The IMSD program introduced a new training module on “Managing and Sharing Your Research Data” to kick off its 2014-2015 series. The module, which consisted of

four weekly 2-hour sessions, was developed and led by Andrew Creamer, Science Data Specialist for the Brown University Library, with the assistance of senior scholar John Santiago. Participants gained practical information about resources and best practices for managing, storing and sharing research data, a topic of increasing importance in light of new mandates from major funding agencies including NIH and NSF.

Module participant Tatum Ponte, a project manager in Brown’s Office of Biomed Computer Services, commented “As part of my work I refer staff, faculty, and students to resources within Brown that can meet their IT needs so it’s wonderful that I can refer them to the great resources provided by the library to support their research.” She added, “Data preservation is an issue near and dear to me. The worst part of my job is telling someone that their data is lost and not recoverable. Having a good data management plan…and storing data in digital repositories…means that I can have fewer of those kinds of conversations.” – KZB

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Message from the Director: 2014 Brown IMSD Program Launch . . . . . . . . . 1New Training Module Focuses on Data Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Fellowships, Awards & Achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Trainee & Program Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Research Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Bertuzzi Seminar Explores Career Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3IMSD Launch Event Celebrates Student Achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3North Carolina A&T Hosts MORE-STEM Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Funding and Training Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2014

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INITIATIVE

TO MAXIMIZE STUDENT DEVELOPMENT Volume 6 Issue 1

Message from the DirectorThe 2014 Brown IMSD Launch - Outcomes

The Brown IMSD program held its 7th annual

program launch event on October 2nd

and used the occasion to reflect on outcomes at

the 7-year mark of the program’s lifecycle. The

immense collaborative input of faculty, staff and

students have helped us to stay on mission in

responding to NIGMS/NIH’s goal of increasing

the number of individuals from underrepresented

groups in biomedical and behavioral research who

complete Ph.D. degrees- and this aligns with Brown

University’s educational and training philosophy.

Two former IMSD trainees currently hold tenure

track faculty positions, two hold professional

positions in industry, and eight additional former

IMSD trainees hold postdoctoral positions in the

fields of their PhD training. These outcomes are the

result of contributions at many levels within our

academic community. Going forward, they serve as

reference points of what is possible and as milestones

for the program.

Andrew G. Campbell, PhDAssociate Professor of Medical ScienceIMSD Program PI & Director

SAVE THE DATES!ABRCMS (San Antonio, TX) . . Nov . 12-15 Brown Graduate School exhibitor booth #650

Training Modules:Professionalism & Career . . . . . . Dec . 8-10 Development: Preparing for the Postdoc Experience

Defending Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan . 12-15 Research Proposal

Patrick Rashleigh, Manager of Brown’s Digital Scholarship Laboratory, demonstrates tools for visualizing your data during training module on data management

New Training Module Focuses on Data Management

ExcellenceCongratulationsMichael Lopez, IMSD Trainee in Biostatistics, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation on July 16, 2014. His thesis research on “Causal Inference for Multiple Treatments” was conducted under the guidance of faculty advisor Professor Roee Gutman.

Allison Porman, IMSD senior scholar and Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, successfully defended her thesis on July 23, 2014. Her research on “Identification and Regulation of White-Opaque Phenotypic Switching in Candida tropicalis” was conducted in the lab of her advisor, Professor Richard Bennett.

Stacy-Ann Allen-Ramdial, former IMSD senior scholar (Brown PhD 2013), began a new position in September 2014 as Research Scientist at Battelle in Arlington, Virginia. Her work focuses on Battelle’s STEM philanthropy and STEM education outreach.

Congratulations to Adeola Adebayo, PhD Candidate in Pathhobiology and former York College-CUNY student, on her recent publication: Adebayo, A. O., Zandbergen, F., Kozul-Horvath, C. D., Gruppuso, P. A., & Hamilton, J. W. (2014). Chronic exposure to low-dose arsenic modulates lipogenic gene expression in mice. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1002/jbt.21600

Research MattersEric James, IMSD trainee and senior scholar in Neuroscience, was among a select group of ten Brown University graduate students and alumni chosen to present a Ted-X style research talk as part of the University’s 250th Anniversary Celebration. Eric’s talk explained how his research, using tadpole models, shows an apparent connection between valproic acid, an antiseizure medication sometimes taken during pregnancy, and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. The symposium was moderated by Heather Bennett, IMSD trainee and senior scholar in Neuroscience. Thanks to both Eric and Heather for helping to communicate to a broad audience the important message that “Research Matters”! – KZB

Fellowships, Awards & AchievementsCristina A. Fernandez, IMSD trainee in Epidemiology, was awarded an NIH F31 National Research Service Award for her project entitled “Vulnerability to PTSD after a disaster: Clinical and public health implications”.

