REU Site: Undergraduate Research Experience in Biomedical Translational Science and Technology Development

Suny At Binghamton, Binghamton NY

Investigators

Abstract

The rapid expansion of biomedical science has resulted in a short supply of biomedical scientists and engineers at all career levels, presenting an immediate need to educate and train more young people in the skills and knowledge required for biomedical science and engineering. To meet this demand, Binghamton University (BU-SUNY) will host a 10-week summer REU program to train 10 undergraduate students per year in translational biomedical science and engineering. The program will offer undergraduates intensive multidisciplinary hands-on research and professional development training in integrated biomedical translational science and technology development. The program is anticipated to develop a leadership pipeline helping students advance in either their graduate studies or career and professional training in these fields. The teaming of biomedical scientists with engineers has led to the development of this novel and unique REU program. The fourteen participating faculty members combined have trained nearly 684 REU students, leading to 80 peer-reviewed research articles co-authored by undergraduates. BU's strong commitment to undergraduate education and research will ensure the success of the proposed REU program. The broad and cohesive research interests of faculty mentors involved in this program allow for designing and implementing a vigorous summer REU program to offer T-shaped professional training opportunities to undergraduates. Efforts will be made to recruit students from underrepresented groups, such as women, minority students and students from undergraduate institutions and community colleges where undergraduate research training is limited. The outcome of the REU program will be disseminated at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. The REU program will provide students with opportunities to learn how engineering principles can be integrated with medical and life sciences to translate biomedical discoveries into bedside technologies for treating many diseases, such as diabetes and cancers. The program will expose students to medical science, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, neuroscience and cognitive science, as well as to tissue engineering, materials sciences, nanofabrications, genome editing, RNA transcriptome analysis, 3D bioprinting, cell manufacturing, and tissue biofabrication. Interactive workshops covering topics related to biomedical engineering and graduate studies and career development training will inform students of the latest developments in the fields of biomedical science and engineering and professional development opportunities in these fields. Social events related to the REU program will allow students to interact with other REU students on campus facilitating peer learning and collegiality. Field trips to industry sites will introduce students to applications of biotechnology development. The combination of research training, workshops, social events, and field trips will provide students with a foundation in biomedical engineering research, which they can apply to enriching their professional development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.