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Immerse Yourself in Biological Research
Furthering the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, discovering how to preserve blood, laying the mathematical foundations for the theory of genetic evolution—the University of Chicago is a leader in these and in many other areas of research. This summer, learn the techniques used in cutting-edge biological research and work in person at lab facilities at a premier research university.
Course Description
This four-week intensive training program is designed to expose students to a broad range of molecular, microbiological, and cell biological techniques currently used in research laboratories. Students are immersed in the research experience, giving them a taste of "life at the bench". Using a project-based approach, the course progresses from a survey of basic lab techniques to the application of current molecular techniques in developmental biology and microbiology. Most of a typical day in RIBS is spent in lab. Lectures will also be presented to provide background and introduce new concepts. Since communication skills are important in science, students will keep lab notebooks and they will make several group presentations. The course ends with a research forum in which the students present the results of their projects. Successful completion of the course will give participants the experience and confidence to work in a research laboratory.
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors. Students must complete one year of high school biology by the start of the program. This course is the most rigorous of the pre-college offerings in Biology, requiring that students have a demonstrated passion for science, with strong performances in high school biology, math, and chemistry (honors or advanced level preferred if available).
Course Details
Students who have completed a significant amount of lab work outside of class may find this course repetitive. RIBS is a residential program and requires students to live on-campus to complete the program.
Course Overview
Program Schedule
Course Dates: June 12 - July 7, 2023
Required Orientation: June 10 - 11, 2023
Course times: 9:00 A.M - 5:00 P.M.
Instructors
Christopher Schonbaum, Rosemary Zaragoza
Course Specifics
Course Code: BIOS 10010 94
Units: 200 UChicago units, which is equivalent to 2 full-time courses