Researchers from Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical University are teaming up in a new pilot program for research collaboration between faculties at the two schools.

“Syracuse University has things that we don’t have and (Upstate) has things that Syracuse University doesn’t have so we can become that bigger university through collaboration,” said David Amberg, vice president of research at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University.

Sam Nappi, a member of the SU Board of Trustees, donated $1.5 million to SU for biomedical and chemical engineering. He designated $500,000 of that money for the pilot program. Amberg said he had been considering ways in which Upstate could collaborate more with other universities, and Nappi approached him and mentioned the program.

“(Nappi) just wanted to see us work together more,” Amberg said. “That really sung to me given all the efforts we had been engaged in in collaboration we’d already been doing.”

The program will allow researchers to pitch ideas for new projects to a panel of judges. Amberg likened the process to the television show “Shark Tank.” First, people interested in the grant must submit a letter of intent by Oct. 16 and a full application by Nov. 10. Some of those applicants will be invited to present their idea at the “Shark Tank”-like event.

Amberg said the presenters will describe the project, explain how it will benefit the universities and say how they hope to receive additional federal funding. The panel expects to award grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000.

Amberg added that faculty have given positive feedback to the research partnership so far.

“Even without awarding the money, we already have people working with each other,” he said. “We already have people looking, learning more about each other’s community. What Mr. Nappi has stimulated here is so much what we needed.”

Gina Lee-Glauser, the vice president for research at SU, said the presentation poses a unique challenge for faculty members, who often don’t often have to do presentations.

“(The faculty members) can give lectures great, but they may not be able to pitch their ideas,” Lee-Glauser said. “So in some sense, we’re hoping to put in not so much educating, but this is a new way of looking at the ideas and if this is a competition, our faculty will hone-in their skills.”

Lee-Glauser said faculty from both schools have already emailed her and Amberg to ask for experts in specific fields at the other school to help them in a research project. She said she has heard from one SUNY Upstate faculty member who is working on a project about transcription control of gene expression in the retina from a biochemistry and biophysics standpoint. The faculty member asked Lee-Glauser if anyone at SU could help him with certain sensor technology. Lee-Glauser sent him the names of two SU professors.

Earlier this summer, SU and SUNY Upstate made headlines over a controversy regarding SU’s consideration of creating a medical school. SUNY Upstate officials wrote to Chancellor Kent Syverud that the second medical school would harm Upstate and create competition for patients, according to an Aug. 6 Syracuse.com article.

Lee-Glauser said the meeting with Nappi happened before the controversy unfolded this summer. She added that they had to delay the announcement of the program until recently.

Overall, she thinks the program will be a positive one for both universities.

Said Lee-Glauser: “I really think this is only the tip of the iceberg and it really is the visionary leaders, somebody like Sam Nappi who is putting us together with the real resources and real passion for the region to do better and stimulating the collaboration to take us to the next level.”

Published on September 22, 2015 at 10:02 pm

Contact: clmoran@syr.edu