The South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN), led by the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, has been awarded a $16.92 million five-year continuation grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for student and faculty research in cell biology.
Developing human resources and research talent in the areas of biomedical sciences and bioinformatics remains a goal of SD BRIN. This grant continues NIH’s long-term support provided to SD BRIN since 2002 that totals nearly $57 million.
The project offers research opportunities for students and faculty at all SD BRIN partner intuitions, including Dakota Wesleyan University.
“Our part of the five-year grant will allow six DWU students to get undergraduate research positions over each of the next five summers,” said Dr. Paula Mazzer, DWU professor in the biochemistry department. “The students can work with any of the BRIN partners in the state.”
The grant also provides resources for undergraduate research at DWU. Some of the money also supports the inclusion of course-based undergraduate experiences (C.U.R.E.s) in some laboratory classes.
The renewal includes alterations and renovation money for DWU to outfit a science innovation lab in DWU’s new School of Business, Innovation and Leadership set to open in the fall of 2021.
SD BRIN is directed by Barbara E. Goodman, Ph.D., professor of physiology in the Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences at the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota.