This award funds a three-year Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences (KGI) for 10 students each summer for ten weeks for research opportunities in biotechnology and bioengineering. KGI is a part of the Claremont Colleges - a cluster of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate schools on adjoining campuses in Claremont, California. The goal of this REU site is to involve undergraduate students in collaborative efforts between engineers and scientists in the fields of biology, computer science, business, and ethics to effectively address cutting-edge topics in biotechnology and bioengineering. Research topics will include: microfluidics; bioreactor process optimization; microarray technologies; DNA amplification and analysis methods; modeling of regulatory networks; and rational design of multi-drug HIV therapy. In addition, some students will be able to pursue ethics research related to the scientific research at KGI. Students will be recruited nationwide, with a special effort to attract women who wish to pursue a career in the biotechnology sector. This program will introduce students at an early stage to interdisciplinary research and help them develop the professional skills necessary to succeed in research careers. The program is designed to aid in the future career development of participants through career counseling as well as through mentoring relationships with professionals from academia and industry.
