Driving Force

Some said it couldn’t be done. But just as the “Little Engine that Could” defied the odds, today more Kansas students are pursuing health sciences careers, and 10 campuses are linked through an interactive network to support biomedical research.

Working with her mentor, Tim Burnett, Emporia State University senior Aniesa Slack expanded her career options through the K-INBRE.

The engine fueling this transformative effort is the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, K-INBRE, funded by the National Center for Research Resources at the NIH. And the time has come for its renewal.

“The K-INBRE helps us develop life sciences researchers in Kansas, foster communication among researchers throughout the state, recruit talented faculty, and attract increasing amounts of federal research dollars to Kansas,” says Principal Investigator Joan Hunt, University Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and Vice Chancellor for Biomedical Research Infrastructure. “These are tools for developing effective multidisciplinary teams that someday will discover some of the secrets of human health.”

The Link
Participating universities in the K-INBRE network include the University of Kansas Medical Center, the University of Kansas - Lawrence, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, Pittsburg State University, Washburn University and Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma.

The K-INBRE’s long-range objectives are based on these fundamental principles:

1. Continue to build on the established multi-disciplinary research network with a focus on Cell and Developmental Biology to strengthen biomedical research expertise and infrastructure;
2. Build and increase the research base and capacity by providing support to faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students at the participating institutions;
3. Provide research opportunities for students from undergraduate institutions, community colleges and tribal colleges and serve as a pipeline for these students to continue in health research careers; and
4. Enhance science and technology knowledge of the state’s work force.

The Pipeline
One of the successful outcomes of the K-INBRE initiative has been the increase in the number of students pursuing advanced degrees in biomedical-related programs.

"As an undergraduate, I had no idea what I could do with my career until I stumbled into the K-INBRE program," says Aniesa Slack of Emporia State University. "This program and the recent symposium have given me fantastic insight as to what direction to take."

According to S. Keith Chapes, director of the Undergraduate Support Core for the K-INBRE and professor in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University, the number of K-State biology majors pursuing advanced degrees in biomedical-related fields has reached 47.8 percent, nearly 3 times the national average, thanks, in part, to undergraduate research laboratory experiences funded by the K-INBRE.

The Value of Collaboration
Another major benefit of the K-INBRE funding has been the opportunity to create and expand bioinformatics capacity. Linked through an interactive network, researchers now can analyze massive amounts of information. Led by Gerald Lushington, director of the Bioinformatics Core for the K-INBRE and associate scientist in the Molecular Structure Group on the KU – Lawrence campus, this collaboration among both students and faculty fosters scientific discovery in ways never possible before such funding.

To build on the successes of the current K-INBRE and to further strengthen the state’s research capacity, the program is exploring these opportunities:

1. Further strengthen network communications and career pathways;
2. Promote an integrated systems biology approach within bioinformatics network; and
3. Incorporate training for translational research into the K-INBRE.

The RFA for the K-INBRE was received April 22 announcing the application deadline of July 22. The K-INBRE administrative team appreciates the efforts of those who have responded to the recent survey to document the outcomes of awards to faculty scholars, star trainees, summer scholars, recipients of major starter grants, as well as grants for recruitment packages, pilot and bridging programs, and core facilities.