Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. X I V J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 2 5 18 H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N / P RO F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T F O C U S president, said last summer, when he announced the latest $19.4 million NIH funding renewal. Despite considerable uncertainty about the future of that funding, the program continues this summer with the latest convening of Maine under- graduates who, like Cousins, are under- taking paid 10-week fellowships at the lab and at some of the network institu- tions including Bates, Bowdoin and Colby colleges, UMaine, the University of New England and MaineHealth Institute for Research. Career advancement For thousands of students and scores of faculty members across the 17 insti- tutions, the program has been instru- mental for leveling up careers. For Cousins, the INBRE experience prepared him to return to the lab this summer through a different program. At 22, he graduated from SMCC last winter, continues to pursue his research and is overseeing other students and exploring future options. e INBRE program was invaluable, he says. It allowed him to work on real- world research under the supervision of lab scientists, using sophisticated gene editing and imaging technology and learning techniques for working with the tiny worms that prepare him for future job and academic opportunities. Bonus? "Giving me access to the community and the people here is almost the biggest thing that INBRE did for me," he says. "ese scientists are at the forefront of their field, giving me the ability to ask them questions, further my education and form a network." 'Research bug' "INBRE" is a clunky acronym. But the idea is to expand Maine's biomed- ical research capacity, by providing money that supports workforce and infrastructure development and high- level research. A central philosophy is to engage undergraduates so they catch "the research bug," as James Coffman, Maine INBRE's director, says. e network connects thousands of undergraduates with genuine biomedical research experiences and access to state- of-the-art equipment through intensive courses, workshops and paid fellowships, helping to build a technically skilled biomedical workforce for Maine. It supports early-career bioscience faculty with research grants, lab equip- ment, software and related services needed to compete for larger federal grants. And it invests in shared, state- of-the-art science infrastructure, from advanced gene editing and data science systems to leading-edge 3D microscopy, building overall research capacity. Shared resources As a collaboration across institutions, it builds in shared resources for scientists, faculty and students, such as MDIBL's microscopy facility and data science program and a slew of scientific facilities and services at other participating insti- tutions. An instrument exchange pro- gram promotes cost-effective research. Faculty and students at participating institutions can participate in research opportunities through various means, including fellowships, research equip- ment, research supplies, travel to scien- tific meetings, renovation of laboratory space and tuition. INBRE funds are organized and administered via four "cores:" admin- istrative, data science, collaborative research resources and developmen- tal research projects. e collaborative research resources include the light microscopy facility at MDIBL, which provides access to biomedical scientists to complex microscopes and sophisti- cated imaging technologies — consid- ered an essential piece of the research puzzle given the accelerating rate of imaging technology development, turn- over and high costs that make it difficult for individual research labs to afford, master and maintain. A data science core serves as a state- wide resource for Maine INBRE by providing essential consulting and train- ing in large, complex data sets. In the absence of core programs, expertise comes and goes with member- ship of specific research groups, says Joel Graber a senior staff scientist at MDIBL and co-director of the data science core. Before INBRE, there was some collaboration between Maine bio- medical institutions. "But it was not nearly as strong since this funding came into play," says Coffman. Institutions have their own priori- ties and cultures. "Some institution have huge amounts of resources and funding," he continues. "Others are struggling financially. Some have students from all over the country. Others have students from rural Maine who have never been to col- lege before. One objective is to har- monize all of that and make sure the research resources are accessible to everyone in the network." Competitive edge A good way to develop research capac- ity is to engage undergraduates. "Not just train them, but engage them," says Coffman. "If you get undergraduates involved in a research program, actually doing the research themselves, that's the way to hook them." Graber has seen students go on to graduate school or careers in biology and biotechnology after their expo- sure to INBRE programs. "e primary benefits of the pro- gram are the resources and effort it has provided for us to train the next genera- tion of scientists," Graber says. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y M D I B I O L A B If you get undergraduates involved in a research program, actually doing the research themselves, that's the way to hook them. — James Coffman MDI Bio Lab James Coffman, says a central philosophy is to engage undergraduates so they catch "the research bug. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y M D I B I O L A B Emma Dionne says a specialized biomedical research course gave that extra bump in her successful application to Brandeis University. To have that competitive edge has been incredibly important for me. — Emma Dionne INBRE participant

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