Fall 2017 • Issue 33 BECKMAN INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS This past summer, 10 undergraduate students performed research at the forefront of advanced imaging and microscopy technologies with faculty and graduate student mentors. The “Discoveries in Imaging” Research Experience for Undergraduates also gave them a first-hand look at what it's like to be a graduate student. See page 3. IN THIS ISSUE From the Director ... Program Provides Undergrads with Research Experience, Professional he Beckman Institute is about establishing Development ...........................................3 Tconnections and creating research synergy between METRO Sniper Unit Benefits From our faculty and staff members, the University of Vis Lab Expertise .....................................6 Illinois, and the larger community. To this end, we have been looking at ways to reinvigorate the physical space GSK Center Finding Early Success at the Beckman Institute. We’ve been examining how with Imaging Technique in our researchers use the building to interact and how we Dermatological Studies ........................8 bring members of the campus and outside community Jeff Moore Mohaghegh Promotes Illinois’ into the institute. Leadership in Socio-technical Communication is one aspect of the dynamic Risk Analysis ......................................... 10 interaction between those that call Beckman “home” and Beckman Postdoc Receives First those that are interested in what we do here. We’re looking Place in ‘Science as Art’ at ways to improve our communication pathways, and are in Competition .......................................... 11 the process of updating the Beckman website and examining Events at Beckman .............................. 13 other venues that communicate about the exciting projects and events that happen here. Honors & Awards ................................. 15 Communication is a two-way street and we’d like input on the best ways for you to receive news about the institute. As SYNERGY is a publication of the we prepare for our 30th anniversary celebration, we’d like to Communications Office of the Beckman keep you informed about upcoming events. We’re interested Institute for Advanced Science and in what you think is the best way to do that. Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Each issue highlights Do you follow us on Facebook (BeckmanInstitute) or the people and science that make the institute one of the premier facilities for Twitter (@BeckmanInst)? Are you subscribed to our interdisciplinary research in the world. publications listserv (go.illinois.edu/Beckman_Subscribe)? Editor Do you have any comments about our outreach efforts and Maeve Reilly, [email protected] publications? Writers We’d love to uncover what information resonates with you Doris Dahl, Justin Pence, Maeve Reilly and the best way to deliver it to you. If you have thoughts Designer or suggestions, please email [email protected]. Doris Dahl edu. Photography Doris Dahl, L. Brian Stauffer, Sincerely, Thompson-McClellan Join our mailing list: go.illinois.edu/Beckman_Subscribe Jeff Moore, Director Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology ON THE COVER: During the 10-week "Discoveries in Bioimaging" Research BeckmanInstitute @BeckmanInst BeckmanInstitute Experience for Undergraduates, Cheri Fang, left, a first-year Ph.D. student in bioengineering, served as a graduate Company/Beckman-Institute-at-Illinois student mentor for Amanda Craine, a junior in biomedical engineering at Pennsylvania State University. See story, page 3. 2 SYNERGY • Fall 2017 • No. 33 | beckman.illinois.edu Program Provides Undergrads with Research Experience, Professional Development By Doris Dahl his summer, 10 undergraduate “This is the perfect opportunity to engage the next Tstudents performed research at generation of scientists and engineers, particularly those the forefront of advanced imaging and microscopy technologies through the from underrepresented groups.” “Discoveries in Bioimaging” Research —Stephen Boppart Experience for Undergraduates (REU). Funded by the National Science Foundation, the 10-week program Marina Marjanovic, the REU program ing, and microscopy through lectures, allowed the students to experience life as coordinator and the associate director demonstrations, lab activities, and tours. a graduate student. of the GSK Center for Optical Molecu- Then, the students engage in intensive lar Imaging, said the program, which research projects in imaging and biologi- “Our REU program is a wonderful receives more than 100 applicants each cal visualization, closely mentored by a opportunity to bring in some of the top year, has three main goals. faculty member and graduate student. undergraduate students