RESEARCH MILESTONES Spring 2012

huMaNITIES

WVU Research Milestones is the University’s bi-annual round-up of significant research undertaken in its accelerating march toward greater national research

prominence. The work described in these pages is being performed by outstand-ing student and faculty researchers who are enhancing WVU’s global engage-ment and educational achievement and advancing University diversity, regional economic development, and the well-being of the people of West Virginia.

This report recounts only some of recent research highlights in abbreviated form. For more information or to see other stories about the research at WVU, visit http://research.wvu.edu/

UnCovERing tHE impACt of JAnE AUStEn And fRAnCES BURnEy on ModeRn cUlTURe WvU department of English professor marilyn francus is at work on two different research fellowship projects: one is a study of Jane Austen’s relationship to popular culture and a second on frances Burney as a professional writer and a mother, in a time when it was thought that women could not be both writers and parents.Francus is especially interested in researching the impact of the women writers

since both addressed issues of class, gender, and family that are still under discussion in contemporary society.

“People do not always realize how much our culture is shaped by the works of the past, We retell stories to work through cultural and social problems, and even if the answers may be different, many of the issues and the questions remain the same.” —Marilyn Fincus

UnEARtHing tHE vAlUE of AppAlACHiAn diAlECtS WvU professor Kirk Hazen, ph.d., and his team of undergraduate researchers received a $239,742 grant from the national Science foundation to continue a study of phonetic variation in Appalachia. Hazen advances the study of sociolinguistics by presenting dialect diversity programs to a wide array of audiences, including future health professionals, social workers, students, and service organizations.

Throughout the entire 12-year period of the project, Hazen is also trying to educate West Virginia students about language in general and specifically about dialects.

Unearthing and confronting linguistic misconceptions will require a thorough understanding of the state’s language variation and a statewide effort to teach its legitimacy and value. This project provides the means for helping West Virginians to avoid self-effacing loathing of their language diversity.

“Rural areas in the united States are changing, and the sociolinguistic patterns discovered in this project will illustrate those changes,” —Kirk hazen

Burney Austen

2 3

enlisTing And TRAining VolUnTeeRs to monitoR And pRotECt monongAHElA RivER WAtER qUAlitymon River quest is a major West virginia University-based initiative that is empowering hundreds of volunteers in an effort to keep an eye on thousands of miles of monongahela River tributary streams so that any detected irregularities can be quickly monitored, traced and alleviated. the project has been recognized as one of the best research, education and outreach projects in the nation.The project, funded by the colcom Foundation — a Pittsburgh based private foundation dedicated to fostering a sustainable environment, represents an unprecedented level of community involvement in pursuit of water quality information and a prime example of WVU’s outreach mission to make lives better by seeking ways to head off potential environmental problems.

EcOLOgy

The West Virginia Water Research institute is a premier water research center where experts have already established a monitoring program that, in cooperation with coal companies, has helped control total dissolved solids — known as TDS — that sometimes result from energy recovery operations in the Mon River basin.

WVWRI Director Paul Ziemkiewicz is fond of noting that “a little science goes a long way.” He and the other experts at WVWRi are hoping that the new expanded Mon River Quest will reinforce that contention by using a little science and dedicated volunteers to keep the Monongahela River clean.

For more information on the Mon River QUesT project or how to get involved, visit http://www.monriverquest.com.

HelPing THe nATionAl PARk seRVice And iTs VisiToRs UndERStAnd An UnnotiCEd RESoURCE in tHE CHESApEAKE And oHio CAnAl nAtionAl HiStoRiCAl pARKthe Chesapeake and ohio Canal national Historical park parallels the potomac River as it winds through scenic maryland valleys. visitors have long appreciated its geology and wildlife as they travel along the canal towpath. What most do not know is that along the canal exists a world of caves and springs just as fascinating and much more fragile.

This world has gone unnoticed for many years, but now a collaborative effort between the U.S. National Park Service and WVU seeks to better understand these caves and how they are affected by the surface. WVU doctoral candidate John Tudek of the Department of Geology and Geography is working under

QUEST FoR Mon RiVeR WATeR QUAliTy inFo

4 5

Petra Wood, a research biologist with the U.s. geological survey and adjunct professor of wildlife in the WVU davis college of Agriculture, natural Resources and design, and kyle Aldinger, a native of Hummelstown, PA who is pursuing a doctoral degree in forest resources science, received a $16,000 grant from the U.s. department of the interior Fish and Wildlife service to monitor the

Where have all the warblers gone?

population status of the species and associated avian species inhabiting high elevation pasturelands in West Virginia.

