BNRC Student Journal Club
Monthly meetings every 1st Wednesday of the month to discuss emerging themes in the fields of bioelectronics and nanomedicine. The participants will gain valuable skills in critical thinking and literature review, learn about data presentation and interpretation, and build new connections. Lunch provided.
BNRC Student Journal Club will take place every 1st Wednesday of the month, with the first meeting scheduled for June 4th, 12:00, at CP114.
To submit your paper for presentation or nominate a student to present (faculty only), please fill out this form. If you have any questions, please contact alina.dorosh@uky.edu
How to select an article?
The BNRC encourages to select papers that are of broad interest to all members. These can be papers that bridge the two fields of bioelectronics and nanomedicine and can stimulate discussion by all, or papers that make important discoveries that serve as continuing education for all scientists interested in bioelectronics and nanomedicine. Prefer papers published in the last 3–5 years (unless it’s a foundational classic).
Here are some topics that fall under the bioelectronics-nanomedicine umbrella:
🧠 Neural Interfaces & Brain-Tech
⚡ Wearable & Implantable Devices
🧬 Smart Drug Delivery & Therapeutics
🧪 Biosensing & Diagnostics
🔄 Materials for Biointerfaces
🔬 Micro/Nanofabrication & Microfluidics
💡 Cognitive & Psychiatric Applications
🦠 Immune & Inflammatory Monitoring
🛰️ Bioelectronics in Extreme Environments
🤖Integration with AI and Data Science
Some questions to keep in mind while selecting a paper:
Is this paper addressing an interesting problem in the field of bioelectronics and nanomedicine?
Do we learn mechanistic insight into how things are working?
Are the experimental approaches novel and interesting?
Where to search for interesting papers?
Aim for journals with rigorous peer review and high impact in the field: Nature Nanotechnology, Science Advances, Advanced Materials, Nano Letters, ACS Nano, Bioelectronics, Nature Biomedical Engineering, etc. Here is a selection of some journals you can use to find a paper for the BNRC Student Journal Club:
Biosensors and Bioelectronics: X
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine (Elsevier)
You can also use sources like ACS Curated Content to discover different topics. If you are unsure if the paper qualifies for discussion, contact your PI or check in with alina.dorosh@uky.edu. The selected papers should be provided two weeks before the presentation.
Preparing Your Discussion
While the format is informal, for an effective presentation you will need to prepare your journal club discussion ahead of time. Aim for a 15-20 minute presentation, followed by a Q&A and discussion. A good presentation will include the following:
Introduction
Introduce the paper:
Paper title, authors, and publication source.
Brief context: What is the field/problem being addressed?
Research Objective:
What was the main question or hypothesis the paper aimed to answer?
Why is this question important for bioelectronics or nanomedicine?
Methodology
Experimental Design:
Summarize the key experiments or computational methods used.
Highlight any novel techniques or tools (e.g., a new biosensor or drug delivery system).
Key Materials & Models:
Discuss any materials (e.g., nanomaterials, bioelectronic interfaces) or biological models (e.g., animal studies, organ-on-chip) used.
Results
Key Findings:
Present the most important results and figures (make sure to explain them clearly).
Focus on the novel findings or unexpected outcomes.
Data Interpretation:
How do the authors interpret their results?
Are there any surprises or limitations in the data?
Discussion & Conclusion
Conclusion:
Summarize the key takeaways from the paper.
What are the broader implications for bioelectronics, nanomedicine, or healthcare?
Limitations:
Mention any limitations of the study and areas that need further research.
Future Directions:
What are the next steps or unanswered questions? How could this work be improved?
Remember, that the goal is to critically analyze the current scientific literature. One of the benefits of journal clubs is to gain experience at critically analyzing the scientific literature.