From NSF to Industry, SLU Faculty Are Tapped to Lead Groundbreaking Research
This Fall, SLU Researchers Have Received Numerous Grants and Awards
In recent weeks, Saint Louis University researchers have received grants and awards from federal agencies, industry partners, and philanthropic organizations to further innovative research in medicine, science, and the humanities.
As a Carnegie Foundation R1 research university, the highest classification that universities can attain for research activity, SLU is part of an elite group of fewer than 190 universities nationwide. The University’s prestigious research distinction reflects not only its commitment to groundbreaking discovery but also its ongoing commitment to excellence in teaching, carrying forward the Jesuits’ rich tradition of intellectual rigor and scientific inquiry.
Researchers’ grant funding reflects deep expertise in their fields, strong research vision and the confidence of grant-awarding organizations.
“I’m extremely proud of our SLU researchers,” said Ellen Barnidge, Ph.D., interim vice president for research at SLU. “Our most recent grants will support research with the potential to positively impact society and improve lives in so many ways, with areas of inquiry that span quantum dynamics to antibiotic resistance to human trafficking.
“These researchers are advancing SLU’s trajectory of research excellence, continuing to place us in elite company. More importantly, they are living SLU’s mission.”
Fall 2025 Research Grants and Awards
This news story will be updated throughout the fall semester and will run in Newslink at the end of the term. Individual grants will be shared in Newslink throughout the semester.
College of Arts and Sciences
- Principal Investigator
- Wenyan Xiao, Ph.D.
- professor of biology
- Grant: $385,000 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences
- Study: To understand the function and mechanism of epigenetic regulation in plant and mammalian growth and development
School of Education
- Principal Investigator
- Collin Hitt, Ph.D.
- executive director of the PRiME Center in the School of Education
- Grant: $1,297,375 from the Walton Family Foundation
- Study: To fund the operations of the PRiME Center, translating education research into briefs, publications and meetings to provide to teachers and policymakers
School of Science and Engineering
- The principal investigator
- Nan Cen, Ph.D.
- assistant professor of computer science
- Grant: $199,976 from the National Science Foundation
- Study: To develop an AI-defined integrated sensing and communication based underwater optical networking system to enable next-generation wireless communication
- Principal Investigator
- Flavio Esposito, Ph.D
- associate professor of computer science
- Grant: $900,000 from the National Science Foundation, in collaboration with Northeastern University.
- Study: The project links SLU and Northeastern's programmable wireless labs to safely stress-test the AI that helps run next-generation open radio (O-RAN) cellular networks. By simulating realistic attacks and failures, the team will spot risky behavior before and after systems go live, and develop ways to remove tainted data or faulty logic without having to retrain the AI from scratch
- Scientist
- Malkanthi Karunananda, Ph.D.
- assistant professor in chemistry
- Grant: $556,651 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences
- Study: To develop multimetallic photosensitizers with earth-abundant metals to complement the reactivity of noble metal photosensitizers to aid in drug development and photodynamic therapies aimed at reducing illness.
- Principal Investigator
- Vasit Sagan, Ph.D.
- professor of geospatial science
- Grant: $500,000 from the National Science Foundation, in collaboration with The Ohio State University and Purdue University
- Study: To create the Center for Accurate Georeferencing of the Environment (CAGE) to assign accurate real-world geographic coordinates to digital spatial data
Written by the public relations and internal communications staff in the Division of Marketing and Communications, with grant and award information provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research.
Do you have a recent grant you’d like to share with the SLU community? Reach out to newslink@slu.edu to let us know.