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

该奖项全部或部分根据2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。该奖项支持德克萨斯南方大学（大津）与理论生物物理中心（CTBP，莱斯大学）合作开展合作研究和培训计划。 这种合作将影响来自代表性不足和服务不足社区的学生，这与大津大学校园中最大的学生群体（超过80%）是一致的。这个NSF-PREP项目旨在提高成功进入研究生院，医学院或成功的生物物理学职业和相关科学的毕业生的保留和学术准备。 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领域，以及CTBP方面的基因信号网络建模。资助的活动整合得克萨斯州南部的教师和学生的努力和培训与CTBP的活动。该合作有两个主要研究项目：（1）确定在与诊断成像能量一致的低剂量X射线下影响细胞增殖的机制，以及（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。将通过强调三个不同的重点来实现这些目标：（1）在由相对低剂量的液态水组成的现实白细胞形态中，由X射线辐射引起的生物学相关过程、线性能量传递（LET）和相对生物学有效性（RBE）的变化的计算建模和基于理论的研究，（2）由于相对低剂量的X射线照射而在DNA尺度上的辐射损伤的实验和计算评估，以及（3）通过生物实验验证和测试计算模型，探索低剂量X射线对蛋白质的功能影响，蛋白质和蛋白质-小分子相互作用。 大津和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一个管道，他们将接受理论生物物理学和实验辐射生物学研究的培训，分别继续毕业或进入医学院。 学生导师在积极学习和研究经验的双重方面是这一目标奋进的主要组成部分。对于所有学生来说，大部分的流失发生在大学的头两年，当学生正在学习入门课程。这笔赠款将使大津能够与CTBP合作创建和建立一个成功的生物物理学项目。 大津州立大学位于休斯顿，是美国历史上最大的黑人学院和大学之一。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响力审查标准进行评估，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.