Biomedical Research Training Program students take part in orientation

Students learn about the Eppley Institute.

Students in the 2003-2004 Biomedical Research Training Program (BRTP) recently took part in a three-day orientation process to help them select their area of interest for Ph.D. research.

The BRTP, in its third year of existence at UNMC, is a common entry program for Ph.D. study in the College of Medicine’s five basic science departments and research focus areas.

Students entering the BRTP have the opportunity to rotate through any of the 90 research laboratories affiliated with the five basic science departments: biochemistry and molecular biology; genetics, cell biology and anatomy; pathology and microbiology; pharmacology; and physiology and biophysics.

Tadayoshi Bessho, Ph.D., discusses his research in the Eppley Institute.

“Last year, we did the entire orientation in one afternoon, which can be quite overwhelming when they’re hearing about more than 90 different research projects in a period of about two hours,” said Daniel Monaghan, Ph.D., chairman of the BRTP. “Their heads were spinning. So, this year, we spread it out over three days and they listened to a total of 12 hours of presentations.”

Dr. Monaghan said the purpose of the BRTP is to provide students with greater flexibility and wider opportunities for choosing a laboratory in which to pursue Ph.D. research, and to provide them with solid, broad-based training in multidisciplinary biomedical research.

The research interests of BRTP faculty are largely focused in eight topic areas: cancer biology, cardiovascular biology, cell and developmental biology, cell signaling, genetics, immunology, molecular biology, and neuroscience. Before the end of the first year, students select their thesis research laboratory and degree-granting program.

This year’s BRTP students are (with undergraduate school):

• Kendall Bryant of Loretto, Tenn. (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga);
  
• Anna Coleman of Lincoln, Neb. (Virginia Intermont College);
  
• Crystal Cordes of Prosser, Neb. (Dana College);
  
• Tiana Curry-McCoy of Sicklerville, N.J. (Bennett College);
  
• Matthew Curtis of McComb, Ill. (University of Illinois);
  
• Paul Richard Grimm of Omaha, Neb. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln);
  
• Abbey Maul of Lincoln, Neb. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln);
  
• Nicole Susanne Montagne of Omaha, Neb. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln);
  
• Michael Moriarty of Kearney, Neb. (University of Nebraska at Kearney);
  
• Jeremy Rose of Crete, Neb. (Doane College);
  
• Lynn Roy of Lakewood, Colo. (Creighton University); and
  
• Laura Zietlow of Manchester, Iowa (Wartburg College).