A L I A N Z A STexas A&M University–CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Program

en Investigación

Celebrating 15 years of Research Alliances

A re c h e m i c a l c o n t a m i n a n t s i m p a c t i n g

m i g r a t o r y b i r d s

a s t h e y c ro s s t h e Yu c a t á n P e n i n s u l a ?

Welcome to ALIANZAS en Investigación,

This publication highlights fifteen years of a successful research alliance between Texas A&M University and Mexico’s Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT). Established in 2001, the Texas A&M University-CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Program has proven to be a significant partnership between a Texas university and a Mexican government body that share a commitment to serving the public, improving lives, ensuring economic stability and making a difference for the future.

The original grant program spanned five years. Fifteen years and 219 projects later, well over $5 million has been awarded through the program. Participating researchers have achieved numerous successes that have truly changed lives in Mexico and Texas. This publication celebrates the progress of this outstanding program and the successful collaboration between these two countries.

In 2001, officials signed detailed documents, reviewers polished contracts and photos marked the occasion. The mission of the Texas A&M–CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Program was just beginning, but the leaders of research at Texas A&M and CONACYT knew the potential of giving researchers an opportunity to collaborate across borders.

So, as you can see from glancing at the complete awards listed in the back of this publication, the program has flourished while maintaining its focus on the future and improving research within Texas and Mexico. At the heart of this program is a desire to do research that actually will improve the lives of people in the US and Mexico. We look forward to the continuation of the program and many more future successes. Thank you for spending time learning about how Texas A&M and CONACYT are working to accomplish new and exciting research that benefits both nations.

Directora Adjunta de Desarrollo Científico

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología

(CONACYT)

Julia Tagüeña-Parga

Vice President for Research

Texas A&M University

Glen A. Laine

This publication was produced by Mexico Partnership Services, the Representación de Texas A&M University en la República Mexicana, AC. Mexico Partnership Services is a non-profit corporation registered in Mexico and operated through Public Partnership and Outreach in the Office of the Provost at Texas A&M University. The mission of Mexico Partnership Services is to facilitate partnerships between Texas A&M University faculty and departments wanting to establish academic, research, engagement and training linkages with Mexican and US universities, industries and governmental agencies. Such services include assisting both US and Mexico-based faculty with finding appropriate contacts, applying as a Mexican corporation for funded projects, managing grant contracts, hiring employees in Mexico, making local arrangements and providing other similar services. For more information about our company or to contact us, find us online at mexico.tamu.edu.

ALIANZAS en Investigación is published by Texas A&M University to highlight the breadth and depth of research being con-ducted through the Texas A&M-CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Program. Integra, the font used in this publication, was designed by Gabriel Martinez Meave, type designer and director of the Kimera Typefoundry/Mexico.

Division of ResearchTexas A&M University1112 TAMUCollege Station, Texas 77843-1112vpr.tamu.edu/conacyt

Consejo Nacional de Clencia y Tecnología (CONACYT)AV. Insurgentes Sur 1582Colonia Crédito ConstructorDelegación Benito JuárezMéxico, D.F. 03940www.conacyt.mx/

Mexico Partnership ServicesPublic Partnership & OutreachShakespeare 15 Oficina 1002Col. Anzures Del. Miguel Hidalgo C.P. 11590 México D.F.Mexico.tamu.edu/About

CONTENTS

0 2Engineering Algae

0 6A Nauseating Veggie Tale

1 0Birds of a Feather

1 4Don’t Sneeze

You’ll Kill the Shrimp

1 8Testing the Water

2 2Building a Better

Fuel Cell

2 6Texas A&M University–

CONACYT

2 8CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Awards

06

10

18

2

Kara Bounds Socolb y

Engineering

Algae

3

Green Microalgae

Botryococcus braunii

Fishermen in the northern Australian town of Darwin were growing increasingly frustrated as algae gradually covered the Darwin River Reservoir. Finally, they joined efforts to rid their waters of this menace by scooping up as much of the floating algae as they could and bringing it back to land.

The result was a massive, 1,500-pound “bloom” of Botryococcus braunii—a green microalga known for its high liquid hydrocarbon content. The oil was extracted from the algal colonies, fueling the city of Darwin for an entire month.

Devarenne, an associate professor in Texas A&M University’s Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, says the story shows the potential of B. braunii as an alternative fuel source, which scientists recognized as early as the 1880s. Like many other alternative fuels, the cost of producing and processing the alga remains far higher than that of burning traditional fossil fuels, like petroleum, gas or coal.

One of the biggest obstacles to cheaply growing and harvesting B. braunii is that the alga grows too slowly. With a Texas A&M-CONACYT grant, Devarenne and his counterpart in Mexico, Edmundo Lozoya-Gloria, hope

Biochemist Timothy Devarenne likes

to tell the story of a 1976 Australian

fishing expedition that produced a

highly unusual catch.

Botryococcus braunii

is known for its high

liquid hydrocarbon

content.

to speed things up by learning how the alga fights off pathogens bent on destroying it.

“If we can identify the pathogens that attack this alga and understand how the alga responds, then maybe we can use that information to engineer the alga to be more resistant to the pathogens,” Devarenne says.

That small piece of the puzzle is vital to accelerating the alga’s growth rate

and to the ultimate goal of making B. braunii a viable fuel source.

Devarenne explains that, while B. braunii grow in single cells, they join to form colonies. The oil made within each cell is exported to the colony’s extracellular matrix (ECM), which eventually stores some 95 percent of the colony’s total oil output. Once water is extracted from the ECM, about half

4

the remaining weight consists of oil alone. When pressurized, that oil can be squeezed out of the ECM, resulting in a tremendous amount of hydrocarbons.

B. braunii is not the only oil-producing alga; other species produce oil in smaller quantities and with different chemical makeups. However, the oil created by B. braunii is essentially petroleum. This particular alga is the only species known to provide a petroleum-equivalent fuel source for combustion engines. The alga is also plentiful.

What’s more, B. braunii can grow in virtually any fresh body of water on any continent, with the exception of Antarctica. Also, it can flourish in almost any climate. That sets it apart from many other alternative plant-based fuel sources, which require the rich soil that might otherwise be used for food production.

The problem is that the most feasible way to grow and harvest B. braunii is in open-air ponds, making the alga extremely vulnerable to outside pathogens.

That’s where the Texas A&M-

CONACYT grant shared by Devarenne and Lozoya-Gloria—a researcher with CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato’s Department of Genetic Engineering in Guanajuato, Mexico—comes in.

“The idea of this particular project was to determine the molecular mechanisms this alga uses to defend against pathogens,” Devarenne says. “If we understand that, we’ll be a step closer to making the alga resistant to pathogens coming from the outside.”

Devarenne says their research yielded anticipated results. For instance, he and Lozoya-Gloria—aided by CINVESTAV graduate student Ivette Cornejo Corona—found that B. braunii produces toxic reactive oxygen species that could be used to kill pathogens. They also found evidence of a gene involved in the “cell suicide” practice known as program cell death. This gene could possibly be involved in fighting pathogens, he says.

Ultimately, Devarenne wants to advance the research necessary to turn B. braunii into a viable alternative energy source. While the alga isn’t the sole contributor to petroleum deposits, it is one of the most significant. It’s

The oil created

by B. braunii

is essentially

petroleum.

5

also renewable. Although carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the burning of B. braunii hydrocarbon-derived fuels do occur, those emissions are offset by the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the alga during photosynthesis. Traditional fuels, on the other hand, create carbon dioxide without absorbing it.

In addition, Devarenne and Lozoya-Gloria’s research touches on benefits specific to the US–Mexico economic relationship.

In 2009, President Obama and then-Mexican President Felipe Calderón signed the US–Mexico Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change to support joint scientific efforts already underway. Since then, the two countries have formulated additional legislation related to the framework’s goals, while scientists like Lozoya-Gloria and Devarenne collaborated to turn the goals into realities.

As the third-largest supplier of crude oil to the United States, Mexico is economically bound to the United States, while the United States is dependent on Mexico’s oil. However, as US demand for oil is rising, crude oil

production in Mexico is falling. It’s critical to both economies that other energy sources offset any downturns in their crude-oil trade.

Devarenne and Lozoya-Gloria’s research could contribute toward boosting development, employment and economic growth in Mexico, while meeting the escalating demand for clean energy in the United States.

With that in mind, Devarenne hopes to continue working with Lozoya-Gloria to find a way to produce B. braunii more rapidly. Enhancing its ability to ward off pathogens is only one part of this goal. Another involves a better grasp of the alga’s genetic makeup.

“What we are really interested in is determining the genes responsible for making oil and understanding how they function,” Devarenne says. “When we understand this, maybe we can manipulate those genes to make more oil. We might even be able to transfer the genes into other photosynthetic organisms—such as tobacco plants—that can be grown plentifully, cheaply and quickly.”

Characterization of Defense

Mechanisms in the Green

Microalgae Botryococcus braunii

Timothy DevarenneDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics Texas A&M University

Edmundo Lozoya-GloriaDepartment of Genetic Engineering Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Irapuato

A microscopy image of a colony

of Botryococcus brauni i showing

the indiv idual ce l l s of the colony

(green ovals ) , the oi l produced

ins ide each cel l (smal l c i rc les in

each cel l ) and oi l being expel led

from the extracel lu lar matr ix

(see edge of colony and c i rc les

beyond edge of colony) .

