Corbin D. Jones, a Collegiate Academy student at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Harrison County Campus, has been selected to take part in the Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Research Scholars Program for the summer of 2021. Jones’ selection marks the first time a Collegiate Academy student will represent MGCCC in the research scholars’ program.

The Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars Program is an 11-week summer research internship for undergraduate students. Corbin will be working with Dr. Justin Thornton of Mississippi State University. Dr. Thornton’s research focuses on both sides of the host-pathogen interaction by characterizing how the innate immune response functions to limit progression of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) infections and also how virulence mechanisms of the pneumococcus enable it to cause disease. The overall goal of his research is to identify new targets for intervention which will help to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with this pathogen.

“I am super excited to be given the opportunity to work with Dr. Justin Thornton this summer,” Jones said. “I can’t wait to see the opportunities it will present, and how it will help me prepare for my future in science.”

Jones is a Long Beach High School student that is concurrently enrolled in the Collegiate Academy Program on the Harrison County Campus of MGCCC. The Collegiate Academy Program allows high school and homeschooled juniors and seniors to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate degree. This program is available for students enrolled at certain district high schools and homeschooled students. Classes are taught at the high school (up to 29 credit hours), at an MGCCC campus, and online.

INBRE is a network of colleges and universities, designed to build a biomedical research infrastructure in Mississippi. Its mission is to reach out to Mississippians in order to improve health throughout the state and to engage talented researchers and students in biomedical research projects that will increase the state’s research competitiveness as well as positively impact the health of the citizens of Mississippi.

For more information on how you can get involved INBRE, please contact Dr. Kathryn Morris at kathryn.morris@mgccc.edu) or (228) 897-3752.

For more information about Collegiate Academy, please contact Justin Mills at justin.mills@mgccc.edu or (228) 897-9235.