BME in the News

Congratulations to Dr. Julie Kohn on her VentureWell BME-IDEA International Faculty Grant

Abstract: This project seeks to establish a collaboration between the biomedical engineering (BME) programs of the University of Delaware (UD) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa in order to create a multi-cultural senior design project. This grant would provide funding for the establishment of an initial collaboration, funding for the first-year project, and professional development of the program’s faculty member, Dr. Julie Kohn. The goal of the collaboration is to provide US-based BME undergraduate students with the opportunity to practice designing medical devices for a low-resource setting and to learn how to work in multicultural teams.

Announcement: Doctoral Dissertation Defense by Andrea Zonnino

Congratulations to Jazmine Shirazi on her Delaware Space Grant Graduate Fellowship

BME Department News

Virtual Junior Design Final Showcase, Thursday May 21 @ 10:30am

Becca and I would like to invite you to our final Junior Design showcase. The move to online came right as the students were about to begin prototyping, so as you can expect, they were especially bummed that they didn’t get to produce something physical. That said, Becca and I have been really impressed by what they managed to pull together virtually, and we want to celebrate that!

Junior Design Final Showcase
Thursday, May 21, 2020 from 10:30am-12:30pm
https://udel.zoom.us/s/92012548544  

Through their independent learning and with the help of our TAs (most of the students came in with zero prior experience in CAD), the students have managed to create virtual models of their proposed designs and simulate them using software such as TinkerCAD (for Arduino components), Algodoo (for physical systems), and Solidworks (for solid models, engineering drawings, and motion analysis). There are 2 projects this year, both with a local non-profit, Art Therapy Express: adjustable easel and adjustable paintbrush for individuals with mobility disabilities. There are 16 teams (7 teams on easel, 9 teams on paintbrush), and each team will present a 4 minute pitch of their final designs.

• CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATES’ WEEK: This week, between Tuesday May 19 and Thursday May 21, we are celebrating our graduating seniors with a virtual event series full of fellowship, friendship, and fun. Please join us in honouring our students with a send-off not meant to replace graduation but share togetherness from home!
  • ONGOING: Send your well-wishes, greetings, and salute the UD BME Class of 2020! Forward this link to parents, grandparents, friends, non-BME faculty, and anyone you want to see notes from. Photo/video is OPTIONAL. These will be shared throughout our events next week. https://forms.gle/ehgMpPYTrYnB52RZ7
  • Tuesday May 19: Senior Salute, 8 PM via Zoom
    • BME Seniors, Faculty, and Staff ONLY
    • Toasts, speeches, stories, inside jokes; sharing the last 4 years and looking forward to what’s next for the Class of 2020
    • SENIORS: Please answer the following survey no later than Monday May 18; we’re looking for feedback on what to include – https://forms.gle/8yxz4oUvesGd2MD9A
  • Wednesday May 20: #UDBME2020 Takeover on Social Media
    • Open to all! Follow @UDBME on Twitter; you do NOT need an account to view the page.
    • Throwback photos and video, messages from friends and family, share your best memories in 280 characters or less.
    • Let’s see if we can get the hashtag #UDBME2020 to trend!
  • Thursday May 21: Virtual Graduation Party, 8 PM
    • Via Zoom for BME Seniors, Faculty, and Staff with interaction enabled
      • Music from between 2016 and 2020 plus party favourites
      • Make requests, song dedications, shoutouts, and more!
    • Via Twitter/Periscope for the general public (via @UDBME on Twitter), limited interaction
• Department Awards have been announced! Here are the winners for the 2019-2020 academic year –
  • Undergraduate Students
    • BME Chairperson’s Award: Sienna Pyle and Michael Slemko
    • Distinguished Senior Award: Ahlad Neti and Ariel Hannum
    • Distinguished Junior Award: Maria Lilley and Nicholas Paulter
    • Distinguished Sophomore Award: Akram Ahmed, Alexis Anderson, and Carolina Gomez Casas
    • Matthew Maguire Celebration of Life Award: Maddie Dugan
  • Graduate Students
    • Best Doctoral Thesis Award: Danielle Valcourt
    • Best Paper Award: Omar Banda
    • Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award: Ryan Locke
    • Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: Michael Donzanti
    • Rising Star Award: Grace McIlvain
    • Outstanding BME Outreach Award: Ellen Bloom and Dan Minahan
    • Outstanding Graduate Student Service Award: Grace McIlvain and Kyle Meadows
  • Congratulations to all recipients! Please stay tuned for more updates as we near the end of the Spring 2020 Semester!

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

BioData Catalyst Fellows Program; 2nd Cohort Now Open for Applications

We are pleased to announce a second round of NHLBI BioData Catalyst Fellows Program fellowship opportunities. Please encourage early-career researchers in your community to apply.  The Call for Proposals can be found at https://biodatacatalyst.nhlbi.nih.gov/fellows/program.

BioData Catalyst is an ecosystem for research investigators who need to find, access, share, store, and compute on large scale datasets. It is a cloud-based platform populated with NHLBI datasets that provides tools, applications, and workflows in secure workspaces.

The NHLBI BioData Catalyst Fellows Program provides researchers, especially early-career researchers (graduate students, postdocs, junior faculty, and others), the opportunity to receive funding to help support research on novel and innovative data science and data-focused research problems. The program is open to academic disciplines conducting biomedical research in heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) domains, which may or may not include the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in those domains.

The BioData Catalyst Fellows Program offers a mechanism for researchers to engage with the Consortium as partners in the BioData Catalyst endeavor.

BioData Catalyst Fellows will:

• Improve the NHLBI BioData Catalyst ecosystem based on their feedback. Fellows are among the first users of the ecosystem, chosen in part because they have projects that can benefit from, and be of benefit to, BioData Catalyst.
• Be our collaborators. Together we will test and expand the BioData Catalyst ecosystem with new tools, data, and capabilities.
• Have dedicated time to work with TOPMed data and other data sources to accelerate their research productivity.
• Act as our ambassadors in their communities to help onboard others.

The application process opens on May 15, 2020. The deadline to submit is June 26, 2020 11:59 PM Eastern Time. For more information, please review the Call for Proposals on the BioData Catalyst website (https://biodatacatalyst.nhlbi.nih.gov/fellows/program). Questions regarding the Fellows Program may be directed to the NHLBI BioData Catalyst Help Desk and by selecting the type “Fellows Program” from the contact form.

May Institute on Computation and Statistics for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics is NOW ONLINE

Even though the in-person program of May Institute 2020 had to be canceled, I am happy to announce that we are able to offer a shorter version online, free of charge.

We are extremely grateful to all the instructors who were able to offer parts of their presentations in the new format. Since hands-on interactions online are difficult, most of the presentations will be lectures or tutorials, and a combination of pre-recorded videos and live presentations and Q&A.
The outline of the program and the logistics are described at https://computationalproteomics.khoury.northeastern.edu/ and the details will be added to the “Docs” files by the instructors as we get closer to the date.

If you are interested in joining any program, please fill in a very short registration form.

DE-INBRE Year 2 Core Center Access Award Application

Attached please find for your review and dissemination the DE-INBRE IV Year 2 Core Center Access Award Application for those interested in applying for a core center access award utilizing Medicaid Data.  Please note the application deadline is May 27, 2020 at 5pm.  Completed applications should be emailed to info@de-inbre.org.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Grant Opportunities from AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is soliciting applications for grants to support medical related education for grad students/clinicians/residents/undergrad students etc https://www.astrazenecagrants.com/us-grants/ and they are also interested in sponsoring conferences on areas of their interest.

You seem to need to register with them to get application information, that is available on their website.

UniProt Now Accepting Submissions

Calling all scientists stuck at home! Contribute your knowledge to UniProt and help the scientific community.

Read our latest blog post to see how: http://insideuniprot.blogspot.com/2020/04/scientists-at-home-uniprot-to-rescue.html

NIH Supplements for Underrepresented Students (new FOA)

NIH just updated the FOA for grant supplements to train under represented high school, undergraduate, graduate students and postdocs. Please pass along to your graduate trainers.

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-20-166.html

It is similar to the prior FOA however, it has more details in regard to NIH’s expanded criteria for social/economic disadvantage which is likely to make way more students eligible as it includes Pell eligibility, receiving WIC as a child or adult, growing up in some rural zip codes/those with a shortage of health professionals, and first generation college student status.

This is a reminder to all NIH funded faculty members (a very broad set of activity codes are eligible) that research supplements are available to fund trainees (ranging from high school students through postdocs) who are underrepresented in STEM.  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-18-906.html including folks from underrepresented minority groups, low income or rural backgrounds (note NIH just greatly broadened this category), or those with physical or mental disabilities.

You should also be contacting your institute representative for the PA since each institute has different details about the process…..

89. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the NSF to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.  In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program.  For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see NOT-OD-15-089.
90. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.  See NSF data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-5_updated_2014_10.pdf.
91. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as:
92. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size, published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml.
93. Individuals who come from an educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that has demonstrably and directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.

• The disadvantaged background category (C1 and C2) refers to the financial and educational background of individuals, particularly before graduating from high school, while residing in the United States

It should be noted that literature also shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields (e.g., Inside the Double Bind, A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Undergraduate and Graduate Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics http://her.hepg.org/content/t022245n7x4752v2/fulltext.pdf).

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

Sigma Xi: Art and Science Competition Submissions Wanted

Sigma Xi is hosting a STEM art and film festival this fall and is looking for submissions (deadline July 31st)

https://www.sigmaxi.org/meetings-events/annual-meeting-and-student-research-conference/stem-art-and-film-festival

NIH NIAID COVID-19 Antibody Study

From Lynn Snyder Mackler: In this strange time, we are all trying to figure out something tangible we can do to help fight this fight. I was enrolled this week. They are actively recruiting to try and figure out the penetrance of the virus into the community.

Niaidflucsu@niaid.nih.gov

If you would like to enroll in the study, email the above email and state you want to be a part of the antibody study.  You will received an email back and a quick 10 minute call (caller ID will say NIH NIAID) and they will send you a kit to do a pin prick blood sample.

TBD: Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars 2020

Please note, Summer Scholar selections are continuing as planned with the assumption that the INBRE Summer Scholars program will run during the Summer of 2020. However, as the situation with the pandemic is now fluid, it is possible that we will need to significantly change the program scope, limit which scholars are able to participate based on the details of their research project/its suitability to remote work, or even cancel the Summer program altogether as the start date approaches. As the Governor of Delaware has extended the state of emergency, which seeks to limit interpersonal interactions and disease spread, until May 15th, we anticipate making our final decision about whether the program (or individual undergraduate research projects) will run this summer no later than May 18th, 2020.

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

Engineer Better Health and Advance Your Career @ Purdue, Biomedical Engineering Master’s Program

Did you know that engineering, science, and technology graduates can have a lucrative career in a wide range of medical fields? If advancing your technical mastery, leadership strength, and regulatory knowledge to directly benefit the health and well-being of people around the world appeals to you, Purdue’s Professional MS in biomedical engineering can fast-track your career into the skyrocketing biomedical sciences industry.

The program is designed for the recent graduate with an academic background in engineering, science or related technical field who is seeking entry into the biomedical industry:

1. Flexibility–Customize your curriculum to focus on learning competencies and advancing your career goals.
2. Professional Development and Regulatory Affairs Emphasis–Develop business acumen, sharpen your organizational leadership skills, and advance your knowledge of regulatory affairs and entrepreneurship.
3. Industry Immersion Opportunity–Gain valuable hands-on experience with one of our corporate partners, acquire firsthand knowledge of a leading biomedical company, and deepen your technical expertise while expanding your professional network.
4. Convenience–Complete your degree in as little as a year, opt to take up to 40% of your coursework online, and graduate with a competitive edge.

I’m sure you find this program not only educational but valuable to your career as well. Please reach out to Tammy Siemers at tsiemers@purdue.edu to discover more about this program and how it can help you progress your educational and career goals.

Application Deadline: June 1st

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

College of Engineering + UD Career Center hosting Virtual Summer Job Shadow

200+ alumni have signed up to be Virtual Summer Job Shadow hosts & meet one-on-one with students for 1-hr informational interviews during the week of June 8^th. This program allows you to apply to virtual shadows that interest you and speak with a professional in your desired industry area. Applications are open from May 11^th – 22^nd. You can search all shadow hosts in Handshake.

New Webinar Series for the NIGMS Training Community

We’re pleased to announce a new webinar series for students, postdocs, and faculty. Each hour-long webinar will include a 10- to 15-minute presentation by the speaker followed by a moderated question and answer session. Our hope is that these webinars will enhance our trainees’ ongoing learning experiences.

The webinar series kicks off Monday, May 4, and a tentative list of dates and speakers is on the link above. As plans are finalized, additional details will be posted on our website.

We strongly encourage our sponsored trainees and other interested students, postdocs, and faculty to participate in these webinars, and we ask that you to share this information with anyone who may be interested in attending. Participants requiring sign language interpretation should email info@nigms.nih.gov at least 3 days prior to the event. Recordings will be posted on the NIGMS website following each webinar.

NCATS Online Course in Translational Science, June 15-July 31 2020

Enhance your translational science skills this summer with a seven-week online course designed by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The course — MEDI 501: Principles of Preclinical Translational Science — is offered by NCATS in partnership with the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES), which is located at the NIH.

Translational science is an emerging field that seeks to identify broadly generalizable scientific and operational principles to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of translational research.

In this course, students will learn preclinical translational science principles. Faculty will teach these principles through a case study of a highly successful translational research partnership involving NCATS, the National Cancer Institute, Northwestern University and the University of Kansas. The partnership produced a promising potential drug shown to inhibit cancer metastasis in animal models and that is being examined in a first-in-human clinical trial in 2020.

The course is relevant to individuals in a range of roles — including scientists, administrators and specialists in scientific collaboration — and is appropriate across all career stages, from students to senior scientists.

This one-credit course requires a time commitment of about one hour per week to listen to course lectures, plus time to complete course readings and other short assignments.

Because this is a pilot course, it is being offered at a reduced fee of only $50.

To learn more, please go to https://ncats.nih.gov/events#online-course, where you’ll be able to view the course syllabus and speakers, as well as a course flyer (also attached here) with more information.

Registration is now open. To register, go to https://faes.org/courses and locate the course title – MEDI 501: Principles of Preclinical Translational Science.  If you are new to FAES, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Login” button in the upper right hand corner of the page
2. Click on “Applicant Portal Homepage”
3. Click on “Create a New Account” and complete the form

PLEASE NOTE: There is a short wait time after submitting the form while FAES reviews the information submitted.  After this review, the account will be activated and the prospective student will receive an email with the subject heading “Welcome to FAES”, and will be able to register for MEDI501.

Please contact Jessica Faupel-Badger, PhD, MPH (badgerje@mail.nih.gov) or Amanda Vogel, PhD, MPH (vogelal@mail.nih.gov) at the NCATS Education Branch with any questions about the format or content of the course.

Small Research Grants for Clinical/Basic Research Collaborations on Structural Birth Defects

I have been asked to play “matchmaker” between clinicians working at AI duPont Hospital for Children and basic scientists  to try to find pairs of investigators who could apply for NIH R03 funding to form collaborations focused on the the understanding of structural birth defects https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/par-20-065.html  with the next realistic grant deadline being October 16th.

If you work on a “structural birth defect” or have interest in moving your research program into that area, please send me an email with some information on the sort of thing you have in mind, and I will work with the Nemours administration to try to find you a clinical partner.

(via Dr. Melinda Duncan, Dept. of Biological Sciences @ UD)

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum: NOW VIRTUAL

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4, NOW ONLINE

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Announcement: Doctoral Dissertation Defense by Andrea Zonnino

Congratulations to Jazmine Shirazi on her Delaware Space Grant Graduate Fellowship

BME Seminars

Katie Nelson @ Gleghorn Lab, CBI Virtual Symposium – An In Vitro Placenta Model with Tunable ECM to Study Transplacental Drug Transport
Tuesday May 12, 10 AM via Zoom
See full event details here!

Other Department Seminars of Interest

Charles Bergquist @ Science Friday, Director + UD Chemistry graduate – What’s News?
Join UD students, staff and faculty in a town hall meeting from 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, featuring Charles Bergquist, director of Science Friday and a UD graduate. Moderated by Dawn Falik, UD journalism professor and medical reporter for Science News and The Washington Post, the online event is part of the Words for Nerds program and includes discussions about science in the news, social media use among researchers and covering science during a pandemic.
Tuesday May 12, 5 PM via Zoom
See details and register here!

BME Department News

• CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATES’ WEEK: Next week, between Tuesday May 19 and Thursday May 21, we are celebrating our graduating seniors with a virtual event series full of fellowship, friendship, and fun. Please join us in honouring our students with a send-off not meant to replace graduation but share togetherness from home!
  • ONGOING: Send your well-wishes, greetings, and salute the UD BME Class of 2020! Forward this link to parents, grandparents, friends, non-BME faculty, and anyone you want to see notes from. Photo/video is OPTIONAL. These will be shared throughout our events next week. https://forms.gle/ehgMpPYTrYnB52RZ7
  • Tuesday May 19: Senior Salute, 8 PM via Zoom
    • BME Seniors, Faculty, and Staff ONLY
    • Toasts, speeches, stories, inside jokes; sharing the last 4 years and looking forward to what’s next for the Class of 2020
    • SENIORS: Please answer the following survey no later than Monday May 18; we’re looking for feedback on what to include – https://forms.gle/8yxz4oUvesGd2MD9A
  • Wednesday May 20: #UDBME2020 Takeover on Social Media
    • Open to all! Follow @UDBME on Twitter; you do NOT need an account to view the page.
    • Throwback photos and video, messages from friends and family, share your best memories in 280 characters or less.
    • Let’s see if we can get the hashtag #UDBME2020 to trend!
  • Thursday May 21: Virtual Graduation Party, 8 PM
    • Via Zoom for BME Seniors, Faculty, and Staff with interaction enabled
      • Music from between 2016 and 2020 plus party favourites
      • Make requests, song dedications, shoutouts, and more!
    • Via Twitter/Periscope for the general public (via @UDBME on Twitter), limited interaction
• Department Awards have been announced! Here are the winners for the 2019-2020 academic year –
  • Undergraduate Students
    • BME Chairperson’s Award: Sienna Pyle and Michael Slemko
    • Distinguished Senior Award: Ahlad Neti and Ariel Hannum
    • Distinguished Junior Award: Maria Lilley and Nicholas Paulter
    • Distinguished Sophomore Award: Akram Ahmed, Alexis Anderson, and Carolina Gomez Casas
    • Matthew Maguire Celebration of Life Award: Maddie Dugan
  • Graduate Students
    • Best Doctoral Thesis Award: Danielle Valcourt
    • Best Paper Award: Omar Banda
    • Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award: Ryan Locke
    • Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: Michael Donzanti
    • Rising Star Award: Grace McIlvain
    • Outstanding BME Outreach Award: Ellen Bloom and Dan Minahan
    • Outstanding Graduate Student Service Award: Grace McIlvain and Kyle Meadows
  • Congratulations to all recipients! Please stay tuned for more updates as we near the end of the Spring 2020 Semester!

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

May Institute on Computation and Statistics for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics is NOW ONLINE

Even though the in-person program of May Institute 2020 had to be canceled, I am happy to announce that we are able to offer a shorter version online, free of charge.

We are extremely grateful to all the instructors who were able to offer parts of their presentations in the new format. Since hands-on interactions online are difficult, most of the presentations will be lectures or tutorials, and a combination of pre-recorded videos and live presentations and Q&A.
The outline of the program and the logistics are described at https://computationalproteomics.khoury.northeastern.edu/ and the details will be added to the “Docs” files by the instructors as we get closer to the date.

If you are interested in joining any program, please fill in a very short registration form.

DE-INBRE Year 2 Core Center Access Award Application

Attached please find for your review and dissemination the DE-INBRE IV Year 2 Core Center Access Award Application for those interested in applying for a core center access award utilizing Medicaid Data.  Please note the application deadline is May 27, 2020 at 5pm.  Completed applications should be emailed to info@de-inbre.org.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Grant Opportunities from AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is soliciting applications for grants to support medical related education for grad students/clinicians/residents/undergrad students etc https://www.astrazenecagrants.com/us-grants/ and they are also interested in sponsoring conferences on areas of their interest.

You seem to need to register with them to get application information, that is available on their website.

UniProt Now Accepting Submissions

Calling all scientists stuck at home! Contribute your knowledge to UniProt and help the scientific community.

Read our latest blog post to see how: http://insideuniprot.blogspot.com/2020/04/scientists-at-home-uniprot-to-rescue.html

NIH Supplements for Underrepresented Students (new FOA)

NIH just updated the FOA for grant supplements to train under represented high school, undergraduate, graduate students and postdocs. Please pass along to your graduate trainers.

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-20-166.html

It is similar to the prior FOA however, it has more details in regard to NIH’s expanded criteria for social/economic disadvantage which is likely to make way more students eligible as it includes Pell eligibility, receiving WIC as a child or adult, growing up in some rural zip codes/those with a shortage of health professionals, and first generation college student status.

This is a reminder to all NIH funded faculty members (a very broad set of activity codes are eligible) that research supplements are available to fund trainees (ranging from high school students through postdocs) who are underrepresented in STEM.  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-18-906.html including folks from underrepresented minority groups, low income or rural backgrounds (note NIH just greatly broadened this category), or those with physical or mental disabilities.

You should also be contacting your institute representative for the PA since each institute has different details about the process…..

89. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the NSF to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.  In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program.  For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see NOT-OD-15-089.
90. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.  See NSF data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-5_updated_2014_10.pdf.
91. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as:
92. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size, published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml.
93. Individuals who come from an educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that has demonstrably and directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.

• The disadvantaged background category (C1 and C2) refers to the financial and educational background of individuals, particularly before graduating from high school, while residing in the United States

It should be noted that literature also shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields (e.g., Inside the Double Bind, A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Undergraduate and Graduate Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics http://her.hepg.org/content/t022245n7x4752v2/fulltext.pdf).

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

NIH NIAID COVID-19 Antibody Study

From Lynn Snyder Mackler: In this strange time, we are all trying to figure out something tangible we can do to help fight this fight. I was enrolled this week. They are actively recruiting to try and figure out the penetrance of the virus into the community.

Niaidflucsu@niaid.nih.gov

If you would like to enroll in the study, email the above email and state you want to be a part of the antibody study.  You will received an email back and a quick 10 minute call (caller ID will say NIH NIAID) and they will send you a kit to do a pin prick blood sample.

TBD: Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars 2020

Please note, Summer Scholar selections are continuing as planned with the assumption that the INBRE Summer Scholars program will run during the Summer of 2020. However, as the situation with the pandemic is now fluid, it is possible that we will need to significantly change the program scope, limit which scholars are able to participate based on the details of their research project/its suitability to remote work, or even cancel the Summer program altogether as the start date approaches. As the Governor of Delaware has extended the state of emergency, which seeks to limit interpersonal interactions and disease spread, until May 15th, we anticipate making our final decision about whether the program (or individual undergraduate research projects) will run this summer no later than May 18th, 2020.

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

Engineer Better Health and Advance Your Career @ Purdue, Biomedical Engineering Master’s Program

Did you know that engineering, science, and technology graduates can have a lucrative career in a wide range of medical fields? If advancing your technical mastery, leadership strength, and regulatory knowledge to directly benefit the health and well-being of people around the world appeals to you, Purdue’s Professional MS in biomedical engineering can fast-track your career into the skyrocketing biomedical sciences industry.

The program is designed for the recent graduate with an academic background in engineering, science or related technical field who is seeking entry into the biomedical industry:

1. Flexibility–Customize your curriculum to focus on learning competencies and advancing your career goals.
2. Professional Development and Regulatory Affairs Emphasis–Develop business acumen, sharpen your organizational leadership skills, and advance your knowledge of regulatory affairs and entrepreneurship.
3. Industry Immersion Opportunity–Gain valuable hands-on experience with one of our corporate partners, acquire firsthand knowledge of a leading biomedical company, and deepen your technical expertise while expanding your professional network.
4. Convenience–Complete your degree in as little as a year, opt to take up to 40% of your coursework online, and graduate with a competitive edge.

I’m sure you find this program not only educational but valuable to your career as well. Please reach out to Tammy Siemers at tsiemers@purdue.edu to discover more about this program and how it can help you progress your educational and career goals.

Application Deadline: June 1st

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

College of Engineering + UD Career Center hosting Virtual Summer Job Shadow

200+ alumni have signed up to be Virtual Summer Job Shadow hosts & meet one-on-one with students for 1-hr informational interviews during the week of June 8^th. This program allows you to apply to virtual shadows that interest you and speak with a professional in your desired industry area. Applications are open from May 11^th – 22^nd. You can search all shadow hosts in Handshake.

