The goals of this award are first to design and validate a scalable, affordable hardware-software package that reliably measures brain function via EEG in babies over the first two years of life. Second, in multi-country studies using this EEG system, we will establish which measures of early brain function track healthy developmental changes associated with early cognitive and language development across contexts and are sensitive to pre- and postnatal risk factors for brain development. Finally, we will establish which EEG measures of brain function are robust enough to serve as biomarkers to evaluate clinical intervention trial efficacy in early life.

Riverine flooding is a perennial hazard in the heavily populated Northeastern United States, and improving near- and long-term forecasts of flooding in this region is of critical importance for regional water resource management, infrastructure planning, and fisheries. In this project, we will harness advances in climate reanalysis and modeling to (i) identify the ocean-atmosphere patterns that generate flooding in New England and (ii) evaluate the contribution of greenhouse forcing on flood-generating mechanisms in this region.

Graph theory - the mathematical study of networks has originally developed as a part of discrete mathematics and combinatorics. This has changed significantly in the past 20 years following discoveries of connections to Linear Algebra and later to Geometry and even to Real Analysis. The goal of this project is to find new applications to, as well as expand the scope of, these connections.

The aim of the project is to gain mechanistic understanding of the relationships among non-coding genomic variation, phenotype, and disease. To achieve this aim, researchers will combine data from DNA-DNA proximity ligation assays and multiple genome alignments to extract coevolutionary information about DNA elements and to infer the network of functional interactions among them.

String theory has evolved into one of the most complex theories devised by mankind to date. Its goal is to describe our Universe from the smallest to the largest scales. In my research proposal, I suggest to use latest advances in mathematics and artificial intelligence to uncover answers to fundamental questions hidden within this theory.

This research will investigate the laws of physics at short length and time scales not yet understood using symmetry principles and mathematical and machine learning tools. Analyses of data expected from the Large Hadron Collider, in Geneva, Switzerland to detect possible evidence of strings and new physics will be undertaken.

Auditory hallucinations are one of the five cardinal symptoms of schizophrenia and one of the most distressing. Almost a third of patients experiencing auditory hallucinations are not responsive to gold-standard pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment. We have pioneered a new non-invasive treatment candidate, computational neuroscience-based approach, also known as network-based real-time functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Neurofeedback that is a well-tolerated and effective approach for reducing the severity and frequency of auditory hallucinations. However, because this technique currently requires fMRI to deliver neurofeedback, which unfortunately is an expensive procedure involving a complex setup and participant burden, this NIH award will help develop novel, non-invasive, personalized, and scalable treatments that will improve outcomes and reduce relapse rates among schizophrenia patients with treatment resistant auditory hallucinations.

Salt marshes provide an important line of defense against nutrient pollution by intercepting watershed nitrogen before it enters estuaries. This nitrogen can enhance the growth of marsh plants, however some forms of nitrogen can also be used by microbes, who use it to decompose organic matter in low-oxygen sediments. Understanding which of these two outcomes is most likely to occur is important because, if marsh plants take up that nitrogen and grow more robustly, this will increase salt marsh resilience to sea-level rise. On the other hand, if microbes use that nitrogen for respiration, it could accelerate loss of organic matter, thereby decreasing resilience. This project combines field and greenhouse experiments to tease apart the relative importance of different N forms on the plant and microbial communities that ultimately dictate salt marsh resilience.

To answer this question, Dapeng “Max” Bi (COS-Physics) has been awarded a collaborative HFSP grant with Friedhelm Serwane (LMU Munich, Germany) and Tamal Das (Tata Institute for Fundamental Research Hyderabad, India). Together, the team will develop a biomechanical understanding of the epidermis, which is critical for preventing and curing numerous skin defects, painful blistering, and skin cancers.

The International Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) organization supports novel, innovative and interdisciplinary basic research focused on the complex mechanisms of living organisms. The award is highly competitive, and this year only four percent of the applicants were selected for funding.

Addressing collective action problems such as climate change requires individuals to engage in a host of coordinated behaviors to effect widespread systemic changes. Yet, while most people are concerned about climate change, they systematically underestimate others’ concern, which can inhibit action toward addressing collective challenges. Drawing on interdisciplinary research, this project uses mixed methods to develop and test an integrative framework illuminating drivers of pervasive social misperceptions and pathways for correcting these biases.

Healthy debate is a cornerstone of scientific progress, but no one really knows when, how, and why these debates in science happen. In our funded research, we will use new computational techniques to automatically identify debates across the entire published scientific literature. We will study these debates to understand the role of disagreement in science and find policies that harness the power of debate to increase the pace of scientific discovery.

