This award made to the Johns Hopkins University is supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences' Division of Biological Infrastructure (BIO/DBI), the Directorate for Engineering's Engineering Education and Centers (ENG/EEC), and the Directorate for Mathematics and Physical Sciences' Division of Chemistry (MPS/CHE). This project, housed within the Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT), will provide research training for 10 students for 10 weeks, during the summers of 2011- 2013. The overall goal is to give REU students a unique educational experience, with research at the core while at the same time serving as an ideal foundation for future graduate work. Students will work in labs located within the participating departments; chemical engineering, materials science engineering, bioengineering, biology, chemistry, or physics. INBT has about 20 faculty mentors participating in the program. There is a wide range of interesting and exciting projects for the students. Students are expected to do full-time lab research as well as participate in seminars and various workshops, such as the responsible conduct of research, professional development, career workshops for industry and academia, and an overview of the graduate school application process. REU students have access to individual mentor's facilities as well as many interdepartmental labs and centers with core facilities such as microscopy, cell and tissue engineering, and others. Students are selected based on academic record, research performance, and potential for outstanding research in bioengineering or related fields. Students are tracked to determine their continued interest in their academic field of study, their career paths, and the lasting influences of the research experience. Information about the program will be assessed by various means, including use of an REU common assessment tool. More information is available by visiting http://inbt.jhu.edu/education/undergraduate/reu/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Denis Wirtz at wirtz@jhu.edu) or the REU program manager (Ms. Ashanti Edwards at aedwards@jhu.edu).
, housed within the Institute for NanoBioTechnology, provided summer research training for 10 students in the summer 2014. The cohort consisted of six women and three minorities. The program attracted an application pool of 644 highly diverse undergraduate students. This REU has met its overall goal of having participating students experience a unique research, educational and professional experience with research being the focus. This REU program laid the foundation for interest in graduate research. All of the seniors that participated in the program have accepted offers to start graduate programs in the fall. The rising seniors have all been in constant contact with their summer faculty advisors and the program manager for assistance with the graduate school process. The REU students performed research in labs across multiple division of Johns Hopkins University within participating departments: biology, bioengineering, cell biology, chemistry, chemical and biomolecular engineering, materials science and physics. The program has worked with 10 faculty mentors and labs to ensure a diverse range of opportunity for research interest in biomaterials, bioengineering, biophysics, nanofabrication, cell engineering, and tissue engineering. REU students participated in seminars and various workshops focusing on topics such as responsible conduct of research, work-life balance, professional development, graduate school admissions, and career next-steps. Students fully participate in lab research and projects that have an intellectual merit. Examples of projects during the summer of 2014: -Testing to digitally sort and amplify DNA samples -Constructing bi-layers out of DNA and acrylamide gel for invasive surgery -Determining how drugs move across the blood brain barrier -Developing a material to help regrow nerves -Monitoring cell motility and proliferation This program was able to introduce undergraduates to exciting developments with emphasis on biological and bioengineering technologies. REU students were vital in the planning and progress in all projects they were assigned. These projects promoted learning and teaching. At the end of each summer, the students presented posters on the work that was accomplished during the 10 weeks spent at Hopkins. Three of our students went on to present their poster and work at national scientific conferences Overall, the program in Nanotechnology for Biology and Bioengineering, has attracted, trained, and mentored a diverse group of students.
