REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Genomics and Biochemistry

This REU Site award to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, located in New Orleans, LA, will support the training of 10 students interested in genomics and/or biochemistry research for 10 weeks during the summers of 2021-2023. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from groups underrepresented in the sciences, will be trained in the program.

All projects are hypothesis-driven, focusing on solving scientific problems and utilizing computational state-of-the-art scientific methods. Students will analyze and interpret data and communicate their findings. They will develop a competitive resume, receive training in potential careers in STEM, and contribute new knowledge in genomics and biochemistry.

Student projects will be flexible for remote and/or on-campus work. By the end of the program, students of diverse backgrounds will become more competitive in their graduate school applications and research careers. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many of them will present the results of their work at scientific conferences.

The program will focus on one-on-one training in genomics and biochemistry, emphasizing hard scientific skills (hypothesis and experimental design, methodology, scientific communication), soft skills (time management), and professional development (responsible conduct in research, resume/CV writing, career guidance). REU students will have networking opportunities with current graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty members.

They will have the opportunity to enhance their scientific communication thru interaction with inner-city K-12 schools. The goals of this program are to facilitate training in data analytics and scientific visual literacy, to provide learning platforms for current datasets and research problems, and enable trainees to use these materials in a variety of situations (e.g., a pandemic).

Computational and wet lab projects adaptable to remote applications will be available based on student research interests. Assessments of the program will be performed through the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to follow their career paths.

More information about the program is available by visiting http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/genetics/reu.aspx , or by contacting the PI (Dr. Fern Tsien) at [email protected] or [email protected].

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.