The History of DFB
Developing Future Biologists (DFB) has gone through multiple iterations since its inception in 2015, however its mission remains the same: to ensure that the next generation of biologists, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status, can learn the core concepts of developmental biology and of the vast opportunities that exist to pursue a career in the sciences. Read more about the History of DFB below.
Andrea Ramos (left) leads a session for the inaugural 2015 course alongside fellow founding member Martha Echevarria-Andino (right).
DFB began as an idea from Andrea Ramos, then a graduate student in Dr. Scott Barolo’s lab at the University of Michigan (U-M). She envisioned a program that would provide hands-on research experience in developmental biology to undergraduate students who did not have access to these opportunities at their own colleges or universities, specifically in her home of Puerto Rico. To make her idea a reality, she assembled the founding DFB team, composed of herself and four other graduate students from U-M’s Department of Cell & Developmental Biology (CDB). Andrea also recruited four members of the CDB faculty to help with developing the course.
In 2015, DFB instructors and faculty members traveled to Ponce, Puerto Rico for the program’s inaugural week-long course where they engaged undergraduate students in developmental biology research and exposed them to careers in STEM.
In 2016, the second course was again held in Puerto Rico, but this time it was expanded to include students across the entire island. In addition, new instructors were brought on board, creating a chain of two-year terms for instructors that continues today.
Students of the 2018 cohort visit U-M’s Central Campus.
In 2017, the course was moved to U-M’s Ann Arbor campus, enabling DFB students to experience research firsthand at a top-tier university. Students in the 2017 cohort came from the greater Michigan area.
While the 2018 and 2019 courses also took place at U-M’s Ann Arbor campus, DFB returned to its roots by again including students from Puerto Rico. Approximately half of each cohort was composed of students from Puerto Rico. DFB also expanded its reach to schools and universities across the United States.
DFB held its first virtual course in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were supplied with lab kits that enabled them to conduct experiments from their own homes. In addition, U-M professors gave virtual lectures on developmental biology while career exploration panels featured professionals from across the country to share their unique experiences with students.
[Read more about the 2020 course in our inaugural newsletter]
DFB’s first TA, Nayanna Mercado-Soto, poses with DFB faculty Dr. Ben Allen in front of her research poster at ABRCMS.
To further support and engage with students beyond the week-long courses, DFB has begun offering additional opportunities for our alumni. Since 2019, each course now features one or more Teaching Assistants (TAs) who lend their unique perspective as a DFB alum to improving the course, while gaining teaching experience and receiving a small stipend. Alumni are also now eligible for DFB-funded Conference Attendance Awards to experience scientific conferences and expand their professional networks. Lastly, DFB is also planning our own Summer Research Fellowship for alumni to conduct research at U-M or other affiliated institutions.
[Read more about our Alumni Fellowship opportunities]
From Andrea Ramos’ idea in 2015 to now, DFB has engaged over 190 students in developmental biology, many of whom are now in graduate, medical, or other professional programs. DFB continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of students with the hope that we will become a model for similar programs across the country.
Despite changes throughout the years, DFB remains a trainee-led program. We acknowledge and thank all those trainees who have dedicated their time and effort to make DFB what it is today:
2015-2016 Instructors: Andrea Ramos; Justine Pinskey; Brandon Carpenter; David Lorberbaum; Martha Echevarria-Andino
2016-2017 Instructors: Samhitha Raj; Alana Chin; Eden Dulka; Jorge Martinez-Marquez; Leilani Marty-Santos, Ph.D.
2017-2018 Instructors: Breana Budaitis; Emily Holloway; Ryan Insolera, Ph.D.
2018-2019 Instructors: Lauren Rodenbarger, Ph.D.; Mike Scales; Barbara Nelson; Yonas Simon; Mary Lee; Lauren Chaby
2019-2020 Instructors: Kaylee Steen, Ph.D.; Angela Guo; Samantha Kemp; Tyler Hoard; Anna Shirazyan
2019 TA: Nayanna Mercado-Soto
2020-2021 Instructors: Jessica McAnulty; Becky Glineburg, Ph.D.; Matt Schnizlein; Jackie Graniel; Krista Armbruster, Ph.D.; Mirella Hernandez-Lima
2020 TAs: Nhi Vuong and Paola Medina-Cabrera
2021-2022 Instructors: Eli Olson; Kelsey Temprine, Ph.D.; Pilar Rivero-Rios, Ph.D.; Sarah Steiner; Fatima Javed; Isha Verma, Ph.D.
2021 TAs: Krystal Ayala-Arocho, Mackenzie Kelley, and Fabiola Rodriguez-Armstrong
2022-2023 Instructors: Erez Cohen, Ph.D.; Hannah Schrader; Danielle Porter, Ph.D.; Francisco Gomez-Rivera; Jacqueline Moltzau-Anderson, Ph.D.
2022 TAs: Andrea Rodriguez Ramos, Andrea Alvarez Maldonado, and Karliane Delgado Soto
2023-2024 Instructors: Ligia Buloto Schmitd, Ph.D.; Anati Azhar; Ryan Rebernick; Ethan Hillman, Ph.D., Hannah Bell, Ph.D.; Gabrielle Rozumek
2023 TAs: Tan Nguyen, Sherlyn Sanchez, Sofia Vitale, Melanie N. Acevedo, Jannaldo Nieves-Silva, Heizel Acosta-Vilanova, Andrea Alvarez
We also acknowledge and thank the faculty who have supported and been actively involved in DFB throughout the years:
Drs. Ben Allen, Scott Barolo, Laura Buttitta, Jill Haenfler, Deneen Wellik, Deb Gumucio