REU Site: Interdisciplinary Research in Cellular and Molecular Imaging

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This award by the Chemistry Division supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at the University of Texas Austin for the summers of 2006-2008. The program director is Jennifer Broadbelt who is assisted by co-PI Lisa Brannon-Peppas. Eight students will participate each summer. The overarching theme of the program is the development of tools for the detection of molecular and cellular markers in vivo before and after therapy, with the long-term goal of visualizing biomarkers of disease in living cells and tissue. There are four major research cornerstones that constitute the CM-Imaging program: 1) novel contrast agent development, 2) novel imaging and spectroscopy system development, 3) diagnostic and vital imaging and spectroscopy, and 4) imaging to monitor therapeutics. Team-based creative projects will involve pairs of students who work together in two four-week intervals to design and defend solutions to two challenging problems. Each undergraduate will attend the regular group meetings held weekly by his/her research group. A weekly seminar program will be offered, as well as weekly group lunches, for professional development. The summer program will close with two finales: a symposium at which each student will give a ten minute oral presentation about his/her research project, and a poster session.