Artificial Intelligence approaches for the development of novel fungicides
Dr. Jinrong Wan
Yaya Cui
Abstract: A major problem in producing leafy greens is soil fungal diseases that destroy roots and entire plants. Control methods for these diseases either provide only partial reductions in disease or, for some diseases, no adequate reductions. After determining the need for new fungicides for the leafy greens market through the NSF I-Corps process, our team is working to develop innovative fungicides to inhibit or kill priority soil pathogens for which no control methods are available. This has led to the discovery of non-chemical molecules that inhibit the growth of fungal plant pathogens. The value proposition to leafy green producers is reducing crop revenue loss due to soil-borne fungal pathogens, amounting to between $1,000 and $10,000 per acre each season, using our fungicides.
EcoTrast-GI
A food-based oral contrast agent for radiographic imaging of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
Principal Investigator
Team
Safa Shaikh
Sophia Sapp
Abstract: Oral contrast agents are essential to diagnosing dysphagia. The two existing FDA-approved contrast agents for dysphagia diagnosis are barium sulfate (i.e., the current gold standard) and iohexol. Major challenges exist in their use for dysphagia diagnosis, due to the patient’s behavioral avoidance reactions to the unpleasant taste, residual chalky coating, and/or unnatural dense/heavy feel that does not resemble typical food/liquid products. These oral contrast agents also increase the viscosity and density of foods/liquids they are mixed with, which correspondingly alters the temporal measures of swallowing leading to false negative test results which can lead to inaccurate dysphagia treatments, resulting in harm to the patient. Our team developed a novel contrast agent using natural, safe food ingredients. It is an eco-friendly, shelf-stable base powder contrast formulation that can be readily dissolved in water to form a non-ionic liquid with equivalent radiodensity to barium and iohexol, but with the added value of a lower viscosity and density resembling water.
Translation of Geoscience Technology to Empower Communities
Indigenous Geocoding in the Arctic
Principal Investigators
Team
Lily McEwen
Abstract: This project applies the Indigenous Data Governance framework for knowledge translation based on geocoded data from Arctic Indigenous museum collections and Indigenous data that are currently in the care of heritage institutions in the Midwest. We are working on geocoding the full life-cycle of Alaska Native heritage from habitat of the resources used to current institutional location in the Midwest. Our goal to develop best-practices guides for ethical and culturally responsive creation and management of digital Indigenous geocoded heritage data.