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.