in the U.S. and The program has exceeded expectations “It’s about research and exposure to a inspire them through bioimaging to and benefits everyone involved, accord- different academic environment,” Mar- pursue graduate degrees,” said Stephen ing to Boppart. Boppart, a professor of electrical and janovic said. “It’s also about professional computer engineering and of bioengi- development because we offer them “The (undergraduate) students have neering who also is co-chair of Beck- other types of training besides research.” been excellent and incredibly dedicated man’s Integrative Imaging theme. Bop- Professional Development to their research and to fully experi- part is the principal investigator for the encing the graduate research lifestyle,” The program begins with a weeklong program. “This is the perfect opportunity he said. “Their graduate mentors have Bioimaging Bootcamp that provides to engage the next generation of scien- gained a new sense of professional matu- safety information as well as founda- tists and engineers, particularly those rity as they shift from student to teacher, tional information on biology, imag- from underrepresented groups,” he said. and the faculty mentors have seen their own research program advance as a result.” Professional development also is a key part of the program. Several U of I REUs and similar campus programs often collaborate on activities for partici- pants, and the Graduate College hosts professional development events for students as well. In addition, the students receive guidance in preparing for an oral and poster presentation at the cam- pus’s Illinois Summer Research Symposium (ISRS). Students Reap Rewards Participants are enthusiastic about the benefits of an REU. “I didn’t know much about bioimaging Jamila Hedhli, left, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in bioengineering, and Than Huynh, a or medical device research prior to this junior in bioengineering at Illinois, demonstrate equipment in Beckman’s Biomedical REU,” said Amanda Craine, who is now Imaging Center. beckman.illinois.edu | SYNERGY • Fall 2017 • No. 33 3 From left, Andrew Bower, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in electrical and computer engineering, and Joanne Li, a sixth-year Ph.D. student in bioengineering, mentored Janet Sorrells, a fifth-year senior studying biomedical engineering at the University of Rochester. in her junior year in biomedical research,” Fang said. “We have worked nois) and to further build on the founda- engineering at Pennsylvania State on experimental techniques (cell culture, tions of my developing research skills.” University. “Through different seminars, immunomagnetic cell isolation, flow His research project utilized PET-CT I have learned about many different cytometry), technical writing, critical and ultrasound technology in addition aspects of imaging research and its direct thinking, and using analytical software.” to laser speckle contrast imaging to impact on the medical field. I have also assess angiogenesis and its connection learned more about graduate school Than Huynh—the only Illinois student to the phenotype of different melanoma admissions, the milestones within a Ph.D. in the group—is now a junior in bioengi- cell morphologies. program, and how to prepare for neering. This summer, he worked in the lab of Wawrzyniec Dobrucki, an assistant graduate school.” Javier de Jesus Astacio, now in his third professor of bioengineering and member year studying mechanical engineering Craine has been working in the lab of of Beckman’s BST Group. Huynh previ- at the University of Puerto Rico at Princess Imoukhuede, an assistant pro- ously conducted research with Dobrucki Mayaguëz, worked in the lab of fessor of bioengineering and member of and his graduate mentor Jamila Hedhli, Catherine Best, a research assistant pro- the Bioimaging Science and Technology a fourth-year Ph.D. student in bioengi- fessor of bioengineering. (BST) Group. Craine’s summer research neering who also was a mentor last year. focused on studying angiogenesis, the “My goal is to provide a realistic world “I saw this REU program as an oppor- growth of new blood vessels from pre- of research experience,” Best said. “I like tunity to not only continue our research existing vasculature. the students to see the ups and downs of with my undivided attention, but also as research, and to appreciate the process Craine’s mentor Cheri Fang, a first- an opportunity to explore more of the of science.” year Ph.D. student in bioengineering, campus itself and all the cool ‘toys’ the is participating in the REU for the first other labs have,” Huynh said. “Through She was impressed with Astacio’s prog- time. “Amanda has been doing great in this experience, I also hope