NSF-RISE: Enhancement of Research and Education Infrastructure in Nanobiomaterials, Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Environmental Science and Engineering

加强纳米生物材料、生物物理学、生物化学和环境科学与工程领域的研究和教育基础设施--传统黑人学院和大学--科学和工程研究基础设施(HBCU-RISE)计划支持传统黑人学院和大学发展研究能力，这些学院和大学提供科学和工程学科的博士学位。在国家科学基金会的支持下，北卡罗来纳中央大学将开展一项名为“加强纳米生物材料、生物物理学、生物化学和环境科学与工程领域的研究和教育基础设施”的项目。该项目将把北卡罗来纳中央大学目前的博士项目提升为领先的研究和教育项目，专注于开发用于生物应用的先进纳米材料。该项目将：a)建立更多的生物物理、生物化学和环境科学方面的博士学位；b)引入纳米生物材料、生物仪器以及纳米结构和生物材料之间的相互作用的新课程；以及c)为参与这些新专业的博士生和研究人员提供资金和研究支持。该项目将通过增加专注于纳米材料和生物科学之间的交叉的新的研究和教育项目，扩大北卡罗来纳中央大学综合生物科学博士项目的范围。项目活动包括研究纳米材料在生命科学和医学中的应用，特别是：1)开发基于量子限制和纳米结构之间隧道的新一代生化传感器；2)开发等离子体纳米结构器件，以提高光学皮肤癌筛查和治疗的选择性和灵敏度；3)设计和开发用于生物应用的新型多功能量子点；4)使用共焦拉曼扫描力显微镜对外体成像，以及用于生物应用的还原石墨烯荧光成像标记材料；5)开发用于生化过滤器、物质吸附和隔离的智能杂交纳米结构，以及用于压力、温度和光学传感器件的压电杂化材料；6)量子计算，以提高对纳米结构、纳米结构和生物分子之间以及不同生物分子之间的电荷转移和相互作用的理解；以及7)纳米材料和生物材料的相互作用，以及纳米材料对环境和人类健康的影响。该项目的愿景是利用现有资源为北卡罗来纳中央大学的学生提供新的途径，作为综合生物科学博士学位课程的一部分，参与高影响力的研究。该项目将扩大该项目的范围，使更多学科的学生能够接触到该项目，并将该项目转变为一个更全面的多学科研究项目，使学生为竞争日益激烈的国内和国际研究环境做好准备。该项目将通过支持教师和学生研究人员以及跨STEM学科的广泛课程开发，对北卡罗来纳中央大学的研究和教育基础设施产生重大影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Enhancement of Research and Education Infrastructure in Nano biomaterials, Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Environmental Science and EngineeringThe Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (HBCU-RISE) program supports the development of research capability at Historically Black Colleges and Universities that offer doctoral degrees in science and engineering disciplines. Supported projects have a unifying research focus in one of the research areas supported by the National Science Foundation, a direct connection to the long-term plans of the host department, institutional strategic plan and mission, and plans for expanding institutional research capacity, as well as increasing the production of doctoral students, especially those underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.With National Science Foundation support, North Carolina Central University will conduct a project entitled "Enhancement of Research and Education Infrastructure in Nano biomaterials, Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Environmental Science and Engineering". The project will elevate the current doctoral program at North Carolina Central University to a leading research and education program focused on development of advanced nanomaterials for biological applications. The project will: a) establish additional doctoral concentrations in biophysics, biochemistry, and environmental science; b) introduce new courses in Nano biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, and interactions between nanostructures and biological materials; and c) provide financial and research support to doctoral students and research faculty involved in these new concentrations.The project will expand the scope of the Integrated Biosciences doctoral program at North Carolina Central University through the addition of new research and educational programs focused on the intersection between nanoscale materials and biosciences. Project activities include studies on applications of nanoscale materials in the life sciences and medicine, specifically: 1) development of a new generation of biochemical sensors based on quantum confinement and tunneling between nanostructures; 2) development of plasmonic nanostructured devices to improve selectivity and sensitivity in optical skin cancer screening and treatment; 3) design and development of novel multifunctional quantum dots for biological applications; 4) imaging of exosomes using colocalized Raman-scanning force microscopy and reduced graphene based fluorescence imaging marker materials for biological applications; 5) development of smart hybrid nanostructures for biochemical filters, adsorption and isolation of substances and piezoelectric hybrid materials for pressure, temperature and optical sensing devices; 6) quantum calculations to improve understanding of charge transfer and interactions between nanostructures, nanostructures and biological molecules, and between diverse biological molecules; and 7) interaction of nanomaterials and biomaterials, and the impact of nanomaterial on the environment and human health.The vision of this project is to leverage existing resources to provide new pathways for North Carolina Central University students to participate in high impact research as part of the Integrated Bioscience doctoral degree program. This project will broaden the scope of the program, making it accessible to students from a wider range of disciplines, and transform the program into a more comprehensive multidisciplinary research program that will prepare students for an increasingly competitive domestic and international research environment. This project will have a substantial impact on the research and education infrastructure at North Carolina Central University through support for faculty and student researchers and extensive curriculum development across STEM disciplines.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.