Mircore

Citizen Scientist Sequencing Initiative (CSSI): In February 2023 we implemented our Citizen Scientist Sequencing Initiative, whereby individuals can obtain their own genomic sequences as sole custodians, not having to share it with anyone, including us, miRcore. After the successful implementation, in 2024 we focused the CSSI to a dedicated high school student education through a summer camp, Sequencing Your Genome. Though we focused the effort to SYG and moved expenses directly related to student education to the first program of high school education expenses and revenue, the related other expenses including exhibiting at 2024 ASHG Conference are under this category, because this program is for educating citizen scientists beyond high school students.

Bioinformatics research, consulting and supports: 1. We supported scientists at the University of Michigan, University of Texas Medical Branch and Yonsei University in Korea. More specifically, we provided computational biology research support to RNA function experts regarding small RNA regulations. We published research papers for the public benefits. 2. We are uncovering novel RNA-RNA interactions, research which may result in identifying more breast cancer patients who can benefited from precision medicine cancer drugs. 3. We taught student scientists to do in-depth research and how to write research papers. One collaborative research project for novel small RNA functions in COVID-19 was published and one research project manuscript was also published.

miRcore Science Advocacy (MSA): We continued miRcore Science Advocacy, which has the basic structure from the MVA program that we had developed in 2021 as a student-run COVID-19 vaccine advocacy program galvanized individuals who have positive perceptions of vaccines in advocating for vaccines in their own networks and communities. Utilizing the MVA program structure, we had expanded the advocacy to miRcore Science Advocacy in 2022 summer with a focus on genome privacy and promises of genome medicine until the end of the school year 2023. In 2023-24 school year, our students chose the theme to neural degenerative disorder research advocacy and also started to advocate for mental health. For MSA training, we hosted brain health workshop with a regional artist, which helped to implement brain health workshop at our Annual High School Research Conference. Weekly newsletter and weekly project meetings have been continuously implemented.

Microgrant program: We provide microgrants to experts in the field of disease of focus (autoimmune diseases in 2022-23 school year; neurodegenerative diseases in 2023-24 school year) so that they can obtain initial proof-of-concept data for innovative ideas to be used in bigger grant applications. We provided $6,000 microgrant to Drs. Arash Soleimanpour and Vaibhav Sidarala, for their Type 1 Diabetes research and $10,000 to Dr. Sami Barmada for ALS research. Drs. Soleimanpour and Barmada are Associate Professors of the University of Michigan and Dr. Sidarala is an Adjunct Research Investigator of the University of Michigan.