Summer Undergraduate Research Program (NEUROSURP) in Neuroscience

Project Summary/Abstract The current proposal is to support a Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Neuroscience (NeuroSURP) mentored by Rutgers University research faculty. The program has three primary aims: (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 2024. Special consideration will be given to students from historically underrepresented minority and disadvantaged backgrounds including Black, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, or have physical or mental disabilities, or are from economically and/or socially disadvantaged backgrounds (collectively referred to as URM) that comprise 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 funded research programs in neuroscience with a focus on neurological disorders at Rutgers University. The infrastructure and general organization of the proposed program will be based on an existing program that has been in place for 27 years. Students will work on their own research projects under the close supervision of mentors in their host labs. The proposed SURP is designed to integrate student research experiences and mentoring with weekly meetings comprising training in neuroscience, oral and written presentations, critical reading of manuscripts, Responsible Conduct of Research as well as Rigor and Reproducibility including statistical analysis. In addition, there is a significant career development component during the weekly meetings in which PhD, MD/PhD and MD guest speakers discuss their career paths representing academic research, non-academic research as well as research- related careers. 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. In addition, the students submit a paper on their project in the format of a manuscript and receive feedback from MPIs. Finally, the Co-directors will maintain close contact with the alumni of our program as we have done for the past 27 years and will continue to provide them with advice and mentoring related to applying to graduate school and their careers. The mentors who will be supervising the students study neurological disorders including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, autism, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, sensory loss, epilepsy, and stroke. The multidisciplinary research focus of the faculty mentors on the cellular, molecular, and genetic processes underlying developmental and degeneration of the nervous system has implications for the etiology, pathogenesis and progression of neurological disorders.