New Webinar Series for the NIGMS Training Community

We’re pleased to announce a new webinar series for students, postdocs, and faculty. Each hour-long webinar will include a 10- to 15-minute presentation by the speaker followed by a moderated question and answer session. Our hope is that these webinars will enhance our trainees’ ongoing learning experiences.

The webinar series kicks off Monday, May 4, and a tentative list of dates and speakers is on the link above. As plans are finalized, additional details will be posted on our website.

We strongly encourage our sponsored trainees and other interested students, postdocs, and faculty to participate in these webinars, and we ask that you to share this information with anyone who may be interested in attending. Participants requiring sign language interpretation should email info@nigms.nih.gov at least 3 days prior to the event. Recordings will be posted on the NIGMS website following each webinar.

Small Research Grants for Clinical/Basic Research Collaborations on Structural Birth Defects

I have been asked to play “matchmaker” between clinicians working at AI duPont Hospital for Children and basic scientists  to try to find pairs of investigators who could apply for NIH R03 funding to form collaborations focused on the the understanding of structural birth defects https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/par-20-065.html  with the next realistic grant deadline being October 16th.

If you work on a “structural birth defect” or have interest in moving your research program into that area, please send me an email with some information on the sort of thing you have in mind, and I will work with the Nemours administration to try to find you a clinical partner.

(via Dr. Melinda Duncan, Dept. of Biological Sciences @ UD)

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Announcement: Doctoral Dissertation Defense by Andrea Zonnino

BME Department News

• Department Awards have been announced! Here are the winners for the 2019-2020 academic year –
  • Undergraduate Students
    • BME Chairperson’s Award: Sienna Pyle and Michael Slemko
    • Distinguished Senior Award: Ahlad Neti and Ariel Hannum
    • Distinguished Junior Award: Maria Lilley and Nicholas Paulter
    • Distinguished Sophomore Award: Akram Ahmed, Alexis Anderson, and Carolina Gomez Casas
    • Matthew Maguire Celebration of Life Award: Maddie Dugan
  • Graduate Students
    • Best Doctoral Thesis Award: Danielle Valcourt
    • Best Paper Award: Omar Banda
    • Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award: Ryan Locke
    • Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: Michael Donzanti
    • Rising Star Award: Grace McIlvain
    • Outstanding BME Outreach Award: Ellen Bloom and Dan Minahan
    • Outstanding Graduate Student Service Award: Grace McIlvain and Kyle Meadows
  • Congratulations to all recipients! Please stay tuned for more updates as we near the end of the Spring 2020 Semester!
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

May Institute on Computation and Statistics for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics is NOW ONLINE

Even though the in-person program of May Institute 2020 had to be canceled, I am happy to announce that we are able to offer a shorter version online, free of charge.

We are extremely grateful to all the instructors who were able to offer parts of their presentations in the new format. Since hands-on interactions online are difficult, most of the presentations will be lectures or tutorials, and a combination of pre-recorded videos and live presentations and Q&A.
The outline of the program and the logistics are described at https://computationalproteomics.khoury.northeastern.edu/ and the details will be added to the “Docs” files by the instructors as we get closer to the date.

If you are interested in joining any program, please fill in a very short registration form.

Grant Opportunities from AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is soliciting applications for grants to support medical related education for grad students/clinicians/residents/undergrad students etc https://www.astrazenecagrants.com/us-grants/ and they are also interested in sponsoring conferences on areas of their interest.

You seem to need to register with them to get application information, that is available on their website.

UniProt Now Accepting Submissions

Calling all scientists stuck at home! Contribute your knowledge to UniProt and help the scientific community.

Read our latest blog post to see how: http://insideuniprot.blogspot.com/2020/04/scientists-at-home-uniprot-to-rescue.html

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

NIH Supplements for Underrepresented Students (new FOA)

NIH just updated the FOA for grant supplements to train under represented high school, undergraduate, graduate students and postdocs. Please pass along to your graduate trainers.

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-20-166.html

It is similar to the prior FOA however, it has more details in regard to NIH’s expanded criteria for social/economic disadvantage which is likely to make way more students eligible as it includes Pell eligibility, receiving WIC as a child or adult, growing up in some rural zip codes/those with a shortage of health professionals, and first generation college student status.

This is a reminder to all NIH funded faculty members (a very broad set of activity codes are eligible) that research supplements are available to fund trainees (ranging from high school students through postdocs) who are underrepresented in STEM.  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-18-906.html including folks from underrepresented minority groups, low income or rural backgrounds (note NIH just greatly broadened this category), or those with physical or mental disabilities.

You should also be contacting your institute representative for the PA since each institute has different details about the process…..

89. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the NSF to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.  In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program.  For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see NOT-OD-15-089.
90. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.  See NSF data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-5_updated_2014_10.pdf.
91. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as:
92. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size, published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml.
93. Individuals who come from an educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that has demonstrably and directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.

• The disadvantaged background category (C1 and C2) refers to the financial and educational background of individuals, particularly before graduating from high school, while residing in the United States

It should be noted that literature also shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields (e.g., Inside the Double Bind, A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Undergraduate and Graduate Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics http://her.hepg.org/content/t022245n7x4752v2/fulltext.pdf).

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

UD COVID-19 Hackathon

When: Meet-and-Greet: Thu, May 7th 4:30-6PM; Hackathon: Friday, May 8th 9AM-6PM

Where: Zoom; stay tuned + sign up to Slack for connection details. REGISTER here by May 6th

What: A Hackathon is generally a collocated event where people tackle specific challenges in small groups to produce rapid results that outline issues and promising approaches to solutions. At this time, COVID-19 certainly poses many challenges and it also forces events to online platforms. This online Hackathon organized by the UD Data Science Institute will focus on Delaware-specific challenges related to the ongoing pandemic. This is not an epidemiological hackathon. Rather, we will look at how the COVID-19 crisis and local response is affecting Delaware and Delawareans, including:

Effectiveness of the DE response to COVID-19 compared to similar/neighboring states

• Support and resources for the UD community
• Environmental impact of the shutdown

Within each of these three tracks, we will propose some hacks, but we also encourage you to propose projects (there is a dedicated slack channel for discussion of potential projects).

Who: The entire UD community!  You do not need any specific technical expertise to participate. Although technical skills are welcome, and some of the projects will require coders and data experts, some will require writers, graphic designers, sociologists, and generally enthusiastic people willing to help!

Resources:
Code of Conduct
Slack channel
https://github.com/UDDSI/COVID19hackathon

Schedule

Meet-and-greet: meet the organizers and the other participants on Thursday, May 7th 4:30-6PM.  This meeting is optional, but it is a great opportunity to ask questions about how hackathons proceed, about the three tracks, and about any project ideas you might have.

Hackathon: Participate in the event!  Friday, May 8th 9-6PM

9 – 10AM: Project descriptions and team assembly. It is important to join the event on time to hear all the project pitches and assure you can work on the project of your choosing and that suits your abilities and skills.

10 – 12:30PM: Work in groups. Each group will have a designated zoom chat room and designated mentors.

12:30 – 1PM: Group check-ins: groups check with their mentors. You will have the opportunity to check with your mentors on the project status, ask for help, and modify the scope of the hack.

1 – 4 PM: Work in groups.

4 – 4:30 PM: Prepare the presentations.

5 – 6 PM: Presentations: each group will have 5-10 minutes (depending on the number of groups) to present their work and results. Each group will be required to present their work, no exceptions! This is because we want to learn from your work and from what you learned!

NIH NIAID COVID-19 Antibody Study

From Lynn Snyder Mackler: In this strange time, we are all trying to figure out something tangible we can do to help fight this fight. I was enrolled this week. They are actively recruiting to try and figure out the penetrance of the virus into the community.

Niaidflucsu@niaid.nih.gov

If you would like to enroll in the study, email the above email and state you want to be a part of the antibody study.  You will received an email back and a quick 10 minute call (caller ID will say NIH NIAID) and they will send you a kit to do a pin prick blood sample.

TBD: Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars 2020

Please note, Summer Scholar selections are continuing as planned with the assumption that the INBRE Summer Scholars program will run during the Summer of 2020. However, as the situation with the pandemic is now fluid, it is possible that we will need to significantly change the program scope, limit which scholars are able to participate based on the details of their research project/its suitability to remote work, or even cancel the Summer program altogether as the start date approaches. As the Governor of Delaware has extended the state of emergency, which seeks to limit interpersonal interactions and disease spread, until May 15th, we anticipate making our final decision about whether the program (or individual undergraduate research projects) will run this summer no later than May 18th, 2020.

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

University of Delaware Physical Therapy Virtual Open House, May 2

Update to students about the upcoming University of Delaware Physical Therapy (UDPT) Program Annual Information Session on Saturday, May 2 between Noon-3pm. We have transitioned it to a virtual event.

A variety of virtual meetings will provide prospective students an opportunity to learn more about our graduate Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program and have their questions answered by faculty, current DPT students, and admissions staff. The exact time for each session has not been ironed out quite yet but please see examples below of the sessions being planned:

• Program Overview w/Department Chair and Program Director
• Student Life
• Admissions Process
• Individual sessions to include topics such as clinical education; clinic/residency; research/PhD program; information for high school students; information for current college students/graduates

Details will be updated on our website https://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/. Participants will RSVP at this link so that we can follow up with links to each session.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

Engineer Better Health and Advance Your Career @ Purdue, Biomedical Engineering Master’s Program

Did you know that engineering, science, and technology graduates can have a lucrative career in a wide range of medical fields? If advancing your technical mastery, leadership strength, and regulatory knowledge to directly benefit the health and well-being of people around the world appeals to you, Purdue’s Professional MS in biomedical engineering can fast-track your career into the skyrocketing biomedical sciences industry.

The program is designed for the recent graduate with an academic background in engineering, science or related technical field who is seeking entry into the biomedical industry:

1. Flexibility–Customize your curriculum to focus on learning competencies and advancing your career goals.
2. Professional Development and Regulatory Affairs Emphasis–Develop business acumen, sharpen your organizational leadership skills, and advance your knowledge of regulatory affairs and entrepreneurship.
3. Industry Immersion Opportunity–Gain valuable hands-on experience with one of our corporate partners, acquire firsthand knowledge of a leading biomedical company, and deepen your technical expertise while expanding your professional network.
4. Convenience–Complete your degree in as little as a year, opt to take up to 40% of your coursework online, and graduate with a competitive edge.

I’m sure you find this program not only educational but valuable to your career as well. Please reach out to Tammy Siemers at tsiemers@purdue.edu to discover more about this program and how it can help you progress your educational and career goals.

Application Deadline: June 1st

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

New Webinar Series for the NIGMS Training Community

We’re pleased to announce a new webinar series for students, postdocs, and faculty. Each hour-long webinar will include a 10- to 15-minute presentation by the speaker followed by a moderated question and answer session. Our hope is that these webinars will enhance our trainees’ ongoing learning experiences.

The webinar series kicks off Monday, May 4, and a tentative list of dates and speakers is on the link above. As plans are finalized, additional details will be posted on our website.

We strongly encourage our sponsored trainees and other interested students, postdocs, and faculty to participate in these webinars, and we ask that you to share this information with anyone who may be interested in attending. Participants requiring sign language interpretation should email info@nigms.nih.gov at least 3 days prior to the event. Recordings will be posted on the NIGMS website following each webinar.

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

NSF GRFP Awardees for UD BME include Ariel Hannum (’20), Lauren Baker (@Harvard), and Mackenzie Scully (grad, Hon.M.); congratulations to all of you!

BME Department News

• Department Awards have been announced! Here are the winners for the 2019-2020 academic year –
  • Undergraduate Students
    • BME Chairperson’s Award: Sienna Pyle and Michael Slemko
    • Distinguished Senior Award: Ahlad Neti and Ariel Hannum
    • Distinguished Junior Award: Maria Lilley and Nicholas Paulter
    • Distinguished Sophomore Award: Akram Ahmed, Alexis Anderson, and Carolina Gomez Casas
    • Matthew Maguire Celebration of Life Award: Maddie Dugan
  • Graduate Students
    • Best Doctoral Thesis Award: Danielle Valcourt
    • Best Paper Award: Omar Banda
    • Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award: Ryan Locke
    • Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: Michael Donzanti
    • Rising Star Award: Grace McIlvain
    • Outstanding BME Outreach Award: Ellen Bloom and Dan Minahan
    • Outstanding Graduate Student Service Award: Grace McIlvain and Kyle Meadows
  • Congratulations to all recipients! Please stay tuned for more updates as we near the end of the Spring 2020 Semester!
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

FREE Virtual Course on Glycobiology

Target audience: graduate students, postdocs, faculty new to the area
Goal: A quick (one week) grounding in the basics of glycoscience
Format: Live web sessions. Lectures plus practica (web-based resources & faculty-led literature review)
Open to: Any and all interested trainees and faculty
Registration: Email Ron Schnaar (schnaar@jhu.edu) to receive the GoToMeeting link and course materials link

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine [ME:330.712] & Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute
April 20-27, 2020
09:00-10:30a Lecture
10:45-11:45a Related Web Practicum / Literature Review
** On the web via GoToMeeting **

Faculty

Ronald Schnaar, schnaar@jhu.edu
Natasha Zachara, nzachara@jhmi.edu
Ronald Midura, midurar@ccf.org

Sessions

Course Objectives

Learn the basic language of glycobiology

• Monosaccharides
• Glycans (glycoproteins, glycolipids, proteoglycans)

Learn diverse glycan functions

• Glycans in glycoprotein activity, folding, trafficking
• O-GlcNAc-mediated regulation
• Glycolipids in membrane recognition & regulation
• Proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix
• Glycan binding proteins in cell & molecular recognition

Learn the basic concepts of glycan biosynthesis

Learn the major methods for glycan analysis

EXTENDED: Call for Applications: Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, 2020-2021 Awards

The San Antonio Nathan Shock Center is soliciting applications to support the research of any investigator who is developing a new project in the basic biology of aging.

Applications are accepted from investigators at any US academic institution. Junior investigators are encouraged to apply. We can consider applications from any investigator who is eligible to receive NIH grants according to the rules of their home institution.

The projects should utilize one or more Cores of the Center. Projects that propose creative uses of more than one Core are encouraged. Center Cores and their capabilities are listed here.

Review application requirements and grant conditions here. Applications are NOW DUE MAY 1, 2020. Send applications to: Peter J. Hornsby, Ph.D., Research Development Core Leader, San Antonio Nathan Shock Center (hornsby@uthscsa.edu).

May Institute on Computation and Statistics for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics is NOW ONLINE

Even though the in-person program of May Institute 2020 had to be canceled, I am happy to announce that we are able to offer a shorter version online, free of charge.

We are extremely grateful to all the instructors who were able to offer parts of their presentations in the new format. Since hands-on interactions online are difficult, most of the presentations will be lectures or tutorials, and a combination of pre-recorded videos and live presentations and Q&A.
The outline of the program and the logistics are described at https://computationalproteomics.khoury.northeastern.edu/ and the details will be added to the “Docs” files by the instructors as we get closer to the date.

If you are interested in joining any program, please fill in a very short registration form.

Grant Opportunities from AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is soliciting applications for grants to support medical related education for grad students/clinicians/residents/undergrad students etc https://www.astrazenecagrants.com/us-grants/ and they are also interested in sponsoring conferences on areas of their interest.

You seem to need to register with them to get application information, that is available on their website.

UniProt Now Accepting Submissions

Calling all scientists stuck at home! Contribute your knowledge to UniProt and help the scientific community.

Read our latest blog post to see how: http://insideuniprot.blogspot.com/2020/04/scientists-at-home-uniprot-to-rescue.html

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

NIH Supplements for Underrepresented Students (new FOA)

NIH just updated the FOA for grant supplements to train under represented high school, undergraduate, graduate students and postdocs. Please pass along to your graduate trainers.

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-20-166.html

It is similar to the prior FOA however, it has more details in regard to NIH’s expanded criteria for social/economic disadvantage which is likely to make way more students eligible as it includes Pell eligibility, receiving WIC as a child or adult, growing up in some rural zip codes/those with a shortage of health professionals, and first generation college student status.

This is a reminder to all NIH funded faculty members (a very broad set of activity codes are eligible) that research supplements are available to fund trainees (ranging from high school students through postdocs) who are underrepresented in STEM.  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-18-906.html including folks from underrepresented minority groups, low income or rural backgrounds (note NIH just greatly broadened this category), or those with physical or mental disabilities.

You should also be contacting your institute representative for the PA since each institute has different details about the process…..

89. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the NSF to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.  In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program.  For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see NOT-OD-15-089.
90. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.  See NSF data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-5_updated_2014_10.pdf.
91. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as:
92. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size, published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml.
93. Individuals who come from an educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that has demonstrably and directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.

• The disadvantaged background category (C1 and C2) refers to the financial and educational background of individuals, particularly before graduating from high school, while residing in the United States

It should be noted that literature also shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields (e.g., Inside the Double Bind, A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Undergraduate and Graduate Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics http://her.hepg.org/content/t022245n7x4752v2/fulltext.pdf).

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

NIH NIAID COVID-19 Antibody Study

From Lynn Snyder Mackler: In this strange time, we are all trying to figure out something tangible we can do to help fight this fight. I was enrolled this week. They are actively recruiting to try and figure out the penetrance of the virus into the community.

Niaidflucsu@niaid.nih.gov

If you would like to enroll in the study, email the above email and state you want to be a part of the antibody study.  You will received an email back and a quick 10 minute call (caller ID will say NIH NIAID) and they will send you a kit to do a pin prick blood sample.

TBD: Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars 2020

Please note, Summer Scholar selections are continuing as planned with the assumption that the INBRE Summer Scholars program will run during the Summer of 2020. However, as the situation with the pandemic is now fluid, it is possible that we will need to significantly change the program scope, limit which scholars are able to participate based on the details of their research project/its suitability to remote work, or even cancel the Summer program altogether as the start date approaches. As the Governor of Delaware has extended the state of emergency, which seeks to limit interpersonal interactions and disease spread, until May 15th, we anticipate making our final decision about whether the program (or individual undergraduate research projects) will run this summer no later than May 18th, 2020.

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

University of Delaware Physical Therapy Virtual Open House, May 2

Update to students about the upcoming University of Delaware Physical Therapy (UDPT) Program Annual Information Session on Saturday, May 2 between Noon-3pm. We have transitioned it to a virtual event.

A variety of virtual meetings will provide prospective students an opportunity to learn more about our graduate Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program and have their questions answered by faculty, current DPT students, and admissions staff. The exact time for each session has not been ironed out quite yet but please see examples below of the sessions being planned:

• Program Overview w/Department Chair and Program Director
• Student Life
• Admissions Process
• Individual sessions to include topics such as clinical education; clinic/residency; research/PhD program; information for high school students; information for current college students/graduates

Details will be updated on our website https://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/. Participants will RSVP at this link so that we can follow up with links to each session.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

NSF GRFP Awardees for UD BME include Ariel Hannum (’20), Lauren Baker (@Harvard), and Mackenzie Scully (grad, Hon.M.); congratulations to all of you!

UD’s Jason Gleghorn receives NSF CAREER award

BME Department News

• Department Awards have been announced! Here are the winners for the 2019-2020 academic year –
  • Undergraduate Students
    • BME Chairperson’s Award: Sienna Pyle and Michael Slemko
    • Distinguished Senior Award: Ahlad Neti and Ariel Hannum
    • Distinguished Junior Award: Maria Lilley and Nicholas Paulter
    • Distinguished Sophomore Award: Akram Ahmed, Alexis Anderson, and Carolina Gomez Casas
    • Matthew Maguire Celebration of Life Award: Maddie Dugan
  • Graduate Students
    • Best Doctoral Thesis Award: Danielle Valcourt
    • Best Paper Award: Omar Banda
    • Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award: Ryan Locke
    • Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: Michael Donzanti
    • Rising Star Award: Grace McIlvain
    • Outstanding BME Outreach Award: Ellen Bloom and Dan Minahan
    • Outstanding Graduate Student Service Award: Grace McIlvain and Kyle Meadows
  • Congratulations to all recipients! Please stay tuned for more updates as we near the end of the Spring 2020 Semester!
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

FREE Virtual Course on Glycobiology

Target audience: graduate students, postdocs, faculty new to the area
Goal: A quick (one week) grounding in the basics of glycoscience
Format: Live web sessions. Lectures plus practica (web-based resources & faculty-led literature review)
Open to: Any and all interested trainees and faculty
Registration: Email Ron Schnaar (schnaar@jhu.edu) to receive the GoToMeeting link and course materials link

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine [ME:330.712] & Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute
April 20-27, 2020
09:00-10:30a Lecture
10:45-11:45a Related Web Practicum / Literature Review
** On the web via GoToMeeting **

Faculty

Ronald Schnaar, schnaar@jhu.edu
Natasha Zachara, nzachara@jhmi.edu
Ronald Midura, midurar@ccf.org

Sessions

Course Objectives

Learn the basic language of glycobiology

• Monosaccharides
• Glycans (glycoproteins, glycolipids, proteoglycans)

Learn diverse glycan functions

• Glycans in glycoprotein activity, folding, trafficking
• O-GlcNAc-mediated regulation
• Glycolipids in membrane recognition & regulation
• Proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix
• Glycan binding proteins in cell & molecular recognition

Learn the basic concepts of glycan biosynthesis

Learn the major methods for glycan analysis

EXTENDED: Call for Applications: Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, 2020-2021 Awards

The San Antonio Nathan Shock Center is soliciting applications to support the research of any investigator who is developing a new project in the basic biology of aging.

Applications are accepted from investigators at any US academic institution. Junior investigators are encouraged to apply. We can consider applications from any investigator who is eligible to receive NIH grants according to the rules of their home institution.

The projects should utilize one or more Cores of the Center. Projects that propose creative uses of more than one Core are encouraged. Center Cores and their capabilities are listed here.

Review application requirements and grant conditions here. Applications are NOW DUE MAY 1, 2020. Send applications to: Peter J. Hornsby, Ph.D., Research Development Core Leader, San Antonio Nathan Shock Center (hornsby@uthscsa.edu).

May Institute on Computation and Statistics for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics is NOW ONLINE

Even though the in-person program of May Institute 2020 had to be canceled, I am happy to announce that we are able to offer a shorter version online, free of charge.

We are extremely grateful to all the instructors who were able to offer parts of their presentations in the new format. Since hands-on interactions online are difficult, most of the presentations will be lectures or tutorials, and a combination of pre-recorded videos and live presentations and Q&A.
The outline of the program and the logistics are described at https://computationalproteomics.khoury.northeastern.edu/ and the details will be added to the “Docs” files by the instructors as we get closer to the date.

If you are interested in joining any program, please fill in a very short registration form.

Grant Opportunities from AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is soliciting applications for grants to support medical related education for grad students/clinicians/residents/undergrad students etc https://www.astrazenecagrants.com/us-grants/ and they are also interested in sponsoring conferences on areas of their interest.

You seem to need to register with them to get application information, that is available on their website.

UniProt Now Accepting Submissions

Calling all scientists stuck at home! Contribute your knowledge to UniProt and help the scientific community.

Read our latest blog post to see how: http://insideuniprot.blogspot.com/2020/04/scientists-at-home-uniprot-to-rescue.html

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

TBD: Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars 2020

Please note, Summer Scholar selections are continuing as planned with the assumption that the INBRE Summer Scholars program will run during the Summer of 2020. However, as the situation with the pandemic is now fluid, it is possible that we will need to significantly change the program scope, limit which scholars are able to participate based on the details of their research project/its suitability to remote work, or even cancel the Summer program altogether as the start date approaches. As the Governor of Delaware has extended the state of emergency, which seeks to limit interpersonal interactions and disease spread, until May 15th, we anticipate making our final decision about whether the program (or individual undergraduate research projects) will run this summer no later than May 18th, 2020.

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

University of Delaware Physical Therapy Virtual Open House, May 2

Update to students about the upcoming University of Delaware Physical Therapy (UDPT) Program Annual Information Session on Saturday, May 2 between Noon-3pm. We have transitioned it to a virtual event.

A variety of virtual meetings will provide prospective students an opportunity to learn more about our graduate Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program and have their questions answered by faculty, current DPT students, and admissions staff. The exact time for each session has not been ironed out quite yet but please see examples below of the sessions being planned:

• Program Overview w/Department Chair and Program Director
• Student Life
• Admissions Process
• Individual sessions to include topics such as clinical education; clinic/residency; research/PhD program; information for high school students; information for current college students/graduates

Details will be updated on our website https://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/. Participants will RSVP at this link so that we can follow up with links to each session.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Free CHOP Online Data Education Classes

The schedule below lists Arcus data education classes for the week of 4/20/2020.

All classes offered remotely using BlueJeans. Links are provided.

Classes are open to all CHOP employees.

Plan to attend the special session by data privacy expert Omer Tene on Monday April 20 at 12:00 PM.

See the class calendar here. You can also view recorded sessions.

