Research Learning Communities (RLCs) within PSU's BUILD EXITO project

Contributed by Portland State University

The BUILD EXITO project establishes Research Learning Communities (RLCs) to support the development of EXITO Scholars through mentorship and practical experience on faculty research projects. An RLC is composed of a lab or research group under the direction of an investigator, and it includes all members of the research team such as graduate students, post-docs, and professional research associates. RLCs are formed at each 4-year EXITO partner institution (Portland State University, University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, University of Guam) and the research intensive partner, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Scholars are prepared for placement in RLCs during their first year in the program through courses, workshops, and summer experiences. As rising juniors, EXITO scholars join an RLC to learn about the process of research. EXITO Scholars participate in a variety of lab activities and make a meaningful contribution to the research project. The scholars have designated research mentors but also are mentored by all members within the RLC to learn the methods and culture of research. Similarly, the RLC members receive training and coaching to become effective mentors.

About two-thirds of the EXITO students from PSU are placed in RLCs at OHSU.  We currently have established 7 RLCs at OHSU and are increasing this number to more than 20 within the next few months. Below we highlight a number of our Scholars and their placements.

Zebula Hebert has been participating in the Lim Laboratory to discover how sleep modulates processes in the developing brain and in neurodegenerative disease. The Lim Laboratory studies the sleep EEG in rodent models of traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism and Alzheimer's disease, and directly translate their basic sleep research findings into clinical practice.  This RLC is led by Miranda Lim, MD, PhD who is funded through the Veteran's Administration.

Zach Bain has been working in the Pediatric Pain Prevention Research Group which is led by Anna Wilson, PhD and Amy Holley, PhD and focuses on the prevention of chronic pain and related poor health outcomes in children and adolescents. The lab integrates pain psychophysiology with developmental and pediatric psychology approaches to examine individual and familial risk and protective factors in youth at increased risk for chronic pain due to family history, acute pain experiences, and depression. The Pediatric Pain Prevention Research Group has a number of related projects examining prescription opioid misuse, physical activity, pain neuroimaging, and peri-operative pain and anxiety.

Angela Van Ecken has been working in the research program of Christopher Lee, PhD in the School of Nursing. Dr. Lee's research involves integrative biobehavioral research in heart failure. This innovative process employs advanced statistical techniques to mine heterogeneous responses to heart failure and identify patient subgroups that are particularly vulnerable to poor clinical outcomes and quality-of-life.