National Institutes of Health
![Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Colleen Novak works in her lab.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/PROFILE-Colleen%20Novak_DTA%20%28MAIN%29_0.jpg?VersionId=w4HnzcTOG3d8GfHNDa1N4.BQX4ZzxsQF&h=e6f36a9c&itok=FvsBl49X)
![Stock photo of a blonde woman in red pajamas sleeping](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/sleeping-woman-1489600204BQ8.jpg?VersionId=8weHDYFWpSmRwlDfUH32NZZCFK61BFE5&h=21de3691&itok=4CWJ-gP-)
![Gemma Casadesus Smith, Ph.D. (right), professor of biological sciences at Kent State University, works with a student in her lab.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/gemma3.jpg?VersionId=jD3gcsv6Dlhz7mZQjK6O9udZSO.yGseq&h=e6f36a9c&itok=AydykllD)
Once it begins, Alzheimer’s disease progresses systematically and aggressively, attacking victims on multiple fronts. But scientists studying the disease operate the same way – like Kent State University’s own Gemma Casadesus Smith, Ph.D.
![Gemma Casadesus Smith, Ph.D. (right), professor of biological sciences at Kent State University, works with a student in her lab.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/gemma3.jpg?VersionId=jD3gcsv6Dlhz7mZQjK6O9udZSO.yGseq&h=e6f36a9c&itok=AydykllD)
![A woman sits at a table with small children eating healthy food.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/Children%20eating%20healthy.jpeg?VersionId=BKO40k64lpdOC5p7_U5Nkau5GSnXbtq2&h=e6f36a9c&itok=gS4ePFwE)
A Kent State University researcher with a background in safety training models — and a very personal motivation — has devised a method to help some children with food allergies stay safe, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) just granted him the funding to test it.
![Doug Kline (left) and Srinivasan Vijayaraghavan (right), both professors in Kent State University's Department of Biological Sciences, have received NIH grants to study reproductive challenges. Doug Kline (left) and Srinivasan Vijayaraghavan (right), both professors in Kent State University's Department of Biological Sciences, have received NIH grants to study reproductive challenges.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/PROFILESBiologists.jpg?VersionId=gY6a56jvadlEmtiiMtEfcpOFDynKa0N.&h=ec98a0f6&itok=lygmIkjh)