THE ACADEMY

The Academy is 4-CYTE’s educational pillar, devoted to forming the next generation of leaders in science and innovation. True to Marquette’s Jesuit tradition of educating the whole person and fostering leadership in service to others, The Academy provides students and trainees with unparalleled hands-on learning experiences. Undergraduate and graduate students are embedded within 4-CYTE projects through internships, research assistantships, and mentorship programs. In these roles, they learn to blend best practices in business and science.

The Academy offers workshops and courses on translational research, ethics, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Seasoned industry mentors and faculty guide students through the process of turning an idea into a prototype, a prototype into a product. The program emphasizes not just technical excellence, but ethical responsibility and empathy. Participants engage with patient advocates (through the xCHANGE) to understand the human impact of their work, cultivating humility and purpose.

Academy drives innovation in education, workforce training and professional development. Some of the ongoing key initiatives in the Academy include:

Integrate Virtual Reality & Artificial Intelligence into undergraduate and graduate biomedical degree programs, enhancing student learning through immersive, technology-driven experiences.
Expand STEM education by providing technical laboratory training to Wisconsin high school biology, psychology, and biomedical sciences teachers, strengthening the pipeline of future scientists and healthcare professionals.
Advance industry expertise through professional development workshops designed for aspiring and current professionals in drug development and biotechnology, equipping them with cutting-edge skills in translational science.

Teaching From The Bench

A cellular and molecular biology bootcamp for educators

What You Will Experience

Cost-saving substitutions when time or budgets are tight

Best practices at the bench to improve success

Practical troubleshooting for common lab failures

Full immersion in techniques including:

PCR
Bacterial Transformation
ELISA

Electrophoresis, and more
SDS-PAGE
Liquid column chromatography

Who Should Attend

High school biology teachers

STEM educators introducing or expanding hands-on biotech units

Curriculum developers seeking to align with NGSS or AP Biology frameworks

Dates

Dates: June 23-27, 2025

Cost: $300

Duration: 9am-5pm

Location: Marquette University, Schroeder Complex

Join us for a week-long immersive workshop designed by university scientists to support and elevate your teaching of cellular and molecular biology.

LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE. EARLY REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED.

BONUS:

Certificate of completion, Eligible for professional development credit, Digital resources and protocols

Academy Workshops

The Realities of Bio Entrepreneurship

The Highs, Lows, and Hard Truths of Translating Academic Discoveries to Market

Dates

Dates: August 22, 2025

Cost: $150-400

Duration: 9am-5pm

Location: O’Brien Hall Room 150A

Join experts from biotech, pharma, and venture capital for a one-day workshop on turning research into real-world ventures. Gain practical insights, explore case studies, and connect with leaders in commercialization.

Networking Reception

Close the day with an informal reception to connect with fellow researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals.

Featuring Speakers From:

Workshop Highlights

Startup Strategies

Venture capital and funding strategies for biotech startups

Legal Obstacles

Patent strategy and how to overcome common legal challenges

Career Discovery

Introduction to career pathways beyond the academic track

Taking the Leap

Understanding steps between discovery and product development

Academy Courses

Course Description

This three-day course combines hands-on brain and spinal cord dissection with engaging lectures on recent advances in functional neuroscience. Participants work in small groups using cadaveric specimens, guided by expert neuroscientists and clinicians. Each day includes morning lectures and afternoon lab sessions totaling 12 hours of dissection.

Neuroanatomical Dissection Course: Human Brain and Spinal Cord

Who Should Attend

This provocative neuroanatomical dissection experience will prove invaluable to anyone seeking a better three-dimensional understanding of the organization of the nervous system. The course has been attended in the past by practitioners and educators from numerous disciplines, including psychology, medicine, neuroscience, physiology, physical and occupational therapy, rehabilitation engineering, anatomy, and many others.

Course schedule and content

Check-in for course 8 a.m. Thursday, July 24, 2025

Thursday, July 24

Morning Lecture Session (TBD)
Surface Features and Meninges, Ventricular and Vascular Systems, Cerebral Cortex, Spinal Cord, Thalamus, Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum
Lunch (included)
Afternoon Dissection Session (Anatomy Lab, Schroeder Complex, 050)
Surface anatomy vascular system and meninges, deep white matter pathways

Friday, July 25

Morning Lecture Session (TBD)
Limbic System, Autonomic Nervous System and Hypothalamus, Cranial Nerves
Morning Session: Limbic System, basal ganglia and thalamus
Lunch (included)
Afternoon Dissection Session

Saturday, July 26

Morning Lecture Session (TBD)
Diagnostic Imaging in the CNS, Clinical Correlates of CNS Pathology
Functional Neuroscience Breakout Sessions
Review of recent advances in neuroscience, including current issues in spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, addiction research, obesity, the neurobiology of schizophrenia and depressive illness, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury
Lunch (included)
Afternoon Dissection Session (Anatomy Lab, Schroeder Complex 050)
Brainstem and cerebellum, spinal cord, review of brain in coronal sections, review of cranial nerves, histology and chemical neuroanatomy, wrap-up and course evaluation