Get Dirty
Posted on January 14, 2008
Playing with dirt is not what most people associate with advanced research. However, about 24 incoming freshman will have the chance to do just that.
Through a yearlong course taught by Drs. Louise Temple and Steve Cresawn, students will learn about phage genomics by identifying viruses in soil samples. Phages are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, their genetic composition is valuable for research. After extracting DNA, they will study the gene sequences.
This program is part of Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s first Science Education Alliance initiative. JMU was chosen as one of 12 four-year accredited universities to participate.
“It’s an educational experiment and also an actual scientific experiment,” Temple, an ISAT professor, said. “Howard Hughes is trying to push scientific education, and freshmen often don’t get to do such cool things.”
Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, HHMI’s senior program officer, said that the institute called on its network of scientists and educators to design a program to promote sciences.
“This is a national effort to engage as many students as possible in how science is done, while putting less burden on faculty,” she said.
Jordan said that HHMI has promised at least $1 million each year for three years. They will also provide training workshops for all faculty. Twelve more institutions will be added to the program during both the second and third years.
“The benefit for students is not just doing research, it’s the process of doing science that is different and they’ll get [it] early in their careers,” Jordan said. “This is also important for non-science majors. Once they graduate, they’ll be an informed public. For example, when there’s legislation concerning scientific topic, this segment of the public will understand it better.”
All incoming freshman, regardless of major, will receive information about the program from the admissions office. The application will be available to download online.
“We’re not particularly interested in students that excelled in science in high school,” Cresawn, a biology professor, said. “No specific background in biology is required.”
“Their interest is our primary criteria,” added Temple.
One of Temple and Cresawn’s current students, senior Brooke Brehm, a biology major, is currently doing research with phage genomics.
“I definitely would have considered this program as a freshman,” Brehm said. “I came into JMU declared biology and would have jumped at any opportunity that would allow to me be in a laboratory.”
The class will be a three-hour block once a week in the ISAT building. As an interdepartmental project, students will first learn the basics of research and the topics involved in the project.
“We won’t make any assumptions about what they know already,” Temple said.
Students will then begin the project by extracting viruses from local soil samples.
“There are viruses everywhere, about 1,031,” Temple said. “That number is just too big.
So no matter what you pick up, you’ll be able to find them.”
“Viruses are so numerous and relatively simple to use, which makes this a fairly easy research field,” Cresawn added.
Using further research techniques, the students will collect DNA which will be sequenced by the Joint Genome Institute over winter break. During the second semester, they will use a computer program designed by Cresawn to analyze the genomic sequences.
The students and faculty at all 12 institutions will share their results in a symposium in the spring.
Temple and Cresawn designed the course for the application to HHMI. Each participating university has unique features to their programs.
“On the application we had to describe how the program will fit in with our existing curriculum and also the logistics,” Temple said. “It’s a practical course. It will also enhance faculty opportunities, so we were able write about it very positively.
JMU was chosen from among 44 total applicants, according to Jordan.
“JMU had a good vision of their long-term experiment and expectations,” Jordan said.
“They put it together in a good package. We also expect institution transformations from being engaged in this program.”
Brehm thinks that the program will benefit JMU as well.
“I think JMU is known for its devotion to fostering young scientists through research experiences,” Brehm said. “I think this new program will only add to that reputation.”
