Spring Break
URI kinesiology, nutrition and food science departments receive grant for X-ray
Betsy Cohen
Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: Campus
02/11/09 - The Champlin Foundation, a Rhode Island-based philanthropic group, granted the University of Rhode Island kinesiology, and nutrition and food science departments $97,750 to purchase a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry unit (iDXa) machine for the advanced study of osteoporosis.
Matthew Delmonico, an assistant professor of kinesiology at URI, hopes to have the machine by the end of the month. Both he and assistant professor of nutrition and food science Ingrid Lofgren were responsible for applying for the grant.
The iDXa machine takes specialized X-rays to scan bone density and body composition. It is also capable of documenting the amount of bone-mineral content, fat and muscle one has.
According to Delmonico, the device can also be useful in other sciences, such as marine biology, pharmacy, general biology, animal sciences and gerontology.
"The university was looking to expand its ability to do various health tests on people and needed more equipment for people to teach them," Delmonico said.
Delmonico also said the machine will be available to professors who would like to use it for their research. For safety reasons, a licensed radiologist technician will be required whenever the machine is in use, regardless of who will be using it.
"We hope a lot of students get to use this equipment," Delmonico said. "We envision the machine to be used in students' capstone classes, classes that are a culmination of all their preliminary courses."
The iDXa will be located in Independence Square by the tennis courts on the Kingston campus. Delmonico and Lofgren also plan to look at weight loss, exercise and nutrition intervention in older adults and college students.
Delmonico said that this addition to the scientific community on campus is great because there is a large population of older people in the world today and osteoporosis is a major health issue.
Of the 39 proposals submitted from URI, only four were selected and given grants from the Champlin Foundation.
When Lofgren and Delmonico were notified of the grant in November, they were ecstatic. "I think I jumped up and said 'Yippee!'" Delmonico said. "It was great. It was just a thrilling experience to be honored with this award!"
Matthew Delmonico, an assistant professor of kinesiology at URI, hopes to have the machine by the end of the month. Both he and assistant professor of nutrition and food science Ingrid Lofgren were responsible for applying for the grant.
The iDXa machine takes specialized X-rays to scan bone density and body composition. It is also capable of documenting the amount of bone-mineral content, fat and muscle one has.
According to Delmonico, the device can also be useful in other sciences, such as marine biology, pharmacy, general biology, animal sciences and gerontology.
"The university was looking to expand its ability to do various health tests on people and needed more equipment for people to teach them," Delmonico said.
Delmonico also said the machine will be available to professors who would like to use it for their research. For safety reasons, a licensed radiologist technician will be required whenever the machine is in use, regardless of who will be using it.
"We hope a lot of students get to use this equipment," Delmonico said. "We envision the machine to be used in students' capstone classes, classes that are a culmination of all their preliminary courses."
The iDXa will be located in Independence Square by the tennis courts on the Kingston campus. Delmonico and Lofgren also plan to look at weight loss, exercise and nutrition intervention in older adults and college students.
Delmonico said that this addition to the scientific community on campus is great because there is a large population of older people in the world today and osteoporosis is a major health issue.
Of the 39 proposals submitted from URI, only four were selected and given grants from the Champlin Foundation.
When Lofgren and Delmonico were notified of the grant in November, they were ecstatic. "I think I jumped up and said 'Yippee!'" Delmonico said. "It was great. It was just a thrilling experience to be honored with this award!"
