oil for industries

and consumers. Therefore, this research will benefit the peanut research community and greatly enhance peanut breeding programs through molecular breeding via gene-editing at Tuskegee University and other research institutes worldwide. In addition, if the FAD2 as a model for CRISPR/Cas-based gene-editing is successful in this project, then we will have established the basis for a high-efficiency editing system in peanut at the Tuskegee University, giving us the capability to conduct gene-editing for other genes of interest, such as disease-resistance genes and stress-tolerance genes, for efficient genetic improvement of peanut.

TITLE: Chimeric Cas9 and Cpf1 Proteins for Transcription Regulation and Promoter Modification in PeanutsPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Guohao HeCO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Martin H. Spalding, Dr. David A. Wright (Iowa State University); Dr. Charles Chen (Auburn University)FUNDING AGENCY: Department of Agriculture (USDA)/ National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

Peanuts breeding has contributed greatly to production, quality and nutritional improvement through dynamic and continual varietal enhancement, which positively impacts the peanut industry. It is predicted that genome-editing technology will touch all aspects of future crop development—from creation of genetic diversity, modulation of gene activity and improvements in breeding techniques. Genome-editing via CRISPR technology is the most promising of all known techniques owing to ease of use, high efficiency, success in a wide range of species and variety of application to include multiple genome-editing and gene regulation methods. In this project, we will develop several CRISPR-based gene-regulation technologies for the peanut, to include Cas9 and Cpf1-based transcription repressors and cytidine deaminase fusions for promoter modification. Because CRISPR technology remains an unknown in the peanut, we will select the well-characterized fatty acid desaturase (FAD2) genes as a model due to their simplicity, known mutant effects, trait value and scientific interest. Therefore, the specific objectives will be 1) design and validate multiple

CRISPR sgRNAs for FAD2 promoters using yeast and hairy root assays; 2) generate peanut expressing CRISPR repressors to demonstrate FAD2 gene expression modulation of oleic acid accumulation; 3) generate peanut expressing CRISPR cytidine deaminase to demonstration FAD2 promoter modification that lowers gene expression for oleic acid accumulation. The expected outcomes are 1) optimal and reliable methods and protocols for CRISPR-based transcription regulation in peanut; 2) genotypes with high oleic acid content for breeding programs; and 3) minority students trained and educated in advanced biotechnology systems for biotechnology workforce diversity.Guohao He


TITLE: Anticancer Treatment Methods Involving Analogs and Derivatives of 3-(2-Substituted-Ethyl) Indole CompoundsPATENT NUMBER: 9877949ISSUED ON: January 30, 2018INVENTORS: Dr. Temesgen Samuel*, Dr. Teshome Yehualaeshet*, Dr. Tesfaye Serbessa#, Dr. Khalda Fadlalla*

*Department of Pathobiology, Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee, AL; #Department of Chemistry, Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina

The patent accompanies team research during the past four years to identify and characterize a potent indole compound that we found to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, and has a great potential to be developed into a drug entity.

The whole study began with the screening of the bioactivities of a set of compounds containing an indole core structure. Indole structure is a frame that, when chemically modified in various ways, forms strong bioactive compounds—some of which have already been developed into research and therapeutic drugs. For example, the hormone melatonin, the anticancer cyclin D-CDK4 inhibitor, dietary supplements Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and diindolyl methane (DIM), Histamine receptor antagonist, Protein Kinase C inhibitor, the neurotransmitter serotonin, and the essential amino acid tryptophan are all indole-based compounds.

We started by testing the activities of several indole-based compounds on a cell-based reporter system for inflammatory cell signaling. In the assay system, any stimuli that initiate or worsen inflammation are detected by a reporter mechanism that emits light. When we saw the result of our first assay, we got very excited because the compound for which we now have a patent was so potent that there was a complete inhibition of the light emission by the reporter system. Since that first assay, we have done multiple experiments to identify the mechanism of activity of the compound, which is inhibition of inflammatory signaling and cell proliferation. The results supporting this patent were published in two peer-reviewed papers. We are aiming to substitute key positions on the compound to introduce additional functional groups and test for the activities of these derivatives.

