A University of Texas-Pan American professor's work in developing a tool to aid scientists in gene and protein research has received national recognition.

Earlier this month, the National Science Foundation awarded Bin Fu, an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Texas-Pan American, its Faculty Early Career Development Award, commonly known as the CAREER Award for his work
He will receive more than $400,000 over five years to bring on two graduate students to help him with research. He also plans to include undergraduates later.

"It will help much," Fu said.

For the past six years, Fu has been developing a computational tool, called a "width-bounded separator," that will help scientists study protein and DNA sequences.

The separator allows scientists to determine a protein's three-dimensional structure from its amino sequence, Fu said in a news release the university sent. Proteins are made from amino acids.

His research in bioinformatics, which merges biology, computer science and information technology, can be used in researching drugs and genetic diseases, he said.

He and a team of graduate students already working with him have also launched a Web site that allows people to input their data to study proteins, http://fpsa.cs.panam.edu/.

Fu is the second professor at UTPA to receive this award, according to the university.

Mechanical engineering associate professor Karen Lozano received the CAREER award in 2001.

Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.

ON THE WEB

Check out the study or make a contribution of your own online at http://fpsa.cs.panam.edu/.