Zuri Hobson-Gladney, a former DSU undergraduate student who participated in the INBRE Summer Scholars program at UD, is one such example. Hobson-Gladney’s undergraduate summer research cemented her desire to pursue graduate studies. She is now a UD doctoral student in animal science.

Gabriel Dasilva, from Milton, Delaware, began his academic journey in UD’s Associate in Arts Program (AAP) at the Georgetown Campus, taking advantage of UD’s Flex Pathway, before earning his bachelor’s degree in biology on UD’s main campus in Newark. Dasilva participated in the Delaware INBRE Summer Research Program for three summers, each time working with a different mentor. He also worked as a lab technician with UD’s Andre Taveres, assistant professor of biological sciences, contributing to studies on the genetic causes of birth defects related to the Six1 gene, before beginning doctoral studies in biology at UD this fall. 

“DE-INBRE allowed me to try different things and see different sides of biology. It allowed me to transition from the Georgetown campus onto the main UD campus and now I plan to get my Ph.D. and continue in the biomedical research space,” he said. 

Delaware’s senior U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, a strong advocate and supporter of science and research, congratulated UD and its partners at the STAR Campus event. Coons, who serves on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, praised the program’s impact.

“This is the way Delaware delivers hope. This is how Delaware does the research and the workforce training that leads to treatments and cures,” said Sen. Coons. “And to the folks who deliver the health care up and down our state … this is an essential partnership for our future.”

Delaware INBRE also builds Delaware’s capacity to perform biomedical research by supporting investigator-driven research projects. According to Dan Harris, who joined UD as an assistant professor of epidemiology in 2024, INBRE can play a critical role in helping new faculty launch their research programs and compete for future funding.

“This type of funding allows early-stage investigators to generate pilot data and publish pilot studies that are required to secure larger NIH funding,” said Harris.

Harris’ research examines the comparative safety and effectiveness of drugs and vaccines in older nursing home residents. His INBRE-funded work looks at safety protocols of prescription cannabinoids as a treatment for dementia symptoms.

Building a research ecosystem

Delaware has a strong and growing biosciences sector — and Delaware INBRE has played a catalytic role in that growth.

More than one million Delawareans have benefitted from the Delaware INBRE partnership over the past two decades, said Governor Matt Meyer, positioning the state to compete globally.

“When you think about the biomedical research, the advanced chemistry, the biology you are working on, we are in competition with just about every research university, research hospital and leading sciences company on Earth,” said Gov. Meyer. “We’re only going to win the future in Delaware— develop the products and technologies that save lives across the world — if we … work together. The magic of Delaware is that we can do that.” 

Miguel Garcia-Diaz, UD vice president for research, scholarship and innovation, thanked Melinda Duncan, associate vice president for research and director of Delaware INBRE, for her work in guiding this statewide collaboration. He highlighted how INBRE’s collaborative structure enables faculty to share expertise and instrumentation across institutions, accelerating research and innovation. 

This synergy pays dividends, Garcia-Diaz said, for researchers, staff, students and people throughout Delaware. For example, histochemistry technicians from Nemours trained at UD’s Bio-Imaging Center in electron microscopy last spring. The collaboration strengthened Nemours’ diagnostic capabilities, while providing UD staff and students valuable teaching and learning opportunities—all of which ultimately has the potential to benefit the lives of people in our community.

INBRE also supports research infrastructure, enabling UD to remain at the leading edge of science through technology enhancements, such as the recently upgraded Biomix High-Performance Computing Cluster that supports advanced bioinformatics, artificial intelligence and machine learning research. The investment expands UD research capabilities, true, but its impact also is felt in student training, serving as a platform for integrating data science into academic courses.

And these efforts do more than sustain research, they are growing Delaware’s capacity for even greater innovation, discovery and impact.

“The power of INBRE lies in its seamless connections: between research and workforce development, between teaching and innovation, and between state and federal partners and our universities,” said Garcia-Diaz. “It’s not just a value — it’s a strategy that delivers results.” 

Delaware INBRE is supported by: NIH NIGMS IDeA Program Grant #P20 GM103446 & the State of Delaware. To learn more about Delaware INBRE please visit: de-inbre.org