Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - (Page 42)
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Bioengineer’s work pays dividends, from cancer to agriculture
Chris Paquette’s research in artificial intelligence and machine learning may lead to innovations in cancer treatment. And he recently won a prize for an agricultural application of the same technology. Paquette, a Binghamton senior, worked last summer with Walker Land, research professor of bioengineering, to analyze gene expression data and predict the recurrence of cancer using a machine learning algorithm called Kernel Partial Least Squared, or KPLS. Similar data mining and artificial intelligence techniques are used by companies such as Amazon and Google to predict searches and rank pages. “The technology exists and is proven,” Paquette says. “Now it’s a question of: How do we take that and apply it to other fields?” Apply it he has. Paquette received $5,000 for his application of KPLS research to an InnoCentive project. InnoCentive is a website where industry, businesses and government agencies can tap into a community of problem solvers, and pay a onetime award for rights to the crowd-sourced solution. The Environmental Defense Fund and Iowa Soybean Growers posted a challenge requesting technology to predict crop yield using nitrogen sensors that would help manage fertilizer use and boost crop productivity. Paquette’s winning idea was to use blimps with on-board sensors that would fly over crops and take nitrogen readings, which would correlate with the vigor of the crop. The information collected would be fed to the farmer’s computer for analysis. “The guy’s very creative; he can see things that a lot of other students can’t see,” Land says of Paquette. “He thinks about things in a way that most people don’t.” Paquette plans to pursue a doctorate in machine learning and artificial intelligence. “It’s an exciting field to get into,” he says. “I want to be an expert in it so I can create these systems, maybe make a few bucks and help the world doing it.” The InnoCentive project inspired Paquette to bring the Web resource to other engineering students. He and some friends started a group devoted to solving InnoCentive challenges. The club facilitates collaborations among students, faculty members and entrepreneurs. “I want to develop a support network for student innovation,” Paquette says. “The University has so many resources, and if you don’t take full advantage of them, what’re you doing? I want to utilize everything I can to my advantage to do something good here.” Paquette’s summer research inspired a senior design project, too. He’s using the KPLS research to predict the likelihood of lung cancer recurring within five years and to determine whether chemotherapy is necessary. “Right now, cancer patients are getting chemo when they don’t need it,” Paquette says. “My dad had chemotherapy and it’s terrible. It destroys your quality of life.” — Liz Joyce
Binghamton University • BINGHAMTON RESEARCH • Spring/Summer 2012
42
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012
Contents
About Binghamton Research
Welcome
Briefs
Digital defenders
Jockeying for genetic advantage
The unfiltered truth
Spring awakening
Wall Street watchdog
Principles of the universe demand principled engineers
Engineering and Science Building
Graduate research
Undergraduate research
A piece of the puzzle
Crossword puzzle
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - (Page Intro)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 (Page Cover1)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 (Page Cover2)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Contents (Page 1)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - About Binghamton Research (Page 2)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Welcome (Page 3)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Briefs (Page 4)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Briefs (Page 5)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Briefs (Page 6)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Briefs (Page 7)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Digital defenders (Page 8)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Digital defenders (Page 9)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Digital defenders (Page 10)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Digital defenders (Page 11)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Digital defenders (Page 12)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Digital defenders (Page 13)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Jockeying for genetic advantage (Page 14)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Jockeying for genetic advantage (Page 15)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Jockeying for genetic advantage (Page 16)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Jockeying for genetic advantage (Page 17)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Jockeying for genetic advantage (Page 18)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Jockeying for genetic advantage (Page 19)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - The unfiltered truth (Page 20)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - The unfiltered truth (Page 21)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - The unfiltered truth (Page 22)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - The unfiltered truth (Page 23)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Spring awakening (Page 24)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Spring awakening (Page 25)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Spring awakening (Page 26)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Spring awakening (Page 27)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Spring awakening (Page 28)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Spring awakening (Page 29)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Wall Street watchdog (Page 30)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Wall Street watchdog (Page 31)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Wall Street watchdog (Page 32)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Wall Street watchdog (Page 33)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Principles of the universe demand principled engineers (Page 34)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Principles of the universe demand principled engineers (Page 35)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Principles of the universe demand principled engineers (Page 36)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Principles of the universe demand principled engineers (Page 37)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Engineering and Science Building (Page 38)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Engineering and Science Building (Page 39)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Graduate research (Page 40)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Graduate research (Page 41)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Undergraduate research (Page 42)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Undergraduate research (Page 43)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - A piece of the puzzle (Page 44)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - A piece of the puzzle (Page 45)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - A piece of the puzzle (Page 46)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - A piece of the puzzle (Page 47)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Crossword puzzle (Page 48)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Crossword puzzle (Page Cover3)
Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - Crossword puzzle (Page Cover4)
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