(Input from faculty, staff, and students is vital to the University’s strategic planning now underway. This is part of a series looking at key areas in which faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to submit ideas for new research initiatives, or for policies, practices, or resources that will strengthen the University’s competitive position as a premier research institution. Suggestions can be made until November 17.)

The Goergen Institute for Data Science has made great progress in growing research and education in data science at the University since its founding three years ago. We now have popular undergraduate and MS degree programs, many new interdisciplinary research collaborations created through workshops and seed funding, new federal and state awards, new faculty who bridge departments, and Wegmans Hall. Our 2018-2025 strategic plan includes expanding our ongoing thrusts in:

• Predictive Health Care using machine learning and our clinical data resources to assist medical providers by predicting patient outcomes for a wide variety of diseases and treatments. The Medical Center has already deployed its first predictive tools for orthopedic surgery.
• Convergent Research in Human and Machine Intelligence, drawing on University strengths in brain and cognitive science, neuromedicine, and artificial intelligence to help answer fundamental questions about how intelligence can arise from the computations of real or artificial neurons and to help us create systems in which humans and computers team up to expand human potential.

We are soliciting input to develop one or more new thrusts in data science. Data science has connections to almost every field of study, including the humanities; life, physical, and social sciences; business; and health care. We welcome your ideas.

All submissions will remain anonymous unless a direct response is requested. Click here to learn more and to submit a suggestion by November 17. The suggestion form can be submitted more than once if you have multiple ideas.

Complex, multi-system diseases like Parkinson’s have long poised challenges to both scientists and physicians. Medical Center researchers are now reaching for new tools, such as algorithms, machine learning, computer simulations, and mobile technologies, to both improve care and identify new therapies.

The advent of new technologies – such as to broadband internet, smartphones, and remote monitoring and wearable sensors – coupled with growing investments in computational resources and expertise in fields such as bioinformatics and data science have the potential to provide researchers with unprecedented insight into the complex variations of diseases like Parkinson’s. 

An example of this approach is new research out in the journal The Lancet Neurology.  The study sought to identify genetic markers that may explain why motor symptoms –stiffness or rigidity of the arms and legs, slowness or lack of movement, tremors, and walking difficulties – come on more rapidly for some patients with the disease.

The research involved Charles Venuto, an assistant professor of neurology in the Center for Health + Technology (CHeT) and GNS Healthcare, and was funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Venuto’s team tapped into huge data sets compiled by the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), which has collected biological samples and clinical data from hundreds of individuals with the disease.

“We have access to more information about diseases like Parkinson’s than ever before,” said Venuto. “But all of that data has created a scientific conundrum akin to losing sight of the forest for the trees.  In order to unlock the potential of this information we need to harness more sophisticated ways to understand what we are seeing.”

In a departure from traditional research approaches, the team turned over the vast quantities of genetic, clinical, and imaging profiles compiled by the PPMI study to a machine learning and simulation program.  As the computer program analyzed the data, it was also “learning” by constantly refining and modifying its criteria and algorithms as it sifted through the information looking for patterns and associations.

The study identified a mutation in the LINGO2 gene that, together with a second gene and demographic factors, could identify patients with faster motor progression of Parkinson’s.  The finding, if confirmed, could ultimately help clinicians refine care and help researchers more precisely understand how individual patients may respond to experimental therapies.

Read more here.

Jill Morris, left, and Sarah Ansini from the Department of Mechanical Engineering were among 80 research administrators from the University and RIT participating in a workshop this week led by presenters from the National Council of University Research Administrators.

Proposal preparation. Award management. Post-award obstacles. Compliance issues.

These were among the topics addressed this week when 80 department research administrators — 49 from the Medical School, 20 from  the River Campus, and 11 from Rochester Institute of Technology — gathered for a 2.5 day workshop led by presenters from the National Council of University Research Administrators.

Organized by AS&E’s Dean of Research Office, in cooperation with the Office of Research and Project Administration (ORPA) and the Medical Center’s Dean of Research, the workshop is part of an effort to “spread best practices to administrators who don’t get an opportunity to attend conferences like this away from the University,” said Debra Haring, AS&E’s assistant dean for grants and contracts. “It’s our investment in helping prepare the staff so they can better support our faculty.”

“It’s a great example of the continued department training that supports the research enterprise on campus,” said Cindy Gary, Haring’s counterpart in the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Kevin Mazurek, at left, receives awards from Stephen Steadman and Melisa Sturge-Apple, dean of graduate studies in Arts, Sciences & Engineering.

Even simple movements require the integration of information from multiple areas of the brain. This process breaks down when brain damage occurs, resulting in neurological disorders.

But what if researchers could find a way to bypass those damaged areas and maintain the flow of information?

Kevin Mazurek, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Marc Schieber, professor of neurology, described how the lab is making progress in doing just that when he finished in first place and took the audience prize as well in the Meliora Weekend competition for the Steadman Family Postdoctoral Associate Prize in Interdisciplinary Research.

Mazurek’s prizes were worth $1,250.

Using micro electrical stimulation in primates, “we’ve shown that we can deliver the information successfully to two functionally different areas of the brain,” Mazurek explained. “This is an important first step.”

