REU Site in Biomolecular Engineering

该奖项为宾夕法尼亚州立大学大学园区的一个为期三年的REU网站提供支持。12名学生将从美国各地招募，在与生物分子工程相关的研究方面进行为期10周的暑期体验。学生将有机会进行研究，旨在了解生物分子的生产、纯化和应用所涉及的工程挑战。REU学员将与教师、研究生和博士后在前沿项目上密切合作，从开发用于蛋白质纯化的膜系统，到了解涉及细菌黏附的分子间作用力，到开发用于药物输送的纳米颗粒，到优化新型工程蛋白质的定向进化协议，到转基因植物中的克隆抗体的合成。该计划将为学生参与者提供机会，学习如何通过暑期结束时举行的海报会议有效地交流他们的研究成果。该课程将为本科生提供一个广泛接触生物分子工程领域的独特机会，并将为生物化学和分子生物学等专业的学生提供一个独特的机会，以获得该研究领域的工程学视角。预计该计划将对需要增加在美国大学、政府机构和私营部门组织从事研究相关职业的美国公民和永久居民数量的国家产生更广泛的影响。预计该REU网站将对那些需要更广泛地参与研究事业的国家产生更广泛的影响，这些国家的公民和永久居民来自传统上在科学和工程领域代表性较低的人口群体。

This award provides support for a three-year REU Site at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park campus. Twelve students will be recruited from throughout the U.S. for a ten-week summer experience in research related to biomolecular engineering. Students will have an opportunity to do research aimed at understanding the engineering challenges involved in the production, purification, and application of biological molecules. REU participants will work closely with faculty, graduate students, and post-docs on cutting-edge projects ranging from developing membrane systems for protein purification, to understanding intermolecular forces involved in bacterial adhesion, to developing nanoparticles for drug delivery, to optimizing directed evolution protocols for novel engineered proteins, to the synthesis of monoclonal antibodies in transgenic plants. The program will provide opportunities for student participants to learn how to effectively communicate their research results through a poster session held at the end of the summer. This program will provide a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to gain a broad exposure to the field of biomolecular engineering and will provide a unique opportunity for students majoring in fields such as biochemistry and molecular biology to gain an engineering perspective on this research field. It is anticipated that this program will have a Broader Impact on the nations need to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents engaged in research-related careers at U.S. universities, government agencies, and in private-sector organizations. It is also anticipated that this REU Site will have a Broader Impact on the nations need to have broader participation in the research enterprise of citizens and permanent residents from demographic groups traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering.