Honors Undergraduate Research Training at SSU

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The SSU MARC U-STAR application proposes to revitalize the Honors Undergraduate Research Training Program for underrepresented minorities at Savannah State University. The institution has made dramatic advances in improving the biomedical research infrastructure within the last five years. The external funding has increased by five folds to over 1.5 million dollars annually in the proposed participating departments. The animal facility is now operational and laboratories have been modernized to conduct the state-of-the-art on-campus research in molecular biology/biotechnology, molecular toxicology, physiology, medicinal chemistry and related areas. Accordingly, the SSU MARC proposal seeks funding for the training of six high caliber students (3 juniors and 3 seniors) for biomedical and behavioral research careers. The institution committed additional funds to provide three scholarships at freshmen level and three at the sophomore level to enlarge the student pool for entry into the regular MARC program. Proposed enrichment activities will enhance the research and analytical skills of trainees for pursuing a successful graduate program culminating into a doctorate. The proposed MARC courses include Research Methods, Biocomputation, Applied and Basic Statistics, Biophysical or Medicinal Chemistry, Advanced Molecular Biology in addition to weekly/biweekly seminar series, weekly journal clubs, and research rotation on campus and summer extramural research, GRE-prep workshops, and scientific presentations at professional meetings among other activities. The pre-MARC activities will enlarge the scientific pool of well-qualified students for competitive entry into the program. The ten carefully selected inter-disciplinary preceptors are highly committed to research training of underrepresented minorities. Specific measurable outcome based objectives and evaluating methods are clearly delineated. A mandatory Bioethics course is proposed for MARC participants. The SSU MARC program is a concerted approach to enlarge the pool of minority biomedical scientists.