National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Understanding the Rules of Life
Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates
The UB Biological Sciences Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates gives students from across the U.S. the chance to take part in exciting, cutting edge research activities to match their interests from a broad spectrum of biology. REU is made possible byproceeds from the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science Program, Understanding the Rules of Life.
REU Applications for 2024 are now closed.
Check back for information on summer 2025.
REU Program Highlights
- $5,000 research stipend for participation in the full 8-week program.
- Free on-campus housing and an $800 allowance for meals during the program.
- Up to $800 towards travel expenses to and from Buffalo.
- Full-time research experience with hands-on training.
- Professional development activities and training.
On this page
Faculty Mentors
Overview
The program takes place in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo. It is an 8-week summer program in which students work alongside a faculty mentor on a research project from one of four research themes:
- Genome structure, evolution and expression.
- Neuronal physiology in health and disease.
- Using model organisms to address human problems.
- Using fungi to understand cellular processes.
Student participants are matched with a faculty mentor who will guide them through the research process. All students participating in the program take part in weekly workshops and social activities aimed at enhancing research skills, informing career decisions and offering networking opportunities.
Eligibility
Applicants should be:
- Interested in pursuing a career in research.
- No prior research experience is required.
- U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its outlying possessions.
- Preparing to enter their sophom*ore, junior or senior year at the time of the program in an undergraduate degree program with a focus in the biological sciences.
Minorities underrepresented in STEM, first generation college students and students attending non-research focused institutionsare strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Procedure
- Complete the online REU application form.
- Upload a current transcript to your online application (unofficial transcripts are acceptable).
- Provide contact details for at least one referee from your current college/university facility who has agreed to write a letter of recommendation for you. They will be sent information on how to provide their letter once you submit your online application.
- Upload your resume to the online application. Your resume should include 1) all post-secondary educational institutions attended with dates, (2)research and teaching experience or other university or science activities (prior research experience is not a requirement), and (3) any other information thought to be relevant to the application.
- Upload your personal statement.Personal statements should describe academic and research goals and long-term career objectives. Applicants should clearly articulate what they hope to get out of the program and how they believe the program will help them reach their short- and long-term goals. Personal statements should be no more than 1000 words.
- Identify up to three faculty mentors that you would be interested in working with.
Please note: Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. on or before the due date,for full consideration in the first round of offers for the summer program. Applications received after that deadline may still be considered but will be placed on a wait-list.
REU Project Timeline
- Oct 1: Call for Applications, in early Fall, accepted for next summer.
- Jan 31: Initial application deadline.
- Mid-Feb to Mid-March: Successful applicants are offered positions and/or waitlisted.
- Mid-March: Deadline to accept a position from first round offers.
- June 1-2 : Arrive in Buffalo (housing available).
- June 3 to July 26 : Project term for 8-week research experience.
- July 26: Research symposium and end of program.
- July 27:Travel home.
Contact
Heather Williams, PhD
Questions about the program should be directed to the program coordinator, Dr. Heather Williams hw49@buffalo.edu
Heather Williams, PhD
125A Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4912
hw49@buffalo.edu
Assistant Teaching Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Behavioral and spatial ecology of migratory bird; undergraduate experiential learning; undergraduate research experience
Call Heather Williams Email Heather Williams Profile for Heather Williams
125A Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4912
hw49@buffalo.edu
Faculty Mentors and Research Themes
Marcella Baiz, PhD
Themes: Genome structure, evolution and expression
Current research in the Baiz Lab uses molecular tools to study the origin of biodiversity and the genetic basis of adaptive traits, like plumage coloration. We are also interested in factors that shape symbiotic communities associated with avian hosts, and in particular, how the microbiome impacts host fitness. Students projects can involve field work and sample collection, DNA extraction and PCR, and data analysis.
Marcella Baiz, PhD
109 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4985
mbaiz@buffalo.edu
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Speciation, hybridization, evolutionary genomics, microbiomes, ornithology
Call Marcella Baiz Email Marcella Baiz Profile for Marcella Baiz
109 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4985
mbaiz@buffalo.edu
Paul Cullen, PhD
Themes:Genome structure evolution and expression; Using fungi to understand cellular processes; Using model organisms to address human problems.
Paul Cullen'sstudents will study microbiology, genetics, and molecular biology approaches to learn about the regulation of a specific developmental response in yeast called filamentous growth. Based on the student's interest, a project will be developed to understand how biochemical regulatory pathways, including signal transducing pathways, control changes to cell shape, polarity, and adhesion in this genetic system. Diverse approaches can be taken to address this problem based on the student's interests, expertise, and questions posed.