The team effort involved the collaboration of cell biologists and chemists to select the compounds, to study the anti-cancer cell bioactivities, and to project chemical substitution modifications to the core compound. We are still working and collaborating to identify the intracellular target molecules, to chemically modify the compound to enhance the potency and target selectivity, and to test it in vivo models. Our ultimate goal is to develop an anti-cancer drug that works by inhibiting inflammatory signaling, a process that is known to aggravate cancer development.

Funding for these studies were obtained from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under grant numbers SC2CA13787, U54CA118948, and SC3GM109314.

P a T e n T

Teshome YehualaeshetTemesgen Samuel

Khalda Fadlalla Tesfaye Serbessa


Grant awards 2017-2018


SponSor principal inveStigator title of project total

U.S. Department of Defense Abdalla, M.A.Acquisition of a Differential Scanning Calorimeter/Thermogravimetric Analyzer coupled with FT-IR and Mass Spectrometer for the Improvement of Research Training at Tuskegee University

$299,224

Federal Railway Administration Aglan, Heshmat Field Testing of Welding Repair of Railhead Defects $123,895

Jacobs ESSCA/NASA Aglan, Heshmat Delivery Task Order No. 001 $888,312


Jacobs ESSCA/NASA Aglan, Heshmat Delivery Order No. 0003 $66,220

Jacobs ESSCA/NASA Aglan, Heshmat Delivery Order No. 0003 $18,824.38



Jacobs ESSCA-NASA Aglan, Heshmat Delivery Order No. 0005 $3,040

Jacobs ESSCA-NASA Aglan, Heshmat Delivery Order No. 0006 $3,000

Jacobs ESSSA/NASA Aglan, Heshmat Basic Task Order Agreement #0047 $533,235



Jacobs ESSSA/NASA Aglan, Heshmat Basic Task Order Agreement #0048 $(33,540)

Millennium Engineering & Integration Co.

Aglan, Heshmat Millennium Internship Program $92,413.68

Millennium Engineering & Intergration Co./NASA

Aglan, Heshmat Millennium Internship Program $169,750.08

NUCOR Aglan, Heshmat NUCOR Research and Education Center $100,000




Raytheon Aglan, Heshmat Task 2 $10,000

Raytheon Aglan, Heshmat Raytheon Task $10,000

Raytheon Aglan, Heshmat Raytheon - Task 1 $6,175

SAIC/U.S. Army Aglan, Heshmat Mentor-Protégé Project $56,810

NSF Aji, Chadia Fly High your Math and Science Skills $87,100

Louisiana DOT/LTRC Akasheh, Firas Field Monitoring and Measurements Education: A Model for Civil and Environmental Engineering $10,000

National Science Foundation Alasheh, Firas Collaborative Research: Multi-Scale Experimental Mechanics Education Module $56,265

Center for Public Service Communication

Alexander, Margaret Health Forum and Fair $25,000

USDA/NIFA Ankumah, RamnleAssessing the Impact of Forest Management Practices by Limited Resource Forestland Owners on Above and Below Ground Ecosystems in Alabama Black Belt Counties

$(41,966)

State of Alabama Baharanyi, Ntam/Hill, Walter State of Alabama Matching $1,420,139

State of Alabama Baharanyi, Ntam/Hill, Walter Ag Student Support Extension $400,000

USDA/NIFA Baharanyi, Ntam/Hill, Walter Administrative, County, On-campus Specialist $2,190,284

HHS/NIH Bedi, Deepa Phage Display to Identify Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transitioned (EMT) Breast Cancer Cells $147,000

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

Bell, Carla Lifting the Veil: Seeing the Built Environment through the Lens of the Humanities $99,673

