College Researchers Connect Campuswide
Faculty in the college’s Division of Biosciences divide their time between teaching, research and service. They serve on university, college and departmental committees. Many are also engaged in service to the organizations that support their field of study. Faculty write grant proposals to acquire research funding, present their findings at conferences, and publish study results in peer-reviewed journals.
Peter Reiser, ’81 PhD, serves as chair of the division, leading faculty, research scientists, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students who are committed to teaching and research in biomedical sciences. The division provides dental students with instruction in basic sciences such as biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, immunology and embryology.
There is also an impressive scope of research taking place.
“Ohio State has so many opportunities and wonderful core facilities supporting research programs,” Dr. Reiser said. “Our greatest challenges are the stiff competition for research funding and finding enough time to do what we want to accomplish.”
All faculty members within the division are engaged in active research programs funded by a variety of organizations, including the National Institutes of Health. “Faculty are working in areas like neuroscience to better understand taste, perception and feeding behavior, as well as projects to learn more about bone development, tooth repair, microbiology and immunology,” Dr. Reiser said.
Many of the studies are focused on basic science—research that helps expand understanding of cell function and the way muscles work, for example.
“Results from basic science research open up new questions and often lead to new studies that apply directly to human health,” Dr. Reiser said. “Studies are also currently in development with biomedical engineering and imaging.”
Much of the scientific research in the division is collaborative and interdisciplinary. Many faculty are internationally recognized and work with research groups at other institutions. Connections are often made through papers published in peer-reviewed journals or presentations at conferences.
“Connections and collaborations such as these are integral to research universities like Ohio State,” Dr. Reiser said. “Research achievements contribute to the university’s overall reputation for excellence and often play an important role in rankings. Publications and presentations add to an international body of knowledge that will lead to new solutions for challenges faced by a changing society.”