Responding to the Tragedy in Beirut
Dear Members of the UMBC Community,
Our hearts are heavy as we see the impact of the devastating chemical explosion in Beirut on August 4 that killed more than 200 people, injured thousands, and left as many as 300,000 homeless. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, first responders, and the Lebanese community around the world, including here at UMBC.
We are aware that this catastrophe comes at a time when many people in our communities and around the world are already suffering because of the global coronavirus pandemic and other crises, including a gas explosion in a Baltimore residential neighborhood today. This context makes the tragedy in Beirut even more challenging to process, and the journey to recovery even more fraught. However, seeking to support those who are suffering, as we are able, can generate a powerful, positive response that brings care and kindness to those most in need.
If you would like to provide material support, the Lebanese Red Cross and the United Nations’ World Food Programme are among the many groups contributing to disaster response and recovery in Lebanon.
Tragedies impact community members in different ways, and we want to be certain that students, faculty, and staff who may need support as a result of this incident have information about resources available to them. Faculty and staff can request counseling through the ComPsych Employee Assistance Program by calling 855-410-7628. Students seeking support can access the Counseling Center at 410-455-2472 or, at the Shady Grove campus, the USG Center for Counseling and Consultation at 301-738-6273.
President Freeman Hrabowski and Provost Philip Rous
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Dear Members of the UMBC Community, Our hearts are heavy as we see the impact of the devastating chemical explosion in Beirut on August 4 that killed more than 200 people, injured thousands,...
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Tue, 11 Aug 2020 09:49:04 -0400
Requirements for Commuter Students with On-Campus Courses
Dear Students,
Whether you are new to UMBC or a returning student, Student Affairs and the Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) staff are incredibly excited to welcome you to the fall semester! We hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.
While no community can be completely free of COVID-19, our actions as a campus during the COVID-19 pandemic can protect one another’s health and limit the spread of the disease. UMBC will dramatically reduce the density of people on campus, from a population of 16,000 students, faculty, and staff during a normal semester to an anticipated daily population of 2,500 this fall.
As announced in a message to the UMBC community on August 5, there are important health and safety requirements for all community members if they will be learning, living, and working on campus this fall. OCSS wants to be sure that students who are commuting to campus for in-person classes understand clearly the steps they must take to protect themselves, support the health and safety of our campus community, and reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19 at UMBC and beyond. Information on student requirements is available and will continue to be updated on the Retrievers Return Roadmap site. OCSS will continue to update you with information as it becomes available.
COVID-19 Testing
Students commuting to campus this fall for in-person classes must provide confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test prior to the start of the semester on August 27. Due to demand for tests, we strongly encourage you to make an appointment as soon as possible to allow time for the return of your result and any necessary medical follow-up in the event of a positive test. Additional information on how to submit your results to UMBC will be shared as soon as possible.
Please note that, at this time, University of Maryland Medical System testing sites listed in the August 5 announcement are only serving individuals with COVID-19 symptoms.
Daily Symptom Tracking
Beginning August 13, students taking in-person classes during the fall semester will be required to complete UMBC’s online symptom trackerevery day, seven days a week, including both days that they do and do not anticipate being on campus. The form takes about 30 seconds to complete and includes a field to note your temperature and simple check boxes to indicate any symptoms or exposure. Students are encouraged to complete the daily symptom tracker first thing in the morning as a way to incorporate it into your daily “getting ready” routine.
Respondents who indicate possible COVID-19 symptoms or exposure may receive a follow-up call or other instructions based on their specific responses. Please do not travel to campusif you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have come in contact with a person experiencing symptoms, have tested positive for COVID-19, or have come in contact with someone who has tested positive.
To help fulfill the tracking requirement, students will receive daily email reminders to complete the symptom tracker. We also encourage bookmarking the symptom tracking site.
Educational Module and Retriever Community Agreement
Students who will be taking classes on campus this fall will receive a required online COVID-19 educational module to complete. At the end of the module, students will be required to sign a Retriever Community Agreement making a personal commitment to precautions and actions required in order to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19 on campus and beyond. Additional information is available on the Retrievers Return Roadmap site.
Code of Student Conduct Addendum
An addendum to the UMBC Code of Student Conduct with COVID-19 Emergency Community Rules will be applicable to all UMBC students and will be in effect until further notice.
