Speak Up For Research Education Fund

How did science hook you?

Strawberry DNA extraction

Did you have a teacher whose lab was your favorite place to hang out in high school? Were you a biology graduate student who fought for better treatment of animals and found a calling in animal care or health ethics? Did you travel and see suffering that would be diminished with the right vaccination?

I got hooked as a member of the St John Ambulance Brigade in New Zealand where as a teenager I was able to volunteer in ambulances, hospitals and rest homes and saw evolving treatments driven by research.

I’m both excited about science and concerned about its future. I see a growing distrust in biomedical research, waning science literacy and an almost perverse celebration of anti-science sentiments; this all of course at a time when new biomedical research breakthroughs are occurring on a daily basis. Here at NWABR, we see the possibilities of science and are excited by the opportunities for young people to get hooked into fascinating and important science fields—but we also see a gap in the science education for the general public that results in twisted logic, misinformation, hijacked conversations and bad policy decisions.

NWABR bridges that gap, combats that misinformation, and leads spirited and informative conversations about complex issues related to biomedical research.  And we need your help.

Today, I’m asking readers you to join our newest fundraising initiative: the Speak Up For Research Education Fund.  Over the last two years more that 1,400 people have joined NWABR at a series of events:

• Perhaps they volunteered for our popular Bio Expo that engaged close to 700 high school students;
• Or they attended a Community Conversation on the ethics of end of life care, or vaccinations, or direct to consumer genetic testing.
• Perhaps they are a professional dedicated to ethical protections for humans and animals in research and you attended one of our research conferences;
• Or they attended our Security Conference and joined colleagues from across the country who are committed to keeping scientists, their facilities and their work safe.

This campaign to create a Speak Up For Research Education Fund is about protecting the belief and trust in biomedical research and ensuring that this work can continue robustly into the future.

Join the Speak Up For Research Education Fund and make a donation today by visiting:  https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/nwabr?code=Speak%20Up%20For%20Research

Alternatively you can send a contribution to the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research, 2633 Eastlake Ave E., Suite 302, Seattle WA 98102.

All supporters will be thanked by name in our public materials, unless of course they request to make an anonymous contribution.  All contributions will also be acknowledged with a tax deduction receipt.

This is a vital time for science – with the support of the Speak Up For Research Education Fund we can continue and expand the work of engaging students, families and communities with science.  With the support of this fund then one student at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time we will build support for, and trust in, biomedical research.

Thank you for Speaking Up For Research.

Kind Regards

 

Ken Gordon – Executive Director

Northwest Association for Biomedical Research

(P) 206-957-3337 (C) 206-595-2450

 

 

Open Source 3d Printed Prosthetics

Good morning everyone

I heard a great story on KUOW this morning about Ivan Owen a co-creator of a design that allows users to submit their measurements and then print a prosthetic hand!

You can hear the story at KUOW.org/topic/tech-science and look for the story “How to print a hand from home”.

Owen originally designed a program to allow a parts to be printed in a 3d printer for a person that needed a prosthetic hand. Normally such hands costs tens of thousands of dollars and they are often out of the reach of people who need them the most. Once the first design was completed he made the code available to the open source community and the program has now been tweaked so that people can include their palm and arm measurements to allow a correct sizing of the design for each person’s unique body.

They can then print out the various components on a 3d printer and following some assembly start using their new hand. In the story Owen recounts how a teenager printed a hand for a friend at their local public library.

If you are interested in printing a hand – or just seeing lots of photos of very happy kids go to Owen’s site: http://enablingthefuture.org/tag/ivan-owen/

Regards

Ken Gordon
Executive Director
Northwest Association for Biomedical Research

Half of US adults 40 to 75 eligible for statins

A report in today’s Seattle Times suggests that cholesterol lowering statins will be in most of your futures.  Based on research from Duke University (which surveyed 4,000 people) it is now estimated that half of US adults between the ages of 40 to 75, and nearly all men over the age of 70 meet recently changed criteria for the use of statins. 

The guidelines for the use of statins were devised by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.  The Duke study estimates that half a million strokes and heart attacks over a ten year period could be prevented if the new guidelines were followed. 

