The University of Memphis joined the ranks of major research colleges across the country on Thursday when it received its share of a $32 million investment from the National Institutes of Health.
The federal agency awarded the University a $10.8 million grant to explore ways to collect and use health data collected from wearable body sensors.
During a press conference unveiling the grant, Andy Myers, interim vice president for research at the U of M, said this would bring new opportunities to the students, faculty, school and the entire region.
“This represents the largest single project the University has ever been awarded and our first leadership role in a NIH or federal center,” Myers said.
Developing these body sensors could bring corporate sponsors to the U of M said Myers.
“Kumar’s team will help develop the next generation of these kinds of inventions,” Myers said. “We have already been contacted by Samsung.”
This NIH project is part of the larger Big Data-to-Knowledge initiative, which is expected to run until 2020 with a budget up to $615 million.
Santosh Kumar, an associate professor of computer science, will lead the U of M research team. He will work with 11 other research centers across the country including Cornell Tech, Georgia Tech, Northwestern University and University of California Los Angeles.
Over 50 people attended the U of M announcement including faculty and community leaders. Congressman Steve Cohen spoke briefly at the announcement.
“I never though I would see the University on a list with these other institutions,” Cohen, a graduate of the U of M said. He quickly bowed and said, “Thank you Dr. Kumar.”
