REU Site: Undergraduate Bioinformatics Research in Data Science for Genomics

随着基因组革命，生物信息学已成为一个重要的研究领域。受过跨学科训练的科学家迫切需要处理和分析大规模的基因组数据集。这个新的REU网站建立了一个名为Bridge(基因组数据科学中的生物信息学研究)的项目，让学生接触生物信息学和计算生物学领域的研究。每年夏天，10名学生将接受为期10周的培训和指导，并由UMD生物信息学和计算生物学中心(CBCB)的成员共同提供建议。通过这次经历，学生们将结对学习研究问题，提出解决特定研究问题的计划，并实施他们的计划。在经验丰富的导师的指导下，本科生将研究生物信息学前沿领域的现实世界问题，包括元基因组学、机器学习、单细胞RNA测序、并行计算和系统基因组学。学生们将用未知的答案来解决新问题。在暑期结束前，每个小组要写一篇论文，并就他们的项目做一个口头报告。学生的发现将促进该领域的知识和理解。BRIDGE的目标是建立一个来自全国各地的多样化的优秀本科生队伍，并为女性、未被充分代表的少数民族和非传统学生提供研究机会。为了在生物信息学和计算生物学方面打下坚实的基础，学生将参加为期一周的强化课程，并参加各种专业发展主题的研讨会和小组讨论。Bridge将为学生提供有价值的、愉快的研究体验，鼓励他们从事跨学科的研究生学习，并最终扩大和多样化生物医学研究领域。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Following the genome revolution, bioinformatics has arisen as an essential field of research. There is a critical need for scientists with interdisciplinary training to process and analyze large scale genomic datasets. This new REU Site establishes a program called BRIDGE (Bioinformatics Research In Data science for Genomics) that exposes students to research within bioinformatics and computational biology. Ten students will receive training and mentorship for ten weeks each summer and will be jointly advised by members of the UMD Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB).Throughout this experience, students will work in pairs to learn about a research problem, propose a plan to tackle a specific research question, and implement their plan. With the guidance of experienced mentors, undergraduate students will research real world problems in cutting-edge areas of bioinformatics, including metagenomics, machine learning, single-cell RNA sequencing, parallel computing, and phylogenomics. Students will address novel problems with unknown answers. By the end of the summer, each team will produce a paper and give an oral presentation on their project. Students' findings will advance knowledge and understanding of the field.BRIDGE aims to build a diverse cohort of exceptional undergraduates from across the country and provide research opportunities for women, underrepresented minorities, and non-traditional students. In order to build a solid foundation in bioinformatics and computational biology, students will take a week-long intensive course and attend seminars and panel discussions on various professional development topics. BRIDGE will provide students with a valuable, enjoyable research experience that will encourage them to pursue interdisciplinary graduate studies and eventually expand and diversify the biomedical research field.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.