To aid conservation efforts in the state, the pair will investigate habitat man-agement strategies for the species with particular interest in in the effects of livestock grazing, brush-hogging or mechanical mowing, and light tree harvest.

Ultimately, the information will help guide conservation and habitat management for the species. other objectives include testing survey protocols, measuring breeding habitat characteristics of the species, and investigating its use of abandoned and active livestock pastures.

Research efforts should help preserve and promote the songbird’s population for future generations to enjoy.

associate professor of geology dorothy Vesper, Ph.d., on this $218,000, two-year project funded by the National Park Service. Joining the geologists on this multidisciplinary effort are Benoit Van Aken, Ph.D., microbiologist at Temple University; david smaldone, Ph.d., associate professor of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources in the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and design; and dan Feller, biologist for the Maryland department of natural Resources.

WoRKing to REvERSE loSSES to AmERiCA’S SongBiRd popUlAtionin recent years, the golden-winged warbler has been in decline throughout the northeastern United States and West virginia’s population has experienced a particularly sharp decline. two West virginia University researchers, however, hope their research will offer solutions to help preserve the threatened species.

EcOLOgy6 7

“I’ve been exploring caves for more than 20 years,” Tudek said. “This is something I would happily do as a hobby. To be able to do this professionally; in an area rich in biology, geology and history—it’s a bit of a dream come true.”

“I’ve been exploring caves for more than 20 years,” Tudek said. “This is something I would happily do as a hobby. To be able to do this professionally; in an area rich in biology, geology and history—it’s a bit of a dream come true.” —John Tudek

tAKing EAglE RESEARCH nAtionWidEgolden eagles travel thousands of miles in their yearly migration. Now, research techniques refined at WVU will begin their own cross-country travels thanks to a $321,000 grant from the Bureau of land management.

Todd Katzner, a research assistant professor of wildlife and fisheries resources, and Phil Turk, assistant professor of statistics, will adapt efforts that balance sustainable energy development with eagle protection for use in california.

Katzner and Turk have been working on a project to provide a framework for safer and less controversial development of wind power in eastern north America. california is facing similar issues, with the added complexity that in addition to wind power, solar energy development is using up acres of land in western deserts.

A lack of data has hampered the BLM’s ability to understand impacts from

WILdLIFE

renewable energy development while effectively managing stable eagle populations on BLM lands. Katzner, Turk and their colleagues hope to establish a comprehensive understanding of habitat relations and of risk to birds from energy development in california.

Katzner and Turk will be joined on the project by Adam Duerr and Tricia Miller, research biologists with the WVU Research corporation, david Brandes, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at lafayette college in Easton, PA, and Michael Lanzone, CEO of Cellular Tracking Technologies in somerset, PA.

ExAmining nAtURAl dEfEnSE AgAinSt pESKy StinKBUg invASionyong-lak park, an assistant professor of entomology in WvU’s davis College of Agriculture, natural Resources and design, is studying the potential of the spined soldier bug as a natural deterrent to the invasive brown marmorated stink bug.

Experts suspect that brown marmorated stink bug probably hitchhiked its way from Asia in container ships. it was first detected in this country in Allentown, PA, in 1996. it has no natural enemies here, so the population has grown quickly.

The insect has been found in 33 states. it has spread to agricultural commodities, becoming a major pest of fruit orchards, field crops, vegetables, and ornamentals in

Photo copyright: Todd katzner

8 9

five years as part of the Aquacutlure Food and Marketing Development Project. This new grant has given them the opportunity to study that potential at a production scale.

The aquaponics team is conducting its studies in flowing-water aquaculture systems at the Reymann Memorial Farm near Wardensville, WV, and at two commercial fish production operations in West Virginia. Flowing-water systems are preferred by trout producers as an efficient and manageable production system that are generally fed by groundwater flowing by gravity from springs or mines.

According to Buzby, the aquaponics system has shown success in removal of soluble nutrients from the water flow like ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and phosphates that adversely influence water quality.

