REU Site: Sensing and Signaling in Biological Systems

田纳西大学诺克斯维尔分校（UTK）获得了本科生研究经验（REU）站点奖，该奖项将在2012- 2014年夏季为10名学生提供为期10周的研究培训。这个“传感和信号”项目由美国国家科学基金会生物科学理事会和国防部ASSURE项目共同支持，重点关注各种实验方法，包括计算生物学、结构生物学、神经生物学、细胞生物学和遗传学，以研究生物体感知环境信号和适应环境的方式。生物化学系和分子与细胞生物系的教师将担任导师。学生将从事全职实验室研究，并将参加各种研讨会和讲习班，包括道德和负责任的研究行为，网络，专业沟通技巧，工业界和学术界的职业机会，以及研究生院申请过程。学生们还可以参观附近的橡树岭国家实验室，包括高性能计算和中子设施。REU学生有机会获得最先进的资源安置在个别教师导师实验室，以及先进的成像，DNA测序，生物分析方法等核心设施。该项目的招募包括通过邮件散发传单、建立网站、通过各种分发方式进行数字广告以及校园访问。学生的选择基于学业成绩，教师推荐，以及使用现代方法解决生物学问题的杰出研究潜力。REU参与者被跟踪，以确定他们对科学的持续兴趣，他们的学术和职业道路，以及夏季研究经历的影响。有关该计划的信息将与UTK当地评估专家合作评估，参与Howard Hughes医学研究所赞助的基于网络的SURE III全国调查，以及NSF REU通用评估工具。欲了解更多信息，请访问http://web.bio.utk.edu/bcmb/summer/reu.html，或联系PI （Cynthia Peterson博士cbpeters@utk.edu）或副PI （Brad Binder博士bbinder@utk.edu）。

A Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Sites award has been made to the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) that will provide research training for 10 students, for 10 weeks during the summers of 2012- 2014. This "Sensing and Signaling" program, supported by both the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Department of Defense ASSURE program, focuses on a variety of experimental approaches, including computational biology, structural biology, neurobiology, cell biology and genetics, to study the ways organisms sense environmental cues and adapt to their surroundings. Faculty from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology will serve as mentors. Students will engage in full-time lab research and will participate in a variety of seminars and workshops, including ethics and the responsible conduct of research, networking, professional communication skills, career opportunities in industry and academia, and the graduate school application process. Students are also provided tours of the nearby Oak Ridge National Lab, including the high-performance computing and neutron facilities. REU students have access to state-of-the-art resources housed in individual faculty mentor labs as well as core facilities for advanced imaging, DNA sequencing, bioanalytical methods, etc. Recruitment for the program involves circulating flyers by mail, establishing a web site, and digital advertising through a variety of distribution methods, and campus visits. Students are selected based on academic record, faculty recommendations, and potential for outstanding research using modern approaches in solving biological problems. REU participants are tracked to determine their continued interest in science, their academic and career paths, and the impacts of the summer research experience. Information about the program will be assessed in collaboration with local assessment experts at UTK, participation in the web-based SURE III nationwide survey sponsored by Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the NSF REU common assessment tool. More information is available by visiting http://web.bio.utk.edu/bcmb/summer/reu.html, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Cynthia Peterson at cbpeters@utk.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Brad Binder at bbinder@utk.edu).