This project will provide undergraduates STEM research experience at the interface of engineering and medicine, aiming to help medical diagnosis and procedures, development of prosthetics, and contribute to technologies that are likely to become a part of the "future of medicine." This program addresses a vital national need to improve the delivery of healthcare by developing new tests and medical devices that enhance the ability of doctors to plan and perform procedures. By recruiting from and partnering with minority student societies and programs, minority-serving institutions and community colleges, the investigators will help develop a pipeline of qualified, diverse individuals who will contribute to the STEM workforce, particularly in the multi- and interdisciplinary subjects encountered in biomedical research, healthcare delivery, and basic biological and life sciences. The participants will be well trained in communications and research ethics, which are essential for success in today's biotechnology and bioscience work and market place.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
During a ten-week summer session, undergraduate participants from institutions nationwide will engage in exciting and challenging research projects in a wide range of engineering disciplines, e.g. electrical, mechanical and biomedical, computer science, and physics. Each participant will be matched with a current research project in the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) and will be a part of a collegial research team, including a faculty project supervisor and a graduate student mentor. These research projects relate to medical image registration and fusion, image enhancement and segmentation or the development of new robotic devices to support surgeons in the operating room or to aid patients with disabilities. Participants will receive instruction on technical communication, oral presentation skills, and research ethics and will deliver a final research report and presentation. Additional activities will include tours and trips to other labs at JHU Hospital (JHU/H) and the Applied Physics Laboratory, the opportunity to perform laparoscopic procedures at the JHU/H Minimally Invasive Surgical Training Center, and industry tours of local robotics, biotechnology and engineering companies.
The program is multidisciplinary and offers each participant the ability to conduct research in a variety of fields and develop strong teamwork collaboration skills. Each faculty mentor provides a project description for projects that may be created specifically for the program or designed to carry out a facet of an on-going research. Because the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics has close ties with the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, participants can experience the cutting-edge research that is designed to aid medical diagnosis, interventions, and prosthesis, and contribute to technologies that are likely to become a part of the "future of medicine." The investigators plan to leverage on-going research activities and training and mentoring experience, and aim this REU in CS&MR program at broader topics that include more biological inspired and biologically targeted computational sensing, imaging, and robotics systems. An external assessment expert will conduct annual formative and summative evaluations.
