Establishment of Research and Education Partnerships for Underrepresented Students in Biophysics at Texas Southern University

该奖项的全部或部分资金来自《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公法117-2)。该奖项支持德克萨斯南方大学(TSU)与理论生物物理中心(CTBP，莱斯大学)合作开展研究和培训项目。这种合作将影响来自代表不足和服务不足的社区的学生，这与TSU校园中最大的学生人口比例(超过80%)是一致的。这一NSF-Prep项目旨在改善成功进入研究生院、医学院或成功进入生物物理学和相关科学职业的毕业生的留校率和学术准备。研究项目涉及低剂量辐射对细胞及其遗传学的影响，重点是发展合作，特别是在染色质结构和动力学的基础建模以及来自CTBP侧的基因信号网络建模方面。资助的活动将德克萨斯州南部教职员工和学生的努力和培训与CTBP的活动结合在一起。该合作有两个主要研究项目：(1)确定与诊断成像能量一致的低剂量X射线对细胞增殖的影响机制；(2)了解低剂量X射线如何影响白细胞、暴露后分子反应途径和修复机制以及对细胞增殖的表型影响。这些目标将通过强调三个不同的重点来实现：(1)计算模型和以理论为基础的调查，以生物相关的过程，线性能量转移(LET)和相对生物有效性(RBE)的变化的X射线辐照在相对低剂量的现实白细胞形态，(2)实验和计算评估的辐射损伤在DNA规模上的X射线辐照在相对较低的剂量，和(3)验证和测试计算模型与生物学实验，探索低剂量X射线对蛋白质-蛋白质和蛋白质-小分子相互作用的功能影响。TSU和CTBP之间建立强有力的伙伴关系将为高成就和多样化的学生群体提供渠道，分别接受理论生物物理学和实验辐射生物学研究方面的培训，以继续毕业或进入医学院。学生导师在主动学习和研究经验方面的双重作用是这项有针对性努力的主要组成部分。对于所有学生来说，大部分的自然减员发生在大学的头两年，当时学生们正在参加入门课程。这笔赠款将使TSU能够与CTBP合作创建和建立一个成功的生物物理学项目。德克萨斯州立大学位于休斯敦，是美国历史上最大的黑人学院和大学之一。代表不足的STEM学生自然会受到提案中概述的学术和研究推动力的影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). The award supports Texas Southern University (TSU) in a partnership with the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (CTBP, Rice University) in a collaborative research and training program. This collaboration will impact students from underrepresented and underserved communities, as is consistent with the largest segment of the student population on the TSU campus (greater than 80%). This NSF-PREP project is aimed at improving the retention and academic preparedness of graduates who successfully go to graduate school, medical school or successful biophysics careers and related sciences. Research projects concern the effect of low dose radiation on cells and their genetics, with a focus on developing collaborations particularly in the areas of fundamental modeling of chromatin structure and dynamics, and modeling of gene signaling networks coming from the CTBP side. The funded activities integrate Texas Southern faculty and student efforts and training with the activities of the CTBP. The collaboration has two main research projects: (1) Determining mechanisms that affect cell proliferation at low x-ray doses consistent with diagnostic imaging energies and (2) Understanding how low dose x-rays affect leukocytes, post-exposure molecular response pathways and repair mechanisms and phenotypic impact on cell proliferation. The objectives will be accomplished by emphasizing three distinct thrusts: (1) computational modeling and theory-based investigation of changes in biologically relevant processes, linear energy transfer (LET) and Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) engendered by x-ray irradiation in realistic leukocyte cell morphologies consisting of liquid water at relatively low doses, (2) experimental and computational evaluation of radiation damage at the DNA scale due to x-ray irradiation at relatively low doses, and (3) validation and testing of computational models with biological experiments exploring the functional impact of low dose x-rays on protein-protein and protein-small molecule interactions. Establishment of a strong partnership between TSU and the CTBP will provide a pipeline for a high-achieving and diverse student population with training in theoretical biophysics and experimental radiation biology research to continue to graduate or medical school, respectively. The dual aspect of student mentors in active learning and research experiences are primary components of this targeted endeavor. For all students, most of the attrition occurs in the first two years of college, when students are taking introductory gateway courses. The grant will enable TSU to create and build a successful biophysics program in partnership with the CTBP. TSU is located within Houston and is one of the largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the nation. Underrepresented STEM students will naturally be impacted by the academic and research thrusts outlined in the proposal.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.