COSAM News Articles 2019 March Message from Dean Giordano – March 2019

Message from Dean Giordano – March 2019

Published: 03/05/2019

Our mission of the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) is to support premier research in the fundamental sciences and mathematics. This work spans a very wide variety of topics, and has grown rapidly in both quality and quantity in recent years. One particular research area is now the focus of a campus-wide effort. This health science initiative aligns strongly with Auburn University’s role as a land-grant university and has the potential for major impact in Alabama and well beyond. In support of this university mission, COSAM is collaborating to align a team of faculty to provide a foundation for this comprehensive research effort.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Dr. Edward Thomas, is leading a working group of more than 20 COSAM faculty from the Department of Biological Sciences, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and the Department of Physics to support this larger vision for the university. These distinguished faculty are using their existing research efforts to accomplish more together through a Fundamental Science of Living Systems theme.

This overall theme includes four research topics in both fundamental and applied science with direct connections to human and environmental health. The two broad fundamental research areas include Molecular interactions between microorganisms and their hosts and Structure and mechanics of bio-molecules in cellular function and disease. The two areas of applied science include Response and adaptation of organisms (plant, animal, and microbe) to stress and Understanding the biochemistry of novel enzymes.

By uniting an outstanding team of faculty paired with high quality instrumentation and high performance computing, COSAM has an exciting opportunity to play an essential role in the long-term health sciences vision here at Auburn University.