Program descriptions

Molecular genetics & proteomics program

This National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) funded program begins with an intensive laboratory course at Itasca Biological Station & Laboratories followed by a workshop in proteomics on the Twin Cities campus.

The laboratory course in molecular genetics introduces students to basic techniques used in gene cloning, expression, and analysis and provides the background in molecular approaches used in this high-profile discipline. The proteomics workshop gives students the theoretical background and practical experience in whole organism protein analysis. The remaining seven weeks of this program are spent on the Twin Cities campus in a faculty member’s laboratory participating in a research project that uses molecular genetics and proteomics approaches to address important biological questions. For the 10-week program there will be a stipend of $400 per week. The stipend will be prorated to $75/wk during the first three weeks in lieu of credit given for tuition, housing and meals at Itasca. The total stipend will be $3025.

Neuroscience program

This program begins with an intensive for-credit course covering the basics of cellular/molecular and developmental biology in preparation for your Neuroscience laboratory experiences. The course is taught at Itasca Biological Station & Laboratories which provides a secluded retreat-like atmosphere in which faculty and students can work closely, admist the beauty of Itasca State Park at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The remainder of this program embeds students in research labs on the Twin Cities campus matching student interests to those of over 90 faculty engaging in neuroscience research. For the 10-week program there will be a stipend of $400 per week. The stipend will be prorated to $75/wk during the first three weeks in lieu of credit given for tuition, housing and meals at Itasca. The total stipend will be $3025.

Heart, lung, & blood program

Students in this National Institute of Health (NIH) funded program spend ten weeks in clinical or basic research projects designed to understand the molecular and cellular basis of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic disorders. For the 10-week program there will be a stipend of $400 per week for a total of $4,000.

Global change ecology

This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site is designed to introduce undergraduate students to research into global change ecology and teach them how to deal with large and/or multiple scales and data sets. Students participating in this program will conduct independent research with a faculty mentor at the University of Minnesota’s Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories (IBSL). Students will have access to continuously downloaded climate and limnological data from Lake Itasca and these data along with other databases will be used to train students to analyze and interpret large data sets. For the 10-week program there will be a stipend of $400 per week for a total of $4,000.

Poster symposia - research by past participants