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University of Texas Arlington Gets New Research Center
The University of Texas at Arlington has opened a research center, the Shimadzu Center for Advanced Analytical Chemistry, according to a statement released Monday by the company. Outfitted with $6 million of chromatography, mass spectrometry, and spectroscopy equipment from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, the university's new center will enable researchers from the College of Science and the College of Engineering to explore new advances in medicine as well as in the development of nanofabrication materials for industry.
"We are honored that a company with the worldwide reach of Shimadzu has chosen to invest in UT Arlington’s research program," said James D. Spaniolo, president of UT Arlington. "This equipment will provide opportunities for faculty and for students in a laboratory that is truly on the cutting edge of analytical possibilities."
Overseeing the new research facility is Kevin Schug, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UT Arlington. Schug was recently named Shimadzu Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry.
"UT Arlington has a dynamic science program focused on the future, and Shimadzu is pleased and eager to support such a research institution," said Shuzo Maruyama, president at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments. "In addition, Kevin Schug is one of the leading young scientists in the country, and it will be a pleasure to work with him and the entire team at UT Arlington on future projects."
University researchers plan to implement the new Shimadzu instruments in a number of research projects including:
- Exploring ways to analyze cuticular lipids that can reveal age in a species of mosquito known for spreading malaria;
- Studying chemicals in the environment that could interfere with normal hormone functions and possibly promote cancer growth; and,
- Examining biodegradable fluorescent polymers, which can deliver chemotherapeutic agents to cancers and enable cancer detection with optical imaging.
The Shimadzu Center for Advanced Analytical Chemistry will be housed in the university's Chemistry and Physics building. For more information, visit UT Arlington's Web site.