6

Leanne Southb y

7

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six Americans, or 48 million, will get sick each year from a foodborne illness. Yet Americans have a healthy appetite for fresh produce. Meeting that demand requires help from foreign growers. Mexico is the largest international supplier of fresh vegetables and fruits to the United States. Almost half of that supply arrives by truck through Texas border stations. If a contaminated produce shipment is discovered, it generally is recalled or earns an import alert. Mexican farms suffer and public trust in Mexican produce is damaged.

Mexican commercial growers know that using stringent hygienic practices to grow, harvest and package their vegetables and fruits is the best line of defense against contamination. What they can’t control is what happens when the produce is handed off to a third-party shipper.

So what does happen? That’s what two food safety researchers sought to find out with a 2011 CONACYT grant.

Caution: When you serve fresh fruits and vegetables at your

next dinner party, you could make your guests sick.

a NAUSEATING

veggie tale

Texas A&M University food microbiologist Alejandro Castillo and Elisa Cabrera-Diaz from the University of Guadalajara have spent their careers researching food safety and have collaborated for more than a decade.

Using funds from their CONACYT grant, Castillo and Cabrera-Diaz investigated how two bacterial pathogens—Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes—reacted when attached to tomatoes and avocados and put under conditions similar to when produce is shipped to market.

Former PhD student Liliana Martinez, now an associate professor at the University of Guadalajara, led the team working at Cabrera-Diaz’s lab in Mexico using tomatoes and avocados collected from farms in the states of Jalisco and Michoacán.

Contamination during harvest may happen when a fruit or vegetable stem is cut with an infected knife or during packing when produce is washed in compromised dump tanks. The research team mimicked these scenarios by either dunking

8

that remained had attached themselves more securely to the surface of the produce.

But temperature did make a difference in turning some of the pathogens into the unwelcome relatives who won’t leave. After ten days at the higher temperature, the pathogens had formed a sticky biofilm that acted as a protective shield from cleaning agents and activated virulent genes that would lead to a severe infection if consumed.

These findings tell Cabrera-Diaz and Castillo that as long as truckers keep their loads cold and reach their market on time, contamination has a slim chance. However, if that truck breaks down or if it gets stopped for a prolonged search at a border station, chances for contamination rise with the thermostat.

Next, the researchers want to study what happens between the pathogens and produce surface when the temperature is correct.

the tomatoes and avocados in a solution containing Salmonella and Listeria or by placing 10 droplets of the solution on the skin of the produce.

The produce was kept at 25°C (54°F) for one hour, then randomly divided into groups and stored for 10 days at 5°C (41°F), 12°C (54°F) or 25°C (77°F) for avocados and at 12°C (54°F) or 25°C (77°F) for tomatoes. At regular intervals during the storage period researchers removed small samples of the produce to check for changes in the pathogens.

The number of pathogens declined over the 10-day period, though the decline was greater among produce in the colder temperature. Yet, while the bacteria declined, they did not disappear. Salmonella and Listeria were still present on the tomatoes and avocados, regardless of the temperature. Those

Temperature

makes a

difference.

Magnif ied v iew of

sa lmonel la bacter ia

invading human cel ls .

9

“It’s one thing to already have the micro-organism,” said Castillo. “You better keep produce cold. Your best bet is to not have the micro-organism in the first place. So what happens if you have a few pathogen cells and you follow all these guidelines? Are they sufficient to say nothing is going to happen? That the risk is very low? Or is there a risk, even if we’re doing everything right as we now know it, of something happening?”

The two also are lending their CONACYT grant findings and expertise to a Texas A&M research team on a pending proposal with the US Department of Agriculture

Castillo says each new discovery moves their work closer to helping ensure a safe, steady food supply for American consumers and a stable, robust trade partnership with Mexico.

Diagnostics of Potential for Bacterial

Colonization and Study of Virulence Factors in

Bacterial Pathogens on Fresh Produce During

Export from Mexico to the USA as Affected by

Produce Surface Topography and Transport

Conditions

Alejandro Castillo Department of Animal Science Texas A&M University

Elisa Cabrera-Diaz Department of Salud Publica University of Guadalajara

Your best

bet is to

not have

the micro-

organism

in the first

place.

10

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Like-minded ecologists flock together to save

migratory species

Kara Bounds Socolb y

11

It’s the latter premise that sparks the interest of Texas A&M University’s Miguel Mora Zacarias. Joining forces with fellow ecologists, Victor Cabos Gasca and Jorge Navarro Alberto, from Mexico’s Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, they used a Texas A&M-CONACYT grant to study the impact of agricultural and industrial contaminants on migratory birds as they cross the Yucatán Peninsula, making their winter pilgrimage from North America to South America.

“The ultimate question that we pursued is determining to what extent chemical contaminants are impacting wildlife populations,” Mora said. In this study, the wildlife under consideration were songbirds, including the yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata)—a

migratory bird that often chooses its habitat near cropland.

As the study indicates, Mora’s academic field is highly specialized. Housed within Texas A&M’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, he is a professor and wildlife ecotoxicologist, meaning that his work is focused on the impact of contaminants on wildlife. But Mora is also an

ornithologist: an expert on birds. His research is generally narrowed from contamination effects on wildlife as a whole to its effects on avian species in particular.

For this study, Mora focused on the seasonally migrating neotropical songbirds. Providing additional fieldwork support was Texas A&M graduate student Alejandra Maldonado.

Agricultural contaminants can have a detrimental impact on birds that eat the treated plants and the insects that feed on those plants. The contaminants can negatively affect the birds’ congenital development, their behavior and their reproductive, endocrine and immune systems. Flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and various persistent organic pollutants can additionally affect the birds’ thyroid function and mating practices.

Mora and his colleagues tested the warblers specifically for agricultural pesticides, fire retardants and other man-made organic chemicals. Other goals of the study aimed at evaluating potential DNA damage and determining the residue levels of these contaminants, which are stored in the birds’ fatty tissue.

For decades, migratory-bird populations have been on the

decline. Hypotheses vary from climate change to habitat loss

to the use of pesticides on crops.

Are chemical

contaminants

impacting wildlife

populations?

11

12

The study began in Texas during the warblers’ fall migration and ended there when the birds returned in the spring. Near the cotton and cornfields of Brazos County, the researchers set up mist nets, which catch birds without harming them. Researchers then collected blood samples from the captured birds and inspected their feathers. In some cases, the birds also provided liver, muscle and fatty-tissue samples. The process was repeated further south at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory in Lake Jackson and, in the winter months, at the Celestun Biosphere Reserve on the northwest coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.

The Texas A&M-CONACYT grant covered costs for the Texas and Yucatán portion of the bird

study, which extended to Costa Rica.

Mora admits that the data acquired in the study were a bit surprising. As expected, a small amount of pesticides was detected in the birds during all three seasons. However, while pesticides are not as highly regulated in Latin America as in the United States,

the researchers did not detect a significantly higher level of contaminants in the warblers once they reached Yucatán, nor when they traveled on to Costa Rica and back to Texas.

Mora says that any number of factors could have influenced the results. Farmers in Latin America, for instance, often choose not to spend as much money on pesticides as their Texas counterparts. He also emphasizes that one study does not provide a definitive answer—a similar

study next year might yield different results. With this in mind, Mora believes that scientists

need to continue to look more carefully at the potential effect of pesticides on migratory bird populations. The sooner an answer is found, the sooner the problem can be addressed.

“The importance of these studies start from a conservation standpoint,” he said. “Is there a problem, and if there is, what can natural resource managers like state and federal agencies do to help the bird populations persist?”

Mora says his contact with Cobos and Navarro will continue. He likens the Texas A&M-CONACYT grants to “seed money” that brings like-minded researchers together to build relationships and continue collaborative efforts long after the funded project is over.

A previous Texas A&M-CONACYT grant, for instance, funded Mora’s research on the impact of mercury on migratory American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at Mexico’s Lake Chapala. Three manuscripts resulted from that project, and Mora continues to consult with his co-investigators in Mexico.

Sharing ideas and research findings is vital to reaching conservation goals.

“Understanding the function of individual species and conserving what we have is important not only for the joy of seeing these animals, but because they play an important role in the balance of the ecosystem,” he says. “A little, tiny bird might not mean a lot, but we never know what far-reaching role that bird might play.”

Sharing ideas and

research findings

is vital to reaching

conservation goals.

12

13

An Assessment of the Potential Impacts

of Agricultural Pesticides and Persistent

Organic Pollutants on Neotropical Birds

During Migration

Miguel A. Mora-ZacariasDepartment of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University

Jorge Augusto Navarro Alberto Department of Ecologia Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY)

13

Summer breeding grounds

Migratory zone

Winter feeding grounds

14

DON’T SNEEZEYou’ll Kill the ShrimpResearchers seek genetic solution for healthier shellfish

Leanne Southb y

15

Americans love shrimp

and, on average, eat

about four pounds

of it annually.

The shellfish is the most popular seafood imported into the United States, accounting for more than 30 percent of all seafood imported each year. The booming demand has led to an equally booming shrimp farming (or aquaculture) industry in the United States and Mexico, as well as worldwide.With the growth in shrimp farms came a troubling discovery: shrimp have a lousy immune system.

Antibodies—the missing link

It’s like this: If you get an infection, your body produces an antibody that attacks the bad stuff (antigen) and kills it before you get sick. That antibody remembers the bad antigen and is ready the next time it shows up in your system. This is how you build immunity with a flu shot.