Paul J. Cullen, PhD
C532 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4923
pjcullen@buffalo.edu
Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
Distinguished Post Doc Mentor Award 2023
Milton Plesur Excellence in Teaching Award
UB Exceptional Scholar — Sustained Achievement Award
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Signaling (MAPK) Pathways that Control Cell Polarity and Cell Differentiation
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C532 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4923
pjcullen@buffalo.edu
Denise Ferkey, PhD
Themes: Neuronal physiology in health and disease; Using model organisms to address human problems.
Denise Ferkey's students will learn genetic, molecular, behavioral and computational approaches to understanding how animals sense chemical stimuli (odorants and tastants) in their environment. Using a large set of wildC. elegansstrains, students will examine naturalvariation in chemosensory behaviors between geographically and reproductively isolated populations ofC. elegansto help inform ourunderstanding of how nervous system function is influenced by genotype and environment.
Denise Ferkey, PhD
C530 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4929
dmferkey@buffalo.edu
Associate Professor and Associate Chair
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: C. elegans sensory biology: G protein-coupled signal transduction and regulation
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C530 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4929
dmferkey@buffalo.edu
Steve Free, PhD
Themes:Using fungi to understand cellular processes
Steve Free's student projects will focus on the topic of fungal cell wall formation. The fungal cell wall structure is unique to the fungi and an excellent target for the development of anti-fungal agents. Students will investigate how cell wall glycoproteins are incorporated into the wall structure, how these glycoproteins function within the wall, and how their activities are controlled.
Stephen J. Free, PhD
370 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4935
free@buffalo.edu
Research Professor, SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Meyerson Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching and Mentoring
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Call Stephen J. Free Email Stephen J. Free Profile for Stephen J. Free
370 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4935
free@buffalo.edu
Omer Gokcumen, PhD
Themes: Genome structure evolution and expression
Omer Gokcumen'sstudents will be able to choose from a range of projects including:
- Bioinformatics/phylogenetic analyses of specific genes to understand their evolutionary history and functional impact in humans.
- Conducting PCR or digital PCR based genotyping of gene duplications across species or among populations.
- Conducting genome extraction and analysis from different species.
Omer Gokcumen, PhD
H532 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4937
omergokc@buffalo.edu
Professor
Distinguished Postdoc Mentor Award, 2019
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Human and primate evolution, ancient humans (including Neanderthals and Denisovans), anthropological genomics
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H532 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4937
omergokc@buffalo.edu
Shermali Gunawardena, PhD
Themes: Neuronal physiology in health and disease; Using model organisms to address human problems.
Shermali Gunawardena's students will gain hands-on experience using Drosophila genetics, in vivo imaging coupled with cell biological tools to examine mechanisms of intracellular transport within neurons and how this pathway is disrupted in human neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Parkinson's disease.
Shermali Gunawardena, PhD
H535 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4915
sg99@buffalo.edu
Associate Professor
Director of Admissions for PhD and MS Program
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Axonal transport and neurodegenerative disease
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H535 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4915
sg99@buffalo.edu
Gerald Koudelka, PhD
Themes: Genome structure, evolution and expression
Research in the Koudelka Lab is focused around two central themes. Firstly, the lab works to uncover details of how amino acids and base pairs interact and how these interactions can be regulated by both protein and DNA structure. In indirect readout, sequence-dependent differences in the structure of noncontacted bases in a DNA binding site regulate the sequence-specificity of a DNA-protein complex. The lab is determining the structural basis for and implications of the indirect readout mechanism used by DNA binding proteins. Secondly, the lab studies the evolution of bacteriophage-encoded exotoxins. Specifically the lab explores the hypothesis that ecotoxins are part of an antipredator defense mechanism.
Gerald B. Koudelka, PhD
607 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4940
koudelka@buffalo.edu
Professor, SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: DNA-protein interaction; DNA structure, bacterial pathogenesis
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607 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4940
koudelka@buffalo.edu
Corey Krabbenhoft, PhD
Corey Krabbenhoft's students will focus on community ecology in freshwater environments to support conservation and management. This may include lab work (processing water samples, identifying organisms, etc.), field work (collection of water and invertebrate or fish samples), and data analysis and/or writing.
Corey A. Krabbenhoft, PhD
Hochstetter 609
Phone: (716) 645-4972
ckrabben@buffalo.edu
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Aquatic ecology; Freshwater ecosystems; Fisheries
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Hochstetter 609
Phone: (716) 645-4972
ckrabben@buffalo.edu
Trevor Krabbenhoft, PhD
Themes: Genome structure evolution and expression.
Trevor Krabbenhoft'sstudent projects are focused on fish evolutionary and ecological genomics. Students will have the opportunity to use both web lab (DNA or RNA sequencing) and dry lab (bioinformatic analysis) techniques.
Trevor J. Krabbenhoft, PhD
H533 Hochstetter Hall
H540 Krabbenhoft Lab
Phone: (716) 645-4934
tkrabben@buffalo.edu
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Fish evolution and ecology; genome evolution; climate change.
