This program is designed for gifted/high achieving 10th, 11th, and 12th grade high school students.  First-year students are instructed in cellular and molecular biology, general chemistry, and biochemistry with focus on gene technology in the classroom in the morning, and engaged in laboratory experiences in the afternoon in a teaching laboratory.  Second- and third-year students are assigned into research laboratories each day working with individual research faculty (see list below), postdoctoral associates, and graduate students from the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Geology in the College of Arts and Sciences at USF.  Short presentations by the first year students are scheduled, and oral presentations of 20 minutes by each of the second and third year students are also arranged at the end of the program.

    The students are expected to be actively involved in all the activities during the six weeks, including preparing for the tests (There are no multiple-choice questions!), performing and writing thorough laboratory reports, reading literature, discussing with professors and personnel in the laboratories.

The goals of the program are
I.     to increase the knowledge and conceptual understanding of the students in biomedical and life science;
II.    to assist the students develop critical and creative thinking skills;
III.   to assist the students develop problem solving skills
IV.   to stimulate the students’ interests in pursuing careers in life and biomedical sciences, such as biology,
        biochemistry, medicinal, and pharmacology.

The professors/scientists who have been involved in this program in recent years include:
Dr. Marvin Alvarez (Biology Department; cell biology and histology), Retired
Dr. Kirpal Bisht (Chemistry Department, biocompatible polymers, enzymes in non-aqueous solutions)
Dr. Andrew Cannons (Biology Department; molecular biology and nitrate reductase)
Dr. Steven Grossman (ChemistryDepartment; biochemistry, arginine kinase)
Dr. Julie Harmon (Chemistry Department; polymer science)
Dr. Valerie Jody Harwood (Biology Department, environmental microbiology)
Dr. Mary Kimbel (Biology Department; molecular biology and cytoskeleton, and genetics)
Dr. Richard Mansell (Biology Department; plant biology)
Dr. Li-June Ming (Chemistry Department; bioinorganic chemistry and enzymology)
Dr. Lisa Robins (Geology Department; micropaleontology)
Dr. Robert Potter (Chemistry Department; biochemistry and cellular signal transduction)
Mr. Ron Federspiel (Chemistry Department; computer modeling and chemical instrumentation)
 

For more information about the BioMed-LifeScience Program, contact Dr. Li-June Ming;
for information about other summer programs for high school students, contact Dr. Kenneth Pothoven.