REU Site: NSF REU in Molecular Biosciences

University Of California-San Francisco, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). This REU Site award to the University of California San Francisco, in San Francisco, California, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2022- 2024. 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 be exposed to UCSF’s interdisciplinary collaborative research environment, and will undertake training covering biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, and genomics. In addition to undertaking an independent research project, students will learn foundational skills in the presentation of scientific findings, will participate in journal clubs and lab meetings, and will present at national conferences. Assessment of the program’s learning and training outcomes will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool and students’ career outcomes will be tracked to assess the professional outcomes of the program. The objectives of this program are to provide: a) state of the art, hands-on training in molecular biosciences and b) a co-curriculum that communicates skills, information, and experiences required for successful transition to graduate school and to research careers in the biological sciences. Students are recruited nationally at ABRCMS/ SACNAS meetings, via outreach visits, and by word of-mouth via former NSF-REU participants. Participants are selected by a faculty committee that considers personal and professional accomplishments, and extenuating circumstances. The centerpiece of the program is an intensive research experience in which students are paired with outstanding UCSF faculty and student mentors to learn modern techniques used to solve complex research problems. Projects are designed to maximize a productive, positive, and realistic immersion in scientific research. A unique co-curriculum prepares students intellectually and psychosocially for success in graduate school, and includes required scientific training in responsible conduct of research. Finally, this REU leverages activities to develop UCSF graduate students into effective and supportive professional mentors, some of whom serve as direct mentors and others as teaching assistants. More information about the program is available by visiting https://graduate.ucsf.edu/srtp or by contacting the PI (Dr. Carol Gross at carol.gross@ucsf.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Liz Silva at elizabeth.silva@ucsf.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.