Two IMSD trainees were recognized for their submissions to the Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs. Heather L. Bennett from Neuroscience received Honorable Mention for her entry to the dissertation competition, and Hawasatu Dumbuya of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, received Honorable Mention for her entry to the predoctoral competition. The full list of national awardees, as well as details on the 2015 competition, is available at the Ford Foundation website.

Noelle Hutchins Kelso, former IMSD senior scholar (Brown PhD 2013), has obtained a postdoctoral research fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX with Dr. Bruce Beutler (2011 Nobel Laureate) in the Center for Genetics of Host Defense.

Eric James, IMSD trainee and doctoral candidate in Neuroscience, received an award for best oral presentation in Neuroscience at the 2014 SACNAS conference in October. The topic of his research presentation was “Effects of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors on Developing Neural Circuits”. Eric’s participation in the conference was supported by travel awards from the Brown Graduate School and Neuroscience Department.

Trainee & Program Publications:Haltaufderhyde, K., Ozdeslik, R. N., Wicks, N. L., Najera, J. A., & Oancea, E. (2014). Opsin expression in human epidermal skin. Photochem Photobiol. [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1111/php.12354

Lopez-Fagundo, C., Bar-Kochba, E., Livi, L. L., Hoffman-Kim, D., & Franck, C. (2014). Three-dimensional traction forces of Schwann cells on compliant substrates. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11(97). doi: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0247

Toorie, A. M., & Nillni, E. A. (2014). MINIREVIEW: Central Sirt1 regulates energy balance via the melanocortin system and alternate pathways. Mol Endocrinol, me20141115. [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1210/me.2014-1115

A paper co-authored by former IMSD senior scholar Stacy-Ann A. Allen-Ramdial, Ph.D. and Andrew G. Campbell, Ph.D. entitled Reimagining the Pipeline: Advancing STEM Diversity, Persistence, and Success appeared in the July 2014 issue of Bioscience. doi: 10.1093/biosci/biu076

Carolina Ramirez and Eric James received awards at the 2014 SACNAS conference for best undergraduate poster presentation and best oral presentation in Neuroscience, respectively . Photo credit: Mashfiq Hasan

CommunityIMSD Launch Event Celebrates Student Achievements

IMSD students, faculty, partners and guests gathered for the annual IMSD Celebration Luncheon event at the Brown Faculty Club on October 2nd. The program began with a student poster session that highlighted research of our graduate trainees and recent PhDs. The luncheon featured welcoming remarks by the IMSD program directors and several deans. Peter Weber, Dean of the Graduate School, noted that there is no differential between the attrition rates of majority and underrepresented minority graduate students at Brown* and acknowledged the positive impact the IMSD Program has had on the graduate training environment. Dean Terrie Wetle affirmed the continuing partnership between IMSD and the new School of Public Health and highlighted the accomplishments of several former trainees who have gone on to obtain tenure track faculty positions or are pursuing research careers in industry.

Dr. Victoria Ruiz (PhD 2012, Pathobiology) was a featured alumnus speaker and shared her perspectives as a former IMSD program participant and partner student. Victoria is currently a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Medical Center and was recently profiled in an NPR article about the shortage of academic jobs for PhDs in the biomedical sciences. Kirk Haltaufderhyde, a PhD candidate in Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, also shared his perspectives as a current IMSD trainee and former York College student.

Thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of these events! – KZB

*Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion (DIMAC) supported by the Council of Graduate Schools (NSF grant #1138814).

North Carolina A&T Hosts FairRepresentatives of the IMSD Program participated in the annual Maximizing Opportunities in Research promotes interest in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (MORE-STEM) Fair hosted by North Carolina A&T State University on September 17th. IMSD Program Coordinator Karen Ball and Vérida Léandre, IMSD trainee and PhD candidate in Biotechnology, shared information with NC A&T students about Brown’s graduate training programs in the biomedical sciences and public health. These types of exchanges help to strengthen our institutional partnerships and cultivate relationships with prospective graduate applicants and future IMSD trainees. – KZB

Bertuzzi Seminar Explores Career Options in BiosciencesDr. Stefano Bertuzzi, Executive Director of the American Society for Cell Biology, was a featured guest speaker for an IMSD career seminar in September. Dr. Bertuzzi, who has extensive experience as both a bench scientist and a policy maker, offered a variety of options and insights for PhD students who are considering careers in the biological sciences. Following his talk, the speaker led a focus group discussion and engaged in Q&A with graduate students and postdocs. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology. – KZB

