Dr. Rao, Dr. Frey and graduate students from the Chemical Biochemical & Environmental Engineering Department (CBEE) at UMBC as well as collaborators, released a transcript in bioRxiv, titled: “An approach to rapid distributed manufacturing of broad spectrum anti-viral griffithsin using cell-free systems to mitigate pandemics”.

The study details a way for swiftly and effectively synthesizing a protein with broad-spectrum activity. The protein, known as griffithsin, can now be made using either a plant-based or microbial cell-free technology in less than 24 hours and is effective against viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 in vitro. 

The production process is effective and scalable, and its quality and purity have been confirmed using accepted regulatory metrics. Being able to quickly deploy it anywhere in the world to aid in containing viral outbreaks at their source makes it a crucial tool for pandemic mitigation. The development of viral variants has resulted in frequent updates to current vaccines and decreased efficacy of some monoclonal antibody treatments, making proteins like griffithsin a potential asset to the suite of antiviral therapies.

GOT WINTER BREAK PLANS? Participate in an employer site visit through EACE’s 2023 Virtual Road Trips to the Real World!

Participate in EACE’s 2023 Virtual Road Trips to the Real World! Road Trips offers college students the opportunity to attend one-day employer virtual site visits between January 4 - 20, 2023. Host companies will talk about their organization, industry, internships, and job opportunities. This is your chance to get the inside scoop and virtually get your foot in the door at 18+ participating employers.

The registration deadline is the morning of the virtual visit date or one week before an in-person session. Register at eace.org/roadtrips

During each virtual site visit, you will get an in-depth look at how the company operates and see firsthand the potential internships and jobs that are available. You will also network with employers and get a head start on your career planning. This is an opportunity you do not want to miss!

WHO:     Students who are interested in exploring career opportunities. Open to any current undergraduate or graduate student attending a college or university that is a member of the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers (EACE).

WHAT:   An opportunity for students to learn first-hand about a career field, network with employers, and explore internship and job opportunities at 18 companies.

WHERE: Virtually: Connect from anywhere you have online access!

WHEN:   Registration is open from November 1 until the morning of a virtual visit date or one week before an in-person session. Site visits take place on one day between January 4 - 20, 2023. View the schedule and register at eace.org/roadtrips.

WHY:     It will help you to think about life after college and the career paths that are available. After all, it is never too early to start thinking about your career!

THIS YEAR'S SITES INCLUDE:

In-person:

Subaru of America, Inc., Camden, NJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, NJ

Staples, Inc. (EACE Sponsor), Framingham, MA

Virtual:

·       USLI

·       Vanguard

·       Warner Brothers Discovery

·       The GIANT Company

·       JCDecaux North America

·       Protiviti

·       Amazon Web Services (AWS)

·       Fastenal

·       Green Chimney Children’s Services

·       BDO USA LLP

·       Ability Beyond (EACE Sponsor)

·       Alpha Omega Integration

·       Southcoast Health

City Year

The Road Trips virtual site visits cost $5.00 (plus EventBrite processing fee) per site and are non-refundable. 

The Multicultural Leadership Experience (MLE) is a collaboration between Campus Life and Initiatives for Identity Inclusion & Belonging (i3B), that seeks to: 

Engage participants in a multicultural development and leadership learning program; 
Enhance participants' understanding of their social identities, leader identity, as well as their capacity to lead; 
And enable participants' development through authenticity, self-awareness, relationships, and capitalizing on difference. 

The sessions are as follows:

- Monday, February 13th, 3 - 4:30pm 

- Monday, February 27th, 3 - 4:30pm 

- Monday, March 13th, 3 - 4:30pm 

- Monday, April 17th, 3 - 4:30pm 

- Monday, May 15th, 3 - 5:00pm 

***All sessions will take place in The Commons 2B23 | The Mosaic: Center for Cultural Diversity***
 

Participants will be exploring the concept of Authentic Leadership, Legacy Building, and Breaking Barriers of White Supremacy within Leadership. We will do this in a leadership learning cohort by: 

• Enhancing participants' leader identity and leadership capacity using an identity-conscious lens and student development theories;
• Increasing participants' awareness of their personal abilities, identity development, and intersections that shape their story through authenticity, self-reflection, and cultural humility;
• Exploring the role they play in developing relationships while building intra/intercultural connections; 
• And capitalizing on their differences, specifically in relation to their racial, ethnic, national, and other salient identity social groups. 

The purpose of all MLE programs is to provide a space for students and student leaders who identify within diverse or marginalized backgrounds to discover their own capacity to lead, while also promoting a better understanding of their experiences, issues, strengths, and outcomes in navigating their own collegiate careers. However, ALL students are welcome to apply!   

Registration is due Monday, February 6th, 2023 at 11:59pm. If you are interested in signing up to be a part of our Spring 2023 cohort, you can sign up using this form. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to participate. In order to be accepted into the program you must commit to all 5 sessions. Please answer all of the questions before submitting your registration. Any questions can be sent to campuslife@umbc.edu and i3b@umbc.edu.