Center for Research Excellence

  • Research and Grants  ›  Undergraduate Research  ›  INBRE PROBE

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    Enhancing Undergraduate Biomedical Research

    The National Institutes of Health fund the USCA Passport to Research Opportunities in Biomedicine (PROBe) program through the South Carolina IDeaA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE). The PROBe program is a multi-pronged strategy to expand and enhance biomedical research on the USC Aiken campus.

    The primary strategy of the program is to:

    1. Enhance current research activities by formalizing the identification and recruitment of freshmen/sophomores into our biomedical research laboratories;
    2. Create/manage Stage One (Primer award) and Stage Two (Extension award) competitive research grants for entry-level and continuing undergraduates; and
    3. Strengthen our research culture by creating a biomedical research forum as part of the USC Aiken Research Day activities.

     

    INBRE Research Faculty

    William Jackson
    USCA PROBe Program Director
    Primer Director
    Department of Biology and Geology

    Nathan Hancock
    PROBe Connect Director
    Department of Biology and Geology

    April DeLaurier
    Extension Director
    Department of Biology and Geology

    Mary K. Mills
    Department of Biology and Geology

     

    Laura Swain
    Department of Psychology

    Michele Harmon
    Department of Biology and Geology

    Ken Roberts
    Department of Chemistry and Physics

    Michelle Vieyra
    Department of Biology and Geology

    About the Primer Program

    The Primer Research program represents stage I of the PROBe program. Students in their first year of biomedical research (primarily freshmen and sophomores) are encouraged to apply for funding through the PROBe Primer award program.

    Each Primer Award will be funded for up to $3000 to fund his or her research project. Competition for this award will be through the submission of a research, scholarship, or creative project proposal developed in collaboration with a USC Aiken faculty mentor. Selection is based on the project's educational and intellectual merit, the potential impact of the project, and the student's previous academic success.

    Each fall semester, a call for proposals will be issued. Successful proposals will start on January 1, and primer funds must be spent by August 31.

    Call for Proposals: Fall 2024

     

    About the Extension Program

    The Extension Research program represents stage II of the PROBe program. Students in their second or third year of biomedical research (primarily sophomores and juniors) are eligible to apply for funding through the PROBe Extension award program. Extension awards are available to students with at least one year of biomedical research experience, regardless of previous PROBe funding.

    Each Extension Award will be funded for up to $5000 to fund his or her research project. Competition for this award will be through the submission of a research, scholarship, or creative project proposal developed in collaboration with a USC Aiken faculty mentor. Selection is based on the project's educational and intellectual merit, the potential impact of the project, and the student's previous academic success.

    Each fall semester, a call for proposals will be issued. Successful proposals will start on January 1. Extension funds must be spent by August 31. Students who perform their research during the summer can participate in INBRE-organized Summer Enrichment Activities.

    Graduating seniors are generally not eligible for Extension funding. Exceptions may be made but require prior approval.

    Proposal Guidelines

    The following links are provided to aid students and their mentors in developing PROBe proposals:

    Important Dates

    • Call for proposals: Monday, October 28, 2024
    • Primer Proposal due date: 5:00 PM Friday, November 22, 2024
    • Extension Proposal due date: 5:00 PM Friday, November 22, 2024
    • Award announcements: Friday, December 13, 2024
    • Award start date: January 1, 2025

     

    Apply for USCA INBRE Funding

    Apply for USCA INBRE Funding

    For Reviewers

    The Extension Proposal Review Rubric  is an interactive PDF form. To complete your review, download, write to, and save the form using the student's name (Lastname_FirstInitial) and our Extension designation: Smith_RExt2021. Please email the completed reviews to cre@usca.edu with the subject line "Extension Review."