This REU Site award to the University of Chicago, located in Chicago, IL, will support the training of 9 students for 10 weeks, during the summers of 2017-2020. The program focuses on cellular and molecular biology, that is, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the organization, development and mechanics of all living organisms. The Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, which is hosting the program, has about 20 faculty members participating as mentors. The projects available in their laboratories are wide-ranging but all are focused on cutting edge research, using a variety of model organisms including viruses, bacteria, yeast, protozoa, fruit flies, plants, and nematode worms, and involving both biological manipulation and observation, and mathematical modeling.
It is anticipated that a total of 36 students, all from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will engage in full-time lab research as well as participate in seminars and focused workshops on responsible conduct in research and scientific ethics, on how to prepare for advanced training in biological sciences, and on professional communication skills. REU students have access to the individual mentor's facilities as well as many core facilities such as advanced light microscopy, electron microscopy and tomography, next-generation DNA sequencing, and flow cytometry. Students are selected by an REU steering committee, on the basis of their academic record and perceived potential for outstanding research. The program is not appropriate for students who are planning to attend medical school. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences.
A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by visiting http://mgcb.bsd.uchicago.edu/reu/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Aaron Turkewitz at apturkew@uchicago.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Lucia Rothman-Denes at lbrd@uchicago.edu).
