Mississippi Valley State University July 18, 2016 MVSU Professor and Student Team Up with Homeland Security The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) selected Dr. Matthewos Eshete, associate professor of chemistry, and Kayla Bailey, a junior chemistry major, to participate in the DHS Summer Research Team Program for Minority Serving Institutions. The teams consist of one faculty and one or two students. During the summer, teams participate in a research project for ten weeks and conclude with a presentation to DHS researchers and program managers. The title of their project was Interaction of Biodegradable Nanoparticles with the Immune System. "In this summer project, we are investigating the interaction of modified and unmodified biodegradable nanoparticles with proteins in the immune system," said Eshete. "This investigation may shed light on the effective design of biodegradable nanoparticles for drug delivery to a specific organ in our body evading the possible attack coming from the immune system." Eshete and Bailey have been assigned to work with the Center of Excellence for Zoonotic and Animal Disease Defense at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. The Center of Excellence for Zoonotic and Animal Disease Defense, co-led by Texas A&M University and Kansas State University, protects the nation's agriculture and public health sectors against high-consequence foreign animal, emerging and zoonotic disease threats. The objective of the DHS Summer Research Team Program is to provide research opportunities to diverse and highly talented individuals in order to increase and enhance the scientific leadership at Minority Serving Institutions in research areas that support the mission and goals of DHS. The program is designed to engage faculty, along with undergraduate and graduate students, in research that will provide them opportunities to understand the mission and research needs of DHS and advance research areas of importance to DHS, while strengthening the talent pool of scientists and engineers. The program is funded by DHS Science & Technology Directorate Office of University Programs. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) 404-577-5158 (fax) Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/ 7th Biennial Membership Meeting: Register here http://hbculibraries.org/html/2016meeting-form.html for the October 10,11 Membership Meeting in Atlanta. [Sized Coming Soon]NEW DIGS!!!! The HBCU Library Alliance is relocating to the Atlanta University Center Woodruff Library. Transition process is near completion. Stay tuned!!! Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314-4207 www.auctr.edu Honor the ancestors, honor the children.