REU Site: Molecular & Cellular Bioengineering

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The Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland (UMD) will collaborate with the Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to broaden the scope and depth of the REU site program. The objective of the program is to introduce ten undergraduate students with engineering and science backgrounds to a diverse research environment involving bioengineering at the molecular and cellular level. This program with promote team-based and cross-disciplinary research within this field. The participants will be afforded an opportunity to be involved in the development of biomedical devices at the research, development, and evaluation stages. Potential undergraduate students will be recruited from chemistry, biochemistry, physics, biology, chemistry and engineering. Each student will be paired with a graduate student and a faculty mentor, who will closely supervise the research progress. Each REU student will have a primary research assignment either at UMD or FDA. Participants will be required to attend professional development seminars on basic laboratory safety, professional and engineering ethics, technical communication, and graduate studies in science/engineering. They will also make two oral presentations and present a final research paper. In addition to the professional development activities, the students will participate in two field trips to local biotechnology companies or local laboratories and a variety of social activities. At the end of the summer all participants will give a presentation of their accomplishments during a two day long REU Research Day. Finally, evaluation of the REU Site will occur in the final days of the REU program as well as one year after each student's participation in the program. What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? Recruitment efforts will be focused on undergraduates from institutions with limited levels of molecular and cellular bioengineering research. The program will expand the student's knowledge of emerging technologies and trends, preparing them for graduate studies or a professional career.