From undergraduate biology majors exploring the intricacies of human drug-metabolizing enzymes to biotech master’s degree students utilizing 3D tissue models of human organs to minimize animal testing, APU students are fully engaged in high-level research in their fields. With access to multimillion-dollar, industry-standard equipment, along with professor-mentors to lead projects, students conduct experiments, submit papers for publication and make original contributions to the sciences well before graduation.
This high commitment to research is reflected in APU’s status as the only institution in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) to earn a prestigious R2 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education—the most influential rating organization among colleges and universities. Rather than choosing between a Christ-centered education or access to esteemed research opportunities, students find both at APU.
And opportunities only continue to grow. Earlier this year, APU announced a $2 million investment in research infrastructure and equipment. Among other upgrades, the university introduced a new bioengineering facility in September—the only one of its kind among CCCU schools. New equipment includes a Cell-Ink Bio-X 3D tissue printer, allowing students and faculty to construct tissue models of major organs, including skin, liver, heart, and brain.
“Our philosophy is to open doors for undergraduate students to use these powerful tools that would normally be off limits to them,” said Philip Cox, PhD, associate professor of biology and chemistry. “We want our students to have hands-on experience that will give them a competitive edge in their future workplace.”
If you glimpse inside the Segerstrom Science Center, you might find Cox and a group of student researchers gathered around the newly acquired triple quadrupole mass spectrometry system. The equipment quantifies drugs and other small molecules in complex solutions to better understand how the body processes prescription drugs.
Just one department over, under the guidance of Aisha Chen, PhD, assistant professor of engineering and computer science, a group of physical therapy, nursing, and computer science students combine skill sets to design and test video software. Their goal? To predict and prevent falls in nursing centers.
“How valuable are these research experiences? Completely invaluable,” said Chen. “Not only are they applying what they’ve learned in class, but they’re also acquiring knowledge and skills beyond that. They’re making impactful contributions as the next generation of Christian scientists.”
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