REU Site: Interdisciplinary Program in Multi-scale Biological Networks

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to Rice University, located in Houston, TX, will support the training of ten students for ten weeks during the summers of 2016-2018. This REU site seeks to expose students to the excitement of biological research and the increasing contributions that different science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines are making towards a detailed understanding of biological systems. To achieve this, students will work in labs that draw from an array of approaches - from classical biochemical and genetic to non-trivial theoretical modeling that requires computation. The research areas include: (i) biomolecular structure, function, and evolution, (ii) naturally-occurring genetic networks, (iii) synthetic genetic and metabolic networks, and (iv) ecological networks. The participating faculty mentors come from a range of departments including Biosciences, Bioengineering, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry, and Computer Science. In addition to research, students will participate in workshops that focus on ethics and responsible conduct of research, professional communication, career opportunities, and the graduate school application process. In addition to presenting their research at a capstone poster symposium, students will be provided a creative opportunity to develop innovative biotechnology proposal ideas by working in collaborative groups. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will be recruited nationwide, with an emphasis on students enrolled at proximal minority-serving institutions, including community colleges and four-year institutions. 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 programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine student career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available at http://ibb.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=563, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Joff Silberg at joff@rice.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. George Bennett at gbennett@rice.edu).