Participating in the inaugural semester of the Adva nced Genetics Labora– tory course, senior Joshua Pratt streaks a media plate for a yeast 2-hybrid assay Nov. 15 as Dr. Rebekah Rampey, assistant professor of biology, observes. Rampey collaborated with Dr. Bonnie Bartel, professor of biology at Rice University, and received a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute using the grant to integrate undergraduate work with cutting-edge research in plant molecular biol– ogy. -Amber Bazargani Funding develops practical programs for students n ccording to Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Rebekah Rampey, preparing studems for the dynamic field of molecular biology was not an easy task. She said in the past, teach– ing scudems field research methods and provid jng them with opportunities to conduct research had been difficult, but she believed those opportunities would expand through the benefits ofa $1 million grant in conjunction with Rice University. Rampey said Dr. Bonnie Bartel of Rice Uni– versity's biochemistry and cell biology department was awa rded the four year grant by the Howard Hughes Med ical Institute to cultivate programs at Rice and Harding that combined classroom instruction with lab research opportunities. She said the grant provided funding for a new Advanced Genetics Laboratory course allowing students to conduct research on plant molecular biology and offered select students the opportuni ty to expand on their research by working with Bartel at Rke during summer break. Acco rding to a press release by Harding's biology department, this grant would allow students to be 168 academics on the same thinking level as scientists by taking them out of the classroom sening and into the lab. The release also said the grant would provide paid internships for students over the summer. Serving as a Howard Hughes par ticipadng faculty member, Rampey said the grant provided a greater learning experience in a more accurate lab setting. "The Howard Hughes Medicallnsritute grant is special as it's not solely a research grant," Rampey said. "It's meant to fund laboratories in a classroom setting so that students could have actual research projects, get classroom credit for it and, if they are so inclined, they can continue those projects over the summer and get an even better experience." Rampey said a number ofresearchers duoughout (he nation were given this type ofgrant in order ro promote undergraduate research in classes and provide students with a greater exposure to science. "The thought with the Howard Hughes grant is if they can delve out money for scientists to become better teachers and expose students to science they can draw more people into science," Rampey said . "Perhaps it would take away from the poolofmedical students. Not that we don't need great doccors, but we also need great scientists, and right now those numbers are dwindling in the United Smtes." Seniors Joshua Pratt and Clinton Langscon were the only two to participate during the inaugural semester of the course. Pratt said he was grateful for this additional experience, which brought him greater insight inco the field of biology. "In the past a research opportunity such as this has nOt been possible at Harding," Prarr said. "It gives me a chance to experience new aspects of biology and learn techniques about my major that I would otherwise be unaware of." Rampey said she hoped the opportunities pro– vided by the gran t would recruit more interested studelHs and provide them with greater awareness of the science field. "It takes a special person to do this type of work," Rampey said. "I think programs like this give students the chance to see what its really like when they may not have been exposed to this." -Brian Hall
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