State of Alabama Bell, Carla Board of Architect Alabama Grant $19,700

USDA/NIFA Bolden-Tiller, Olga Educational Support $15,000

Verizon Foundation Bolden-Tiller, Olga STEM Initiatives - Verizon Innovative Learning for Minority Males Directed by Tuskegee University $300,000




1890 Universities Foundation/APHIS Bonsi, ConradTraining a Globally Competent Workforce at 1890 Institutions for Agricultural Foreign Services Using Multi-Institutional Approach

$20,304

1890 Universities Foundation/FAS Bonsi, ConradTraining a Globally Competent Workforce at 1890 Institutions for Agricultural Foreign Services Using Multi-Institutional Approach

$16,837

Delaware State University/USDA/NIFA

Bonsi, Conrad Engage Students and Faculty in Latin America as a Model for Global Involvement and Career Development $(12,924)

USDA/NIFA Bonsi, Conrad/Zabawa, RobertServing Small Scale, Limited Resource and Underserved Farmers through Data and Knowledge Sharing Platforms

$50,000

USDA/NIFA Bonsi, Eunice Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) $112,235



TUFTS University Bonsi, EuniceSubcontract between Tufts University and Tuskegee University for the USAID,UGANDU Africa CRSP Research Project

$20,000

ASCB Bradford, Chastity ASCB MAC Visiting Professor (VP) $2,000

U.S. Department of Interior Bratton, Lisa Create Oral History Collection for Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site $119,996

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Carter, Vivian Distinguished Professor Endowed Chair (DPEC) $100,000

Merck Casimir, Roslyn/Perry, Ruby Tuskegee University Veterinary Medicine Student Scholarship Program $25,000

American Veterinary Medical Association

Casimir, Roslyn Preventing Suicide in Vet Students Workshops $1,000

University of Wisconsin/NSF Curry, Michael CCI Phase II: Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology $80,000

USDA/NIFA Dawkins, Norma An Integrative, Interactive, Over-weight and Obesity Prevention Program Alabama Black Belt Counties $297,479

NASA Floyd-Smith, Tamara MUREP Scholarship - 2017 (Taylor Crocker) $7,000

NSF Floyd-Smith, Tamara Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Mobility Assignment to the NSF $174,600




USDA/NIFA Garung, NarIntegration of Meat Goats into Pine Silvopasture in a Sustainable Forest Production System: Implications on Trees, Livestock, Environment and Economic Returns

$(41,966)

Iowa State University Gilbreath, Ebony Toxicology Mentoring and Skills Development Training Program $125,386

University of Wisconsin Godfrey, Vincent Cooperative Ecosytem study Unit $(86,538)

USDA/FAS Gurung, Nar CFP17 China Feed Ingredients at Tuskegee $38,159

USDA/NIFA/CBG Gurung, Nar Experiential Learning in the Animal Sciences $300,000

USDA/APHIS Habtemariam, T. Africa SPS Capacity Building $200,000

USDA/FAS Habtemariam, T. CFP AME-SPS and Risk Assessment $130,493

USDA/NRCS Hargrove, Tasha The 75th PAWC $50,000

Michigan State University/NSF He, Guohao Development of a Genome-wide Enhancer Map in Arabidopsis Thliana $48,246

USDA/NIFA He, Guohao Genome Editing of FAD2 Genes to Improve Oil Quality in Peanuts $499,428

USDA/NIFA He, Guohao Chimeric Cas9 and Cpf1 Proteins for Transcription Regulation and Promoter Modification in Peanuts $490,000

CAENS Hill, Walter/Bonsi, Conrad Tuskegee University/CAENS Forest Lands Program $36,124

CAENS Hill, Walter/Bonsi, Conrad Fruits/Vegetables/Animal Research Project $29,840

