University of Cincinnati s Nanoscale Sensor Technology Named the Only Sensors Center of Excellence in Ohio

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut have announced the fourth in five rounds of naming

Ohio Centers of Excellence

. In this round, “Centers of Excellence in Enabling Technologies: Advanced Materials and Sensors,” the University of Cincinnati was named a Center of Excellence in Nanoscale Sensor Technology, the only named sensor center in the State of Ohio.

The goal of Centers of Excellence is to focus their academic and research activities on advanced materials and sensors technology development to create jobs and strengthen Ohio’s ability to bring innovative technologies to commercialization.

UC’s Center of Excellence in Nanoscale Sensor Technology will develop innovative, breakthrough technology to provide the next generation of nano- and microscale sensors for chemical, biological, medical and environmental applications.

Sensors are devices used to collect information about an environment or a condition, either remotely or by being located in the area being studied.

Nanosensors are poised to become ubiquitous in modern life by providing the foundation for rapid and sophisticated medical diagnostics, for evaluating the safety of the food chain, for keeping water quality high by guiding environmental remediation, and for monitoring the aging of bridges and highways. With its expertise in nanotechnology and nanoscale devices, UC is poised to become a world leader in nanoscale sensor technology.

Imagining, developing, prototyping and commercializing nanoscale sensors require a strong team of interdisciplinary researchers with expertise that spans the spectrum of the disciplines of electrical and chemical engineering, chemistry, physics and biology. UC already has that collaborative team in place.

UC’s Center of Excellence in Nanoscale Sensor Technology will propel activities from bench-top innovation to commercialization and real-world application of fully packaged and deployable systems. One outstanding example is Siloam Biosciences, where UC research led by Chong Ahn on "lab-on-chip" medical sensor platforms is now in the prototype stage. Venture capital has been secured and commercialization should start in 2010.

Researchers within the center will generate innovative sensor concepts, including miniaturization to the micro and nano scales; innovative sensor arrays to provide redundancy for minimizing error due to sensor failure; and innovative microfluidic systems to pave the way for sophisticated sensor deployment in real environments, including sampling and calibration. This center will fill vital skill shortages in Ohio, by graduating highly qualified PhDs who will enter Ohio's workforce, while also attracting workers and firms from outside Ohio.

Read more about Ohio Centers of Excellence.

Read about nanoscale technology at the University of Cincinnati:

Ohio Third Frontier Awards Million-Dollar Grant to YSI-UC Team

The Ohio Third Frontier Commission approved a $1.1 million award to YSI Inc., Riehl Engineering and UC for a carbon nanotube-based nutrient sensor project.

Environmental Engineering PhD Student Wins EPA Award, Finds Payoff Is in Social Impact

Doctoral student Miguel Pelaez’s work in solar disinfection generates powerful improvements in the quality of life for people in developing countries.

2009 Emerging Entrepreneur Award: Chong H. Ahn

Faster diagnoses and more immediate test results are the desires of many patients and physicians. Chong Ahn’s innovative “smart” polymer lab-on-a-chip has opened a new door for point-of-care in vitro diagnostics to quickly analyze a person’s health condition and status.

Keeping the Food We Eat Safer

UC chemist receives prestigious NSF CAREER grant to develop toxin-detecting biosensors.

Other Centers of Excellence at the University of Cincinnati:

Sustaining the Urban Environment Named an Advanced Energy Center of Excellence at the University of Cincinnati

Governor Ted Strickland and the Ohio Board of Regents name nine centers of excellence at eight universities across Ohio.

Four Key Areas Combine to Form Biomedical Center of Excellence at the University of Cincinnati

Governor Ted Strickland and the Ohio Board of Regents name 14 centers of excellence across Ohio.