There is some criticism of the new guidelines which favor the use of statins over other lifestyle changes (such as not smoking or working to reduce stress).

Ken Gordon

Executive Director

Community Conversation – 23andMe – What Can Your Genes Tell You

Last evening (Tuesday March 18, 2014) the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR) hosted a Community Conversation that explored the issues around Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing.

These Community Conversations are a partnership between NWABR and the Institute for Translational Health Sciences at the University of Washington.  The purpose of these Community Conversations is to enable members of the public to become engaged with emerging issues in the bioscience realm.  Our hope is that an engaged public will be better placed to think through complex scientific and ethical issues, make informed contributions, build relations with experts in the field – and most importantly – provide those same experts with feedback from a community perspective on these issues.

At the Community Conversation hosted yesterday evening around 35 people gathered to discuss direct-to-consumer genetic testing services.  The company 23andMe has been providing this service to customers and approximately 650,000 people have both had their DNA tested and agreed to share their records to help build a DNA database that will, hopefully, in the future improve the accuracy of the findings that 23andMe can report to their customers.

The FDA has asked 23andMe to stop marketing the health benefits of this testing service and to no longer provide direct findings to customers about any health implications arising from the genetic tests that they perform.  The FDA is concerned that a consumer may misinterpret the results that they receive from 23andMe and subsequently make poorly informed health care decisions.

Yesterday’s Community Conversation was held at Kakao Chocolate + Coffee in Westlake.  The Conversation was facilitated by Sarah Nelson and Lorelei Walker, who are MPH and PhD candidates in Public Health Genetics at the University of Washington.  Following the presentations from Ms. Nelson and Ms. Walker the participants had a wide ranging discussion that touched on: privacy, trust, potential commercializing of DNA, the need for access to this information. the need for help in interpreting the information, resistance from some members of the medical community, the current lack of diversity in the 23andMe database, support for and frustration with the FDA and much more.

As we the staff at NWABR watched the conversation progress we were amazed that such a great group had come out on a Tuesday evening, given up their own time, and dived so eagerly into this complex area.  We were again reminded of just how rich discussions can be when these two sometimes diverse worlds come together.

Regards

Ken Gordon

Executive Director

Northwest Association for Biomedical Research

Registration Opens for NWABR’s Camp BIOmed, a new summer camp for high school students

Students entering 9^th-12^th grade can now sign-up for three of the four exciting summer camp sessions organized by Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR).  Each of the four camp tracks for Camp BIOmed are a week long and will be repeated for seven weeks, starting July 7 through August 23.

Students and parents can register and find additional information about the programs at www.nwabr.org/campbiomed.

The four summer camp programs focus on various topics relating to biomedical research and its ethical conduct, which include:

Bioethics thru Gaming
Protein Foldit! Be a Citizen Scientist
Hive Bio (Do it Yourself) Lab with Neuroscience
Lab Intensive Experience

Throughout the summer camps, students will take part in hands-on experiments at local biomedical businesses and research facilities, track their own findings as part of these experiments in lab journals, and tour local Seattle biomedical organizations. Each week of the summer camp will conclude with a culminating expo where campers will share all group and individual projects and contributions.

Early bird registration is open now for members for $450-$525 depending on track.  Non-members can begin registering on January 29 by signing up as a member ($25, plus the camp fee).  The price for camp for all will increase after March 31 by $90 for all tracks.  Financial assistance for partial camperships are available for students to attend the program.  The financial assistance application is available in the camp registration at http://www.nwabr.org/campbiomed

To register for Camp BIOmed check out www.nwabr.org/campbiomed

For more information, contact camp@nwabr.org

About NWABR

NWABRs mission is to promote the understanding of biomedical research and its ethical conduct. NWABR is dedicated to strengthening public trust in biomedical research, through education and dialogue. Through our diverse membership of academic organizations, biotech industry, non-profit research institutes, health care, and voluntary health organizations, along with extensive education programs, we foster a shared commitment to the ethical conduct of research and ensure the vitality of the life sciences community.