State of Alabama/AALGA Hill, Walter/Bonsi, Conrad AALGA Matching Funds for Evans-Allen Research $2,448,344

USDA/NIFA Hill, Walter/Bonsi, Conrad USDA/NIFA Evans-Allen Approved Projects $2,678,706

USDA/NIFA McIntire Stennis Hill, Walter/Gurung, Nar Integration of Meat Goats in Pine Silvopasture Systems in a Sustainable Forest Vegetation Management $125,896

AALGA/State of Alabama Hill, Walter State of Alabama1890 Matching for USDA McIntire Stennis $314,742




Miscellaneous Donations Hill, Walter Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) $32,778

State of Alabama Hill, Walter Scholarships $10,000

USDA/NIFA Hill, WalterAssessing the Impact of Forest Management Practices by Limited Resource Forestland Owners on Above and Below Ground Ecosystems in Alabama Black Belt Counties

$125,897

USDA/NIFA Hill, Walter Administrative of Research Supported by McIntire Stennis Forest Research Program $62,948

USDA/NIFA Evans-Allen Hill, Walter Evans-Allen Administrative Budget $80,716

PAWC Hill, Walter Professional Agricultural Workers Conference $17,754

NSF Hosur, Mahesh CREST Center for Sustainable Lightweight Materials (C-SLAM) $2,000,000

State of Alabama Hosur, Mahesh Graduate Research Scholars Programs (GRSP) $118,750

Alabama Historical Commission Jackson, Bell, Carla 2018 Capital Enhancement Grant Program for Wilcox Trade Building $5,000

Dominican Republic Jeelani, Shaik/Fermin, CesarThe Ministerio De Education Superior, Ciencia y Technologia in the Dominican Republic MESCYT-Tuskegee University Agreement

$140,096

National Science Foundation Jeelani, ShaikNSF INCLUDES DDLP: The Alliance for an Inclusive Middle Grades Computer Science Preparation through Makerspaces in the Alabama Black Belt Region

$299,997

Baylor College of Medicine/NIH Karanam, BalaRacial Disparity in Bladder Cancer and Identification of Altered Metabolism in African-Americans Compared to European Bladder Cancer

$16,485

Mississippi State University/NOAA Karki, Uma Grass-fed Beef in the Southeast from Seed to Plant $2,240

New Mexico State University/FAA Khan, M.K. Minority Outreach-UAS as a STEM Minority Outreach Learning Platform for K-12 Students $16,500

Brigham Young University/The Boeing Company

Khan, M.K. Development of UAV for scouting/Inspection AerosPACE Multi University, Multi-user Capstone Project $5,000

NSF Khan, OvaisRIA: Direct Numerical Simulation for Shock/Turbulence Interaction with Applications to Supersonic Cavity Flows

$39,991

3M Company Koong, Kai Frontline Travel $60,000




3M Corp Koong, Kai Frontline Travel $51,000

3M Company Koong, Kai Frontline Travel $8,000

UAB/NIH Li, Huang Deep South Research Center for Minority Aging Research $12,822

USDA/NIFA Mohamed, A. Rapid Detection of Pathogens Causing Diseases in Catfish in Alabama $19,868

U.S. Department of Education Moss-Smith, Jeanette Title III Strengthening HBCUs $2,309,650

U.S. Department of Education Moss-Smith, Jeanette HBCU Title III Graduate $2,169,189

U.S. Department of Education Moss-Smith, Jeanette Title III SAFRA $835,889

Intel Corp. Murphy, Gregory Intel-Tuskegee Scholar Program $150,000

Intel Corporation Murphy, Gregory Intel-Tuskegee Scholar Program $192,000

UAH/NASA Murphy, Gregory Alabama Space Grant Consortium $7,000

UAH/NASA Murphy, Gregory Alabama Space Grant Consortium $1,000

University of Tennessee/NSF Murphy, Gregory NSF Engineering Research Center for Ultra-wide area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Network $122,078

