Michael A. Palladino, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Monmouth University

Department of Biology

400 Cedar Avenue, Edison Hall-Room 226

West Long Branch, New Jersey 07764-1898

mpalladi@monmouth.edu

http://bluehawk.monmouth.edu/mpalladi

Dr. Palladino's CV

Member of the Following FASEB Society:

Society for the Study of Reproduction

Program Description

I am a current and active member of the Society for the Study of Reproduction and a strong advocate of supporting undergraduate student research.

Without question I have chosen to pursue a career as a faculty member at an undergraduate institution because of my positive experiences as an undergraduate student researcher. My c.v. details my funding history which currently includes an NIH R15 grant (R15 HD046451-01A1, 2005-08) for the project “Hypoxia and the Role of HIF-1 in the Ischemic Testis.” To date I have served as a mentor for over 50 undergraduate student researchers. My c.v. highlights accomplishments of selected undergraduate student research profiles and past student involvements are also available via my website (http://bluehawk.monmouth.edu/mpalladi, link to “Student Research”).

Page 15 of my c.v. describes the two reproductive biology research projects that are active in my laboratory. Both projects (Toll-like receptors and innate immunity of male reproductive organs, and the testicular torsion project) will be available for students. Undergraduate students will have an integrated and essential role in all aspects of this research from planning and carrying out experiments and troubleshooting techniques, through data interpretation, and presenting results at regional and/or national meetings. All students that are involved in significant aspects of the project will be eligible for co-authorship on publications that result from this work.

The summer research program at Monmouth University begins during the third week of May and ends during the third week of August; however, there is reasonable flexibility to these dates depending on student availability. Students would be expected to enroll in our summer research course BY 250 (for sophomores) or BY 450 (junior and seniors) – Research in Molecular Cell Physiology. BY 250/450 is a student-faculty collaborative research course. A copy of the course syllabus from summer 2006 is attached.

There are 2 slots available for qualified SROP students with the potential to take additional students depending on the number of Monmouth students who want to be in my laboratory. The deadline for applying is April 15, 2007; however this date can be adjusted if necessary.

Undergraduate Student Involvement: An overall goal of my teaching and scholarship plan at Monmouth University is to introduce undergraduates to the research process. I strongly believe that a quality undergraduate research experience provides many benefits for students while complementing and extending what they learn in didactic classes. I chose to pursue a career as a biologist largely because of a positive first experience in research with my undergraduate faculty mentor. Quality research with undergraduate students is an investment in educating and training students as much as it is an advancement of my own scholarship. I developed two summer research courses called BY 250 and BY 450 – Research and Molecular Cell Physiology. Both courses provide a faculty-student collaborative research experience in an area of molecular or cellular biology. Students experience all aspects of the research process from project funding to developing hypotheses, planning, carrying out and troubleshooting experiments, and analyzing results, to preparing results for presentation and publication.

These courses were designed so that rising sophomores enroll in BY 250 while junior and senior biology majors enroll in BY 450. As an early introduction to the research process, BY 250 students participate in fundamental aspects of advanced projects carried out by students in BY 450. BY 250 students are paired with BY 450 students and part of the rationale for this course is to provide a mentor system for rising sophomores with the goal that they eventually help mentor upcoming students. This provides students the opportunity to be involved in research for a significant period of time, increasing the likelihood that they will have a product (in the form of a conference presentation, published abstract or even co-authorship on a peer-reviewed paper) to show for their efforts before they graduate, and it allows me to develop sustainable research programs involving undergraduates. These courses run in the summer 10-week term and a majority of Monmouth University students continue their research during long-semesters through BY 499 – Independent Study.

INTERESTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: Please submit the FASEB MARC SROP Application Form and supporting documentation to: Fran Yates, FASEB MARC Program, 9650 Rockville Pike, Suite E-200; Bethesda, MD 20814. eMAIL: fyates@faseb.org; Tel: 301-634-7109; Fax: 301-634-7353.

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