April 20, 2020   Monday

12:00pm – 1:00pm                           

What is ‘Creepy’ and ‘How Do I Avoid It’ : Privacy Protections for Data Scientists, Engineers, and Laypersons- with Special Guest Omer Tene

3:00pm – 4:00pm                              

Arcus Cohort Discovery

April 21, 2020   Tuesday

1:00pm – 2:00pm                              

R Programming Continued (all levels welcome)

3:00pm – 4:00pm                              

Genomics for a Non-biologist

April 22, 2020   Wednesday

12:00pm -1:00pm                           

Interacting with APIs 101

3:00pm – 4:00pm                              

TBA Session

April 23, 2020   Thursday

1:00pm – 2:00pm                              

Spatial Statistics 2

3:00pm – 4:00pm                              

R and REDCap

Free Science Communications Training from Stony Brook University’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

Webinar: The A.R.T. of Connecting: Overcome Boredom and Engage Any Audience
April 22, 3:30 to 4:45 PM

Join David P. Otey and discover a new paradigm for technical presentations – one based on the best available science about how to connect with an audience and create engagement. Attendees will encounter ideas that may challenge the conventional wisdom about how to construct and deliver a scientific talk.

LAST CHANCE: Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

NSF GRFP Awardees for UD BME include Ariel Hannum (’20), Lauren Baker (@Harvard), and Mackenzie Scully (grad, Hon.M.); congratulations to all of you!

UD’s Jason Gleghorn receives NSF CAREER award

@ Gizmodo: What’s the Softest Thing? ft. Professor Charles Dhong

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

Call for Applications: Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, 2020-2021 Awards

The San Antonio Nathan Shock Center is soliciting applications to support the research of any investigator who is developing a new project in the basic biology of aging.

Applications are accepted from investigators at any US academic institution. Junior investigators are encouraged to apply. We can consider applications from any investigator who is eligible to receive NIH grants according to the rules of their home institution.

The projects should utilize one or more Cores of the Center. Projects that propose creative uses of more than one Core are encouraged. Center Cores and their capabilities are listed here.

Review application requirements and grant conditions here. Applications are due April 15, 2020. Send applications to: Peter J. Hornsby, Ph.D., Research Development Core Leader, San Antonio Nathan Shock Center (hornsby@uthscsa.edu).

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

Sigma Xi: Present Your Research in a New Virtual Symposium
Abstracts Due April 17, 2020

Do you know students missing out on research conferences that were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak? A new event from Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society will fill the role of that in-person experience.

Virtual Student Scholars Symposium (VS³)
A Live Zoom Event
May 14, 2020
10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. ET

Featuring
Oral and Poster Student Research Presentations
Monetary Awards for the Top Presenters
Presentation Feedback from Distinguished Scientists and Engineers
Career Preparation Webinars
Keynote Session

Students in graduate, undergraduate, or high school worldwide may submit an abstract by April 17 to participate. Students will be invited to register upon abstract review and approval. VS³ is limited to 100 student participants.

TBD: Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars 2020

Please note, Summer Scholar selections are continuing as planned with the assumption that the INBRE Summer Scholars program will run during the Summer of 2020. However, as the situation with the pandemic is now fluid, it is possible that we will need to significantly change the program scope, limit which scholars are able to participate based on the details of their research project/its suitability to remote work, or even cancel the Summer program altogether as the start date approaches. As the Governor of Delaware has extended the state of emergency, which seeks to limit interpersonal interactions and disease spread, until May 15th, we anticipate making our final decision about whether the program (or individual undergraduate research projects) will run this summer no later than May 18th, 2020.

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

POSTPONED: University of Delaware Physical Therapy Open House @ STAR Campus

Updates to this event can be found at http://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/.

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Free Science Communications Training from Stony Brook University’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

Webinar: The A.R.T. of Connecting: Overcome Boredom and Engage Any Audience
April 22, 3:30 to 4:45 PM

Join David P. Otey and discover a new paradigm for technical presentations – one based on the best available science about how to connect with an audience and create engagement. Attendees will encounter ideas that may challenge the conventional wisdom about how to construct and deliver a scientific talk.

DESCA Innovation and Career Webinars

April 15 at 11:00 am – Live Webinar: Stories of Applying your PhD to a Career in Innovation with Dr. Hannah Murnen

Read Bio

REGISTER

Hannah Murnen is currently the CTO of Compact Membranes and will be talking about the different decision points in her career and what she’s learned from each of them.

LAST CHANCE: Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

NSF GRFP Awardees for UD BME include Ariel Hannum (’20), Lauren Baker (@Harvard), and Mackenzie Scully (grad, Hon.M.); congratulations to all of you!

UD’s Jason Gleghorn receives NSF CAREER award

@ Gizmodo: What’s the Softest Thing? ft. Professor Charles Dhong

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

Call for Applications: Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, 2020-2021 Awards

The San Antonio Nathan Shock Center is soliciting applications to support the research of any investigator who is developing a new project in the basic biology of aging.

Applications are accepted from investigators at any US academic institution. Junior investigators are encouraged to apply. We can consider applications from any investigator who is eligible to receive NIH grants according to the rules of their home institution.

The projects should utilize one or more Cores of the Center. Projects that propose creative uses of more than one Core are encouraged. Center Cores and their capabilities are listed here.

Review application requirements and grant conditions here. Applications are due April 15, 2020. Send applications to: Peter J. Hornsby, Ph.D., Research Development Core Leader, San Antonio Nathan Shock Center (hornsby@uthscsa.edu).

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

TBD: Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars 2020

Please note, Summer Scholar selections are continuing as planned with the assumption that the INBRE Summer Scholars program will run during the Summer of 2020. However, as the situation with the pandemic is now fluid, it is possible that we will need to significantly change the program scope, limit which scholars are able to participate based on the details of their research project/its suitability to remote work, or even cancel the Summer program altogether as the start date approaches. As the Governor of Delaware has extended the state of emergency, which seeks to limit interpersonal interactions and disease spread, until May 15th, we anticipate making our final decision about whether the program (or individual undergraduate research projects) will run this summer no later than May 18th, 2020.

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

POSTPONED: University of Delaware Physical Therapy Open House @ STAR Campus

Updates to this event can be found at http://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/.

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Co-Op/Summer Internship @ Merck

Open to graduate AND undergraduate students. See position details here. Please contact Gunjan Thakur for more information.

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

DESCA Innovation and Career Webinars

April 15 at 11:00 am – Live Webinar: Stories of Applying your PhD to a Career in Innovation with Dr. Hannah Murnen

Read Bio

REGISTER

Hannah Murnen is currently the CTO of Compact Membranes and will be talking about the different decision points in her career and what she’s learned from each of them.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

UD’s Jason Gleghorn receives NSF CAREER award

@ Gizmodo: What’s the Softest Thing? ft. Professor Charles Dhong

Support Catherine Millar-Haskell and Dr. Millie Sullivan in the Delmarva Dash (POSTPONED)

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

ASEE BED Travel Award Applications Now Open

The Biomedical Engineering Travel Award supports the development of talented engineering educators by introducing graduate students and postdoctoral associates to the biomedical engineering education research and scholarship community. There will be at most two grants of $500 each to subsidize travel to the ASEE Annual Conference. Recipients will be recognized at the annual BED Awards Banquet.

Who is eligible?

Graduate students or postdoctoral associates in a biomedical engineering program or related discipline that are currently pursuing, or planning to pursue, a career that includes a significant emphasis on engineering education.

How does one apply?

Interested candidates self-nominate by completing an application packet that includes:

• Professional contact and other information
• A personal statement of teaching experience, career goals, and reasons for wanting to attend the ASEE Annual Conference
• A current CV including but not limited to: education, publications and dissertations, instructional activities, and any educational research activities. Instructional and educational research activities should be emphasized.

To apply, please submit an application at: https://forms.gle/2xukruwwxQC9yiY79 by April 2, 2020:

By what criteria will my application be judged?

• Career goals that include teaching as a major component;
• Experience as a teaching assistant or an instructor;
• Financial need and career stage;
• All other things being equal, preference will be given to applicants who are authors or coauthors of an ASEE paper that year.

Due to the ongoing uncertainties associated with COVID-19, awardees may utilize the award money towards travel for either the 2020 or 2021 ASEE Annual Conference.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the BED Awards Chair, Dr. Jen Choi, at asee.bedawards@gmail.com

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

CANCELLED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units; HOWEVER, due to COVID-19 concerns the 2020 program has been CANCELLED. It will become available again for Summer 2021.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

POSTPONED: University of Delaware Physical Therapy Open House @ STAR Campus

Updates to this event can be found at http://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/.

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Co-Op/Summer Internship @ Merck

Open to graduate AND undergraduate students. See position details here. Please contact Gunjan Thakur for more information.

CANCELLED: Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

28th Annual Summer Training Course – Please see their official website for updates to this event. It will be reopened for Summer 2021.

DESCA Innovation and Career Webinars

April 1 at 12:00 noon – Live Webinar: The Innovation Ecosystem with Dr. Bryan Tracy

Read Bio

REGISTER

With 15+ early-stage startups created in the past 5 years, how does the Innovation Ecosystem work for innovators like you? DESCA Board Chair and White Dog Labs CEO Bryan Tracy talks about Delaware’s next 100 years of innovation.

April 15 at 11:00 am – Live Webinar: Stories of Applying your PhD to a Career in Innovation with Dr. Hannah Murnen

Read Bio

REGISTER

Hannah Murnen is currently the CTO of Compact Membranes and will be talking about the different decision points in her career and what she’s learned from each of them.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Support Catherine Millar-Haskell and Dr. Millie Sullivan in the Delmarva Dash on April 17!

BME Seminars

Eric Perrault @ Northwestern, Chair of Biomedical Engineering – CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS; will be rescheduled to a later date

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

CoE EmPOWER

All March events are cancelled and postponed to late April for now, per university recommendations.

Women in Engineering Event Cancelled

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and per UD guidelines to ensure the health and safety of our community, our Meet Your Faculty lunch event (scheduled for March 17th) is postponed to the fall semester with our amazing guest faculty: Dr. Monique Head and Dr. Laure Kayser.

Graduate Student Government

• 10th Annual Graduate Student Forum (April 17, 2020) – This forum is part of Graduate Student Professional Development Week (April 13-17) hosted by GSG where graduate students can submit abstracts and present research to other students in the graduate college. Information is in the link below: https://grad.udel.edu/forum/
• Graduate College Dean– The Graduate College is in search of the next dean. This is super important for the future of graduate education at UD, so if anyone is interesting in attending their forums and giving feedback, please think about attending. Below is the link to the Daily article with all the information: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2020/february/graduate-college-dean-search/
• GSG Gala– The GSG will be hosting the annual GSG Gala on May 8th in the STAR Audion. Many of us have attended in the past (myself included) and it’s definitely a fun event. I will send more details in the future.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

EXTENDED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units. To be considered, undergraduate students must have a demonstrated interest in cardiovascular science, have completed more than 60 credits, and have a GPA average of 3.25 or higher.

The STCSI will enable undergraduate students to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, focusing, in particular, on the cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease pathology and the determinants of cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. The program is scheduled to start May 26, 2020, and conclude August 7, 2020. Each accepted student will receive a living stipend of $4,000.

We ask that you please direct interested students to our STCSI website or to this STCSI flyer for more information and to apply. Our application deadline for the STCSI is March 27, 2020. 

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

University of Delaware Physical Therapy Open House – May 2 @ STAR Campus

The UDPT Annual Information Session (aka open house) is scheduled for Saturday, May 2^nd from Noon-3PM in the Atrium at the STAR Health Sciences Complex – North Atrium, 540 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713.

Please forward this announcement to anyone you know who may be interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy and would like to learn more about UDPT admissions or the profession of physical therapy in general. While many of our guests at the event will be college students, it is also appropriate for current high school students and their families to attend.

The flyer is posted on our website (or copy and paste this link into a browser: https://sites.udel.edu/pt/files/2014/10/InfoSession_2020.pdf). It is also attached.

A link to the RSVP form can be found at http://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/.

• Noon – 12:30PM         Informal gathering w/pizza and refreshments
• 12:30 – 2:00PM           Brief presentation of DPT program with Q&A Session
• 2:00 – 2:30PM             Discussion with current DPT students
• 2:30 – 3:00PM             Student-led tours of UDPT facility and clinic

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Co-Op/Summer Internship @ Merck

Open to graduate AND undergraduate students. See position details here. Please contact Gunjan Thakur for more information.

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Robot Research Honoured ft. Dr. Fabrizio Sergi

Support Catherine Millar-Haskell and Dr. Millie Sullivan in the Delmarva Dash on April 17!

BME Seminars

Eric Perrault @ Northwestern, Chair of Biomedical Engineering – CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS; will be rescheduled to a later date

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is DELAYED due to COVID-19 measures. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

BME Graduate News

CoE EmPOWER

All March events are cancelled and postponed to late April for now, per university recommendations.

Women in Engineering Event Cancelled

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and per UD guidelines to ensure the health and safety of our community, our Meet Your Faculty lunch event (scheduled for March 17th) is postponed to the fall semester with our amazing guest faculty: Dr. Monique Head and Dr. Laure Kayser.

Graduate Student Government

• 10th Annual Graduate Student Forum (April 17, 2020) – This forum is part of Graduate Student Professional Development Week (April 13-17) hosted by GSG where graduate students can submit abstracts and present research to other students in the graduate college. Information is in the link below: https://grad.udel.edu/forum/
• Graduate College Dean– The Graduate College is in search of the next dean. This is super important for the future of graduate education at UD, so if anyone is interesting in attending their forums and giving feedback, please think about attending. Below is the link to the Daily article with all the information: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2020/february/graduate-college-dean-search/
• GSG Gala– The GSG will be hosting the annual GSG Gala on May 8th in the STAR Audion. Many of us have attended in the past (myself included) and it’s definitely a fun event. I will send more details in the future.

Call for Applications for NASA STAR – Spaceflight Technologies, Applications, and Research

NASA has noted a lack of dedicated courses or training available for new researchers entering the field of space biosciences or preparing to submit proposals for analog or spaceflight experiments. The opportunities and limitations of using spacecraft as a research laboratory are specific, complex, and frequently require prior knowledge, so they may present a major hurdle for academic and industry researchers who would otherwise be able to apply their expertise to space biology.

To address these issues, NASA has developed this inaugural STAR course, which provides a one-week intensive training session and encourages networking and collaborations in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research. This course targets principal investigators (PIs), senior research scientists, and postdoctoral scholars and aims to facilitate their entry to space biology and preparation for spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.  NASA will sponsor the course to take place at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) during the week of August 10-14, 2020. The STAR course will cover both fundamental and applied aspects of the field of biology, as well as practical aspects of preparing for, conducting, and analyzing the results of spaceflight experiments. This call is specifically to collect applications for the STAR Course.

This document is being released as an RFI response type in NSPIRES. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/NASASTARAPP. Responses must be submitted electronically using the NSPIRES web site and require only your CV and a personal statement (mentor statement must also be included for postdoctoral applicants). This RFI is open to responses from all individuals with a doctoral degree and who are US citizens or permanent residents, including those from commercial entities, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies.

The information obtained will be used by NASA for STAR course planning and attendance. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI only for the purposes of gauging interest in the STAR course for planning and attendance purposes. No information received will be posted to any website or public access location. Questions and answers regarding this RFI may be posted to the NSPIRES website in the form of an FAQ. While course participants will be drawn from applicants, replying to this Call for Applications does not guarantee a spot in the course. NASA may plan to respond to the individual responses.  The Government does not intend to award an award on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited.

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2020.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

EXTENDED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units. To be considered, undergraduate students must have a demonstrated interest in cardiovascular science, have completed more than 60 credits, and have a GPA average of 3.25 or higher.

The STCSI will enable undergraduate students to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, focusing, in particular, on the cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease pathology and the determinants of cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. The program is scheduled to start May 26, 2020, and conclude August 7, 2020. Each accepted student will receive a living stipend of $4,000.

We ask that you please direct interested students to our STCSI website or to this STCSI flyer for more information and to apply. Our application deadline for the STCSI is March 27, 2020. 

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

University of Delaware Physical Therapy Open House – May 2 @ STAR Campus

The UDPT Annual Information Session (aka open house) is scheduled for Saturday, May 2^nd from Noon-3PM in the Atrium at the STAR Health Sciences Complex – North Atrium, 540 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713.

Please forward this announcement to anyone you know who may be interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy and would like to learn more about UDPT admissions or the profession of physical therapy in general. While many of our guests at the event will be college students, it is also appropriate for current high school students and their families to attend.

The flyer is posted on our website (or copy and paste this link into a browser: https://sites.udel.edu/pt/files/2014/10/InfoSession_2020.pdf). It is also attached.

A link to the RSVP form can be found at http://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/.

• Noon – 12:30PM         Informal gathering w/pizza and refreshments
• 12:30 – 2:00PM           Brief presentation of DPT program with Q&A Session
• 2:00 – 2:30PM             Discussion with current DPT students
• 2:30 – 3:00PM             Student-led tours of UDPT facility and clinic

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Co-Op/Summer Internship @ Merck

Open to graduate AND undergraduate students. See position details here. Please contact Gunjan Thakur for more information.

Spring 2020 Career Programs for College of Engineering Students

DuPont Hall Drop-In Hours

• Every Tuesday (February 18 – March 24, unless noted otherwise) from 2:00 – 4:00 PM (DuPont Hall – Lobby Area)

NSF Webinar Series for March 2020

Did you know that the National Science Foundation (NSF) offers funding to help turn discoveries into products or services?

Join an upcoming webinar if you are interested in translating your technology, testing if it has market potential or just learning about NSF funding opportunities.

In each webinar, a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program director will discuss one of the many specific scientific and technology topics funded through the NSF Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships.

Biological Technologies

Monday, March 16, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focus on the translation of a wide range of technological areas to advance engineering and science innovation across the biological spectrum. Biological technologies have disrupted decades-old chemical, agricultural, and medical products and services, producing a new bioeconomy.

Cybersecurity

Thursday, March 19, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focusing on the translation of technology to advance cybersecurity, security and authentication to address issues in an increasingly networked, distributed, and asynchronous world. Cybersecurity involves hardware, software, networks, data, people and integration with the physical world.

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship

The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship seeks to attract talented, committed individuals with backgrounds in the STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—into teaching in high-need secondary schools in Pennsylvania. The Fellowship has also prepared over a thousand teachers in Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio. Eligible applicants include current undergraduates, recent college graduates, midcareer professionals, and retirees who have majored in, or have extensively studied, one or more of the STEM fields.

The Fellowship also works to change the way top teachers are prepared, partnering with colleges and universities that have agreed to provide Fellows with innovative, year-long classroom experiences, rigorous academic work, and ongoing mentoring.

The spring application deadline is March 16, 2020.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Training for Integrating Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Biology Curriculum

The MDI Biological Laboratory is pleased to present Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer, a project that supports training in bioinformatics skills for college and university undergraduate science instructors so that they can effectively integrate bioinformatics into their science curricula, and help their students prepare for the 21st-century workplace.

The Bioinformatics T3: Train the Trainer Project has three components:

• A short course for undergraduate instructors with hands-on activities,
  including both wet-bench laboratory and bioinformatics experiences.
• A dedicated web portal with links to instructional resources, online step-by-step video tutorials, case studies, and a forum for building a Community of Bioinformatics Trainers.
• Support for delivering the curriculum that includes access to a dedicated
  server with bioinformatics software.

Scheduled to run from June 27 to July 4 at MDI Biological Laboratory in Maine.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Robot Research Honoured ft. Dr. Fabrizio Sergi

Support Catherine Millar-Haskell and Dr. Millie Sullivan in the Delmarva Dash on April 17!

BME Seminars

Xuyi (Kevin) Yue, Ph.D. @ Katzin Diagnostic & Research PET/MRI Centre, Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, Assistant Research Scientist – Development of PET Tracers for Brain Disorders from Bench to Bedside
Wednesday March 11, 12 PM in 219 Brown Lab

Eric Perrault @ Northwestern, Chair of Biomedical Engineering – CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS; will be rescheduled to a later date

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

BME Graduate News

Graduate Student Government

• 10th Annual Graduate Student Forum (April 17, 2020) – This forum is part of Graduate Student Professional Development Week (April 13-17) hosted by GSG where graduate students can submit abstracts and present research to other students in the graduate college. Information is in the link below: https://grad.udel.edu/forum/
• Graduate College Dean– The Graduate College is in search of the next dean. This is super important for the future of graduate education at UD, so if anyone is interesting in attending their forums and giving feedback, please think about attending. Below is the link to the Daily article with all the information: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2020/february/graduate-college-dean-search/
• GSG Gala– The GSG will be hosting the annual GSG Gala on May 8th in the STAR Audion. Many of us have attended in the past (myself included) and it’s definitely a fun event. I will send more details in the future.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

Research Funding Available via Sigma Xi

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for research funding through the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) program.

The deadline to submit applications for the spring 2020 grant cycle is March 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Students may apply for funding from the program twice each year. 

The program awards grants of up to $1,000 to students from most areas of the sciences and engineering. Designated funds from the National Academy of Sciences allow for grants of up to $5,000 for astronomy research, while funds from the National Academy of Sciences and the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind & Vision Impaired allow up to $2,500 for vision related research.   

Proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit and how well they align with the funding criteria, including description of the hypothesis, methodologies, budget, and significance of the proposed investigation. Guidelines and a list of fundable expenses can be found here. If you have any questions, please contact us by sending an email to giar@sigmaxi.org.

EXTENDED: Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units. To be considered, undergraduate students must have a demonstrated interest in cardiovascular science, have completed more than 60 credits, and have a GPA average of 3.25 or higher.

The STCSI will enable undergraduate students to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, focusing, in particular, on the cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease pathology and the determinants of cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. The program is scheduled to start May 26, 2020, and conclude August 7, 2020. Each accepted student will receive a living stipend of $4,000.

We ask that you please direct interested students to our STCSI website or to this STCSI flyer for more information and to apply. Our application deadline for the STCSI is March 27, 2020. 

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

University of Delaware Physical Therapy Open House – May 2 @ STAR Campus

The UDPT Annual Information Session (aka open house) is scheduled for Saturday, May 2^nd from Noon-3PM in the Atrium at the STAR Health Sciences Complex – North Atrium, 540 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713.

Please forward this announcement to anyone you know who may be interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy and would like to learn more about UDPT admissions or the profession of physical therapy in general. While many of our guests at the event will be college students, it is also appropriate for current high school students and their families to attend.

The flyer is posted on our website (or copy and paste this link into a browser: https://sites.udel.edu/pt/files/2014/10/InfoSession_2020.pdf). It is also attached.

A link to the RSVP form can be found at http://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/.

• Noon – 12:30PM         Informal gathering w/pizza and refreshments
• 12:30 – 2:00PM           Brief presentation of DPT program with Q&A Session
• 2:00 – 2:30PM             Discussion with current DPT students
• 2:30 – 3:00PM             Student-led tours of UDPT facility and clinic

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Co-Op/Summer Internship @ Merck

Open to graduate AND undergraduate students. See position details here. Please contact Gunjan Thakur for more information.

Spring 2020 Career Programs for College of Engineering Students

DuPont Hall Drop-In Hours

• Every Tuesday (February 18 – March 24, unless noted otherwise) from 2:00 – 4:00 PM (DuPont Hall – Lobby Area)

NSF Webinar Series for March 2020

Did you know that the National Science Foundation (NSF) offers funding to help turn discoveries into products or services?

Join an upcoming webinar if you are interested in translating your technology, testing if it has market potential or just learning about NSF funding opportunities.

In each webinar, a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program director will discuss one of the many specific scientific and technology topics funded through the NSF Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships.

Artificial Intelligence

Monday, March 9, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focuses on translation of leading-edge innovation in all areas of artificial intelligence (AI) – including, for example, machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing – and applications of such innovations in areas of commercial and societal impact, such as industries of the future and education.

Pharmaceutical Technologies

Thursday, March 12, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focus on the translation of a wide range of innovative technological areas to advance the discovery, early-stage development and characterization, formulation, delivery, and/or manufacture of novel drugs, moieties, compounds, products, processes, platforms or services that will improve the selection, quality, or price of pharmaceutical therapies.

Biological Technologies

Monday, March 16, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focus on the translation of a wide range of technological areas to advance engineering and science innovation across the biological spectrum. Biological technologies have disrupted decades-old chemical, agricultural, and medical products and services, producing a new bioeconomy.

Cybersecurity

Thursday, March 19, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focusing on the translation of technology to advance cybersecurity, security and authentication to address issues in an increasingly networked, distributed, and asynchronous world. Cybersecurity involves hardware, software, networks, data, people and integration with the physical world.

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship

The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship seeks to attract talented, committed individuals with backgrounds in the STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—into teaching in high-need secondary schools in Pennsylvania. The Fellowship has also prepared over a thousand teachers in Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio. Eligible applicants include current undergraduates, recent college graduates, midcareer professionals, and retirees who have majored in, or have extensively studied, one or more of the STEM fields.

