Advancing Ohio State’s strong traditionin life sciences research training

“Excellence in research is ultimately determined by the productivity of our graduate students, as defined by lead-

authorship in top-tier publications.”

Visibility - Integration - Connectivity

OAA Discussion 6 Feb 2013

Kathleen Boris-Lawrie, PhD

David White Professor of Molecular VirologyCollege of Veterinary Medicine

Executive Director, Ohio State’s Life Sciences Network

Vision: To link discipline-based and interdisciplinary graduate programs and the Office of Research in common purpose to build on Ohio State’s strengths to reach prominence in the life sciences.

…the result of a continuing effort to revitalize graduate educationand research in the life sciences at Ohio State…..

• External review of the interdisciplinary graduate programs 2004• Doctoral program assessment and plan of Graduate School 2008• Provost’s task force on the life sciences 2009• NRC rankings 2010

Connect organizational processes and agreements to develop the overarching research themes and existing strengths given

present funding opportunities for Ohio State.

Mission: To advance the impact and productivity of research activities of life sciences faculty, staff and graduate students.

Specific Objectives

1) Leverage OSU’s considerable financial resources and intellectual capacity to form new interdisciplinary teams of faculty that are researching the most important issues in the life sciences.

2) Recruit and productively matriculate highly qualified, talented and diverse graduate students.

3) Raise the visibility, integration, and recognition of Ohio State’s life sciences research and graduate programs to the highest levels of public and private recognition.

Forge One OSU Put Students First Focus on Faculty Success

Unprecedented collaboration&

leadership

Deans of life sciences colleges led by the Graduate School in

partnership with Office of Research

Amplify the visibility& impact

Ohio State’s strong tradition ofexcellence in life sciences

research and graduate studies

Synergize & leverage

Energetic, uniquely-talented faculty and doctoral students in synch with newly integrated

fiscal and infrastructure arrangements

Recast OurResearch Agenda

Commit toOur Communities

Simplify University Systems and Structures

With graduate programs across life sciences colleges and

schools

Design and implement the next-generation

cross-disciplinaryresearch programs

LSN.OSU.edu

“The bird’s eye view”

…prospective graduate students/faculty

and all citizen of Ohio

Advanced information technology

Integrate people and data resources in support of aggressive, innovative interdisciplinary teams

“Ohio State's Time” … President Gee

Ohio State’s Life Sciences Network http://oncampus.osu.edu/2012/12/bridging-the-silos/

Accomplishments Year-1

1) The LSN webportal: http://lsn.osu.edu

- Draws together people and resources from 12 colleges & schools;- Serves the public, OSU and external life scientists;- Provides a single entry point to the full scope of life sciences

research activity at Ohio State University.

2) Ratified for the first-time membership standards and uniform administrative guidelines for the interdisciplinary graduate programs (IGPs);

3) Co-localized the life sciences IGPs (n=4) in one campus location; programmatic functions were integrated; IGP staff responsibilities reconfigured; advance integration with Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives.

4) Commenced arrangements to colocalize IGPs and discipline-based graduate programs (n=7), thus physically linking discipline-based and interdisciplinary graduate programs.

5) Developed principles of Ohio State’s interdisciplinary advancement

Global health requires fundamental understanding of how cells and organisms function

Molecular events in a single cell function in series transmit to provide environment responsiveness and generation of cellular constituents of tissues, organs and ultimately whole-organisms.

Populations-based research of human, animal and plant communities is the basis for strategic analysis of public health issues and appropriate solutions.

Applications of scientific knowledge involve delicate local, national & international partnerships, thus empowering communities to protect the health of the planet.

6) Ohio State’s interdisciplinary breadth & capacity, include…….

Genome-based networks Epigenome-wide marks

Microbiomes and model systems Science of behavior

Nanoscale cellular machines Regulatory science

Bioinformatics and computational biology

Workforce preparation

- Mentoring life scientists to succeed in the global & interdisciplinary workplace;

- Innovative training methods to complement traditional research training;

- Contemporary career entry points: industry, biotechnology, entrepreneurial enterprises, tech transfer, science policy, regulatory agencies, STEM training ect.

Connectionand Energy

Highlights of Expected Year-3 Outcomes

 In partnership with Program Council, the LSN has generated:

- Measures to incentivize faculty to advance interdisciplinary research

- Seed grant funds supporting innovative faculty proposals to significant RFAs

- Measures to reward graduate programs progressing to NIH-level metrics: Domestic student recruitment, retention, to productive matriculation(n=> 2 first-author publications in impact-journals) and placement in the scientific workforce

- External assessments recognizing OSU’s life sciences programs and high impact strategic initiatives.