US-Germany Workshop Towards an International Research Partnership Program on Human-Automation Interaction in the Life Sciences

该奖项是为支持罗斯托克大学和北卡罗来纳州立大学（NCSU）之间的大型“国际研究合作计划”的发展而设立的计划拨款。该基金旨在资助NCSU教师与罗斯托克研究人员合作的努力：(1)通过人类与生命科学自动化互动的重点研讨会，确定生物工程和生物信息学的独特研究方向；(2)撰写特定研究方向的白皮书，包括先进机器人技术在微阵列研究过程中的应用，开发用于生物化学规划和执行复杂生物催化和微阵列实验的决策支持工具，开发用于从大型生物数据库中提取结果的数据挖掘和科学数据可视化工具；(3)通过整合白皮书内容和描述独特的国际本科生和研究生培训与交流项目，成功编写“合作伙伴计划”资助。NCSU的教师（来自计算机科学系、化学工程系、电气与计算机工程系和工业工程系）将合作开发一个新的实验室，用于研究生命科学自动化中的人类互动（HILSA），并将与罗斯托克大学生命科学自动化中心（CELISCA）的研究人员一起规划和准备研讨会。活动包括：(1)罗斯托克研究人员的主题演讲；(2) NCSU教师的研究研讨会；(3)工作坊分组会议，重点讨论作为大型“伙伴计划”提案一部分的主题；(4)参观罗斯托克大学支持生物工程研究的研究所和实验室；(5)参观一家专注于芯片研究的德国生物技术公司；(6)研究生研究海报会议。研讨会的目的是：(1)两所大学的研究兴趣和能力的相互了解；(2)研讨会分组会议的白皮书汇编；(3)学生研究报告海报光碟。该材料将用于制定“伙伴计划”提案。HILSA研讨会的结果也将在2005年秋末作为进展简报的一部分提交给美国国家科学基金会。本次研讨会将提出的伙伴关系提案将在NCSU构建一套综合研究项目，这将与罗斯托克的一系列生命科学自动化项目相辅相成。总的来说，这些项目将集中在：高通量生化筛选工艺；用于筛选过程的先进机器人；远程控制筛选过程以促进分布式访问；监测筛选过程的中间件和传感器技术；并且人机界面设计为生物化学控制提供了先进的自动化。一个支持性的学生项目将包括国际本科生研究培训和交流项目，以及一个由NCSU和罗斯托克教师共同指导跨机构博士生研究的国际研究生院。

0440051Kaber This award is for a planning grant to support the development of a large "international research partnership program" between the University of Rostock and North Carolina State University (NCSU). The grant is intended to fund the efforts of NCSU faculty, collaborating with Rostock researchers, in: (1) identifying unique research directions in bioengineering and bioinformatics through a focused workshop on human-interaction with life sciences automation; (2) developing white papers on specific research directions, including the application of advanced robotics to microarray research processes, development of decision-support tools for biochemist planning and execution of complex biocatalysis and microarray experiments, and the development of data-mining and scientific data visualization tools for extraction of results from large biological databases; and (3) writing a successful "partnership program" grant by integrating the content of the white papers and describing unique international undergraduate and graduate training and exchange programs.NCSU faculty (form the Departments of Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Industrial Engineering), collaborating in the development of a new lab for studies of Human- Interaction in the Life Sciences Automation (HILSA), will work with researchers at the University of Rostock's Center for Life Sciences Automation (CELISCA) in planning and preparing the workshop. The activities are to include: (1) keynote presentations by Rostock researchers; (2) research seminars by NCSU faculty; (3) workshop breakout sessions for focused discussions on topics to be addressed as part of the large "partnership program" proposal; (4) tours of institutes and labs at the University of Rostock supporting bioengineering research efforts; (5) a visit to a German biotechnology company focused on microarray research; and (6) a graduate student research poster session.The workshop activities are expected to result in: (1) a mutual understanding of the research interests and capabilities of the two universities; (2) a collection of white papers resulting from the Workshop breakout sessions; and (3) a CD-ROM of student research poster presentations. This material is to be used to develop the "partnership program" proposal. The results of the HILSA Workshop will also be presented to the NSF as part of a progress briefing during late Fall 2005.The partnership proposal that this workshop will lead to will structure a set of integrated research projects at NCSU, which will be complementary to a collection of life sciences automation projects at Rostock. In general, the projects will focus on: high-throughput biochemical screening processes; advanced robotics for screening processes; remote control of screening processes for promoting distributed access; middleware and sensor technologies for monitoring screening processes; and human-machine interface design for biochemist control of advanced automation. A supporting student program will include international undergraduate research training and exchange programs and an international graduate school involving NCSU and Rostock faculty in joint direction of doctoral student research across institutions.