The Fellowship also works to change the way top teachers are prepared, partnering with colleges and universities that have agreed to provide Fellows with innovative, year-long classroom experiences, rigorous academic work, and ongoing mentoring.

The spring application deadline is March 16, 2020.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Robot Research Honoured ft. Dr. Fabrizio Sergi

Support Catherine Millar-Haskell and Dr. Millie Sullivan in the Delmarva Dash on April 17!

BME Seminars

Eric Perrault @ Northwestern, Chair of Biomedical Engineering – Task-Dependent Regulation of Human Limb Mechanics and the Implication for Designing Rehabilitation Interventions
Friday March 13, 10:30 AM in 322 ISE

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

UD Art in Science – Request for Submissions 2020

We are requesting submissions FROM YOU for the 2020 UD Art in Science Exhibit. Please submit an eye catching, original image from your research in any field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) via the URL below by March 2^nd, 2020.

engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/submission-form/

The 2020 Art in Science Exhibit will be on display in the Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory for the month of April and at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE for the month of May.

ABOUT ART IN SCIENCE

Art in Science is an annual exhibit geared toward highlighting the cutting edge research at UD. Our goal is to educate and engage the local community and spark interest in STEM activities in underrepresented student populations. We do this through exhibits that showcase artwork from UD’s researchers and through hands-on art in science activities with local K-12 students. For more information, please visit: https://engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/.

BME Graduate News

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Graduate Student Government

• 10th Annual Graduate Student Forum (April 17, 2020) – This forum is part of Graduate Student Professional Development Week (April 13-17) hosted by GSG where graduate students can submit abstracts and present research to other students in the graduate college. Information is in the link below: https://grad.udel.edu/forum/
• Graduate College Dean– The Graduate College is in search of the next dean. This is super important for the future of graduate education at UD, so if anyone is interesting in attending their forums and giving feedback, please think about attending. Below is the link to the Daily article with all the information: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2020/february/graduate-college-dean-search/
• GSG Gala– The GSG will be hosting the annual GSG Gala on May 8th in the STAR Audion. Many of us have attended in the past (myself included) and it’s definitely a fun event. I will send more details in the future.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Research Experience for Undergraduates in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics

The REU program in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics(CSMR) is an intensive, ten-week program of laboratory research and instruction, beginning at the end of May and concluding in early August. Projects are available in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science. Students are awarded a $5,000 stipend and are given housing for the summer.

The projects hosted by the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) and the Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology Engineering Research Center (CISST ERC) are funded by the National Science Foundation. (The number of positions awarded will be determined once funding has been awarded in the Spring.) Candidates must be a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Permanent Resident to be accepted into this program. Unfortunately, no exceptions can be made.

See the official website here for details and to apply.

Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units. To be considered, undergraduate students must have a demonstrated interest in cardiovascular science, have completed more than 60 credits, and have a GPA average of 3.25 or higher.

The STCSI will enable undergraduate students to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, focusing, in particular, on the cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease pathology and the determinants of cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. The program is scheduled to start May 26, 2020, and conclude August 7, 2020. Each accepted student will receive a living stipend of $4,000.

We ask that you please direct interested students to our STCSI website or to this STCSI flyer for more information and to apply. Our application deadline for the STCSI is March 1, 2020. 

Research Funding Available via Sigma Xi

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for research funding through the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) program.

The deadline to submit applications for the spring 2020 grant cycle is March 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Students may apply for funding from the program twice each year. 

The program awards grants of up to $1,000 to students from most areas of the sciences and engineering. Designated funds from the National Academy of Sciences allow for grants of up to $5,000 for astronomy research, while funds from the National Academy of Sciences and the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind & Vision Impaired allow up to $2,500 for vision related research.   

Proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit and how well they align with the funding criteria, including description of the hypothesis, methodologies, budget, and significance of the proposed investigation. Guidelines and a list of fundable expenses can be found here. If you have any questions, please contact us by sending an email to giar@sigmaxi.org.

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

University of Delaware Physical Therapy Open House – May 2 @ STAR Campus

The UDPT Annual Information Session (aka open house) is scheduled for Saturday, May 2^nd from Noon-3PM in the Atrium at the STAR Health Sciences Complex – North Atrium, 540 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713.

Please forward this announcement to anyone you know who may be interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy and would like to learn more about UDPT admissions or the profession of physical therapy in general. While many of our guests at the event will be college students, it is also appropriate for current high school students and their families to attend.

The flyer is posted on our website (or copy and paste this link into a browser: https://sites.udel.edu/pt/files/2014/10/InfoSession_2020.pdf). It is also attached.

A link to the RSVP form can be found at http://sites.udel.edu/pt/open-house/.

• Noon – 12:30PM         Informal gathering w/pizza and refreshments
• 12:30 – 2:00PM           Brief presentation of DPT program with Q&A Session
• 2:00 – 2:30PM             Discussion with current DPT students
• 2:30 – 3:00PM             Student-led tours of UDPT facility and clinic

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Co-Op/Summer Internship @ Merck

Open to graduate AND undergraduate students. See position details here. Please contact Gunjan Thakur for more information.

Spring 2020 Career Programs for College of Engineering Students

DuPont Hall Drop-In Hours

• Every Tuesday (February 18 – March 24, unless noted otherwise) from 2:00 – 4:00 PM (DuPont Hall – Lobby Area)

Tuesday, March 3^rd – Cracking the Code: Behind the Scenes of the Technical Interview

• 6:00 – 7:30 PM; Career Center (Virtual Meeting)
• Registration Link: https://udel.joinhandshake.com/events/427143?ref=16-dashboard

Wednesday, March 4^th: Technology & Data Analytics Career Meetup

• 5:00 – 6:30 PM; Trabant Student Center
• View employers here: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/13399/employers_list

Coming Soon: Career Influencer Network. Stay tuned for more information! 

Did you know that the National Science Foundation (NSF) offers funding to help turn discoveries into products or services?

Join an upcoming webinar if you are interested in translating your technology, testing if it has market potential or just learning about NSF funding opportunities.

In each webinar, a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program director will discuss one of the many specific scientific and technology topics funded through the NSF Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships.

NSF Webinar Series for March 2020

Biomedical and Digital Health Technologies

Monday, March 2, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focus on translation of innovative biomedical and digital health technologies. The topic supports the early-stage development of novel medical devices and wearables, components, processes, systems, algorithms, networks, applications, or services that target improvement in health.

Distributed Ledger Technologies

Thursday, March 5, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focus on translation of innovation on technologies spanning all areas of distributed ledger including, but not limited to, blockchains, Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs), and related capabilities (cryptography, smart contracts, etc.).

Artificial Intelligence

Monday, March 9, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focuses on translation of leading-edge innovation in all areas of artificial intelligence (AI) – including, for example, machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing – and applications of such innovations in areas of commercial and societal impact, such as industries of the future and education.

Pharmaceutical Technologies

Thursday, March 12, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focus on the translation of a wide range of innovative technological areas to advance the discovery, early-stage development and characterization, formulation, delivery, and/or manufacture of novel drugs, moieties, compounds, products, processes, platforms or services that will improve the selection, quality, or price of pharmaceutical therapies.

Biological Technologies

Monday, March 16, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focus on the translation of a wide range of technological areas to advance engineering and science innovation across the biological spectrum. Biological technologies have disrupted decades-old chemical, agricultural, and medical products and services, producing a new bioeconomy.

Cybersecurity

Thursday, March 19, 2020

2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

Focusing on the translation of technology to advance cybersecurity, security and authentication to address issues in an increasingly networked, distributed, and asynchronous world. Cybersecurity involves hardware, software, networks, data, people and integration with the physical world.

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Grants Available from NIH

• Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
• NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Welcome Dr. Joshua Cashaback!

BME Seminars

Eric Perrault @ Northwestern, Chair of Biomedical Engineering – Task-Dependent Regulation of Human Limb Mechanics and the Implication for Designing Rehabilitation Interventions
Friday March 13, 10:30 AM in 322 ISE

BME Department News

• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

UD Art in Science – Request for Submissions 2020

We are requesting submissions FROM YOU for the 2020 UD Art in Science Exhibit. Please submit an eye catching, original image from your research in any field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) via the URL below by March 2^nd, 2020.

engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/submission-form/

The 2020 Art in Science Exhibit will be on display in the Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory for the month of April and at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE for the month of May.

ABOUT ART IN SCIENCE

Art in Science is an annual exhibit geared toward highlighting the cutting edge research at UD. Our goal is to educate and engage the local community and spark interest in STEM activities in underrepresented student populations. We do this through exhibits that showcase artwork from UD’s researchers and through hands-on art in science activities with local K-12 students. For more information, please visit: https://engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/.

BME Graduate News

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Graduate Student Government

• 10th Annual Graduate Student Forum (April 17, 2020) – This forum is part of Graduate Student Professional Development Week (April 13-17) hosted by GSG where graduate students can submit abstracts and present research to other students in the graduate college. Submissions due Friday, February 28! Information is in the link below: https://grad.udel.edu/forum/
• Graduate College Dean– The Graduate College is in search of the next dean. This is super important for the future of graduate education at UD, so if anyone is interesting in attending their forums and giving feedback, please think about attending. Below is the link to the Daily article with all the information: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2020/february/graduate-college-dean-search/
• GSG Gala– The GSG will be hosting the annual GSG Gala on May 8th in the STAR Audion. Many of us have attended in the past (myself included) and it’s definitely a fun event. I will send more details in the future.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

BMES Undergraduate Interest Session

Are you interested in joining or starting up a Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) club? Well, we have all the tools you will need! Come to the BMES interest session at 7pm this Wednesday, Feb. 26 in 322 ISE.

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Research Experience for Undergraduates in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics

The REU program in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics(CSMR) is an intensive, ten-week program of laboratory research and instruction, beginning at the end of May and concluding in early August. Projects are available in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science. Students are awarded a $5,000 stipend and are given housing for the summer.

The projects hosted by the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) and the Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology Engineering Research Center (CISST ERC) are funded by the National Science Foundation. (The number of positions awarded will be determined once funding has been awarded in the Spring.) Candidates must be a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Permanent Resident to be accepted into this program. Unfortunately, no exceptions can be made.

See the official website here for details and to apply.

Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units. To be considered, undergraduate students must have a demonstrated interest in cardiovascular science, have completed more than 60 credits, and have a GPA average of 3.25 or higher.

The STCSI will enable undergraduate students to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, focusing, in particular, on the cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease pathology and the determinants of cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. The program is scheduled to start May 26, 2020, and conclude August 7, 2020. Each accepted student will receive a living stipend of $4,000.

We ask that you please direct interested students to our STCSI website or to this STCSI flyer for more information and to apply. Our application deadline for the STCSI is March 1, 2020. 

New PhD Fellowships in Rowan BME

We offer very competitive stipends ($30K and above) with full tuition. Interested students should immediately reach out to our Graduate Program Chair, Dr. Vince Beachley (bmegrad@rowan.edu) or apply at the following link. Applicants can circumvent the application fee if they send an email to bmegrad@rowan.edu prior to submitting the online application. Also, visits to the department and campus can be arranged by contacting Dr. Beachley.

Learn more here.

Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders 2020 Application Now Open

Horn Entrepreneurship is giving University of Delaware student teams or individuals up to $10,000 to work on their startup or social venture this summer! During this 12-week pre-accelerator program, students will receive a stipend while working to develop their ventures. The program includes weekly mentoring and educational sessions in addition to progress meetings with advisers at the Venture Development Center.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis between Feb. 24, 2020, and May 1, 2020.

FAQ and guidelines can be found on our website.

NIGMS Administrative Supplements to Support Undergraduate Summer Research

We’re offering administrative supplements to provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students. These supplements are open to all NIGMS-funded investigators with active R01, R35, and R37 awards, including those in their final year of funding or in a no-cost extension. We’ll accept requests under PA-18-591, Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional).

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Spring 2020 Career Programs for College of Engineering Students

DuPont Hall Drop-In Hours

• Every Tuesday (February 18 – March 24, unless noted otherwise) from 2:00 – 4:00 PM (DuPont Hall – Lobby Area)

Tuesday, March 3^rd – Cracking the Code: Behind the Scenes of the Technical Interview

• 6:00 – 7:30 PM; Career Center (Virtual Meeting)
• Registration Link: https://udel.joinhandshake.com/events/427143?ref=16-dashboard

Wednesday, March 4^th: Technology & Data Analytics Career Meetup

• 5:00 – 6:30 PM; Trabant Student Center
• View employers here: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/13399/employers_list

Coming Soon: Career Influencer Network. Stay tuned for more information! 

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Welcome Dr. Joshua Cashaback!

First Annual Henswear Symposium

BME Seminars

Eric Perrault @ Northwestern, Chair of Biomedical Engineering – Task-Dependent Regulation of Human Limb Mechanics and the Implication for Designing Rehabilitation Interventions
Friday March 13, 10:30 AM in 322 ISE

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Friday February 21: Last day to add/drop courses for Spring 2020 semester
• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

UD Art in Science – Request for Submissions 2020

We are requesting submissions FROM YOU for the 2020 UD Art in Science Exhibit. Please submit an eye catching, original image from your research in any field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) via the URL below by March 2^nd, 2020.

engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/submission-form/

The 2020 Art in Science Exhibit will be on display in the Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory for the month of April and at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE for the month of May.

ABOUT ART IN SCIENCE

Art in Science is an annual exhibit geared toward highlighting the cutting edge research at UD. Our goal is to educate and engage the local community and spark interest in STEM activities in underrepresented student populations. We do this through exhibits that showcase artwork from UD’s researchers and through hands-on art in science activities with local K-12 students. For more information, please visit: https://engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/.

BME Graduate News

BME EmPOWER February Event

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Graduate Student Government

• 10th Annual Graduate Student Forum (April 17, 2020) – This forum is part of a week long event hosted by GSG where graduate students can submit abstracts and present research to other students in the graduate college. Information is in the link below: https://grad.udel.edu/forum/
• Graduate College Dean– The Graduate College is in search of the next dean. This is super important for the future of graduate education at UD, so if anyone is interesting in attending their forums and giving feedback, please think about attending. Below is the link to the Daily article with all the information: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2020/february/graduate-college-dean-search/
• GSG Gala– The GSG will be hosting the annual GSG Gala on May 8th in the STAR Audion. Many of us have attended in the past (myself included) and it’s definitely a fun event. I will send more details in the future.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

Graduate Women in Science: Delaware Chapter Established

GWIS is a global community for women in the STEM field. This group started in 1921, and its mission is to empower, inspire, support, and recognize women in science. Today, GWIS has more than 1,000 members and many chapters in the United States and across the globe. The Delaware GWIS Chapter is fairly new, as we were just established in September 2019 and we are working towards expanding this chapter! We strive to connect Graduate Women in the STEM field in Delaware to other passionate, diverse scientists to uplift each other and work together to promote science.  This organization is open to all STEM-associated graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral and undergraduate students! Our long-term goal is to create a haven where graduate students and women scientists from Delaware and the surrounding community, will accomplish all of their goals, both personally and professionally. We offer the students a variety of opportunities to participate in outreach activities, networking, and making an impact in the community.

As we are working toward expanding our local Delaware Chapter, we are reaching out to all departments in STEM at UD! Please pass along this information to the UD departments and for more information, you may use this link: GWIS at Delaware! Also, interested members are more than welcome to email questions to delaware@gwis.org or Meera Patel (meerapat@udel.edu)! We hope to grow our GWIS community at UD and appreciate your help with our organization!

BME Undergraduate News

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

Winter Session Photo Contest

I can’t believe Spring Semester is starting TODAY!  We know that many of you did some pretty incredible things over Winter Semester and we want to hear about it.  Some of you went on fabulous Study Abroad trips, worked on groundbreaking research, had cool internships, participated in Clinical Immersion shadowing experiences, worked on start-ups, and etc.

From now until Friday, February 21^st send Nancy England (nengland@udel.edu) your pics with a brief explanation of what you’ve been up to in January.  She will randomly select a few of you to receive a swag bag of BME goodies. We may include some of your stories on our E-board in DuPont Hall or include some photos in our recruiting PowerPoints. Let’s show our UD community the amazing opportunities that are possible here in BME!

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units. To be considered, undergraduate students must have a demonstrated interest in cardiovascular science, have completed more than 60 credits, and have a GPA average of 3.25 or higher.

The STCSI will enable undergraduate students to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, focusing, in particular, on the cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease pathology and the determinants of cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. The program is scheduled to start May 26, 2020, and conclude August 7, 2020. Each accepted student will receive a living stipend of $4,000.

We ask that you please direct interested students to our STCSI website or to this STCSI flyer for more information and to apply. Our application deadline for the STCSI is March 1, 2020. 

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Spring 2020 Career Programs for College of Engineering Students

DuPont Hall Drop-In Hours

• Every Tuesday (February 18 – March 24, unless noted otherwise) from 2:00 – 4:00 PM (DuPont Hall – Lobby Area)

Wednesday, February 19^th – Career Prep Pop-Up

• 1:00 – 4:00 PM; Perkins Student Center Rodney Room 
• Engineering & Technology Employer Resume Review Signup: https://udel.joinhandshake.com/interview_schedules/133943

Thursday, February 20^th – Spring Career & Internship Fairs

• 3:00 – 6:30 PM; The Little Bob (Carpenter Sports Building)
• View employers here: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/13396/employers_list

Tuesday, March 3^rd – Cracking the Code: Behind the Scenes of the Technical Interview

• 6:00 – 7:30 PM; Career Center (Virtual Meeting)
• Registration Link: https://udel.joinhandshake.com/events/427143?ref=16-dashboard

Wednesday, March 4^th: Technology & Data Analytics Career Meetup

• 5:00 – 6:30 PM; Trabant Student Center
• View employers here: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/13399/employers_list

Coming Soon: Career Influencer Network. Stay tuned for more information! 

Visit the Career Center’s table at the Welcome Back Snack event on Feb. 10, and at the Opening Reception for Engineers Week on Feb. 17, in which both events will take place in the lobby of DuPont Hall.

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Welcome Dr. Joshua Cashaback!

First Annual Henswear Symposium

BME Seminars

Biopharmaceutical Discovery Faculty Search with Potential BME Appointment
Chi Keung Lam, Ph.D. @ Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford – The Crossroads of Calcium Circuit and Stress Signaling in Cardiac Diseases
Tuesday February 11, 12:45 AM @ 318 Wolf Hall

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Monday February 10: Spring 2020 Semester begins
• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

UD Art in Science – Request for Submissions 2020

We are requesting submissions FROM YOU for the 2020 UD Art in Science Exhibit. Please submit an eye catching, original image from your research in any field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) via the URL below by March 2^nd, 2020.

engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/submission-form/

The 2020 Art in Science Exhibit will be on display in the Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory for the month of April and at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE for the month of May.

ABOUT ART IN SCIENCE

Art in Science is an annual exhibit geared toward highlighting the cutting edge research at UD. Our goal is to educate and engage the local community and spark interest in STEM activities in underrepresented student populations. We do this through exhibits that showcase artwork from UD’s researchers and through hands-on art in science activities with local K-12 students. For more information, please visit: https://engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/.

BME Graduate News

LAST CALL for ALL BMEG Graduate Students re: You’ve Got Mail!

Did you know you have a mailbox in 161 Colburn? Not going to lie; 75% of the materials in there are junk mail. Please plan a visit to 161 CLB before the start of the Spring 2020 semester to empty your folder, whether you are in DTP5, STAR, Fraunhofer, or elsewhere. If you cannot physically make it to the office before Monday February 10, please let Amanda know so she can 1) purge your folder for you, or 2) save all the mail for you to pick up upon your return to campus. The rack with all the mail folders is on the unit behind Amanda’s desk; feel free to go back there even when she’s not in. Furthermore, if you have any questions, please contact her via email.

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

BME EmPOWER February Event

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

Call for Applications: RCCN Life Curse Perspectives on Aging Workshop Travel Awards

The RCCN workshop “Life Course Perspectives on Aging” will be held April 21 and 22, 2020 at the NIA Offices in Bethesda, MD. The scope of the workshop is broad and will include discussions about early life influences, the role of chronic and acute stress, and models and mechanisms that inform life course research, to name a few.

Travel Awards are available for approximately 10 early career investigators or investigators in-training, who will participate in a special session at the meeting that will focus on career development. For more information and details on how to apply, click here. The deadline is February 14, 2020.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

BME Undergraduate News

NIDA Summer Research Internship Program; Applications due February 10

https://nidaextshare.nida.nih.gov/SRIP/sitepages/application.aspx

The NIDA Summer Research Internship Program supports all students with a focus on increasing underrepresented populations in drug abuse research. Through this program, undergraduate students age 18 years and older are introduced to the field of drug abuse and addiction research by participating in research internships with NIDA’s distinguished scientists at universities across the United States. Students work with leading scientists for eight weeks during the summer. The internship may include laboratory experiments, data collection, data analysis, formal courses, participation in lab meetings, patient interviews, manuscript preparation, library research, and literature reviews. In addition, it is expected that each intern will deliver a formal presentation on his/her research project at the end of the internship

The NIDA Summer Research Internship Program is in its 24th year. Since the program’s inception in 1997, more than 1,160 students have gained experience in drug abuse and addiction research.

This program provides summer research internships for all undergraduate students 18 years and older, with a focus on recruiting students underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical sciences (American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) Graduating 2020 college seniors are eligible to apply.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old by May 31, 2020 and must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States (No Exceptions).

Individuals who have already participated in the NIDA Summer Research Internship Program are no longer eligible to apply.

NSF REU in Bioengineering

The University of Maryland’s Fischell Department of Bioengineering, with support from the National Science Foundation, is offering exciting research opportunities in bioengineering for undergraduates who are interested in exploring new approaches to engineering cells, tissues, and organs.

The deadline for students to apply to this 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program is Friday, February 14, 2020. Students are strongly encouraged to apply ahead of the deadline as admissions will be processed on a rolling basis.

Undergraduate students will be enlisted to investigate new engineering technologies for constructing and mimicking tissues and organs. Example projects include blood-brain-barrier-on-a-chip, preparing human brain phantoms with amyloid plaque models, 3D printing and microsystems for extracellular vesicle biomanufacturing, and molecular signaling in a gut-on-a-chip model.

Research projects will be hosted at University of Maryland or directly with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making this REU unlike any other available in the country.

Participants in this Bioengineering REU site will receive a $5,000 stipend for the 10-week research program, room and board, and the opportunity to support one of 18 projects focused on engineering technologies for constructing and mimicking tissues and organs. Even more, participants will showcase their work in the FDA’s annual research fair, where they will present their research to other undergraduate researchers as well as FDA technical staff, non-FDA scientists, and even the FDA Commissioner.

Additional information is available online. Please contact REU program co-directors Dr. Ian White and Dr. Kimberly Stroka at bioe-reu@umd.edu with any questions.

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

Fluxtrol Student Research Competition

Fluxtrol will be sponsoring a Student Poster Competition (open to both undergraduate and graduate students) at the IMAT 2020 event for research involving thermal processing of materials.  We will be awarding $2500 for 1rst place, $1000 for 2^nd place and $500 for 3^rd place.  A link to the event can be found here:

https://www.asminternational.org/web/imat/fluxtrol-student-research-competition

This is part of a large effort by ASM to attract students/academics to the event.  They have a page for all of the activities here:

https://www.asminternational.org/web/imat/student/emerging-professionals1

ASM is also offering $350 travel grants, career recruitment expo, and a party at the Rock & Roll hall of fame amongst other complimentary opportunities for students who participate in the competition! The submission deadline is February 14^th.  No manuscript is required.

NSF REU in Nanoscience/Nanoengineering @ Vanderbilt University

We are now accepting applications for the summer 2020 NSF REU program in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at Vanderbilt University. The application deadline is February 15^th.  The Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) focuses on interdisciplinary nanoscale research at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. More than 40 faculty participants from the School of Engineering, College of Arts and Science, and the School of Medicine inspire students by creating an atmosphere of excitement and creativity. Each REU participant will work directly with VINSE faculty members and their research groups and be part of the larger VINSE community.

The VINSE REU has a record of success, 76% of former VINSE NSF REU students attend graduate school and have received several awards and honors including:

• 17 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (another 7 received honorable mentions)
• 6 Goldwater Fellowships
• 3 SMART Fellowships
• 1 Gates Cambridge Fellowship
• 1 NASA Graduate Fellowship
• 3 NIH Awards: 1 Graduate Fellowship, 1 Postbac ITRA, 1 Oxford-Cambridge Scholar
• >40% of former REU students have (or are expected to) co-author a journal publication
• More than half of our former REU students have given a presentation outside the REU program including 26 at National Conferences funded by the REU site

PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Hands-on research in state-of-the-art facilities
• Seminars, workshops, and field trips
• Group social activities and banquet
• Optional outreach opportunities to high school students

ELIGIBILITY

• Undergraduate students majoring in science or engineering
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Minorities and women strongly encouraged to apply

AWARD

• $5,000 stipend
• $500 travel allowance
• Room and board

We would like to make this opportunity available to your students at all stages of the undergraduate careers and from all institutions including community colleges. We would appreciate if you would forward them this information.  Please visit: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/vinse/reu/ for more information or to apply.

