Local High School Students conduct Research with Renowned Scientists
What did you do on your summer vacation? For three local high school students the answer to that question includes experiments on the role of RNA in bacteria identification, how bone cells respond to mechanical stimulation and the design of a 2D biomembrane.
School of Science professors at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis have opened their research labs to area high school students as part of an effort to encourage more young people to pursue careers in science and mathematics. They are faculty mentors of the Project SEED Summer Research program sponsored by the Indiana section of the American Chemical Society.
Guided by scientist mentors, three young men from Lawrence Central and George Washington Community high schools are experiencing eight weeks of hands-on laboratory research at IUPUI.
"Project SEED gives students the opportunity to explore science in real-time, rather than struggling to learn theories from a textbook," said Bart S. Ng, dean of the School of Science. "Science is about discovery, and IUPUI is thrilled to have the opportunity to mentor students in an environment where they are encouraged to discover on their own."
Lawrence Central high school junior Michael Ashmore is working with chemistry assistant professor Sapna Deo on the development of a detection method for RNA and its application in bacteria identification. The problem Ashmore is examining will contribute to the genetic modification of fluorescent proteins as part of a "biomarker" system. Future applications of such systems include diagnostics, biomedical research and environmental analysis.
Brothers Mike and William Sprowl are also pursuing research questions that one day may have medical applications.
Mike is studying the biological and mechanical aspects of bone with biology assistant professor Jiliang Li. By understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for how bone's respond to mechanical stimulus, researchers like Li, and now Mike Sprowl, may be able to identify new drug targets for treating osteoporosis and bone fractures. Mike graduated from George Washington and will attend Wabash College this fall.
Bioartificial membranes are a popular topic of conversation for George Washington junior William Sprowl. He is examining the relationship between molecular design and the functionality of bioartificial membranes on substrates (the materials on which an enzyme act). According to chemistry associate professor Christoph Naumann, William's research mentor, the biofunctionalization of substrates has several technical applications, including the development of biosensors or biomaterials.
The American Chemical Society created the Project SEED Summer Research program to provide opportunities for under-represented students to experience what it's like to be a scientist. Students entering their junior or senior years in high school are eligible. The program accepts students based on teacher recommendations, grades and a demonstrated curiosity for science.
"Project SEED comes at the right time for these students," said Elmer Sanders, Project SEED student coordinator and a chemistry teacher at Southport High School. "The program makes science real not just something a teacher tells them about.
According to Sanders, most Project SEED students will be the first in their families to attend college. He believes that the program's importance extends beyond the science that they learn in the laboratory; it reveals to students that they have a future in higher education.
"Hosting this summer research experience on a college campus connects students to higher learning. They begin to believe that they belong, and they respond enthusiastically to the challenges of college professors who expect and demand more from them," said Sanders.
"As a society, we are facing more challenges than ever before. And, who knows, one of these students could find the solutions to those challenges."
IUPUI has partnered with the ACS Indiana section for more than two decades, hosting students in research laboratories located in the School of Science and the IU School of Medicine.
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