Seven SCICU member institutions are joining other SC colleges and universities in the National Institutes of Health-funded biomedical college research network in South Carolina. SC INBRE (SC IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence) promotes research collaboration among South Carolina’s comprehensive research universities (Clemson, USC, and MUSC) and predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs).
The SCICU members participating in SC INBRE are Anderson University, Benedict College, Claflin University, Columbia College, Converse College, Furman University, and Presbyterian College.
The NIH established the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) to increase research capacity by programmatic expansion and networking of research activities of faculty and students at academic institutions throughout certain targeted states – with South Carolina being one of those states.
SC INBRE is achieving that goal by supporting the career development of faculty and hands-on research training of students at network institutions through annual workshops for faculty and students focusing on career development, mentoring and other relevant topics. The organization also provides funding opportunities to faculty members at SC INBRE’s network institutions.
SC INBRE’s Steering Committee includes the following faculty representing SCICU member institutions:
Claflin University
Dr. Angela Peters
Vice Provost of Academic Programs, Professor of Chemistry
Converse College
Dr. Neval Erturk
Professor of Biology and Chair of Biology, Chemistry & Physics Department
Furman University
Dr. John Wheeler
Associate Provost for Integrative Science
Dr. John Kaup
Coordinator of Science Education, Office of Integrative Research in the Sciences
Presbyterian College
Dr. Giuseppe Gumina
Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Assistant Director of Research
Dr. Stuart Gordon
Assistant Professor of Biology
SC INBRE teamed up with SC EPSCoR (related to Made in SC research, as reported earlier by SCICU), another SC-based collegiate research network, to host academic leadership / career development workshops in 2018. SCICU was well-represented well at these workshops, with attendees including faculty and students from Allen University, Benedict College, Claflin University, Converse College, Furman University, Presbyterian College, and Voorhees College.
In August 2018, students and faculty members from SCICU member colleges were recognized at SC INBRE’s Research Symposium hosted by USC-Columbia. Faculty members from Benedict College and Furman University received poster awards in neuroscience and molecular/cellular biology respectively. SCICU students were also featured in the symposium’s student poster sessions. More information, including research abstracts and photos, may be viewed at the SC INBRE 2018 Research Symposium page.
Dr. William Case, professor of Chemistry at Converse College, was featured in the SC INBRE 2018 Research Symposium magazine. Dr. Case was the 2017 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Converse College.
SC INBRE-funded projects and SCICU’s undergraduate student/faculty research program share strong connections. Furman student Jacqueline Bendrick, mentored by Dr. Adi Dubash, Furman biology professor, received SCICU funding in 2017 for a project titled Desmoplakin Promotes Cell Migration via Coordinated Control of p38 MAPK and RhoGTPase Signaling. Bendrick presented research results for the project at the February 2018 SCICU Research Symposium.
Dr. Dubash built off of Bendrick’s research with an SC INBRE-funded 2018-19 research award given to his project Desmoplakin Harnesses Rho GTPase and p38 MAPK Signaling to Coordinate Cell Migration. SCICU’s coverage on Dr. Dubash’s award may be read here.