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

Winter Session Photo Contest

I can’t believe Spring Semester is starting TODAY!  We know that many of you did some pretty incredible things over Winter Semester and we want to hear about it.  Some of you went on fabulous Study Abroad trips, worked on groundbreaking research, had cool internships, participated in Clinical Immersion shadowing experiences, worked on start-ups, and etc.

From now until Friday, February 21^st send Nancy England (nengland@udel.edu) your pics with a brief explanation of what you’ve been up to in January.  She will randomly select a few of you to receive a swag bag of BME goodies. We may include some of your stories on our E-board in DuPont Hall or include some photos in our recruiting PowerPoints. Let’s show our UD community the amazing opportunities that are possible here in BME!

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI)

Penn State’s College of Engineering and the College of Health and Human Development are once again offering the Penn State Summer Translational Cardiovascular Science Institute (STCSI), sponsored by the American Heart Association and several Penn State units. To be considered, undergraduate students must have a demonstrated interest in cardiovascular science, have completed more than 60 credits, and have a GPA average of 3.25 or higher.

The STCSI will enable undergraduate students to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, focusing, in particular, on the cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease pathology and the determinants of cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. The program is scheduled to start May 26, 2020, and conclude August 7, 2020. Each accepted student will receive a living stipend of $4,000.

We ask that you please direct interested students to our STCSI website or to this STCSI flyer for more information and to apply. Our application deadline for the STCSI is March 1, 2020. 

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Spring 2020 Career Programs for College of Engineering Students

Thursday, February 13^th – Maximizing Your Internship: Insights from W.L. Gore

• 5:30 – 7:30 PM; Trabant Theatre
• Registration Link: https://app.joinhandshake.com/events/405224

DuPont Hall Drop-In Hours

• Every Tuesday (February 18 – March 24, unless noted otherwise) from 2:00 – 4:00 PM (DuPont Hall – Lobby Area)

Wednesday, February 19^th – Career Prep Pop-Up

• 1:00 – 4:00 PM; Perkins Student Center Rodney Room 
• Engineering & Technology Employer Resume Review Signup: https://udel.joinhandshake.com/interview_schedules/133943

Thursday, February 20^th – Spring Career & Internship Fairs

• 3:00 – 6:30 PM; The Little Bob (Carpenter Sports Building)
• View employers here: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/13396/employers_list

Tuesday, March 3^rd – Cracking the Code: Behind the Scenes of the Technical Interview

• 6:00 – 7:30 PM; Career Center (Virtual Meeting)
• Registration Link: https://udel.joinhandshake.com/events/427143?ref=16-dashboard

Wednesday, March 4^th: Technology & Data Analytics Career Meetup

• 5:00 – 6:30 PM; Trabant Student Center
• View employers here: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/13399/employers_list

Coming Soon: Career Influencer Network. Stay tuned for more information! 

Visit the Career Center’s table at the Welcome Back Snack event on Feb. 10, and at the Opening Reception for Engineers Week on Feb. 17, in which both events will take place in the lobby of DuPont Hall.

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Grants Available from ThermoFisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation

The path to discovery in the field of cancer research can be difficult. Cancer is a tenacious disease that poses many challenges to success in research, including limited funding. To help you reach your next breakthrough, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation is offering you the chance to apply for an Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Characterization Service Grant or a PCR product grant from January 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

PCR grant:
The PCR Cancer Research Grant features innovative systems, tools, and technologies to empower your cancer research, such as the Applied Biosystems™ ProFlex™ 3 x 32-well PCR system that allows users to run three experiments at once, access the system remotely, and interchange the 3 x 32-well block with another block type if throughput needs change. This PCR grant includes:

• One Invitrogen™ Platinum™ SuperFi™ II Green PCR Master Mix (2X) for superior specificity, sensitivity, and yields, and robust amplifications of targets
• One Invitrogen™ E-Gel™ Power Snap Electrophoresis System designed for fast and convenient gel electrophoresis
• Nine other related products to enhance your PCR experiments

Oncomine Characterization Service Grant:
The Oncomine Characterization Service Grant leverages the Ion Torrent™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to monitor genomic variations associated with NIH-recognized cancer hotspots in your culture. This technology can detect multiple biomarker types, capturing all known cancer causing mutations classified by NIH and harnesses the power of NGS. This custom service, performed by Thermo Fisher according to your research needs, includes:

• Relevant content based on evidence from Ion Torrent™ Oncomine™ Knowledgebase and from collaboration with leading oncology research institutions and pharma companies
• Multiple biomarker analysis including hotspot SNVs, indels, CNVs, and gene fusions across a range of cancer types
• Proven and reliable performance with high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility
• Robust results from even those challenging FFPE tissue samples, including FNAs, with sample input as low as 10 ng of DNA and RNA

For the full list of products included in this grant, please go to our cancer research foundation webpage. Apply for one of these cancer research grants today from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Cancer Research Foundation.

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

First Annual Henswear Symposium

BME Seminars

Responsible Conduct of Research Conference
Wednesday February 5, 9 AM to 4 PM @ STAR Tower Audion
**Required for anyone receiving federal funding for their research**
Registration Deadline — Wednesday, January 29, link to registration page

Biopharmaceutical Discovery Faculty Search with Potential BME Appointment
Brian Belardi, Ph.D. @ UC Berkeley – Uncovering Epithelial Organizing Principles with Synthetic Biomimetric Structures
Monday February 3, 10 AM @ 219 Brown Lab

Suman Bose, Ph.D. @ MIT – Engineering Microsystems for Medicine: From Implantable Drug Factories to Novel Platforms for Single-Cell Analysis
Wednesday February 5, 1 PM @ 102 Colburn Lab

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Friday February 7: Last day of BOTH Winter Session classes
• Saturday February 8: Final Exams for BOTH Winter Sessions
• Monday February 10: Spring 2020 Semester begins
• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

Graduate Student Seminar Symposium: Friday, February 7 @ STAR Atrium

• 8:30 am – 9:00 am: Breakfast and Coffee
• 9:00 am – 10:15 am: 3-minute and 12-minute Presentations (1st half)
• 10:15 am – 10:30 am: Break
• 10:30 am – 11:50 am: 3-minute and 12-minute Presentations (2nd half), Ballot box voting for best 3-minute and 12-minute talks
• 11:50 am – 12:50 pm: Lunch

3-minute talks

• Jamie Benson
• Ellen Bloom
• Jeongmin Hwang
• Kyle Meadows
• Catherine Millar-Haskell

12-minute talks

• Rachel Gilbert
• Keely Keller
• Connor Leek
• Ryan Locke
• Andrea Zonnino

Also, following the seminar, Dr. Rooney is hosting a BME undergraduate clinical immersion poster session. It would be great, for those available, to stay for a little while after the seminar to support the awesome work from the undergraduates!

BMEG 350 Clinical Immersion for Engineers presents Unmet Clinical Needs Poster Session

Friday February 7 from 1 to 2:30 PM @ STAR Atrium

Students, faculty, staff, and friends are invited! Students spent 100 hours shadowing clinical sites and identifying unmet needs that a future biomedical engineer may be able to solve. Thank you to our clinical partners!

• Christiana Care- Plastic Surgery
• Christiana Care- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Helen F. Graham Cancer Center
• Independence Prosthetics-Orthotics
• Penn Vet New Bolton Center
• Rothman Orthopaedics
• UD Athletics Sports Performance
• UD Physical Therapy

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

UD Art in Science – Request for Submissions 2020

We are requesting submissions FROM YOU for the 2020 UD Art in Science Exhibit. Please submit an eye catching, original image from your research in any field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) via the URL below by March 2^nd, 2020.

engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/submission-form/

The 2020 Art in Science Exhibit will be on display in the Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory for the month of April and at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE for the month of May.

ABOUT ART IN SCIENCE

Art in Science is an annual exhibit geared toward highlighting the cutting edge research at UD. Our goal is to educate and engage the local community and spark interest in STEM activities in underrepresented student populations. We do this through exhibits that showcase artwork from UD’s researchers and through hands-on art in science activities with local K-12 students. For more information, please visit: https://engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/.

BME Graduate News

Special Note for ALL BMEG Graduate Students re: You’ve Got Mail!

Did you know you have a mailbox in 161 Colburn? Not going to lie; 75% of the materials in there are junk mail. Please plan a visit to 161 CLB before the start of the Spring 2020 semester to empty your folder, whether you are in DTP5, STAR, Fraunhofer, or elsewhere. If you cannot physically make it to the office before Monday February 10, please let Amanda know so she can 1) purge your folder for you, or 2) save all the mail for you to pick up upon your return to campus. The rack with all the mail folders is on the unit behind Amanda’s desk; feel free to go back there even when she’s not in. Furthermore, if you have any questions, please contact her via email.

STEM Graduate Career Forum

The Biology Graduate Student Association is proud to present the STEM Graduate Career Forum, the 2020 edition of our annual career event! It will be on Monday, February 3rd, from 9 AM – 1 PM in the Trabant Student Center Multipurpose room. As always, it includes coffee, lunch, and a chance to talk with representatives from both academic and industry careers. And, as always, it’s completely free to attend for graduate students!

The STEM Graduate Career Forum will feature:
– Abish Regmi, Senior Scientist, Eurofins Laboratories
– April Kloxin, Associate Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering & Materials Science
– Irene Rombel, Senior Director, Head of External Analysis, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
– Janet Reed, Partner, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
– Justin Parreno, Postdoctoral Researcher, the Scripps Institute & University of Delaware
– Matthew Hudson, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology + Applied Physiology & Co-founder of Extrave
– Nike Olabisi, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
– Paula Swain, Executive VP, Human Resources, Incyte
– Richard Birkmeyer, CEO, Tangen Biosciences

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

Call for Applications: RCCN Life Curse Perspectives on Aging Workshop Travel Awards

The RCCN workshop “Life Course Perspectives on Aging” will be held April 21 and 22, 2020 at the NIA Offices in Bethesda, MD. The scope of the workshop is broad and will include discussions about early life influences, the role of chronic and acute stress, and models and mechanisms that inform life course research, to name a few.

Travel Awards are available for approximately 10 early career investigators or investigators in-training, who will participate in a special session at the meeting that will focus on career development. For more information and details on how to apply, click here. The deadline is February 14, 2020.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

BME Undergraduate News

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

VCU REU in Mechanobiology

Virginia Commonwealth University is pleased to announce ten undergraduate student openings for a 10- week, NSF funded, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in the College of Engineering at VCU in Richmond, Virginia.
Students will work on mechanobiology research projects under the supervision of faculty. Research projects will involve experimental and computational approaches to mechanobiology. Students will participate in a weekly meeting during which research ethics and mechanobiology techniques will be presented.
Students will be required to participate in one outreach activity to K-12 students or teachers during the summer. Students will also present their own research findings at the end of the summer. This program is sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation.

Competitive stipends will be offered and on-campus housing will be covered if needed. Women and students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Applications are due February 10, 2020. The program will run for 10 weeks beginning May 26, 2020.

Questions about the application? Contact Rebecca Heise at mechbiougsummer@gmail.com
Apply here: http://tinyurl.com/vcusummer

NSF REU in Bioengineering

The University of Maryland’s Fischell Department of Bioengineering, with support from the National Science Foundation, is offering exciting research opportunities in bioengineering for undergraduates who are interested in exploring new approaches to engineering cells, tissues, and organs.

The deadline for students to apply to this 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program is Friday, February 14, 2020. Students are strongly encouraged to apply ahead of the deadline as admissions will be processed on a rolling basis.

Undergraduate students will be enlisted to investigate new engineering technologies for constructing and mimicking tissues and organs. Example projects include blood-brain-barrier-on-a-chip, preparing human brain phantoms with amyloid plaque models, 3D printing and microsystems for extracellular vesicle biomanufacturing, and molecular signaling in a gut-on-a-chip model.

Research projects will be hosted at University of Maryland or directly with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making this REU unlike any other available in the country.

Participants in this Bioengineering REU site will receive a $5,000 stipend for the 10-week research program, room and board, and the opportunity to support one of 18 projects focused on engineering technologies for constructing and mimicking tissues and organs. Even more, participants will showcase their work in the FDA’s annual research fair, where they will present their research to other undergraduate researchers as well as FDA technical staff, non-FDA scientists, and even the FDA Commissioner.

Additional information is available online. Please contact REU program co-directors Dr. Ian White and Dr. Kimberly Stroka at bioe-reu@umd.edu with any questions.

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

NSF REU in Nanoscience/Nanoengineering @ Vanderbilt University

We are now accepting applications for the summer 2020 NSF REU program in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at Vanderbilt University. The application deadline is February 15^th.  The Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) focuses on interdisciplinary nanoscale research at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. More than 40 faculty participants from the School of Engineering, College of Arts and Science, and the School of Medicine inspire students by creating an atmosphere of excitement and creativity. Each REU participant will work directly with VINSE faculty members and their research groups and be part of the larger VINSE community.

The VINSE REU has a record of success, 76% of former VINSE NSF REU students attend graduate school and have received several awards and honors including:

• 17 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (another 7 received honorable mentions)
• 6 Goldwater Fellowships
• 3 SMART Fellowships
• 1 Gates Cambridge Fellowship
• 1 NASA Graduate Fellowship
• 3 NIH Awards: 1 Graduate Fellowship, 1 Postbac ITRA, 1 Oxford-Cambridge Scholar
• >40% of former REU students have (or are expected to) co-author a journal publication
• More than half of our former REU students have given a presentation outside the REU program including 26 at National Conferences funded by the REU site

PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Hands-on research in state-of-the-art facilities
• Seminars, workshops, and field trips
• Group social activities and banquet
• Optional outreach opportunities to high school students

ELIGIBILITY

• Undergraduate students majoring in science or engineering
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Minorities and women strongly encouraged to apply

AWARD

• $5,000 stipend
• $500 travel allowance
• Room and board

We would like to make this opportunity available to your students at all stages of the undergraduate careers and from all institutions including community colleges. We would appreciate if you would forward them this information.  Please visit: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/vinse/reu/ for more information or to apply.

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Professional Master of Mechanical Product Engineering @ University of Pittsburgh

The MS-MPE program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to provide students didactic and experiential learning opportunities aimed at accelerating translation of innovative ideas into impactful medical products. Pittsburgh is a hub for healthcare and biomedical innovation. Students in our MS-MPE program work closely with clinical and engineering leaders on innovative projects that have a potential to change the field of healthcare delivery, while learning best practices from industry professionals.

Enrollment is on a rolling basis, so it’s not too late to apply for the Fall-2020 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik at Gurleyik@pitt.edu or Schedule an appointment.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

UD’s Emily Day among researchers funded through Science Center program

“Thriving in a real-world environment”: Through Senior Design, engineering students flex their skills

BME Seminars

Responsible Conduct of Research Conference
Wednesday February 5, 9 AM to 4 PM @ STAR Tower Audion
**Required for anyone receiving federal funding for their research**
Registration Deadline — Wednesday, January 29, link to registration page

Biopharmaceutical Discovery Faculty Search with Potential BME Appointment
Kevin Yehl, Ph.D. @ MIT – Combatting Diseases Using Synthetic and Biological Machines
Wednesday January 29, 10 AM @ 219 Brown Lab

Ross Cheloha, Ph.D. @ Boston Children’s Hospital & Harvard Medical School – Targeting Membrane Proteins Using Chemistry and Immunology
Friday January 31, 10 AM @ 219 Brown Lab

Brian Belardi, Ph.D. @ UC Berkeley – Uncovering Epithelial Organizing Principles with Synthetic Biomimetric Structures
Monday February 3, 10 AM @ 219 Brown Lab

Suman Bose, Ph.D. @ MIT – Engineering Microsystems for Medicine: From Implantable Drug Factories to Novel Platforms for Single-Cell Analysis
Wednesday February 5, 1 PM @ 102 Colburn Lab

Ph.D. Dissertation Defenses
Danielle Valcourt –  Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Through Nanoparticle-Mediated Protothermal Therapy and Gene Regulation
Friday January 31, 3 PM @ 322 ISE

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Friday February 7: Last day of BOTH Winter Session classes
• Saturday February 8: Final Exams for BOTH Winter Sessions
• Monday February 10: Spring 2020 Semester begins
• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

BMEG 350 Clinical Immersion for Engineers presents Unmet Clinical Needs Poster Session

Friday February 7 from 1 to 2:30 PM @ STAR Atrium

Students, faculty, staff, and friends are invited! Students spent 100 hours shadowing clinical sites and identifying unmet needs that a future biomedical engineer may be able to solve. Thank you to our clinical partners!

• Christiana Care- Plastic Surgery
• Christiana Care- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Helen F. Graham Cancer Center
• Independence Prosthetics-Orthotics
• Penn Vet New Bolton Center
• Rothman Orthopaedics
• UD Athletics Sports Performance
• UD Physical Therapy

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

UD Art in Science – Request for Submissions 2020

We are requesting submissions FROM YOU for the 2020 UD Art in Science Exhibit. Please submit an eye catching, original image from your research in any field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) via the URL below by March 2^nd, 2020.

engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/submission-form/

The 2020 Art in Science Exhibit will be on display in the Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory for the month of April and at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE for the month of May.

ABOUT ART IN SCIENCE

Art in Science is an annual exhibit geared toward highlighting the cutting edge research at UD. Our goal is to educate and engage the local community and spark interest in STEM activities in underrepresented student populations. We do this through exhibits that showcase artwork from UD’s researchers and through hands-on art in science activities with local K-12 students. For more information, please visit: https://engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/.

BME Graduate News

Special Note for ALL BMEG Graduate Students re: You’ve Got Mail!

Did you know you have a mailbox in 161 Colburn? Not going to lie; 75% of the materials in there are junk mail. Please plan a visit to 161 CLB before the start of the Spring 2020 semester to empty your folder, whether you are in DTP5, STAR, Fraunhofer, or elsewhere. If you cannot physically make it to the office before Monday February 10, please let Amanda know so she can 1) purge your folder for you, or 2) save all the mail for you to pick up upon your return to campus. The rack with all the mail folders is on the unit behind Amanda’s desk; feel free to go back there even when she’s not in. Furthermore, if you have any questions, please contact her via email.

NEBEC 2020 Call for Abstracts – Due January 31

We invite you to submit an abstract for the 46^th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference, March 26 – 28, 2020, at Penn State, located at University Park, Pennsylvania. This will be a good opportunity to disseminate your research. Visit the conference web site at www.nebec.org to learn more about:

• Submitting an abstract for presentation and viewing the categories of submission
• View the accommodations and travel details.
• Student (including post-doc) registration is only $60 (by March 1).
• Registration and sponsor/exhibit forms will be posted soon.

Nemours Masters, Pre-Doctoral, and Doctoral Fellowship Applications NOW OPEN – Due January 31

Master’s, Pre-Doctoral and Doctoral Fellowship Program provides an opportunity for students who already have their undergraduate degree to acquire research knowledge and skills in areas pertaining to pediatric health disparities science. The core component of this program includes the application of advanced epidemiologic methods in the understanding of the etio-pathogenesis of pediatric health disparities. The utilization of such knowledge is required in mapping interventions with the intent to narrow diverse population differences in pediatric health care and health outcomes. Whereas social determinants are essential in understanding unequal outcomes of care, biologic determinants also play an important role.  Further, the approach is translational, trans-disciplinary and team science, which renders evidence discovery more inclusive and reliable for quality and equity attainment.  Fellows will also be required to mentor the HESSP students and will have the possibility to engage in other activities throughout the fellowship as well; such as conference attendance, shadowing in the hospital and other training opportunities.

May 11 – November 27, 2020

STIPEND AMOUNT : $13,700

**HOUSING AVAILABLE based on need** (Must live 50+ miles away, one-way)

APPLY HERE

DE-CTR ACCEL Commons Post: Delaware’s Behavioural Health Consortium

You are invited to join us at… Delaware State University’s MLK Parlors

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 9:00 – 4:00 PM
Registration and continental breakfast open at 8:30am

Register Here

• Perceptions & Stigma
• Law Enforcement & Corrections
• Education & Prevention
• Community Engagement

Don’t Forget: Your attendance qualifies you to apply for Jumpstart Grant up to $20,000

The Behavioral and Mental Health Research Retreat includes four work sessions designed to foster collaborations and develop research plans. The interactive and participant driven work sessions are facilitated by colleagues from ACCEL partnering institutions, with active and externally funded research. The four work sessions align with the Behavioral Health Consortium Three-Year Action Plan (2018) lead by DE Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, who will be keynote speaker at the Retreat.

We will identify key questions for behavioral and mental health in Delaware and lay the foundation for new research collaborations to help address these important problems. Attendees from all ACCEL partner institutions will be eligible to apply for Jumpstart funding.

Work supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number U54-GM104941 (PI: Binder-Macleod).

https://www.de-ctr.org/delawares-behavioral-health-consortium-building-collaborative-community-engaged-research/

STEM Graduate Career Forum

The Biology Graduate Student Association is proud to present the STEM Graduate Career Forum, the 2020 edition of our annual career event! It will be on Monday, February 3rd, from 9 AM – 1 PM in the Trabant Student Center Multipurpose room. As always, it includes coffee, lunch, and a chance to talk with representatives from both academic and industry careers. And, as always, it’s completely free to attend for graduate students!

The STEM Graduate Career Forum will feature:
– Abish Regmi, Senior Scientist, Eurofins Laboratories
– April Kloxin, Associate Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering & Materials Science
– Irene Rombel, Senior Director, Head of External Analysis, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
– Janet Reed, Partner, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
– Justin Parreno, Postdoctoral Researcher, the Scripps Institute & University of Delaware
– Matthew Hudson, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology + Applied Physiology & Co-founder of Extrave
– Nike Olabisi, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
– Paula Swain, Executive VP, Human Resources, Incyte
– Richard Birkmeyer, CEO, Tangen Biosciences

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

Call for Applications: RCCN Life Curse Perspectives on Aging Workshop Travel Awards

The RCCN workshop “Life Course Perspectives on Aging” will be held April 21 and 22, 2020 at the NIA Offices in Bethesda, MD. The scope of the workshop is broad and will include discussions about early life influences, the role of chronic and acute stress, and models and mechanisms that inform life course research, to name a few.

Travel Awards are available for approximately 10 early career investigators or investigators in-training, who will participate in a special session at the meeting that will focus on career development. For more information and details on how to apply, click here. The deadline is February 14, 2020.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

Workshop on NIH, NIGMS, and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Join NIGMS and NHGRI staff for a Workshop on NIGMS and NHGRI Training Funding Opportunities at Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This workshop should be of interest to faculty who are engaged in student research training.  Funding opportunities for community colleges, and bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree awarding institutions will be discussed. You’ll gain information on the grants process, tips for writing proposals, the peer review process, and more. The workshop is hosted in partnership with Augustana University and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN).

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Location: Rooms FSC113 A and B Froiland Science Complex (FSC), Augustana University
Registration Fee: None
Registration: https://meetings.nigms.nih.gov/meetings/NIGMS_NHGRI/

BME Undergraduate News

Nemours Undergraduate Internship, Health Equity Summer Scholars Program – Due January 31

The Program provides an opportunity for undergraduates to acquire research knowledge and skills in areas pertaining to pediatric health disparities science. The core component of this program includes an in-depth understanding of problems and issues confronting pediatric health and health care.  Specifically, the research training and education embrace study design, conduct (sampling, intervention, and data collection), data analysis, result interpretation, discussion and inference.  As well as in-depth lectures and activities on health care delivery science.

June 1 –  August 7, 2020

STIPEND AMOUNT: $4300

APPLY HERE

Apply now to be a STAR at NIA’s (National Institute on Aging) Summer Research Training Program

It may be winter, but our thoughts are already turning to summer. Not because of the weather, but because that’s when we welcome highly motivated students to NIH to immerse themselves in a unique experience: NIA’s Summer Training in Aging Research (STAR) Program.

Learn more from past participants about how the Program broadened their career horizons, and then be sure to apply by February 1 (high school students) and March 1 (college, medical school and graduate students)! Read the full blog post.

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

ASEE Student Video Contest

We are excited to announce that we will be holding our 2nd Annual ASEE Student Video Contest: Engineering and YOU! This year we would like to open our contest to any undergraduate as well as graduate students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.
As you create your video, please tell us why you are pursuing a degree in engineering. We are excited to hear your story so be as creative as possible! This topic is very broad as we would like each submission to be as unique as you are. Video submissions should not exceed 90 seconds; you may do this individually or with a team. The first place winner(s) will be presented at the 2020 ASEE Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada.

