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Jackson State University has been awarded a $5 million grant over five years from the National Science Foundation to allow the “CREST Center for Interdisciplinary Nanotoxicity” to study multifunctional nanoparticles, including their toxicity on the environment.
Because nanoparticles have potential applications in a wide range of areas – biomedical, optical and electronic fields – the CREST Center also will examine model counterparts of multifunctional nanoparticles. This will allow the center to transform research and educational programs at JSU and then transfer that new knowledge to scientific societies and to the general public.
Vice president for Research and Federal Relations, Dr. Loretta A. Moore, is swooning over this new opportunity because of its positive influence on JSU.
“The CREST Interdisciplinary Nanotoxicity Center continues to make a great impact on JSU and its research infrastructure. The Center has supported a number of Ph.D. students and is known internationally for its innovative research. We are proud of the work that Dr. Jerzy Leszczynski and his team are doing in the Center.”
The effects of the project include 1) the introduction of the Universal Design for Research Training model in the center’s activities; 2) the development of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) pipeline that includes high school students from the Jackson area; and 3) training of underrepresented minority students in multicultural and international research environment.
In addition, the project is expected to increase the number of Ph.D. degrees awarded to African-Americans and women and assist in providing a competent and diverse workforce for universities, industry and federal laboratories.
Ultimately, researchers will generate tools for society to efficiently and effectively evaluate risks associated with nanomaterials to ensure environmental and human safety.
JSU’s principal investigator, Dr. Jerzy Leszczynski, said, “This is the fourth time in the past 15 years that JSU has been awarded a five-year $5 million CREST Center grant from the National Science Foundation. These grants facilitate infrastructure improvement, research advancement and establishment and execution of a successful Ph.D. program in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.”
Leszczynski, a professor of chemistry, said, “Furthermore, the current grant supports the interdisciplinary team working on understanding the leading factors of the toxicity of nanomaterials and helping design new species that would not be harmful for the environment or humans. Faculty members and students involved in this project have an opportunity to solve problems of vital importance for the state and national economy.”
Running for 16 years, the Crest Center has produced 20 Ph.D. graduates, 292 publications, 72 student publications, 479 presentations, 181 student presentations, and an overall grant funding of more than $22.5 million.
The award period will end February 28, 2021.