Department of Biology

National Science Foundation REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Molecular Biology and Genetics

The program

For more than 50 years, the Department of Biology at Indiana University has been at the forefront of research in molecular biology and genetics, and has included among its faculty and former students recipients of the Nobel Prize, members of the National Academy of Sciences, and scholars who have received numerous other prestigious honors and awards. With funding from the National Science Foundation, the Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG) Program at Indiana University now offers a unique opportunity for talented undergraduates to acquire experience in research. MBG Summer Internships allow students to participate in research addressing some of the fundamental problems in biology. This program is designed for students who are interested in attending graduate school and pursuing a career in research.

Interns will have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art techniques. They will be hosted by research laboratories from Biology, Chemistry, and Medical Sciences, which are intermingled in three closely spaced, well-equipped buildings. In addition, the Indiana Molecular Biology Institute maintains common-use facilities to provide specialized technical needs, such as polymerase chain reaction units, a chromatographic separation unit and a phosphorimager, automated DNA sequencing, computer facilities for DNA analysis and graphics, a confocal and electron microscope facility, a DNA microarray facility and a cell culture facility.

Location

Indiana University is located in Bloomington, a community of about 60,000 residents, situated in hilly southern Indiana. The University, with its approximately 2,000 acre campus, is heavily wooded and is regarded as one of the most beautiful in America. Much of the surrounding country is forested. Two lakes, one of them the largest in the state, are a few miles away and provide excellent recreational opportunities. Several scenic state parks are close by. The cultural environment provided by the University is unsurpassed. The School of Music is a major contributor to this rich environment, with hundreds of musical events taking place annually.

Research Projects

Each student will become an active participant in a laboratory research group. Every student will be assigned a faculty mentor and will design a research project in close consultation with that mentor. Most often, students will also work closely with a graduate student or post-doctoral associate within the faculty member's laboratory. Students will also be introduced to the type of research they might do in graduate school during weekly lunchtime seminars given by graduate students or faculty from the Department of Biology about their own research. Presentations on science teaching, science journalism, and on careers in industry will introduce students to other types of careers that require a science education. Finally, students will tour the Cook Pharmica facilities in Bloomington and the Eli Lilly & Co. pharmaceutical research laboratories in Indianapolis.

We will try to assign students to one of the laboratories of their choice, and we will at least match their interests.  To learn more about projects in which participants might be involved, view the list of MBG REU faculty mentors. »

Students will be expected to participate in research for at least 40 hours per week. Students may not enroll in classes or hold outside employment during the term of their internship.

Each student will receive a $4,000 stipend plus travel expenses to and from the University. While on campus, the students will live in the Indiana University graduate dormitory. Room and board will be provided by the program.

Eligibility

This program is designed for students whose home institution is not Indiana University-Bloomington. Participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States and have a strong interest in research. The MBG REU program is designed to encourage and enhance the participation of students from schools without large research programs and members of minorities currently underrepresented in the sciences, but all applications will be considered.