For more information about this exciting contest: https://contest.asee.org
Registration begins: December 5, 2019
Please contact Lara Hilliard, l.hilliard@asee.org or contest@asee.org, if you have any questions!

Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) at the National Institutes of Health

A Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) is being offered at the National Institutes of Health. Sponsorship of this program is through the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at NIH.  This structured ten week summer program will sponsor sixteen rising senior undergraduate biomedical engineering students who have completed their junior year of college.  The selected interns will work on cutting edge biomedical research projects in NIH laboratories in Bethesda, Maryland, under the mentorship of world-class scientists.  The interns will be selected by a Selection Committee consisting of eight NIH scientists/engineers through a nationwide competition and participants will have the opportunity to indicate preferences of projects from a list of available projects provided by NIH scientists from several of the NIH Institutes who are working on biomedical research problems that involve areas of engineering or physical science expertise. The interns participate in many activities that are provided by the Summer Internship Program (SIP).  They submit posters to the NIH Poster Day where summer interns from all disciplines present their projects. The 16 interns present the results of their summer research projects at a closing BESIP Seminar which is attended by students, mentors, and many guests from NIH.  Interns submit a short, written report at the end of the program that summarizes their research for the summer.

The Program will run from June 1 through August 7, 2020 and all interns must participate in the full ten week program during the specific interval listed above.  For more information about the NIH, visit the web site at www.nih.gov.  For more information about the BESIP program, including the on-line application site, eligibility requirements, the selection criteria, and a proposed project list, visit our web site at http://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/biomedical-engineering-summer-internship-program-besip

The BESIP application deadline is February 3, 2020 which is sooner than the regular SIP deadline.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program, a student must be a rising senior having completed at least three years (6 semesters or 9 quarters) of undergraduate study in a Biomedical Engineering or Bioengineering degree program by the start of the 2020 summer and be returning to undergraduate school for at least one term following the summer program.  Because of the structure of the program, the orientation procedures, and planned group activities, the intern must be available and present on the Bethesda campus to participate in the full ten-week program at the starting and ending dates listed above.  Early starts or departures cannot be accepted in the program. Please do not apply if any other plans would preclude you from being present for the full 10 weeks.  It is possible for quarter term students to attend the full 10 weeks if they can get permission from their professors to take some final exams proctored at NIH. The intern must also be a United States citizen or permanent resident.

Stipend/Benefits: The BESIP summer stipend is approximately $5600 for the 10 week program. A small stipend supplement is often available to STEM interns to cover the high cost of living in the DC area. Stipends will be dispensed in arrears as a prorated amount at the end of the months of June, July and August for the ten-week duration of the program. BESIP interns frequently elect to share local housing to reduce the housing costs. Information about housing can be found at the Office of Intramural Education and Training (OITE) website https://www.training.nih.gov/assets/Moving_Guide.pdf. The intern must pay any travel expenses to and from NIH from the summer stipend.

How/When to Apply: An on-line NIH application system is the only method used to apply. The BESIP program is a Subprogram of NIH’s main SIP program. In Section 9 at the bottom of the application form (“SIP Subprogram Selection”), you can “ADD” BESIP as your selected Subprogram. The BESIP web site has links for the on-line application. The on-line application form requests the following four items which will be used in the intern selection process:   (1)  A resume which should contain addresses and phone numbers for both school and permanent residence, an e-mail address and a statement affirming the US citizen or permanent resident status of the applicant.  The resume should contain information about the student’s education, recent work experiences, and activities and awards.  (2)  An unofficial transcript or listing of all college courses and grades, including a list of those courses that you are currently enrolled in.  An official transcript will be requested only from the final 16 selected interns before they commence the internship.  (3)  Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with the student’s academic or work performance, such as faculty or work supervisors, and who can comment on their suitability for this program. Automatic requests for letters of references will be generated by the application system and will be sent by e-mail to the two individuals listed by the applicant.  The request for references will be sent after the applicant has completed the on-line application form.   (4)  A written essay of a maximum length equivalent to approximately one single spaced page which briefly discusses such topics as your career goals, technical or research interests, reasons for applying for this internship, describing what you would like to get out of the BESIP summer program, etc.   Most of these items can be copied and pasted into the on-line application form.

The selection process will be performed by a panel of eight NIH scientists based on a system which scores the four items mentioned above.  Applicants who are not selected for the BESIP Subprogram will automatically have their applications made available to the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) in Biomedical Research, which is separate and distinct from the NIBIB-BESIP program.  This allows an applicant to have opportunities for other summer jobs at NIH if you are not selected for BESIP.  Information about the SIP program can be found at the web site: www.training.nih.gov.  Remember, SIP is separate from our BESIP Subprogram.

The deadline for submitting the on-line application is February 3, 2020. Notification of selected interns will occur on or about February 24, 2020. Intern must accept or decline a BESIP offer by March 9, 2020.

A group of mentors/researchers at NIH have submitted projects that the 16 BESIP interns may select from for the summer.  The project list is updated each year.  The project list for summer 2019 can be found at  https://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/biomedical-engineering-summer-internship-program-besip/besip-projects .   The 2020 updated list should be available by early February since the mentors need time to review their project needs for summer 2020.  The 2019 list shown at the above link provides a good sample of the projects that will likely be available in summer 2020.  Most of the mentors and their projects repeat from year to year.  Some new projects may be added.

VCU REU in Mechanobiology

Virginia Commonwealth University is pleased to announce ten undergraduate student openings for a 10- week, NSF funded, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in the College of Engineering at VCU in Richmond, Virginia.
Students will work on mechanobiology research projects under the supervision of faculty. Research projects will involve experimental and computational approaches to mechanobiology. Students will participate in a weekly meeting during which research ethics and mechanobiology techniques will be presented.
Students will be required to participate in one outreach activity to K-12 students or teachers during the summer. Students will also present their own research findings at the end of the summer. This program is sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation.

Competitive stipends will be offered and on-campus housing will be covered if needed. Women and students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Applications are due February 10, 2020. The program will run for 10 weeks beginning May 26, 2020.

Questions about the application? Contact Rebecca Heise at mechbiougsummer@gmail.com
Apply here: http://tinyurl.com/vcusummer

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

NSF REU in Nanoscience/Nanoengineering @ Vanderbilt University

We are now accepting applications for the summer 2020 NSF REU program in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at Vanderbilt University. The application deadline is February 15^th.  The Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) focuses on interdisciplinary nanoscale research at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. More than 40 faculty participants from the School of Engineering, College of Arts and Science, and the School of Medicine inspire students by creating an atmosphere of excitement and creativity. Each REU participant will work directly with VINSE faculty members and their research groups and be part of the larger VINSE community.

The VINSE REU has a record of success, 76% of former VINSE NSF REU students attend graduate school and have received several awards and honors including:

• 17 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (another 7 received honorable mentions)
• 6 Goldwater Fellowships
• 3 SMART Fellowships
• 1 Gates Cambridge Fellowship
• 1 NASA Graduate Fellowship
• 3 NIH Awards: 1 Graduate Fellowship, 1 Postbac ITRA, 1 Oxford-Cambridge Scholar
• >40% of former REU students have (or are expected to) co-author a journal publication
• More than half of our former REU students have given a presentation outside the REU program including 26 at National Conferences funded by the REU site

PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Hands-on research in state-of-the-art facilities
• Seminars, workshops, and field trips
• Group social activities and banquet
• Optional outreach opportunities to high school students

ELIGIBILITY

• Undergraduate students majoring in science or engineering
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Minorities and women strongly encouraged to apply

AWARD

• $5,000 stipend
• $500 travel allowance
• Room and board

We would like to make this opportunity available to your students at all stages of the undergraduate careers and from all institutions including community colleges. We would appreciate if you would forward them this information.  Please visit: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/vinse/reu/ for more information or to apply.

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

The 28th Annual Summer Training Course provides intense exposure to current concepts in experimental aging research for approximately 20 research scientists. We are seeking junior faculty and advanced fellows with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in cell or molecular biology or a related field. Senior scientists who wish to redirect their careers towards aging research are also welcome. Faculty for the 2020 course include some of the world’s leading scientists in the aging and longevity research community. Application deadline is April 1, 2020. The course runs from June 9 to 14, 2020 at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

UD’s Emily Day among researchers funded through Science Center program

“Thriving in a real-world environment”: Through Senior Design, engineering students flex their skills

BME Seminars

Responsible Conduct of Research Conference
Wednesday February 5, 9 AM to 4 PM @ STAR Tower Audion
**Required for anyone receiving federal funding for their research**
Registration Deadline — Wednesday, January 29, link to registration page

Biopharmaceutical Discovery Faculty Search with Potential BME Appointment
Kevin Yehl, Ph.D. @ MIT – Combatting Diseases Using Synthetic and Biological Machines
Wednesday January 29, 10 AM @ 219 Brown Lab

Brian Belardi, Ph.D. @ UC Berkeley – Uncovering Epithelial Organizing Principles with Synthetic Biomimetric Structures
Monday February 3, 10 AM @ 219 Brown Lab

Suman Bose, Ph.D. @ MIT – Topic TBD
Wednesday February 5, 11 AM @ Location TBD

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Monday January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; UNIVERSITY CLOSED + NO CLASSES HELD
• Friday February 7: Last day of BOTH Winter Session classes
• Saturday February 8: Final Exams for BOTH Winter Sessions
• Monday February 10: Spring 2020 Semester begins
• Friday May 29: College of Engineering Convocation
• Saturday May 30: University of Delaware Commencement

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

UD Art in Science – Request for Submissions 2020

We are requesting submissions FROM YOU for the 2020 UD Art in Science Exhibit. Please submit an eye catching, original image from your research in any field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) via the URL below by March 2^nd, 2020.

engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/submission-form/

The 2020 Art in Science Exhibit will be on display in the Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory for the month of April and at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE for the month of May.

ABOUT ART IN SCIENCE

Art in Science is an annual exhibit geared toward highlighting the cutting edge research at UD. Our goal is to educate and engage the local community and spark interest in STEM activities in underrepresented student populations. We do this through exhibits that showcase artwork from UD’s researchers and through hands-on art in science activities with local K-12 students. For more information, please visit: https://engr.udel.edu/art-in-science/.

BME Graduate News

Special Note for ALL BMEG Graduate Students re: You’ve Got Mail!

Did you know you have a mailbox in 161 Colburn? Not going to lie; 75% of the materials in there are junk mail. Please plan a visit to 161 CLB before the start of the Spring 2020 semester to empty your folder, whether you are in DTP5, STAR, Fraunhofer, or elsewhere. If you cannot physically make it to the office before Monday February 10, please let Amanda know so she can 1) purge your folder for you, or 2) save all the mail for you to pick up upon your return to campus. The rack with all the mail folders is on the unit behind Amanda’s desk; feel free to go back there even when she’s not in. Furthermore, if you have any questions, please contact her via email.

STEM Graduate Career Forum

The Biology Graduate Student Association is proud to present the STEM Graduate Career Forum, the 2020 edition of our annual career event! It will be on Monday, February 3rd, from 9 AM – 1 PM in the Trabant Student Center Multipurpose room. As always, it includes coffee, lunch, and a chance to talk with representatives from both academic and industry careers. And, as always, it’s completely free to attend for graduate students!

The STEM Graduate Career Forum will feature:
– Abish Regmi, Senior Scientist, Eurofins Laboratories
– April Kloxin, Associate Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering & Materials Science
– Irene Rombel, Senior Director, Head of External Analysis, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
– Janet Reed, Partner, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
– Justin Parreno, Postdoctoral Researcher, the Scripps Institute & University of Delaware
– Matthew Hudson, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology + Applied Physiology & Co-founder of Extrave
– Nike Olabisi, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
– Paula Swain, Executive VP, Human Resources, Incyte
– Richard Birkmeyer, CEO, Tangen Biosciences

Call for Applications: RCCN Life Curse Perspectives on Aging Workshop Travel Awards

The RCCN workshop “Life Course Perspectives on Aging” will be held April 21 and 22, 2020 at the NIA Offices in Bethesda, MD. The scope of the workshop is broad and will include discussions about early life influences, the role of chronic and acute stress, and models and mechanisms that inform life course research, to name a few.

Travel Awards are available for approximately 10 early career investigators or investigators in-training, who will participate in a special session at the meeting that will focus on career development. For more information and details on how to apply, click here. The deadline is February 14, 2020.

DE-CTR ACCEL Commons Post: Delaware’s Behavioural Health Consortium

You are invited to join us at… Delaware State University’s MLK Parlors

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 9:00 – 4:00 PM
Registration and continental breakfast open at 8:30am

Register Here

• Perceptions & Stigma
• Law Enforcement & Corrections
• Education & Prevention
• Community Engagement

Don’t Forget: Your attendance qualifies you to apply for Jumpstart Grant up to $20,000

The Behavioral and Mental Health Research Retreat includes four work sessions designed to foster collaborations and develop research plans. The interactive and participant driven work sessions are facilitated by colleagues from ACCEL partnering institutions, with active and externally funded research. The four work sessions align with the Behavioral Health Consortium Three-Year Action Plan (2018) lead by DE Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, who will be keynote speaker at the Retreat.

We will identify key questions for behavioral and mental health in Delaware and lay the foundation for new research collaborations to help address these important problems. Attendees from all ACCEL partner institutions will be eligible to apply for Jumpstart funding.

Work supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number U54-GM104941 (PI: Binder-Macleod).

https://www.de-ctr.org/delawares-behavioral-health-consortium-building-collaborative-community-engaged-research/

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

BME Undergraduate News

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

ASEE Student Video Contest

We are excited to announce that we will be holding our 2nd Annual ASEE Student Video Contest: Engineering and YOU! This year we would like to open our contest to any undergraduate as well as graduate students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.
As you create your video, please tell us why you are pursuing a degree in engineering. We are excited to hear your story so be as creative as possible! This topic is very broad as we would like each submission to be as unique as you are. Video submissions should not exceed 90 seconds; you may do this individually or with a team. The first place winner(s) will be presented at the 2020 ASEE Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada.

For more information about this exciting contest: https://contest.asee.org
Registration begins: December 5, 2019
Please contact Lara Hilliard, l.hilliard@asee.org or contest@asee.org, if you have any questions!

Translational Obesity Undergraduate Scholars (TOUR) Scholars @ Virginia Tech

Funded by an NIH R25 Research Education Grant, and under the umbrella of the Center for Transformative Research on Health Behaviors, the Translational Obesity Undergraduate Research Scholars (TOUR–Scholars) Program is a research-intensive summer experience which prepares students for graduate and medical education in translational obesity research.

TOUR-Scholars will be matched with a faculty mentor, working across the obesity translational spectrum. Ten students will be chosen to participate. Each student will receive a $5250 stipend, and participate in workshops, site visits to laboratories where translational research is ongoing (including a 2-day trip to the NIH), and presentation in the annual VT Summer Research Symposium.

Visit www.hnfe.vt.edu/TOURS.html for more information, and the application link.

Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) at the National Institutes of Health

A Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) is being offered at the National Institutes of Health. Sponsorship of this program is through the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at NIH.  This structured ten week summer program will sponsor sixteen rising senior undergraduate biomedical engineering students who have completed their junior year of college.  The selected interns will work on cutting edge biomedical research projects in NIH laboratories in Bethesda, Maryland, under the mentorship of world-class scientists.  The interns will be selected by a Selection Committee consisting of eight NIH scientists/engineers through a nationwide competition and participants will have the opportunity to indicate preferences of projects from a list of available projects provided by NIH scientists from several of the NIH Institutes who are working on biomedical research problems that involve areas of engineering or physical science expertise. The interns participate in many activities that are provided by the Summer Internship Program (SIP).  They submit posters to the NIH Poster Day where summer interns from all disciplines present their projects. The 16 interns present the results of their summer research projects at a closing BESIP Seminar which is attended by students, mentors, and many guests from NIH.  Interns submit a short, written report at the end of the program that summarizes their research for the summer.

The Program will run from June 1 through August 7, 2020 and all interns must participate in the full ten week program during the specific interval listed above.  For more information about the NIH, visit the web site at www.nih.gov.  For more information about the BESIP program, including the on-line application site, eligibility requirements, the selection criteria, and a proposed project list, visit our web site at http://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/biomedical-engineering-summer-internship-program-besip

The BESIP application deadline is February 3, 2020 which is sooner than the regular SIP deadline.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program, a student must be a rising senior having completed at least three years (6 semesters or 9 quarters) of undergraduate study in a Biomedical Engineering or Bioengineering degree program by the start of the 2020 summer and be returning to undergraduate school for at least one term following the summer program.  Because of the structure of the program, the orientation procedures, and planned group activities, the intern must be available and present on the Bethesda campus to participate in the full ten-week program at the starting and ending dates listed above.  Early starts or departures cannot be accepted in the program. Please do not apply if any other plans would preclude you from being present for the full 10 weeks.  It is possible for quarter term students to attend the full 10 weeks if they can get permission from their professors to take some final exams proctored at NIH. The intern must also be a United States citizen or permanent resident.

Stipend/Benefits: The BESIP summer stipend is approximately $5600 for the 10 week program. A small stipend supplement is often available to STEM interns to cover the high cost of living in the DC area. Stipends will be dispensed in arrears as a prorated amount at the end of the months of June, July and August for the ten-week duration of the program. BESIP interns frequently elect to share local housing to reduce the housing costs. Information about housing can be found at the Office of Intramural Education and Training (OITE) website https://www.training.nih.gov/assets/Moving_Guide.pdf. The intern must pay any travel expenses to and from NIH from the summer stipend.

How/When to Apply: An on-line NIH application system is the only method used to apply. The BESIP program is a Subprogram of NIH’s main SIP program. In Section 9 at the bottom of the application form (“SIP Subprogram Selection”), you can “ADD” BESIP as your selected Subprogram. The BESIP web site has links for the on-line application. The on-line application form requests the following four items which will be used in the intern selection process:   (1)  A resume which should contain addresses and phone numbers for both school and permanent residence, an e-mail address and a statement affirming the US citizen or permanent resident status of the applicant.  The resume should contain information about the student’s education, recent work experiences, and activities and awards.  (2)  An unofficial transcript or listing of all college courses and grades, including a list of those courses that you are currently enrolled in.  An official transcript will be requested only from the final 16 selected interns before they commence the internship.  (3)  Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with the student’s academic or work performance, such as faculty or work supervisors, and who can comment on their suitability for this program. Automatic requests for letters of references will be generated by the application system and will be sent by e-mail to the two individuals listed by the applicant.  The request for references will be sent after the applicant has completed the on-line application form.   (4)  A written essay of a maximum length equivalent to approximately one single spaced page which briefly discusses such topics as your career goals, technical or research interests, reasons for applying for this internship, describing what you would like to get out of the BESIP summer program, etc.   Most of these items can be copied and pasted into the on-line application form.

The selection process will be performed by a panel of eight NIH scientists based on a system which scores the four items mentioned above.  Applicants who are not selected for the BESIP Subprogram will automatically have their applications made available to the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) in Biomedical Research, which is separate and distinct from the NIBIB-BESIP program.  This allows an applicant to have opportunities for other summer jobs at NIH if you are not selected for BESIP.  Information about the SIP program can be found at the web site: www.training.nih.gov.  Remember, SIP is separate from our BESIP Subprogram.

The deadline for submitting the on-line application is February 3, 2020. Notification of selected interns will occur on or about February 24, 2020. Intern must accept or decline a BESIP offer by March 9, 2020.

A group of mentors/researchers at NIH have submitted projects that the 16 BESIP interns may select from for the summer.  The project list is updated each year.  The project list for summer 2019 can be found at  https://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/biomedical-engineering-summer-internship-program-besip/besip-projects .   The 2020 updated list should be available by early February since the mentors need time to review their project needs for summer 2020.  The 2019 list shown at the above link provides a good sample of the projects that will likely be available in summer 2020.  Most of the mentors and their projects repeat from year to year.  Some new projects may be added.

VCU REU in Mechanobiology

Virginia Commonwealth University is pleased to announce ten undergraduate student openings for a 10- week, NSF funded, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in the College of Engineering at VCU in Richmond, Virginia.
Students will work on mechanobiology research projects under the supervision of faculty. Research projects will involve experimental and computational approaches to mechanobiology. Students will participate in a weekly meeting during which research ethics and mechanobiology techniques will be presented.
Students will be required to participate in one outreach activity to K-12 students or teachers during the summer. Students will also present their own research findings at the end of the summer. This program is sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation.

Competitive stipends will be offered and on-campus housing will be covered if needed. Women and students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Applications are due February 10, 2020. The program will run for 10 weeks beginning May 26, 2020.

Questions about the application? Contact Rebecca Heise at mechbiougsummer@gmail.com
Apply here: http://tinyurl.com/vcusummer

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

NSF REU in Nanoscience/Nanoengineering @ Vanderbilt University

We are now accepting applications for the summer 2020 NSF REU program in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at Vanderbilt University. The application deadline is February 15^th.  The Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) focuses on interdisciplinary nanoscale research at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. More than 40 faculty participants from the School of Engineering, College of Arts and Science, and the School of Medicine inspire students by creating an atmosphere of excitement and creativity. Each REU participant will work directly with VINSE faculty members and their research groups and be part of the larger VINSE community.

The VINSE REU has a record of success, 76% of former VINSE NSF REU students attend graduate school and have received several awards and honors including:

• 17 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (another 7 received honorable mentions)
• 6 Goldwater Fellowships
• 3 SMART Fellowships
• 1 Gates Cambridge Fellowship
• 1 NASA Graduate Fellowship
• 3 NIH Awards: 1 Graduate Fellowship, 1 Postbac ITRA, 1 Oxford-Cambridge Scholar
• >40% of former REU students have (or are expected to) co-author a journal publication
• More than half of our former REU students have given a presentation outside the REU program including 26 at National Conferences funded by the REU site

PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Hands-on research in state-of-the-art facilities
• Seminars, workshops, and field trips
• Group social activities and banquet
• Optional outreach opportunities to high school students

ELIGIBILITY

• Undergraduate students majoring in science or engineering
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Minorities and women strongly encouraged to apply

AWARD

• $5,000 stipend
• $500 travel allowance
• Room and board

We would like to make this opportunity available to your students at all stages of the undergraduate careers and from all institutions including community colleges. We would appreciate if you would forward them this information.  Please visit: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/vinse/reu/ for more information or to apply.

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

Career Corner

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Curtis Johnson honoured by Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Monday January 13: 4-Week Winter Session begins
• Friday January 17: Last day to register for 4-Week Winter Session
• Monday January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; UNIVERSITY CLOSED + NO CLASSES HELD
• Friday February 7: Last day of BOTH Winter Session classes
• Saturday February 8: Final Exams for BOTH Winter Sessions
• Monday February 10: Spring 2020 Semester begins

Award Season is Upon Us

Nominations for UD’s Excellence-in-Teaching Award and Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Advising-and-Mentoring Award are being accepted now through March 1: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2019/december/in-recognition-of-excellence/

Nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Development and Success Award recognizing University staff for their positive impact on the student experience. The award signals the University’s commitment to excellence in promoting student success; honors staff who positively impact the holistic development and growth of students; and stimulates mutual commitment among all UD staff to promote student success. More information and the nomination form are available at https://www.bluehensuccess.udel.edu/success-spotlight/excellence-in-student-development-success-award/

BME Graduate News

Special Note for ALL BMEG Graduate Students re: You’ve Got Mail!

Did you know you have a mailbox in 161 Colburn? Not going to lie; 75% of the materials in there are junk mail. Please plan a visit to 161 CLB before the start of the Spring 2020 semester to empty your folder, whether you are in DTP5, STAR, Fraunhofer, or elsewhere. If you cannot physically make it to the office before Monday February 10, please let Amanda know so she can 1) purge your folder for you, or 2) save all the mail for you to pick up upon your return to campus. The rack with all the mail folders is on the unit behind Amanda’s desk; feel free to go back there even when she’s not in. Furthermore, if you have any questions, please contact her via email.

Registration is Closing Soon for the 1st BioBreakfast of 2020

W.L. Gore & Associates is hosting the January BioBreakfast on Thursday, January 16th from 7:30 – 9:30 AM! The January BioBreakfast: Connectivity & Collaborations, will feature Fred Kielhorn, CEO of DeNovix, Inc. who recently received a US Patent for their innovation in the field of cell counting.  The CellDrop™ Automated Cell Counter, engineered with DirectPipette™ Technology, is the first image-based cell counter that completely eliminates the need for slides. 

Grab a coffee, bring your business cards, and connect with Delaware’s life science industry leaders at our January BioBreakfast!

AIBS: Apply for the 2020 Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award

Each year, the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) recognizes graduate students in the biological sciences who are demonstrating an interest and aptitude for working at the intersection of science and policy.

