Biomedical Research Scholarly Concentration

The overall goal of the Scholarly Concentration in Biomedical Research is to engage students in the critical concepts that underpin biomedical and clinical research. Through didactic instruction and faculty-mentored clinical research projects, students will acquire tools essential to undertake biomedical research, including critical reasoning skills, utilizing the scientific method in research study design, research rigor and reproducibility, research ethics, and disseminating research results for peer review. Students will also be introduced to various resources offered through the Indiana CTSI to assist with biomedical research, including human subjects training, the Clinical Research Center, and the Project Development Team. Students are required to participate in Indiana University Medical Student Program for Research and Scholarship (IMPRS) during the summer between their first and second year of medical school. 

Locations

All coursework and scholarly work (except the online Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship and the Clinical Research Methods course) takes place at the Indianapolis campus.

Curriculum and Timeline

The majority of activities, including participation in IMPRS, will occur between the first and second years of medical school and will serve as a launching pad for the Scholarly Concentration in Biomedical Research. For more information on IMPRS, please reach out to Anne Nguyen, IMPRS program director. Students will attend a series of discussions to help them become successful in the field of biomedical research. Topics include the scientific method, study design, biostatistics, and research ethics. Students will complete training in the responsible conduct of research and work on a scholarly project at the Indianapolis campus as part of the longitudinal experience.

Students work with faculty to complete a project in a relevant topic based on student interests. Students are welcome to come up with their own project idea. Potential project topics include, but are not limited to:

• Biomedical research in diabetes
• Skeletal and muscular complications of malignancy and the effect of cancer treatment on musculoskeletal health
• Biomedical research in xenotransplanation
• 3D bioprinting, tissue engineering
• Effectiveness of radiotherapy for cancer patients
• Medical informatics in GI; Big Data, Algorithms, ad Health Care: How Health Data Science can improve the health of populations