Cellular Neuroscience Imaging Laboratory
Contact information:
(217) 333-8367
cabest@illinois.edu
1106 Micro and Nanotechnology Lab
The Gaj Lab
Contact information:
(217) 300-7334
gaj@illinois.edu
2252 Everitt Lab
Research summary:
Ideal applicant should have:
When to apply:
Research Assistant testimonial:
Joseph Maria Kumar Irudayaraj
Sirk Research Group
Contact information:
(217) 300-7413
sirk@illinois.edu
2250 Everitt Lab
Research summary:
Engineer commensal microbes for in situ delivery of engineered biological therapeutics.
Ideal applicant should have:
Independent, responsible, interested in a long-term commitment to the lab, mature, able to read/understand/utilize primary literature for experimental ideas and design, logical, demonstrates high-level understanding of molecular biology fundamentals and lab techniques. It’s important for undergraduates to understand that their presence in the lab is an investment on our part – it takes time and effort to train a new student and we need to make sure that the first few months of training that slow us down in the lab will be paid off later when the student has gained enough knowledge and skills to be able to productively contribute to forward progress in the lab. We are also dedicated to proper training for students interested in careers in research, so the expectations we set are designed to achieve the goal of having graduating seniors be at the level of first-year graduate students as a result of their training in our lab.
When to apply:
N/A. I get emails all of the time from interested students and I respond based on availability of mentors in the lab (grad students and postdocs), and I follow up based on demonstrated qualifications for working in the lab. Students are encouraged to start looking into research as early as possible, but understand that working in a lab as a freshman or even a sophomore is challenging with regard to the undergraduate course load. We will often invite first and second year students to attend group meetings so that we can assess their fit for the lab based on their behavior and performance in this setting (and in meetings with me) before inviting them to begin working at the bench.
Undergrads in our lab earn credit hours rather than a salary, so funding doesn’t really play into the decision. There are always projects to work on, so changes in funding won’t change the availability of positions for undergraduate students.
Research Assistant testimonial:
Shweta Khorana, Class of 2022“The project that I’m currently working on is an offshoot of my graduate student mentor’s project where I am engineering gut commensal bacteria (bacteria that already live in and support the gut) to produce and secrete antibody-based therapeutics to treat different diseases in the body. I’ve really enjoyed conducting research in Sirk lab especially because of the one-on-one, individualized mentorship style. Both my graduate student mentor and PI, Dr. Sirk, are very hands-on and supportive while at the same time encouraging my independence on my project/in the lab. Through my research in Sirk lab, I have not only been exposed to novel and essential wet-lab techniques, but also the entirety of the research process (especially since my research has been fully remote in the Fall 2020 semester!). To apply to the lab, I would recommend getting in touch with Dr. Sirk directly.”
Andrew M. Smith
Tissue Development and Engineering Laboratory
Contact information:
(217) 244-2169
gunderhi@illinois.edu
2112 Everitt Lab
Research summary:
My laboratory’s research is focused on studying the processes that regulate cell differentiation and tissue organization during both tissue development and disease. These efforts are at the interface of cell and developmental biology, microfabrication, biomaterials, and mechanobiology. My lab aims to develop engineered cell culture platforms that (i) enable the controlled presentation of microenvironmental signals, (ii) facilitate high-throughput parallel analysis of extracellular signals and intrinsic genetic/epigenetic alterations, and (iii) integrate with models of tissue development and disease.
Ideal applicant should have:
The ideal applicant is responsible, motivated to learn, good communicator, and a good team member. Willing to work together with other undergraduate and graduate students. Attention to detail, good organizational skills, and commitment towards collective goals.
When to apply:
Positions become available on a rolling basis. Ideal time to apply (by email to Prof. Underhill) is during the middle of the semester prior to potentially starting at the beginning of the following semester.
Research Assistant testimonial:
Jacob Minin, Class of 2023“Professor Underhill’s lab has provided a fast-paced environment to learn lab techniques and refine my understanding of tissue engineering. Incoming undergrads are paired with a graduate student and work on their projects. My first graduate student mentor defended after my second semester in the lab, during which time I learned the basic cell culture and microfabrication techniques that I now use with a different mentor in the lab. I’ve been able to directly work with different cell types, fabrication techniques, and tissue models and been exposed to even more. There is a big focus on actually understanding the steps and background of the research, rather than blindly following a procedure. I have found that graduate students in the lab are willing to help and answer questions, even if they are busy themselves, making the lab a great place to learn and contribute.”