Campus Services
In addition to the above requirements, we want to share some initial information about campus services and ways to stay connected, and will continue to share updates with you in the weeks ahead. While most services at UMBC will not be open physically, the Division of Student Affairs and other campus departments are open and supporting students virtually. Please check this myUMBC post for each department’s respective operating hours and contact information.
Any relevant information related to COVID-19 and its impact on UMBC’s services will be emailed to you directly and updates will also be posted on the Retrievers Return Roadmap site. Please bookmark this website; it will be a helpful resource for you and your families as you prepare to start the semester.
If you have questions about the COVID-19 requirements for students, please email covid19@umbc.edu. If you have questions about OCSS and student services, please contact one of our OCSS staff, call OCSS at 410-455-2770, or email us at ocss@umbc.edu.
Thank you very much for your commitment to helping us keep our UMBC community as healthy as possible. We look forward to seeing you soon!
The Staff of UMBC Off-Campus Student Services
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Dear Students, Whether you are new to UMBC or a returning student, Student Affairs and the Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) staff are incredibly excited to welcome you to the fall semester! We...
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Mon, 17 Aug 2020 10:52:33 -0400
Updated Information on COVID-19 Testing Requirements
The University System of Maryland recently mandated that all students, faculty, and staff approved to return to campus for the fall semester are required to have a COVID-19 test prior to the start of the semester, report the result, and begin daily symptom monitoring 14 days prior to arrival on campus.
While the campus continues to work with USM leaders and testing partners at UMB to finalize reporting process details, it is important that UMBC community members approved to be on campus this fall proceed now with testing according to the requirements below.
Further details about testing appointments and online symptom monitoring will be shared directly via UMBC email with students, faculty, and staff who are approved to return to campus.
Who Needs to Get a COVID-19 Test and When?
Faculty and staff within 14 days before the start of classes on August 27
- Faculty teaching face-to-face classes
- Faculty teaching online but approved to work from campus
- Staff approved to work on campus
- Students commuting to on-campus class
RCA faculty. staff, and students by August 17
- Research and Creative Achievement faculty, staff, and students approved for access to campus during RCA Return to Campus Phase 1 who were not tested in July
Residential student staff
- Within 14 days before arriving on campus AND during the move-in period, August 21-26
Residential students
- On-campus test on your assigned move-in date, before receiving access to residence hall
Where To Get a Free COVID-19 Test
There are both off-campus and on-campus testing options available at no charge to UMBC community members. Due to demand for tests, we strongly encourage community members to take advantage of off-campus options as soon as possible in order to allow time for the return of your result and any necessary medical follow-up in the event of a positive test.
- Free tests are available at the Baltimore Convention Center as well as other sites across Maryland.
- Out-of-state community members are encouraged to check the following link for testing locations near them.
- On-campus testing will be available August 21-26 for all residential students who are moving in and for faculty, staff, and students commuting to on-campus classes who are unable to access testing beforehand.
Please note that at this time, the University of Maryland Medical System testing sites are only serving individuals with COVID-19 symptoms.
As always,we invite you to share questions or concerns through the
covid19@umbc.edu inbox. All messages with an email address will receive responses.
Ridhi Chaudhary is a junior, majoring in Biological Sciences. She is a Meyerhoff and HHMI scholar, and also a member of the Honors College. Outside of undergraduate research, she has served as a learning assistant for general chemistry courses for the past year and a half, and she plans to start tutoring at the Chemistry Tutorial Center (CTC) in the fall. She is also a member of the Meyerhoff Student Council and the Secretary of the UMBC Medical Journal Club. Additionally, she has been volunteering with the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Aquatics Program through the Shriver Center since her freshman year.
Title of your research project:
Identification of the Initial Nucleocapsid Recognition Element in the HIV-1 RNA Packaging Signal
Description of the Research:
Selective packaging of the HIV-1 genome during virus assembly is mediated by interactions between the dimeric 5ʹ-leader of the unspliced viral RNA and the nucleocapsid (NC) domains of a small number of assembling viral Gag polyproteins. We found that the dimeric 5′-leader contains more than two dozen NC binding sites with affinities that reside within a ∼150-nt region of the leader sufficient to promote RNA packaging (core encapsidation signal, ΨCES). The four initial binding sites with highest affinity reside near two symmetrically equivalent three-way junction structures. Unlike the other high-affinity sites, which bind NC with exothermic energetics, binding to these sites occurs endothermically due to concomitant unwinding of a weakly base-paired [UUUU]:[GGAG] helical element. Mutations that stabilize base pairing within this element eliminate NC binding to this site and severely impair RNA packaging into virus-like particles. NMR studies reveal that a recently discovered small-molecule inhibitor of HIV-1 RNA packaging that appears to function by stabilizing the structure of the leader binds directly to the [UUUU]:[GGAG] helix. Our findings suggest a sequential NC binding mechanism for Gag-genome assembly and identify a potential RNA Achilles’ heel to which HIV therapeutics may be targeted.
