For the past six years, the Department of Biochemistry of Rush Medical College has demonstrated, via its participation in the National Institutes of Health program entitled, """"""""Minority High School Student Research Apprentice Program"""""""" (NIH 2 S03 RR03253-06), its commitment and ability to provide the experience, infrastructure, faculty involvement and expertise in working with minority high school students. The program proposed in this application is more than an expansion of the already existing program. The proposed program will offer a more Structured and goal-orientated approach with a higher level of faculty-student involvement. It also includes other enrichment programs and special events, mechanisms for review of the program and, more participants from a wider range of high schools. The overall strategy of this proposal is to-select 9 high school students and one high school teacher each summer, for participation in an eight- week summer fellowship program. They will begin by participating in a 3- week """"""""techniques"""""""" course (Part A). The summer is more profitable for the students ff they receive some initial instruction in skills and techniques necessary for work in the laboratory. The students will be trained on state-of-the-art equipment. The students then will spend four weeks in the laboratory of a faculty member of the Department of Biochemistry to participate in an on-going research project (Part B). One student or teacher participant per laboratory will be matched based on common interests. Along with the faculty member, research technicians, post-doctoral fellow and Ph.D. graduate students in each lab will be available to assist with daily technical advice. During the last week of the program the students will be given direction and guidance in writing up their independent work and preparing a 15 minute multimedia oral presentation (Part C).
