Three UNCG doctors receive funding
Lili Johnson
Issue date: 1/15/08 Section: Campus News
With all of the exciting advances in technology, UNCG is proud to be involved in the race. According to a recent press release, $850,000 was awarded to Dr. Yousef Haik, Dr. Parke Rublee, and Dr. Nadja Cech for use in their research projects. In total, the university system awarded over $3.8 million to 18 projects at 13 universities.
Haik is the Director of the Center of Research Excellence in Nanoscience, which started in 2007. As stated by the UNCG website, the goals of the Center are: 1. To develop novel classes of nanomaterials with superior physical and biological properties that can be functionalized for innovative biotechnologies. 2. To recruit, mentor and educate a diverse population of outstanding students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in nano-biotechnology. 3. To secure patents and transfer technologies that has commercial potential.
Haik was awarded $200,000 for Rapid Assessment of Food Allergens and Allergy biomarkers and plans to develop a medical device to detect human allergens using saliva samples and identify allergens in consumable food products.
"Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the world," explains Dr. Haik of the importance of this project. "Newsweek reported an estimate of 11 million Americans suffer from food allergies. Experts estimate food allergies occurs in six to eight percent of children of ages four and under, and in four percent of adults. Peanut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2002 in children under five."
Parents with children who have allergies are worried about introducing new food to their children that might trigger a reaction.
Dr. M. Ahmedna from N.C. A&T, Dr. C. Young from LaBauer Health Care, Dr. H. Malkawi from UNCG, and Dr. Haik are developing a device that will allow users, with minimum training on how to use the device, to insert a small food sample and the device will perform an analysis to see if the food contains allergens.
According to Haik, the great thing about this device is that the test can be performed almost anywhere, such as in a restaurant outside of the home. It is also believed to help schools monitor food items before they are given to kids.
Haik is the Director of the Center of Research Excellence in Nanoscience, which started in 2007. As stated by the UNCG website, the goals of the Center are: 1. To develop novel classes of nanomaterials with superior physical and biological properties that can be functionalized for innovative biotechnologies. 2. To recruit, mentor and educate a diverse population of outstanding students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in nano-biotechnology. 3. To secure patents and transfer technologies that has commercial potential.
Haik was awarded $200,000 for Rapid Assessment of Food Allergens and Allergy biomarkers and plans to develop a medical device to detect human allergens using saliva samples and identify allergens in consumable food products.
"Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the world," explains Dr. Haik of the importance of this project. "Newsweek reported an estimate of 11 million Americans suffer from food allergies. Experts estimate food allergies occurs in six to eight percent of children of ages four and under, and in four percent of adults. Peanut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2002 in children under five."
Parents with children who have allergies are worried about introducing new food to their children that might trigger a reaction.
Dr. M. Ahmedna from N.C. A&T, Dr. C. Young from LaBauer Health Care, Dr. H. Malkawi from UNCG, and Dr. Haik are developing a device that will allow users, with minimum training on how to use the device, to insert a small food sample and the device will perform an analysis to see if the food contains allergens.
According to Haik, the great thing about this device is that the test can be performed almost anywhere, such as in a restaurant outside of the home. It is also believed to help schools monitor food items before they are given to kids.
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