“...Undergraduate Majors Will Be Encouraged to
Conduct Original Research....”
The College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin
has established an ambitious program to introduce large numbers of
undergraduates to independent research from virtually their first moments
on campus—the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI). The students are
involved in a year-long authentic research experience for which they receive
course credit toward their degree. Students are recruited from a variety of
backgrounds, including honors students, students underrepresented in the
sciences, and students typically at risk for underperformance in college (first
generation, low socio-economic status, low SAT). In the first semester of their
freshman year these students take a Research Methods course that introduces
them to the concepts of hypothesis building and experimental exploration,
and they are encouraged to develop unique research ideas. In the second
semester, students join a “Research Stream”, an extension of an ongoing
faculty-led research project, which allows them to develop research skills in a
particular area while simultaneously executing what we like to call ‘parallel
but independent’ projects. Each Research Stream consists of roughly thirty
“Kay & I were both fortunate to have participated in undergraduate chemistry research projects. Without a doubt,
the experience was critical in our decisions to pursue advanced studies here at the University of Texas. Since we
both came from liberal arts backgrounds, we benefitted greatly from the individual attention from faculty, who
were developing our early skills. We enthusiastically support the FRI so that a new generation of scientists might
benefit from the spectacular resources that UT has to offer to promising students.”
Drs. John and Kay Colapret, UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry alumni
Research Streams
Supramolecular Sensors Biobricks Mitochondrial
Professor Eric Anslyn Professor Karen Browning Gene Expression
Dr. Alona Umali Dr. Grace Choy Professor Dean Appling
Dr. Anne Tibbetts
Can we make an array sensor that How do cells make proteins?
can analyze complex mixtures? How do mitochondria synthesize
This Research Stream involves synthe-
proteins that are critical for cell
This FRI Stream aims to create a sizing genes or gene fragments and
function and human health?
peptide-based sensor array that can piecing them together like Legos (Bio-
“taste” and “smell” complex mixtures bricks) with molecular cloning tools. Mitochondria possess the machinery
such as blood, urine, and saliva for The genes, or gene fragments, will to replicate and express their own
the detection of disease. To do this, be used to explore how proteins are DNA, which is essential for the proper
undergraduate researchers are work- synthesized from mRNS templates. function of this critical cellular organ-
ing to construct an array of peptidic, Students receive training in all aspects of elle. This Research Stream utilizes
colorimetric sensors capable of finger- molecular cloning as well as recombinant the power of yeast genetics to identify
printing mixtures. In essence, these protein expression in bacteria. and dissect the mitochondrial gene
arrays show different color combina- expression machinery.
tions in response to different mixtures,
enabling unique identification.
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