The University’s College of Science announced Tuesday it has received a grant of approximately $11 million to fund research to look at the toxicity of fine particles similar to those found in cigarettes.
The grant is the largest offered by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The grant was awarded to four institutions, including the University. The other institutions include Duke University, the University of North Carolina and the University of California at Berkeley.
The research program will comprise about 50 people and will be used on six projects, said Principle Investigator and Chemistry Professor Barry Dellinger. About 12 University graduate students will work on the research. Three of the projects will take place within the College of Science and three at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. A small part of the project will also take place at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, according to Dellinger.
“For a long time, researchers have thought that the components of cigarettes existed as molecules,” Dellinger said. “The truth is that they exist as these fine offerings.”
Kevin Carman, College of Science dean, said this is a great step forward for the University.
 
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Contact Joshua Bergeron at [email protected]