Help RAIN Hire a Senior Scientist to Manage Their Forensic and Public Health Program
For more information on RAIN, please visit their website.
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Anyone can redeem a SEED to make a Request for Help, as Paul in Tacoma, WA, USA did below. Here it is in his own words:
“RAIN is a biotech incubator focusing on providing equitable access to early experiential science learning for under-served students. We see a growing local need for the study of DNA and RNA in criminal defense and disease prevention. With an eye on providing resources to those who lack equity in science education, the RAIN vision is to teach sequencing science techniques to those communities who are not well represented in the science industries.
A sequencing lab can provide knowledge and capabilities in two critical ways; 1. To build a forensics and DNA sequencing lab to meet the growing need in criminal justice for uncovering false incarceration, and for analysis of the exceptionally large number of untested rape kits from sexual assault cases, and 2, To provide real time detection of emergent variants of viruses that overwhelmingly affect communities of color. To meet these growing needs, we have initiated a campaign to add a laboratory, classroom, and a training program dedicated to DNA Sequencing and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
Objectives:
RAIN Incubator’s new lab and program will equip and teach tomorrow’s workforce in the most prevalent methods of mapping DNA and RNA in research and commercial environments while helping students understand forensic technologies for the prevention and control of disease outbreaks.
Rain will concentrate our new training program in developing young scientists and entrepreneurs in Communities of Color. RAIN will continue outreach to underserved schools and student groups on the use of DNA Sequencing and PCR.
To meet the emerging demand for workers trained in DNA Sequencing and PCR and anchor a center of excellence for forensics and disease identification, RAIN will build out a 2200 sq ft dedicated lab space, purchase the necessary equipment, hire lab and training personnel, and develop a program aimed at training students, and those in workforce transition, with a focus on providing equity in science-based jobs eligibility.
Goal 1 - Expand access to experiential science training to Communities of Color to capitalize on opportunities in industry.
Goal 2 - Create DNA Sequencing capability for forensic analyses with an eye on equity in criminal justice, minimizing the backlog of DNA evidence processing for law enforcement.
Goal 3 - Create DNA sequencing capability for detecting variants of SARS-CoV- 2 in human samples for diagnosis as well as surveillance using sewage samples for determining disease prevalence in local populations.
About RAIN:
Founded by David Hirschberg, PhD, neuroimmunologist, with extensive experience developing solutions to public health emergencies. Dr. Hirschberg worked at both Stanford and Columbia Universities. He has been successful in attracting Seattle and British Columbia based biotech companies to the Tacoma-based RAIN labs, where those companies perform critical research using local college, graduate and postdoctoral students who learn key skills while earning a living wage.
Seeds previously supported this effort with a $50,000 award toward the purchase of a DNA sequencer. We are extremely grateful for that award and now request an additional $50,000 to support hiring a scientist (Post-Doctoral Level) to run the program.”
$48,028.86 was raised. Thank you!