Clarkson Aerospace Corp. Narang, Hira Cyber-Spectrum Collaborative Research Environment (C-SCORE) $157,500

Rockwell Collins Narang, Hira Internet of Things $7,800

Rockwell Collins Narang, Hira Internet of Things $7,800

Rockwell Collins Ndoye, Mandoye Enabling High-quality Design Projects using Software Defined Radio (SDR) Platforms $25,000

FAMU/NNSA Oni, Ben Consortium for Materials and Energy Studies $295,625




HHS/NIH Perry, Ruby Endowment $2,963,395

Auburn University/NSF Qazi, Mohammed Greater Alabama Black Belt Region (GABBR) LSAMP $153,834

ALDOT Quinn, Garry Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Supportive Services $183,368

University of Alabama-Huntsville Rangari, VijayaConnecting the Plasma Universe to Plasma Technology in Alabama: The Science and Technology of Low-Temperature Plasma

$283,000

University of Alabama-Huntsville/OIA

Rangari, VijayaConnecting the Plasma Universe to Plasma Technology in AL: The Science and Technology of Low-Temperature Plasma

$100,000

UAH-OIA Rangari, Vijaya Connecting the Plasma Universe to Plasma Technology in AL: The Science & Technology of Low-Temperature Plasma

$12,000

Inter-American Development Bank Reddy, Gopal Training Grants - Haitians $95,981

USDA/APHIS Reddy, Gopal Feral Swine Agreement $204,600

Merial Reddy/Sayegh Veterinary Scholars Program $10,000

Ford Foundation Roberts, Juanita Albert Murray Exhibit Library Services $50,000

Mississippi St. University Sayegh, Ayman Summer Research Experience for Veterinary Students $24,336

University of Alabama/NIH Smith, Martha Higher Education Consortium on Child Welfare $46,463

USDA/FS/SRS Smith, Ron Tuskegee University Demonstration Forest $40,000

USDA/NIFA Smith, Ronald Renewable Resources Act Program $10,857

UAB/NIH Sodeke, Stephen Southern All of Us Network $33,163.00

State of Alabama Sullen, Janet At-Risk After School Program $65,847

Federal Highway Administration Tcherbi-Narteh, AlfredDwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program Local Competition for HBCUs/Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Community College Fellowship - Queondra Hendrix

$10,000




Federal Highway Administration Tcherbi-Narteh, AlfredDwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program Local Competition for HBCUs/Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Community College Fellowship - Lauren Osborne

$7,500

Federal Highway Administration Tcherbi-Narteh, AlfredDwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program Local Competition for HBCUs/Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Community College Fellowship - Kristoff McIntosh

$5,000

Federal Highway Administration Tcherbi-Narteh, AlfredDwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program Local Competition for HBCUs/Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Community College Fellowship - Kenneth Dickerson

$3,500

Federal Highway Administration Tcherbi-Narteh, AlfredDwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program Local Competition for HBCUs/Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Community College Fellowship - Delroy Watson

$1,500

Federal Highway Administration Tcherbi-Narteh, AlfredDwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program Local Competition for HBCUs/Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Community College Fellowship - David Alexander

$1,500

HHS/NIH Troy, Roberta Morehouse School of Medicine/Tuskegee University/UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Partnership $ (191)

HHS/NIH/NCI Troy, Roberta Morehouse School of Medicine/Tuskegee University/UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Partnership $1,122,388

HHS/NIH/NCI Troy, Roberta Morehouse School of Medicine/Tuskegee University/UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Partnership $ (714,708)

UAB/National Institute on Aging Troy, Roberta Deep South Research Center for Minority Aging Research $35,832

UAB/NIH Troy, Roberta Deep South Research Center for Minority Aging Research $35,832

USDA/NIFA Vaughan, Barrett Food Safety Education and Outreach Program for Small and Socially Disadvantage Farmers $133,299