Shrimp can’t do this. So, if a virus gets into a large shrimp tank, it can cause problems, like when a stomach virus hits an elementary school. But not every child gets sick and not all infected shrimp die. Two researchers who study different aspects of shrimp immune systems believe they know why: some shrimp possess a gene that fights off the virus.

“There’s great interest in figuring out how we can use the shrimp’s immune system to increase resistance to these diseases,” said Texas A&M immunogeneticist Michael Criscitiello, who partnered with Rogerio Sotello-

1515

16

Mundo from the Centro de Investigación en Alimentacion y Desarrollo, (CIAD) in 2010 when they met to discuss their mutual research interest.

Criscitiello, Sotello-Mundo and Texas A&M geneticist Scott Dindot formed a research team and, with funding from a 2011 CONACYT grant, started looking for disease-resistant genes in the popular shellfish.

Searching for immunity needles in an 16,000-gene haystack

The first task was to create a complete sequence of the genome of the Pacific whiteleg shrimp, the most popular shellfish used in shrimp farming.

A genome is an organism’s genetic instruction manual “written” in DNA. The DNA in each gene contains a specific set of instructions, or sequences, for that gene’s unique function. But

The researchers extracted tissue from the abdominal muscle (which is the part people eat), the hepatopancreas (which is like the liver, pancreas and spleen’s lymphatic tissue all rolled into one organ), the gills and the legs of a male Pacific whiteleg shrimp. They sent the tissue samples to the AgriLife Genomics and Bioinformatics Service Center, a facility in California and a lab at Duke University for complex sequencing and analysis.

The resulting two terabytes of data (equivalent to about 500,000 digital photos) took the research team two years to parse out into the genome sequences and transcriptome. The researchers then stored all of the data online through the Texas A&M University Libraries for public access—a common practice among researchers. Now other shrimp researchers have access to this data, expanding the areas being studied and contributing to additional new discoveries.

A genome is an

organism’s genetic

instruction manual

“written” in DNA.

the DNA doesn’t do the heavy lifting. It tells RNA what to do and sends it to a workshop in the cell that builds that gene’s character trait or function. When DNA sends a message via RNA, that means that genetic trait will be turned on and show up in that organism. But not every gene is turned on. So, along with developing the DNA sequences, the team created a complete list, known as a transcriptome, of all RNA messages sent out among the 16,000 genes harvested in the Pacific whiteleg shrimp.

16

17

Next step: compare RNA messages of infected shrimp

Criscitiello and Sotello-Mundo leveraged their CONACYT findings into new funding to continue their work. Next, they will compare the transcriptome against shrimp from Sotello-Mundo’s lab in Mexico that have either survived a viral infestation or died from an outbreak.

“Now that we know what the transcriptome is, we can look for differences in ones that are protected from the virus or are susceptible to it,” Criscitiello says. “We can look at the whole transcriptome and see if there were other things I might not have thought were important that show up between these disease resistant/susceptible populations.”

And with each new project, Criscitiello and Sotello-Mundo move closer to their ultimate goal: to create a genetic blueprint of a shrimp’s immune system and develop breeding or other techniques that result in healthier farm grown shrimp.

Down syndrome gene: a possible shrimp antibody

In their search for immune properties, the research team identified a set of genes called the Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (DSCAM). These genes may cause Down syndrome in the vertebrate brain, but act more like an antibody in invertebrates.

Researchers also discovered that shrimp lectins, molecules that bind sugar, appear to recognize bacterial sugar groups. Shrimp have a whole lot more lectins and more interesting kinds of lectins than humans.

These findings were detailed in Nature Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/srep07081 in 2014.

Genomic and Immunogenetic Tools for

Aquacultured Shrimp Disease Resistance

Michael F. Criscitiello Department of Veterinary Pathobiology Texas A&M University

Scott V. Dindot Department of Veterinary Pathobiology Texas A&M University

Rogerio R. Sotelo-Mundo Department of Aquatic Molecular Biology Centro de Investigación en Alimentacion y Desarrollo (CIAD)

The research

team identified a

set of genes called

DSCAM – Down

Syndrome Cell

Adhesion

Molecule.

17

18

Testing the

Sharon Roeb y

With the help of a Texas A&M-CONACYT grant, Rick Giardino and Peter Knappett of Texas A&M University’s Department of Geology and Geophysics joined forces with Yanmei Li, Horacio Hernandez and Raul Miranda from Mexico’s University of Guanajuato (UGTO) to define the parameters of the diminishing water supply facing Guanajuato. Their findings revealed another huge problem—the quality of the water.

Knappett explains, “It’s a semiarid climate—getting less than twenty inches of rain per year. It doesn’t have rivers and is built on volcanic rock and sediment. Because 99 percent of the population is dependent on groundwater, a lot of things are driven by water scarcity. We wanted to understand how widespread this huge depletion in the aquifer is and how rapidly it is continuing to change.”

That 99 percent equals more than 500,000 people, and the population is growing. Industrial development is also on the rise, further complicating

Aquifers around the world are being depleted. For the farmers,

industrialists and residents relying on the Independence Aquifer

in Guanajuato, Mexico, depletion has become a million-dollar

question: When will the water run out?

the situation. But as one of Mexico’s top food-producing areas, Guanajuato’s dependence on irrigation decreases the water-table depth the most.

“Nobody we talk to really knows where the groundwater table used to be,” Knappett says, “but now the water table is typically 200 meters below the surface. It’s been documented that it has fallen over the last sixty years, and in some places the water-table depth can fall as much as four meters per year.”

99%

of the

population is

dependent on

groundwater.

19

Guanajuato, Mexico

20

Water QualityAt the same time, the general problem involves not just the amount of water available, but also the quality of that water.

Knappett’s description is chilling. “Even in the US there’s a lack of testing going on in ground water. Much of the Independence Aquifer has toxic levels of arsenic and fluoride. There are non-governmental organizations in Mexico working with communities whose kids’ teeth are falling out due to excessive amounts of fluoride in the drinking water. Fluoride especially affects young children’s bones, too. And we’re really part of the same geologic province, so arsenic, and to some extent fluoride, shows up through Central Mexico and into Texas.”

CooperationA long-term, cooperative approach was obviously the only way lasting change could occur, and it meant not only training, educating and developing up-to-date research methods, but also fostering solid relationships.

“The CONACYT grant really facilitated the research and the outcomes,” Giardino says, “providing us with the opportunity to build strong research and educational relationships with UGTO. It not only connected us, but also our students.”

Directly funded by the CONACYT grant, Li and her husband, Hernandez, brought fifteen undergraduate and graduate students from UGTO to Texas A&M for one week of training and hands on demonstrations with Knappett and A&M graduate students.

“The idea was to have a week of Texas A&M training,” Knappett says, “and then go down to Mexico. Students from both universities came

to campus every day and went to the Brazos River to do measurements on monitoring wells and measuring aquifer properties. Three months later, we all went down to work in the field together. Bonding had already taken place, so we could go straight to work.”

The relational focus of the project facilitated research goals while laying important groundwork for the future. Knappett believes that it is important to work with the University of Guanajuato and to have A&M students coming down with them together—there is local connection. The UGTO students live in that area and people know them and trust them—they went to high school together.

Sharing the KnowledgeThe cooperation doesn’t end in the field.

“We don’t just grab the data,” Knappett says. “We go back and share it. We’re providing communities and state government with information about the scope of the problem and the quality of the water they are drinking—which is something they didn’t know before. It allows them to plan for the future in terms of the investment they might have to make.”

As they pump the water table and start drawing water from much deeper in the aquifer—this volcanic, hot aquifer with water temperatures of 60 degrees Celsius—it could cause an upwelling of arsenic and fluoride.

Giardino adds, “We want to help the government solve the problem. Now we have a very good relationship with government officers—they have asked us to help them determine how to manage the problem. The CONACYT grant has been a catalyst. It started

Much of the

Independence

Aquifer has

toxic levels of

arsenic and

fluoride.

21

with two universities and has expanded to six universities, communities and non-governmental organizations. It’s provided us with the opportunity to go after other grants. We’ve built a strong relationship that will last over years.”

an upwelling of

ARSENIC FLUORIDE

and

Vulnerability Assessment of Surface

Water and Ground Water Resources

in the San Miguel de Allende Region in

the State of Guanajuato, Mexico: A Bi-

National Approach to Research and

Education

Peter S. KnappettDepartment of Geology and Geophysics Texas A&M University

John R. GiardinoDepartment of Geology and Geophysics Texas A&M University

Christopher A. HouserDepartment of Geography Texas A&M University

Jesus Horacio Hernandez AnguianoDepartment Ingenieria Geomatica e Hidraulica University of Guanajuato

Yanmei LiDepartment of Mine, Metallurgy and Geology Engineering University of Guanajuato

Raul Miranda AvilesDepartment of Mine, Metallurgy and Geology Engineering University of Guanajuato

21

22

Alloy Nanocat-alysts for Fuel Cell ElectrodesFUEL CELL

Building a better

George Haleb y

23

FUEL CELLThanks to a Texas A&M-CONACYT grant,

researchers from the United States and

Mexico are working together to improve

hydrogen fuel cells that could one day

diminish the world’s dependence on fossil

fuels while also reducing pollution.Led by Perla Balbuena, a professor in Texas A&M University’s Dwight Look College of Engineering, and Omar Solorza-Feria, a professor at the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) in Mexico City, the project is using different materials and techniques to make a key component of fuel cells—known as the catalyst—more effective, more durable and less expensive to produce.

