Drs. Douglas Martin, Nancy Cox and Henry Baker are among the eight researchers who have formed the Tay-Sachs Gene Therapy Consortium and are working diligently to begin human clinical trials within the next four years with the hope of providing a gene therapy that will prolong the lives of children in which this inherited neurological disorder proves to be fatal. (Full Story)

Dr. Susanne Striegler, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Sciences and Mathematics at Auburn, is the recipient of a grant award from the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. This award is one of the highest recognitions that NSF gives to help fund starting faculty members’ research and outreach initiatives. (Full Story)

The Office of the Vice President for Research announces this year’s Faculty Mentoring Grant awardees:

• Orlando Acevedo
• Edward Davis
• Jung Won Hur
• Karla Simmons and Veena Chattaraman
• Elizabeth Spangler
• James Stoeckel
• Anne Wooldridge

The purpose of this program is to facilitate the grant writing efforts of new faculty principal investigators (P.I.) by providing a platform for pairing them with an experienced faculty mentor. (Full Story)

The Planning Committee for the Research Institute for the Study of Diversity and the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs announce the selection of five interdisciplinary teams for its Proposal Development Grants. Each team will work with members of the Research Institute committee to submit proposals to government agencies, corporations, and foundations. (Full Story)

Children in day care who feel insecure in their relationships with their teachers tend to have elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, AU child development professor Jacquelyn Mize has found. (Full Story)

A new oyster-purification system that an AU research team led by AAES fisheries microbiologist Cova Arias has developed is still in the testing stages, but it could prove highly effective in ensuring that raw Gulf oysters are safe to eat. (Full Story)

On June 2, 2008, the Department of Energy, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), will implement a new electronic procurement system which will result in the use of a new communications portal for the department. The Office of Sponsored Programs is registered with the systems that DOE requires, and anyone who needs to apply for DOE solicitations and receive DOE awards should contact OSP.