The UNT-HHMI Programs provide research opportunities for UNT undergraduates including the National Genomics Research Initiative (NGRI) where freshmen isolate and sequence bacteriophages, the Undergraduate Researchers Program (URP) which supports 10 juniors and seniors per year in faculty labs, and the Classroom Research Laboratory (CRL) where 16 students per semester conduct faculty-driven research. The programs also support community college student transitions to UNT through the Transitions Summer Workshop and Research Experience.

1. UNT-HHMI Programs
Undergraduate Research
Lee Hughes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor — Biological Sciences
lee.hughes@unt.edu

2. What are the UNT-HHMI Programs?
The National Genomics Research Initiative (NGRI)
First National Experiment of the HHMI’s Science Education Alliance

3. What are the UNT-HHMI Programs?
UNT’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute 2010 Science Education Grant
• Undergraduate Researchers Program
• Classroom Research Laboratory Courses
• Transitions Summer Workshop
• Transitions Summer Research Experience

4. NGRI
• Co-direct with Dr. Robert Benjamin
• Provides a classroom-based biological research experience for
first-year students.
• Freshmen students conduct research to isolate and characterize a bacteriophage
(bacterial virus)

5. NGRI - Phage Research
• An isolate is sent for genome sequencing over winter break.
• Students analyze and annotate the genome during the spring semester.

6. Slide Title
Talking Points
Talking Points

7. NGRI 2009-2010 Last Day of Class
• Student Presentations
• University Scholars Day
1 Poster
1 Award-Winning Paper
• NGRI Symposium

8. NGRI 2009 Scientific Accomplishments
• Number of Phage Isolated/Purified
24
• Number of Sequenced Phage
(awaiting publication in Genbank)
2

9. NGRI 2010 Scientific Accomplishments
• Number of Phage Isolated/Purified
22
• Number of Sequenced Phage
1 complete and in annotation,
1 — 2
2 at sequencing center

10. NGRI 2010 Student Presentations
• Six student presenters at the Spring
Meeting of the Texas Branch-
American Society for Microbiology
(1 poster award winner)
• Five posters and one talk scheduled
for UNT University Scholars Day
• One student selected to present at
the NGRI Symposium.

11. UNT-HHMI Science Education Grant
$1,300,00 over four years
(Sounds like a lot... we asked for $2,100,000!)

12. Undergraduate Researchers Program (URP)
• Paid research experience for UNT juniors and seniors
• Placed with a faculty research mentor for up to one year
• Receive support for conference attendance
• Average of 10 students per year of the grant

13. Current URP Placements
• Jennifer Archer with Dr. Jyoti Shah
• Adrian Cadar with Dr. Ed Dzialowski
• Coreen Manley with Dr. Lee Hughes
• Shelby Needham with Dr. Duane Huggett
• Raven Pena with Dr. Ed Dzialowski
• Melissa Torres with Dr. Michael Allen Adrian Cadar
(Borrowed from UNT Website Feature)

14. Classroom Research Laboratory (CRL)
Teaching laboratory space equipped
and designed to facilitate NGRI-like
research courses for UNT
undergraduates.

15. Classroom Research Laboratory (CRL)
16 juniors and seniors per semester
will participate in faculty-driven
research in a classroom laboratory
setting

16. Classroom Research Laboratory (CRL)
First three topics to be developed
• Systems Microbiology
Michael Allen
• Developmental Physiology
Ed Dzialowski
• Plant Biochemistry
Kent Chapman

17. Transitions Summer Workshop (TSW)
• Five week summer workshop for first year community college students
• Taught in the Classroom Research Laboratory
• Coordinated by Dr. Mark Burleson

18. Transitions Summer Workshop (TSW)
Focus on
• College Skills
• Science Reading and Writing
• Laboratory Skills
• Introduction to Research
One community college faculty member per year invited to co-teach the workshop

19. Transitions Summer Workshop Participants
Sixteen students who have completed one year of community college
(selection underway)
Community College Partners:
• Brookhaven College
• Eastfield College
• El Centro College
• Richland College

20. Transitions Summer Research Experience
• Five week summer research experience for second-year community
college students
• Placed with a UNT faculty mentor
• Ten students selected for Summer 2011

21. Exceptional Research Opportunity Program
• UNT-HHMI nominated Jordyn Talley
• She will be in the research lab of HHMI
Professor Joseph Takahashi, UT
Southwestern