REU Site: Cellular Bioengineering -- From Biomaterials to Stem Cells

这个为期三年的REU网站计划在罗格斯大学，新泽西的州立大学是由工程教育和中心的部门的支持。REU每年将有10名本科生参与细胞生物工程领域的前沿跨学科研究。几个项目属于生物材料领域，通常具有化学元素（例如，合成的、分析的和/或物理的）与来自跨学科领域的贡献，例如分子生物工程（例如，基底的生物功能化）、材料的纳米级和微米级图案化以及界面热力学和传输现象。干细胞生物工程主题内的项目可能涉及新技术的开发，以分析干细胞壁龛的特性或干细胞培养物的定向操作以进行扩增和/或分化。少数项目涉及适用于各种细胞系统的技术开发，可能直接利用干细胞，也可能不直接利用干细胞，如微制造设备和新型生物医学光学器件。具体项目包括：神经细胞表型控制的多模式线索;寡核苷酸的靶向系统和细胞内递送;重编程干细胞和3-D微环境;移植用肝细胞的代谢工程;以及用于亚细胞结构动力学分析的无标记显微镜。 该REU计划的主要目标是继续为多样化的本科生群体提供独特的机会，以在细胞生物工程领域进行尖端的跨学科研究。该计划为代表性不足的学生提供宝贵的培训和经验，包括那些先前研究接触有限的学生，并具有标准化的研究培训和专业发展要素，以加速学习曲线，并将学生培养成追求高影响力研究的活跃实验室。与本科生通常进行的传统单学科研究不同，在过去三年中，该计划成功地利用了与“工程”研究项目相关的广泛培训，但将生命科学和物理科学整合在一起。研究经验是丰富的一系列活动，旨在激发在该领域的终身兴趣，并促进学生的个人职业发展。积极的指导，协作和学生体验的监测一直是实现计划目标的关键。细胞生物工程靴子营介绍了学者的实验室和成像技能，促进他们融入他们的研究实验室。在很大程度上依赖于跨学科合作的令人兴奋的研究项目介绍了学者在细胞生物工程接地广泛的主题。一个新的重点是创新和创业，有大量的行业参与，平行于最近的NSF I-Corps倡议转化研究，以利用从研究中产生的新技术的潜力，并提供该计划的更广泛的影响。每周的研讨会和讨论小组允许跟踪和监测学者的经验，同时让他们参与专业发展。为研究生开设的指导研讨会作为“近同行”导师，扩大了该计划的影响，超越了本科生的参与者。

This three-year REU site program at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is supported by the Division of Engineering Education and Centers. The REU will engage ten undergraduate students each year in cutting-edge, cross-disciplinary research in the field of Cellular Bioengineering. Several projects fall within the Biomaterials realm, which generally features elements of chemistry (e.g., synthetic, analytical, and/or physical) with contributions from interdisciplinary fields such as molecular bioengineering (e.g., biofunctionalization of substrates), nanoscale and microscale patterning of materials, and interfacial thermodynamics and transport phenomena. Projects within the Stem Cell Bioengineering theme may involve the development of new technologies to analyze properties of stem cell niches or the directed manipulation of stem cell cultures for expansion and/or differentiation. A few projects involve development of technologies that are applicable to a variety of cellular systems, and may or may not utilize stem cells directly, such as microfabircated devices and novel biomedical optics. Specific examples of projects include: Multi-modal cues for phenotypic control of neural cells; Targeted systemic and intracellular delivery of oligonucleotides; Reprogrammed Stem Cells and 3-D Microenvironments; Metabolic engineering of liver cells for transplantation; and Label-free microscopy for analysis of subcellular structural dynamics. The primary goal of this REU program is to continue to provide unique opportunities for a diverse population of undergraduate students to perform cutting-edge, cross-disciplinary research in the field of Cellular Bioengineering. The program provides invaluable training and experience to under-represented students, including those with limited prior research exposure, and has standardized elements of research training and professional development to accelerate the learning curve and inoculate the students into active laboratories pursuing high-impact research. Unlike the traditional mono-disciplinary research that undergraduates typically conduct, in the past three years this program has successfully leveraged broad-based training related to 'engineering' research projects, but integrated across life sciences and physical sciences. The research experience is enriched with a range of activities designed to spark a lifelong interest in the field and to foster the students' individual career development. Active mentoring, collaboration, and monitoring of the student experience have been critical to achieving the programmatic goals. The Cellular Bioengineering Boot Camp has introduced Scholars to laboratory and imaging skills that facilitate their integration into their research labs. Exciting research projects that rely heavily on interdisciplinary collaboration introduce the Scholars to a broad array of topics grounded in Cellular Bioengineering. A new focus on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, with substantial industry involvement, parallels the recent NSF I-Corps initiative for translational research to capitalize on the potential for new technology that emanates from the research and provide an even broader impact of the program. Weekly seminars and discussion groups allow tracking and monitoring of the Scholars' experiences while concurrently engaging them in professional development. Incorporation of a mentoring workshop for the graduate students who serve as 'near-peer' mentors expands the impact of the program beyond the undergraduate participants.