Like batteries, fuel cells work by converting chemical energy into electricity. However, instead of having a fixed supply of chemicals stored inside like a battery, fuel cells use a constant flow of hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricty. This means that fuel cells produce electricity without pollution, with only water and a small amount of heat as by-products. “From the point of view of the environment this is good,” Balbuena said. “It doesn’t produce pollution.”

23

24

energy output while keeping fuel-cell production costs low enough to create a viable alternative energy source. In addition, the design would be durable because the bismuth structure is protected from the acidic membrane by its noble-metal coating.

The key is finding the best combination of materials and structure, which calls for researchers to test many different designs. This is time-consuming and expensive, which is why the project is using some of Texas A&M’s expertise and computing resources to test designs with computer simulations of chemical reactions. This saves time and money by allowing the researchers to test many combinations of structure, materials and environmental conditions.

Computer simulations will narrow prospective designs to a handful of top performers for further testing at CINVESTAV-IPN. After building prototypes of these catalysts, the research team will evaluate the designs with a series of tests. First, the team will use x-ray diffraction and a high-resolution transmission electron microscope to examine the catalyst’s tiny structures, morphology and chemical compositions; this will help the team to make sure it has produced

Fuel cellsThere are several types of fuel cells, each works in different conditions. The fuel cells Balbuena and Solorza-Feria are working on—proton exchange membrane fuel cells—work well at temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius. PEM fuel cells rely on a permeable membrane, which allows hydrogen ions to pass through to combine with oxygen with the help of a catalyst. The catalyst is made from nano-particles of noble metals, such as platinum or palladium and their alloys.

To be truly useful, fuel-cell designs need to balance their ability to generate electricity with durability and cost. They need to produce enough energy to power a car, be durable enough to keep working for years and be affordable for consumers. High production costs, mostly due to the use of platinum, have put a damper on fuel-cell adoption so far. To reduce costs, some designs use less expensive materials like iron, nickel or cobalt. But fuel-cell membranes are made of an acidic material. Catalysts made of these materials tend to dissolve. Those made of platinum or palladium, which are non-reactive, are more durable.

Balbuena and Solorza-Feria’s solution is to build a catalyst using a structure made of bismuth coated with a thin layer of nanometer-scale platinum or palladium particles. This would provide adequate

25

what it wants. After passing this thorough characterization, each prototype will go through various electrochemical tests, measuring how much energy it would produce and how much it is affected by an acidic environment.

After passing these tests, each catalyst will then be assembled with a proton exchange membrane and put into a housing to make a single and complete fuel-cell stack. The team will then install the stack in its custom-built test car and run a series of tests that mimic real-world conditions.

In addition, the collaboration benefits students at both universities. The project involves two to three graduate students, with occasional part-time undergraduate and visiting students. With research taking place in both countries, there is a great deal of communication between the schools. Balbuena said the most important aspect is the exchange of students. The grant, although limited, has allowed a student from Mexico to

come to College Station for six months, providing insight into both the research at hand and international collaboration in general.

This collaborative approach will help bridge the technological gap between the two countries and will advance technology on both sides of the border by developing human infrastructure through an integrated plan.

Alloy Nanocatalysts for Fuel Cell Electrodes

Perla B. BalbuenaDepartment of Chemical Engineering Texas A&M University

Omar Solorza-FerlaDepartment of Chemistry Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN)

Air pol lut ion in Mexico City

is a cont inuing concern for

c i t izens, health experts and

environmental ists .

26

Texas A&M University–CONACYT: Collaborative Research Grant Program

Texas A&M University and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) began the Collaborative Research Grant Program in 2001—fifteen years ago. To date, nearly 219 joint research teams from Texas A&M and Mexico have received more than $5 million in seed-funding under this program.

The program grew from mutually recognized interests in topics important to the United States and Mexico. The objectives of the program are to develop and sustain international research collaborations between Texas A&M, higher education institutions in Mexico, and CONACYT research centers; jointly author high-impact publications in leading professional journals or books; and submit joint proposals for external research funding from competitive grant agencies. The purpose of the competitive, peer-reviewed Collaborative

Research Grant Program is to advance inter-institutional cooperation in science, technology and scholarly activities through the complementary efforts of scientists and scholars from Texas A&M and Mexican institutions. A principal investigator is required from both Texas A&M and a CONACYT-registered institution.

Texas A&M is the state’s first public institution of higher education. With a student body of more than 59,000 and more than 5,200 acres on the College Station campus, Texas A&M is also among the nation’s largest universities. Texas A&M is dedicated to the discovery, development, communication and application of knowledge in a wide range of academic and professional fields. Its mission of providing the highest quality undergraduate and graduate programs is inseparable from its mission of developing new

more than

$5 MILLION in seed- funding

27

understandings through research and creativity. It prepares students to assume roles in leadership, responsibility and service to society. As one of only 62 members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), an association of leading public and private research universities in the United States and Canada, Texas A&M boasts some of the top programs in academic research and scholarship. Texas A&M is one of only 17 institutions in the nation to hold the triple designation as a land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant university and is an active member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) — a research, policy and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (the National Council of Science and Technology) (CONACYT) is Mexico’s entity in charge of the promotion of scientific and technological activities, setting government policies for these matters, and granting scholarships for postgraduate studies. It is the equivalent of the US National Science Foundation. It is officially designated as a decentralized public agency of Mexico’s federal government. CONACYT

grants scholarships for graduate studies (masters and doctoral) in Mexico for programs that have been recognized by CONACYT in the Registry of Quality Graduate Programs (PNPC). CONACYT also grants scholarships for Mexican nationals to pursue graduate studies in foreign countries and provides funding for postdoctoral positions and sabbatical leaves. In addition, CONACYT administers the National System of Researchers (SNI); manages programs to encourage industry and private sector involvement in science and technology research and development through the RENIECYT (National Registry of Institutions and Businesses in Science and Technology) to offer financing to technical and technological development projects; and manages 27 public research centers.

The program

grew from

mutually

recognized

interests

in topics

important to

the United

States and

Mexico.

28

Molecular Characterization of the Adverse Effects of Shift Work on Metabolic and Cardiovascular Functions

Jerome S. MenetTexas A&M University

Rudolf M. BuijsUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Immunogenetic Assessment of the Critically Endangered Totoaba Fish to Enhance Survival and Repopulation After Hatchery Rearing

Micheal CriscitielloTexas A&M University

Aldo A. Arvizu-FloresUniversidad de Sonora (UNISON)

Advanced Computational Methods for Detection of High-Risk Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaques Based on OpticalCoherence Tomography and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging

Javier JoTexas A&M University

Daniel Ulises Campos DelgadoUniversidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP)

The Mexican Plateau as a Center of Diversification for Arid Land Fauna: A Comparative Phylogeographic Study of Multiple Rodent Species

Jessica E. LightTexas A&M University

Jesús A. FernándezUniversidad Autonoma de Chihuahua (UACH)

Distribution patterns of anchialine fauna in the Yucatan Peninsula

Thomas IliffeTexas A&M at Galveston

Fernando AlvarezUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

2015 Awards

10 Projects Funded

29

2

Plastic in Diabesity—an Epigenetic Investigation

Mahua ChoudhuryTexas A&M University

Antonio De León RodríguezInstituto Potosino de Investigación Cientifica y Tecnologica (IPICYT)

Reactivity and Stability of Core-shell Nanocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Theory and Experiments

Perla B. BalbuenaTexas A&M University

Omar Solorza FeriaInvestigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Role of Flippase Proteins During Polarized Growth in Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora Crassa

Brian D. ShawTexas A&M University

Rosa R. Mouriño-PérezCentro de Investigación Científica y Educación superior de Ensenada (CICESE)

Development of High Throughput DNA Sequencing Genomic Tools for Conservation Genomics of the Critically Endangered Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii): A Binational Genomic Monitoring Effort for Nesting Populations in Tamaulipas and Texas

Luis A. Hurtado Texas A&M University

Miguel Angel Reyes LópezInstituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)

Antibody-guided Vaccination to Prevent Coccidial Infections in Poultry—Correlation with Xanthophyll Absorption, an Indicator for Gut Health

Luc BerghmanTexas A&M University

Xochitl Hernandez-VelascoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Special Research Programs

Characterization of Population Genetic Structures and Outbreak biotopes of the Central American Locust (Schistocerca piceifrons piceifrons) Using Novel and Integrative Technologies

Hojun SongTexas A&M University

María Guadalupe Galindo MendozaUniversidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP)

Microcapsule Delivery Platform to Enhance Immune Protection against Brucellosis

Thomas A. FichtTexas A&M University

Francisco Suárez GuemesUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Special Projects Funded

30

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated to Growth, Fertility and First-calf Survival Traits in Brangus Heifers Managed Under Semi-arid Extensive Conditions in Southern Sonora

David G. RileyTexas A&M University

Pablo Luna NevárezInstituto Tecnológico de Sonora (ITSON)

High-performance Electrode Architecture for Lithium–Air Batteries

Partha P. MukherjeeTexas A&M University

Abel Hernández-GuerreroUniversidad de Guanajuanto (UGTO)

Nanoclusters for the De-sulfurization of Heavy Oils

Jorge M. SeminarioTexas A&M University

Donald H. GalvanUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Vulnerability Assessment of Surface Water and Ground Water Resources in the Guanajuato-San Miguel de Allende region of Mexico: A Bi-national Approach to Research and Education