Click here to view the application guidelines. The AIBS Congressional Visits Day will be held in the spring of 2020 (likely in March or April). Questions should be directed to jpandey@aibs.org.

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

DE-CTR ACCEL Commons Post: Delaware’s Behavioural Health Consortium

You are invited to join us at… Delaware State University’s MLK Parlors

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 9:00 – 4:00 PM
Registration and continental breakfast open at 8:30am

Register Here

• Perceptions & Stigma
• Law Enforcement & Corrections
• Education & Prevention
• Community Engagement

Don’t Forget: Your attendance qualifies you to apply for Jumpstart Grant up to $20,000

The Behavioral and Mental Health Research Retreat includes four work sessions designed to foster collaborations and develop research plans. The interactive and participant driven work sessions are facilitated by colleagues from ACCEL partnering institutions, with active and externally funded research. The four work sessions align with the Behavioral Health Consortium Three-Year Action Plan (2018) lead by DE Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, who will be keynote speaker at the Retreat.

We will identify key questions for behavioral and mental health in Delaware and lay the foundation for new research collaborations to help address these important problems. Attendees from all ACCEL partner institutions will be eligible to apply for Jumpstart funding.

Work supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number U54-GM104941 (PI: Binder-Macleod).

https://www.de-ctr.org/delawares-behavioral-health-consortium-building-collaborative-community-engaged-research/

Graduate Student Math Modelling Camp 2020

We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth Annual Graduate Student Mathematical Modeling Camp, GSMMC 20.  The camp will take place at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE from June 10-13, 2020.  Please circulate this announcement to graduate students in your department.

The GSMM Camp is a workshop designed to teach graduate students a broad range of problem-solving skills, including mathematical modeling and analysis, scientific computation, and critical assessment of solutions.  Guided by an invited faculty mentor, graduate students work in teams on highly interdisciplinary problems inspired by real industrial applications.  As a result, the Camp provides a valuable educational and career-enhancing experience outside of the traditional academic setting.

Here are some past problems from the 2019 Camp:

• Drug Delivery in Contact Lenses
• Cutting with water: From fish to fracking
• Flow and Fouling in Elastic Membrane Filters

For more examples of the types of problems presented, you may visit the Web page for the 2017 Camp.

MPI Workshop
The Camp is run in conjunction with the MPI Workshop the following week, held this year at the University of Vermont.  MPI focuses on real-world open-ended industrial problems, and draws both faculty and student attendees.  With the skills obtained at GSMMC, campers become valuable participants in the problem-solving teams at the workshop, helping to solve the posed problems.  The Workshop also provides mentoring and networking opportunities for Campers with academic and industrial representatives.  We expect that most Campers will automatically be registered for and supported at MPI.  For more information about MPI, you may visit the Web page for the 2019 Workshop.

Application
Financial support is available for participants, but is limited.  The selection will be based on academic background and interests as indicated in the application form and on a letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor.  Women and students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications must be completed by April 28, 2020 for full consideration, and successful applicants will be notified by early to mid-May.

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

BME Undergraduate News

Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) at the National Institutes of Health

A Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) is being offered at the National Institutes of Health. Sponsorship of this program is through the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at NIH.  This structured ten week summer program will sponsor sixteen rising senior undergraduate biomedical engineering students who have completed their junior year of college.  The selected interns will work on cutting edge biomedical research projects in NIH laboratories in Bethesda, Maryland, under the mentorship of world-class scientists.  The interns will be selected by a Selection Committee consisting of eight NIH scientists/engineers through a nationwide competition and participants will have the opportunity to indicate preferences of projects from a list of available projects provided by NIH scientists from several of the NIH Institutes who are working on biomedical research problems that involve areas of engineering or physical science expertise. The interns participate in many activities that are provided by the Summer Internship Program (SIP).  They submit posters to the NIH Poster Day where summer interns from all disciplines present their projects. The 16 interns present the results of their summer research projects at a closing BESIP Seminar which is attended by students, mentors, and many guests from NIH.  Interns submit a short, written report at the end of the program that summarizes their research for the summer.

The Program will run from June 1 through August 7, 2020 and all interns must participate in the full ten week program during the specific interval listed above.  For more information about the NIH, visit the web site at www.nih.gov.  For more information about the BESIP program, including the on-line application site, eligibility requirements, the selection criteria, and a proposed project list, visit our web site at http://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/biomedical-engineering-summer-internship-program-besip

The BESIP application deadline is February 3, 2020 which is sooner than the regular SIP deadline.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program, a student must be a rising senior having completed at least three years (6 semesters or 9 quarters) of undergraduate study in a Biomedical Engineering or Bioengineering degree program by the start of the 2020 summer and be returning to undergraduate school for at least one term following the summer program.  Because of the structure of the program, the orientation procedures, and planned group activities, the intern must be available and present on the Bethesda campus to participate in the full ten-week program at the starting and ending dates listed above.  Early starts or departures cannot be accepted in the program. Please do not apply if any other plans would preclude you from being present for the full 10 weeks.  It is possible for quarter term students to attend the full 10 weeks if they can get permission from their professors to take some final exams proctored at NIH. The intern must also be a United States citizen or permanent resident.

Stipend/Benefits: The BESIP summer stipend is approximately $5600 for the 10 week program. A small stipend supplement is often available to STEM interns to cover the high cost of living in the DC area. Stipends will be dispensed in arrears as a prorated amount at the end of the months of June, July and August for the ten-week duration of the program. BESIP interns frequently elect to share local housing to reduce the housing costs. Information about housing can be found at the Office of Intramural Education and Training (OITE) website https://www.training.nih.gov/assets/Moving_Guide.pdf. The intern must pay any travel expenses to and from NIH from the summer stipend.

How/When to Apply: An on-line NIH application system is the only method used to apply. The BESIP program is a Subprogram of NIH’s main SIP program. In Section 9 at the bottom of the application form (“SIP Subprogram Selection”), you can “ADD” BESIP as your selected Subprogram. The BESIP web site has links for the on-line application. The on-line application form requests the following four items which will be used in the intern selection process:   (1)  A resume which should contain addresses and phone numbers for both school and permanent residence, an e-mail address and a statement affirming the US citizen or permanent resident status of the applicant.  The resume should contain information about the student’s education, recent work experiences, and activities and awards.  (2)  An unofficial transcript or listing of all college courses and grades, including a list of those courses that you are currently enrolled in.  An official transcript will be requested only from the final 16 selected interns before they commence the internship.  (3)  Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with the student’s academic or work performance, such as faculty or work supervisors, and who can comment on their suitability for this program. Automatic requests for letters of references will be generated by the application system and will be sent by e-mail to the two individuals listed by the applicant.  The request for references will be sent after the applicant has completed the on-line application form.   (4)  A written essay of a maximum length equivalent to approximately one single spaced page which briefly discusses such topics as your career goals, technical or research interests, reasons for applying for this internship, describing what you would like to get out of the BESIP summer program, etc.   Most of these items can be copied and pasted into the on-line application form.

The selection process will be performed by a panel of eight NIH scientists based on a system which scores the four items mentioned above.  Applicants who are not selected for the BESIP Subprogram will automatically have their applications made available to the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) in Biomedical Research, which is separate and distinct from the NIBIB-BESIP program.  This allows an applicant to have opportunities for other summer jobs at NIH if you are not selected for BESIP.  Information about the SIP program can be found at the web site: www.training.nih.gov.  Remember, SIP is separate from our BESIP Subprogram.

The deadline for submitting the on-line application is February 3, 2020. Notification of selected interns will occur on or about February 24, 2020. Intern must accept or decline a BESIP offer by March 9, 2020.

A group of mentors/researchers at NIH have submitted projects that the 16 BESIP interns may select from for the summer.  The project list is updated each year.  The project list for summer 2019 can be found at  https://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/biomedical-engineering-summer-internship-program-besip/besip-projects .   The 2020 updated list should be available by early February since the mentors need time to review their project needs for summer 2020.  The 2019 list shown at the above link provides a good sample of the projects that will likely be available in summer 2020.  Most of the mentors and their projects repeat from year to year.  Some new projects may be added.

DRI Summer Scholars Program

The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI) at the University of Delaware is seeking four highly qualified undergraduate students for a 10-week, paid internship during Summer 2020 in the areas of rehabilitation research. DRI promotes high-quality interdisciplinary research within a scholarly environment that enjoins learning, discovery and community in rehabilitation practices.

Interns will participate in UD’s Summer Scholars Program and will be paired with a rehabilitation researcher at either the STAR or main campus. Applicants should show strong interest in rehabilitation and have a foundation in experimental design, data analysis and quantitative analysis. Students from any relevant major are welcome to apply, but it is anticipated that most applicants will be sophomores or juniors and have majors in fields such as biomedical engineering, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, biology or psychology. Preference is given to UD undergraduates, but undergraduates at other institutions may apply. Students receive $4,000 for participating in 10-weeks of full-time summer research.

To apply to be a DRI Summer Scholar, please send resume and cover letter to Lisa Katzmire by March 1, 2020.

Sea Change Semester at Bigelow Laboratory

We have recently updated our Sea Change Semester to offer research diving experiences for qualified students and a new omics-focused track, as well as the possibility of significant financial aid. This fall semester-in-residence program is a 14-week experience that puts cutting-edge tools in students’ hands and empowers them to answer their own critical questions about the future of the ocean. It is geared toward students interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of ocean science and hands-on research experience through immersion in a professional laboratory environment, including field work at sea.

Interested students can now apply for financial support to cover significant portions of the semester tuition. We hope this will open the opportunity to more students. As someone closely connected to the student body, particularly those who are enthusiastic about their science studies, I thought you would be a good contact to share this opportunity with students.

You can pass on this link to our website: www.bigelow.org/seachange We typically take juniors, but qualified sophomores and seniors are welcome in the program. We limit this program to 12 students to ensure an optimal experience, and offer admission and financial assistance on a rolling basis.

ASEE Student Video Contest

We are excited to announce that we will be holding our 2nd Annual ASEE Student Video Contest: Engineering and YOU! This year we would like to open our contest to any undergraduate as well as graduate students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.
As you create your video, please tell us why you are pursuing a degree in engineering. We are excited to hear your story so be as creative as possible! This topic is very broad as we would like each submission to be as unique as you are. Video submissions should not exceed 90 seconds; you may do this individually or with a team. The first place winner(s) will be presented at the 2020 ASEE Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada.

For more information about this exciting contest: https://contest.asee.org
Registration begins: December 5, 2019
Please contact Lara Hilliard, l.hilliard@asee.org or contest@asee.org, if you have any questions!

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will begin accepting applications for its 2020 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program on December 16, 2019. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the 10-week paid summer research internship provides students with:

• one-on-one mentoring from leading scientists
• participation in a unique, multidisciplinary research approach
• hands-on research experience
• a generous stipend and contribution toward travel expenses
• free housing

Encouraged to apply are students from academic institutions where research opportunities are limited (including two-year colleges), students of color, women, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Access Injury Science REU application materials.

Applications will be accepted for the 2020 Injury Science REU program from December 16, 2019 through January 16, 2020.

Translational Obesity Undergraduate Scholars (TOUR) Scholars @ Virginia Tech

Funded by an NIH R25 Research Education Grant, and under the umbrella of the Center for Transformative Research on Health Behaviors, the Translational Obesity Undergraduate Research Scholars (TOUR–Scholars) Program is a research-intensive summer experience which prepares students for graduate and medical education in translational obesity research.

TOUR-Scholars will be matched with a faculty mentor, working across the obesity translational spectrum. Ten students will be chosen to participate. Each student will receive a $5250 stipend, and participate in workshops, site visits to laboratories where translational research is ongoing (including a 2-day trip to the NIH), and presentation in the annual VT Summer Research Symposium.

Visit www.hnfe.vt.edu/TOURS.html for more information, and the application link.

VCU REU in Mechanobiology

Virginia Commonwealth University is pleased to announce ten undergraduate student openings for a 10- week, NSF funded, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in the College of Engineering at VCU in Richmond, Virginia.
Students will work on mechanobiology research projects under the supervision of faculty. Research projects will involve experimental and computational approaches to mechanobiology. Students will participate in a weekly meeting during which research ethics and mechanobiology techniques will be presented.
Students will be required to participate in one outreach activity to K-12 students or teachers during the summer. Students will also present their own research findings at the end of the summer. This program is sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation.

Competitive stipends will be offered and on-campus housing will be covered if needed. Women and students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Applications are due February 10, 2020. The program will run for 10 weeks beginning May 26, 2020.

Questions about the application? Contact Rebecca Heise at mechbiougsummer@gmail.com
Apply here: http://tinyurl.com/vcusummer

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

NSF REU in Nanoscience/Nanoengineering @ Vanderbilt University

We are now accepting applications for the summer 2020 NSF REU program in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at Vanderbilt University. The application deadline is February 15^th.  The Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) focuses on interdisciplinary nanoscale research at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. More than 40 faculty participants from the School of Engineering, College of Arts and Science, and the School of Medicine inspire students by creating an atmosphere of excitement and creativity. Each REU participant will work directly with VINSE faculty members and their research groups and be part of the larger VINSE community.

The VINSE REU has a record of success, 76% of former VINSE NSF REU students attend graduate school and have received several awards and honors including:

• 17 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (another 7 received honorable mentions)
• 6 Goldwater Fellowships
• 3 SMART Fellowships
• 1 Gates Cambridge Fellowship
• 1 NASA Graduate Fellowship
• 3 NIH Awards: 1 Graduate Fellowship, 1 Postbac ITRA, 1 Oxford-Cambridge Scholar
• >40% of former REU students have (or are expected to) co-author a journal publication
• More than half of our former REU students have given a presentation outside the REU program including 26 at National Conferences funded by the REU site

PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Hands-on research in state-of-the-art facilities
• Seminars, workshops, and field trips
• Group social activities and banquet
• Optional outreach opportunities to high school students

ELIGIBILITY

• Undergraduate students majoring in science or engineering
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Minorities and women strongly encouraged to apply

AWARD

• $5,000 stipend
• $500 travel allowance
• Room and board

We would like to make this opportunity available to your students at all stages of the undergraduate careers and from all institutions including community colleges. We would appreciate if you would forward them this information.  Please visit: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/vinse/reu/ for more information or to apply.

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

Career Corner

Funding for Summer Undergrads via INBRE

INBRE has money (separate from UD undergraduate research) to fund undergraduates for research positions this summer. However, for your students to be eligible you must sign up as a mentor (new application each year).  We have EXTENDED the deadline to be an INBRE mentor for Summer 2020 until January 13th.  Please log into http://de-inbre.org/dissp-applications-and-resources/ and hit the link for mentor application to get on the INBRE mentor list today.

Note, we need a new mentor application each year, so if you applied last year, but did not reapply during the fall, you need to reapply ASAP.

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Curtis Johnson honoured by Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for late March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Monday January 6: 5-Week Winter Session begins
• Friday January 10: Last day to register for 5-Week Winter Session
• Monday January 13: 4-Week Winter Session begins
• Friday January 17: Last day to register for 4-Week Winter Session
• Monday January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day; UNIVERSITY CLOSED + NO CLASSES HELD
• Friday February 7: Last day of BOTH Winter Session classes
• Saturday February 8: Final Exams for BOTH Winter Sessions
• Monday February 10: Spring 2020 Semester begins

BME Graduate News

Special Note for ALL BMEG Graduate Students re: You’ve Got Mail!

Did you know you have a mailbox in 161 Colburn? Not going to lie; 75% of the materials in there are junk mail. Please plan a visit to 161 CLB before the start of the Spring 2020 semester to empty your folder, whether you are in DTP5, STAR, Fraunhofer, or elsewhere. If you cannot physically make it to the office before Monday February 10, please let Amanda know so she can 1) purge your folder for you, or 2) save all the mail for you to pick up upon your return to campus. The rack with all the mail folders is on the unit behind Amanda’s desk; feel free to go back there even when she’s not in. Furthermore, if you have any questions, please contact her via email.

Registration is Closing Soon for the 1st BioBreakfast of 2020

W.L. Gore & Associates is hosting the January BioBreakfast on Thursday, January 16th from 7:30 – 9:30 AM! The January BioBreakfast: Connectivity & Collaborations, will feature Fred Kielhorn, CEO of DeNovix, Inc. who recently received a US Patent for their innovation in the field of cell counting.  The CellDrop™ Automated Cell Counter, engineered with DirectPipette™ Technology, is the first image-based cell counter that completely eliminates the need for slides. 

Grab a coffee, bring your business cards, and connect with Delaware’s life science industry leaders at our January BioBreakfast!

AIBS: Apply for the 2020 Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award

Each year, the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) recognizes graduate students in the biological sciences who are demonstrating an interest and aptitude for working at the intersection of science and policy.

Click here to view the application guidelines. The AIBS Congressional Visits Day will be held in the spring of 2020 (likely in March or April). Questions should be directed to jpandey@aibs.org.

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

DE-CTR ACCEL Commons Post: Delaware’s Behavioural Health Consortium

You are invited to join us at… Delaware State University’s MLK Parlors

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 9:00 – 4:00 PM
Registration and continental breakfast open at 8:30am

Register Here

Sessions include

• Perceptions & Stigma
• Law Enforcement & Corrections
• Education & Prevention
• Community Engagement

Don’t Forget: Your attendance qualifies you to apply for Jumpstart Grant up to $20,000

The Behavioral and Mental Health Research Retreat includes four work sessions designed to foster collaborations and develop research plans. The interactive and participant driven work sessions are facilitated by colleagues from ACCEL partnering institutions, with active and externally funded research. The four work sessions align with the Behavioral Health Consortium Three-Year Action Plan (2018) lead by DE Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, who will be keynote speaker at the Retreat.

We will identify key questions for behavioral and mental health in Delaware and lay the foundation for new research collaborations to help address these important problems. Attendees from all ACCEL partner institutions will be eligible to apply for Jumpstart funding.

Work supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number U54-GM104941 (PI: Binder-Macleod).

https://www.de-ctr.org/delawares-behavioral-health-consortium-building-collaborative-community-engaged-research/

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Postdoc Openings at Iowa State University

Associate Professor Nicole N. Hashemi’s lab at Iowa State University has openings for postdocs. The project involves experimental work on studying cell-biomaterial interactions and polymeric scaffold. Knowledge of microfluidics, polymeric biomaterials, mammalian cell culture, microscopic characterization techniques, and analytical measurement methods is expected. More details can be found here: https://web.me.iastate.edu/hashemi/Resources.htm

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

BME Undergraduate News

ASEE Student Video Contest

We are excited to announce that we will be holding our 2nd Annual ASEE Student Video Contest: Engineering and YOU! This year we would like to open our contest to any undergraduate as well as graduate students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.
As you create your video, please tell us why you are pursuing a degree in engineering. We are excited to hear your story so be as creative as possible! This topic is very broad as we would like each submission to be as unique as you are. Video submissions should not exceed 90 seconds; you may do this individually or with a team. The first place winner(s) will be presented at the 2020 ASEE Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada.

For more information about this exciting contest: https://contest.asee.org
Registration begins: December 5, 2019
Please contact Lara Hilliard, l.hilliard@asee.org or contest@asee.org, if you have any questions!

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will begin accepting applications for its 2020 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program on December 16, 2019. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the 10-week paid summer research internship provides students with:

• one-on-one mentoring from leading scientists
• participation in a unique, multidisciplinary research approach
• hands-on research experience
• a generous stipend and contribution toward travel expenses
• free housing

Encouraged to apply are students from academic institutions where research opportunities are limited (including two-year colleges), students of color, women, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Access Injury Science REU application materials.

Applications will be accepted for the 2020 Injury Science REU program from December 16, 2019 through January 16, 2020.

Translational Obesity Undergraduate Scholars (TOUR) Scholars @ Virginia Tech

Funded by an NIH R25 Research Education Grant, and under the umbrella of the Center for Transformative Research on Health Behaviors, the Translational Obesity Undergraduate Research Scholars (TOUR–Scholars) Program is a research-intensive summer experience which prepares students for graduate and medical education in translational obesity research.

TOUR-Scholars will be matched with a faculty mentor, working across the obesity translational spectrum. Ten students will be chosen to participate. Each student will receive a $5250 stipend, and participate in workshops, site visits to laboratories where translational research is ongoing (including a 2-day trip to the NIH), and presentation in the annual VT Summer Research Symposium.

Visit www.hnfe.vt.edu/TOURS.html for more information, and the application link.

VCU REU in Mechanobiology

Virginia Commonwealth University is pleased to announce ten undergraduate student openings for a 10- week, NSF funded, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in the College of Engineering at VCU in Richmond, Virginia.
Students will work on mechanobiology research projects under the supervision of faculty. Research projects will involve experimental and computational approaches to mechanobiology. Students will participate in a weekly meeting during which research ethics and mechanobiology techniques will be presented.
Students will be required to participate in one outreach activity to K-12 students or teachers during the summer. Students will also present their own research findings at the end of the summer. This program is sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation.

Competitive stipends will be offered and on-campus housing will be covered if needed. Women and students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Applications are due February 10, 2020. The program will run for 10 weeks beginning May 26, 2020.

Questions about the application? Contact Rebecca Heise at mechbiougsummer@gmail.com
Apply here: http://tinyurl.com/vcusummer

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

NSF REU in Nanoscience/Nanoengineering @ Vanderbilt University

We are now accepting applications for the summer 2020 NSF REU program in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at Vanderbilt University. The application deadline is February 15^th.  The Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) focuses on interdisciplinary nanoscale research at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. More than 40 faculty participants from the School of Engineering, College of Arts and Science, and the School of Medicine inspire students by creating an atmosphere of excitement and creativity. Each REU participant will work directly with VINSE faculty members and their research groups and be part of the larger VINSE community.

The VINSE REU has a record of success, 76% of former VINSE NSF REU students attend graduate school and have received several awards and honors including:

• 17 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (another 7 received honorable mentions)
• 6 Goldwater Fellowships
• 3 SMART Fellowships
• 1 Gates Cambridge Fellowship
• 1 NASA Graduate Fellowship
• 3 NIH Awards: 1 Graduate Fellowship, 1 Postbac ITRA, 1 Oxford-Cambridge Scholar
• >40% of former REU students have (or are expected to) co-author a journal publication
• More than half of our former REU students have given a presentation outside the REU program including 26 at National Conferences funded by the REU site

PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Hands-on research in state-of-the-art facilities
• Seminars, workshops, and field trips
• Group social activities and banquet
• Optional outreach opportunities to high school students

ELIGIBILITY

• Undergraduate students majoring in science or engineering
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Minorities and women strongly encouraged to apply

AWARD

• $5,000 stipend
• $500 travel allowance
• Room and board

We would like to make this opportunity available to your students at all stages of the undergraduate careers and from all institutions including community colleges. We would appreciate if you would forward them this information.  Please visit: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/vinse/reu/ for more information or to apply.

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

Career Corner

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras – Young International Faculty Program

Please see the linked publication for application and university details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

From the Minds of Henswear

Mangone Award Winners, feauring Dr. Jason Gleghorn

BME Seminars

Please watch your email for direct invites from staff!

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Wednesday December 18 – Deadline for Fall 2019 grades to be posted to UDSIS

BME Graduate News

AIBS: Apply for the 2020 Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award

Each year, the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) recognizes graduate students in the biological sciences who are demonstrating an interest and aptitude for working at the intersection of science and policy.

Click here to view the application guidelines.

The AIBS Congressional Visits Day will be held in the spring of 2020 (likely in March or April).

Questions should be directed to jpandey@aibs.org.

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Tufts Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program (IRACDA)

We would like to tell you about an exciting postdoctoral training program that is in place at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hope that you will pass information about this opportunity on to your graduate students.  This program, called IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards Program), is funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-NIGMS.

This NIGMS-funded program is designed to prepare talented young scientists for the multiple demands of an academic career in biomedical research. Scholars spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed through programs involving mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area.  The training is further supplemented by workshops on essential skills such as grant and manuscript writing, mentoring, lab management, scientific presentations, and responsible conduct of research as well as on teaching methods that encourage active learning. The training components are sequenced to allow scholars to balance the activities and to build on previous experiences. The first year of support for IRACDA scholars is provided by the faculty research mentor and then up to three years of support, plus a yearly travel and supply allowance, comes from the IRACDA Program.

The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2020 is March 1, 2020.  Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with no more than two years of postdoctoral training at the time of their appointment to the program. Commitment to the goals of the program, strong academic and research credentials and an interest in teaching, mentoring, and active citizenship will be important criteria used in the selection process.

For additional information on the Tufts IRACDA Program and application procedures, please visit our website, or contact Claire Moore, the Program Director, or Jordan Wilkinson, the Program’s Research Administrator with questions.

