REU: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Chemical Biology at Purdue University

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

This Chemistry Division award supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at Purdue University for the summers of 2004-2006. The program director is Mark A. Lipton who is assisted by co-PI Jean A. Chmielewski. Nine students will participate in a ten-week program. Chemistry majors, especially women and underrepresented minorities, will be recruited from colleges and universities that do not provide opportunities for research. Faculty from the Departments of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology will direct the research in the multidisciplinary area of molecular biology. Research topics include: design of small molecules to interact with enzymes, hormone receptors, biological transporters, lipid membranes or nucleic acids; drug delivery; and chemical understanding of disease states. Weekly training sessions, tutorials and research presentations will be held to increase the students' understanding of the interdisciplinary area of chemical biology. Formative and summative evaluation of the program will be undertaken using quantitative and qualitative techniques.