RNA Training Programs

Dr. Thomas Begley - Director of RNA Training Program

Thomas Begley is Associate Director of the RNA Institute and a Professor of Biological Sciences. He has trained in biomedical, engineering, public health and basic research settings throughout his career, with a focus on gene regulation and stress responses. He has mentored many graduate and post-doctoral students, with them finding positions in academia, government and commercial enterprises.
 

Dr. Marlene Belfort - Co-Director of RNA Training Program

Marlene Belfort is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has trained many PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, some of whom have pursued careers at prestigious universities and biotech companies. Dr. Belfort is experienced in administering NIH training grants.

The RNA Training Program faculty includes members from four UAlbany departments Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, plus faculty from SUNY Polytechnic Nanobiosciences. In addition, we have resource-faculty from the departments of Mathematics and Physics at UAlbany.

Visit the RNA Training Program Faculty Page.

The training program has developed a curriculum based on the national need for interdisciplinary training, in the general area of RNA Science and Technology in Health and Disease, to prepare students for jobs in academia, industry, government, communication, scientific foundations, and other private sector enterprises.
 

View the RNA Fellowship Checklist of Requirements
 

First Year
Students in the program complete a series of core courses required of their home departments, followed by courses on specific topics of interest in subsequent years. Students also undertake research rotations during their first year and then select a research advisor. Students will usually be selected for the training program in the Spring (second) semester of their first year.

Second Year and Beyond 
During their studies, trainees will take the two-semester RNA Flagship course. Other departmental electives can be selected. They will also present their work at the RNA Colloquium Program. At each colloquium given by an RNA Fellow they present on a topic that is broadly defined as the role of RNA in their research project or lab’s research area.

Students opt for the Entrepreneurship or Writing Workshop. Throughout their training, students will attend both their departmental and RNA-specific seminars.

Trainees, who are supported by teaching assistantships, will receive ample opportunities to teach. During their research training they will also be called upon to supervise undergraduates, allowing them to develop mentoring skills.

• RNA in Development, Disease and Therapeutics (HBMS692), students will be introduced to the diversity of RNA molecules and their functions, and the therapeutic potential of RNA.
   
• Physical and Chemical Principles in RNA Biology (BIO619), students will learn about common RNA techniques, experience application of these techniques in journal club discussions and get to use computer programs to process data or visualize molecules.
   
• Rigor and Reproducibility (BIO515A), students will learn basic statistical approaches and data analysis methods to design high quality experiments and interpret and report data with confidence. Rigor and reproducibility training is also provided though workshops and discussion group during the Annual RNA Symposium and summer RNA Retreat.

The courses usually meet twice a week over a 13-week period for 110 minute per class for a total of ~48 contact hours per semester.

There are five main events that serve as the basis for the entrepreneurship track. The goals of these training events are to provide students with exposure to resources and tools used to train entrepreneurs and to identify organizations and people that could help them with future business ventures. Students are expected to attend each event and complete the associated assignment.
 

1. IGNITEU Startup showcase

   Presentations by local entrepreneurs of operational startups companies that have completed the nine-week business Summer Accelerator Program. The Startups are competing for a prize package as chosen by a panel of local business experts and judges. Before August 2nd connect with Robert Manasier on LinkedIn.
    

2. SBIR Road Tour and TAF Pitch Competition

   The Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program is a funding mechanism that many federal funding agencies utilize. SUNY and Innovate 518 program are sponsoring a “SBIR Road Tour” on September 17th that will feature panel sessions from federal agency managers that administer the SBIR programs. At the same time the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF) is hosting a pitch competition from SUNY startups to compete for $50,000 to support commercialization milestones.

   The event run all day and you are welcome to attend provided it does not interfere with your research and you have checked with your PI. The pitch competition and SBIR/STTR workshop run from noon until 4pm.
    

3. Innovate 518

   A discussion with Robert Manasier regarding entrepreneur training and activities available to students via Innovate 518. This “Where do you fit” discussion will be scheduled in the fall based on student schedules.
    

4. Roundtable discussions 

   1. Scott Tenenbaum: A guided discussion around how to start a biotech company, lessons learned, and advice on how to do it.
   2. Ken Halvorsen and John Cleary: A guided discussion on technology development, technology transfer, and intellectual property in a University setting.
   3. Susan Sharfstein: A guided discussion of STTR/SBIR grants and working with industry on joint projects.

   Assignment: After the conclusion of the roundtable discussions series, students will prepare a short summary on how they would incorporate the lessons learned in future entrepreneurial ventures.
    

5. RNA Café speaker 

   Pairs of students will co-host an RNA Café talk for a speaker with business and/or entrepreneurial experience. Students will be responsible for introducing the speaker, escorting and introducing them to faculty, and conducting a brief post-café interview.

SCIENCE WRITING

Scientists need not only write in lucid and creative ways, but to communicate their work to other scientists and to the public. Students trained to do experiments must be educated to write in ways that project their work and open doors to writing creatively in an increasingly competitive arena.

Science writing and communication constitute an important platform of education for RNA Trainees. They will have many opportunities to learn to write well including access to introductory courses, Communication in Science (BMS510) or Responsible conduct and Skills in Scientific Communication (BIO 515b) to promote effective scientific writing of journal articles and data presentation skills for posters and giving oral presentations.

Students will have even broader opportunities to hone their writing and communication skills through the NYS Writers Institute. The RNA Training Program and NYS Writers Institute share common interdisciplinary goals including promoting creativity and critical thinking and a commitment to making something new. 

Individuals who have written about science for a broader public and have visited the Writers Institute include premier scientists like Jon Beckwith, Michio Kaku, Eric Kandel, Steven Jay Gould, Steven Pinker, and V.S. Ramachandran, and science journalists such as Natalie Angier and James Gleick.

It is of vital interest to the Writers Institute in this collaboration both to promote RNA students' communication skills and to prepare students to be honest brokers of their own research and ideas to a general public.

Science Communication with The Writers Institute 2020

Workshop: The science-writing workshop will consist of four 90-minute sessions with one session being held each month during the fall semester. All workshops will be led by Dr. Anette Breindl. Dr. Breindl, a neurobiologist, is senior science editor at BioWorld and a member of the National Association of Science Writers.

In the workshops, students will improve their own and each other’s science communication skills, primarily by learning to tailor communications to both the writers’ goals and their intended audiences. They will also learn about different science writing opportunities and careers. The expectation is that each fellow will produce a publication-worthy essay that could appear in the RNA Institute Newsletter, Trolley, the publication of the New York State Writers Institute, or similar publication. Dates and times of the workshops will be announced by Dr. Breindl.

Popular science presentations: RNA fellows will attend at least one selected presentation related to popular science, sponsored by the renowned Writer’s Institute. Presentations will be announced once the Fall Writers Institute schedule is set.

Description: Introduction to Scientific Communications Workshops, Fall 2020, Professor Anette Breindl