The degradation and transport of plastics has led to its accumulation across a range of environments, but a key component of the plastic-carbon cycle — namely the transport and storage of microplastics through rivers and floodplains — remains poorly constrained. Understanding where and why plastics accumulate along rivers and floodplains is critical for mitigating and managing plastic pollution because rivers connect plastics production and use upstream to coasts and the open ocean. This project will analyze soil samples to quantify the amount and types microplastics found in different floodplain environments, and relate patterns of plastic accumulation to environmental parameters.

To slow climate change we need to stop burning fossil fuels and to find ways to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When kelp and other macroalgae grow, they store carbon in their biomass, but they also continuously release organic carbon into ocean waters. The current project aims to understand whether this released organic carbon is also stored, not in the seaweeds themselves, but in the deep sea. Understanding what happens to all the carbon seaweeds capture is critical to Running Tide technologies that seek to use macroalgae to remove sufficient carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to help slow or reduce climate change.

The John Templeton Foundation has awarded a $1 million grant to Professor David DeSteno to support his PRX Podcast “How God Works.” The podcast, which brings a scientific eye to examining how and why spiritual practices foster human flourishing, has appeared on Apple’s Top Ten List for science podcasts, and was recognized with honoree status by the Webby Awards in the Science Education category during its first year. The new grant will fund it for 4 more  8-episode seasons and provide funds for several live events to be held in cities across the US.

This project’s overall goal is to build a knowledge base that will enable the design of enzymes that can catalyze industrial chemical reactions with less energy consumption and fewer unwanted by-products than many of the current conventional processes. Several dozen students, in both the research laboratories and the classroom, will be trained in computational and experimental techniques.

HIV-1 integrates its genome into infected host cells. Due to the permanence of the integrated genome, it is advantageous to target HIV-1 replication in early stages, before integration. To rationally design new inhibitors of these early replication steps, a detailed molecular understanding is required. This work proposes integrated biochemical, biophysical, and cellular approaches to probe critical steps in early viral replication.

Noncommutative Algebras and Monoidal Triangulated Categories

This award is to acquire a 600MHz NMR spectrometer primarily for medicinal chemistry applications

NSF Early Investigator (CAREER) Workshop Award

Using Space to Improve Solidification Processes on Earth

Enhancing Children’s Cognitive Function and Achievement through Carotenoid Consumption

Liquid Electrolytes for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with Enhanced Cycle Life and Energy Density Performance.

Predictability in complex object control.

Assessment and Rehabilitation of Binocular Sensorimotor Disorders.

Collaborative Research: Evaluating the Past and Future of Mississippi River Hydroclimatology to Constrain Risk via Integrated Climate Modeling, Observations, and Reconstructions

Developing an integrated platform for high accuracy measurements of viral particle count and infectious titer.

The Uses of Diversity: Managing Race and Representation in Law, Politics, and the Biosciences.

A Portable, Bio-inspired Platform for Photo-Responsive Sensing and Display

CAREER: Multiscale photodynamics simulations in solvated and crystalline environments

CAREER: Mechanisms of G4 DNA induced genome instability

The GAPS Experiment: A Search for Dark Matter Using Low-Energy Antiparticles

KHULA LEAP: a multiscale approach to characterizing developing executive functions

Institute for Data Driven Dynamical Design

Designing Strong stability in non-critical and rare-earth-lean-magnetic materials

Movement as a vital sign in preterm infants

Mechanisms driving development of threat sensitivity following early life adversity

Nonequilibrium Control of Magnetism and Topology Through Selective Phonon Excitation

Ten multidisciplinary research teams will receive a combined $1,150,000 in funding as part of the inaugural year of Scialog: Advancing BioImaging, a three-year initiative, supported by Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA), the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and the Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation (FGCF), that aims to accelerate the development of the next generation of imaging technologies. Bryan Spring, Physics, Northeastern University, has teamed up with Barbara Smith, Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University to develop a unique combination of fiber-optic photoacoustic and multiphoton microscopy in a miniaturized device that facilitates comprehensive, high-resolution volumetric renders of the fallopian tube to precisely locate and to ablate premalignant tumors.

Academic Ideas in the Public Sphere: Teaching Scientists and Philosophers How to Communicate with the Public

Mechanisms driving the development of threat sensitivity following early life adversity

Movement as a Vital Sign in Preterm Infants

Harnessing the Data Revolution program

EAGER: Collaborative Research: Assessing the contribution of plastics to marine particulate organic carbon

De Novo Asymmetric Synthesis of Natural and Unnatural Oligosaccharide Motifs

Allosteric effects in the complexes between Ras proteins and Raf

The many-body problem in the age of quantum machine learning

Global Circuitry that Conotrols Acinetobacter Resistance and Virulence

Noble Metal Free Low Temperature Electrolyzer for Hydrogen Generation

Durable MEA’s for Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Electric Trucks

COVID-19 Global health

A Novel CRISPR SynBio Tool for Investigating and Reprogramming the Regulation of Alkaloid Biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus

Structure property processing correlations in freeze-cast biomimetic materials

Emergent motor timing influences perpetual timing

Evaluating darobactins as antimicrobial agents

In partnership with Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (R21AI141227), and with collaborators at CSIC (Granada, Spain; R01AI114685) and Kennesaw State University (R01AI124046), we will repurpose human kinase inhibitors as treatments for the parasitic diseases leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis.