NIH Science Education Programs at Risk

Proposed Reorganization of STEM Programs Threatens Funding for Health and Biomedical Education

Click HERE for the photobook of programs that will be impacted by the proposed reorganization.

On April 10, 2013, the White House submitted a FY14 budget request to Congress that radically reorganizes federally-funded Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education (STEM) programs across multiple agencies, particularly the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and NASA.  In the proposal, 266 programs across 13 agencies would be consolidated into 122 programs. The budget proposal identifies the National Science Foundation, the Department of Education, and the Smithsonian as the primary agencies to organize and oversee future federally-funded STEM education efforts.

The following day, NIH held a conference call for all NIH grantees with funding for K-12 and informal science and health education projects. Dr. Larry Tabak, principal deputy director at NIH, announced that NIH is “pausing” funding for these programs. No new grants will be awarded. Non-competing renewals will be funded in FY 2013, but funding after that is uncertain. While increased coordination of STEM education across federal agencies is a laudable goal, several consequences of the proposed changes have profound implications for health and biomedical education in the US.  In particular, the elimination of the Office of Science Education at the National Institutes of Health and the Science Education Partnership Award  (SEPA) and similar science education programs at individual NIH institutes would threaten our national competitiveness, security, public health, and broader understanding of, and support for, science.

The NIH Office of Science Education (OSE) is scheduled to close at the end of September, 2013.  The OSE has had a tremendous impact on health science education through its many programs.  For example, OSE staff have distributed 450,000 Curriculum Supplements to approximately 100,000 educators across the U.S.  Their website receives over one million hits/year. If you are interested in receiving hard copies of their popular Curriculum Supplement series, please contact them at oseATscience.education.nih.gov.

The journal Science, in Wild Cards Remain After Proposed Reshuffle of STEM Education (April 19, 2013; vol 340, p. 258-259), notes the following:

Many science educators say that the proposed cuts would scrap effective programs just as the country needs to be doing more.  ‘”The SEPA program is the face of the NIH to the country,” says a grantee on one of the programs facing the chopping block. “It’s a vehicle for telling the public how NIH is translating science into practice,” says the grantee, who requested anonymity (p. 258).

The Co-STEM Committee at the Office of Science and Technology Policy is scheduled to release a strategic plan in mid-May with additional information.

The following link provides the complete list of programs under consideration to be paused/consolidated/eliminated:

Proposed STEM Education Reorganization Contained in the President’s FY14 Budget Request
Note especially the following list relative to health and biomedical education:

• 30 Clinical Research Training Program HHS
• 31 Curriculum Supplement Series HHS
• 32 NIAID Science Education Awards HHS
• 33 NINDS Diversity Research Education Grants in Neuroscience HHS
• 34 NLM Institutional Grants for Research Training in Biomedical Informatics HHS
• 35 OD Science Education Partnership Award HHS (SEPA)
• 36 Office of Science Education K-12 Program HHS (NIH Office of Science Education)
• 37 Public Health Traineeship HHS
• 38 Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership Award HHS
• 39 Short Term Educational Experiences for Research (STEER) in the Environmental health Sciences for Undergraduates and High School Students HHS

The following are points raised by the SEPA community in response to this development:

The Need for Health and Biomedical Science Education Programs Aimed at Grades K–12 and the Broader Public at the NIH

Health and biomedical sciences for grades K-12 are critical components of STEM education that help to ensure the nation’s capability to prevent disease and improve health. The proposed 2014 STEM education consolidation plan, however, eliminates K-12 and informal health and biomedical science education from its traditional place in the portfolio of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and, by default, from the national STEM education agenda. No other federal agency supports programs comparable to those that would be lost.

More than 65 NIH-funded, K-12 health and biomedical science education projects currently operate in 40 states. These include “in-person” programs for more than 82,500 K-12 students and 5,750 K-12 teachers each year, and online programs that reach more than 20 million K-12 students and educators annually. NIH-funded exhibitions at some of the nation’s largest museums and science centers reach millions more students, teachers and families. With emphasis on engaging underserved populations, K-12 educational initiatives supported by NIH create thoroughly evaluated, science-rich interactive exhibits, curriculum materials, teacher professional development programs, student and teacher research experiences, and out-of-school learning opportunities. Ongoing NIH-funded K-12 educational programs benefit the nation in the following ways.

