Editor’s Note: UNMC’s impact on Nebraska is immense.
You see it in the faces of the doctors, nurses and pharmacists we train. And, in those who pursue careers in dentistry, allied health, public health, or research.
It plays out when graduates return to rural communities to keep the pharmacy open. Or, start new practices that help patients obtain health care close to home.
UNMC’s work brings pride to a state that champions success.
So, in this year of tight Legislative budgets, let’s remind ourselves of how UNMC, along with all of the University of Nebraska campuses, impact the state.
And then acknowledge that the work we do matters.
Over the next few weeks, we will share stories on how UNMC makes a difference. We can’t begin to know every story, so feel free to add your own “impact” stories in the comments below, or share them with UNMC PR via unmcpr@unmc.edu.
UNMC-led program sparks biomedical careers
Elkhorn, Neb., native Riley Jones was turned on to scientific research when he joined the Nebraska INBRE program, which operates out of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Before entering the program in 2015, Jones had never had the opportunity to participate in research.
Suddenly, he discovered what it was like to work in a research lab. And, he networked with individuals in the state’s Ph.D.-granting institutions and its biomedical research industry.
After graduating in 2017 with his biology degree, Jones landed a job at MatMaCorp in Lincoln, Neb., where he works on devices and systems for applications ranging from food safety to genetic analysis.
Established in 2001, the INBRE program builds a statewide biomedical research infrastructure and strengthens the research infrastructure at nine of Nebraska’s undergraduate institutions.
UNMC’s Paul Sorgen, Ph.D., oversees the Nebraska INBRE program and the $17.2 million National Institutes of Health grant that supports the work — a testament to the economic strength of the University of Nebraska.
About INBRE:
The students, referred to as INBRE scholars, enter the program after completing their sophomore year of college upon recommendation of their college professors. The students are given a two-year scholarship and spend 10 weeks each summer conducting research on either their home campus or at UNMC, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln or Creighton University.
Impact stories:
See more stories of UNMC’s impact statewide here.