John R. GiardinoTexas A&M University

Horacio HernandezUniversidad of Guanajuato (UGTO)

An Investigation of the Effects of an Intensive Science and Social Shared-Reading Curriculum on Spanish-speaking Children’s Oral Language Development

Cynthia Riccio Texas A&M University

Gabriela Lopez Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM)

Deep-tissue Optical Stimulation of Neural Tissue

Vladislav YakovlevTexas A&M University

Rubén Ramos García

Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE)

Future Climate Change Impacts on Agroclimate and Surface Hydrology: Case Studies in Baja California (Mexico) and Texas

Huilin GaoTexas A&M University

Francisco BautistaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Identification of Mycoplasma genitalium and its Correlates in Mexican Women

Brandie D. TaylorTexas A&M University

Fernando Martín Guerra-InfanteInstituto Nacional de Perinatología

2014 Awards

11 Projects Funded

31

Can Vegetation Reduce Sand Dune Erosion in the Gulf of Mexico? A Bi-national Research Experiment and Student Exchange

Rusty A. FeaginTexas A&M University

Maria Luisa MartinezInstituto de Ecologìa A.C. (INECOL)

Role of CRAC Channels in Control of Inflammation

Shenyuan ZhangTexas A&M University

Roberto Carlos Munoz GarayUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Preliminary Study to Detect Aflatoxin and Fumonisin Co-exposure in a Mexican Population from the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Mexico

Timothy D. PhillipsTexas A&M University

Alicia G. Marroquín CardonaUniversidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Special Research Programs

An Alternative Use of Horticultural Crops: Stressed Plants as Biofactories of Health Promoting Compounds Targeting High Value Health Markets for the US-Mexican Trade

Luis Cisneros-Zevallos Texas A&M University

Daniel Alberto Jacobo-Velázquez Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM)

Characterization of Resistance to Root- and Foliage-Feeding Insects in Maize Breeding Lines, Landraces and Wild Ancestors

Julio S. Bernal Texas A&M University

Ruairidh Sawers Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

2 Special Projects Funded

32

Alloy Nanocatalysts with Porous Structures for Fuel Cells

Perla B. BalbuenaTexas A&M University

Omar Solorza FeriaCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Poorly Crystalline Nanoparticles Formed in Acid Mine Drainages and Their Effects on Arsenic Speciation, Transformation and Transport in a Limestone Environment

Youjun DengTexas A&M University

Maria Aurora ArmientaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

The Entomopathogen Beauveria Bassiana as a Beneficial Endophyte in Cotton

Gregory A. SwordTexas A&M University

Patricia Taméz Guerra Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (FCB-UANL)

Power-Efficient High-Performance Sigma–Delta Digitizers with Decimating Filter for Wireless Communication Systems

Jose Silva-MartinezTexas A&M University

Gordana Jovanovic DolecekInstituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE)

2013 Awards

10 Projects Funded

33

Developing Genetic Markers to Assess Population Structure, Connectivity, Effective Population Size and Genetic Traceability of Gulf Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) in Mexican and US Waters of the Gulf of Mexico

John R. GoldTexas A&M University

Axayácatl Rocha-Olivares

Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)

Next-Generation Genomic Tools for Management and Conservation of Wild and Domestic Stocks of the Channel Catfish Ictalurus Punctatus, an Important Aquaculture Species in Southern US and Northeast Mexico

Luis A. HurtadoTexas A&M University

Gaspar Manuel Parra BracamonteInstituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)

Torrefaction of Agricultural Biomass for Enhancing the Energy Content of Fuels Utilizing Global Warming CO2 gas

Devesh RanjanTexas A&M University

Victor Hugo Rangel HernandezUniversity of Guanajuato (UGTO)

Ecology and Epidemiology of Chagas Disease across a Transnational Gradient

Sarah HamerTexas A&M University

Virgilio Bocanegra GarciaInstituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)

Development of Phage Cocktail for Prophylaxis of Travelers’ Diarrhea

Ryland F. Young IIITexas A&M University

Gabriel Guarneros-PeñaCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Reducing the Dependence on Fishmeal by using Plant Protein Feedstuffs in the Diets of Sciaenid Species for Enhanced Aquacultural Production

Delbert M. Gatlin IIITexas A&M University

Martin Perez-VelázquezUniversidad de Sonora (UNISON)

Special Research Programs

Social Selection and Functional Constraints on Morphological Diversification in Xiphophorus Fishes

Gil Rosenthal Texas A&M University

Guillermina Alcaraz Zubeldia Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

PET- and PDT-based Approaches for Diagnostics and Treatment of Melanoma In Vivo

Kevin Burgess Texas A&M University

Eduardo Peña CabreraUniversidad de Guanajuato (UGTO)

2 Special Projects Funded

34

Thermography-based System for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

Sheng-Jen HsiehTexas A&M University

Carmen Clapp Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) 

An Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Agricultural Pesticides and Persistent Organic Pollutants on Neotropical Birds During Migration

Miguel A. MoraTexas A&M University

Jorge A. Navarro AlbertoUniversidad Autónoma de Yucatán

Characterization of Nano-precipitates in NiTi (Zr,Hf) High Temperature Shape Memory Alloys

Ibrahim KaramanTexas A&M University

Francisco Javier Espinoza BeltránCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Role of Microvesicles from Breast Cancer Cells Stimulated with Linoleic Acid as Inductor of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Epithelial Cells

Weston PorterTexas A&M University

Jose-Eduardo Perez-Salazar Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-PIN)

2012 Awards

10 Projects Funded

Characterization of Defense Mechanisms in the Green Microalgae Botryococcus Braunii

Timothy P. DevarenneTexas A&M University

Edmundo Lozoya GloriaCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

35

Nearshore Physical Processes, Contamination and Macroalgae and Invertebrate Communities in a Threatened Bay in Baja California, Mexico

Ayal AnisTexas A&M University

Lydia LadahCentro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)

Expanding Native Marine Fish Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico: Unraveling the Early Development of the Common Snook (Centropomus Undecimalis) through International Collaboration

Kevin W. ConwayTexas A&M University

Carlos Alfonso Alvarez GonzálezUniversidad Juarez Autónoma de Tabasco

Novel Algorithms for Quantitative Molecular Imaging with Multispectral Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy

Javier A. JoTexas A&M University

Daniel Ulises Campos DelgadoUniversidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí

Exploring the Use of Endosymbiotic Bacteria (Genus Wolbachia) to Control Fruit Fly Pests of Anastrepha Genus in Mexico

Mariana MateosTexas A&M University

José Pablo Liedo FernándezEl Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) 

What Promotes Species Diversification in Anchialine Habitats?

Thomas M. IliffeTexas A&M University at Galveston

Fernando AlvarezUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Special Research Programs

Elucidating the Pathobiology of Muscular Dystrophies: Regulation of Intracellular Ca2+ in the Drosophila Model of Dystroglycanopathies

Vlad Panin Texas A&M University

Agustín Guerrero-Hernández Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Generation of a Cross-protective Vaccine Against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus

Waithaka Mwangi Texas A&M University

Jesús Hernández Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD)

2 Special Projects Funded

36

Detoxify Atoxins by Integrating Mexican Food Processing Traditions and Advances in New Findings on Clay-Mycotoxin Interactions

Youjun Deng Texas A&M University

Maria Guadalupe Tenorio Arvide Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

Development of Tuna Larviculture Protocols: Toward Responsible Tuna Mariculture

Frances Gelwick Texas A&M University

Dariel Tovar Ramirez Centro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIB)

Investigating the Role of Endosymbionts in Mexico and Texas Populations of the Potato Psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli), Vector of Zebra Chip Disease in Relevance to Fitness of the Insect

Cecilia Tamborindeguy Texas A&M University

Norma Elena Leyva Lopez Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR)

High Gain DC-DC Converters for PV Systems

Prasad Enjeti Texas A&M University

Jaime Eugenio Arau Roffiel CENIDET

Modeling Selective Growth of Carbon Nanotubes for Electronic Devices

Perla B. Balbuena Texas A&M University

Juan Francisco Javier Alvarado Instituto Tecnológico de Celaya (ITC)

Persuasive Health Games with Wearable Sensors

Ricardo Gutierrez-Osuna Texas A&M University

Isaac Rudomin Instituto Technologico de Monterry, Campus Estado de México (ITESM-CEM)

Collaborative Research: Controlling Diffusion of Indium in Metal/dielectric/InGaAs Nanofilms

Raymundo Arroyave Texas A&M University

Alberto Herrera-Gomez Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Improving Welfare, Physiology and Carcass Quality Through Management in Broiler Chickens

Ciro A. Ruiz-Feria Texas A&M University

Arturo Pro Martinez Centro de Ganaderia, Colegio de Postgraduados (COLPOS)

2011 Awards

16 Projects Funded

37

Diagnostics of Potential for Bacterial Colonization and Study of Virulence Factors in Bacterial Pathogens on Fresh Produce During Export from Mexico to the USA

Alejandro Castillo Texas A&M University

Elisa Cabrera-Díaz Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA)

Midgut Receptors of Bt Toxin(s) in North American Populations of Helicoverpa zea: Markers Development for Resistance Diagnostics Kits

Patricia V. Pietrantonio Texas A&M University

Patricia Tamez Guerra Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

Genomic and Immunogenetic Tools for Aquacultured Shrimp Disease Resistance

Michael F. Criscitiello Texas A&M University

Rogerio R. Sotelo-Mundo Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD)

