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Enjoy finding answers to questions?
Ever wonder what it is like to be a scientist?
Enjoy discovering new things?
Interested in the opportunity to contribute to scientific knowledge?
If you answered “Yes,” BFRI might be right for you!
What is BFRI?
Biomedical Freshman Research Initiative (BFRI) is an undergraduate research initiative program that is opened to students in the Biomedical Science (BMED) Bachelor’s program. By taking the BFRI track, you will have the opportunity to be exposed to and engage in research beginning as a first-year BMED student. You will have the opportunity to:
- learn through inquiry-based learning
- learn how to design and execute a research project
- obtain laboratory technique training
- work on a scientific research project
- while getting credit for BMED courses
Why Join BFRI?
- Develop critical thinking skills
- Develop better study habits including team-work
- Obtain hands on application based training: increases knowledge and passion for learning
- Serves as preparation for future research opportunity in a research lab
- May co-author scientific publications
- Better preparation for medical or graduate school and a career as a physician, scientist or physician-scientist
- Strengthen chances of getting accepted to medical or graduate schools
- Become aware of alternative careers
- Have the opportunity to determine if a career in research is suitable for you
Course Progression
- Freshman Fall: Research Methods
BMED Course Credit: Independent Research I (BMED 3121)
Credit Hours: 1 - Freshman Spring: Research Techniques
BMED Course Credit: Independent Research II (BMED 3122)
Credit Hours: 1 - Sophomore Fall: Research Experience I
BMED Course Credit: Independent Research III (BMED 3123)
Credit Hours: 1 - Sophomore Spring: Research Experience II
BMED Course Credit: Independent Research IV (BMED 3124)
Credit Hours: 1
Students are sorted into research streams for Research Experience courses in their second year.
Research Methods
BFRI begins in the first semester of your freshman year, during the Freshman Fall semester, when you will take a Research Methods course. This course consists of classroom lectures and activities designed to teach the scientific process and different aspects of research, such as:
- Scientific literature review
- Formulation of a hypothesis
- Experimental design
- Data acquisition and analysis
- Dissemination of findings
You will be taught through inquiry-based learning, and a large component of the course is the design and execution of three inquiry-based experiments throughout the semester. These may be completed individually or in a group.
Included in these inquiries are a written proposal, a written report, and an oral presentation of your findings. During this first semester of BFRI, you will also be taught basic lab techniques and allowed to use the student laboratory for your inquiry experiments.
Research Techniques
During the second semester of BFRI, in the Freshman Spring semester, you will be enrolled in a Research Techniques course. In this course, you will be trained to perform laboratory techniques that you may apply in biomedical science research, such as:
- PCR and gel electrophoresis
- Immunoblotting
- Aseptic cell culture techniques
- Cell cycle analysis
- Histology
You will learn how these techniques can be applied in research to obtain answers to different questions. In addition to learning hands-on techniques, you will also be trained to keep a complete lab notebook and prepare written lab reports.
Research Experience I
In the third semester of BFRI, during the Sophomore Fall semester, you will be divided into research streams in a Research Experience I course. The research streams will be overseen by a faculty member, referred to as the stream faculty mentor, from the Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences or other departments, and the course will be run by a BFRI instructor.
The streams will be based on the research field connected to the faculty member’s research interests and expertise. In the stream, you will conduct independent but parallel research projects that have the potential to lead to publishable work.
In this course, depending on your stream, you will:
- Learn the background of your research project through scientific literature review
- Be trained in the techniques required for your project
- Prepare a written and/or oral proposal for your project
- Perform the experiments required for your project
- Prepare a written and/or oral report on your findings
Depending on the stream you are in, you may apply techniques learned in the second semester of BFRI, in the Research Techniques course, and you may also be trained in new techniques.
You will be trained to develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills as you make progress in your project, which may be done individually or as a group, depending on the stream.
Research Experience II
In the fourth semester of BFRI, during the Sophomore Spring semester, you will continue in the same research stream and will be enrolled in a Research Experience II course.
You will continue to expand on your project, applying techniques that you have already learned previously or new techniques that you will be trained in during this semester.
In this course, you will be expected to demonstrate a higher degree of independence and responsibility and will require less supervision.
Beyond BFRI
After completing the four semesters of BFRI, based on your interest and/or the recommendation of BFRI mentors and instructors, you may apply to continue research in a faculty laboratory.
You may also approach faculty to join their laboratory before completing the four BFRI courses.
Difference Between the BMED Course Sequence for BFRI and Non-BFRI Students
All BMED students are required to take BMED 3121, 3122, 3123, and 3124 for their degree. However, depending on whether you are a BFRI or Non-BFRI student, you will take these four courses at different points in your BMED degree.
BFRI Students
- BMED 3121: Freshman Fall semester
- BMED 3122: Freshman Spring semester
- BMED 3123: Sophomore Fall semester
- BMED 3124: Sophomore Spring semester
Non-BFRI Students
- BMED 3121: Sophomore Fall semester
- BMED 3122: Sophomore Spring semester
- BMED 3123: Junior Fall semester
- BMED 3124: Junior Spring semester
Research Streams
Identification of differentially expressed genes in the human parasite Trichomonas vaginalis
Research Stream Mentor/ PI: Dr. Michael Lehker (Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences)
Research Stream Instructor: Magali Ayala
Trichomonas vaginalis is a microaerophilic, amitochondriate, flagellated parasite which colonizes the epithelium of the human urogenital tract. Trichomonad infections, although frequently asymptomatic, cause various degrees of inflammation in the cervix, the vagina, prostate and the urethra. The parasite has also been shown to contribute to increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, pelvic inflammatory disease and tubal infertility, post-hysterectomy cuff cellulitis, HIV and human papillomavirus infection, and possibly neoplasias in the prostate and the cervix. Trichomoniasis constitutes the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide, affecting more than 276 million people every year.