In addition to reducing the environmental impact of fish-production systems, aquaponics may also offer an extra source of income for fish producers. The addition of vegetable and flower production increases the volume and diversity of goods for market. Investigators also note that lettuce production can be conducted year-round. The consistent temperature of spring water provides conditions for cold-weather crops in the dead of winter and the heat of summer, times when these crops don’t do well in exposed soil.

the Mid-Atlantic region. The stink bug has caused considerable crop damage to fruit orchards and organic vegetable farms in the eastern Panhandle of WV.

The State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania tapped Park to see if he could develop a biological control for the invader that could effectively fend off the destruction of crops without forcing growers to resort to chemical pesticides.

Park has been looking into the appetites of the spined soldier bug as an indigenous adversary for its destructive cousin. While the soldier bugs aren’t displaying an appetite for adult stink bugs, they do eat stink bug eggs, which could effectively curb the population of stink bugs.

coMBining HydRoPonics And AQUAcUlTURe foR ClEAnER WAtER And AdditionAl food pRodUCtionWvU researchers are expanding their investigation into aquaponics — a sustainable production system that combines aquaculture (fish farming) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water).

Their work will be funded by a Conservation Innovation Grant from the United states department of Agriculture’s natural Resource conservation service.lance lin, an assistant professor of civil engineering, is the principal investigator on the project.

karen Buzby, a post-doctoral fellow in environmental engineering in the statler college of engineering and Mineral Resources and other aquaculture investigators, have been studying the potential of aquaponics for more than

aquacuLTuRE10 11

ENERgy

A team of students from West virginia University has been selected to participate in the 2013 Solar decathlon, hosted by the United States department of Energy, one of only 20 teams selected for the worldwide competition of college and university students challenged to design, build and operate the most affordable, attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house they can. each team selected to participate in the competition receives a $100,000 grant. Finished homes are built and displayed for judging.

The interdisciplinary team was led by a group of students from the statler college of engineering and Mineral Resources. students from the college of creative Arts; the davis college of Agriculture, natural Resources and design; and the Perley isaac Reed school of Journalism have joined the project.

The project offers exceptional educational opportunities to students across the WVU campus. in addition to their colleagues in Morgantown, the students are working with representatives from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, which has a research agreement with WVU.

WVU’s entry in the competition, the Preserving energy with Appalachian knowledge project, or PeAk, will combine modern smart-home technologies into a rustic-style log home. This is the first time a log-style home has been accepted into the competition.

The 2013 competition is the first that WVU has entered. The decathlon consists of 10 contests designed to gauge the environmental performance and livability of each team’s submission. The contests cover everything from architecture, market appeal and engineering to comfort level, appliances and home entertainment. One of the key criteria for the winning team is that each home produces as much or more energy than it consumes. The maximum budget for the house is $250,000.

ThEy’RE IN! WvU StUdEntS SElECtEd to pARtiCipAtE in dEpARtmEnt of EnERgy’S SolAR dECAtHlon

12 13

Ralphs Supermarkets, a California centered division of The kroger co., wanted to pursue a greener energy footprint by using cleaner fuels and engines to power an extensive fleet of delivery vehicles that dot the highways from los Angeles’ freeways to the country roads of the california mountains. The company is transitioning half of its truck fleet to less polluting compressed natural gas or CNG. Ralphs leadership looked to WVU’s Center for Alternative Fuels, engines and emissions to help turn those green plans into reality.WVU scientists chassis-tested Ralph’s heavy-duty vehicles to ensure the engines are compliant with emissions regulations by collecting and examining emissions data from diesel, cng and dual-fuel engines.

WVU is nationally-known for its engine mission expertise because it is home not only to a highly trained cadre of experts, but also the only mobile heavy-duty chassis dynamometer in the U.s., which allows WVU scientists to visit sites where vehicles are being used in real-world situations.

CAFEE works with engine, vehicle and exhaust treatment systems manufacturers to design and fabricate retrofit solutions to meet compliance. That means peace of mind for Ralphs if its growing fleet of green vehicles passes the WVU tests and a growing collection of important engine emissions data for future conversions at sites across America.

HElping tHE nAtion’S tRUCK flEEt go gREEn

ENERgy

HElping indUStRiES SAvE EnERgy And REdUCE CoStSWvU’s industrial Assessment Center will receive $1.5 million over the next five years as part of the Department of Energy’s industrial Assessment Center program. the grant, a renewal of a program that has been at WvU since 1992, will help provide undergraduate and graduate engineering students with the opportunity to conduct energy assessments in local companies and factories that will help them reduce energy consumption and emissions, save money and become more economically competitive.