Typing Virulent Isolates of Lyme Disease Agents in Central Mexico

Albert Mulenga Texas A&M University

Javier Torres López Coordinación de Investigación en Salud, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS)

Nutritional Manipulation as a Health Management Tool for the Yellowtail Kingfish, Seriola ialandi

Chris Bailey Texas A&M University

Juan Pablo Lazo Corvera Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

Screening for Caterpillar and Spider-mite Resistance Among Balsas Teosinte Populations and Corn Landraces to Improve Corn Resistance to Insects

Julio Bernal Texas A&M University

Ricardo Ramirez Romero Universidad de Guadalajara

Non-traditional Approaches in the Development of Fuel Cells: Surface Implantation of Biological Catalysts on Inexpensive Electrodes

Manuel P. Soriaga Texas A&M University

Nikola Batina Skeledzija Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa

Seafloor Imaging of Alacran Reef and Related Features

Niall Slowey Texas A&M University

Pedro Luis Ardisson Herrera Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

38

Fatty Acid-CoA Ligase (ACL) as a Novel Drug Target in Giardia intestinalis

Guan Zhu Texas A&M University

M. Guadalupe Ortega Pierres Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Converting Tuna By-products Into Value Added Ingredients and Products

Robert R. Stickney Texas A&M University

Maria Teresa Viana Castrillon Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC)

Prevalence and Characterization of Hantaviruses and Arenaviruses in Wild and Peridomestic Settings of Northeastern Mexico

Thomas E. Lacher Texas A&M University

Iván Castro-Arellano Instituto Tecnológico de Ciudad Victoria

Enterosorbent Applications to Reduce Food-borne Exposure to Mercury and Aflatoxins in Cultured Fish

Timothy D. Phillips Texas A&M University

Roberto Civera Centro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

An Assessment of Mercury Contamination in Fish and Wildlife of Lake Chapala: Implications for Human and Environmental Health

Miguel A. Mora Texas A&M University

Dioselina Álvarez Bernal Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Regional (CIIDIR)

Use of Molecular Genetics to Characterize Population-genetic Differences Between Long-fin Amberjack from Hawaii and Mexico

John R. Gold Texas A&M University

Ricardo Vazquez Juarez Centro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

A Preliminary Health Assessment of Cultured Pacific Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus orientalis

William H. Neill Texas A&M University

Felipe Ascencio Valle Centro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

Hydrodynamics of a High-Altitude Tropical Crater-Lake Ecosystem

Ayal Anis Texas A&M University at Galveston

Anatoliy Filonov Universidad de Guadalajara (UCG)

2010 Awards

18 Projects Funded

39

Sustainable Practices in Heritage Urban Centers: Strategies for Rehabilitation and Energy Efficiency in Historic and Vernacular Buildings

Robert Warden Texas A&M University

Abel Hernandez-Guerrero Universidad de Guanajuato (UGTO)

Next Generation Heterogeneous Wireless Access Networks: Supporting Mobility, Security and Roaming

Alex Sprintson Texas A&M University

Javier Gomez Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Assessment of Health Literacy for Improved Diabetes Self-Management and Outcomes: A Bi-National Comparison of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans

Ranjita Misra Texas A&M University

Roxana Valdes Ramos Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEMEX)

Modeling and Analysis of Interdependent Cyber-Physical Systems with Applications to Power Grids

Chanan Singh Texas A&M University

Ernesto Vasquez Martinez Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Isotope Effects and the Mechanism of the Baeyer-Villiger and Related Oxidation Reactions in Water

Daniel A. Singleton Texas A&M University

Juan Raul Alvarez-Idaboy Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Origin and Role in Exchange Bias of Uncompensated Magnetization in Antiferromagnets

Igor V. Roshchin Texas A&M University

Aldo Humberto Romero Castro Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Development of Packaging Designs to Facilitate Adoption of E-Beam Irradiation of Fresh Cut Produce and Fruits

Suresh D. Pillai Texas A&M University

Jesús Leobardo Valenzuela García Universidad de Sonora (USON)

Impact of US-Mexico Border Transport of Ozone and its Precursors on Attainment of the Proposed 2010 NAAQS

Renyi Zhang Texas A&M University

Gilberto Velazquez Angulo Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juarez (UACJ)

Generation of a Cross-protective Vaccine Against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus

Waithaka Mwangi Texas A&M University

Jesús Hernández Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD)

Characterization of New Transport Molecules that Function in the Unconventional Transport and Secretion of the Rotavirus Enterotoxin, NSP4

Judith M. Ball Texas A&M University

Susana Lopez Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

40

The Evolving Coastline of the Gulf of Mexico: How Does the Salinity Tolerance of Mangroves Impact Coastal Community Structure?

Anna R. Armitage Texas A&M University at Galveston

Jorge A. López-Portillo Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL)

A Unified Approach (Chemical, Plant, Microbial) for Optimized Reclamation of Metal Contaminated Soils

Richard H. LoeppertTexas A&M University

Rogelio Carrillo González Colegio de Postgraduados (CP)

Characterization of Endosymbiotic Bacteria Associated with Fruit Fly Pests of Anastrepha Genus in Mexico

Mariana Mateos Texas A&M University

Jorge Toledo

El Colegio de la Frontera Sur ((ECOSUR)

Quantifying the Contribution of Major Emission Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds to Ozone Air Pollution in the Mexico City Metropolitan Zone

Qi Ying Texas A&M University

Humberto Bravo Alvarez, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Adaptation of Biotechnologies for Reproduction of Cattle in the Tropics

Thomas H. Welsh, Jr. Texas A&M University

Salvador Romo-Garcia Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Macrofaunal Species Boundaries in the Sigsbee Abyssal Plain, Gulf of Mexico

Anja SchulzeTexas A&M University at Galveston

Elva Escobar Briones Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

2009 Awards

16 Projects Funded

41

Nutritional Research as a Health Management Tool for the Mexican Long-Fin Amberjack

Christopher Bailey Texas A&M University

Roberto Civera Centro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

Catalytic Routes to Highly Fluorescent Probes

Kevin Burgess Texas A&M University

Eduardo Pena-CabreraUniversidad of Guanajuato (UGTO)

Strengthening the Mexican and US Tropical Fruit Industry by Developing Value-added Processed Products and By-products as Functional Foods for Protection against Cardiovascular Disease

Luis Cisneros-Zevallos Texas A&M University

Carmen Hernandez-BrenesInstituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM-Campus Monterrey)

A Preliminary Assessment of Protein Synthesis Using Deuterated Water: A Novel Approach to Characterize Growth of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

James D. FluckeyTexas A&M University

Dariel Tovar Ramirez Centro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

Risk and Reliability-Based Criteria Applied to Optimal Decision-Making for Bridge Maintenance

Monique Hite Texas A&M University

David De León Escobedo Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM)

Development of Molecular Markers to Assess Population Genetic Differentiation and Conduct QTL Studies in the Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus, An Important Commercial Fishery in Mexico and the US

Luis A. Hurtado Texas A&M University

Fernando Alvarez Noguera Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Intelligent Control of Building Structures Subjected to Earthquakes

Reza Langari Texas A&M University

Wen Y Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN)

Developing Collaborative Relationships to Promote Multiple Land Uses: Case Study from Wildlife Ecology

Michael L. Morrison Texas A&M University

José I. González Rojas Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Investigating Dynamic Fracture Toughness of Composite Materials

Jyhwen Wang Texas A&M University

Carlos Rubio-González Centro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI)

Inter-American Philosophy Project

Gregory F. Pappas Texas A&M University

Guillermo Hurtado Pérez Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

42

Fluxes and Transport Mechanisms on Continental Shelves

Ayal Anis Texas A&M University at Galveston

Anatoliy Filonov Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG)

Size-dependent Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Antiferromagnets and Ferromagnets With Reduced Dimensionality

Igor V. RoshchiTexas A&M University

Aldo Humberto Romero Castro Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Semiochemicals in Pecan Integrated Pest Management to Promote Industry and Environment Health in Texas and Mexico

Marvin Harris Texas A&M University

Irasema Vargas Arispuro Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD)

Healing Strategies for Broadband Mobile Wireless Communication System

Jose Silva-MartinezTexas A&M University

Alejandro Diaz-SanchezInstituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE)

Ontogeny of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Tunas: Basic Research to Improve Larval Survival and Hatchery Efficiency

Delbert M. Gatlin III Texas A&M University

Maria Teresa Viana Castrillon Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC)

The Tuna Aquaculture Research Consortium: Organized and Applied Science to Resolve Critical Problems. Preventing Bioaccumulation of Mercury in Cultured Tuna

William H. Neill Texas A&M University

Felipe Ascencio ValleCentro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

2008 Awards

15 Projects Funded

43

Micro Welding of Advanced Aluminum Graphite Composites

Wayne N.P. Hung Texas A&M University

Mauricio Garza Corporación Mexicana de Investigación en Materiales, S.A. de C.V. (COMIMSA)

Manufacturing Improvements through Coupled Models and Controls

Tamás Kalmár-Nagy Texas A&M University

Juan Carlos Jáuregui Correa Centro de Tecnología Avanzada de Querétaro (CIATEQ)

An Economic Assessment of Mexican Manufacturing When Incorporating Distribution Costs

Michael D. Johnson Texas A&M University

Graciela González-Farías Centro de Investigación en Matemáticas, A.C. (CIMAT)

Experimental and Theoretical Characterization of Ferroelastic Domain Switching of Ferroelectric Ceramics Induced by Contact Mechanic Experiments

Tahir Cagin Texas A&M University

Juan Muñoz-Saldaña Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Stygobitic Crustacea from the Texas-Mexico Border Region: A Binational Fauna?