The next steps in the research, which incorporates neurology, neuroscience, electrical engineering, and biomedical engineering, include expanding the ability to communicate information across a wide reach of brain areas. This could “potentially improve the quality of living for individuals with injuries such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, or Alzheimer’s disease,” Mazurek said.

This is the second year of the competition.

It is open to all postdoctoral scholars and appointees in the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and in Arts, Sciences & Engineering. Four prizes are awarded for research that exemplifies the importance of cross- disciplinary approaches toward examining high impact questions of science. Prizes were awarded based on 3-minute oral presentations to a panel of judges.

This year’s topics ranged from “Recent Breakthroughs in Understanding the Brain’s Waste Removal System” to “Catalytic Solar-Driven Generation of H2 in Artificial Photosynthesis” – and the benefits of yoga in helping cancer patients cope with the side affects of chemotherapy.

Second place went to Jeff Tithof of mechanical engineering, and third place to Po-Ju Lin of the PEAK Human Performance Laboratory at the Wilmot Cancer Institute.

‘The research done here is really outstanding, and just from reading these applications it is really exciting to see what’s going on here,” said Stephen Steadman ’64 (Physics), whose family endowed the competition, and who served as a judge.

The competition recognizes the outstanding research done by postdocs, said Steadman, a scientific administrator at the Laboratory for Nuclear Science and the Department of Physics at MIT. It also supports them in “reaching across different fields” by attending conferences and other research gatherings.

Can a workout regimen for your mind and body help to fend off Alzheimer’s disease?

A new study will examine whether a rigorously designed program of both aerobic exercise and brain training will complement each other, producing greater gains in cognition than if done independently.

Feng Vankee Lin, assistant professor nursing and director of the Cog-T Laboratory promoting successful aging, and Fang Yu, associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, are principal investigators on the five-year, $3.67 million grant from the National Institute of Aging.

“This is the first trial to test the synergistic effects of a combined program of aerobic exercise and cognitive training on cognition and mechanisms relevant to Alzheimer’s disease-associated neurodegeneration in older adults with mild cognitive impairment,” said Lin.

The study will test the efficacy of a specially designed six-month program – which includes cycling and a speed-of-processing training intervention – on cognition and associated neural and vascular mechanisms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Read more here.

A new study that describes the unique role of androgens in kidney cancer suggests that targeting the androgen receptor (AR) is worth further investigation.

The research was led by senior author Chawnshang Chang, the George Hoyt Whipple Distinguished Professor of Pathology, Urology, and Radiation Oncology. Chang’s laboratory has produced a large body of work during the past decade investigating the link between cancer and the AR, which binds male hormones, transcribes DNA, and is critical for male sex characteristics.

The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, shows that in renal cell carcinoma, androgen signaling can either stimulate or suppress tumor cell movement and invasion to different locations in the body.

In earlier research, Chang’s lab also shed light on the duality of AR’s role in different cancers. For example, AR signaling can enhance bladder cancer cell invasion but suppress prostate cancer cell invasion, he has found.

“In kidney cancer, many studies have provided conflicting information,” Chang said. “In some cases AR expression has been associated with less malignancy. We were able to begin to sort out AR’s function in this one disease, showing that AR-positive kidney tumors are more likely to spread to the lungs and AR-negative tumors are more likely to spread to the lymph nodes.”

Read more here.

Lynne Maquat, the J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics, who has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine. The accolade places her among an elite group of scientists and physicians who have made significant contributions to health and medicine. In studying RNA, a close cousin to DNA, Maquat has discovered intricate cellular processes that influence normal genes, as well as genes involved in a wide range of diseases. Her findings are leading to the development of new treatment approaches for everything from cancer and heart disease, to intellectual and developmental disabilities and other neurologic disorders. Read more here.

Kevin Meuwissen, associate professor at the Warner School of Education, who has been selected for the 2017 Exemplary Research Award from National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Meuwissen will accept the national award at the NCSS 97th Annual Conference in San Francisco, CA, in November. The annual award acknowledges and encourages scholarly inquiry in significant issues and possibilities for social studies education. Read more here.

Justin Fay has joined the Department of Biology as an associate professor from Washington University in St. Louis, where he was an associate professor in the Department of Genetics and ran a lab in the Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology. Fay’s research encompasses the intersection between genetics, evolution, and computational biology. Fay and his research team will continue their work on the genetic basis and evolution of changes in gene regulation and how they relate to novel trait acquisition and divergence between species. Fay will also continue a number of collaborations that leverage his group’s computational skills and expertise in evolutionary genetics. The projects examine the impact of deleterious mutations on the domestication of barley, the genetic basis of preterm birth in humans, and using experimental evolution to test evolutionary theories of fluctuating selection and their consequences. Fay was awarded a PhD at the University of Chicago.

The Clinical and Translational Science Institute has released a request for applications for a new Pipeline Pilot Award to fund community-based participatory research, which engages community members or organizations in all aspects of the research process.

