Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology

描述(由申请者提供)：目前的建议是支持由UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson医学院和罗格斯大学研究学院指导的分子和发育神经生物学暑期本科研究计划(SURP)。该计划有三个主要目标：(1)通过提供密切指导的、亲身实践的研究经验，增加学生对基础生物学研究的知识和欣赏；(2)通过职业发展和教育活动，增加学生对从事研究事业的知识和兴趣；(3)为计划校友提供持续的建议、支持和指导，以促进计划后的职业生涯规划和实施。从2013年开始，每年将有12名本科生被我们的项目录取。将特别考虑来自经济和/或社会弱势背景的学生，包括代表性不足的少数族裔申请者、第一代大学生，以及那些在现有大学缺乏研究经验或机会的人，以培养深度和多样化的潜在未来科学家队伍。拟议的SURP的研究部分包括在UMDNJ/RWJMS和罗格斯大学布希校区的分子和发育神经生物学活跃的、国家认可的和联邦资助的研究计划的实验室进行动手实验。拟议中的NIH夏季研究体验计划的基础设施和总体组织将基于已经实施了16年的现有计划。学生将在当地实验室的导师、博士后或高级研究生的密切指导和监督下，从事自己的独立研究项目，涉及尖端分子、遗传和基因组方法。拟议的SURP旨在将学生的研究经验和指导与职业发展相结合，还包括研究道德培训。学生活动包括每周一次的会议，由我们校园和专业团体的科学家参加，讨论他们的教育和职业生涯，包括传统和非传统途径。每年，学生们将在一个研讨会上展示他们暑期研究项目的成果，该研讨会对校园内的科学家和普通公众开放。将指导学生的几位导师研究精神障碍，包括抑郁症、双相情感障碍、自闭症和精神分裂症。其他教师对神经系统发育和退化的细胞、分子和遗传过程的多学科研究重点也对精神障碍的病因、发病机制和进展有影响，其中许多精神障碍都有发育起源。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The current proposal is to support a Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) in Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology mentored by UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers University research faculty. The program has three primary goals: (1) To increase student knowledge and appreciation of basic biological research by providing a closely-mentored, hands-on research experience; (2) To increase student knowledge and interest in pursuing careers in research through career development and educational activities; (3) To provide continued advice, support and guidance to program alumni to facilitate post-program career planning and implementation. Twelve undergraduates will be admitted to our program each year beginning 2013. Special consideration will be given to students from economically and/or socially disadvantaged backgrounds including under-represented minority applicants, first-generation college students, and those with limited research experience or opportunities at their present colleges to generate a deep and diverse pool of potential future scientists. The research component of the proposed SURP involves hands-on experimentation in labs with active, nationally recognized and federally funded research programs in Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology on the Busch Campus of UMDNJ/RWJMS and Rutgers Universities. The infrastructure and general organization of the proposed NIH Summer Research Experience program will be based on an existing program that has been in place for 16 years. Students will work on their own independent research projects involving cutting-edge molecular, genetic and genomic approaches under the close guidance and supervision of mentors, postdocs or senior graduate students in their host labs. The proposed SURP is designed to integrate student research experiences and mentoring with career development and also includes training in research ethics. Student activities include weekly meetings attended by scientists from our campus and from the professional community to discuss their education and careers including traditional and non-traditional paths. Each year students will present the results of their summer research projects in a symposium that is open to scientists on campus and members of the general public. Several of the mentors who will be supervising the students study mental disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia. The multidisciplinary research focus of the other faculty mentors on the cellular, molecular, and genetic processes underlying developmental and degeneration of the nervous system also has implications for the etiology, pathogenesis and progression of mental disorders, many of which have developmental origins.