The grant stipulates that at least 10 to 15 students a year must be trained. The program must also conduct approximately 25 energy assessments annually, while performing extensive follow-up reporting and tracking activities.

“The desired end result is to create the next generation of energy engineers. They will have sound technical knowledge of hands-on energy assessment methods; ISO 50001 energy management certification; and in-depth understanding of management systems, business and corporate cultures, industrial supply chains and sustainability issues so they can hit the road running.” —Bhaskaran gopalakrishnan

14 15

EnCoURAging ClEAn CoAl tECHnology USE tHRoUgH A novEl tRAining SimUlAtoR foR CoAl poWER plAntSWvU Chemical Engineering professor Richard turton has teamed with Stephen Zitney of the U.S. department of Energy’s national Energy technology laboratory to create a first-of-a-kind advanced virtual energy simulation training and research effort — called AvEStAR™ — which will help encourage use of new clean coal power plant technologies.

AVESTAR™ is a real-time dynamic simulator much like the simulators that airplane pilots train on but is designed to teach power plant personnel how to operate an integrated gasification combined cycle, or IGCC, power plant complete with carbon capture capability.

Zitney and Turton along with professor debangsu Bhattacharyya of WVU and other experts from neTl and Fcs provided technical guidance to invensys

ENERgy

operations Management on the operator training system and 3-d virtual reality component. invensys, a provider of technology and software solutions to the global manufacturing and process industries, including the power industry, is well-known and respected for its work in simulation modeling. Funding for WVU’s portion of the collaborative work was provided through the NETL-Regional University Alliance.

“Igcc power plants are relatively rare. There are less than 10 similar plants operating or being constructed in the states, with several more in china and Europe. The simulator gives the dOE and WVu an opportunity to showcase this technology. Because so few of these plants have been built, the center will allow engineers, technology managers and operators to obtain experience in the operation of these plants prior to actual construction.”

—Richard Turton

The virtual reality simulator will allow trainees to enter the power plant and move freely throughout the facility using a joystick to control their avatar, seeing exactly what they would see if they were in an actual plant.

digging foR gEotHERmAl EnERgy AnSWERS the work of Brian Anderson, assistant professor of chemical engineering in WvU’s Statler College of Engineering and mineral Resources, to explore the potential for a geothermal energy bonanza in West virginia was highlighted in Sierra Club’s print and online magazine.

The magazine ran a visual feature explaining how recent scientific findings found that the Mountain state sits on top of a geothermal hot spot 2.4 miles down that could theoretically provide 18,890 megawatts of energy in the future. WVU’s

16 17

HElping AmERiCA’S militARy tHWARt tHREAtSTechnological advances designed to neutralize threats and minimize American casualties in Afghanistan and future battle zones is critical to U.S. military efforts. Rugged terrain, stealth and technology have changed the nature of combat, requiring the U.S. to continually tweak its strategies and armaments.

West Virginia University is poised to play a key role in these advancements, thanks to a multi-million dollar contract with the U.S. Department of Defense which is upgrading some of its current weapons systems. The goal is to create a new line of smart munitions that could be ballistically fired like mortars or grenades and would transform into unmanned aerial vehicles, capable of surveillance or payload delivery.

The new devices would combine the best features of autonomous drones and conventional weapons while offering easier transport and more efficiency. WVU was awarded $2.2 million to work with United States Army Armament Research, development and engineering center.

“I’m very proud of WVu and to be a part of this. The ultimate goal is for the soldier — to give the soldier this unique weapon and increase his safety out in the field.”

—Wade huebsch

ENgINEERINg

Anderson is at work with a $1.2 million grant from the US Department of Energy to assess “enhanced geothermal systems.

“West Virginia is an energy state and I am a West Virginian through and through. ultimately, I want to change the landscape of energy usage. I want geothermal to be viable anywhere.”

—Brian anderson

ENERgy18 19

fixing moUntAin StAtE BRidgE dEfiCiEnCiESWVU’s constructed Facilities center has developed a process that has led to the rehabilitation of nearly 30 bridges across the state, keeping them safe and operable at a fraction of the cost it takes to replace a bridge.s

CFC is working closely with the West Virginia division of Highways on a project with the potential to rehabilitate 400 to 500 concrete bridges across the state over the next five years.

cFc director Hota gangaRao said cFc’s method allows West Virginia to preserve as many bridges as possible, rehabilitating and maintaining them at minimal cost.

established in 1988, cFc fosters and conducts research and development activities vital to the rehabilitation of the U.s. infrastructure. Through joint projects and continuing education, the center works closely with the chemical, manufacturing, and construction industries, as well as highway and other government agencies.

