Course Syllabus

Research Assistant (6-Credit): Biochemistry-Biophysics of Ion Channels

Prerequisites 
One year of chemistry and one year of biology or physics at the university level.

Research Assistant (RA): Biochemistry-Biophysics of Ion Channels

The RA program is an experiential learning opportunity that allows students to gain experience in their area of study within the natural or health sciences. The duration of this program is one academic semester (4 months) and may involve various research opportunities (laboratory, clinical, fieldwork, data-mining, etc.). Students are matched with mentors who offer technical, academic, and professional guidance throughout the project, developing relationships that benefit both DIS students and the local research institution.

In the Biochemistry-Biophysics of Ion Channels RA opportunity, students investigate the molecular basis for activation and modulation of ion channels, a superfamily of proteins critical to the function of the brain, heart, and other excitable organs. Under the supervision of Dr Rebecca (Reba) J Howard, students develop independent projects within the context of ongoing work in the Molecular Biophysics Stockholm research environment, based at the Science for Life Laboratory in Solna, Sweden.

Learning Objectives

Through the RA program, DIS students learn technical skills in a particular scientific field, and experience the dynamics of a European research institution. Student progress is documented by the keeping of a research journal and completion of writing assignments (e.g. bibliographies, drafts, presentation materials,  research papers) under the guidance of an expert in the field. Student expectations may also include participation in group meetings, journal clubs, or other opportunities associated with active membership in a research laboratory. At the end of the semester, RAs share their work with peers and professionals in the DIS End-of-Semester Showcase.

Course Structure

The 6-credit RA experience is designed for highly motivated students who have a strong interest in developing their research skills. Students must be willing to commit a large portion of their semester to hands-on research at an external local university or institute. Given the unpredictable nature of original research, time commitments may vary week to week; in general, students should arrange their schedules to dedicate an average of 20 hours per week to RA work, in close association with DIS and the research mentor. Specific hours and expectations may be articulated by the mentor to support active membership in the research group.

An RA project is part of a larger ongoing effort at a local research institution. Projects are student-motivated under the mentor's guidance and supervision, such that the RA's work enhances research into phenomena that are of interest to them, to their mentor, and to the larger research team. A gradual transition toward independence is encouraged, as the student gains confidence and is able to self-direct the work.

The primary product of the RA's work is an independent research paper summarizing literature and data reviewed, collected, analyzed, and contextualized by the student in the course of the semester. Although it is not expected that the final paper be suitable for professional publication, it should document a clear rationale for the RA's work, appropriately referenced foundational literature, details of the approach and methods, preliminary results, and quantitative analysis, in support of subsequent phases of research in the larger group. The structure of the report should correspond to disciplinary standards, as specified below and in the rubric(s) provided.

Assignments & Evaluation

RAs complete incremental writing assignments to support their engagement and learning throughout the project, culminating in a final presentation and research paper. Evaluated assignments, and their contribution to the overall RA grade, are summarized below.

5 %  Annotated Bibliography:  An initial list of published research pertaining to the proposed project, including short summaries of relevant findings. By assembling a bibliography early in the semester, the RA develops content knowledge, gains examples of scientific writing and referencing standards, and lays foundations for the introduction to the final report.

5 %  Introduction & References: A rhetorical overview of mechanistic observations, methodological opportunities, and scientific questions or hypotheses motivating the research, culminating in a succinct articulation of the current project and a clearly supportive reference list or bibliography. By drafting the introduction and revised references around the semester midpoint, the RA concretizes objectives, context, approach, and prospective outcomes of the work, and enables the mentor to identify areas in need of additional support.

5 %  Paper Draft:  Preliminary text communicating the motivation, execution, outcomes, and significance of the research. By submitting a draft shortly before the final presentation and report, the RA has an opportunity to analyze and reflect on the work, and to receive conceptual and composition feedback from the research mentor.

20 %  Presentation:  A live, short-form audio-visual summary of the semester's work, typically a poster or oral presentation, appropriate for an audience of DIS students, faculty, and other academics. By presenting the work shortly before completing the final report, the RA has a chance to finalize illustrations, plots, or other graphic support for their findings with the research mentor, and to discuss the project with a wide range of colleagues.

60 %  Research Paper:  Final written report of the student’s work throughout the semester, including project objectives, background context, approach/methods, data or other outcomes, analysis and significance to the field and the wider world. Although not produced with the intent of publishing, the final paper should be structured according to standards for primary literature in the field, and sufficiently detailed to support ongoing work in the research group.

5 %  Participation:  A portion of the final evaluation based on attendance, citizenship, or other qualitative aspects of engagement as an RA. At the local institution, students are expected to maintain a research log and participate in meetings, journal clubs, and other opportunities as much as possible. At DIS, RAs also participate in workshops to support interdisciplinary reflection on the research process.

Research Mentor

Dr Rebecca (Reba) J Howard completed bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Pomona College and the University of California, San Francisco. Following an NIH-NIAAA postdoctoral fellowship at The University of Texas at Austin, she joined the faculty of Skidmore College as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, where she supervised a research group and designed and taught lecture and lab courses in general chemistry, biochemistry, senior and first-year seminars. In 2016, Howard joined the Molecular Biophysics Stockholm research environment at the Science for Life Laboratory, a national center for molecular bioscience, where she manages a team using biochemistry, electrophysiology, and molecular dynamics to investigate the structure and function of ion channels.

Academic Regulations:

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

Course Schedule

In addition to the key dates listed below, RAs are expected to communicate regularly with the research mentor. It is the student's responsibility to ask questions or seek additional support in a timely manner.

Before Arrival
RAs and are connected with research mentors by email. Students may be provided 10–15 hours of preparatory reading material before the semester starts.

Weekly
When in Stockholm, unless otherwise arranged, RAs are expected at SciLifeLab Tuesdays and Fridays from 9.00 until roughly 18.00. Along with the research team, RAs also participate in the following meetings at SciLifeLab, except as indicated in the RA calendar; note that conference-room locations may vary, so check the schedule each week:

• 9.00 Tuesdays: Membrane-Proteins Journal Club
• 10:00 Tuesdays: Ligand-Gated Ion-Channels Team Standup
• 9.00 Fridays: Research-Assistants Meeting