The NSF REU Program at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute presents upper division science majors with pre-graduate school summer research experiences. The intellectual merit of the NSF REU program is that it provides students the opportunity to apply "book knowledge" to the active scientific method. This immersion in the scientific lifestyle promotes learning by doing and serves as a further stimulus to maintain their pursuit of advanced degrees in science. The end result is our hopes for the development of a more diverse population of young scientists entering the basic science careers.
Students will participate in a challenging ten-week program focused in the area of fundamental molecular and cell biology. Specific research topics offered to REU students would include the following: Identification and characterization of the rennin gene in Xenopus tropicalis - Prof. Kenneth Gross Role of SGK1 and PMEPA1 in TGFbeta-mediated actin remodeling and cell migration - Prof. John Cowell Interactions of the p53 genetic protein - Prof. Gokul Das Responses induced by anti-HLA-DR monoclonal antibody H2-27 - Prof. Soldano Feronne Study of SLP-76 and other tyrosine kinase signaling in cell lines - Prof. Adam Karpf Histone deacetylases and p300 acetylase in cell growth - Prof. Michael Brattain Suppression of cell growth by different anti-endoglin monoclonal antibodies defining different epitopes - Prof. Ben Seon Expression of the antigen processing machinery in cell line derived dendritic-like cells - Prof. Meir Wetzler The regulation of sp1-dependent transcription by the post-transcriptional modification of sumoylation - Prof. Mary Spengler Monitoring lymphocyte subset proliferation by flow cytometry, using the near infra red tracking dye, ptir275 - Prof. Paul Wallace The effects of hyperthermia on expression and function of death ligands - Prof. Zhinrong Cheng Special efforts will continue to be made to recruit members of recognized under-represented groups, as well as females and students from non-research universities and colleges. The RPCI has been successful in recruiting such students. In the past three years 68% of the participants have been from NSF recognized under-represented groups and 76% of all participants have been female. Senior faculty, all of whom have peer reviewed support, mentor summer participants. Participants are immersed in a rich research environment where they work on cutting-edge research and participate in the scientific lifestyle. Each student is assigned their own research project within their mentor's laboratory. The culmination of this ten-week endeavor is the students' oral poster presentations to their peers and Institute scientific faculty. Other summer experiences include attendance at our distinguished lecture series, career counseling sessions, and weekend social activities. For more information, visit www.roswellpark.org/reu/ Or contact Dr. Arthur Michalek at arthur.michalek@roswellpark.org or 716-845-2339.
