PI: Neena Singh
ABSTRACT
This proposal seeks funding for ‘Research Immersion in Brain, Spinal cord (RIBS), and peripheral nerve
disorders’ for under-represented minority (URM) high school students during their academic summer break.
Through this program, we aim to excite, motivate, and increase awareness of common neurologic
conditions, and provide hands-on research experience to the students in active laboratories on Case
Western Reserve University (CWRU) campus. The proximity of CWRU campus to Cleveland Metropolitan
School District (CMSD) responsible for educating socioeconomically and educationally challenged youth,
and the availability of multiple (~40) NINDS-funded Faculty with active laboratories provides an optimal
opportunity for this program. Two specific aims are proposed to achieve these goals. Aim 1 will lay the
Foundation for Research Immersion by introducing the structure and function of the brain, spinal cord,
peripheral nerves, and common disorders associated with these structures in weekly educational sessions.
A didactic session of 20 minutes will be followed by small group discussions aided by the HoloLens virtual
image technology, YouTube videos, and 3D models. The group sessions will be led by 2nd and 3rd year
URM medical students to boost the confidence of students through ‘Near Peer’ mentoring. In Aim 2, each
student will be matched with a laboratory based on his/her interest for 8 weeks of hands-on Research
Immersion. During this period, the student will be guided by the principal investigator (PI) and laboratory
personnel, who will describe the overall research goal of the laboratory, and the specific project in which
the student will be involved. They will help the student in formulating a hypothesis-driven research question
based on the literature, assist in relevant research methods, collect and analyze data, and draw relevant
and meaningful conclusions. Every week, the student will be instructed by the PI on various topics of
Responsible Conduct of Research for 30 minutes. In addition, one laboratory personnel, in most cases a
postdoctoral fellow, will work closely with the student on college admission test quizzes and college
admission essay. Deliverables for the student will include an abstract of 1 page stating the hypothesis and
experimental plan after 1 week, a full paper of 6 pages with all sections completed after 6 weeks, a college
admissions essay after 7 weeks, and a poster complete with all sections for presentation to diverse
audience after 8 weeks. The student will be expected to attend scientific talks hosted by the Departments
of Pathology, Neuroscience, and Biomedical Engineering on CWRU campus, and seminars hosted by the
Office of Inclusion and Equal Opportunity. After each talk, the invited speaker will be requested to spend
15 minutes of exclusive time with the students. We believe that the RIBS program will develop the skills,
instill enthusiasm, and boost the confidence of URM students to pursue higher education and a career in
neurologic research and healthcare.
