Biotechnology Center Launches Undergraduate Research Grants
Posted: 03-05-2009 : RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – Research experience is an important step in a young scientist’s undergraduate training. But sometimes, that experience is hard to find.

To help North Carolina universities create those opportunities, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center has launched the Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

This program enables undergraduate science and engineering majors to work in an academic or industrial research setting under the direction of a mentor. In addition to gaining research experience, students get a glimpse of what a career in biotechnology would be like.

“An undergraduate research experience provides a critical edge to students seeking careers in both academic and corporate research,” said Kathleen Kennedy, the Biotechnology Center’s Education and Training Program vice president.

The program is open to public and private four-year educational institutions in North Carolina, with the exception of Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Undergraduate research funded in this program must have strong relevance to biotechnology science, technology, and applications, generally involving biology at the cellular and molecular level.

Applications for this award should come from the university, and the university will then select the student(s). The applications are being accepted through noon on Wednesday, March 11.

For more information about grant proposal requirements and application instructions, please visit www.ncbiotech.org/undergrad_biotech/.

The Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation supported by the N.C. General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business, education and strategic policy statewide.

Contact: Chris Brodie, vice president of corporate communications, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, chris_brodie@ncbiotech.org or 919-541-9366. Visit the Biotechnology Center's Web site at www.ncbiotech.org.