Clemson Division of Research

Our Peers are Taking Notice

A man in a dark suit jacket with a Clemson tiger paw on the lapel
Tanju Karanfil

In late November, we were afforded a distinct opportunity to showcase our facilities, our capabilities, and most importantly, our people to one of the nation’s most influential scientists.

National Science Foundation director Sethuraman Panchanathan left our Greenville campus impressed with what we are building here together, particularly with our success in collaborating with industry and community partners to advance meaningful, impactful research.

“Seeing the synergistic and symbiotic systems of students, public funding and private industry happening here, we should determine how we scale activities here and use Clemson as an example all around the country,” Dr. Panchanathan said during his visit.

Use Clemson as an example.

You can hear some of Dr. Panchanathan’s remarks here and learn more about his visit here.

The visit followed a string of successes for our research enterprise that our peers are certainly noticing.

A man in a suit surround by students
NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan speaks with students.

In February, we welcomed U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to the Dominion Energy Innovation Center at our Lowcountry campus as she was highlighting advancements in clean energy innovation. While visiting the Clemson facility, Granholm said South Carolina had a real opportunity to be a leader in energy technology.

The same month, the chief scientist for the U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center, David Gorsuch, visited Clemson to help celebrate another $22 million to support the Virtual Prototyping of autonomy-enabled Grounds Systems (VIPR) Research Center project at Clemson. Our facility and expertise made Clemson uniquely positioned for the project, he said.

two men stand in front of a presentation screen and two test vehicles
NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan tours the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.

At Clemson, we continue to make a name for ourselves as a top research institution, and the scholarly community is taking notice. We are building a winning culture. We are thinking big and winning big and proving that we can handle large, interdisciplinary research projects. The VIPR project involves 62 faculty members and 125 graduate students spread across 10 departments.

Clemson recently received its first Energy Frontier Research Center project from the Department of Energy, a $10.35 million grant that involves five Clemson departments and numerous partners, including two national labs.

Two men talking
NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan learns about research at Clemson.

The new USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities project marked the largest single grant Clemson has ever received from a federal funding agency – $70 million.  The project involves 29 Clemson faculty and 20 graduate students across 11 departments, as well as an impressive state coalition of 27 community partners.

We now have four NIH Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence, the most active COBRE projects a university can have at one time. What a feat for a university without a medical school. We have EPSCoR projects from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. These involve dozens of faculty members and students.

And, importantly, it is not just the grants. The number of Clemson-authored journal publications has increased 42 percent over the past decade, and citations of Clemson research have increased 82 percent. Clemson faculty members have recently earned lifetime achievements awards from InnoVision, the American College of Healthcare Architects, and the Society of Wetlands Scientists, and Universities Council on Water Resources. Clemson has its first ever member of the prestigious American Philosophical Society. The Production and Operations Management Journal named a research award in honor of a Clemson faculty member. Faculty members from every college have earned national and international fellowships in their fields – art, education, architecture, health care, global studies, leisure and recreation, engineering, business, agriculture, physics, and so many more. There are too many to list but I see them and proudly report many of them each quarter to the university’s Board of Trusts.

And, we have exceptional students carrying the Clemson torch – our first Rhodes Scholar; our first Gates Cambridge Scholar; a Truman Scholar; a Hertz Fellowship recipient; and on and on.

These are only a few examples; I should apologize for unintentionally leaving others out. There are so many shining examples of great research happening at Clemson (There are nearly 1,800 research projects happening across Clemson’s footprint right now, by the way, and that’s an increase of nearly 25 percent from 2016.)

These projects and recognitions shine a light on what is possible. Keep going.

Congratulations to everyone on another successful semester. As we head into another calendar year, I challenge us all to continue to think big.

Thank you for your support of scholarship and discovery at Clemson. Have a wonderful holiday season and a restful break.

Go Tigers!

Exploring Histology Services at Clemson University: A Gateway to Advanced Biological Research

Dear Reader,

We are excited to introduce the Histology Services now available at Clemson University through the Clemson Light Imaging Facility. This groundbreaking initiative aims to empower our esteemed biology departments with access to state-of-the-art technologies, providing researchers and students unparalleled opportunities to delve deeper into the intricate world of cellular and tissue analysis.


Histology Services: Unveiling Microscopic Marvels

Histology plays a pivotal role in understanding the fundamental building blocks of life. Our Histology Services offer comprehensive support to researchers, educators, and students seeking to unravel the mysteries of cellular composition. From tissue processing and embedding to sectioning and staining, we ensure precise and high-quality preparations for microscopic examination.

By integrating histological techniques into your research projects and coursework, you open avenues for a more profound understanding of cellular morphology, organ structure, and pathological conditions. Whether you are investigating developmental biology, pathology, or comparative anatomy, our Histology Services provide a robust platform to enhance the depth and accuracy of your findings.

Key Benefits of Utilizing Our Services:

Enhanced Precision: Our Histology Services guarantee precise and consistent results, ensuring the reliability of your research outcomes.

Global Collaboration: Share your findings effortlessly with peers worldwide, fostering collaboration and advancing research on an international scale.

Educational Empowerment: Integrate these services into your curriculum to provide students with hands-on experience and exposure to cutting-edge technologies, preparing them for future advancements in the field.

How to Access Our Services:

To avail of these transformative Histology Services, please contact imaging@clemson.edu. Our staff  will guide you through the onboarding process, ensuring a seamless integration of these services into your research projects and educational programs. For current equipment and service prices, visit the CLIF Rates & Fees page.

Embark on a journey of discovery, where microscopic wonders come to life. Clemson University is at the forefront of innovation, and with these services, we are proud to propel our biology departments into a new era of scientific exploration.

Equipment available:

  1. Leica BIOCUT Rotary Microtome
  2. Leica Histocore Arcadia H Embedding Station
  3. Leica Histocore PEARL Paraffin Processor
  4. Leica CM1950 Cryostat

We can assist with sample fixation, grossing, embedding, and routine H&E staining. We have to date successfully processed and sectioned animal tissue, plants, and fish. Contact imaging@clemson.edu or if you are registered, visit the iLab portal to schedule a consultation and request services.

Research Opportunities and News

Tanju Karanfil wearing a dark suit jacket with a Clemson tiger paw on the lapel
Tanju Karanfil

Dear Colleagues, 

Welcome back! I am excited for us to continue the outstanding momentum of the past several years. As you embark on another successful academic year, I have several updates to assist with your research, scholarship and creative endeavors.

We have announced the application deadlines for our R-Initiative funding programs. These investments nurture research, scholarship and creative endeavors across all disciplines by helping faculty purchase equipment, hire postdoctoral researchers, utilize core facilities and complete books, journal articles, artwork and other scholarly products. For more information, visit our R-Initiatives webpage, note the application deadlines and check back later for the calls for proposals.

Federal agencies have implemented several new policies related to proposal submissions, specifically your requirements for 1) data management and sharing plans; 2) diversity and inclusion statements; and 3) support and affiliation disclosures. Understanding and complying with these new requirements is essential to earning federal funding. We have scheduled three virtual workshops on Aug. 31Sept. 6 and Sept. 13 to provide information. Please register for the session appropriate for your work and ensure your compliance with these new policies. 

Keeping up with changing federal regulation can be daunting, so we have created Regulatory Alerts, an all-in-one-place source of news related to grant application, management and compliance.The Regulatory Alerts webpage will be regularly updated with synopses that link to additional guidance, tutorials and other information. Content will be archived and dated and searchable by keyword for reference and convenience.

Several professional development opportunities have been planned by the Office of Research Development this academic year. These workshops help faculty find funding, write competitive proposals, understand budgeting basics and succeed after earning awards. ORD also will have its popular CAREER Academy to help young faculty earn prestigious NSF CAREER awards. A full list of ORD workshops, including registration information, is available online

A few additional updates and reminders: 

  • Applications for the NIH Accelerator mentoring program are due Sept. 4. Program participants will work with mentees to finetune proposals to the National Institutes of Health. 
  • Seed grants are available from the Media Forensics Hub for faculty doing research related to online deception and misinformation. Apply by Sept. 15
  • The Office of Research Compliance will offer several workshops this fall that qualify for one hour of Responsible Conduct of Research training.
  • The Office of Research Development publishes a weekly email of Limited Submission funding opportunities. Please subscribe if you are not already receiving the Monday email. 
  • Submissions for the HOOKEd on Microscopy light micrograph competition are due Sept. 18. Entries can be submitted here. Rules are posted here

I wish you much success this semester in your research, scholarship and creative endeavors. If you need assistance, please feel free to reach me or my team any time. 

–Tanju