The Cell Differential and Development Center is a new program based in the Robert C. Byrd Biotechnology Center that provides researchers and scientists money to conduct their research.
The program provides faculty with internal grants so they will be able to take their research to a national agency, such as the National Science Foundation. This year the CDDC will give out six grants totaling $20,000 a year per researcher to those that apply by the deadline Nov. 3.
It also organizes regular research meetings where researchers discuss problems and show their new ideas in a collaborative environment, and it will also hold a monthly seminar series in attempt to attract attention to the research that is being done on campus.
One of the program's goals is to include as many different colleges as possible to get involved in research.
Elmer Price, professor of biology and director of the CDDC, said the program is an excellent way to get the universities name out to the public.
"The program is dynamic, growing and all inclusive," Price said. "We really want Marshall to be a force to be reckoned with."
This spring, the program will host an annual poster session where young researchers throughout campus will be able to show off their work and compete with each other.
Price said one of the biggest benefits to having a program like the CDDC on campus is to showcase how science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields can benefit West Virginia in the future as well as to provide jobs and stimulate the economy.
The program will also provide a review board that will look over grant proposals from researchers and tell them what needs to be changed. He said many times only 10 percent to 12 percent of grants submitted will actually get funded, so a program such as the CDDC is an invaluable tool.
Michael Norton, professor of chemistry, said a program like the CDDC provides a leg up for the university.
"(The CDDC) is a strong new program which brings a focus to research being done here at Marshall," Norton said. "That's a extremely valuable thing."
The program is funded by a $2.2 million grant from the West Virginia Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research that is part of the state's Vision 2015 plan.
In accordance with the EPSCoR program, Vision 2015 will be dedicated to hiring upcoming researchers, bringing more students into the sciences - by an increase of 20 percent by 2008 - and creating new facilities for the scientists to conduct their research, according the Web site www.wvsepscor.org.
Andrew Bowles can be contacted at bowles23@marshall.edu.
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