The award will fund research teams, which must consist of one faculty member from the University and at least one community partner of the greater Rochester area, for six to 12 months and up to $15,000. Applications are due Wednesday, November 15. Direct questions to mary_little@urmc.rochester.edu or 275-0653.

Researchers interested in exploring the market potential of their work and learning entrepreneurial skills are encouraged to apply for a Short Course offered by the Upstate New York (UNY) NSF I-Corps Node.

Short Courses, geared toward doctoral candidates and post-docs, are offered at no cost and consist of both in-person and remote meetings over a two-week period. If you work with a team, the whole team can participate in conducting customer interviews, learning about the business model canvas, and having clear plans for taking the next steps.

Short Course graduates will have the opportunity to be recommended for the NSF I-Corps National Teams program, which offers grants of up to $50,000.

The University’s Ain Center for Entrepreneurship will host the next Short Course, which kicks off on Friday, November 3. The program is limited to ten teams. Apply here; contact Matthew Spielmann, senior program manager at the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship, with questions and to learn more.

Today: Center for Integrated Research Computing (CIRC) symposium. John Ashton from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Genomics Research Center will discuss sequencing technologies for single cell RNA. Binshuang Li from the Department of Biology will demonstrate the use of second- and third-generation sequencing techniques to identify a master genetic switch. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wegmans Hall 1400. Lunch will be provided.

Oct. 23: 5 p.m. deadline to apply to Center for AIDS Research for joint funding through SMD, SON, and Program of Excellence. Click here to find full pilot announcement.

Oct. 23: 5 p.m. deadline to submit abstracts for novel biostatistical and epidemiologic methods (NBEM) awards from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Information about the program and instructions for submission can be found in the RFA.

Oct. 26: “Machine-Reading and Crowdsourcing Medieval Music Manuscripts” symposium. Eastman School of Music. Read more here.

Oct. 31: Deadline to submit applications for funding to support health sciences research using high performance computational resources. For more information, contact Ben Miller at benjamin_miller@urmc.rochester.edu. To view the Health Sciences Center for Computational Innovation web page, click here.

Nov. 4: Immune Imaging Symposium hosted by the Program for Advanced Immune Bioimaging.  International speakers, poster session, and oral presentations from students and postdoctoral fellows. 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Saunders Research Building. Submit poster abstracts here by October 16. Lunch and refreshments will be served. For more information, click here. Registration is free.

Nov. 7: The Historical Roots of Machine Learning. CTSI Analytics Colloquium. Noon to 1 p.m. Lower Adolph Auditorium, Medical Center.

Nov. 8: Science, Technology, and Culture book club discusses The Periodic Table, by Primo Levi. 5 to 6 p.m. Humanities Center lobby (Rush Rhees Library). Email Emma_Grygotis@urmc.rochester.edu for more information.

November 8: “Figures and Forms: Thoughts on the ‘Inside’ and the ‘Outside’ of Music.” Oliver Schneller, professor of composition and director of the Eastman Audio Research Studio (EARS) at the Eastman School of Music.  Phelps Colloquium. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Max of Eastman Place. Click here to register.

Nov. 9: Wilmot Cancer Institute Scientific Symposium. Oral presentations and poster session.  9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Class of ’62 Auditorium and Flaum Atrium, Prizes for best posters. Deadline for poster registration submission is November 1. For questions about the symposium, the poster presentation, or to obtain a poster registration form, contact Chelsea Costanzo at chelsea_costanzo@urmc.rochester.edu or at 273-1447.

Nov. 10: “Food Justice: Exploring Our Cultures’ Complexity.” University-wide Annual Research Conference. 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Interfaith Chapel and 305 Schlegel Hall. Click here to register and see the conference schedule and speaker profiles.

Nov. 13: Initial abstracts due for Incubator Awards from the School of Medicine and Dentistry’s Scientific Advisory Committee. Find more details and application instructions online.

Nov. 15: Deadline to apply for Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Junior Investigator Award, for Collaborative Pilot Studies Targeting New NCI Funding, and for Brain Tumor Pilot Studies. For additional information and applications, click here. Applications should be submitted electronically to Pam Iadarola, research administrator, James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, Pamela_iadarola@urmc.rochester.edu. Questions should also be directed to her at 585-275-1537 or by email.

Nov. 15: Deadline to apply for a new Pipeline Pilot Award from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute for community-based participatory research that engages community members or organizations in all aspects of the research process. See the request for applications for more information; direct questions to mary_little@urmc.rochester.edu or 275-0653.

Dec. 1: Center for AIDS Research ninth annual HIV/AID Scientific Symposium. Keynote speakers and poster session. Click here for more information. Contact Laura Enders for more information about World AIDS Day events.

Dec. 6: Science, Technology, and Culture book club discusses Weapons of Math Destruction, by Cathy O’Neil. 5 to 6 p.m. Humanities Center lobby (Rush Rhees Library). Email Emma_Grygotis@urmc.rochester.edu for more information.

December 7: “Including Disability in the Diversity Conversation.” Susan Hetherington, associate professor of pediatrics and director of the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities.  Phelps Colloquium. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Evarts Lounge, Helen Wood Hall. School of Nursing. Click here to register.