• Improve preparation for, and access to careers in medicine, healthcare, biotechnology and biomedical research, with a focus on students from under-represented groups.Address health disparities by increasing access to college and health professions careers for under-served students, who are more likely than their peers to practice in medically underserved areas.
• Build public understanding and support of biomedical research and clinical trials through educational programs that emphasize the relationship between NIH discoveries and their translation into positive health outcomes.
• Encourage and facilitate involvement of biomedical research scientists in K-12 STEM education, and engage the resources of colleges, universities, medical schools and science museums in supporting K-12 STEM education.
• Promote health literacy and better decision-making to address preventable health problems among America’s youth, reduce the burdens of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases, and enable consumers to make sense of genetic and other newly available health information.
• Increase students’ interest in STEM topics through personally relevant examples from health and biomedicine that are aligned with recommendations of the Next Generation Science Standards.

For more than two decades, NIH has invested in the development of human capital and a unique infrastructure that is meeting our nation’s K-12 health and biomedical science education needs. These investments have produced significant, demonstrable outcomes that would not have been possible otherwise. Current K-12 programs sponsored by NIH, including the Office of Science Education, employ rigorous, results-oriented and cost-effective approaches to tackle major national issues, as listed below.

• Jobs: Healthcare and biomedical science are crucial elements of the economy. The US Department of Commerce estimates that healthcare accounts for $1.75 trillion in revenues and employs more than 14 million people (nine percent of the US workforce).
• Provider Shortages: The nation faces an acute shortage of healthcare workers in all areas, and the problem is expected to grow. The American Association of Medical Colleges projects that there will be a shortage of more than 90,000 physicians—including 45,000 primary care physicians—by the end of the decade. About 55 million people already lack access to a physician.
• Wellness and Disease Prevention: According to the Milken Institute, more than half of all Americans suffer from one or more chronic diseases, many of which are preventable. Healthcare spending is projected to reach almost 20% of the US gross domestic product by 2021. Racial and ethnic minorities suffer disproportionately from diseases such as cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS, but participate less frequently in programs that could help to reduce disparities.

Without K-12 health and biomedical science education initiatives, our nation will be unable to solve many of its most pressing workforce, economic and healthcare problems.

Download points above as a PDF: NIH-K12
Sources: Fixing the Doctor Shortage (AAMC) – Health Economic Fact Sheet – The Health and Medical Technology Industry in the United States  – Next Generation Science Standards – Milken Institute Center for Health Economics

Fig. 1. Distribution of 2012 Science Education Partnership Awards by State.
Nearly every state will be impacted by these changes.

Taking action:

• Please contact members of:  The House Committee on Appropriations (Particularly members of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee) with your concerns.
  This is especially important if you belong to a district which a member of the Committee represents.
•  Additionally, contact members of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

Additional Resources
Please contact us at jchowningATnwabr.org with suggestions and corrections

• NIH FY 2014 budget (http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/fy14/fy 2014_overview.pdf); funding for the SEPA program is specifically not included in the budget (see budget summary on page 35).
• The Office of Science Technology Policy (OSTP) issued Preparing a 21st Century Workforce: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education in the 2013 Budget, which highlights changes in STEM education proposed in the presidential FY14 budget.
• OSTP 2-page overview of FY2014 science budget and goals
• GAO report to Congressional Requesters (January 2012)
  Strategic Planning Needed to Better Manage Overlapping Programs Across Multiple Agencies
• Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Chair: Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN), “Raising the Bar: Reviewing STEM Education in America” (April 10, 2013)
• Government Strategy Needed to Better Manage Overlapping Programs, George Scott, Government Accountability Office (April 10. 2013)
• ED Week: Obama Budget Features New Plans for STEM, High Schools (April 12, 2013)
• AAAS’s news release about the budget proposal

Youth Ethics Summit: Science Saturday for Students

NWABR, University of Washington (UW) Department of Bioengineering, and UW Microfabrication Facility hosted 51 high school students (one made a special trip from Idaho) from 22 schools at the University of Washington on Saturday, March 2. Featuring laboratory tours, UW student showcase, liquid nitrogen ice cream, and breakout sessions on global health, artificial organs, computer science and nanotechnology, the day was full of hands-on activities and interactions with bioengineering students and professionals.

