REU Site: Engineering Tools for Disease Diagnostics and Treatment

全球卫生安全（GHS）是一项全球优先事项，涉及疾病的预防、检测、治疗和控制。GHS只有通过跨学科合作才能实现，其中工程努力发挥着至关重要的作用。华盛顿州立大学（WSU）为期三年的本科生研究经验（REU）项目，疾病诊断和治疗的工程工具，将为来自研究设施有限的弱势群体的不同本科生群体提供研究机会，他们将探索一系列存在于健康科学和工程界面上的重大社会问题。拟议的研究项目侧重于设计更好的工具来预测和治疗细菌感染、心脏病、骨关节炎、糖尿病、人体工程学问题和癌症。这些项目解决了不仅美国而且全世界面临的一系列紧迫的卫生挑战。华盛顿州立大学（WSU）将招收9名本科生，在9.5周的夏季时间里设计、制造和利用工程工具来诊断和治疗各种普遍存在的和新出现的疾病。该计划在研究和技术以及专业发展方面有六个目标。这些是：1)为学者提供实践研究活动，重点是开发用于疾病诊断和治疗的工程工具，2)提高REU学者对全球健康新出现的重大挑战的认识，3)加强参与学者的学术资格和技术技能，4)为REU学者阐明职业道路，5)使对科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）领域感兴趣的有才华的学生多样化。6)扩大未被充分代表的少数族裔在STEM领域的参与。为了实现计划目标，学生将参与指导，基于假设的研究项目，解决与现实世界相关的健康问题。这些研究经验将与一系列技术研讨会交织在一起，使学生接触到用于疾病诊断和治疗的前沿工程研究工具。创业和提案写作等活动将用于培养学生的专业技能。REU方案的调查结果将在地方和国家会议上通过海报和口头报告以及通过同行评议的出版物传播。

Global health security (GHS) is a worldwide priority that deals with prevention, detection, treatment and control of diseases. GHS can only be realized through interdisciplinary collaborations in which engineering endeavors play a vital role. This three year Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program at Washington State University (WSU), Engineering Tools for Disease Diagnostics and Treatment, will provide research opportunities to a diverse cohort of undergraduate students from underrepresented groups with limited access to research facilities, who will explore an array of significant societal problems that lie on the interface of health science and engineering. The proposed research projects are focused on designing better tools to predict and treat bacterial infections, cardiac diseases, osteoarthritis, diabetes, ergonomic problems and cancers. These projects address an array of pressing health challenges that face not only the United States, but the entire world. Washington State University (WSU) will host 9 undergraduate students over 9.5 summer weeks to design, fabricate and utilize engineering tools to diagnose and treat diverse ubiquitous and emerging diseases. The program has six goals in research and technical as well as professional development. These are to: 1) provide scholars with hands-on research activities focused on developing engineering tools for disease diagnostics and treatment, 2) increase REU scholars' awareness of emerging grand challenges to global health, 3) strengthen the academic credentials and technical skills of participating scholars, 4) clarify career paths for REU scholars, 5) diversify the pool of talented students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, and 6) broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in STEM fields. To achieve program goals, students will participate in mentored, hypothesis-based, research projects that address health problems with real-world relevance. These research experiences will be intertwined with a set of technical seminars that expose students to cutting edge, engineering research tools used in disease diagnosis and treatment. Activities such as entrepreneurship and proposal writing will be used to develop students' professional skills. REU program findings will be disseminated through poster and oral presentations at local and national meetings as well as through peer-reviewed publications.