The full work can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS):
Who is your mentor for your project?
My PI is Dr. Michael F. Summers in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department. I work under the guidance of Dr. Pengfei Ding who is a post-doc in the lab.
What research experiences have you had?
I am an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Michael Summers lab. I have been working here as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Scholar for the past 1 year and 3 months. I work under the guidance of Dr. Pengfei Ding and our research focuses on understanding the selective packaging mechanism of the HIV-1 genome, and the specific interactions between the Gag polyprotein and the viral RNA that facilitate packaging.
Prior to starting undergraduate research at UMBC, I was a Werner H. Kirsten student research intern at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) during my senior year of high school. At NCI, I was part of the RAS structural biology group that was focused on understanding the structure and function of various RAS proteins using X-Ray crystallography techniques.
How did you find the research opportunity?
I found this research opportunity through the Meyerhoff Scholars program as well as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scholarship.
What academic background did you have before you started?
When I started my undergraduate research journey in Dr. Summers lab, I was just completing my first year at UMBC. As such, I had introductory knowledge to the biology concepts used in his lab and very little knowledge of the biochemistry principles. By spending time in the lab performing experiments, reading papers, attending seminars, and having meaningful discussions about the research with my lab peers, I have developed a stronger understanding of the broader disciplines including biochemistry and NMR structural biology that are integral to the research conducted in Dr. Summers lab.
How did you learn what you needed to know to be successful in this project?
Dedication and a willingness to learn are perhaps the most important components of being successful in a research lab. In Dr. Summers lab, I acquired the skills that are needed to be successful in the research i.e. RNA preparation, protein purification, and DNA recombinant technologies by training with more experienced undergraduates and graduate students. Reading and analyzing scientific papers is another useful skill that I have improved upon by working more closely with my mentor, Dr. Pengfei Ding and by participating in various journal clubs.
What was the hardest part about your research?
The hardest part about the research was the beginning phase when I was trying to wrap my head around the scientific world that governs the research. A lot of the techniques such as in-vitro RNA transcription were completely new to me and it took some time to understand not only how to perform a protocol correctly but also the scientific reasoning of why each step was done in a specific way. Becoming accustomed to the style of thinking that is needed to understand the intricacies of the research takes time, but the process certainly becomes much smoother by engaging with the research consistently.
What was the most unexpected thing?
The most unexpected thing was switching from wet-lab work to remote research due to COVID-19. I really enjoy actively working in the lab by performing experiments and visualizing the results. Thus, the abrupt switch to all remote research took some getting used to as remote research for wet-labs tends to be more passive.
How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes?
A lot of HIV-1 structural biology research is founded on basic biology and biochemistry principles. As such, a lot of the knowledge that I have gained through this research can directly be applied to courses like organic chemistry and biochemistry, and vice versa.
What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
If you are in any way interested in research, I suggest that you reach out to the various undergraduate research offices and programs on campus so someone can help you get connected with a lab that matches your interests. For instance, the Meyerhoff office is a really great resource that can help you get access to research opportunities on campus. If you are not a Meyerhoff scholar, you can apply to be an affiliate and receive the same advising as other Meyerhoff scholars.
Once you are in a lab, be willing to learn the ideas and techniques that are important for your research. Also, be open to interacting with the people in your lab and don’t be afraid to ask questions and get advice when you need it. In the beginning, you may feel like your questions are ‘dumb’ but just remember that everyone goes through the process of understanding the basics of the research which more often than not includes asking for clarification on seemingly ‘easy’ concepts. Lastly, try to read papers from your field on a regular basis as this will significantly improve not only your knowledge of your research but also your confidence while engaging with the research.
What are your career goals?
After graduating from UMBC, I aspire to earn an MD/PhD and pursue a career as a physician- scientist. I enjoy teaching and mentoring younger students, so I hope to incorporate those aspects into my future career as well.
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Ridhi Chaudhary is a junior, majoring in Biological Sciences. She is a Meyerhoff and HHMI scholar, and also a member of the Honors College. Outside of undergraduate research, she has served as a...
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Undergraduate Research
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