Undergraduate Research

The van den Akker lab welcomes Undergraduate students interested in research. If interested, please contact Dr. Focco van den Akker directly by email. The lab has a strong track record with undergraduate students who either volunteered, worked as a "work-study" student for financial aid, took research for credit (BIOC 391), or had a paid summer internship (fellowship opportunities are available at Case such as SURP). The undergraduate students are mentored by either graduate students, postdocs, or technicians.

Undergraduate students from the van den Akker lab carry out biomedically relevant structural biology research. Openings are available in the antibiotic resistance project and the cardiovascular soluble guanylyl cyclase project (see "Research" link). Research areas are: biochemistry, molecular biology, protein crystallography, biophysical, molecular modeling, drug-protein target in silico screening, and computer programming.

The students have used their obtained research experience in the van den Akker lab to enter graduate school, medical school, or the work force; their efforts can also lead to co-authorship on a publication including first authorship (see "People" and "Publication" links). Here is a recent 1st authorship publication from my lab for Nikhil Krishnan, an undergraduate from my lab:

  • Krishnan N.P., Nguyen N.Q., Papp-Wallace K.M., Bonomo R.A., van den Akker F.
    “ Inhibition of Klebsiella beta-Lactamases (SHV-1 and KPC-2) by Avibactam: A Structural Study. ”
    Plos One Sep 4;10(9):e0136813 (2015) Read article in PubMed