Thomas M. Iliffe Texas A&M University at Galveston

Fernando Alvarez Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Biomarkers and Bioassays to Examine the Health of Highly Genetically Differentiated Populations of the Coastal Isopod Ligia occidentalis Endemic to Mexico and US Rocky Intertidal Pacific Shores

Luis A. Hurtado Texas A&M University

Jaqueline García-Hernández Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD)

Thermal Stability and Mass Transport in Nanofilms

Raymundo Arroyave Texas A&M University

Alberto Herrera-Gomez, Centro de Investigación y de

Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV)

Enhancing the Anticancer Potential of Phytochemicals Obtained from Indigenous Plants of the Mexican-USA Border

Daniel Romo Texas A&M University

Elsa M. Guajardo Touché Escuela de Biotecnología y Salud (EBA)

Creation of a Process to Identify Culturally Appropriate Food Products, Nutritional Intervention Strategies and Educational/Marketing Messages for Economically and Culturally Transitional Populations

Rosemary L. Walzem RD Texas A&M University

Salvador Francisco Villalpando Hernandez MDInstituto Nacional de Salud Pública {INSP)

44

Development of an Ultrasonic Technique for Monitoring Damage of Overhead Power Lines

Stefan HurlebausTexas A&M University

Arturo Baltazar HerrejónCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)

Collaborative Research: Computational Modeling and Experimental Verification of

Solidification and Microstructural Evolution of Al-Si-Sr Alloys

Yongmei M. JinTexas A&M University

Gerardo TrápagaCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN)

An Optimal Plant Laying-out Approach Based on Process Safety Issues

M. Sam MannanTexas A&M University

Richart Vázquez RománInstituto Tecnologico de Celaya (ITC)

Enhancing Vaccine Efficacy against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus by Dendritic Cell Antigen Targeting

Waithaka MwangiTexas A&M University

Jesus HernandezCentro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo (CIAD)

Pollutant Dispersion in Coastal Waters and Reef Systems

Ayal Anis Texas A&M University at Galveston

David Alberto Salas-de-LeónUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Arginine and Glutamine Metabolism in Cultured Fish: Growth, Biosynthesis and Homeostasis

Duncan S. MackenzieTexas A&M University

Dariel Tovar-RamirezCentro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

Interactions Between Fish and Microbes Within Aquatic Systems and their Effects on Ecosystem Services to Humans

Frances GelwickTexas A&M University

Karim Acuna-AskarUniversidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Design for Remote Monitoring, Control and Diagnosis of Automated Assembly System

Sheng-Jen HsiehTexas A&M University

Jesús Carlos Pedraza OrtegaCentro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI)

2007 Awards

16 Projects Funded

45

Applying Science to Resolve Critical Problems of the Tuna Industry: Optimized Technology and Sustainability for Yellowfin Tuna Ranching in Baja, Mexico

William H. NeillTexas A&M University

Felipe Ascencio ValleCentro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

Towards Target Validation of Proteins for the Control of the Cattle Fever Tick Boophilus microplus, Phase I: Development of Gene Silencing Techniques (RNA Interference) and Supporting Protocols for Legumains and G Protein-coupled Receptors

Patricia V. PietrantonioTexas A&M University

Consuelo Almazán GarcíaUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas (UAT)

Calibration of Ultrasonic Transducers for a Pipeline Inspection Device Station

Angie Hill PriceTexas A&M University

Carlos Rubio-GonzálezCentro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI)

Keeping of Underwater Robotic Vehicles

Othon RediniotisTexas A&M University

Tomás Salgado JiménezCentro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI)

Designing Sorghum and Sorghum Production Systems for the Biofuels Industry

William L. RooneyTexas A&M University

Sergio Serna-SaldivarInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

FLOO - Fluxes Linking Offshore and Onshore: Transport of Pollutants, Nutrients and Larvae, and the Effect on Ecologically and Economically Important Benthic Species

Gilbert T. RoweTexas A&M University at Galveston

Lydia B. LadahCentro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)

Electron Beam Pasteurization of Fresh Produce to Eliminate Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Hepatitis A Virus Contamination and Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Electronically Pasteurized Fresh Produce in Mexico

Suresh D. PillaiTexas A&M University

Marisa Mazari HiriartUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Studies on the Biology of Meliutobia Parasitoid Wasps in Mexico, A Possible Emerging Control of Mexican Fruit Flies and/or Mushroom Flies

Brad VinsonTexas A&M University

Martín AlujaInstituto de Ecología, Unidad de Entomología Aplicada (INECOL-UEA)

$

46

Evaluation of Phenolics, Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties of Sorghums

Lloyd RooneyTexas A&M University

Sergio Serna-SaldivarInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Preventing Colibacillosis Diarrhea in Bovine Calves with Anti-F5 Recombinant Antibodies Produced in Rice Plants

Gerald WagnerTexas A&M University

Alfredo Sahagun RuizUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Hybrid Active Imaging Techniques for Potato Inspection

Sheng-Jen HsiehTexas A&M University

Ismael Lopez-JuarezCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)

Synthesis of Three Term Controllers Free of Analytical Model Acronym: SCFAM

Shankar BhattacharyyaTexas A&M University

Maria Cristina Verde RodarteUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

An Integrated Assessment of Cross-Border Land and Water-Use Changes in the Lower Rio Grande/Bravo Valley Since 1990

Wendy Jepson, Christian BrannstromTexas A&M University

Gustavo Garza, Casey WalshUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Combating Failures and Malicious Attacks in Communication Networks

Luis Cisneros-ZevallosTexas A&M University

Carmen Hernandez-BrenesInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Electrochemical Technology Development for Micro/nano Manufacturing

Wayne HungTexas A&M University

Luis Godinez Mora-TovarCentro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Electroquímica (CIDETEQ)

Estimating the Non-monetary and Monetary Burden of Taenia solium Cysticercosis in Mexico

Christine BudkeTexas A&M University

Ana FlisserUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

2006 Awards

16 Projects Funded

47

Microbiological Safety of Fresh and Fresh-Cut Produce

Alejandro CastilloTexas A&M University

Alejandro Lopez-MaloUniversidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP)

New Solutions to Solving Sea Turtle Bycatch from Fisheries Industry Gear in Both US and Mexican Waters

Christopher MarshallTexas A&M University at Galveston

Axayacatl Rocha-OlivaresCentro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)

Phytoremediation: Merging Biotechnology and Native Species

Marla BinzelTexas A&M University

Omar PantojaInstituto de BioTecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (IBUNAM)

Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Accumulation by the American Oyster Crassostrea virginica in the Pueblo Viejo Lagoon, Veracruz and Laguna Madre, Tamaulipas

Luis CifuentesTexas A&M University

Felipe de Jesus Carrillo RomoCentro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada Unidad Altamira, Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CICATA Altamira-IPN)

High Efficiency Air Cleaning Cyclone Separators

Yassin HassanTexas A&M University

Claudia del Carmen Gutierrez-TorresInstituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)

Retrieval and Interpretation of Shared Cultural Memory from the New Spain Collections of the Cushing Library (Texas A&M) and the Biblioteca Cervantina (Tec de Monterrey)

Nancy Dyer, Gregory CuellarTexas A&M University

Blanca Guadalupe Lopez MoraleInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios

Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Strengthening the Mexican and US-Avocado Industry by Developing Value-added Processed

Avocados and By-products as Functional Foods for Protection

Against Cardiovascular Disease

Luis Cisneros-ZevallosTexas A&M University

Carmen Hernandez-BrenesInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Improving the Fatty Acid Composition and Shelf-life Stability in Eggs and Poultry Meat from Poultry Fed with Dietary Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Marcos Sanchez-PlataTexas A&M University

Ernesto Avila GonzalezUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

48

Development, Calibration and Implementation of a Micro-Scale Flow Meter

Jorge AlvaradoTexas A&M University

Jose Mireles, Jr. Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ)

Developing Environmentally Friendly Management Technologies for Emerging Insect Pests of Tequila Agave

S. VinsonTexas A&M University

Hector Gonzalez-HernandezColegio de Postgraduados (CP)

Development of Brucella canis virB Mutants and its Study in a Cellular Model

Thomas FichtTexas A&M University

Efren Diaz-AparicioInstituto Nacional de Investigaciónes Forestales Agricolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP)

Association of Natural Disease Resistance in Cattle and Macrophage Inflammatory Gene Expression Profiles

Leslie G. Adams Texas A&M University

Jose Gutierrez-Pabello Médico Veterinario Zootecnista (FMVZ-UNAM)

Comparing Combustion and Syngas Processes using Petroleum Coke (Pet-Coke) and Coal for Industrial Heat and Power Generation

Christine Ehlig-EconomidesTexas A&M University

Alberto Mendoza, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de

Monterrey (ITESM)

Integrated Pest Management for Pecans in the Laguna Region of Coahuila

Julio BernalTexas A&M University

Enrique Aranda-HerreraInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

2005 Awards

15 Projects Funded

49

Mango Slices Dryer Using Continuously Fed Air Heated by Solar Energy

Chii-Der SuhTexas A&M University

Martin Baltazar LopezCentro Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico (CENIDET)

Facial Caricaturing as a Training Tool for Security

Ricardo Gutierrez-OsunaTexas A&M University

Isaac Rudomin Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM Campus Estado de México)

