REU site: biological adaptations to stress - molecular, cellular, ecological

The National Science Foundation Division of Biological Infrastructure awarded Pepperdine University $340,300 on April 15, 2026, under the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program to support an eight-student summer undergraduate research program focused on biological adaptations to stress.

The award funds Pepperdine's Summer Undergraduate Research in Biology program for three consecutive summers from 2026 through 2028. Participants will engage in ten-week research experiences during which they work with faculty mentors in field, laboratory, or quantitative biology approaches to advance scientific understanding of how living systems respond to stress. Students will develop professional skills in scientific writing and presentation, conduct original research with potential presentation at scientific conferences, and design outreach events to communicate their biological research to K-12 audiences. The program prioritizes enrollment of students with limited research opportunities and aims to inspire participants toward careers in biological research, applied science, or science education. Program assessment will use pre- and post-program surveys administered through SurveyMonkey, and applications are submitted through NSF ETAP.

Performance occurs at Pepperdine's Malibu, California campus. The period of performance runs from the award date through March 31, 2029. The research aligns with NSF priorities in artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

Abstract

This REU site award to pepperdine university, located in malibu, CA, will support the training of 8 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2026-2028. Pepperdine?s summer undergraduate research in biology (surb) program has trained young scientists since 1989. IT has transformed its undergraduate institution and participating students from across the nation by cultivating a thriving scholarly community centered on undergraduate research. The primary goal is to provide undergraduates, especially students with limited research opportunities, with a genuine research experience in which they learn the scientific process while advancing scientific knowledge of how living systems respond to stress. Students thrive as members of a vibrant research community where collaboration across subdisciplines sharpens ideas and enhances original discovery. Participants will work closely with faculty mentors to gain professional training in field, laboratory, or quantitative biology approaches while also improving skills in scientific writing and presentation. Students will learn how to conduct research, and most will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Participants will also design open-house outreach events to share their biological research with k-12 students. The ultimate aim is to inspire students to pursue a life of service in biological research, applied science, or science education. Program assessment will be done using student and faculty pre- and post-program surveys through survey monkey. Students should apply to the REU site using NSF etap (education and training application: https://etap.NSF.GOV). The training students will receive is aligned with NSF priorities in artificial intelligence and biotechnology. All research will focus on biological adaptations to stress. Stress adaptation is a fundamental characteristic of all biological systems, as IT enables organisms to survive in diverse and dynamic environments. Students will pursue projects studying a wide range of systems including microbiomes, mammalian cells in culture, nuclear RNA, chaparral ferns, ticks, marine ecosystems, and ecological models. Types of stress exposures examined will include drought, freezing, wildfire, invasive species, disease, pollution, nanoparticulates, and cellular dysfunction. Students will be pivotal in the conception and design of their personal projects, supervised directly by faculty mentors in molecular and cell biology, epigenetics, ecology, marine biology, plant physiology, mathematical biology, and bioinformatics. The student experience will be enhanced by meeting visiting scientists, learning about grant opportunities, and attending training seminars on relevant topics such as ethically conducting research and statistical and quantitative approaches to biological discovery. Students also will explore together the diverse mountain and ocean ecosystems surrounding the university and will conclude the program with a live-streamed symposium, multidisciplinary poster session, and celebration banquet. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.