So how does a bridge go through rehab?After evaluation, experts strip the bridge down to a solid portion of its original concrete or steel. Then, the structure is covered with a two-inch outer mortar cover and wrapped tightly with a material made from either glass fabric or carbon fabric and resin; the fabric gives the wrapping material strength, while the resin binds with the structure’s original substrate.

ENgINEERINg

“Not only does it hold things together, but the wrap also enhances the strength of the overall structure,”

—hota gangaRao

The Constructed Facilities Center trains workers from the state’s highway department and private contractors on proper wrapping procedures and those workers do most of the labor on bridges whose time has come to be refurbished.

gangaRao also directs the center for the integration of composites into Infrastructure (CICI), a cooperative research effort among the National science Foundation, industry, and West Virginia University. cici’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of polymer composites and innovative construction materials into infrastructure and transportation applications through collaborative research.

pRoBing tHE myStERiES of toRnAdoSdavid lewellen, research associate professor, in mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in WvU’s Statler College of Engineering and mineral Resources has studied tornadoes and other atmospheric turbulence at WvU since 1993. He is finishing the first year of a three-year $397,703 National Science Foundation (NSF) award to further study what has become his specialty — the interaction of a tornado’s central vortex with the ground surface.

The grant is the fifth NSF award Lewellen has received for his work over the past fifteen years.

For years, Lewellen worked alongside his father, Dr. Steven W. Lewellen, now retired from WVU, who he credits for getting him interested in tornados. Their work has been profiled in such publications as National Geographic.

20 21

“If we can understand tornados better, we can predict things better, to make structures on the ground more tornado-resistant, we need to know the underlying wind forces coming from the tornado – and this involves the winds right in the lowest layers, which is what we’re studying. If we can understand these things better, maybe we can build structures that will resist tornados better,” —david Lewellen

Above: cutaway views of tornados — cutaway views of debris clouds from tornado simulations, as developed digitally by dr. david lewellen, WVU research associate professor in Mechanical and Aerospace engineering. The photo on the left is a funnel cloud touching land; on the right, a cutaway view of a debris cloud. (Photo courtesy david lewellen.)

ENgINEERINg MEdIcINE

EnHAnCing A mUltidiSCiplinARy AppRoACH to CAnCER RESEARCHCapping a decade of success in cancer research, the national Center for Research Resources, part of the national Institutes of Health, awarded a five-year, $5.5 million research grant to WvU’s mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center to support the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence led by laura f. gibson, ph.d., of the WvU School of medicine.

“Winning Phase III funding is a recognition of the exemplary contribution that WVU scientists are making to the scientific community’s understanding of the basic mechanisms of cancer,” christopher c. colenda, M.d., M.P.H., chancellor for health sciences, said. “Since the establishment of our coBRe in signal Transduction, our faculty members have published approximately 300 scientific journal articles. That is an amazing

record.”

According to Gibson, the first two phases of funding were aimed at nurturing the development of scientists in the early part of their academic research careers. she said seventeen investigators were funded during the initial two phases of the coBRe award. Phase i and Phase ii awards also helped establish and strengthen several core facilities at the Health sciences center which are shared by many cancer researchers at the University.

The third phase will allow the cancer center to develop research collaborations with other scientists across the University and elsewhere. As a result, WVU will be able to make high-quality, sophisticated research tools more accessible to a wide variety of researchers.

Photo courtesy: Heidi specht

22 23

UnRAvEling tHE myStERiES of AlZHEimER’S the Alzheimer’s Association has awarded Justin legleiter, assistant professor in the in the C. Eugene Bennett department of Chemistry in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, with one of approximately 45 internationally awarded new investigator Research grants.

Alzheimer’s Association research grants are made to advance the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, help identify new treatment strategies, provide information to improve care for people with dementia, and further knowledge of brain health and disease prevention. The New Investigator Research grant is reserved for researchers who have earned their doctoral degrees within the last 10 years.

