NE-INBRE students hail from 10 participating undergrad institutions, including Nebraska Wesleyan University.
The institution, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, has four students in this year’s program, as well as a participating faculty researcher.
“We’re excited to be part of the INBRE network,” said Adrianne Prokupek-Pickett, PhD, associate dean of STEM and a professor of biology at the university. “As a small liberal arts university, Nebraska Wesleyan prides itself on providing students with close faculty mentorship and meaningful undergraduate research experiences.
“At the same time, our size means there are naturally fewer opportunities for students to experience the breadth of biomedical research available at larger research institutions. The INBRE program helps bridge that gap.”
Kaiden Aaronson, who will be a senior at Wesleyan next fall, is spending the summer working in the lab of Todd Wyatt, PhD, a professor in the UNMC Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. He is researching the use of fluorescence microscopy to track how extracellular vesicles from the liver travel to the airways and contribute to tissue injury.
“I love diving into things in exact detail and getting to contribute to established biomedical science, and the INBRE program grants the perfect opportunity for this,” Aaronson said.
An aspiring physician-scientist, he is hoping to learn new lab techniques, enjoy his time in Dr. Wyatt’s lab and especially polish his scientific writing.
“I’ve been hearing lately that it’s a critical skill,” Aaronson said.
Through its partnership with UNMC and the statewide INBRE network, Wesleyan’s students gain access to advanced research facilities, are exposed to a wide range of scientific expertise, and become part of a collaborative biomedical research community across Nebraska, Dr. Prokupek-Pickett said.
“These experiences strengthen their preparation for graduate school and careers in biomedical research while also helping build a stronger culture of research on our own campus.
“We’re grateful to be part of INBRE and for the opportunities it provides our students and faculty to engage in meaningful biomedical research and collaborate with colleagues across the state.”
NE-INBRE is excited to have Wesleyan, as well, said Paul Sorgen, PhD, principal investigator on the federal INBRE grant. “NE-INBRE is a statewide network, and we are very excited to provide Nebraska Wesleyan students with meaningful summer research experiences,” he said. “The strength of INBRE comes from connecting talented students and faculty across Nebraska with research opportunities, mentorship and scientific communities that can help shape their future careers. I am especially looking forward to seeing the work these students produce and present at our research forum in August.”