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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 2 5 F O C U S 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 Emma Dionne, who recently grad- uated from SMCC, took an INBRE- funded research course in December at MDIBL. "I fell in love with the atmosphere, with the people, with everything having to do with it," she says. Working with a senior research scientist, the focus was on a fruit fly gene thought to have potential for understanding the effect of neural biology on behavior. "It was phenomenal to be involved in a project that had to do with the brain," Dionne says. "It gave me a good idea of, How do we start a project? How do we know where to begin? It was an incred- ibly eye-opening experience." Hailing from the Auburn-Lewiston area, Dionne, 21, earned a full ride at Brandeis University. She credits INBRE, and the com- munity it formed, as key to her journey. "To hear their stories and how much they truly loved science was so inspiring," she says. "To have them on LinkedIn and on emails has been so reassuring. And it's something I would never have had without INBRE." e program gave that extra bump in her Brandeis application. "To have that competitive edge has been incredibly important for me," Dionne says. "I've learned X, Y and Z and am prepared to dive in whole-heartedly." Effective thinking INBRE shaped Sally Molloy's career and her ability to train undergradu- ates in research. Molloy, an associate professor at the University of Maine Honors College in Orono, has been a principle inves- tigator on INBRE-funded research on how bacteriophages — viruses that infect bacteria — contribute to antibi- otic resistance. at research leveraged further NIH funding. INBRE also supports a year-long foundational course that gets students digging up soil samples, isolating and analyzing bacteriophages in the samples using sophisticated equipment and tech- niques and presenting their findings. She refers to INBRE as a power- ful way for students to learn, to build confidence and self-esteem, and to develop problem-solving skills and science literacy. "It's a great way to start students off on research learning in the first year," says Molloy. "e goal is to help students not only learn basic research skills, but help them develop effective thinking strategies that will be impor- tant for doing good science. " Research pipeline "It's had a big impact on my career and also on the experiences of a lot of students," Timothy Breton, an associate professor of biology at the University of Maine at Farmington, says of INBRE. Breton is using a National Science Foundation grant to support stud- ies that continue his INBRE-funded research. Breton and his undergradu- ate assistants — hailing from INBRE members UMaine Farmington, Southern Maine Community College and Bates College — discovered a new gene in fish that might have an impact on understanding several human diseases. e students co- authored an article published in a professional journal. INBRE also funded lab upgrades and equipment, such as a costly confo- cal microscope that provides superior imaging. Typically, "Institutions our size don't get access to that type of advanced equipment," Breton says. Lab renovations and new equip- ment have leveraged further research grants. "Growing the ecosystem has mattered," says Breton. For a small institution like UMF, where students might not have even considered biomedical careers, INBRE helps stock the biomedical research pipeline. "ere's really no substitute for working in a lab, with a professor supervising, in a small group, doing cutting-edge research," says Breton. "You're not just in a classroom read- ing a textbook. You're going to make discoveries along with us." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Data as of 3/31/24 Source: Forbes.com (January, 2025). Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team's best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK's research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC The primary benefits of the program are the resources and effort it has provided for us to train the next generation of scientists. — Joel Graber MDI Bio Lab

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