Biology subjects

Brady, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Brady, L..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

An effective workshop on How to be an Effective Mentor for Underrepresented STEM Trainees

Despite an increase in programming to promote persons excluded by their ethnicity or race (PEER) scholars, minorities remain underrepresented in many STEM programs. The academic pipeline is largely leaky for underrepresented minority (URM) scholars due to a lack of effective mentorship. Many URM students experience microaggressions and discrimination from their mentors due to a lack of quality mentorship training. In this workshop, we provide a framework for how to be an effective mentor to URM trainees. Mentees, especially URM trainees, can flourish in effective mentoring environments where they feel welcomed and can comfortably develop new ideas without feeling threatened by external factors. Effective mentoring environments provide motivational support, empathy, cultural competency, and training.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2021

The Importance of Mentors and How to Handle More Than One Mentor

IntroductionWorking with multiple mentors is a critical way for students to expand their network, gain opportunities, and better prepare for future scholastic or professional ventures. However, students from underrepresented groups (UR) are less likely to be mentored or have access to mentors, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. We developed and implemented a workshop, to provide the necessary foundation for students to be better prepared for establishing future mentorships throughout graduate and professional school. MethodsFaculty well-versed in the area of effective mentorship from multiple universities developed and delivered a 1.5-hour workshop to address the roles of a mentor, especially when it comes to UR students, and how students may effectively work with multiple mentors. This workshop was delivered to a group of students from the HBCU Winston Salem State University, and a pre/post-Likert scale-based survey was administered. ResultsWe analyzed the raw data with nonparametric tests for comparison within paired samples. Wilcoxon matched-pairs and signed-rank tests showed statistically significant growth in student self-ratings related to the workshop learning objectives. ConclusionsThe "How to Handle More than One Mentor to Achieve Excellence" workshop was well received as a component of pre-graduate and pre-professional training. Incorporating workshops like this may increase student preparedness around developing and cultivating healthy mentorship relationships throughout STEM training. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVESBy the end of this workshop, learners will be able to: O_LIDescribe the role of mentors in developing the next generation of trainees. C_LIO_LIDescribe current research on mentorship among underrepresented populations. C_LIO_LIApply skills on effective communication needed in the development of successful mentorship relationships. C_LIO_LIWork with multiple mentors at one time while maintaining solid professional and personal relationships. C_LI

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2021

How coiled-coil assemblies accommodate multiple aromatic residues

Rational protein design requires understanding the contribution of each amino acid to a targeted protein fold. For a subset of protein structures, namely the ;-helical coiled coils (CCs), knowledge is sufficiently advanced to allow the rational de novo design of many structures, including entirely new protein folds. However, current CC design rules center on using aliphatic hydrophobic residues predominantly to drive the folding and assembly of amphipathic helices. The consequences of using aromatic residues--which would be useful for introducing structural probes, and binding and catalytic functionalities--into these interfaces is not understood. There are specific examples of designed CCs containing such aromatic residues, e.g., phenylalanine-rich sequences, and the use of polar aromatic residues to make buried hydrogen-bond networks. However, it is not known generally if sequences rich in tyrosine can form CCs, or what CC assemblies these would lead to. Here we explore tyrosine-rich sequences in a general CC-forming background and resolve new CC structures. In one of these, an antiparallel tetramer, the tyrosine residues are solvent accessible and pack at the interface between the core and the surface. In the other more-complex structure, the residues are buried and form an extended hydrogen-bond network.

biochemistry↗