Cleveland State University’s 11 most promising research projects of 2018
Cutting-edge discoveries being made at Cleveland State University could cure some of our deadliest diseases, save lives and help paralyzed children walk. Here are 11 CSU research projects to keep an eye on in 2018.
How does the circadian clock impact the aging process? Ask CSU molecular biologist Roman Kondratov. His research team was one of the first to identify a specific relationship between the operation of the circadian clock and how the body ages. They are now conducting research on how diet/clock interaction impacts circadian rhythms and the aging process. The research could uncover new information on how the circadian clock and aging might impact human health, while also leading to potential therapeutic strategies for prevention of age-related illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease.
CSU biologist Aaron Severson is using these tiny creatures, whose reproductive process is similar to humans, to investigate the cellular machinery that impacts conception, infertility and the incidence of diseases such as Down syndrome. As women age, a protein complex known as cohesin, which is central to reproduction, weakens. This could explain why infertility and incidents of Down syndrome increase as women get older. Severson’s research on cohesin function has the potential to lead to tests that predict the likelihood of an abnormal pregnancy and interventions that could improve outcomes for those at risk.
A team led by CSU biologist Valentin Börner has for the first time determined how proteasome, the machinery in all living cells that destroys proteins after they have completed their function, controls central components of human conception. These findings shed new light on how cells actually function and could have major implications for our understanding of how errors in cellular development can lead to birth defects and cancer.
Because no two are alike. In fact, different sections of the same cloud can have very different properties, making predictive modeling difficult at best. This is why we still know very little about how clouds react to atmospheric changes and the impact this has on weather patterns, climate change and air pollution. CSU physicist Thijs Heus is conducting groundbreaking, incredibly realistic, large eddy simulations using supercomputers. These supercomputers help enhance the resolution that can be analyzed from kilometers, the average in most weather models, to about 10 meters. This allows his team to model fluctuations in temperature, humidity and barometric pressure over different parts of the same cloud simultaneously. This will greatly enhance the accuracy of weather prediction and climate modeling and lead to a better understanding of how clouds actually operate in real time.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year food-borne diseases lead to over 128,000 hospitalizations and roughly 3,000 deaths. A team of mathematicians and engineers at Cleveland State University are developing new mathematical models designed to better assess how these pathogens spread through the food supply and ultimately create better controls to reduce contamination. The research will seek to transform the current “spray and pray” approach to food decontamination to a consistent and repeatable system that will reduce pathogen cross-contamination and enhance sanitizer performance.
Inflammation is a cellular defense mechanism that is necessary to protect against infection or tissue injury. Inflammation, however, must be carefully controlled because chronic inflammation due to errors in the mechanism can lead to numerous diseases, including heart disease and stroke. CSU scientist Barsanjit Mazumder has, for the first time, identified the specific ribosomal protein, called L13a, which is responsible for controlling inflammation in cells. This discovery could be the key to developing a new generation of therapies that could limit the progression of fatal cardiovascular disease and other diseases caused by overactive inflammation.
The illness is an insect-borne parasitic disease that threatens millions in Africa annually and has no known cure. A team of scientists led by CSU’s Bibo Li is studying a key genetic trait that makes the disease so deadly. They discovered that the telomeric protein RAP1 is required to make the switching of the parasite’s protein “coat” effective to fool the host’s immune system and establish a persistent, fatal infection. The team is now identifying methods to genetically “sabotage” this process, which could be a key to more effective treatment and ultimately a cure.
A team of researchers led by engineer Moo-Yeal Lee is developing robotic, high-precision, cell printing technology which allows for the generation of testable human tissues in a laboratory environment. The innovation could increase the accuracy of everything from toxicity testing to disease modeling to drug development, while drastically reducing the associated costs. It could also eventually lead to the bio-printing of full organs, eliminating the need for transplants.
Approximately 36 out of every 10,000 children suffer from cerebral palsy, which is a major cause of mobility issues in juveniles. CSU engineer Jerzy Sawicki is working with Parker Hannifin to develop, design and commercialize a pediatric exoskeleton for children ages 6 to 11, which could assist individuals suffering from CP as well as paralysis and diseases such as spina bifida, myopathy, and neuropathy. This would be the first powered, lower-limb orthotic specifically designed for children. The device would help thousands of individuals around the world learn to walk, while also providing essential data that could improve future treatment for children and adults with mobility issues.
CSU engineer Hanz Richter is expanding on previous collaborative research with NASA to design a cyber-enabled exercise and rehabilitation machine, which could be personalized to assist individuals in maximizing exercise for their specific physical needs. Unlike existing exercise machines, the device will measure and process biomechanical variables and generate adjustments to their own resistance, providing users with cues that will ultimately maximize effectiveness and guarantee safety. It has the potential to revolutionize both personal training and physical rehabilitation for individuals suffering from a host of injuries and diseases.
CSU’s Hongxing Ye is developing new optimization techniques and market mechanisms that better account for the increasing use of variable energy resources, such as solar and wind, in power systems. The algorithms and models are expected to increase flexibility and enhance reliability of the grid during natural disasters. It could ultimately improve existing energy management systems, enable broader adoption of distributed renewable energy sources, and supply more reliable electric power in extreme events.
For more information about exciting research taking place at Cleveland State, visit csuohio.edu/research.