IMSD students present their research at annual program launch event

Vé Leandre (R) chats with NC A&T student during 2014 MORE-STEM Fair

Dr . Stefano Bertuzzi presents career seminar for PhDs in Biosciences . Photo Credit: Jennifer Daly

CollaborationFunding and Training Opportunities

Predoctoral Individual FellowshipsF31 Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) Annual Diversity Deadlines: Dec. 13, Apr. 13, Aug. 13Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellowships (F31) provide support for promising doctoral candidates who will be performing dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Individual opportunities may have different deadlines, please check the sites: http://grants.nih.gov/training/F_files_nrsa.htm

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship ProgramThe NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) application period is now open! NSF is soliciting applications for the GRFP until the Life Sciences deadlines on November 4, 2014. Three years of support is provided by the program for graduate study in science or engineering and leads to a research-based master’s or doctoral degree. For more information on the awards, the application, and to look at recently funded proposals, visit the program’s website: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6201&WT.mc_id=USNSF_39&WT.mc_ev=click

Dissertation SupportUnited Negro College Fund - UNCF/Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships are intended to support African American graduate students as they complete coursework, conduct research, and prepare the dissertation required for the doctoral degree in the biomedically relevant life or physical sciences and engineering. Application Deadline: December 2, 2014. Further information can be found at: http://umsi.uncf.org/applyonline/graduateinstructions

ASCB MAC, FASEB MARC, Keystone SymposiaThe Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) provides information on their web site about science training and education awards made available through FASEB’s member societies for students, trainees and science mentors. A complete list of upcoming eligible national meetings for travel awards can be found at http://www.faseb.org/MARC-and-Professional-Development/Travel-Awards/Eligible-Meetings---Conferences.aspx

Eligible National Meetings Mtg. Location Mtg. Dates Adv. Reg. Deadlines

MARC Deadlines

2015 APS Professional Skills Training Course: Writing & Reviewing for Scientific Journals

Lake Buena Vista FL

Jan 15-18, 2015

11/17/14 11/17/14

GSA: Strategic Conference of Zebrafish Investigators

Pacific Grove CA

Jan 17-21, 2015

– 11/28/14

GSA: 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference

Chicago ILMar 4-8,

20151/16/15 1/16/15

ENDO 2015 (The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting)

San Diego CAMar 5-8,

20151/15/15 1/9/15

HCS Immunohistochemistry and Microscopy Short Course 2015

Woods Hole MA

Mar 14-19, 2015

– 1/30/15

Conference Travel Awards: Intramural NIAID Research Opportunities (INRO) 2015INRO connects talented students from populations underrepresented in the biomedical sciences with training opportunities in immunology and infectious and allergic diseases at NIAID. The all expenses paid visit to NIAID will take place February 2–5, 2015, on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Campus in Bethesda, MD. Application Deadline: October 15. For details, view the program’s website.

Keystone SymposiaKeystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology is offering 57 conferences in the 2014-2015 season, spanning the range of the life sciences. Scholarships are available for Students and Postdoctoral Fellows from underrepresented backgrounds. For information about upcoming meetings, scholarships and travel awards, visit: http://keystonesymposia.org/.

Northeast Scientific Training Programs (NEST) Retreat March 6–8, 2015 http://biomed.brown.edu/imsd/nest/ See you in 2015.

PROGRAM STAFF:

Andrew G. Campbell, Ph.D.Program Director, Associate Professor of Medical Science, Bio Med Molecular Microbiology & Immunology

Elizabeth O. Harrington, Ph.D.Co-Program Director, Associate Dean for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Professor of Medicine, Division of Biology and Medicine

Karen Ball – Program Coordinator

Brown University’s Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) is a predoctoral research training initiative that aspires to significantly increase the number of PhDs from groups underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research. The program is funded by a five-year continuation grant (2 R25 GM083270) by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIGMS/NIH).

PARTNER INSTITUTIONS:

St. John’s University, New York, NY

York College of the City University of New York

North Carolina A&T State University

The College of Mount Saint Vincent

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: IMSD ProgramBrown UniversityBox G-B495Providence, RI 02912Phone: 401-863-3777Email: IMSD@brown.edu http://biomed.brown.edu/imsd/

Newsletter layout and design by Karen Ball and Brown Graphic Services

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