New funding of up to $106,647 is received from United Soybean Board for the project New High Oleic Oil (HOSO)-Based Latexes for Coatings and Paints. The main goal of this project is to show feasibility for biobased latexes, prepared from novel monomer originated from high oleic soybean oil, using its emulsion copolymerization with petroleum-based counterparts. This project begins October,1,2017. Another new grant (starts on September,1^st) is received from ND Department of Commerce (ND DOC) Agricultural Product Utilization Commission (funding of up $25,000). This project targets at determining the feasibility of monomers from linseed, sunflower (SFM) and canola (CLM) oil to be used for synthesis of vegetable oil-based latexes. Specific aims include evaluating the monomers for latex synthesis. Besides, our group continues to be a part of a large collaborative effort, Innovative and Strategic Program Initiatives for Research and Education-North Dakota INSPIRE North Dakota funded by National Science Foundation EPSCoR RII Track-1. The group’s sub-project is entitled as “Waterborne Polymeric Materials from Plant Oils” and targets development of novel waterborne polymeric materials (latexes, dispersions, emulsions etc.) from plant oils for coatings, paints, adhesives etc. This project continues through June,30,2019.

The project entitled “New polymer adjuvants for peptide vaccines”, funded by Agricultural Product Utilization Commission of ND DOC ends on September,30^st.