ND-ACES Research

ND-ACES is comprised of a multi-disciplinary research team with three pillar areas: materials design, cellular systems, and computation and machine learning. The research team includes researchers from educational institutions across North Dakota:

ND-ACES Broader Impacts

Broader Impacts is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team with four areas: education and workforce development, broadening participation, partnerships and collaborations, and communication and dissemination. The team includes faculty and staff from educational institutions across North Dakota:

Colleen Fitzgerald

Principal Investigator (PI)/Project Director (PD)
 

John Mihelich

Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)

Center for Cellular Biointerfaces in Science and Engineering (CCBSE)

The CCBSE is led by NDSU University Distinguished Professor Kalpana S. Katti, Ph.D., F. AIMBE and UND Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Associate Dean for Research Mark Hoffmann.

Mark Hoffmann

  • Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
  • University of North Dakota
  • Associate Dean for Research
  • UND Research Lead and member of the Computational Approaches Pillar.
  • CCBSE Lead

Kalpana S. Katti

  • University Distinguished Professor, Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
  • North Dakota State University
  • NDSU Research Lead and Member of the Materials Design at Biointerfaces PIllar
  • CCBSE Lead

Materials Design at Biointerfaces

This pillar is led by Sanku Mallik (NDSU) and Julia Xiaojun Zhao (UND). Team members: Austin Allard (TMCC), Mikhail Bobylev (Minot State), Khwaja G. Hossain (Mayville State), Kalpana S. Katti (NDSU), Michael Kjelland (Mayville State), Mike Parker (CCCC), Mohiuddin Quadir (NDSU), Prakash Selvakumar (NDSU), Binglin Sui (UND), Brent Voels (CCCC), Danling Wang (Emerging Areas Seed Awardee, NDSU), and Ali S. Alshami (Emerging Areas Seed Awardee, UND). Guodong Du (UND) is the liaison between the Materials Design and Cellular pillars.

The Materials Pillar objective is to progressively increase CCBSE researcher knowledge and application in the area of biomaterial scaffolds relevant to tissue engineering, particularly in the area of design methodologies of biologically inspired materials for diverse 3D tissue architectures.

Cellular Systems at Materials Interface

This pillar is led by Archana Dhasarathy (UND) and John C. Wilkinson (NDSU). Team members: Colin K. Combs (UND), Nicholas Galt (VCSU), Amanda Haage (UND), Kerry Hartman (NHSC), Kalpana S. Katti (NDSU), Jiha Kim (NDSU), and Hilde van Gijssel (VCSU). Mark Hoffman (UND) is the cellular team liaison from the computational team

The Cellular Pillar objective is to increase the capacity and expertise of the CCBSE researchers in basic and translational use of in vivo-like 3D cell cultures, which will ultimately (long-term outcome) allow the team to partner with regional health care providers to serve as a resource for personalized medicine approaches to cancer.

Computation, Machine Learning, and Predictive Modeling

This pillar is led by Dinesh R. Katti (NDSU) and Deniz Cakir (UND). Team members: Marcus Fries (DSU), Mark Hoffmann (UND), Svetlana Kilina (NDSU), Trung Bao Le (NDSU), Lu Liu (NDSU), and Yen Lee Loh (UND).

The Computation, Machine Learning, and Predictive Modeling Pillar objective is to enhance connected learning, knowledge, and application across multi-scale modeling, machine learning platforms, and experimental biomaterials and cellular data, which will result in an evolutionary in-silico platform to predict tumor growth. Increased knowledge and understanding of 3D systems can lead to future therapeutic/mitigation alternatives.

High Performance Computing Centers

Support for the Computation, Machine Learning and Predictive Modeling Pillar will come from the high performance computing centers at NDSU (Khang Hoang) and UND (Aaron Bergstrom).

PROmoting Sustainable Partnerships in Education and Research (PROSPER)

PROSPER is comprised of scientists with expertise in psychology (including multicultural vocational psychology and rural psychology and integrated care) and other disciplines; asseessment of student learning, implementation of community engaged learning; affective outcomes in science education; and effective pedagogy for and challenges to undergraduate learning. PROSPER is led by Hollie Mackey, NDSU Associate Professor of Educational and Organizational Leadershiop and Lisa Montplaisir, NDSU Professor of Biological Sciences and Education.

Education and Workforce Development

Led by Danielle Condry (NDSU).

Broadening Participation

Led by Giancarlo López-Martínez (NDSU), this initiative supports American Indian students along the biosciences pathway. Team members include: Austin Allard (TMCC), Kerry Hartman (NHSC), Britt Heidinger (NDSU), Hollie Mackey (NDSU), Mafany Ndiva Mongoh (SBC), and Brent Voels (CCCC).

Partnerships and Collaborations

Led by Collen Fitzgerald and Jolynne Tschetter (both NDSU) and co-led by John Mihelich (UND), this initiative builds research infrastructure and strengthens ND’s research competitiveness through industry partnerships and other collaborations. Team members include the CCSBE leadership.

Colleen Fitzgerald

Vice President for Research and Creative Activity, North Dakota State University, Contact Colleen Fitzgerald

John Mihelich

Vice President for Research and Economic Development, University of North Dakota, Contact John Mihelich

Jolynne Tschetter

Executive Director, ND EPSCoR, Contact Jolynne Tschetter

Communication and Dissemination

Led by Justin Walden (NDSU), this ND-ACES wide initiative keeps all stakeholders informed; supports the harmonious interactions of all ND-ACES groups; assists research and programmatic participants in disseminating their work to legislative, scientific, and citizen stakeholders; and develops materials for consumption by lay audiences.