The trichomonad-host relationship is complex. This parasite appears to be exquisitely adapted for survival in an environment that is nutrient-limited, in constant fluctuation, and immunologically hostile. To thrive in this environment T. vaginalis cells elaborate specific factors to mediate mechanisms for colonization, avoiding the host's immune system, and acquiring necessary nutrients. Trichomonads also produce factors that result directly or indirectly in host damage. Expression of these virulence factors appear to be regulated by the environmental stresses imposed by the host. Since trichomonal pathogenesis, dependent on multiple virulence factors, progresses in the constantly changing host-environment, differential regulation of the coordinated expression of multiple classes of genes in a manner that is optimal for survival and proliferation in a given in vivo environment is likely required
The primary aim of this project is to understand expression changes across the whole genome and identify and characterize complete gene regulatory networks in response to changes in the micro-environment. In addition, we will also examine the contribution of infection of trichomonads by a ds-RNA virus and Mycoplasma on virulence gene expression. The identification of differentially and coordinated gene expression in isogenic strains will be investigated using RNA-seq, quantitative real-time PCR, IVET and differential fluorescence induction methodologies.
Determining the Biocidal Properties of Antimicrobial Nanoparticles
Research Stream Mentor/PI: Dr. Karen Martirosyan (Department of Physics)
Research Stream Instructor: Ivan Davila
The Advanced Nanoscience Laboratory has been part of the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) and provided the students with the opportunity to conduct research on projects that are relevant to today’s rapidly changing biomedical technologies. The students conducted research to determine biocidal properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silver nanoparticles. The students were involved in characterizing the nanoparticles by XRD, SEM, EDX, growing E.coli K12 stain on agar plates and testing the nanoparticles’ biocidal properties on the E.coli. The measurements were performed to investigate how effective different concentrations of nanoparticles were against the bacteria.
The experiment below shows how UV activated TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized. Figure 3 shows an example of an image of glass microspheres with TiO2 taken with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The glass microspheres are used as an insulator and the TiO2 are used as a UV activated component that is the antimicrobial. The characterization of the nanoparticle was also done using XRD, an example can be seen in Figure 4. There are various applications for the study of antimicrobial nanoparticles with a wide range of benefits that can be used in everyday products such as toothpaste, sunscreen and shampoo.
Determining the Importance of the Role of Stress Management in Improving Health Outcomes
Research Stream Mentor/ PI: Dr. Saraswathy Nair (Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences)
Research Stream Instructor: Dr. Hongxing Lu
Obesity is the risk factor that is associated with numerous diseases. The college students may face the risk of gaining weight, because their lifestyles are greatly changed, and they experience strong psychological and physical stresses in their daily lives. This proposal will focus on young college students because they have increased stress level. The purpose of the project is to:
- Study the relationships between adiposity (i.e. body weight, height, waist and hip circumference), blood pressure, and salivary stress biomarkers (i.e. salivary alpha amylase and cortisol) levels in young adults.
- Measure the effects of short-term and moderate physical activity intervention on stress hormones and adiposity in college students.
- Determine the importance of the role of stress management in improving health outcomes.
Total 12 exercise intervention subjects and 9 control subjects will participate in the study. All participants will be recruited though flyers in UTRGV campus. Subjects will be offered physical activity intervention for 6 weeks. At pre-study, demographic information (age, race), health history, dietary and physical activity questionnaires will be obtained. At weeks 0 and 7, body weight, height, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure will be measured. Samples of salivary will be collected and analyzed for alpha amylase and cortisol levels. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) and t-tests will be used to determine the differences between each group. Pearson’s correlation and multiple stepwise regressions will be conducted to explore associations between weight status, salivary alpha amylase and cortisol levels and risk factors of obesity.
Dr. Nair and Dr. Lu’s 2nd Year BFRI Stream
2nd Annual Biomedical Freshman Research Initiative (BFRI) Research Symposium - December 5, 2017
Title: Effects of Psychological Stress on Body Weight and Lifestyle in Hispanics Students in a Low I
2nd Annual Biomedical Freshman Research Initiative (BFRI) Research Symposium - December 5, 2017 1st Place – Robert de la Garza, Sarai Doria and Erik Escobedo
Title: Effects of Psychological Stress on Dietary Behavior in Hispanic Student
2nd Annual Biomedical Freshman Research Initiative (BFRI) Research Symposium - December 5, 2017 2nd Place – Enrique Pena, Paul Shane and Luis Villegas
Dr. Lehker and Dr. Guadarama’s 2nd Year BFRI Stream
2nd Annual Biomedical Freshman Research Initiative (BFRI) Research Symposium - December 5, 2017
Title: DNA Isolation of Trichomonas Vaginalis (Dr. Lehker and Dr. Guadarama’s Research Stream)
2nd Annual Biomedical Freshman Research Initiative (BFRI) Research Symposium - December 5, 2017 3rd Place – Andrea Bustos, Kyli Chen, May-Hui Ding and Saul Lopez