South Carolina Colleges Making Strides in Research

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Research drives innovation, optimization, and growth across industries. This snapshot of current research initiatives from colleges across the state serves as a glimpse into the many industries South Carolinian researchers are helping to strengthen and expand. From cancer research to organic plastics, language preservation to satellite missions, a wide eadth of research avenues keeps South Carolina competitive.

Anderson University

Dr. Diana Ivankovic, herself a cancer survivor, directs the Anderson University Center for Cancer Research. Joining Dr. Ivankovic is Assistant Director Dr. Andy Norris, a biochemist, and other Anderson University faculty in the fields of chemistry and biology.

“Our research is trying to shed additional light on the anti-carcinogenic mechanisms behind selected nutraceuticals (marjoram, thyme, and persimmon — and their phytochemical constituents) on the intended cells,” Ivankovic said. “This research aims to first screen for safety, toxicity, and adverse effects to narrow therapeutic ranges in cell lines before any animal and human application. Next, it aims to serve as proof of a replicable, experimentally sound model of human breast cancer in which tumorigenesis and cancer progression (angiogenesis and metastasis) respond to chemotherapy and allow for comparison to alternative therapeutics.”

USC Upstate

Kimberly Shorter, Ph.D., a biology professor at USC Upstate, furthered research into the effects of a small, non-coding RNA on gene expression and epigenetic marks. Shorter was joined by eight students thanks to NIH funding, including a R16 grant, the SC INBRE ER(Up)T program, and a NIH-R25 grant supporting their research.

Shorter employs an industry analogy to describe her work in the field of epigenetics, the study of human behavior affecting gene expression. "Think of human genetics as hardware of a computer and epigenetics like the software — the latter informing genetics how to run," Shorter explains. "Epigenetic marks can be altered by daily activities, such as eating or drinking, or even stress. In turn, micro-RNA can change with environmental factors, inhibiting the process that naturally occurs with DNA as it codes for proteins. Protein aids in healthy cell function."

“These epigenetic marks on the DNA or on those proteins that the DNA has to tie itself around, and then even those non-coding RNAs floating around, those all are like software,” Shorter says.

“Our daily lives affect the software. It can program in good ways and in bad ways. … Everything we do and encounter every day is impacting that software.” Studying these impacts, Shorter and her students looked at microRNA-718 (or miR-718) by running tests on cells cultivated in-lab.

Clemson University

A Clemson University scientist is working on a project that could change how we think about agricultural waste — and help the planet in the process.

Based at Clemson’s Coastal Research and Education Center in Charleston, Brian Ward is developing a system that transforms leftover farm materials into eco-friendly fertilizer and renewable fuel. His work could offer farmers a cleaner, more affordable way to nourish crops while reducing pollution and dependence on petroleum-based products.

Traditional fertilizer production is energy-intensive and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Ward’s approach uses natural bacteria to create ammonia-based fertilizer from protein-rich waste — like vegetable scraps and other byproducts—offering an alternative that’s better for the environment. “This technology could reshape agriculture,” said Ward, an organic vegetable specialist. “We’re turning waste into something valuable, which helps farmers, supports the organic food market, and protects the planet.”

The timing couldn’t be better. Consumer demand for organic food has surged in recent decades. Today, environmentally-friendly farming practices are more critical than ever. Ward’s system supports food security and contributes to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and combat environmental changes.

The project is supported by a $35,000 grant from the Clemson University Research Foundation. The study runs through June 2026.

University of South Carolina

Chuanbing Tang, a Carolina Distinguished Professor of chemistry in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, has a vision for making plastics from inexpensive organic waste, which can readily be recycled. And these new bioplastics would perform as well as or even better than traditional plastics made from petroleum, he says.

“Using waste products such as biomass residues from agriculture and forestry, carbon dioxide and vegetable oils from food waste, we can make small molecules that can be polymerized into plastics,” Tang says. “These bioplastics would be much more easily recyclable because we can degrade the polymers back into small molecules — we call it programmable degradation or true polymer circularity.”

Tang’s idea for developing sustainable plastic manufacturing and recycling processes is more than a pipe dream. The National Science Foundation’s Centers for Chemical Innovation Program has recently funded the NSF Center for Polymers for a Circular Economy, and Tang directs a team that includes scientists from the University of South Carolina, Stanford, the University of Chicago, Mississippi State and Clemson.

“Along with generating the science that will inform the processes for making bioplastics, our goal is to educate the next generation of scientists who will help build a more sustainable future,” said Tang.

