As a part of the Holsworth Biomedical Research Initiative, and in collaboration with the LIMS Fellows Society, we are looking for brief but novel research projects that expose the students to how real research works. An example might be testing some new western blot or imaging antibodies – this would involve leading the group through aspects of cell culture, fixation, fluorescence, spectrophotometry, electrophoresis, immunolabelling, etc.
Importantly, we do want this to be genuinely novel research – unlike an undergrad prac where tried and true antibodies would simply be run and the results known before you start.
Second, third and fourth year Science and Biomedicine students from the regional campuses will be invited to take part, forming small teams of three or four. Each team will be paired with a postdoctoral scientist who will lead them throughout the four days, as well as an academic to oversee the project design and rollout. Leadership teams with multiple postdocs or HDRs will also be considered.
The intensive will be based on the Bendigo campus with most typical bio/chem/phys equipment available for use. If specialist equipment available at a different campus is required for a project, we will also be able to accommodate a day trip for the research group.
This forms part of the Holsworth Biomedical Research Initiative. Costs associated with travel and staying in Bendigo, as well as project expenses, are covered.
Schedule
The first day will be spent getting to know each other and the research topic, as well as planning out the experimental details. This will include the broad area of research and the specifics of the techniques and research question you hope to answer. The second and third days will be spent in the lab conducting experiments and analyses. The final day will see results collated and a focus-shift to science communication with the groups learning how to present their work to different audiences and in different forms.
This will be run over the mid year break, from Monday 4 July to Thursday 7 July, 2022.
Why this intensive?
This initiative will expose some of our most promising regional undergrads to real research in the hopes of inspiring more of them to consider Honours, Masters or a PhD degree.
Why you should take part?
Designing, preparing and delivering these mini projects will require a significant amount of time and effort, so we plan to make them as beneficial as possible for those who volunteer. Aside from the opportunity to try (and pay for) some left of field experiments you might have been pondering for a while, this will also give you significant experience teaching and interacting with undergrads. Academic mentors who might include your postdoctoral supervisors, other academics, or teaching and learning professionals, will be on hand to help with project design, as well as provide feedback throughout.
Interested?
If you are interested in proposing a project we will undertake an EOI process that will require a project title and brief summary, associated expenses, required equipment, and the names of HDRs, postdocs, or academics that would like to be involved. Please send this information through to Donna Whelan by COB April 26th. If you’d like to discuss a project first, please contact Donna Whelan.