Collaborative Research: Adaptation and the resiliency of food web structure and functioning to climate change

Local adaptation and the evolution of plasticity under predator invasion and warming seas: consequences for individuals, populations, and communities.

The goal of this award is to test the efficacy of early brain imaging measures in predicting subsequent childhood cognitive outcomes across global contexts of adversity.

Instrumentation for High Energy-Density Plasma Facility

Emotion Regulation in Adulthood and Aging: Preference and Effectiveness

Robust ultra-high sensitivity proteomic technologies for limited samples

Use of De Novo Synthesis Approaches and Structure-guided Design to Optimize Therapeutic Properties of Streptothricin Class Antimicrobials

CB1 Neutral Antagonists for Alcohol Use Disorder

Undergraduate Research in Modeling and Computation for Discovery of Molecular Probes for SARS-CoV-2 Proteins

Tip-Enhanced and Co-Localized AFM-Raman Spectroscopy to Unveil Localized-Plasmon Promoted Direct-Charge Transfers across Nano-electrochemical Interfaces

Collaborative Research: Designing an Educational Intervention to Address Intuitive Misconceptions about COVID-19

Intrinsic Functional Architecture of Detate Muclei in Autism Spectrum

Single-cell direct RNA sequencing using electrical zero-mode waveguides and engineered reverse transcriptases

Identification of Chemical Probes and Inhibitors Targeting Novel Sites on SARS-CoV-2 Proteins for COVID-19 Intervention.

Effects of Tai Chi Mind-Body Exercise on the Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome

TRPV1 signaling as a sex-specific mechanism of contextual fear generalization

ATPases Newco, Inc.

Fundamental Dynamics, Predictability and Uncertainty of Scientific Discovery & Advancement

Supplement: Mapping mesocortical contributions to estrous-dependent learning processes

Ovarian Effects on Intrinsic Connectivity and the Affective Enhancement Memory

Analysis of Notch signaling-mediated cell fate determination during regeneration of the neural retina

Collaborative Research: Microlocal Concentration and Propagation in Spectral Theory

The Role of Emotional and Motivational Attention in Healthy Aging

CAREER: Protein-integrated materials: From molecules to machines

The Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute - Pilot - Objective Portable Diagnostics of Neurological Disorders

Antibiotic discovery from environmental microorganisms of Brazil

Band flattening at the Fermi level as a precursor of quantum electron crystallization

Scoping Out the Periodic Table of Food

Longitudinal Investigation of the Decision Process in Adoption of Course-based Research

Assessing Spatial Processing Deficits in Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) Using Virtual Reality

Conformational Regulation and Therapeutic Targeting of Oncogenic KRAS

Antibiotic Tolerance of Bacterial Pathogens in Cystic Fibrosis

Oculomotor Deficits and Plasticity Across Gaze Posture in Strabismus

Boston Roybal Center Pilot: Changing and understanding motivation to increase physical activity among sedentary older adults

A Scalable Platform for Electroresponsive Optical Displays Inspired by Cephalopods

Developing a Climate Roadmap for Sustainable Fisheries in China

Amgen Donation Agreement for the Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Laboratory (BATL)

Book Grant: Seven Insights about the Brain.

Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Acid Sphingomyelinase

THE CHOW RINGS OF MODULI SPACES OF STABLE SHEAVES

In Silico Design of an Array of Multicolor, Hybrid Fluorescent and Photodynamic Chromophores for Cancer Surgery and LightActivated Therapy

DMREF: Collaborative Research: Design and synthesis of novel materials for spin caloritronic devices

Collaborative Resarch: Accelerating the Discovery of Electronic materials through Human-Computer Active Search

Bioprospecting for industrial enzymes and drug lead compounds in an ancient submarine forest.

