DATE:
February 12, 2000
TO:
FROM: Student #1
SUBJECT:
Proposal for a Research Report on In-Vitro Hair Cell Regeneration in
Immortomouse Utricles.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This research report will be written in conjunction with experimental research
currently underway. The written report will be presented as part of the Distinguished
Majors Program in Chemistry.
Sensory epithelial hair cells are responsible for the mechanotransduction of sound and
balance stimuli into the electrical signals of the nervous system. In the inner ear,
cochlear hair cells transduce sound and vestibular hair cells transduce the motion of
the head. The utricle is an sensory organ in the balance system.
I will determine whether hair cells can he regenerated in the transgenic C3HHEN
Immortomouse after damage. Prior research has demonstrated that these cells will
proliferate under specific conditions as a cell line, Further research has shown partial
but not complete differentiation of the new cells in culture. I hypothesize that complete
differentiation requires the presence of the other cells in the utricle. Preliminary data
for this project supports this hypothesis.
This research report requires both experimental and library research.
This research report presents an interesting challenge for my work in ENWR 380.
Authors of scientific papers often overuse passive voice and pretend a lack of emotion
in their topic. I have discovered similar constraints in my own academic writing style.
This research report will give me the opportunity to balance the writing techniques I
learn in ENWR 380 with the traditionally "dry" writing styles of scientific researchers.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
In the field of inner ear hair cell regeneration, several approaches are being explored.
These approaches range from transplantation to genetic alteration. Recently, scientists
created a transgenic mouse whose cells can be forced to divide and grow when placed
at 33 degrees Celsius in the presence of the transcription inducer interferon-gamma.
The utricles of the animals can be placed in organ culture, damaged, and allowed to
proliferate at 33 degrees Celsius. After three days of incubation, the organs can be
moved to 39 degrees Celsius, where they will stop dividing. I hypothesize that the
newly formed cells will then differentiate into functional hair cells. I will perform a
series of experiments and will write a research paper describing the results of these
experiments. This paper will include extensive background research. The background
research will be conducted primarily at the Health Sciences Library and will be
pursued in parallel with the experimental research. The experimental and background
research will be compiled and the analysis of the results discussed. My goal is to
publish this research in a peer-reviewed neuroscience or cellular biology journal.
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:
Rearing and balance disorders affect at least one person in every twenty. Many of
these disorders are attributed to the loss of hair cells from the inner car. In adult
mammals, once hair cells are destroyed they do not regenerate and sensory deprivation
results. Thus, if hair cells could he repaired or regenerated, these hearing and balance
disorders could be treated. The current project will try to show that once new cells are
formed in the utricle of an adult mammal, they will differentiate into functional hair
cells. This result has various medical applications since gene therapy and
microtransplantation are becoming accepted procedures.
TASK BREAKDOWN:
I anticipate that the research will require four phases: background library research,
experimental research, analysis of experimental research, and compilation of findings
for the written report.
Feb. 12-Apr. 1: Library Research
Dec. 20-Apr. I: Experimental Research
Feb. 12-Apr. I: Analysis
-lmmunocytochemistry/Photomicroscopy
-Consultation with Developmental Otolaryngology Lab Primary
Investigator
Apr. I-Apr. 21: Compilation of findings
Apr. 8:
First draft (organizing argument's claims, reasons, and evidence)
Apr.15:
Second draft (refining argument: tightening subsections & paragraphs)
Apr.21:
Final draft submitted (further revisions, including style)
BUDGET:
The Developmental Otolaryngology lab will cover the costs of the experimental
research this report will describe.
PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS:
I am qualified to conduct both the experimental and background research involved in
this project. I have worked in the Developmental Otolaryngology lab at the University
of Virginia Health Sciences Center for the past two years. I am trained in the
dissection, culturing, and analysis techniques required by the experimental protocol. I
am also familiar with the general research background surrounding hair cell damage
and repair in mammalian systems.
PROBLEMS:
The preliminary data may be misleading. The new cells may not differentiate into hair
cells. Information will still be gained by this negative result. A negative result
demonstrates that the new cells need more than simply to be located in the sensory
epithelium to differentiate.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study may be important to various hair cell regeneration researchers
and health care providers. If successful, these results will demonstrate that hair cell
regeneration is possible given the right conditions. Once the reality of regeneration has
been shown, more granting agencies will fund -research toward defining the correct
conditions and developing treatments for hearing and balance loss in humans. I hope
that my paper will convey the results of my research accurately and persuasively so
that my colleagues will trust the results and follow them with their own experiments.
Student I
College of Arts and Sciences
University of Virginia
e-mail: xxxx @virginia.edu
tel: 92~XXXX
Date:
10 Feb 2000
From:
Student #2
To:
SUBJECT: Proposal for Independent Study: A Survey of
Literature on Strategic Information Acquisition
Project Summary
Strategic information acquisition is a subject of interest
to economists, especially those who work in game theory or
industrial organization. The literature on strategic
information acquisition is divided into three categories based
on the author's answer to the following question: is the
decision regarding strategic information acquisition a one-,
two-, or three-stage game?
I plan to research articles from each of these three
categories and to write a paper on what the literature has to
offer and the strengths and weaknesses I discover in each of
the three views by reading these articles.
The experience of completing extended research in and
writing a paper on an area of my field, Economics, will be of
use to me in my fourth year at the University of Virginia. I
hope to be accepted to the Distinguished Majors' Program
and will be required to write a thesis. Completing this project
now, in my third year, should be excellent preparation.
This project will require mostly library research and
work with my supervisor in the Economics Department and
with my Academic and Professional Writing Seminar Group.
Sufficient information should be available from the
University of Virginia's library system and from sources
available to my supervisor.