Green Electronalytical Chemistry: Remote Trace-Level Selenium Sensor

Manuel SoriagaTexas A&M University

Nikola Batina Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM)

Investigation of Fuel Cells for Distributed Energy

Prasad EnjetiTexas A&M University

Jaime ArauCentro Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico (CENIDET)

Optimization Algorithms for Network Design and Data Processing in Remote Sensing

Sergiy ButenkoTexas A&M University

Yuriy ShkvarkoCenter for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV)

Use of Precision Agriculture Technologies to Reduce the Overuse and Degradation of Water in Pecan Production

Stephen SearcyTexas A&M University

Juvenal Gutierrez-CastilloTecnológico de Monterrey

Quantifying Health Risks in Mexico Associated with Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables via Pathogens in Irrigation Water

Suresh PillaiTexas A&M University

Ilangovan KuppusamyInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Validation and Development of Diagnostic Assays for Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infections

Allison Rice-FichtTexas A&M University

Gilberto Chavez GrisUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Vitrification of in vivo and in vitro-Derived Brahman Cattle Embryos

Duane KraemerTexas A&M University

Salvador RomoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

50

Design of an Electronic Nose for Hydrogen Measurement in Liquid Aluminum Alloys for the Casting Industry

Ricardo Gutierrez-OsunaTexas A&M University

Ismael Lopez-JuarezCentro de Investigaciónes y Asistencia Técnica del Estado de Querétaro (CIATEQ)

Insecticidal Agents Based on Neuropeptide Analogs Containing beta-Amino Acids

S. VinsonTexas A&M University

Eusebio JuaristiCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN)

Promoting Organic Coffee Production in Chiapas through Pest Management, Agronomic and Economic Research

Julio S. BernalTexas A&M University

Juan F. Barrera GaytanEl Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR)

Determinants, Outcomes and Burden of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease among Mexicans and Mexican Americans: Need for a Public and Private Sector Partnership

Ranijta MisraTexas A&M University

Roxana Valdes-RamosUniversidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM)

Development of Automation Technique for Microrobotic Applications

Wayne P. HungTexas A&M University

Francisco J. Ruiz-SanchezCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)

Effect of Electronic Pasteurization on Nutritional Properties and Shelf-life of Pecan Kernels

Leonardo LombardiniTexas A&M University

Uriel Figueroa ViramontesInstituto Nacional de Investigaciónes Forestales Agricolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP)

Improving the Security of Food Products Through the Use of Antimicrobial Substances in Combination with Novel Processing Technologies

Luis Cisneros-ZevallosTexas A&M University

Carmen Hernandez-BrenesInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

2004 Awards

13 Projects Funded

51

National Security Enhancement Through Pecan IPM Research and Program Development in Mexico and Texas

Marvin K. HarrisTexas A&M University

Agustin C. FuInstituto Nacional de Investigaciónes Forestales Agricolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP)

New Organometallic Precursors for the Deposition of Pnictogen-chalcogenide Thin Films

David GoodmanTexas A&M University

Pankaj SharmaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Sea Water Upcoming under Pumping Horizontal Wells in Coastal Aquifers

Hongbin ZhanTexas A&M University

Rogelio Vazquez-GonzalezCentro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)

The Natural Enemies of Rhagoletis spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Mexico, with Emphasis on the Apple Maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella

Robert WhartonTexas A&M University

Martin AlujaInstitute of Ecology (INECOL)

Ultrasonic Technology for Waste Water Disinfection

Suresh PillaiTexas A&M University

Ilangovan KuppusamyInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

A Recombinant Vaccine for Simultaneous Protection of Goats Against Brucellosis and Orf L.

Garry AdamsTexas A&M University

Alberto Morales-LoredoInstituto Nacional de Investigaciónes Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP)

52

Ecology, Biodiversity and Hydrology of Anchialine Caves: the Ox Bel Ha System, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Thomas M. IliffeTexas A&M University at Galveston

Fernando AlvarezUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Encyrtid Parasitoids of Mealybugs in Mexico

James B. WoolleyTexas A&M University

Alejandro Gonzalez HernandezUniversidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Biodiversity Assessment and Community Ecology of Yucatan Wetland Fish Assemblages

Thomas J. DeWittTexas A&M University

Luis ZambranoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Development of Biotechnological Tools to Aid in Stock Delineation in California Pacific Sardine

John R. GoldTexas A&M University

Axayacatl Rocha-OlivaresCentro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)

Development of a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Method for Detecting Enterobacter Sakazakii in Infant Milk Formulas

Alejandro CastilloTexas A&M University

Rosalba Gutierrez RojoCentro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco (CIATEJ)

Dynamic Failure of a Thermally Efficient Structural Dome

Paul N. RoschkeTexas A&M University

Francisco Yeomans ReynaInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

2003 Awards

16 Projects Funded

53

Experimental Study of Drag Reduction within Boundary Layer Using Particle Image Velocimetry and Hot Film Measurement Techniques

Yassin A. HassanTexas A&M University

Javier Ortiz-VillafuerteInstituto Nacional de Investigaciónes Nucleares (ININ)

In Vitro Fertilization in the Horse

Katrin HinrichsTexas A&M University

Salvador RomoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Production and Evaluation of Brucella Melitensis Native Hapten Conjugated with Gluorescein Isotiocianate for the Diagnosis of Brucellosis by the Fluorescent Polarized Assay

L. Garry AdamsTexas A&M University

Ricardo Gomez FlorezUniversidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Puebla Center for Engineering Education

Cesar O. MalaveTexas A&M University

Enrique PalouUniversidad de las Americas

Puebla Design and Analysis of Dual Tube Hydroforming Process

Jyhwen WangTexas A&M University

Carlos AcostaUniversidad de las Americas

Regulation of H+ Pumps by Vacuolar H+ Dependent Transporters?

Marla L. BinzelTexas A&M University

Omar PantojaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

New Approaches to Provide Electric Energy by Alternative Renewable Resources (ARR)

Prasad N. EnjetiTexas A&M University

Jose L. Duran-GomezInstituto Technologico de Chihuahua

Strategic Research to Increase Fisheries Productivity and Strengthen the Tuna Aquaculture Industry in Northwest Mexico: The Yellowfin Tuna Plan

William H. NeillTexas A&M University

Alejandro Buentello-GarciaCentro de Investigaciónes Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR)

Strategies for Sustainable Management of Fisheries Resources in Durango, Mexico

Frances I. GelwickTexas A&M University

Leticia Mar TovarUniversidad Autónoma de Sinaloa (UAS)

Understanding Individual, Social, Cultural, Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in Mexicans and Mexican Americans: A Pilot Study

Nilesh S. ChatterjeeTexas A&M University

Rafael Chome NaviaUniversidad Autónoma De Coahuila (UACOAH)

54

Information Theory to Forest Genomics

Claire WilliamsTexas A&M University

M. Humberto Reyes ValdesUniversidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro (UAAAN)

Investigation of the Physical and Biogeochemical Processes in Valle de Bravo Freshwater Reservoir

Ayal AnisTexas A&M University at Galveston

Martin MerinoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Methane in Marine Karst Environments: A Joint US/Mexico Interdisciplinary Program

Mahlon Kennicutt IIITexas A&M University

Elva Escobar Briones Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Process Development and Health Benefits of Value-added Functional Extracts from Native American Crops for their Use in the US Food and Pharmaceutical Industry

Luis Cisneros-ZevallosTexas A&M University

Carmen Hernandez-BrenesInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Biomarkers of Chemical Exposure and Sensitivity in Populations on the Texas-Mexico Border

Kirby DonnellyTexas A&M University

Karim Acuna-AskarUniversidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Design and Optimization of Oil Field Brine Conversion Processes to Water of Irrigation Quality

Maria BarrufetTexas A&M University

Gustavo IglesiasInstituto Tecnologico de Celaya (ITC)

Development of Intelligent Rollover Warning and Control Systems for Tractor-Semitrailers

Reza LangariTexas A&M University

Edgar SanchezCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)

Influence of the Host Genetic Background; the Bacterial Virulence and Mycobacterial Peptides in Bovine Macrophage

L. Garry AdamsTexas A&M University

Jose Angel Gutierrez-PabelloUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

2002 Awards

16 Projects Funded

55

Natural Hydrocarbon Seeps of the Gulf of Mexico

Ian MacDonaldTexas A&M University

Elva Escobar BrionesUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Sustainable Growth: Mexico and the United States

John MoroneyTexas A&M University

Flory Anette Dieck AssadInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Carbon Foam Composites

Ozden OchoaTexas A&M University

Sergey KanaunInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Understanding How Connectivity Between and Among Children, Families, Community and Schools Promotes and/or Impedes School

Readiness in Colonias on the US-Mexico Border

Jan HughesTexas A&M University

Maria T. Montero Mendoza Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ)

User-Oriented Models for Assessing Ecological and Economic Drought Risks on Semi-Arid Rangelands

Merwyn KothmannTexas A&M University

Heriberto Diaz SolisUniversidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro (UAAAN)

Virtual Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing Automation and Control

Sheng-Jen HsiehTexas A&M University

Manuel MaciasInstituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)

Molecular Basis of the Mycoparasitic Response in the Biocontrol Fungus Trichoderma

Chuck KenerleyTexas A&M University

Alfredo Herrera-EstrellaCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)

On the Development of a Virtual Software System Laboratory Architecture and its Prototype

Steve LiuTexas A&M University

Jorge Enrique Preciado VelascoCentro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)