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H533 Hochstetter Hall
H540 Krabbenhoft Lab
Phone: (716) 645-4934
tkrabben@buffalo.edu
Charlotte Lindqvist, PhD
Themes: Genome structure, evolution and expression
Charlotte Lindqvest's student research projects will focus on plant evolutionary genomics, either working on ancient DNA from lake sediments or modern/historical plant samples, to conductpaleogenetic surveys of lake sediments in Southeast Alaska or genome assembly and phylogenomic reconstruction of flowering plant evolution.Students will have the opportunity to use both wet lab (DNA extraction and sequencing) and bioinformatic analysis techniques.
Charlotte Lindqvist, PhD
H534 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4986
cl243@buffalo.edu
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Evolutionary biology; molecular phylogenetics and population genomics
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H534 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4986
cl243@buffalo.edu
Vincent Lynch, PhD
Themes: Genome structure evolution and expression
Vincent Lynch’s students may work on projects including the evolution of cancer resistance in large, long-lived species such as elephants, whales, bats, and Galapagos tortoises, and the evolution of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes (infertility, preterm birth) in humans.
Vincent J. Lynch, PhD
C551 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4899
vjlynch@buffalo.edu
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology; Evolutionary Biology.
Call Vincent J. Lynch Email Vincent J. Lynch Profile for Vincent J. Lynch
C551 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4899
vjlynch@buffalo.edu
Laura Rusche, PhD
Themes: Genome structure evolution and expression; Using fungi to understand cellular processes.
Current work in the Rusche Lab uses multiple yeast species to explore how organisms evolve new, adaptive responses to low-nutrient stress. The summer REU student will identify genes induced when the metabolite NAD+ is low. Laboratory techniques will include standard molecular biology approaches, yeast genome editing, and analysis of genome-wide sequencing data.
Laura Rusche, PhD
C531 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-5198
lrusche@buffalo.edu
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Chromatin and its impact on gene expression and chromosome function; Gene duplication and the evolution of protein functions; Rewiring of transcriptional circuits.
Call Laura Rusche Email Laura Rusche Profile for Laura Rusche
C531 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-5198
lrusche@buffalo.edu
Sarah Walker, PhD
Themes: Genome structure evolution and expression; Using fungi to understand cellular processes; Using model organisms to address human problems.
Sarah Walker'sstudents will address how yeast adapt their protein synthesis programs to combat changes in cellular environment. The lab studies mRNA control in yeast and mouse models for breast cancer in an effort to combat human disease. Students will use molecular biology, biochemistry, next generation sequencing, and biophysical techniques to address these microbiological questions.
Sarah E. Walker, PhD
C534 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-2272
walker47@buffalo.edu
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Translational control of gene expression
Call Sarah E. Walker Email Sarah E. Walker Profile for Sarah E. Walker
C534 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-2272
walker47@buffalo.edu
Zhen Wang, PhD
Themes: Using model organisms to solve human problems.
Zhen Wang'ssummer students may choose between projects aimed at identifying genes responsible for the biosynthesis of digoxin, a heart medicine, in foxglove plants, and projects aimed at developing a microbial system for optimized production of valuable terpenoids.
Zhen Q. Wang, PhD
653 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4969
zhenw@buffalo.edu
Assistant Professor
Undergraduate Fellowship Coordinator
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Synthetic biology and plant natural products
Call Zhen Q. Wang Email Zhen Q. Wang Profile for Zhen Q. Wang
653 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4969
zhenw@buffalo.edu
Matthew Xu Friedman, PhD
Themes: Neuronal physiology in health and disease; Using model organisms to address human problems.
Student research projects in the Xu-Friedman Lab revolve around understanding how auditory nerve synapses change with activity. Projects may include learning the basics of recording activity in neurons, studying structure of synapses using fluorescence and electron microscope techniques, and introducing genes into auditory neurons to influence their function.
Matthew A. Xu-Friedman, PhD
H551 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4992
mx@buffalo.edu
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Neuronal computation in the auditory system
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H551 Hochstetter Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4992
mx@buffalo.edu
Michael Yu, PhD
Themes: Genome structure evolution and expression; Using fungi to understand cellular processes; Using model organisms to address human problems.
Michael Yu's summer student will take on a project that addresses the role of protein arginine methylation in regulating eukaryotic gene expression. They will learn to implement a combination of molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics approaches to accomplish this project. In addition, the student will learn how to read scientific literature, participate in group discussion, and practice giving scientific presentations.
Michael C. Yu, PhD
C509 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4931
mcyu@buffalo.edu
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research Interests: Biological functions of protein methylation
Call Michael C. Yu Email Michael C. Yu Profile for Michael C. Yu
C509 Cooke Hall
Phone: (716) 645-4931
mcyu@buffalo.edu
APPLY FOR REU PROJECT
REU SUMMER 2024 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
We invite students to apply for our 2024 Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates, here.
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