Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Borum, Peggy R.

Titel

InvestiGators research honors society

Ist Teil von

• The FASEB journal, 2008-03, Vol.22 (S1)

Erscheinungsjahr

2008

Quelle

Wiley Online Library All Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Abstract only The InvestiGators (IG) research honors society at the University of Florida allows outstanding undergraduate students to be professional basic and clinical research scientists. The usual paradigm of the undergraduate student working closely with a graduate student is altered to three interdisciplinary teams working directly with the professor. The Gator Team provides a detailed metabolic assessment for each pediatric HIV patient in a weekly clinic and addresses different hypotheses concerning HIV associated metabolic syndrome. The KetoGator Team has a primary role in a General Clinical Research Center project evaluating the clinical aspects of altered ratios of dietary macronutrient intake on changes in metabolism and electrical properties of the brain. The Carnitine Team uses clinical samples and a piglet model to evaluate the role of carnitine in normal metabolism and in the metabolism of patients seen in clinic by the other two teams. Members learn basic, clinical and translational science through direct experience. In addition to experimental design, careful implementation of experiments, data analyses, and reporting of results, IG members must learn how to work together in an interdisciplinary team of peers as well as more senior scientists. They learn at an early career stage what the professional world is really like and they leave significant footprints in translational science and clinical care.