Planning: HBCU-UP: OPEN: Collaborative STEM Education, Research, and Workforce Development in Biomanufacturing Through Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Training

Saint Augustine'S College, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) provides support to strengthen STEM undergraduate education and research at HBCUs. This project will coordinate planning activities for Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) to reimagine STEM by focusing on its proximity to Research Triangle Park, NC and the growing industry in biomanufacturing. The planning work outlines a strategy for developing new, innovative, and transformative partnerships with neighboring universities and industry affiliates and integrating biotechnology and bioinformatics training to prepare SAU students for the biomanufacturing workforce and/or entry into STEM graduate programs. This partnership effort will provide faculty internship opportunities in biotechnology and bioinformatics at a major research university and a bridge to biomanufacturing sciences training program for students at SAU. This strategy also involves the integration of biotechnology and bioinformatics content and skill acquisition into laboratory courses at SAU. The goals of this project are to (1) integrate biotechnology and bioinformatics training in the genetics laboratory course and molecular cell biology laboratory course for biomanufacturing workforce development, (2) provide STEM majors with a biomanufacturing sciences training experience through a summer program, and (3) support advanced training in biotechnology or bioinformatics for STEM faculty. Within the genetics laboratory course, STEM majors will be exposed to hands-on training centered on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and high-throughput DNA sequencing to genetically engineer an organism and characterize an organism at the molecular level, respectively. Within the molecular cell biology laboratory course, STEM majors will be exposed to hands-on training in high-throughput selection to identify and recover a protein of interest and characterize protein interactions. The summer biomanufacturing sciences training program will provide STEM majors industry-based technical and research skills training in protein expression, recovery, characterization, and bioactivity. STEM faculty supported to receive advanced training in biotechnology or bioinformatics will be expected to integrate training in laboratory courses and research. The project will also support expert facilitators to provide students with advanced training in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and biomanufacturing. Overall, the working hypothesis of this project is the integration of biotechnology and bioinformatics in laboratory courses and summer training will lead to students accomplishing the following goals: project ownership, self-efficacy, mastery of techniques, overcoming challenges in research, increased communication skills, and feeling a connection to a larger scientific community. For evaluation purposes, aspects of these goals will be assessed through structured anonymous feedback mechanisms. A potential contribution to science is preparing competitive STEM majors for the biomanufacturing workforce or entering fields of study that support biomanufacturing sciences. 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.