These are a few statements from our participants that demonstrate the impact of this day-long event:

“The demonstrations were the best, I thought, but the explanations taught me how everything ties together. The science is cool, the outfits were wacky and the whole thing was very well-done and enjoyable.”

“It showed me that I can incorporate my love for biology, genetics, and problem-solving into one field.”

“I loved [the Artificial Organs] breakout session. The need for bioengineering in the artificial organ area was not one that had previously occurred to me. I can see myself working in that field.”

“I am interested in medicine or sciences and this field works on technology and methods to improve health of people around the world.”

“I learned a lot and enjoyed every moment. It was highly interesting and involving. I am now more interested in bioengineering than I ever thought I’d be.”

2013 NWABR Programs Are Looking for Motivated High School Students

RESEARCH FELLOWS
2-week summer program (June 21-July 3)

NWABR proudly announces that the application for the 2013 Student Research Fellows is now available. Student Research Fellows supports 10-12 students (especially those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science) in a 2-week paid summer fellowship. Students visit a broad variety of research institutions throughout the Seattle area, learn how new medical treatments are developed, and discuss ethical issues in biomedical research. Eligible students are those who will be high school sophomores or juniors in the 2013-2014 school year. Students will receive $350 upon completion of the summer program and $50 upon completion of the school year follow-up project. This program is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

YOUTH ETHICS SUMMIT: BIOENGINEERING (Saturday, March 2)

In addition, NWABR is now registering high school students for this year’s Youth Ethics Summit, which features a partnership with University of Washington’s Department of Bioengineering. Showcasing lab tours, hands-on activities, lunch, and interactive breakout sessions, the 2013 Youth Ethics Summit will be held at the William H Foege Building North at the University of Washington on Saturday, March 2. Space is limited to only 50 students, so please register early.

Please direct questions about the Students Research Fellows to Joan Griswold at jgriswold@nwabr.org.

Please email questions concerning the Youth Ethics Summit to Dr. Jenn Pang at jpang@nwabr.org.

NWABR at 2012 National Science Teachers Association Conference

Join NWABR at the National Science Teachers Association Conference in Indianapolis this week!

NWABR and Science Education Partners at NSTA Seattle 2011

Come join Jeanne Chowning, NWABR Director of Education, and Joan Griswold, Curriculum Design Lead, at NSTA Indianapolis 2012! We will present several hands-on lessons from our popular high school curriculum units.  These resources are designed to introduce teachers and students to cutting-edge science topics and to provide educators with structured frameworks for discussing related ethical issues.  Click on the links below to view our curricular materials on our website!

Sessions include:

The Science and Ethics of Animal Research
Thursday, March 29, 8am-9am
JW Marriott, Grand Ballroom 4

Integrating Bioinformatics into Introductory Biology Courses
Thursday, March 29, 2pm-3pm
JW Marriott, Grand Ballroom 4

Stem Cells: Science and Ethics
Friday, March 30
12:30pm-1:30pm
Indiana Convention Center, 204

We hope to see you there!

Support for NWABR’s curriculum development is provided by a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center for Research Resources and the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives of the National Institutes of Health through Grant Number R25OD011138 and by an Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers award from the National Science Foundation, DRL 0833779.

Student Bio Expo seeks creative and curious minds…

… with scientific savvy to judge unique projects on May 24th! Judge registration is now open. Please check out the Expo Judge page for more information (http://nwabr.org/community/student-bio-expo/judges). We not only invite members of the community with a science background, but also those who are creative and have a curious mind.

We have 13 categories that need judges (Art, Career and Industry, Drama and Dance, Lab Research, Molecular Modeling, Music, Multimedia, Teaching, Website Design, Creative Writing, Journalism, SeaVuria (formerly Global Health), and SMART Teams (advanced molecular modeling)), so there’s something for everyone. Join us for a unique science fair experience!!!

