Disguised Genetic Engineering Achievement Detected at Princeton University
Princeton University offers a wealth of opportunities for undergraduates to delve deeper into lab-based research, going beyond the traditional coursework and thesis.
One such opportunity is the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGem) competition, a synthetic biology event for students from around the globe. Joining the Princeton iGem team requires an application process, a spring course, and an on-campus summer research project in preparation for the iGem jamboree. This year, the annual event took place in Paris, France, where teams presented their work through tabling their booths and live-streamed exhibitions of their research.
During the conference, there was also time for teams to explore Paris and take in the city's attractions, such as the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. Dowon Seo '27, a member of this year's Princeton iGem team, spoke about his experience after returning from the conference. Seo's working group within the team focused on harnessing quorum sensing, a unique method of density regulation in cells. The team proposed a probiotic specifically designed for patients experiencing ulcerative colitis.
In addition to iGem, Princeton provides several other avenues for undergraduates to engage in lab-based research. The "Lab Research" course at Princeton is open to students of all class years, offering an opportunity for students to work on independent research projects. The "Human or Animal Subject Research" course at Princeton, on the other hand, involves working closely with faculty mentors and requires approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
Beyond the mandatory lab exposure and senior thesis, undergraduates can participate in community-engaged summer internships, engage with peer research networks like Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research (PCUR), and pursue lab work within faculty-led projects, especially through summer programs and external partnerships that Princeton supports.
For instance, the Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship (ProCES) hosts programs like the Derian Summer Internship, allowing students to engage in research projects with community impact during the summer. PCUR is a peer-run platform that promotes research culture, offering advice and support to undergraduates through blogs and mentorship. Undergraduates can also seek summer research internships and service internships, supported by various centres such as the Pace Center and partnerships like NJ ACTS, which fund health or community-related research projects.
While primarily for early-career scholars, the Princeton Society of Fellows appoints Associate Research Scholars who engage in interdisciplinary research and teaching, contributing to a vibrant academic community. There are also numerous research positions and labs on campus that undergraduates may access by applying directly or through faculty mentorship in their discipline.
In conclusion, undergraduates at Princeton can go beyond coursework and thesis work by participating in community-engaged summer internships, engaging with peer research networks like PCUR, and pursuing lab work within faculty-led projects, especially through summer programs and external partnerships that Princeton supports.
Reported by Stanley Stoutamire Jr., Social Sciences Correspondent.
[1] Princeton Society of Fellows, (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/princeton-society-of-fellows [2] Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship (ProCES), (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/proces/ [3] Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research (PCUR), (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/pcur/ [4] Office of Undergraduate Research, (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.princeton.edu/ourofundergradresearch/
- Undergraduate research opportunities at Princeton extend beyond the traditional coursework and senior thesis, with initiatives like the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGem) competition focusing on science, health-and-wellness, and education-and-self-development.
2.During the iGem competition, undergraduates work on independent research projects, such as Dowon Seo's group focusing on harnessing quorum sensing for creating probiotics aimed at helping patients with ulcerative colitis.
- In addition to events like iGem, Princeton offers various lab-based research courses, like "Lab Research" and "Human or Animal Subject Research," and community-engaged summer internships in areas like fitness-and-exercise and personal-growth.
- Undergraduates can also engage with peer research networks like PCUR for advice and support or seek research positions and labs on campus, supported by organizations like the Pace Center and partnerships like NJ ACTS, promoting learning and furthering research in diverse fields.
