REU Site: A Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) on Design and Delivery of Polymer-Drug Complexes

该奖项是大分子和界面研究所、弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学本科生研究经验（REU）项目的延续。这个为期11周的项目在2009年至2011年的每个夏季为12名本科生提供11周的学习。来自化学、化学工程、物理、木材科学和林产品等系的教师和研究生导师将对REU的学生进行培训。该项目在大分子材料设计、药理学应用和生物物理相互作用等领域提供跨学科研究经验。研究重点是聚合物和生命科学的科学结合点，项目旨在在尖端的研究环境中灌输团队合作，沟通和领导技能。学生将研究用于药物传递系统的定义明确的聚合物的合成，聚合物-药物复合物及其特性的表征，以及这些材料与生物细胞的相互作用的研究。该计划的其他活动包括研究生导师的领导力研讨会，所有参与者的社区建设静修，道德研讨会，聚合物短期课程，药物输送以及技术沟通技能发展培训。该计划还为REU参与者提供了指导和与中学生一起进行科学示范项目的机会，并通过在公共活动中的演讲将他们的研究成果带到当地社区。该奖项由美国国家科学基金会数学与物理科学理事会材料研究与化学处联合资助，

This award continues the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site program at the macromolecules and Interface Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. This eleven-week program supports 12 undergraduates for 11 weeks each summer during 2009 to 2011. Faculty and graduate student mentors drawn from departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics, and Wood Science and Forest Products will train the REU students. The program offers interdisciplinary research experience in the areas that bridge macromolecular materials design, pharmacological applications and biophysical interactions. Research focus is at the scientific junction of polymers and life sciences and projects are designed to instill teamwork, communication, and leadership skills in a cutting-edge research environment. Students will work on the synthesis of well-defined polymers for drug delivery systems, characterization of polymer-drug complexes and their properties, and study of the interactions of these materials with biological cells. Other activities in the program include leadership workshop for graduate student mentors, community building retreat for all participants, ethics workshop, short courses on polymers, drug delivery, and training for technical communication skills development. The program also offers opportunities for REU participants to mentor and work with middle school students on science demonstration projects and take their research to the local community through presentations at a public event. This award is jointly funded by the Division of Materials Research and Chemistry in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate of National Science Foundation,