To conduct his project, “Mechanisms and consequences of beta-amyloid peptide binding to cellular surfaces,” legleiter will receive a two-year, $99,592 grant. He will work with WVU chemistry students to try to unravel information on the beta-amyloid peptide, which is found deposited in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

legleiter believes his team’s research could provide a detailed understanding of how changes in cellular surface properties associated with aging influence beta-amyloid peptide binding, aggregation and toxicity. students assisting legleiter with his research include chemistry graduate students elizabeth yates and Nicole Shamitko, and undergraduates Michael Lynch and George Magnone.

StUdying HoW SERviCE dogS HElp vEtERAnS RECovER, REtURn to WoRKfoRCE man’s best friend may also be a veteran’s best therapy.

A team of West Virginia University researchers and an area non-profit are partnering with the national institute for occupational safety and Health to see if dogs can help veterans both recover and return to the workforce.

“Although there is significant interest in service dogs for veterans to aid in readjustment, the focus has not been on employment,” said Matt Wilson, project leader and interim director of the division of Animal and nutritional sciences in the davis college of Agriculture, natural Resources and design.

“There is a resounding lack of empirical evidence documenting whether the provision of service dogs is of therapeutic benefit for persons with PTSD – other than the generally accepted, positive effects of human-animal companionship.”

niosH has provided $273,202 to allow the WVU-led team to collaborate on Project RoVeR, Returning our Veterans to employment and Reintegration.

The Project Rover team will examine the therapeutic benefits of service dogs that are trained to provide physical and psychological assistance to veterans, and determine the impact of this assistance on the veterans’ ability to cope with the symptoms of PTSD and function effectively in the workplace.

BIOScIENcE OuTREachgraphics: national institute on aging

24 25

OuTREach

dEvEloping A dEviCE to SEEK And SAvE tRAppEd CoAl minERS WvU mining engineering professor Keith Heasley earned a $110,511 grant from the U.S. department of Health and Human Services Centers for disease Control and prevention to help develop a seismic system for locating trapped miners. the system is portable and can be set up within minutes of arriving at the accident site.

it’s a project that stems from the sago mine disaster in which an explosion trapped 13 miners for nearly two days in January 2006 in Upshur county, W.Va. only one of the miners, Randal Mccloy, survived.

Heasley said background noise, which can be anything from the wind, chatter or trees rustling, can interfere with the signals that determine a miner’s exact location. But the system in development filters out the background noise. last year, Heasley began collaborating with sureWave Technology, a United kingdom-based company, to further develop this seismic system.

With the aid of his graduate students and other mining engineering faculty, Heasley and sureWave successfully detected the location of individuals

pounding with sledgehammers 800 feet below ground. The rescue response team should know within hours whether or not there are survivors from an accident and, crucially, where they are located. This is an unprecedented advance in mine safety technology, according to sureWave.

vAUlting onto “BESt plACES” to WoRK in ACAdEmiA liSt

the interdisciplinary and cooperative nature of WvU’s research community was a key factor in a prestigious magazine for scientists selecting the University as one of the best places to work in academia.

WVU’s research enterprise clocked in at number 20 on the list of U.S. research sites complied by The scientist — a respected news magazine that focuses primarily on biology and life science. The magazine’s Best Places to Work in Academia survey was released earlier this year.

“Though large universities can rarely offer their researchers the camaraderie that comes from a small, tight-knit community, their size provides access to high-end resources,” the magazine wrote. “Enterprising life scientists at West Virginia University, this years #20 US institution, take advantage of their school’s breadth of brainpower by tapping colleagues in the physics department to build custom tools they need.”

The article noted how elena Pugacheva, assistant professor of biochemistry and a member of the Mary Babb Randolph cancer center in the school of Medicine needed a new, specialized ultrasound machine for her research on cell proliferation in tumor cells associated with breast cancer. instead of seeking an expensive private sector remedy for the situation, colleagues across town in the eberly college of Arts and sciences’ Physics department rode to the rescue and helped build a new ultrasound machine from scratch.

26 27

WVU Office of Research and Economic Development886 chestnut Ridge Rd, Po Box 6216Morgantown, WV 26506-6216 Phone: 304-293-3449 Fax: 304-293-7498

research.wvu.edu

This publication uses 100% PcW (recycled content) paper; processed chlorine free (PCF); made with renewable energy and printed with environmentally friendly inks. PleAse Recycle.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.West Virginia University is governed by the West Virginia University Board of governors and the West Virginia Higher education Policy commission.