FAS undergraduate students are invited to submit proposals in support of research projects carried out under the guidance of FAS faculty members. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to promote student innovation while celebrating their accomplishments. Projects are to be presented to the FAS community, and this can include talks, poster sessions, performances, exhibits, etc., organized in collaboration with the overseeing faculty member(s).
Eligibility: Full-time FAS undergraduate students
Budget: Up to $2,500
Application materials: Apply online. Please upload in PDF: 1. Proposal including abstract (no more than 200 words), description of the proposed activity and expected outcomes (no more than 1000 words), budget and budget narrative (indicating the anticipated use of the requested funds), and timeline; and 2. Supervising faculty member’s endorsement.
Application deadline: October 1; March 15
Contact: hy25@aub.edu.lb
2024-25
- Off-On Fluorescent-Based miRNA Sensor for the Early Diagnosis of Pancreatic Carcinoma
Stephanie Zoghbi, Student, Department of Chemistry
Pierre Karam, Department of Chemistry
Pancreatic carcinoma is a lethal cancer and incredibly difficult to detect, inspiring investigation into miRNA sequence detection closely related to the development of the cancer. We propose using a new sensing scheme based on a previously reported enhanced fluorescent probes using conjugated polyelectrolytes complexed to PVP. This sensor would operate by complimenting the probe with a short sequence oligonucleotide modified with a quencher which would quench the fluorescent intensity of the nanoparticles in the absence of the target miRNA sequence. In the presence of the sequence, the oligonucleotide will be displaced, and a signal will be restored.