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Ohio
State's news, experts and events give you more on the news

Experts

Ohio State Researchers Help Guide Mars Rovers – "We have landed safely on Mars and are working intensively to map the landing site. It was a great and smooth landing," according to Ron Li, professor of geodetic science in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science at The Ohio State University. Li leads a team of Ohio State engineering students working with NASA on the Mars Exploration Rover mission. The team is responsible for precise localization (providing exact ground location) of the Spirit rover that made planet-fall late Saturday. Mission data transmitted from Spirit is being sent directly to Li's Mapping and GIS Lab for processing. Team members include research associate Dr. Kaichang Di, along with CEEGS students Fenglaing Xu, Jue Wang and Charles Serafy.Contact: Prof. Li, Geodetic Science. He is currently in Pasadena at the Jet Propulsion Lab and reachable by cell at (614) 565-0407.

Research

Chemical change in gene implicated in lung cancer – Scientists are discovering mounting evidence linking a chemical change that turns genes on and off to the development of lung cancer and many other malignancies. The process is called methylation, a process that alters the activity of a gene, but not its structure. Dr. Christoph Plass, a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, has spent years studying methylation and has found that some cancers have unique methylation patterns, like fingerprints. Recently, Plass, along with Zunyan Dai, a doctoral student in the department of pathology, discovered that aberrant methylation of a gene called BMP3B is often involved in the development of non-small cell lung cancer. “This may be significant because BMP3B is involved in a signaling pathway that often malfunctions in the development of lung cancer,” says Plass. Contact: Michelle Gailiun, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737, or Gailiun.1@osu.edu

Events

University receives award for elementary tutoring program – Jan. 7. Ohio State’s ColumbusReads Program is receiving an award for tutoring kindergarten students at East Linden Elementary School and Hubbard Avenue Elementary School as a part of the third annual Mentoring Month Kickoff and Mentoring Awards Celebration. Thomas Dortch, national president of the 100 Black Men of America and author of “The Miracles of Mentoring,” is the keynote speaker. State Representative Joyce Beatty will present the Outstanding Mentoring Awards. The awards program will run from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday (1/7) at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium.Contact: Shannon Wingard, University Relations, (614) 247-6821.

COSI After Dark– Jan. 9. COSI After Dark, which promotes interaction between Ohio State University students, faculty, staff and their families, is from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday (1/9) at the Center of Science and Industry, 333 W. Broad St. The event includes free admission and interactive activities. Students who live in Ohio State’s Substance-Free Housing helped organize the third annual gathering, which drew approximately 2,500 people last year. Substance-Free Housing, is a Living Learning Program that offers an additional measure of support for individuals who choose not to drink or use other drugs. Contact: Jessica Sherrick, University Relations, (614) 292-9185.

The person listed as Contact will have the best information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story – Elizabeth Conlisk, (614) 292-3040; Liz Cook, (614) 292-7276; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.