REU Site: Molecular Basis of Cellular Phenotypes (MBCP) at The Wistar Institute

Wistar Institute, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to Wistar Institute located in Philadelphia, PA, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2023-2025. 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 provide students with research experience, mentorship, and professional support to help them embark on successful graduate careers in the life sciences and will support a diverse pipeline of future life scientists. Assessment of the program will be done through an online system. Students will be tracked after the program to determine their career paths. The Molecular Basis of Cellular Phenotypes REU Program is organized around one of the NSF’s 10 Big Ideas, “Understanding the Rules of Life,” and is aligned with its aim to elucidate the sets of rules that predict an organism's observable characteristics, its phenotype. Projects explore molecular function to understand cell behavior. Faculty mentors from each of Wistar’s research programs: Gene Expression & Regulation; Immunology, Microenvironment & Metastasis; Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis; and Vaccine & Immunotherapy will offer exciting projects for undergraduates. The program consists of a 2-week lab orientation designed to increase student confidence and productivity, followed by an 8-week internship. During orientation, students participate in hands-on training in molecular and cellular biology techniques and investigate how genetic variation in the human TP53 gene affect cellular outcomes (for example, apoptosis). Based on their scientific interests, students are then assigned an internship project and a predoctoral trainee to serve as a peer mentor to enhance their sense of belonging within Wistar’s research community. Professional and personal growth is supported by cohort-building activities and weekly group workshops with topics covering science communication, responsible conduct of research training, and graduate school application. More information about the program is available by visiting https://wistar.org/education-training or by contacting the PI (Dr. David Zuzga at dzuzga@wistar.org) or the co-PI (Dr. Kristy Shuda McGuire at kshudamcguire@wistar.org). 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.