BioSynthesis

All about URSCA.... What is it? URSCA stands for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Award. This is a summer program that supports undergraduates engaged in research, scholarly, and creative activities while being mentored by faculty members. Why participate? URSCA is a great opportunity to engage in original research, to extend your classroom learning, to work closely with a faculty member, and to gain experiences to be competitive for jobs and professional or graduate school.   How much is the award? Awards are for either half-time ($250/wk) or full-time ($500/wk) support for the number of weeks needed to complete a proposed summer experience. Minimum awards are full-time for three weeks ($1,500) and maximum awards are full-time for 12 weeks ($6,000).  How do I apply? Students prepare a proposal for a research, scholarly, or creative activity (URSCA) with a faculty mentor, submit the proposal by the deadline, and then are selec...

The Pre-medical Sciences Club’s volleyball tournament in December at BU’s Rec Center was a huge success. Members of the winning team were Jordan Hoover, Joshua Hartman, Kyle Pepper, Lauren Wise, Britney Garritano, Cole Wilkinson, and Keith Reider.      As shown in the photos, a good time was had by all participants. The club raised over $500. All funds were donated to the Monica Primary School in the Kihonda providence of Tanzania. About $50.00 US dollars can cover tuition and supplies for a year for a child attending the school. This donation will not only have a great impact on the children, but will also benefit their families and village. Thanks to all who played volleyball, donated funds, and helped make this service project successful.

Beta Beta Beta grant recipient Adam Kulp (with the Bloomsburg Huskies sweatshirt!) flanked by research mentors  Dr. Jennifer Venditti and Dr. William Coleman Adam Kulp, a B.S. Biology major, received a grant from Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society Research Foundation. Adam's project is entitled "Investigation of synapsin I distribution in capacitated and acrosome-induced sperm cells."  Drs. Jennifer Venditti and William Coleman are Adam's research mentors. This collaborative research effort uses immunocytochemical techniques to localize synapsin I in sperm, a protein classically thought to be only present in nerve cells. Adam has previously conducted research on synapsin in sperm cells during his participation in the Undergraduate Research Scholarship and Creative Activities (URSCA) program during the summer of 2013. This work was presented in spring 2014 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Andrology in Atlanta, GA. Adam is a Community Assistant ...

Geisinger Medical Center’s Jan Plan brings students into the hospital for an intensive 9-day experience that provides a   first hand look at the medical profession. Jan Plan students have the opportunity to interact with medical students, residents, and physicians during rounds, case study discussions, and observations. Among the medical specialties the students observed were Pathology, Emergency Medicine, Ophthalmology, Urology, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, Cardiology (Echo and Electrophysiology), Neonatal Intensive Care, Dermatology, Anesthesiology, Radiology, General Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Radiology. Participating in Jan Plan this year were BAHS majors Shaidy Moronta , Justin VanDerMolen , and Jenny Young .    Shaidy, Justin, and Jenny reflect on their Jan Plan experiences:   " Jan Plan was a very fulfilling experience for me.  During the course of this week I saw just how integrated the hospital system really was, ho...