College of Charleston

One research endeavor funded by the College of Charleston's yearly Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty (SURF) grants helped to fund linguistic studies. Working with a group of Nicaragua's Indigenous people, senior Isaac Hill and Professor Ricard Viñas-de-Puig collaborated to help preserve Yusku, a variant of the Mayanga language.

“I think a big reason it’s important to study indigenous languages is that they offer us data that we can’t find in other places,” says Hill, a cello player and composer majoring in music and minoring in linguistics. “If they do go extinct, if we don’t document them and – even beyond documenting – if we don’t teach younger generations of speakers, there are literal scientific discoveries that can’t be made because the data is just gone.”

Hill learned about the effort to create a Yusku dictionary while taking Indigenous Languages of the Americas with Viñas-de-Puig, associate professor of Spanish and director of linguistic studies, who is part of the project. Hill worked with the research team in the summer and winter of 2024 before securing a SURF grant to continue his work this summer.

The project is a collaboration between native Yusku speakers and local and external linguists using the participatory action research (PAR) methodology. Developed for linguistic research, this methodology upholds Indigenous peoples’ goals for the project and prioritizes a mutual exchange of knowledge between Indigenous and external participants.

Native Yusku speakers recognized a need to preserve the language and help formalize how it’s taught to young students. The collaborative effort led to the first-ever Yusku dictionary published in early 2025. Hill now works with other students, researchers and native speakers to expand and revise the existing dictionary into a second edition.

Coastal Carolina University

Coastal Carolina University’s Space Satellite program, the first of its kind in South Carolina, has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the University Nanosatellite Program (UNP) for its first small satellite mission, ChantSat-1. The satellite, which is being developed on campus, is a 3U CubeSat equipped with visible and infrared cameras. It will eventually orbit Earth at a low altitude in a sun-synchronous, polar orbit, meaning it will pass over the same parts of Earth at the same local solar time each day.

A contingent of researchers with the CCU Space Satellite program attended this year's 2025 Small Satellite Conference, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Aug. 10-13. Ian Hewitt, Jean French, and George Hitt presented the experiences and current progress of the program during Poster Session 3, hoping to support other researchers by showing both challenges and successes of the program so far. One such success is the confirmation of the program's current ground station being able to receive signals from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's weather satellites. Per their paper on the matter: "When the time arrived, team members physically watched the antenna rotation and did a confirmation on the elevation and altitude position. Once that was confirmed, observations on NOAA weather satellites were scheduled to evaluate the general RF performance since they have very strong signals. Looking at the data products and the waterfall from the initial observations showed very low noise and good signal strength for the ground station. At this point, installation of V0 was considered a success." – Ian Hewitt, Jean French, George Hitt. 2025. "CubeSat-1 Ground Station Planning, Design and Installation - Experiences Gained," Proceedings of the Small Satellite Conference, Poster Session 3, SCC25-P3-55.

Francis Marion University

Francis Marion University hosts an annual Research and Exhibition Day, publishing the abstracts of the ongoing research of every participant.

Kelsey Harris, advised by the full-time research faculty member, Anna Caroline Chinnes, Ph.D., presented her research focus: "Evidence-Based Practices and Core Competencies for Mental Health Practitioners Related to Suicide Prevention."

An excerpt from the abstract on this project says:

“Suicide prevention remains an important topic within the mental health field due to the growing number of suicides and attempts. It is estimated that each year around 700,000 people die by suicide around the world and more attempt (Cramer et al., 2024). Several theories of therapy have been identified as evidence-based practices for suicide. These include but are not limited to cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, group brief cognitive behavioral therapy, and the holistic prevention and intervention model. Additionally, a list of core competencies for practitioners working with clients struggling with suicide have been identified. The goal of this review is to inform future practitioners on strategies for working with suicide as this is a common issue seen in practice.”

Luis Lopez, advised by Assistant Professor of Economics Caroline Padgett, Ph.D., presented his research focus: "The Impact of Automation on Employment Levels and Wage Distribution in the Service Industry."

An excerpt from the abstract on this project says:

“This research examines the impact of automation on employment levels and wage distribution in the service industry. With the rise of AI, robotics, and automated systems, labor markets are rapidly evolving, raising concerns about job displacement and income inequality. Using a mixed-method approach, this study analyzes statistical employment and wage trends while interpreting the socioeconomic effects of automation. Key data sources include unionization rates, employment shifts, and wage growth disparities from Germany, Japan, and the U.S. Findings will clarify whether automation primarily displaces low-skill workers, benefits high-skill employees, or leads to overall job creation. The research aims to inform policymakers on the need for retraining programs, wage policies, and labor market regulations to ensure equitable outcomes in an automated economy.”