Our job is to imagine the future first and fold the future in -
C.K. Prahalad
We imagine a Minor in NanoBiology!
MNIMBS hopes to create an educational opportunity for undergraduate students to develop a higher level of interdisciplinary competency during the undergraduate years that will better prepare them for careers in Nanobiology. Students from the Physical Sciences, Engineering and the Biomedical Sciences could benefit from exposure to other fields and interdisciplinary research in their undergraduate years. For instance, a good understanding of underlying biological structures and their interaction with synthetic materials on the nanoscale is essential in Nanobiology research. Even understanding the way people from different disciplines think is fundamental to their ability to conduct a productive multidisciplinary discussion on issues in Nanobiology. Accordingly, we plan to propose a Minor in Nanobiology to meet these goals.
Possible Structure of the Minor:
We propose the following structure for a Minor in Nanobiology that is composed of 15 credits:
- All courses exist at the 300 level or above.
- 2 courses in Biology, 2 credits each, with one course possibly covering immunology.
- 2 courses in Chemistry, 2 credits each.
- 2 courses in Physics, 2 credits each.
- Participate in the MNIMBS Graduate Student Seminars for the final 3 credits.
- No prerequisites would be required.
Participation in the MNIMBS Graduate Student Seminars would allow the undergraduate students to experience first hand the exceptional synergy created by the multidisciplinary approach to research that exists at the Institute. They would experience the interdisciplinary environment and learn various techniques and their applications at a much earlier stage in their training than is the norm.
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MNIMBS is uniquely positioned to provide this experience as its faculty members in the physical sciences, engineering and the biomedical sciences have utilized the extensive biological and medical research capabilities of this Institute to further their research. Undergraduate students have already participated in an informal manner as temporary employees or volunteers in this research effort. A minor in Nanobiology would provide a structured environment for students to pursue their multidisciplinary interests. |
The interface of Chemistry, Physics, Engineering and
Biology at work to create Nanobiology. |
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We will post this program offering here when we have it approved and running.
Undergraduate Students |
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Meghan Liroff
Undergraduate Student, Department of Chemistry
Meghan Liroff is a fourth-year undergraduate pre-medical student at the University of Michigan pursuing her B.A. in Women's Studies. Under the guidance of the Banaszak Holl-Orr Lab and Ph.D. candidate Chris Kelly, her MNIMBS work concerns an undergraduate nanomedicine apllication in the form of the study of the complex interactions between model phospholipid membranes and dendrimers as studied by isothermal titration calorimetry. |
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Emilee Byrne
Undergraduate Student, Neuroscience and Spanish
Emilee is a 4th year student at Michigan studying Neuroscience and Spanish. She has been with the Banaszak-Holl group for two years, working with Ph.D. candidate Doug Mullen on the synthesis and characterization of functionalized PAMAM dendrimers as targeted drug delivery agents. |
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