Project Description
I plan to write a paper of anywhere from ten to twenty
pages that will summarize and evaluate about ten to fifteen
articles on the topic of strategic information acquisition. My
goal is to make the paper worthy of consideration of
publication in one of the journals devoted to surveys of
literature for economists.
Problem Justification
As an Economics major at the University of Virginia, I
have enjoyed studying that subject. I have not, however, read
many technical works from the field of Economics other than
my textbooks. I feel that a research project such as this one
will expose me to such works, extending my knowledge of
the field and preparing me for further study.
Personnel Qualifications
Currently in my third year. I have completed all of the
core requirements for my major and have taken several additional
courses, including Industrial Organization. This class covered basic
game theory. I am now enrolled in the Economic Department's Game
Theory class. For my independent study, I will be working with
Eliane Catalina. She is currently teaching the Game Theory class and
has studied Industrial Organization as well.
Task Breakdown
I planned for myself the following work schedule for the
completion of my project with work to be completed by the dates
given. I have designated Friday as the day for my deadlines for two
reasons: 1)1 will most often meet with Ms. Catalina early in the week
and my written work will depend on input from her 2) the deadline
for work in the writing seminar is Saturday.
2/18
I will complete initial research on the general topic of
Strategic Information Acquisition. I will then write a brief,
written summary of the topic.
2/25-3/17 Each week I will read two to four articles, writing a
summary of each.
3/24
I will have my thesis statement and a sentence outline for
my paper. I should be involved in writing my rough draft.
4/7
1 will have completed my rough draft.
4/14
I will have revised my paper based on editorial responses
and will have my second draft.
4/21
I will be ready for final editing and revisions.
4/28
My paper will be ready for submission. I might like to
complete a page or two on the experience of researching
and writing the paper after I have finished it.
Problems
I may face problems with the research and the writing. I may
have difficulties in understanding some of the information I will be'
studying. Ms. Catalina has offered to help me with this. Due to the
nature of the subject, I may have difficulties making the paper
readable, simple. story-like. I will have difficulties with characters
and actions since this is abstract material. The other students and the
lector in my writing seminar may be able to help me with these
problems.
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 11:38:40 PST
From: Student #3
To:
Subject: Assignment #3
Project Proposal
I have been assigned the following paper topic for my class,
"Religion in America since1865":
Immigration to the United States in the late-nineteenth and
early-twentieth centuries presented both "native" Americans
and immigrants with new challenges and opportunities.
Discuss the ways in which Catholics and Jews dealt with life
in the United States. What problems did they face? What did
they do to retain their religious identities? Why did religion
play an important role? Address the differences with each
group. Be sure to distinguish between assimilation and
acculturation, and give an example of each. Discuss why
nativist Protestants thought immigrants were a threat. Use
quotes from "The Rise of David Levinsky" AND "Our
Country" to support your argument.
The assigned paper requires the writer to address a variety of
topics. Because these topics may be difficult to relate to each
other, this paper will be a challenge. I feel that this assignment is
worthwhile use of our class' writing workshop. The assignment is
significant, also, because the paper is a large component of my
grade for Religion 216.
I plan to research beyond the expectations of the assignment, that
is to say, I intend to utilize more than just the assigned texts. The
paper will be seven pages, as recommended.
Because this paper is due on Wednesday, February 23, 1 plan to
complete the entire draft by Monday's class on February 21st.
Incidentally, I will bring in a new project proposal the following
week.
Project Proposal
Student #4
ENWR 380
2/4/00
This semester, I am working on a semester-long project for the Volunteer
Services Office. My sponsor, Ms. X, is always recruiting new volunteers,
and she wants me to create some sort of portfolio or spread of all the
different volunteer positions. In this project, I take pictures of volunteers in
the hospital setting and then organize them with descriptions of that job.
One goal of the project is to take a marketing approach with the descriptions
and sell people on volunteering. I need to interview the volunteers so as to
write the descriptions and also do several drafts to determine what Liz
wants. I knew that I wanted to take ENWR 380 last semester so I have
already taken several pictures, but there are still over 20 more people to
photograph.
There is always a need for volunteers at the hospital. Currently, the
Volunteer Services staff are working on increasing the interest in the
community. This project's main goal is to create excitement, to sell these
positions to the community. The volunteers at the hospital are an integral
component, allowing the hospital to run smoothly and efficiently. When this
project was first discussed, the current volunteers were also excited to work
with me to make the best scrapbook possible. Already, I have begun to see
the inner workings of the different departments at the hospital and that is a
perfect way for me 10 learn more about the medical profession (always a
bonus considering that I want to go into medicine myself!).
By allowing me to use this hospital project for ENWR 380, 1 am able to set
up a schedule of deadlines for my work. By having weekly assignments, I
will be motivated the entire semester to have weekly updates for Ms. X.
Also, I will be able to use the other students' opinions to better attract new
volunteers. My writing is not a strong suit for me and by having the group
help me, I can make this small contribution to the hospital that much better.
I envision that the final project will work well to attract people, and I am
confident that my classmates will help me market these positions better.
I have been volunteering at the hospital for almost I year. In this time, I
have been learning the ropes in the volunteer office. I have been trained to
answer questions about the volunteer program, have made many new
friends, and have learned about the hospital itself. I hope to investigate and
research more deeply these jobs and think that I can produce a final product
of which that my sponsor will be proud.
Each week, I hope to turn in several job descriptions. I want the other
students to offer advice and critique my writing and my style. By the end of
the semester, I hope to have a final project, a scrapbook, of these
descriptions and the photographs to match. I will be able to work on this
project at the hospital and also at home on my computer. It should be
completed by the last week of school and turned into both the class and to
the hospital at that time.