REU Site in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Sanford Research

This REU Site award to Sanford Research, located in Sioux Falls, SD, will support the training of 10 students 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 an under-represented group, will be trained in the program. Emphasis will be placed on students who have historically faced barriers to participation in science, students with disabilities, and veterans. The objectives of the program are to provide exceptional research experiences in Cellular and Molecular Biology to undergraduate students, support the pursuit of graduate degrees and research careers, and increase diversity in the scientific community. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Assessment of the program will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool. The NSF ETAP system will be used to register participants (https://www.nsfetap.gov/). Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will perform cutting-edge research on projects in diverse areas of Cellular and Molecular Biology, including signal transduction, intracellular trafficking, organelle function, cell proliferation and differentiation, and development. Projects will support laboratory research goals and provide defined goals and anticipated outcomes for the participant. The program will include a research experience, together with career and professional development programming, responsible conduct of research training, and scientific presentation and writing opportunities. Students will also engage with the community through outreach activities to increase public scientific literacy and inspire youth to consider science careers. Students will apply online, and a selection committee will interview the top candidates by videoconference and make acceptance decisions. More information about the program and application is available by visiting https://research.sanfordhealth.org/academic-programs/undergraduates/spur or by contacting the PI (Dr. Lee at Lance.Lee@sanfordhealth.org). 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.