{"143371":{"#nid":"143371","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Engineering the Minds of Tomorrow: LINCR Initiates Neuro-Collaborations on Campus","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELearning by Innovative Neuro Collaborations in Research (LINCR) is a new undergraduate research fellowship program currently finishing up its pilot run this summer. Sponsored by a $40,000\u0026nbsp;GTFire\u0026nbsp;Grant, the fund for inspiring innovation in research and education at Georgia Tech, the program\u2019s mission is to unite disparate neuro-groups on campus. LINCR is an undergraduate research program that\u2019s really the first of its kind, organized and run by undergraduates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the LINCR program\u0026nbsp;brochure\u0026nbsp;over 60 neuro-related groups on campus were identified by the Neuroscience Club (GTNeuro) to help students find faculty with shared interests. \u201cI have been at Georgia Tech in the Laboratory for Neuroengineering for 10 years\u201d says Dr. Steve Potter, Director of the Laboratory for Neuroengineering \u201cand I am sad to say that I don\u2019t know half of these other neuro-faculty. This GT-FIRE proposal is a first step in trying to unify all of Tech\u2019s Neuro-groups, which could certainly transform this campus into one sought after and recognized world-wide for its unique technology-driven approach to Neuroscience and Neuroengineering.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year the program spans 13 weeks. LINCR fellows work full time between their two respective laboratories and attend workshops hosted by GT faculty that cover presentations, data analysis, literature review, research techniques, scientific reasoning and bioethics. The uniqueness of this program stems from empowering undergraduates to be the \u201clinkers\u201d of these disparate groups on campus. Students who participate in the program initiate collaborations between two labs, are assigned graduate and faculty mentors, and produce pilot figures for use with grant applications to carry their projects out into the future. In completing these assignments these undergraduates find other faculty, organizations, foundations, and companies that may take interest in their research and seek out future grant opportunities for their Principle Investigators.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year, three fellows and six laboratories are collaborating. Connor Crowley, a rising 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E\u0026nbsp;year biochemistry major who is working with Michelle LaPlaca, Ph.D. (BME) and Facundo Fernandez, Ph.D. (Chemistry and Biochemistry), is investigating the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Candace Law, a rising 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E\u0026nbsp;year BME major, has connected the labs of Steve Potter, Ph.D. (BME) and Christine Payne, Ph.D. (Chemistry and Biochemistry) on a project that looks into the use of nanoparticles for drug delivery to brain. Christopher Pace, a rising 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E\u0026nbsp;year electrical engineering major, is working between Maysam Ghovanloo, Ph.D, (ECE) and Garrett Stanley, Ph.D (BME), using electrical brain stimulation to gain a better understanding of brain function and the utility of electrical stimulators in the brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELINCR is exciting because it is an undergraduate initiative that can be applied to any university with any focus. \u0026nbsp;To support, improve, and study the effectiveness of the program LINCR Administrators will be teaming up with BME\u2019s Dr. Barbara Fasse to apply for future NIH\/NSF funding. However, for the immediate future GTNeuro looks to the Georgia Tech community to fund and support the program for one more summer. The goal is to raise another $40,000. Dr. Ravi Bellamkonda, Georgia Tech\u2019s Vice President of Research has already shown his support by making a significant contribution. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn conclusion to this summer\u2019s program, GTNeuro will host the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtneuro.net\/?q=node\/467\u0026amp;utm_source=Advisors\u0026amp;utm_campaign=f152883e33-Advisors-LINCR_Symposium_Invitation7_6_2012\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0022\u003ELINCR Closing Symposium\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;featuring the LINCR fellows. Keynote speakers include Bill Todd the former CEO of the Georgia Cancer Coalition and leader in the creation of the Georgia Tech-Emory BME partnership, Colin Potts the Georgia Tech Provost of Undergraduate Education, and Ross Mason a Georgia Tech Alumni and founder of the Healthcare Institute for Neurorecovery and Innovation. The event will be held at the Academy of Medicine, August 10\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E\u0026nbsp;11:00am-3:00pm as a forum for the Neuro community at Tech to create and share innovative ideas. Lunch will be provided! Students, faculty, and advisors are all invited.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information on how you can support LINCR Program, please contact Anish Joseph (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ajoseph11@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eajoseph11@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Jim Schwoebel (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jim.schwoebel@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejim.schwoebel@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELearning by Innovative Neuro Collaborations in Research (LINCR) is a new undergraduate research fellowship program currently finishing up its pilot run this summer. Sponsored by a $40,000\u0026nbsp;GTFire\u0026nbsp;Grant, the fund for inspiring innovation in research and education at Georgia Tech, the program\u2019s mission is to unite disparate neuro-groups on campus. LINCR is an undergraduate research program that\u2019s really the first of its kind, organized and run by undergraduates.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27241","created_gmt":"2012-07-30 17:29:15","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:36","author":"Jackie Nemeth","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-07-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-07-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1255","name":"School of Electrical and Computer Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdrianne Proeller\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-894-2357\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eadrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}