Program Registration

Register for eCLOSE 2023 Summer Programs

Summary

Students in grades 6-12 will become biomedical researchers, conducting experiments to combat cancer and diabetes right in their own homes. Each eCLOSE camper will receive a research station in the mail that is theirs to keep, with instruction provided by eCLOSE experts via Zoom. The program focuses on uncovering the creativity and health-related viewpoints of the students themselves, and integrates them into a growing community of scientists focused on reducing the burden of disease through diet.

eCLOSE programs bring the lab to the learners! We ship all of the tools and materials needed for participants to set up their own @Home lab stations- and then the scientific journey begins!

eCLOSE Institute works with an amazing model organism: The Fruit Fly! Session participants will learn why this small insect is important in biomedical research and how it can be used to address questions about diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

CURE Students

Camp@Home programs will examine how diet impacts fruit fly development and analyze their very own data! Presentation Day is a highlight, where campers present their exciting results and conclusions to family friends and community at an end-of-week Zoom event.

Lab at Home Presentation Day

eCLOSE Introduction to Research

This is a virtual program where participants will receive fully equipped lab kits in the mail and login to instruction each day via Zoom. Participants from all over the USA are welcome, providing an exciting opportunity to meet new scientists from other places and learn from their experiences.  During the program, participants will learn important laboratory techniques, while strengthening their hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. Campers will work in collaborative break-out rooms and interact with scientist-science teacher instructors to learn more about how diets and foods affect the signals inside cells that cause disease like cancer and diabetes. The program uses The Fruit Fly, a model organism that has been explored for over a century to uncover the secrets inside cells that support healthy growth and development and combat disease. Included in this Lab@Home kit:  micropipettors, digital balance, tube racks, USB microscope, beaker, graduated cylinder and all of the materials needed to complete the experiments.

**Participants will need to provide their own internet capable device for this program. All other materials will be supplied.

Session Offered

Sessions offered:

Session 1: Tuesday, June 20—Friday, June 23
8:30AM-12:30 ET
(7:30 AM-11:30AM CT, 6:30AM-10:30AM MT, 5:30AM-9:30AM PT)

Session 2: Tuesday, June 20—Friday, June 23
12:45PM-4:45PM ET
(11:45-3:45PM CT, 10:45AM-2:45PM MT, 9:45AM-1:45PM PT)

Fly into Biochemistry and Behavior

The saying goes “You are what you eat!”. This virtual program will test that idea, advancing discovery from Intro to Research Camps to measure diet effects on macromolecules and overall behaviors. Participants will receive an exciting new Lab-in-a-Box at home, with instruction and collaboration with fellow growing scientists conducted via Zoom.

**Participants will need to provide their own internet capable device for this program. All other materials will be supplied.

Biochemistry: Have you wondered where biology and chemistry intersect? This is the lab@home for you! Participants will measure how diet treatments change macronutrients—like sugar—in the whole body. Your mission is to find diets that improve health—at least the health of a Fruit Fly! Included in the lab@home kit: Equipment, tubes and supplies needed to complete biochemistry experiments. Some materials and equipment from the previous two levels will also be utilized.

Behavior: Do you ever feel hyper after eating a pile of candy? What about a healthy salad? In this camp, we will explore how diet changes behavior and connect those changes to our biochemistry results for a deeper understanding of the effects of nutrients on the Fruit Fly’s response to different foods.

Bring your biggest ideas and curiosity! We can’t wait to see all that you discover.

Sessions Offered

Session 1: August 7-11 9AM-Noon ET (8AM-11AM CT, 7AM-10AM MT, 6AM-9AM PT)
Session 2: August 7-11 1PM-4PM ET (Noon-3PM CT, 11AM-2PM MT, 10AM-1PM PT)

Pocket Scope - Fruit Fly Larvae

eClose Camp@Home

Participants receive: Materials/small equipment for use in the laboratory & future research.

Hands-on, Authentic Citizen Science Research

  • Examine Impact of Diet on Disease Pathways (Cancer/Diabetes)
  • Visiting Scientists: Q&A
  • Collaborative engagement with other Student Scientists

Requirements

  • Grades 5th –> 12th
  • Commitment to full program & presentation
  • Device for internet access
Camp Lab Station
Sessions Offered

Introduction to Research *
6/20- 6/23 (8:30AM-12:30PM or 12:45PM-4:45PM EST)

Biochemistry
8/7- 8/11 (9AM-Noon or 1PM-4PM EST)

Behavior
8/7- 8/11 (9AM-Noon or 1PM-4PM EST)

* Introduction to Research is required for Biochemistry or Behavior. Attendence at a hosted Camp also meets this requirement.

SHE Student at HomeLab

Undergraduate Bridge Train@Home

Early research experiences promote success in STEM—in college and careers!  eCLOSE Undergraduate Bridge helps students excel as college STEM majors and prepares them for work in research labs at universities and companies. All research conducted during eCLOSE Undergraduate Bridge is original and celebrates the many cultures and backgrounds of participants to begin to uncover new approaches to prevent and treat diseases that affect students’ families and communities.

eCLOSE Train@Home immerses undergraduates in laboratory-based research, providing the technical and conceptual skills to attack these important questions head on.  As an eCLOSE Train@Home participant, you will conduct a genetic screen to identify nutrients or antiviral compounds that affect signals important for cancer, diabetes, or chronic pain.  Using the results of the screen, you will develop hypotheses for WHY the nutrient or drug has an effect and design an experimental plan for determining the answers.

Don’t panic—expert eCLOSE Train@Home instructors will be with you the whole way, guiding you through the decision tree and supporting your development as a research scientist!

eCLOSE Train@Home is particularly interested in YOUR ideas, including the dietary interventions used in your family for disease prevention or treatment and the diseases that matter most to you.  Projects will be conducted in collaboration with professional scientists, with the data you collect included in their ongoing cancer and disease research efforts.

Eligibility

High school graduates and undergraduates

Session Offered

Coming Soon