Feel free to contact Jenn Pang (jpang@nwabr.org) for more information.  See you there!!!

Congratulations Jeanne Chowning on 10 wonderful years!

Our own Jeanne Chowning has been with us now ten, wonderful years. The words in this graphic are those Jeanne’s peers and coworkers have used to describe her, and her work in their notes and letters of appreciation!

Biology in the Age of Computing

Biology in the Age of Computing: Online Resources for Teachers and Students

As part of NWABR’s ongoing commitment to inspiring students in science, we are excited to announce an upcoming webinar featuring NWABR program staff and partner scientists. The webinar is geared towards teachers and students, as well as formal and informal educators and will be archived for future viewing. We hope to see you online!

Wednesday, February 8th from 11:00am to 12:00pm PST
If you’d like to register for the event, click here.

Join us as we share curricula, online resources, teacher experiences and research findings from Bio-ITEST: New Frontiers in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, a program funded by the National Science Foundation that brings the exciting field of bioinformatics to high school teachers and students. Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. With a strong emphasis on increasing student awareness of STEM careers, each Bio-ITEST lesson features an individual who uses bioinformatics in their work, or whose work is made possible by bioinformatics. The presentation will include an overview of curricular units, including introductory lessons on genetic testing and advanced lessons on genetic research, as well as an exploration of the online resources. Presenters will share lessons learned about increasing student STEM career awareness and engagement in the context of the Bio-ITEST project.

Biology in the Age of Computing: Online Resources for High School Teachers and Students is presented in partnership with the National Girls Collaborative Project and EdLab Group.

The National Girls Collaborative Project is partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, GSE/EXT: National Girls Collaborative Project: Building the Capacity of STEM Practitioners to Develop a Diverse Workforce, Grant No.HRD-1103073. The Bio-ITEST program is made possible by an Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers grant award from the National Science Foundation, DRL-0833779.

NWABR Middle School Essay Contest is back!

NWABR is pleased to continue our popular middle school essay contest, “Biomedical Breakthroughs and My Life” through funding from the Knossos Foundation.  This contest is open to 7th and 8th grade students (individuals or entire classes) in Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho.

Students have the opportunity to explore the process of biomedical research and its relevance to themselves, their family or their pets.  They may choose topics that allow them to investigate the development of medications that they are taking, the medical device implants received by relatives, or the shots given to their pets.  They must include evidence of how the use of animals or humans in clinical trials have advanced research and medical treatments.

Students will strengthen their writing, research and interviewing skills while discovering the role of scientists in biomedical research that really does impact their lives.  In addition to the essay, students must include a reflective paragraph about what they have learned.

Every student will receive comments about their essay from the researchers serving as judges.  Winning students in the general category and English as a Second Language category will receive a cash prize and be invited to an Awards Day at a research facility.  Teachers and parents of winning students are also invited to the Awards Day to meet scientists and engage in tours and hands-on activities.

Contest Timeline:

December 9, 2011     Register intent to participate with NWABR
March 9, 2012            Submit essays
April 13, 2012             Winners announced
May 2012                     Awards Day events

NWABR can provide resources and speakers from our Speakers Bureau to engage the students in the project.
For more information, visit NWABR’s website, http://nwabr.org/students/essay-contest, or contact Reitha Weeks at rweeks@nwbr.org or 206-957-3337 x305.

Join us for Life Sciences Research Weekend — Nov 4 – 6

Experience science at its finest – hands-on, exploratory, and just plain fun!

NWABR and Pacific Science Center invite you to the 5th annual

Nov. 4-6 – Friday through Sunday at Pacific Science Center

Friday 10am-4pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm.

Life sciences companies and research institutions from around the state will host interactive exhibits that reflect the cutting edge research that is taking place in our state.

If you want to meet scientists that have great passion for the work they do, plan to attend! Life Science Research Weekend events are included with regular Pacific Science Center admission.

For more information, visit http://www.nwabr.org/community/life-sciences-research-weekend

This program is made possible by a SEPA grant to Pacific Science Center from NCRR at National Institutes of Health.

