Developing Bioinformatics Programs and Academic Courses:
A special technology transfer program aimed at MARC institutions
Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center scientists have many years of experience teaching bioinformatics techniques to both academic and industrial researchers. In collaboration with minority serving partner institutions, a special technology transfer and outreach program has been developed to help increase minority participation in biomedical research. This effort, funded through the National Institutes of Health Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program includes:
- An intense two-week Summer Institute in Bioinformatics at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center open to faculty and graduate students at minority serving institutions. The session focuses on preparing faculty to teach a semester long bioinformatics course organized around analyzing a gene or protein family.
- A seven-week research internship at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center for students that have completed bioinformatics training on their local campus.
- The development of a model curriculum for Bioinformatics including related course materials for the fields of Biology, Computational Science and Mathematics. Elements from these courses are incorporated into the workshop as they are completed.
- Assistance in establishing and strengthening the Bioinformatics programs at two minority serving campuses each year, including teaching assistance for newly established courses.