REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Genomics and Neuroscience

This REU Site award to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, located in New Orleans, LA, will support the training of 10 students interested in genomics and neuroscience research for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from groups underrepresented in the sciences, will be trained in the program.

Students interested in graduate school and conducting genomics and neuroscience research will be trained in various aspects of scientific research, wet lab technology, data analysis, and scientific visual literacy. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Special communication services will be available for students with different learning abilities and communication needs.

Assessment of the program will be done through an online tool. Students should apply to the REU site using NSF ETAP (Education and Training Application: https://etap.nsf.gov).

The goals of the REU in Genomics and Neuroscience Program are for students to receive first-hand research experience while conducting wet laboratory, bioinformatics, and computational neuroscience projects. All projects will utilize state-of-the-art techniques and equipment, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) of nuclear or mitochondrial DNA and RNA, bioinformatics, advanced confocal microscopy, and computer technology software.

Students will receive seminars and workshops on responsible conduct in research, laboratory safety, designing a successful research project, scientific communication, resume/CV writing, exploring career opportunities, and time management. Social activities and networking opportunities include community service with mentors and graduate students. Applicants are not required to have previous research experience.

This project is jointly funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure in the Directorate of Biological Sciences and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

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.