Bowdoin College Shares in $18-Million INBRE Grant for Biomedical Research and Training

BRUNSWICK, ME – Bowdoin College is among 13 institutions sharing in a federal grant worth about $18 million to strengthen biomedical research and training in Maine. Bowdoin’s share is nearly $800,000, most of which is to be disbursed over five years.

The announcement was made by the MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, the founder and leader of the statewide network. It’s part of the INBRE (IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence) program, established 18 years ago and covering 23 states and Puerto Rico.

The grant, awarded every five years, will fund the renewal of the Maine INBRE program, whose members include the University of Maine and The Jackson Laboratory, as well as undergraduate institutions like Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby Colleges, College of the Atlantic, and others. “The renewal will allow us to continue a very successful program to create biomedical research and research training opportunities across the state, and especially among our undergraduate partner institutions,” says James A. Coffman, director of the Maine INBRE program and associate professor at MDI Biological Laboratory. “Maine INBRE provides opportunity where it does not otherwise exist,” he added.

Josiah Little Professor of Natural Sciences Patsy Dickinson spearheads Bowdoin’s grant application process. “To me, the importance of the grant is the ability it gives us to support the level of student research that we have going on here. Every summer we typically have eight to ten students conducting research funded by INBRE.”

Furthermore, she adds, much of the work done during these summer fellowships forms the basis for projects undertaken throughout the academic year, often as senior honors projects. “This grant lets the students undertake research at a much higher level than they could otherwise do.”

The official title of the grant, she said, is Comparative Functional Genomics, “which refers to the use of model systems to look at health-related biomedical problems, mostly at the molecular level.” This summer, the INBRE grant is supporting eight student projects using a variety of systems, including zebra fish, fruit flies (or Drosophila), lobster, yeast, and plants.

“While some of this research may one day contribute to the development of new medical applications,” says Dickinson, “the INBRE-funded projects are more about research training than doing frontline research, so we also send students to national conferences and bring guest speakers here. Another opportunity funded through INBRE is an annual two-week residential research experience at the MDI Biological Lab that we take students to every spring break.”

While the biggest portion of the grant funds student research, there is also money for new equipment, says Dickinson. “The biggest thing we’re getting this time is a new, updated bioanalyzer. It’s a machine that enables you to look at the quality and quantity of RNA and DNA extracted from organisms. This new model will be much more student-friendly.”

Bowdoin faculty will also benefit from the grant. The award includes nearly $78,000 for research training faculty awards, which are distributed over a three-year period. Professor of Biology Michael Palopoli is to receive funding for his research project, titled Evolution of Gene Regulation Within and Between Species of Drosphila.

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Announces Winners of 2025 Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2025 Product Awards! The award program recognizes innovation and excellence in products that enhance learning environments in K–12 schools and institutions of higher education.

  • i-PRO, NovoTrax Partner for New School Emergency Response Solution

    i-PRO Americas, Inc., which manufactures edge computing cameras, recently announced a partnership with NovoTrax, provider of end-to-end life safety and mass notification solutions, to address gaps in emergency response workflows at K–12 schools, according to a news release.

  • AP Construction Breaks Ground on Two Projects for Austin ISD

    Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) recently announced that it has broken ground on two renovation projects for the Austin Independent School District, according to a news release. The work at McCallum and Anderson High Schools totals 97,350 square feet and is scheduled for completion in January 2027.

  • cutaway view of a modern school building, showing various rooms and zones

    Layering AI into HVAC Systems Shows Reduction in Carbon Emissions

    Heating and cooling systems are just one of the many new ways that AI can be integrated into schools. According to a new study from Schneider Electric's Sustainability Research Institute, AI-powered HVAC systems in schools can lead to significant carbon emissions savings.

Digital Edition