USDA/NIFAVaughan, Barrett/Johnson, Melanie, Hargrove, Tasha

Online and Experiential Protection Professional Certificate Program for Food and Agricultural Sciences Students

$117,691

University of Wisconsin/Army Vincent, Godfrey Cooperatives Ecosystem Study Unit $119,646

HHS/NIH Wang, HongheInfluence of Androgen Deprivation and Tumor Micro-environment on Epigenetic Silencing of Tumor Metastasis Suppressor KISS1 during Prostate Cancer Progression

$147,000

Forum for Theological Exploration Warren, Reuben 2-Day (HYSTI) Capacity Building Grant for TUMBB $5,000

HHS/PHS/CDC Warren, Rueben Tuskegee University Apology Commemoration Activities $250,000

MERCK Warren, Rueben Public Health Ethics Fellowship $101,275




Morehouse School of Medicine Warren, Rueben Tuskegee University Mentors in Violence Prevention $10,000

Satcher Health Leadership Institute Warren, Rueben Health Communities Initiative Shark Tank $10,000

Proctor and Gamble Windham, Herman Improving Freshman Performance on Pre-Calculus $8,900

NSF Wu, Fan Collaborative Research: SFS Program: Strengthening the National Cyber Security Workforce $650,933

NSF Wu, FanCollaborative Research: Broadening Secure Mobile Software Development (SMSD) through Curriculum and Faculty Development

$179,987

HHS/NIH Yates, Clayton RCMI Projects $1,684,408

University of Alabama/NIH Yates, Clayton UAB Center of Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) $73,162

Miscellaneous Zabawa, Robert ICRPS Summer Institute $8,000

Misc. Income Zabawa, Robert Registration Fees ICRPS Summer Institute $2,000

Miscellaneous Zabawa, Robert ICRPS Summer Institute $28,827

USDA/FS Zabawa, Robert International Public Policy and Development $109,200

USDA/FS Zabawa, Robert International Public Policy and Development $109,200

USDA/NIFA Zabawa, Robert Forest Management an Estate Planning for Small Scale Under Represented Minority Forest land Owners $83,932

USDA/OAO Zabawa, Robert Small Farm Outreach, Training, and Technical Assistance Project $200,000

Clarkson Aerospace Corporation Zainuddin, Shaik AFRL: Collaboration Program - Materials and Manufacturing Research $17,562

NSF Zainuddin, ShaikMRI: Acquisition of a Nanoindentation Equipment for Research & Education Training in Nanomechanical Characterization of NanoBio Materials

$400,455

NSF Zainuddin, Shaik Targeted Infusion Project: Integrative Makers Course and Laboratory for STEM Undergraduates $400,000

Tuskegee University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (sacscoc.org) to award baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees.

Shaik Jeelani , Ph.D., P.E.Vice President for Research

and Sponsored Program & Dean of the Graduate School

Phone: 334-727-8970Fax: 334-725-2367

[email protected]

Felecia Moss-Grant, B.S., M.S., M.J.Associate Director,

Grantsmanship and CompliancePhone: 334-727-8985

Fax: 334-724-4224 [email protected]

Danette Hall, B.S., M.S. Director, Sponsored Programs

Phone: 334-727-8233Fax: 334-727-8247 [email protected]

Research and Sponsored Program Leadership 2017-2018

Division of Research and Sponsored Programs

Housed in CAENS and co-directed by the heads of Biology and Chemistry departments is also the NSF-funded Historically Black College and University’s Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), which is a comprehensive initiative to ensure students are prepared to work in the interface of mathematics, science and engineering. HBCU-UP, which gives impetus to the strategic development of several new courses, provides students with intensive summer immersions in cutting-edge research information on research and career opportunities, preparatory workshops for standardized admissions exams to graduate and pre-health institutions, and a space to interact with professionals in government, industry and academe.

