From Curiosity to Career

By Elizabeth Johnson • Photos Supplied

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) educational opportunities are part of every New York State school curriculum. However, few areas in the North Country have the opportunity to partner with a scientific powerhouse like Trudeau Institute in Saranac Lake.

From Tuberculosis to COVID-19 and emerging pathogens, Trudeau researchers have applied their expertise to confront infectious diseases since the Institute was founded in 1884. In the 21st century, its research has focused on developing new therapeutics and vaccines to combat these pathogens and improve human health. To achieve these goals, Trudeau partners with universities and government agencies to address global health crises.

In recent years, Trudeau has also taken on a new role as an educator for undergraduate college and university students. And now it has turned its attention to North Country middle and high school students.

Hooked on Science

“Too few young people have the chance to meaningfully engage with science, to see themselves in STEM careers,” offered Dr. Deb Brown, Principal Investigator and Manager of Joint Educational Programs at the Trudeau Institute.

“Through our educational programs, our scientists open the lab doors to young people and educators. They share current biomedical knowledge through hands-on learning that builds scientific capacity across the North Country.

“Trudeau’s growing educational program, initially supported by the Adirondack Community Foundation—with recent Cloudsplitter Foundation support to expand programming—includes STEM outreach modules for younger students.” 

“Research shows that from middle school through college, students face barriers that dampen curiosity, reduce engagement and obscure the path to science and health careers,” Brown explained. “While teachers work hard to inspire students’ interest in the sciences, they often lack access to cutting-edge content, resources and local role models who can make complex topics relevant and exciting. They may not even be aware of the bioscience hub growing in their own backyard which includes organizations such as Ampersand Biosciences, Bionique Testing Labs, as well as Trudeau Institute.”

At the Middle School level, Trudeau’s program focuses on sparking curiosity and building confidence in science at a formative stage.

“Our classroom model connects basic concepts to real-world challenges and makes abstract ideas tangible,” Brown offered. “For High School students we expand the focus to advanced topics and examine real world applications. Here we integrate experiential learning techniques to ignite students’ interest in science and STEM careers.

Summer on the Lake

In addition to its outreach modules for younger students, Trudeau offers a Summer Undergraduate Research Program. This 10-week experience that combines hands-on lab work with career development to train the next generation of biomedical scientists. The program is funded in part by Casella Waste, Stewart’s Shops, and the Hearst Foundation. It is selective and has a national reach, attracting students from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Northwestern University, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Potsdam, and the University of Arizona.

The program, which supports five students each summer, includes instruction on biosafety and animal welfare, an ethics course, a seminar series with guest researchers, networking luncheons, and a final symposium with staff and community members – all designed to prepare students for future work in the field or graduate studies.

Brown emphasized, “The program’s focus is on research being conducted by our scientists in the broad fields of therapies against multidrug-resistant bacteria and anti-viral vaccine design. collaborative team-based research, particularly in influenza vaccine development through projects on small molecule adjuvants and immune response mechanisms. It is centered around collaborative, team-based research that enhances student experiences in scientific research. Our structure enables undergraduates to gain meaningful research exposure while contributing to medically relevant questions. Project selection is student-driven. Participants are invited to choose up to three areas of interest, and every effort is made to match interests and mentor capacity.

Students receive a stipend and on-campus housing conveniently located near the lab and Lower Saranac Lake, which borders Trudeau’s 42-acre campus. They work on current health challenges such as influenza, dengue/zika viruses, and bacterial pathogens . The curriculum is designed to build scientific skills, ethical awareness and professional communication. Also included in the curriculum are opportunities to network with researchers from universities with strong scientific programs, pharmaceutical companies and global health agencies.

Since 2019, Trudeau Institute has trained 28 undergraduate students in the Summer Research Program. Most of those students have gone on to graduate or professional schools with the remainder entering the biomedical workforce after graduation.

“Our program offers students a hands-on experience in biomedical research in our labs,” Brown explained. “We are grateful for the chance to expose students to the work we do.”

Full Immersion

The third and newest program offered by Trudeau Institute is its Biomedical Research Scholars Program which provides an intensive 15 credit, integrated, hands-on research program with advanced coursework to deepen students’ understanding of infectious disease immunology.

The program is intended for undergraduate students with a focus on health-related careers and/or biomedical research and provides them with a critical thinking mindset and technical skillset to successfully navigate post-baccalaureate education or to enter the biotechnology workforce. The program is offered Fall and Spring semesters and can accommodate up to 8 students per semester.

Launched in Spring 2025, the program combines lab research with formal coursework. Classes on ethics, critical thinking, and immunity and microbial pathogenesis are blended with mini-courses on lab techniques that they will use throughout the semester.

The curriculum is designed to complement and enhance existing undergraduate majors in Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Biological Engineering. Course work covers immune responses to infection, cutting-edge lab techniques like molecular virology, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy, critical thinking in the life sciences, responsible conduct of research, and research in infectious disease. Its structure supports both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, preparing students for biomedical research careers or advanced study.

“Students will be highly engaged in all aspects of experiments and learn concepts and best practices for work with disease-causing pathogens and infection,” Brown offered. “They will conduct experiments investigating the efficacy of the vaccine after influenza challenge, identifying immune responses that are necessary for vaccine protection, analyze data and develop results for presentations to Trudeau faculty and staff .“

Trudeau Institute’s commitment to preserving, honoring and extending the Trudeau legacy is demonstrated every day as its scientists work to advance infectious disease research and strengthen the vitality of the North Country through innovative programs.

To learn more about the work of the Trudeau Institute, you will find SB’s interview with its president, Dr. William Reiley, in our December 2024 issue. Look for the history of the Institute in our February 2025 issue. https://www.strictlybusinessny.com/post/emerging-cures

Trudeau Institute

154 Algonquin Ave

Saranac Lake, NY 12983 QR Code

(518) 891-3080

www.trudeauinstitute.org