Student Research Fellows East Day 8!

From heath care policy to commercialization to P4 medicine–it was a full day!

Some student quotes:

“I didn’t know how hard it is to start your own business, or patent your inventions. It costs a lot. It was really nice to know that we have foundations to help people get started.”

“If you push yourself to find out, you can find a whole realm of possibilities through the science field.”

“I really enjoyed having Dr. Oliver come talk to us about P4 medicine, and “the cloud” which you can have your medical information looked at by others doctors that you go see.”

View more information on the Summer Student Research Fellows program at NWABR.

This program was supported by a Collaborations to Understand Research and Ethics (CURE), 1R25RR0251131, a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center for Research Resources. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.

Student Research Fellows East Day 7!

Today we were hosted by the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program at Sacred Heart Hospital, then toured PAML, a diagnostics lab.

Some student quotes:

“Today we learned about how there is a lot to learn when putting someone to sleep for surgery. You have to measure your oxygen levels and blood pressure. It was very interesting especially when we made students’ muscles twitch without them doing it.”

“Today I learned how scientists test for STDs and that machines now do most of the testing.”

“There is more to nursing than meets the eye!”

 

View more information on the Summer Student Research Fellows program at NWABR.

This program was supported by a Collaborations to Understand Research and Ethics (CURE), 1R25RR0251131, a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center for Research Resources. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.

Student Research Fellows East Day 6!

Human Clinical Trials–the good, the bad, and what it takes to conduct your own.

Some student quotes:

“Today we learned that there are 3 phases to a clinical trial for humans, starting at Phase I with twenty people to Phase III with thousands of people.”

“I learned about how difficult is can be to get into human trials. Consenting is a huge part, that has been abused over the years.”

After determining if we were doing Human Subjects Research with an IRB checklist, we looked at a consent form to participate in a lung capacity study.

“Did you know you can actually measure your lung capacity? How cool is that?”

View more information on the Summer Student Research Fellows program at NWABR.

This program was supported by a Collaborations to Understand Research and Ethics (CURE), 1R25RR0251131, a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center for Research Resources. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.

Student Research Fellows East Day 5!

Genetic testing, the genetic basis of disease such as sickle-cell anemia, being Dr. Detectives with Dr. Oliver, AND new lab coats.

Some student quotes:

“I learned so much more about sickle-cell anemia. We also dressed as sophisticated researchers with our spiffy lab coats.”

“I learned about genetic testing. It can be used to determine which diseases you are most susceptible to.”

“We got to work with a sheep’s heart, and I gained a new respect for heart surgeons (some of the blood vessels are TINY!).”

View more information on the Summer Student Research Fellows program at NWABR.

This program was supported by a Collaborations to Understand Research and Ethics (CURE), 1R25RR0251131, a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center for Research Resources. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.

Student Research Fellows in the Media

News media, NWABR members, and social media have taken note of our Summer Student Research Fellows in recent days. Below are a series of Twitter updates linking to blog posts and articles — read all about it!

http://twitter.com/#!/millerlab/status/88343353401409536

http://twitter.com/#!/WSUNews/status/88301672987758592

http://twitter.com/#!/nwabr/status/88395572209397760

http://twitter.com/#!/fiainros/status/88347460229021696

Thanks everyone! Connect with us on Twitter @NWABR and click here for much more information about NWABR Student Research Fellows.

Student Research Fellows East Day 4!

Today we took a road trip to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University in Pullman.

Some student quotes:

“I learned how to prepare for surgery”

“I learned about all the different things a veterinarian does. I also learned about how much blood a horse’s heart pumps when it runs.”

“I learned that a horse’s maximum heart rate is 220-250 beats per minute. We actually got to see a horse on a treadmill.”

“We also learned about the WSU dairy farm and got to see new calves.

“Miguel was really cool.”

Thank you Mr. Inzunza and WSU!

View more information on the Summer Student Research Fellows program at NWABR.

This program was supported by a Collaborations to Understand Research and Ethics (CURE), 1R25RR0251131, a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center for Research Resources. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.