Dr. Pfluegl Undergraduate Research Initiative in LS2, Winter 2007 URI in Life Sciences 2 Cells, Tissues, and Organs Research Outline Winter 2007 INSTRUCTOR & Gaston M. U. Pfluegl, PhD Lab Director: E-mail: [email protected] Phone : 310-794-4113 CLASS WEB SITE: http://www.lsic.ucla.edu/classes/winter07/ LAB WEB SITE: http://lslab.lscore.ucla.edu/ LSCORE POLICIES: http://www.lscore.ucla.edu/policies/ COURSE Lily Yanez, [email protected] ADMINISTRATOR: 2305 Life Sciences 310-825-6614 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH INITIATIVE (UCLA IRB #G06-09-079-01): This is the first quarter we will introduce a research module into LS2. The Undergraduate Research Initiative at UCLA (URI), aims at bringing research to undergraduates, students in LS2. In the URI, students learn about cutting-edge research in various fields of sciences by experiencing it. The URI is not a course; it is a collaboration. Students in different undergraduate courses – from general education science to upper division life sciences – participate and learn while building a major research accomplishment. The specific aims of this current project are two-fold: The first aim is to provide undergraduate students with a database through which they can understand research design. The current project proposes to assess cognitive functioning of undergraduate students through sophisticated computerized measures developed by a neuropsychologist, the Memory Interference Test (MIT). This will allow students to experience how real research studies are conducted and understand the different phases of research design. Students will not only be able to participate as subjects in the research but will also have the opportunity to generate hypotheses and to analyze their hypotheses through the aggregated database. Advanced students will have the opportunity to participate in groups geared toward publishing the research in scientific journals. The computerized test takes about 15 minutes to complete and an additional 5 minutes to complete a computerized survey collecting demographic data. Responses will be sent automatically and electronically to an aggregated database. Specific scores and background data will not be available to anyone. This will provide students with the opportunity to conduct research and generate hypothesis. In lab 5 student conduct research hypothesis on the aggregated database. While conducting research hypothesis, demographic information about a subgroup, will be only accessible if that group is larger than 50. This assures student’s anonymity, and in addition, it will assist in conducting good research design with an adequate group size.Dr. Pfluegl Undergraduate Research Initiative in LS2, Winter 2007 The URI Project as integrated into LS2 is a quarter long assignment and has six components. 1.) Memory Interference Test, which will be introduced during Lab 1 (Week 1). Students who choose to participate will conduct the test, which will take about 15 minutes. This will generate the database upon which the hypothesis can be tested. 2.) The writing of a 1-page group research proposal due in (Lab3) Week 5. 3.) Discussion of the various proposals in Week 6. 4.) Revise group research proposals to individual proposals due for Lab 5 (Week 8). 5.) Test the individual hypothesis against the aggregated database from Lab 1. 6.) Turn in individual lab report and individual research proposal in Week 10. Below is a summary of the URI project, as it is integrated into the quarter schedule. There are a total of 10 points assigned to the URI Project. Week Lab Activity Assignment Points Due 1 1 Scientific Method Group lab report 5 Week 3 URI 1,2 Memory Interference Test Group Research Proposal 3 Week 3 3 2 Photosynthesis Group lab report 15 Week 5 Quiz 4 In Class 5 3 Metabolism Individual lab report 18 Week 7 Quiz 4 In Class 6 URI 3,4 Discussion Individual Research Proposal 3 Week 6 7 4 Rat Dissection In Class Assignment 8 In Class 8 5 Histology In Class Assignment 16 In Class URI 5,6 Test Hypothesis Individual lab Report 4 Week 10 Lab questions for final 20 Total 100 Cognitive Measures: Picture Memory Interference Test – this test assesses participants’ ability to sequentially recognize 3 lists of pictures After exposure to an interference list and later on trial 4 the participants are to identify the list from which individual items originated. A reaction time trial is also recorded. (Estimated time to complete, 15 min) Word Memory Interference Test – this test assesses participants’ ability to sequentially recognize 3 lists of reading words. After exposure to an interference list and later on trial 4 the participants are to identify the list from which individual items originated. A reaction time trial is also recorded. (Estimated time to complete, 15 min) Auditory Memory Interference Test – this test assesses participants’ ability to sequentially recognize 3 lists of spoken words. After exposure to an interference list and later on trial 4 the participants are to identify the list from which individual items originated. A reaction time trial is also recorded. (Estimated time to complete, 15 min). The items and order of these three tests is the same.Dr. Pfluegl Undergraduate Research Initiative in LS2, Winter 2007Dr. Pfluegl Undergraduate Research Initiative in LS2, Winter