USU, U. putting USTAR research funding to work

Utah's two largest universities are putting a $200 million research incentive to work for them nearly one year after the passage of the Utah Science and Technology and Research Initiative.

Energy from pond scum, advanced brain imaging and a probe into addictive eating behaviors are all projects under way at the University of Utah and Utah State University.

Leaders at both schools are not wasting any time in luring top research teams from across the nation to head up new projects and hopefully start spin-off companies to spur economic growth in Utah.

"It's hard because nobody is trying to give (star-caliber researchers) away. The USTAR initiative has definitely been very helpful. The people we're trying to hire see a concerted effort on the part of the state to build real excellence in their area. They find that attractive," said Jack Brittain, vice president of technology venture development at the U.

Passed by last year's Legislature, USTAR provides $200 million for research personnel and facilities at both institutions in hopes that research will create new technologies, jobs and spin-off companies.

U. leaders have made commitments of $16 million for research teams and equipment for the next five years. Already, the school has spent $5 million of the USTAR pot to pay for four professors, their teams and the equipment needed to get their labs up and running.

"We're not really just opening up to applications. We're not interested in getting just anybody; we're interested in people that are doing path-breaking research," Brittain said.

Cameron Charles was hired at the U. this year in the department of electrical and computer engineering, and Brian McPherson will be bringing his expertise on enhanced oil recovery to the U.

Most recently, the U. snagged one of the top national researchers in medical imaging. Guido Gerig joined the ranks of the U. this week from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research has already created spin-off companies making imaging software to better diagnose brain diseases such as autism, Alzheimer's, addictions and mental disabilities.

Wooing Gerig away from the East Coast took more than a year and probably couldn't have been done without the USTAR program, said Chris Johnson, director of the U.'s Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute.

"We wouldn't have had the level of resources to get someone that senior and well-known in their field," Johnson said. "We were looking for someone to bridge the computer science side with the clinical neurology side of the world. Guido is one of the best, if not the best, person in the world to do that."