Seed grants fuel new approaches to food packaging, cancer research, and 4-H evaluation
Three interdisciplinary Virginia Tech teams received $25,000 each through the Susan E. Duncan Innovation in Agriculture and Life Sciences Seed Grant program.
Three Virginia Tech research teams are exploring new interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable food packaging, cancer research, and 4-H learning with support from the Susan E. Duncan Innovation in Agriculture and Life Sciences Seed Grant program.
Each team received $25,000 to pursue research that draws on expertise across disciplines, with an emphasis on building partnerships and advancing innovation in agriculture and the life sciences.
“Seed grants give researchers the opportunity to take a promising idea and begin building the evidence and partnerships needed to move it forward,” said Mary Burrows, associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “By bringing together expertise from across disciplines, these projects can launch new lines of research and position teams to compete for larger external funding.”
The program is a partnership of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Office of Research and Innovation, the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT), and the Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation. It honors the late Susan E. Duncan, former associate director of Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station.
Sustainable smart packaging
Researchers are developing “smart” biodegradable food packaging designed to keep food fresh and safe during shipping while reducing waste and environmental impact. The material will be designed to resist water and limit the growth of microbes while also being able to break down after use.
Led by Yifan Cheng, the project team includes Rachel Cheng of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Young-Tek Kim and Kiara Winans of the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials; and Ben Sandbrook of Advanced Research Computing.
The researchers will use ICAT’s Cube to create an immersive experience that shows how the new packaging compares with conventional plastic — from how the materials are produced to what happens as they break down.
The project will explore whether biodegradable materials can provide the protection needed for food packaging while reducing its environmental impact.
Cancer and the art of recognition
Human cells are covered in complex patterns of sugars that help cells communicate. Disruptions in these patterns can contribute to cancer and other illnesses, but scientists still have much to learn about how the patterns change with disease.
Soumi Ghosh of the Department of Biochemistry will lead a team studying these sugar patterns and looking for differences between healthy and diseased cells. The researchers will use naturally occurring proteins to help map the patterns, with the goal of generating knowledge that could eventually contribute to new ways of diagnosing disease.
Ghosh is joined by Monet Roberts in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tanner Upthegrove in ICAT, and Eric Standley in the School of Visual Arts.
The team also will turn the research data into an immersive art experience, giving people a new way to see and experience the differences researchers find between healthy and diseased cells.
Using images to understand 4-H learning
Researchers will develop and test image-based tools to measure what young people learn through 4-H. The assessments will be designed for different age groups and use images to make them easier for young people to understand.
Led by Roshan Nayak of the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education, the project brings together Donna Westfall-Rudd of the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education; Meaghan Deeand Bri O’Neal of the School of Visual Arts; and Christiana Garcia of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Drawing on expertise in artificial intelligence, visual arts, and child development, the researchers will test the approach in 4-H programs focused on STEM, agriculture, healthy living, animal sciences, and civic engagement. The team hopes the image-based assessments will give educators more accurate information about what participants have learned.
Ultimately, the researchers hope to develop an approach that could be used by 4-H programs across the country.
