San Diego State University has received $1.5 million in research grants as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The grants, awarded to professors Shelli McAlpine (chemistry) and Constantine Tsoukas (biology), are among the first to have been confirmed for the California State University system.

SDSU faculty and staff submitted an unprecedented 216 research proposals during the month of April to meet American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and regular agency deadlines, as compared to 84 proposals in April 2008.

The act provides many new funding opportunities for programs that will stimulate the economy, create or retain jobs, and enhance America's research portfolio.

"A troubled economic time has offered us a moment of opportunity," said Tom Scott, vice president for research and graduate dean.

"SDSU's faculty have been assertive in writing proposals to support their research, and the SDSU Research Foundation staff have worked overtime to ensure that these proposals reach the federal agencies who will review them. We expect to make major advances in our research infrastructure, instrumentation and personnel through the ARRA."

The first ARRA grants were received by the following SDSU faculty:

• Shelli McAlpine, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, was awarded ARRA funding from the National Cancer Institute for her research on the development of anti-tumor agents that target drug-resistant cancers. The $643,173 grant will be received over two years. She also received an additional two years of funding from regular appropriations in the amount of $630,800 slated for 2011-2012. 
• SDSU biology professor Constantine Tsoukas received two ARRA awards from the National Institutes of Health totaling $814,826. The first award of $406,175 will be used to test a novel technology of cell-penetrating peptides which could lead to the design of drugs in the treatment and management of lung allergies. His second award for $407,651 will study one of the molecules inside immune cells known as the Inducible T-cell Kinase (ITK), which may improve the ability to design ways to control ITK and other similar molecules in disease conditions.

SDSU expects to receive confirmation of several additional grants over the course of the next few months.  

Other ARRA Grant related stories:

SDSU Recieves Another $1.2 Million in Stiumulus Research Funding (July 9, 2009)