BioStart: Clinical Research and Education Experiences for Students, Teachers, Par

描述(由申请人提供)：BioStart项目的主要目的是提高医学、生物技术和生命科学领域的地区毕业生的质量和数量，期望这些学生中的许多人继续获得高级学位，并作为医疗专业人员、研究科学家、教师和技术人员加入地区劳动力大军。该计划的主要合作伙伴包括位于什里夫波特的路易斯安那州立大学健康科学中心(路易斯安那州立大学S)、路易斯安那州西北部生物医学研究基金会和路易斯安那州西北部卡多教区的一所公立学校索斯伍德高中。该项目将向来自索斯伍德生物技术学院的25名高三学生介绍实践、密集和令人兴奋的实验室研究经验，并增加他们对临床试验过程的理解。参与活动的学生和教职员工将通过教育外展活动分享这些经验，预计每年将影响到约250名学生、家长、教师和社区其他部分。具体地说，这项为期五年的新的I/II阶段SEPA计划旨在： 1)通过实习计划增加临床试验的知识，包括医学和生命科学实验室实践、研究方法和主题。在实习计划中，高三学生将在LSUHSC-S参与翻译和临床研究的教师导师的指导下进行研究项目。学生将参加关于特定临床研究主题和职业的讲座 S教授和来自生物技术、制药公司的全国知名企业家和高级管理人员。此外，学生将通过参加至少一次海报会议来展示他们的研究，并将至少申请一次地区性或全国性的科学竞赛。 2)通过参加S研究生院和研究生举办的活动和研讨会，通过与教职员工的接触和互动，增加家长、教师、学生和感兴趣的社区成员对临床试验过程的了解 3)通过开展下列外展活动，提高中学生对临床试验、科学职业和研究领域的兴趣：a)在路易斯安那州科学港科学中心--一个当地的实践科学活动中心，由BioStart实习生和教职员工向中学生群体介绍他们的翻译和临床研究；b)参加当地中学的年度高中博览会，招收生物技术学院和BioStart项目的学生；以及c)创建和分发介绍BioStart项目的辅助材料，并创建一个网站，提供项目信息、学生研究和活动以及到NIH SEPA网站的链接。 公共卫生相关性(由申请者提供)：BioStart项目通过其教育活动与健康相关，以增加公众对在什里夫波特路易斯安那州立大学健康科学中心进行的临床和转化性研究的了解。通过提高对临床试验的认识和了解，预计将有更多的当地居民参与这些研究。此外，来自南华大学S费斯特-韦勒癌症中心的参与实验癌症治疗中心(CECAT)的教职员工将指导高中生开发与其实验室进行的药物发现研究相关的研究项目。教职员工和BioStart学生实习生也将在不同的场所向社区展示他们的研究成果，包括家长、教师和其他学生。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary purpose of the BioStart program is to increase the quality and quantity of area graduates in the medical, biotechnology and life sciences fields with the expectation that many of these students will continue on to earn advanced degrees and participate in the regional workforce as medical professionals, research scientists, teachers and technicians. Major partners in this program include Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport (LSUHSC-S), the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana, and Southwood High School, a public school in Caddo Parish in northwest Louisiana. The program will introduce 25 high school seniors from Southwood's Biotechnology Academy to hands-on, intensive and exciting laboratory research experiences and increase their understanding of the clinical trial process. The participating students and faculty will share these experiences through educational outreach activities that are expected to impact an estimated 250 students, parents, teachers and other segments of the community per year. Specifically, this new, five year Phase I/II SEPA program aims to: 1) Increase knowledge of clinical trials, including medical and life science laboratory practice, research methods, and topics through an internship program whereby high school seniors will conduct a research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor involved in translational and clinical research at LSUHSC-S. Students will attend lectures on specific clinical research topics and careers given by LSUHSC-S faculty and nationally known entrepreneurs and senior management from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Furthermore, students will present their research by participating in at least one poster session and will apply for at least one regional or national science competition. 2) Increase understanding among parents, teachers, students and interested members of the community of the clinical trial process through exposure and interaction with faculty by attending events and symposia given by LSUHSC-S research faculty and graduate students 3) Increase interest in clinical trials, scientific careers and fields of study among middle school students by implementing the following outreach activities: a) presentations by BioStart interns and faculty of their translational and clinical research to groups of middle school students at Sci-Port Louisiana's Science Center - a local hands-on science activity center; b) participating in annual high school fairs at local middle schools to recruit students to the Biotechnology Academy and BioStart programs; and c) creating and distributing collateral materials that describe the BioStart program, and creating a website with program information, student research and activities, and links to the NIH SEPA website. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): The BioStart project is relevant to health through its educational activities to increase the public's understanding of clinical and translational research taking place at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. By increasing awareness and understanding of clinical trials, there is the expectation that more local residents will participate in these studies. Furthermore, faculty members from LSUHSC-S' Feist-Weiller Cancer Center who participate in the Center for Experimental Cancer Therapeutics (CECAT), will mentor high school students by guiding them in developing research projects relevant to the drug discovery research occurring in their laboratories. Faculty and BioStart student interns will also present their research to the community, including parents, teachers and other students, in a variety of venues.