Summer research experience for students

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Posted on 03 July 2013

During June and July five members of the Research Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine are hosting eight undergraduates on placement in its laboratories so they can see for themselves what a career in science research entails.

Shelley Minards, Gemma Williams, Ellen Cross, Jonathan Robinson and Ola Ramstad will be financially supported at Keele by Wellcome Trust Biomedical Vacation Scholarships which provide hands-on experience of a real research project for up to 8 weeks. The Wellcome Trust started the scheme in 1959, Keele hosts several every year. 

Shelly will be working with Dr Dave Mazzochi-Jones to look at neuronal pathology in a model of Cerebral Palsy. Gemma Williams is joining Dr Catherine Merrick’s group to look at mechanisms for control of virulence genes in human malaria parasites. Ellen’s project is a study of tiny molecule sized filaments called tip links in hair cells of the inner ear based in the Electron Microscope Unit with Dr Dave Furness.  Another student, Carmel Edwards, is working voluntarily for six weeks with Dave on a parallel project to Ellen’s. Jon Robinson will be studying the gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis, working with Dr Catriona Kelly.  Ola will be working on a stem cell project with Dr Rose Fricker.

In addition, Catriona Kelly will have Keele medical student Rebecca Yates working on a project studying beta-cell apoptosis in type 1 diabetes,  supported by a Society for Endocrinology Summer Studentship, the first of these won by Keele. Dave Furness will also be taking on Keele Biology student Rachel Gater with a similar award from the charity Action on Hearing Loss, for an eight-week project on growing fibrocytes in 3D culture for transplantation into the cochlea. And Rose Fricker will be hosting fourth year medical student Andrew Harbourne for a project supported by Parkinson’s UK.

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