March 20, 2003

BOISE STATE STUDENTS RECEIVE FELLOWSHIPS FOR SUMMER RESEARCH

Ten Boise State University undergraduate students were recently awarded fellowships to conduct hands-on research with university professors and scientists this summer as part of a multi million dollar statewide research program funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The students are among 43 undergraduates from colleges and universities across Idaho that were awarded the $5,000 fellowships. The program, now in its second year, is part of a three-year,

$8 million grant to establish a Biomedical Research Infrastructure (BRIN) in Idaho.

The Boise State students will work with faculty on projects that range from investigating why certain chemotherapeutic drugs cause heart damage to studying the molecular structure of cartilage to developing miniaturized instrumentation for monitoring blood chemistry.

Faculty in physics, biology, chemistry, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering will participate. “We’ve more than doubled the number of faculty and students participating in the BRIN summer undergraduate fellowship program this year at Boise State,” said Julie Oxford, a Boise State biology professor and coordinator of the BRIN program.

“The involvement of faculty from five different departments emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of biomedical research today.” Oxford added. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to work with professors on significant research.”

The students will spend 10 weeks conducting research as part of the program. Boise State recipients are Theodora Caldwell, Jennifer Cole, Mathew Elliott, Ethan Fry, Ayush Goyal, Amber Hibberd, Seth Kuhlman, Saro Pegg, Nicole Richardson and Amanda Rogow. Katey Irwin was named an alternate for a BRIN fellowship.

The BRIN program, established in October 2001, includes the University of Idaho, Idaho State University and Boise State. The program focuses on medical genomics, with an emphasis on human health and understanding how cells transmit signals. Medical genomics is the practical application of the Human Genome Project.

The NIH funding allows the establishment of a bioinformatics network among the three Idaho schools. In addition the grant funds a portion of faculty members’ time so they can be competitive nationally for future funding.

The caliber of student applicants for the 2003 fellowships was “impressive,” said Mike Laskowski principal investigator of the BRIN program at the University of Idaho. “Many of the students participating represent the next generation of biomedical researchers in Idaho,” he said.

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Julie Oxford

Biology

426-2395

Janelle Brown

communications and marketing

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