Oklahoma's high-tech and genetics research activities were given a boost today when the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced it has awarded a three-year, $9 million grant to the state's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in support of research and development in the emerging fields of nanotechnology and functional genomics. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education have also committed $4.5 million in matching funds.
Oklahoma is one of just five states to receive the grant at this level of funding, which is one of the largest federal awards Oklahoma has ever received. The grant will provide the resources necessary for the state to become nationally competitive in nanotechnology and functional genomics.
Combining the fields of chemistry and engineering to create functional materials, devices and systems measured in nanometers, nanotechnology is the "catch-all" description of activities associated with building things one atom at a time. (A nanometer is 1/billionth of a meter, or about 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.) It is also one of the major thrusts of the NSF and may one day - possibly within the next 10-15 years - yield novel sensors, fast components for optical communication devices, new industrial catalysts, nanoscale medical devices and new applications not yet imagined.
Functional genomics is a new and revolutionary science that resulted from work on the Human Genome Project, which looks at how genes interact with each other. Research in this field is vital not only for enhancing humankind's fundamental understanding of genetics, but also for improving both human health and the agricultural industry, which is critically important to the economy of both Oklahoma and the nation.
"Development of Oklahoma's research infrastructure will enable us to compete for major research funding and to grow new industries that depend on highly skilled workers," said Dr. Frank Waxman, director of Oklahoma's EPSCoR and lead investigator for the grant. "While we do not expect to lead the world in functional genomics or nanostructured materials, we can realistically create niches in which Oklahoma research teams are national assets."
As a result of this grant, researchers at the University of Oklahoma, Norman; Oklahoma State University, Stillwater; the OU Health Sciences Center; the University of Tulsa; and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation will form the Oklahoma Network for Nanostructured Materials (NanoNet) and the Oklahoma Functional Genomics Consortium.
The Oklahoma NanoNet will purchase new microscopic equipment for OU and OSU and provide new faculty positions at both institutions as well as TU. In addition, EPSCoR funding will support research projects in nanotechnology for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists.
Funds will also be used to support seven new faculty positions at all of the institutions belonging to the Oklahoma Functional Genomics Consortium, including the OMRF, and the purchase of an imaging system for the OMRF that will be accessible to all state researchers.
Another component or focus of the grant is to design and implement a variety of education, human resource and outreach programs in science for women as well as underrepresented minorities, especially African Americans and Native Americans.
"We are so pleased that the National Science Foundation recognizes what valuable scientific research our state and our higher education institutions are doing in the cutting-edge and emerging fields of nanotechnology and functional genomics," said Oklahoma's Higher Education Chancellor Hans Brisch, who also serves as co-chair of Oklahoma EPSCoR. "It's partnerships and collaborative efforts like these that will serve as a catalyst for even more research and advances within the next decade and will help enhance our state's ability to compete even better in the global marketplace."
EPSCoR was created by the National Science Foundation and has been adopted by other federal agencies to strengthen states' education and research efforts. Oklahoma's EPSCoR is a partnership among colleges and universities, industries and research institutions.
The mission of Oklahoma EPSCoR is to make Oklahoma researchers more successful in competing for research funding. Specific goals, objectives and strategies are developed for each federal EPSCoR program, based on federal and state needs.
"For too many years, federal grants were reserved for a handful of states, at Oklahoma's expense," said U.S. Sen. Ernest Istook (R-Okla.). "Now, thanks to quality researchers in Oklahoma and the EPSCoR program, we're making great progress. I'm proud of the progress we have made and will continue to work to expand the EPSCoR program to make more grants possible."
As a senior member on the House Appropriations Committee, Istook has placed a special focus on increasing the EPSCoR program. He has been working to end the bias that in the past was responsible for vast majority of federal medical research grants going to only 29 states.
"This grant award is a huge victory in terms of the potential benefits to science, as well as the dividends the Oklahoma scientists' work will bring to their prominence in the world of scientific research," said Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), who assisted EPSCoR leaders in applying for the grant. "I'm proud to see Oklahoma researchers leading the charge in these exciting fields."
Last year, $80 million was reserved in FY 2002 for Oklahoma and the other 20 states under the NSF EPSCoR program. The amount is growing each year to end the long-time imbalance. Over the past 6 years, Oklahoma has received a total of $12.7 million in NSF ESPCoR grants.
"I commend the valuable ongoing work of Oklahoma researchers that has prompted the awarding of this grant, and I will continue to support the endeavors of Oklahoma EPSCoR, as this program is a vital part of our state's expanding research community," said U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.).
U.S. Senator Don Nickles (R-Okla.) said, "Oklahoma has distinguished itself in emerging fields of scientific research and its success is reflected in the size of this grant. These funds are not just a resource for future work, but a reward for work already accomplished. All the benefiting institutions should be proud of their achievement."
Oklahoma State University President James Halligan thanked Oklahoma's Congressional delegation for its strong support and commended the EPSCoR program, saying that it has helped the State of Oklahoma to enhance research facilities, purchase equipment and increase faculty numbers in selected and strategic research areas.
"We are especially proud of OSU professors Ulrich Melcher and Warren Ford, who will serve as lead investigators for this project and work with fellow scientists from throughout Oklahoma," Halligan said. "The EPSCoR program has assisted in creating a partnership of Oklahoma's principal academic research institutions and scientists who are now working together as a strong team that can compete for grants on a national level."
