Read the research blog Further Findings.
Research Prizes and Honors
[Have you or a colleague won a research-related prize or honor? Let the Research Alert know.]
TEXAS MATHEMATICIAN JOHN TATE WINS ABEL PRIZE,
HIGHEST DISTINCTION IN MATHEMATICS INTERNATIONALLY
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the Abel Prize for 2010 to John Tate, professor emeritus of mathematics at The University of Texas at Austin, for his vast and lasting impact on the theory of numbers.
The Abel Prize is the highest honor in the field of mathematics and recognizes contributions of extraordinary depth and influence to the mathematical sciences. It carries a cash award of $1 million.
ENGINEERING PROFESSOR SHARES CHANCELLOR’S INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD
Three professors from The University of Texas System institutions have been honored with the 2010 Chancellor’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Awards.
The 2010 Chancellor’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award winners included Tom Milner, of The University of Texas at Austin, and Marc Feldman, of the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. They developed a novel imaging approach applied to cardiovascular imaging to assist cardiologists in better treatment of patients suffering from coronary artery disease.
News and Information
EVALUATE SCIVAL, A RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY DATABASE
There’s less than a month and a half to test SciVal, a research database the university is evaluating. The free trial ends April 30, 2010. The Office of the Vice President for Research wants your feedback on it. Let us know what you think of SciVal by sending an e-mail to vp-research-sr@mail.utexas.edu.
FUNDING STILL AVAILABLE FROM OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH
Special Research Grants for 2009-2010 in amounts up to $750 are still available for tenured and tenure-track faculty until the funds are expended. Applications will be processed in the order received. Direct questions to Liza Scarborough at liza@austin.utexas.edu or 471-2877.
QuotedUT Researchers in the News
[A sampling of recent quotes by university faculty members and researchers. To be included in this section, let the Research Alert know when you or a colleague have been quoted.]
Nature.com
March 22, 2010
HEADLINE: Bizarre models for human diseases; Plants shed light on disfigured faces, and yeast and blood vessels find common ground
(From an article about research from the laboratory of Dr. Edward Marcotte, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He’s developed a “data-mining technique that screens genetic databases to find subtle links to organisms as distant from humans as plants.”)
“Yeast don’t have blood or blood vessels, but they inform us about how the vasculature forms. And plants don’t have heads, but they help us predict genes that are involved in the correct formation of the head,” Marcotte says.
Research Opportunities
Important university research deadlines:
Awards and Grants
Limited Submissions
AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT
The University of Texas at Austin Stimulus Package Web page is online.
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Impact of Decision-Support Systems on the Dissemination and Adoption of Imaging-Related Comparative Effectiveness Findings
Deadlines: Letter of Intent, April 5, 2010; Application, May 5, 2010
[Please submit your proposal through the Office of Sponsored Projects via the Proposal Review Form. For questions, please call 471-6424 or email osp@austin.utexas.edu.]
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
CO2 Utilization
Deadline: April 20, 2010
University Turbine System Research
Deadline: April 28, 2010
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Research on Teen Dating Violence
Deadline: June 5, 2010
Translational Research for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes and Obesity
Deadline: July 1, 2010
Behavioral and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities
Deadlines: Letter of Intent, Aug. 14, 2010; Proposal, Sept. 14, 2010
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Computing in the Cloud
Deadlines: Letter of Intent, April 30, 2010; Full Proposal, June 15, 2010
Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation
Deadlines: Letter of Intent, May 10, 2010; Proposal, June 14, 2010
Perception, Action and Cognition
Deadline: Aug. 1, 2010
Solar, Heliospheric, and Interplanetary Environment (SHINE)
Deadline: Aug. 18, 2010
Instrument Development for Biological Research
Deadline: Aug. 27, 2010
Sociology
Deadlines: Full Proposal for Regular Research, Aug. 15, 2010; Full Proposal for Dissertation Research, Oct. 15, 2010
ARTS, HUMANITIES AND CULTURE
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
For a list of NEH programs and their upcoming deadlines, go to: http://www.neh.gov/grants/grants.html
Deadlines: Various
Research Project
[Let the Research Alert know about your research projects.]
PROTEASE ENGINEERING
RESEARCHER: Brent Iverson, professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, principal investigator
AGENCY: National Institutes of Health
AMOUNT: $318,336
In general terms, current therapies for almost every disease involve molecules that interact with specific disease targets in a “one-for-one” ratio, i.e. one drug molecule is required to interact with each disease molecule.
We propose a route to the engineering of molecules, called proteases, which will catalytically destroy many disease target molecules (i.e. a new paradigm in which one drug molecule destroys hundreds, thousands or even more disease molecules). In particular, we will attempt to generate a potent catalyst capable of “zeroing in” on a target (called the C3a anaphylatoxin) that would allow effective treatment of a wide range of inflammatory diseases including asthma and sepsis.
