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National
Science Foundation REU Site:
Research Experience for Undergraduates in Neuroscience
UAB Summer Program in Neuroscience (SPIN)
Members
of the SPIN Class of 2006 pose
with program directors Dr. Lynn
Dobrunz (3d row
far left) and Dr. Scott Wilson
(3rd row far right). Click
here for a PDF poster of
the SPIN 2006 class.
Click
here for pictures from SPIN
2006
Quick
links:
The application for the
2007 cycle is now available.
All application materials are
due by February 16, 2007.
Application
Page
Undergraduates
have an exciting opportunity to pursue research in Neuroscience as part
of the
University
of
Alabama
at Birmingham Summer Program in Neuroscience (SPIN). SPIN is funded by
the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
program. The primary goal of the Summer Program in Neuroscience is to
provide motivated undergraduates who have demonstrated excellent
scientific aptitude with the opportunity to experience independent
research in the neurosciences under the guidance of a faculty member.
SPIN is designed to increase student interest in graduate education,
possibly leading to careers in biomedical research and research
medicine.
Under
the supervision of a faculty member, students will have the opportunity
to learn the basic skills necessary to contribute to a research effort
while working on a component of a research project. Students will
participate in both the intellectual and practical parts of laboratory
work. They will receive training in the research methods applicable to
their research plan, analyze their data, and attend weekly group
meetings with their mentor's laboratory. Students will attend the weekly
SPIN lunch series in which current topics in neuroscience are discussed,
and participate in a journal club designed to enhance their presentation
skills. At the end of the program, students will present their results
at the UAB Summer Undergraduate Research Forum, which is attended by
students, fellows, and faculty.
The program is from 8 to 12 weeks long. The official start date will be May 28, 2007 and end date is August 3, 2007. Students may choose to start as early as May 14, 2007 if approved by the assigned mentor. Student recipients of this competitive fellowship receive a stipend of $400/week. Housing will be provided in the new UAB student dorm, and students will be given meal allowance or meal tickets. Travel allowances may also be available.
Research
in Neuroscience at UAB utilizes a variety of tools to study the
molecular, cellular and network bases of the normal structure and
function of the nervous system. These include molecular genetics, whole
cell and single channel patch- and voltage-clamp recording, high
resolution imaging, confocal and electron microscopic and X-ray
microanalysis, heterologous protein expression, high performance liquid
chromatography neurochemistry, site-directed mutagenesis, in vivo
electrophysiological analysis, biomedical engineering techniques, and
mathematical modeling. Research addresses major issues in neurological
health and disease, including epilepsy, primary brain tumors (gliomas),
addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alexander
disease, brain/spinal cord injury, mental retardation and developmental
disorders, neurodegeneration, movement disorders, perceptual disorders,
stroke, and learning and memory disorders. Consequently, the
technical features of an undergraduate summer research project might
include the use of neurophysiological, molecular biological, cell
biological, gentic, neuroanatomical, brain imaging, and computer
simulation tools.
We expect that applicants to SPIN will have completed at least their
freshman year of undergraduate coursework. Successful candidates
typically demonstrate grade point averages of 3.0 ("B") or
higher, especially in science, math and related areas. Our goal in
offering this fellowship is to give talented students the opportunity to
experience the challenges and rewards of intensive, hypothesis-driven
laboratory research in neuroscience. Although many students may already
have some laboratory research experience, such experience is not a
prerequisite for this fellowship program.
Students must indicate on the application form four SPIN faculty members
with whom they would prefer to work. Whenever possible, student/mentor pairings are determined from this list. Applicants uncertain about a particular research area are encouraged to consult potential sponsors directly to learn more about possible projects or to
contact or Kym
Proctor or Dr. Lynn Dobrunz, Director of SPIN.
More About SPIN and Obtaining
the Application Form
Click here to go to our detailed information
site about SPIN.
Want to know more about
SPIN? Click
here for detailed information.
To see photos from SPIN
2006 activities click
here.
To see photos from SPIN 2005 activities click
here.
To see photos from SPIN 2004
activities click
here.
Contact our staff:
Kym Proctor
Phone: 205-934-2452
FAX: 205-975-7394
Mailing Address:
Department of Neurobiology
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1825 University Blvd., SHEL 911
Birmingham, AL, 35224-2182
Applications should be mailed to Kym Proctor at the above address. Completed applications also include the following:
1. Official college transcript
2. Two letters of recommendation.
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