A new beam pattern devised by University of Rochester researchers could bring unprecedented sharpness to ultrasound and radar images, burn precise holes in manufactured materials at a nano scale—even etch new properties onto their surfaces.

These are just a few of the items on the “Christmas tree” of possible applications for the beam pattern that Miguel Alonso, professor of optics, and Kevin Parker, the William F. May Professor of Engineering, describe in a recent paper in Optics Express.

The pattern results from what Parker calls “an analytically beautiful mathematical solution” that Alonso devised. It causes a light or sound wave to collapse inward, forming—during a mere nanosecond or less—an incredibly thin, intense beam before the wave expands outward again.

“All the energy fits together in time and space so it comes together—BAM!—like a crescendo,” says Parker, explosively clapping his hands for emphasis. “It can be done with an optical light wave, with ultrasound, radar, sonar – it will work for all of them.”

Because it is incredibly narrow, the new beam “makes it possible to resolve things at exquisite resolutions, where you need to separate tiny things that are close together,” Parker says, adding that the beam could have applications not only for ultrasound, but microscopy, radar, and sonar.

According to Alonso, industrial applications might include any form of laser materials processing that involves putting as much light as possible on a given line.

Click here to read more, including how a perusal of “ancient” mathematical expressions and a swim in the lake contributed to this discovery.

Most academic grants come with money, but Hussein Aluie has received a research boost that money can’t buy.

The assistant professor of mechanical engineering has been awarded access to Mira—a supercomputer at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois—to conduct massively parallel simulations. The award would allow Aluie and his team to use 300,000 computers simultaneously to run one of their proposed simulations in under four days—a task that would take a desktop computer more than 2,000 years to complete.

Aluie’s is one of 55 projects awarded computing time through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment program.

According to Michael Papka, a director at the Argonne facility that houses the computer, “These computational projects represent the biggest challenges in science and engineering.”

Aluie, who studies fluid dynamics, leads the University’s Turbulence and Complex Flow Group. Their project includes running codes to develop a computer model of fluid instabilities that occur during inertial confinement fusion, which has significant potential as a form of clean energy.  However, as Aluie points out, “Understanding these instabilities that occur are some of the major barriers for us to realize nuclear fusion as an energy source.”

Read more here.

The Medical Center will receive up to $9 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct infectious disease surveillance and research over the next five years. The award renews the University’s role as a member of the CDC’s Emerging Infections Program, a national network that keeps hawk-like watch on the activity of several infectious threats and conducts studies that guide policy related to prevention and treatment. Read more here.

Clinical researchers often need to gather medical information about study volunteers – a process that is long and arduous. The University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute has devised a way for researchers to access, sort, and export clinical data quickly and efficiently by bridging two existing and unrelated software programs.

The bridging program, called ““i2b2 to REDCap” or REDCap-i2b2 integration (REDI), gives researchers the ability to not only extract electronic health record (EHR) data, but to export it to other programs for analysis and secure storage. To find out more or schedule a training session, contact the CTSI Research Help Desk or email ResearchHelp@urmc.rochester.edu. Read more here.

Using web-based videoconference technology, eating disorder experts at the Medical Center are training local community providers to identify and manage eating disorders, as well as helping develop interprofessional skills required to effectively participate on multidisciplinary eating disorder teams.

They are doing so through the world’s first Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) tele-education hub, which was launched Jan. 3.

“Eating disorders are diseases of disconnection,” said Mary Tantillo,  professor of clinical nursing and director of the Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders. “We need to create learning communities of health care providers to support and connect with one another in order to help patients and their families do the same.”

Read more here.

Philip W. Davidson,  professor emeritus of pediatrics, who has been elected president of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the largest and oldest scientific organization of its kind, promoting worldwide research and exchange of information. Davidson is formerly chief of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and director of the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities. He continues his research on the effects of methylmercury on child development and whether humans ingesting fish during pregnancy affects developmental outcomes. He’s a renowned expert on aging as it relates to intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavior disorders, and neurotoxins and development. Read more here.

Lee Murray has joined the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences after conducting postdoctoral research jointly at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. An atmospheric chemist, Murray examines the coupling between the chemically reactive components of Earth’s atmosphere and its climate. He develops and uses complex three-dimensional models that resolve the spatial and temporal evolution of atmospheric composition and energy, informed by satellite and other big-data observations. His research has been focused on the human and climate-driven factors that alter the atmosphere’s ability to remove air pollutants and reactive greenhouse gases such as methane. He received his PhD from Harvard University.

Want to see how your research can impact federal programs and regulations?  Want to discuss your ideas with the FDA? University students (undergraduate, professional, and graduate) are encouraged to participate in the 4^th annual “America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent” Competition.

The competition, involving individual students or teams of up to four, aims to promote student interest in the science of developing new tools, standards, and approaches to assess the safety, efficacy, quality, and performance of FDA-regulated products.

Entry forms are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, January 31.

The competition itself will be held at Helen Wood Hall Auditorium from noon to 1:30 p.m.,Thursday, February 16, 2017.  The winning individual or team will visit the FDA in March or April.

Click here for information and instructions on how to apply.

The United States Office for Human Research Protections has launched a new website called “About Research Participation.”  The purpose is to share basic information about research participation so volunteers can make informed decisions. The materials provided will be an important resource for the community and researchers.

Jan. 31: Seeds for Collaboration social hour, to encourage research collaborations. 4:30 p.m., LaChase Assembly G.9576. 5- to 8-minute presentations by Jiebo Luo, associate professor of computer science; Patrick Oakes, assistant professor of physics and biology;  and Feng Vankee Lin, assistant professor of nursing. Sponsored by the Del Monte Institute for Neuromedicine and the Dean’s Office for Basic Research.

Jan. 31: Deadline to enter “America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent” competition, promoting student interest in the science of developing new tools, standards, and approaches to assess the safety, efficacy, quality, and performance of FDA-regulated products. Click here for information and instructions on how to apply.

Feb. 1:  “Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Lessons in Anti-Colonial, Cross-Cultural, and Translational Research Operations.” LaRon Nelson, assistant professor of nursing; Judith Brasch, project nurse; and Marian Moskow, senior health project coordinator, discuss bridging cultural divides while conducting two HIV studies in Ghana, West Africa. School of Nursing Grand Rounds. Noon to 12:50 p.m., Helen Wood Hall (1W304).

Feb. 10: Noon deadline to apply for Center for Community Health mini-grants, which will be  awarded in March 2017.  Click here for the application form and instructions.

Feb. 27: 5 p.m. deadline to apply for Center for AIDS Research funding for projects that use the center’s Pharmacology Shared Resource to address key gaps in understanding HIV/AIDS pharmacology and therapeutics. Read more here.

March 20: Deadline to submit applications for a University Research Award of up to $37,500, matched by the applicant’s home school for a total of $75,000. The program provides seed money on a competitive basis for innovative research projects that are likely to obtain external support.  Completed applications should be directed to adele.coelho@rochester.edu. Click here to view the full RFP.

March 20: Deadline to submit applications for an AS&E PumpPrimer II award. Click here for more information. Faculty in the School of Arts & Science should refer questions to Debra Haring, and those in the Hajim School of Engineering to Cindy Gary.

March 25: Brainstorming for the Healthy Weight Initiative, which aims to increase the proportion of people with healthy weight in Rochester and beyond. The goal is to identify potential collaborators and research topics in any area related to body weight development as a first step toward developing new transdisciplinary research teams to obtain more research funding.  For more information, contact Diana Fernandez.