Posted: June 1, 2006

Contact:
Leah Harris, 404/651-3575
University Relations

Michael Wall, 404/651-3572
University Relations

Georgia State awarded $1.5 million biotechnology grant

ATLANTA –Georgia State University's biology and chemistry departments have been awarded a four-year, $1.5 million grant from the renowned Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the nation's largest private supporter of science education.

The grant money will go towards establishing biotechnology research and laboratory programs for undergraduates, and for continued funding of the Bio-Bus, a traveling science lab that has entertained and educated more than 70,000 Georgia students, from pre-K to 12th grade.

Barbara Baumstark, professor of biology and director of the Bio-Bus program, will spearhead the implementation of the new biotechnology program.

"I'm excited because for some time I've wanted to develop a focus on biotechnology for our students, and now we have the opportunity to do that," said Baumstark, who received the Board of Regents Teaching Excellence Award last year for her role in creating the Bio-Bus. "Georgia State University has a strong biotechnology component on the master's level, and now this will allow bachelor's degree students to concentrate on biotechnology, and then continue on to their master's degree."

Specifically, the grant will fund what Baumstark calls the Biotechnology Scholar program. At the beginning of their junior year, exceptional students will be chosen as Biotechnology Scholars, and will be paired with graduate student mentors who share their research interests. The following summer, the grants will enable the Scholars to begin their research projects, which continue throughout their senior year.

The hands-on learning experience, combined with the emerging science of biotechnology, proved to be a perfect fit for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

"We believe it is vital to bring fresh perspectives to the teaching of established scientific disciplines and to develop novel courses in emerging areas, such as computational biology, genomics, and bio-imaging," said Thomas R. Cech, HHMI president. HHMI is investing $86.4 million in bold and innovative science education programs at 50 research universities across the country.

The universities selected include six that have never before received an HHMI undergraduate science education grant: Georgia State, New Mexico State University, the University of California, Riverside; the University of California, San Francisco; the University of Florida; and Virginia Commonwealth University.