Educational Programs at the CREN
CREN Research Support
The health of our nation’s people depends on the quality of our research institutions. Excellence in science requires a huge commitment of time, money and people’s efforts, and the application of new technologies to healthcare is one of the cornerstones of a great research community such as that at the University of South Florida.
In this rapidly changing world, we cannot afford to let others surpass us in the areas of medical research and technology, especially in nanotechnology, which has virtually limitless applicability in so many areas.
The CREN research program focuses on nanomedicine, tissue engineering and cell technologies, with the intent of developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic products. The Center will fund ongoing research projects that have the potential to become multi-investigator programs. The Center will also give grants for innovative peer-reviewed pilot proposals that have strong likelihood of being funded at the Federal level in the near future.
CREN Educational Training and Student Opportunities
The importance of training the new generation of scientists in this country is emphasized by the sometimes dismal statistics of the declining numbers of students opting for scientific careers, the ‘dumbing-down’ of our country’s scientific literacy and the low achievement in math and science of our high school students relative to those of other countries.
The creation of a center for nanotech research with its nucleus of highly motivated and dedicated scientists, innovative and exciting research projects and the best available equipment and personnel will engender a comparable excitement and thirst for knowledge in the students participating in the program. It is expected that the development of translational projects and clinical applications by CREN faculty and nanomedicine researchers from different colleges and institutes will promote education in nanotechnology and its application to basic and clinical medicine for students and post-doctoral trainees.
The Center will also conduct a 10-week summer course for students who are interested in doing summer research projects. Furthermore, the Center plans to conduct an annual nanotechnology symposium in a specific medically relevant area, which will bring together scientists from all over the U.S. as well as the state of Florida.
Example is the best teacher, and the CREN strives to become the premier example of an active research community focused on application of basic research, inculcation of the best principles of scientific endeavor and the development of creative solutions for the new healthcare needs of our country. Students who elect to join the CREN team can expect to receive the most comprehensive training available in the basic knowledge of the field, the skills needed to communicate well, and the highest degree of creativity combined with critical thinking.