Postdoc Openings at Iowa State University

Associate Professor Nicole N. Hashemi’s lab at Iowa State University has openings for postdocs. The project involves experimental work on studying cell-biomaterial interactions and polymeric scaffold. Knowledge of microfluidics, polymeric biomaterials, mammalian cell culture, microscopic characterization techniques, and analytical measurement methods is expected. More details can be found here: https://web.me.iastate.edu/hashemi/Resources.htm

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

BME Undergraduate News

ASEE Student Video Contest

We are excited to announce that we will be holding our 2nd Annual ASEE Student Video Contest: Engineering and YOU! This year we would like to open our contest to any undergraduate as well as graduate students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.
As you create your video, please tell us why you are pursuing a degree in engineering. We are excited to hear your story so be as creative as possible! This topic is very broad as we would like each submission to be as unique as you are. Video submissions should not exceed 90 seconds; you may do this individually or with a team. The first place winner(s) will be presented at the 2020 ASEE Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada.

For more information about this exciting contest: https://contest.asee.org
Registration begins: December 5, 2019
Please contact Lara Hilliard, l.hilliard@asee.org or contest@asee.org, if you have any questions!

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will begin accepting applications for its 2020 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program on December 16, 2019. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the 10-week paid summer research internship provides students with:

• one-on-one mentoring from leading scientists
• participation in a unique, multidisciplinary research approach
• hands-on research experience
• a generous stipend and contribution toward travel expenses
• free housing

Encouraged to apply are students from academic institutions where research opportunities are limited (including two-year colleges), students of color, women, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Access Injury Science REU application materials.

Applications will be accepted for the 2020 Injury Science REU program from December 16, 2019 through January 16, 2020.

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Computational Biology, TECBio REU @ Pitt

We are pleased to announce the 11^th summer for our REU program in computational biology.  More information on our 2020 program flyer can be found at our website – tecbioreu.pitt.edu, which also hosts our program application page.

Application Deadline:  February 17, 2020

Program Dates:  May 26 – July 31, 2020

Student Support:  $5750 stipend, housing*, and travel
*housing not guaranteed for Pitt students

Bio-entrepreneurship workshop for Underrepresented Students, Postdocs, and Professors

This is an I-Corps program that will take place on the floor of this year’s BIO convention in San Diego between June 7-10, 2020. Please share with budding entrepreneurs.

Who: Early-career life science researchers from underrepresented groups; undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellow and assistant professors are eligible.

How: Participants’ travel, lodging, meals, training and BIO 2020 registrations are included.

Applications must be submitted by February 17^th.

For details:  bit.ly/bio2020icorps

Free download: writing effective titles and abstracts

From Martin Spiering at the Journal of Biological Chemistry, click here to access PDF document

Career Corner

Mentor Recruiting for INBRE Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The mentor search for the Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars Program 2020 is now open.

Through the Delaware INBRE program, we seek to help students understand the research process, experience problem-solving in the lab, and through this exposure, determine whether a career in biomedical research may be correct for them.  You are a vital part of this process and we greatly appreciate the time and effort put into being a mentor.

For past INBRE Mentors, a new mentor application must be submitted every year.

To submit the online mentor application go to: http://ugresearch.udel.edu/PUB_Program.aspx. You must log in before the apply now button becomes active for the Summer 2020: INBRE Summer Scholar Mentor. If your are using a udel.edu email, use the “UD log on” selection I the top right corner. Otherwise you will use the “Non-UD Logon”. The application must be submitted by January 1st, 2020. 

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras – Young International Faculty Program

Please see the linked publication for application and university details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

Mangone Award Winners, feauring Dr. Jason Gleghorn

BMES Looks to the Future at its 2019 Annual Meeting, featuring Dr. Dawn Elliott

BME Seminars

Please watch your email for direct invites from staff!

Other Department Seminars of Interest

PCMD Visiting Professorship Seminar Series @ UPENN: Kyle Allen, University of Florida
Tuesday, December 10
1:30 pm @ Clinical Research Building Austrian Auditorium @ Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders
https://www.med.upenn.edu/pcmd/visiting-professorship-series.html

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• December 9 thru 14 – Final Exams
• Wednesday December 18 – Deadline for Fall 2019 grades to be posted to UDSIS

BME Graduate News

2020-2021 UD Fellowships are NOW OPEN

The UD Graduate College has announced their call for nominations for the University-level fellowship awards. These include the University Doctoral Fellowship Award, the University Dissertation Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Scholars Award. A brief description of each fellowship/award is provided below.

Students are not allowed to self-nominate themselves for these University-level awards; instead, our department must forward internally nominated students to the Graduate College for consideration at the institutional level. Additionally, each department (including ours) is restricted in the number of nominations that can be submitted through this process (typically two). Thus, I am writing to inform you of the internal nomination process for these awards, as it will be different from past years.

This year, we are requiring that all student nominations be initiated through BME faculty members. Any faculty member may nominate a student if the student is eligible. As a student, if you are eligible for one of these Graduate College awards and wish to be considered for them, you may ask your advisor, or another BME faculty member, to nominate you for internal consideration. Once a student is nomination for departmental consideration, and confirmed to be eligible, we will then solicit the required application materials from each nominee (typically a CV, a two-page personal statement, and requested evidentiary materials).

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names is for the University Doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Fellowship & Graduate Scholars Award (*renewals) is December 16^th; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by January 3^rd for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of internal nomination names for the Graduate Scholars Award (*new submissions) is January 31^st; and nominees will be required to submit their application materials by February 14^th for consideration.

The BME faculty will be made aware of these requirements and deadlines.

• University Doctoral Fellowship: Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• • Doctoral Fellow awards are competitive, and are granted for one-year. A faculty review committee selects awardees based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential contribution to the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees for these awards must be enrolled in at least their third year of doctoral study at UD at the time of nomination.

• University Dissertation Fellowship: These awards were established to support PhD students completing a dissertation and nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin.
  • Dissertation Fellowship awards are competitive and are selected by a faculty review committee based on academic achievement and progress in training since being admitted to a doctoral program, as well as evidence of professional commitment and potential impact of the dissertation on the student’s field of study.
  • Nominees must have advanced to candidacy before the award can begin and awards are granted for one-year.
• University Graduate Scholars Award: The Graduate Scholars award is intended to provide support for newly admitted or currently enrolled students in a graduate degree program at UD, who are from historically underrepresented groups, have disabilities, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, or are first-generation college students.

Nominees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Awards are competitive and are based on academic achievement, as well as:

• • Membership in historically underrepresented groups (African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x, Hispanic Americans, Native American/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, two or more races)
  • Students with documented disability or chronic medical conditions
  • Students with evidence of financial need
    • e.g. current or former Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Extenuating personal circumstances/hardships

Each award is for a one-year period and students may be re-nominated for one additional year with compelling evidence of progress towards the degree, advancement in training, and potential professional contribution in the student’s field of study. Awardees will be asked to participate in community building and professional development activities/events sponsored by the Graduate College.

Postdoc Openings at Iowa State University

Associate Professor Nicole N. Hashemi’s lab at Iowa State University has openings for postdocs. The project involves experimental work on studying cell-biomaterial interactions and polymeric scaffold. Knowledge of microfluidics, polymeric biomaterials, mammalian cell culture, microscopic characterization techniques, and analytical measurement methods is expected. More details can be found here: https://web.me.iastate.edu/hashemi/Resources.htm

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

BME Undergraduate News

ASEE Student Video Contest

We are excited to announce that we will be holding our 2nd Annual ASEE Student Video Contest: Engineering and YOU! This year we would like to open our contest to any undergraduate as well as graduate students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.
As you create your video, please tell us why you are pursuing a degree in engineering. We are excited to hear your story so be as creative as possible! This topic is very broad as we would like each submission to be as unique as you are. Video submissions should not exceed 90 seconds; you may do this individually or with a team. The first place winner(s) will be presented at the 2020 ASEE Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada.

For more information about this exciting contest: https://contest.asee.org
Registration begins: December 5, 2019
Please contact Lara Hilliard, l.hilliard@asee.org or contest@asee.org, if you have any questions!

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will begin accepting applications for its 2020 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program on December 16, 2019. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the 10-week paid summer research internship provides students with:

• one-on-one mentoring from leading scientists
• participation in a unique, multidisciplinary research approach
• hands-on research experience
• a generous stipend and contribution toward travel expenses
• free housing

Encouraged to apply are students from academic institutions where research opportunities are limited (including two-year colleges), students of color, women, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Access Injury Science REU application materials.

Applications will be accepted for the 2020 Injury Science REU program from December 16, 2019 through January 16, 2020.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

Free download: writing effective titles and abstracts

From Martin Spiering at the Journal of Biological Chemistry, click here to access PDF document

Career Corner

Deadlines Approaching for 2020 AFAR Grant Programs

Since 1981, the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has provided more than $181 million to nearly 4,200 talented investigators and students. To learn more about each grant, click here or contact the AFAR grant program staff at grants@afar.org.

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Mentor Recruiting for INBRE Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The mentor search for the Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars Program 2020 is now open.

Through the Delaware INBRE program, we seek to help students understand the research process, experience problem-solving in the lab, and through this exposure, determine whether a career in biomedical research may be correct for them.  You are a vital part of this process and we greatly appreciate the time and effort put into being a mentor.

For past INBRE Mentors, a new mentor application must be submitted every year.

To submit the online mentor application go to: http://ugresearch.udel.edu/PUB_Program.aspx. You must log in before the apply now button becomes active for the Summer 2020: INBRE Summer Scholar Mentor. If your are using a udel.edu email, use the “UD log on” selection I the top right corner. Otherwise you will use the “Non-UD Logon”. The application must be submitted by January 1st, 2020. 

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras – Young International Faculty Program

Please see the linked publication for application and university details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

BMES Looks to the Future at its 2019 Annual Meeting, featuring Dr. Dawn Elliott

BME Seminars

BMEG Seminar: Kaushal Rege, Arizona State University
Monday, December 2
10 am @ 102 Colburn
“Light Activated Polypeptide Biomaterials for Tissue Sealing and Repair”

Other Department Seminars of Interest

CBST Seminar: Kenneth Waterman, FreeThink Technologies
Thursday, December 5
1:30 pm @ 366 Colburn
“Accelerated Stability Assessment Program (ASAP): Using Science to Drug Expiration Dates”

Roseanna Zia, Stanford University
Friday, December 6
10 am @ 102 Colburn
“Phase Mechanics” of Arrested Colloidal Gels: A New Paradigm for Non-equilibrium Phase Transitions in Soft Matter”

PCMD Visiting Professorship Seminar Series @ UPENN: Kyle Allen, University of Florida
Tuesday, December 10
1:30 pm @ Clinical Research Building Austrian Auditorium @ Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders
https://www.med.upenn.edu/pcmd/visiting-professorship-series.html

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Thursday, December 5 – Last day of classes
• Friday, December 6 – Reading Day; no exams scheduled
• December 9 thru 14 – Final Exams
• Wednesday December 18 – Deadline for Fall 2019 grades to be posted to UDSIS

BME Graduate News

Women in STEM Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History

The BridgeUP: STEM program at the AMNH is excited to announce that the application for the Helen Fellowship is now open.  This fellowship is a one-year residency for post-baccalaureate self-identifying women to devote time immersed in computational scientific research and educational outreach at the AMNH.  This fellowship is an initiative at the AMNH dedicated to increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline by providing underrepresented students access to the skills and tools required for the 21^st Century.

To learn more about the fellowship and the application process, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/higher-education/helen-fellowship.

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships in the amount of $30,000 are awarded annually to qualified graduate students in the STEM fields who will be attending a DESGC member institution in 2020-2021. Minority and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Stipends are for one year (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021).

The Delaware Space Grant 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowship application is open at www.delspace.org/fs! Letter of nomination from faculty member will be requested online. Applications are due by February 28, 2020.

Postdoc Opportunity @ Virginia Commonwealth University, Institutional Research & Academic Career Development Award

Greetings from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. I write to make you aware of a unique NIH-funded postdoctoral training program in research and teaching. VCU IRACDA provides trainees with a traditional mentored research experience, plus mentored teaching experience. VCU is a major research university with more than $310M funding per year, and a vast number and variety of potential research mentors. Another mission of the program is to increase diversity in the biomedical workforce, working with teaching mentors at Virginia Union University and Virginia State University. Trainees completing VCU IRACDA have succeeded in entering faculty positions at various institution types.

We are currently accepting applications for postdoctoral fellows who will begin work at VCU in 2020. For more information and the online application, visit the VCU Center on Health Disparities website at: https://healthdisparities.vcu.edu/researchtraining/postdoctoral-programs/iracda/

VCU is in downtown Richmond. Richmond is an affordable city that is attracting a growing number of creative young professionals. There are new residential lofts, restaurants, and art galleries opening every month along the white-water of the James River.

Please note that VCU IRACDA can only support US citizens, US permanent residents and US nationals.

Postdoc Opportunity @ University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences: Single Cell Biology and Evolution

A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Junhyong Kim at University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences. We are pursuing multiple single cell biology projects concerning genomics and evolution of cell differentiation and cell diversity. We are actively developing novel technologies including sub-cellular transcriptomics, new machine learning methods, and models of system function to examine the functional identification of cell phenotypes and RNA biology of individual cells. More information is found in https://csg.sas.upenn.edu and http://kim.bio.upenn.edu.

Our group tightly integrates both computational modeling and experimental approaches. We especially value a broad interdisciplinary outlook, an ability to work well with others, and interest in theory and concepts. The postdoctoral fellow will have a variety of projects to choose from including neuro-cell biology, mitochondrial genetics, kidney regeneration, and opportunities to develop their own projects.

Expertise is desired in one or more of evolutionary biology, molecular biology, genomics, and computational biology.

Please send to Junhyong@sas.upenn.edu: (1) cover letter describing interest in the position and future research interests (not to exceed one page); (2) CV; (3) names and contact information for three references.

Postdoc Opportunity @ University of Rochester, Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Genetics, and the Center for Oral Biology

The principal focus of these positions will be to work on a collaborative team to develop functional human salivary gland tissue chips. For more than 550,000 patients annually diagnosed with head and neck cancers worldwide, severe loss of salivary gland function (xerostomia) is an unavoidable outcome of radiation therapy. Efforts to study radiosensitivity to discover effective radioprotective and regenerative strategies have been hampered by the inability to culture salivary gland mimetics in vitro, due to loss of secretory acinar cell phenotype. The work will utilize our microbubble (MB) array technology as a highthroughput, modular platform for the tissue chips. The MB platform will be used to develop tissue chips capable of long-term secretory function, exploring a variety of variables including cell seeding density, phenotype, and microenvironmental cues with the end goal of screening FDA-approved drugs to identify effective radioprotective agents and testing them in vivo. The project is supported by NIH 1UH3DE027695 (Benoit, DeLouise, Ovitt mPI). The selected candidates are expected to gather and analyze experimental data, which includes hydrogel material and MB platform synthesis and characterization and in vitro testing using salivary gland cell isolates. Data will be summarized and reported on a regular basis. Additionally, the candidate will identify synthetic, methodological, or technical problems, and adjust experimental protocols to ensure research progress towards the stated milestones. She/He will participate in weekly group meetings, communicate project progress, and interact with collaborators. In addition to working on this project, the candidate will also have an opportunity to work on side projects and to develop novel lines of research, based on the candidate’s interests and background, and participate in the rich training environment at the University of Rochester.

Please submit CVs with list of at least 3 references in PDF format to Dr. Danielle Benoit, Dr. Lisa DeLouise, and Dr. Catherine Ovitt. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled.

Postdoc Funding Opportunity – NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers

The NIH Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce at the faculty level, into independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.

The program has two components:

• MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00). Supports postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting research in areas within the NIGMS mission by providing up to 5 years of support in two phases.  The initial (K99) phase provides support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase provides up to 3 years of independent research support once the scholar transitions to an independent faculty position. Awardees must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents.  For more information see: PAR-19-343.  Please note, the first application deadline is February 12, 2020.
• MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Cooperative Agreement to Promote Diversity (UE5). Supports scientific societies whose members conduct research within the NIGMS mission. Awardees will provide skills development, mentoring, and networking opportunities that prepare cohorts of scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent faculty careers at research-intensive institutions.  For more information see: PAR-19-342.  Please note the first application deadline is November 15, 2019.

For additional information on both funding announcements, please see the MOSAIC website.

Please disseminate information about the MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award and webinar to postdocs at your institution and those affiliated with the INBRE program who would be interested.

BME Undergraduate News

2019 UCLA B.I.G. Summer, Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Application review begins January 5, 2020

B.I.G. Summer is an 8-week full-time immersion program for undergraduates interested in learning how to read and analyze genes and genomes. Through this program students will have the opportunity to experience graduate-level coursework, and learn the latest cutting-edge research, tools and methods used by leading scientists to solve real-world problems.

B.I.G. Summer experiences show students what a science career can look like. Students apply what they’ve learned to an original research project in a laboratory, guided by UCLA faculty mentors. Students learn how to be a scientist in lab meetings, journal clubs, and our final poster and award session.

Apply and check out more details here!

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will begin accepting applications for its 2020 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program on December 16, 2019. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the 10-week paid summer research internship provides students with:

• one-on-one mentoring from leading scientists
• participation in a unique, multidisciplinary research approach
• hands-on research experience
• a generous stipend and contribution toward travel expenses
• free housing

Encouraged to apply are students from academic institutions where research opportunities are limited (including two-year colleges), students of color, women, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Access Injury Science REU application materials.

Applications will be accepted for the 2020 Injury Science REU program from December 16, 2019 through January 16, 2020.

2020 NeuroNEM REU: A Unique Summer Experience in Brain Research
Application deadline: February 14, 2020

The NeuroNEM REU is a 9 week summer program for undergraduate students to work collaboratively on brain dynamics research projects related to neuronal networks underlying epilepsy and memory. The program provides financial support, educational and career advancing opportunities, with hands-on graduate-level laboratory research experience and guidance by dedicated mentoring faculty and research staff at Universities across three states: Louisiana Tech University, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock (UAMS). The program is supported by research funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF OIA/EPSCoR grant #1632891).

REU program dates: May 25 – July 26, 2020

Eligibility requirements

• Undergraduate students from US institutions in EPSCoR states who have at least completed their first year and will not be graduating before the start of the program
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Minimum overall GPA 3.25

Program Benefits include stipend, housing allowance, and meal allowance. Link to list of EPSCoR states:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/nsf_oiia_epscor_EPSCoRstatewebsites.jsp

Interested students must submit applications online at www.neuronem.latech.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Evans (kevans@latech.edu).

Microbiology Fellowship for Undergraduate Students

https://www.asm.org/Fellowships/Undergraduate-Research-Fellowship
Deadline: February 15, 2020

McNair Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2020

Please find the current flyer here.
McNair Scholars Program at the University of Delaware website can be found here.

Program is open to all low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Deadline to apply for Summer 2020 program is Friday, February 14, 2020. See flyer and website for all details and application requirements.

Free download: writing effective titles and abstracts

From Martin Spiering at the Journal of Biological Chemistry, click here to access PDF document

Career Corner

Sabbatical Grants from NSF for Senior Faculty in Biosciences

NSF has announced a new sabbatical leave grant for mid-career to senior faculty members who are interested in exploring a new direction for their research. Click here for details.

Mentor Recruiting for INBRE Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The mentor search for the Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars Program 2020 is now open.

Through the Delaware INBRE program, we seek to help students understand the research process, experience problem-solving in the lab, and through this exposure, determine whether a career in biomedical research may be correct for them.  You are a vital part of this process and we greatly appreciate the time and effort put into being a mentor.

For past INBRE Mentors, a new mentor application must be submitted every year.

To submit the online mentor application go to: http://ugresearch.udel.edu/PUB_Program.aspx. You must log in before the apply now button becomes active for the Summer 2020: INBRE Summer Scholar Mentor. If your are using a udel.edu email, use the “UD log on” selection I the top right corner. Otherwise you will use the “Non-UD Logon”. The application must be submitted by January 1st, 2020. 

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras – Young International Faculty Program

Please see the linked publication for application and university details.

Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant

The University of Delaware Career Center Faculty & Staff Career Innovation Grant (FSCIG) provides funding for UD faculty and staff to create professional and career development activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related materials and/or experiences into existing or new class curricula and/or departmental, program school, Division of Student Life and Department of Athletics-based initiatives.

Learn more about the grant and its application here.

Job Opportunities

We have moved this to the Opportunities section of the website. Postings are sorted with most recent deadlines and application due dates at the top. They will be updated more frequently and you are encouraged to check regularly!

BME in the News

BMES Looks to the Future at its 2019 Annual Meeting, featuring Dr. Dawn Elliott

BME Seminars

BMEG Seminar: Kaushal Rege, Arizona State University
Monday, December 2
10 am @ 102 Colburn
“Light Activated Polypeptide Biomaterials for Tissue Sealing and Repair”

Other Department Seminars of Interest

CBST Seminar: Kenneth Waterman, FreeThink Technologies
Thursday, December 5
1:30 pm @ 366 Colburn
“Accelerated Stability Assessment Program (ASAP): Using Science to Drug Expiration Dates”

Roseanna Zia, Stanford University
Friday, December 6
10 am @ 102 Colburn
“Phase Mechanics” of Arrested Colloidal Gels: A New Paradigm for Non-equilibrium Phase Transitions in Soft Matter”

BME Department News

• MATLAB Lecture Series, hosted by the UD Graduate BMES Chapter
  Thank you for attending this semester’s workshop series!
  BMES is gauging interest in running SolidWorks tutorials for Spring 2020. Please complete this interest survey so we may get a feel for how this seminar series will be run.
• Biopharmaceutical Institute (BPI) at STAR Campus
  Move-in date is scheduled for March 2020. Please continue to reduce your material to move. Please refer to emails and direct any questions or concerns to Joey Norikane: jnorikan@udel.edu

University-wide Dates of Interest

• Friday, November 22 – Thanksgiving Break begins after last class; classes end at 10 PM
• November 25 thru 29 – Thanksgiving Break, all classes suspended for holiday
• Thursday, December 5 – Last day of classes
• Friday, December 6 – Reading Day; no exams scheduled
• December 9 thru 14 – Final Exams
• Wednesday December 18 – Deadline for Fall 2019 grades to be posted to UDSIS

BME Graduate News

Proteomics Symposium and Workshops

We are pleased to announce another round of proteomics workshops offered by the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics. Please pass this on to any IDeA state colleague that you think would benefit from attending. Funding for the all workshops is provided through the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBREs. Our workshops are now open for applications:

1. The 2020 Symposium for Proteomics Core Directors and Staff will be held January 29-30, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. The information for how to apply can be accessed through the website link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org.  This will be a tremendous opportunity for IDeA state Proteomics Core Facility Staff to receive training, interact, and learn from each other. Applicants must be staff in a proteomics core facility located in an IDeA state.
2. The 2020 Workshop for Faculty and Students will be held February 11-12, 2020 and March 24-25, 2020 in Oklahoma City, OK and February 27-28, 2020 in Little Rock, AR. Workshops at the Oklahoma site will cover targeted proteomics while the workshop at the Arkansas site will focus on discovery proteomics. Lodging and travel will be covered for attendees. Information on the workshops and the application can be found in the link embedded in the attached flyer or at IDeAResourceProteomics.org. This workshop is designed for Faculty and Students from IDeA states performing and and/or interested in proteomics research to receive additional training on relevant topics.

Winter 2019 Funding: Laura Bassi Scholarship

The Laura Bassi Scholarship, which awards a total of $8,000 thrice per annum, was established by Editing Press in 2018 with the aim of providing editorial assistance to postgraduates and junior academics whose research focuses on neglected topics of study, broadly construed. The scholarships are open to every discipline and the next round of funding will be awarded in December 2019:

Winter 2019
Application deadline: 25 November 2019
Results: 15 December 2019

All currently enrolled master’s and doctoral candidates are eligible to apply, as are academics in the first five years of their employment. Applicants are required to submit a completed application form along with their CV through the application portal by the relevant deadline. Further details, previous winners, and the application portal can be found at: https://editing.press/bassi.

IEEE Brain Virtual Conference: Bioelectronics

IEEE Brain Initiative is proud to announce the launch of the inaugural IEEE Brain Virtual Conference.  The first event, to be held 26 November 2019, will explore the emerging field of bioelectronics.

Bioelectronics is a rapidly growing field that develops electronic systems to intelligently interact with biological tissue for applications spanning healthcare, lifestyle, and education. In this virtual conference you will learn fundamental principles of bioelectronic systems and hear from world experts about how to build a successful career in this emerging research field.

In the morning session, you will hear three tutorials presented by leading researchers on:

• Organic bioelectronic interfaces
• Bioelectronic microfabrication
• Mechanics of bioelectronic devices

In the afternoon session, you will participate in an interactive question and answer session focused on career development. The first career development panel will focus on issues facing new and early-stage researchers, while the second panel will focus on building and maintaining leading research groups and working with industry. In these sessions, the panelists will answer your questions about navigating the bioelectronics research field and share some insights from their experiences.

NASA Delaware Space Grant Academic Year 2020-2021 Graduate Fellowships