REU Site: Bioinformatics Research and Interdisciplinary Training Experience in Analysis and Interpretation of Information-Rich Biological Data Sets (REU-BRITE)

Trustees Of Boston University, Boston

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to Boston University, located in Boston, MA, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2020- 2022. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from an under-represented group, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. The program will help train a diverse group of future bioinformatics scientists, who understand and can easily manipulate a wide range of computational, mathematical, and statistical techniques to analyze and model the very large data sets produced by contemporary biological experiments. Research outcomes from the program are expected to create new knowledge-based resources for biological research. Assessment of the program will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. The program will focus on computational and mathematical analyses of biological data. Students will conduct full-time research with a Boston University Bioinformatics faculty mentor in one of a broad range of biological research fields, including the microbiome in humans and the environment, the linkage between genetic variation and phenotype, gene regulatory networks, biomolecular interactions, and ecological forecasting. Students will learn how to analyze high-throughput data, gain experience in statistical and machine learning methods, and assist with the development of computational tools and methodologies. Components will include: 1) workshops on bioinformatics computing, 2) workshops on creating a scientific abstract and poster, 3) poster presentation at an undergraduate research conference, 4) educational outreach to community elementary and middle school students, 5) scientific enrichment and career networking at Boston University Bioinformatics sponsored symposia, 6) training in preparing a competitive graduate school application, 7) training in scientific ethics, and 8) cultural and social enrichment in the Boston area. Participants will be selected by the Principal Investigator and potential faculty mentors after completion of an online application. More information about the program is available by visiting http://sites.bu.edu/britereu/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Gary Benson at gbenson@bu.edu). 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.