A Versatile Psychoneuroimmunology Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience

• Published in: Journal of undergraduate neuroscience education Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. A21 - A27
• Main Authors: Mesmer, Vanessa, Gaudier-Diaz, Monica M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience 2022
• Subjects: psychoneuroimmunology (PNI); psychosocial variables; assessment; neuroimmunology; proinflammatory cytokines; course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE)
• ISSN: 1544-2896; 1544-2896
• DOI: 10.59390/OWVW3847

The Psychoneuroimmunology Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (PNI CURE) was designed with the purpose of engaging undergraduate students in research and discovery. As part of this experience, students were assigned to a team based on their personal interests. Each team selected a psychosocial variable of interest (e.g., sleep, belongingness, stress, or happiness) and identified two well-validated questionnaires to assess it. Then, student volunteers donated blood samples and completed student-selected questionnaires via Qualtrics. The blood samples were assayed by the course instructor for proinflammatory cytokines. With the collected data, students 1) evaluated the association between peripheral inflammation and their psychosocial variable of interest and 2) created hypotheses regarding inflammation in the brain. Students' experimental results were reported in the form of a research manuscript and scientific poster, both of which comprised 15 percent of their course grade. Further, to evaluate the effectiveness of the PNI CURE, students were asked to complete assessment surveys before and after project implementation. Assessment results demonstrate that participating in the PNI CURE increased self-efficacy and research identity among students. Besides exposing undergraduates at UNC-CH to a comprehensive research experience, we hope to inspire neuroscience educators to adopt and adapt the PNI CURE as a mechanism to broaden undergraduate research opportunities in neuroscience.