Collaborative Research: AccelNet: Accelerating Discovery in Multilevel Network Science

Congested and Contested RF Emulations with Colosseum

Higher-Order Color: From Cones to Postreceptoral Mechanisms

Collaborative Research: CBET: The role of sunlight in determining the fate and microbial impact of microplastics in surface waters

Multiscale modeling of layered pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical intervention during an emerging influenza pandemic

A Psychobiological Follow-up Study of Transition from Prodrome to Early Psychosis

A New Drug for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

Universal Series, Chow Rings, and Dualities in the Moduli Theory of Sheaves

Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback as a Tool to Mitigate Auditory Hallucinations in Patients with Schizophrenia

Nudging Empathy: Harnessing Motivation to Create Sustainable Empathic Choices

Lenfest Ocean Grant

Uncovering genome variation in long DNA and repeat-disease biomarkers using nucleic acid-based reporters and nanopore readout

11th International Retroviral Nucleocapsid and Assembly Symposium

D3SC: Mining for mechanistic information to predict protein function

Soft, reconfigurable photonic systems inspired by cephalopod chromatophores: A platform to study dispersed light sensing in squid

In Silico Design of an Array of Multicolor Chromophores for Cancer Surgery and Light-Activated Therapy

SRA - Scipher

Mapping mesocortical contributions to estrous-dependent learning processes

Targeted modification of the apramycin 2-deoxystreptamine ring to block aminoglycoside modifying enzyme-based inactivation and enhance potency against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens

Burroughs Research Travel Grant

Antioxidant Imaging Marker of Investigating Gains in Neurocognition in an Intervention Trial of Exercise (AIM-IGNITE)

Spatial Patterning in the Progressing Tumor - The Role of Notch

Structure-property-processing correlations in freeze-cast Biomimetic Materials

Quantifying the effects of ions and collective rearrangements during ribosome function

Sponsored Research Agreement with Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Quantum Theory and Measured Turnover Rates: Perovskite Chemical Transistors for Non-Faradaic Alkane Isomerization

CAREER: Physics Implications of the String Landscape
via Formal Theory and Data Science

Collaborative Agreement with AB Sciex

Collaborative Research: TIDE: Legacy effects of long-term nutrient enrichment on recovery of saltmarsh ecosystems

Northeastern University’s Coastal Sustainability Institute and The Nature Conservancy Joint Coastal Sustainability Postdoctoral Fellows Program

Antioxidant Imaging Marker of Investigating Gains in Neurocognition in an Intervention Trial of Exercise (AIM-IGNITE)

INSPECT: In situ Phenotype Evaluation using CMOS Technology

Targeted modification of the apramycin 2-deoxystreptamine ring to block aminoglycoside modifying enzyme-based inactivation and enhance potency against multidrug-resistant Gram- negative pathogens

NSF-BSF: DYNAMICS OF MATERIALS FAILURE

A Scalable Platform for Electroresponsive Optical Displays Inspired by Cephalopods

CAREER: Signal Recovery from Generative Priors

Harvesting Localized Plasmons on Noble Metal Nanostructures for Efficient Electrochemical and Photochemical Reactions

The development of efficient platinum-group metal free catalysts to generate high purity hydrogen gas from water

SRA – Exploration of biophysical methods to study the importance of KRAS protein flexibility in solution

Development of Streptothricin Class Antimicrobials as Novel Therapeutics

Collaborative Research: Trait differentiation and local adaptation to depth within meadows of the foundation seagrass Zostera marina

Lead optimization of hits identified from virtual and experimental screens of multiple industrial libraries DNDi

A Center for Complex Materials from First Principles

Collaborative Research: RAPID: Quantifying mechanisms by which Hurricane Michael facilitates a stable-state reversal on oyster reefs

MantaRay Commercialization Strategy

Identifying pathogenic bacteria by phenotyping individual cells

A Collaborative Science Program for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System: Connecting End Users Throughout the Applied Research Process Primary Sponsor: Department of Commerce

Northeastern University’s Coastal Sustainability Institute and The Nature Conservancy Joint Coastal Sustainability Postdoctoral Fellows Program

Plasmid Eviction as a Novel Adjunctive Antimicrobial Target

Academic Ideas in the Public Sphere: Teaching Scientists and Philosophers How to Communicate with the “General Reader”

Development and Maintenance of a Suite of Application Programmer Interfaces (API) and Data Standards

Feasibility Study for An Essec Bay Living Shoreline Primary Sponsor: Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Eye Movement Rehabilitation in Low Vision Patients

Addressing Constraints to Shellfish Aquaculture Through Quantifying Ecosystem Services and Public Perceptions in the Northeast

Development of Disulfiram to Treat Lyme Disease

Development of Hygromycin A to Treat Lyme Disease

Physics Uncovering the Organizing Principles of Genetic Interaction Networks

Building Online Resources for Scientists and Philosophers Communicating with the “General Reader”

Development of an Open-Source and Data-Driven Modeling Platform to Monitor and Forecast Disease Activity

SRA – Medimmune

Endocannabinoid Modulation of Stress Coping

Characterization of predictive abilities in individuals with ASD using web-based interception

games