A major activity in the College of Engineering Architecture and Physical Sciences, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, is the Samuel Massie Chair of Excellence in Environmental Science and Engineering. The mission of this Program is the establishment of a sustainable, nationally and internationally reputable research and training program in environmental science and engineering. Another desired outcome of this Program is to maintain the academic and research training of a continuous stream of minority

engineers at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels for the long term. Another significant research and educational program, also funded by the Department of Energy, involves a comprehensive aging study on two widely used polymeric systems. The educational component of this grant is the development of a sequence of courses and associated summer training and research programs in environmental restoration/waste management to educate and train African American students.

The College of Liberal Arts and Education, in partnership with Auburn University, is contributing to the systemic improvement of mathematics education (K-12) in fifteen school districts in East-Alabama, through a project called TEAM-Math (Transforming East-Alabama Mathematics), funded by the Math and Science Partnership program of the NSF. The goals of the partnership include increasing overall student achievement in mathematics; addressing gaps in performance between demographic groups; enhancing the professional knowledge of practicing teachers who teach mathematics; developing a cadre of knowledgeable teacher leaders; and improving the preparation of prospective teachers at the university level.

2007-2008 AnnuAl RepoRt

Impacting the future through research

Nano-Biotechnology

Information Technology

Environmental Science & Engineering

Fuel Cells Technology

Molecular Biology

Immunology

Toxicology

Public Health

Epidemiology

Reproductive and Environmental Biology

Tuskegee U n i v e r s i t y

Tuskegee U n i v e r s i t y

Mr. Getchel L. Caldwell II, Vice President University Advancement Phone: 334-727-8450E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Shaik Jeelani, Vice President Division of Research and Sponsored Programs Phone: (334) 727-8970 or (334) 727-8802 E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Lisa Bufford, Manager Division of Research and Sponsored Programs Telephone: (334) 727-8375 E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Danette Hall, Associate Director Office of Sponsored Programs

Phone: (334) 727-8245 E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Felecia Moss Grant, Assistant Director Office of Grantsmanship and Compliance

Phone: (334) 727-8985 Email: [email protected]

Ms. Wanda Hairston, Director Grants and Contracts

Phone: (334) 724-4500 E-mail: [email protected]

The College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (CVMNAH), the only college of this kind at a Historically Black College, is involved in multidisciplinary biomedical research focused upon animal health including the intersection between animal and human health, through the One-Medicine-One-Health framework both at the molecular as well as at higher population levels. Tuskegee’s multidisciplinary, biomedical research agenda is further supported by the Center in Biomedical Information Management Systems (BIMS) and its research counterpart, the Center for Computational Epidemiology, Bioinformatics, and Risk Analysis (CCEBRA), both of which employ emerging information technology. These complementary units seek to integrate veterinary medicine with human health by exploiting innovative health systems and biotechnologies. Through creative applications of computational science, the CCEBRA serves as a vehicle for the development of models useful for epidemiologic problem solving and decision-making of animal and human diseases and conditions.

The School Nursing and Allied Health in CVMNAH was recently awarded a significant grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to enable the school to strengthen its recruitment, retention, pre-entry, faculty development, cultural competence and financial support. Through support from this grant, the School will conduct “Nursing as a Career” presentations each semester at Tuskegee and two other Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Tuskegee University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral, professional, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Tuskegee University.

university Advancement

“James Henderson Hall, Agriculture and Life Sciences Teaching, Research and Extension Building” Inaugurated by

Honorable Thomas Vilsack, United States Department of Agriculture Secretary

Division of Research and Sponsored Programs

Annual Report 2012-2013

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2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Booker T. Washington, our founder.

Office of Research and Sponsored ProgramsDivision of University Advancement

2009-2010 Annual Report

Impacting theFuture Through

Research


Division of ReseaRch anD sponsoReD pRogRams2010-2011 Annual Report


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division of research and sponsored programs · 2018-09-26 · the sfs scholarship program has...

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