2024-11-15T20:20:03-07:00 2023-12-31 990 2023-01-01 270568407 MIRCORE MIRC 7342888647 1100 North Main Street Ann Arbor MI 48104 Inhan Lee President 7342888647 2024-11-15 1 2023 2024-10-15 13:58:12Z Inhan Lee 1100 N Main Street Suite 214 Ann Arbor MI 48104 376476 0 X https://mircore.org X 2009 MI We connect scientists with the general public through research, education, and advocacy so that more people can make informed decisions for a healthier life and society. Our volunteer students learn to perform computational research and to lead school clubs to educate other students. In 2021, we initiated miRcore vaccine advocacy to bring more people vaccinated against COVID 19. Since 2022, the vaccine advocacy has expanded to become miRcore science advocacy. In 2022, we initiated citizen scientist sequencing initiative. All activities are geared to democratize medical research and to build gene-literate American citizenry. 4 3 25 300 0 0 83444 94748 171852 281728 0 0 0 0 255296 376476 1201 741 0 0 132916 157584 0 0 0 138248 175084 272365 333409 -17069 43067 102499 145566 0 0 102499 145566 X miRcore's mission is to advance science and medicine by advocating personalized medicine and democratizing medical research. We believe that cultivating youth in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, medicine) is the best way to realize our mission. We value science, compassion, and collaboration. We teach students to see the humanity behind statistics and to understand the importance of collaboration among scientists, doctors, and the public. We hope to engender a STEMM-literate citizenry. 1 0 200458 0 248449 Computational biology research education for high school students: To democratize medical research in the genomics era, we teach high school students computational biology. About 1200 students were served in 2023 through our Contest, Conference, camps, in-school, after-school and weekend programs. 1) miRcore Volunteer Program (MVP): We mentor high schoolers in computational biology research every weekend, advocating personalized medicine and fostering leadership. This year, we offered in-person meetings at University of Michigan, Scripps Research Institute, Stanford University. Volunteers lead school club Genes in Disease and Symptoms (GIDAS, guide-us). 2) GIDAS: a student club at high schools and the University of Michigan. Our volunteers share learning with peers at their schools. In 2023, there are over 70 high school GIDAS chapters nationally. 3) Genes and Health Contest: promotes study in science among peers through enjoyable challenges. In 2023, we held the contest all virtually. 4) High School Research Conference: provides high schoolers a science conference setting to boost their familiarity with academic pursuits while raising community awareness on the conference theme (disease of focus voted on by volunteers each year). We held two in-person locations at University of Michigan campus and Scripps Research Translational Institute as well as with virtual participation. 5) Summer camps for high schoolers: Computational Biology, Biotechnology Sequencing, and R Programming Research camps were held online and also in-person at University of Michigan and Scripps Research Institute. 6) Lab on Wheels program: We provided hands-on experiments at local high school biology classrooms to expose 9th graders about computational biology and a research project using gel electrophoresis. 52335 0 23280 Citizen Scientist Sequencing Initiative (CSSI): After a year of preparation and consulting multiple field experts and leaders, 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. The program began educating individuals regarding the ethics and implications of genome sequencing before collecting their saliva so that individuals were appropriately informed beforehand. Once individual samples were collected, they were sent to the University of Michigan sequencing core for whole exome sequencing, the data then being transferred to the individuals' user accounts in the University of Michigan high performance computing system for self-data analysis. We taught participants how to use the Linux cluster and handle different types of data file structures as well as how to use various analytical software tools so that students had essential technical skills for current and future jobs. Further, being excited when they saw their own DNA sequences, students came to deeply appreciate science. Based on the program's success with a first cohort of 20 students, we offered the first Sequencing Your Own Genome summer camp to ten students, which also ran successfully. We presented our program at the 2023 ASHG conference with a booth to invite collaborators and explore expansion options. 30174 5000 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. 4. We attended small RNA research conference (Keystone Symposium) to identify collaborators for additional research projects for our students and for our novel RNA-RNA interaction model validation. 21802 0 5000 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 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. For MSA training, we invited genetic counseling students to hear the perspectives. Weekly newsletter and weekly project meetings have been continuously implemented. 21802 0 5000 304769 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 25 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 4 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 X Inhan Lee 7342888647 1100 North Main Street Suite 214 Ann Arbor MI 48104 Inhan Lee PhD President and Director 40 0 X X 27200 0 0 James Proscia JD PhD Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Mi Dong MS Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 Laura Nicholson Director 1 0 X 0 0 0 27200 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 65810 0 0 0 28938 0 94748 281728 281728 0 0 281728 0 0 0 0 0 0 376476 281728 0 0 X 0 0 741 741 0 0 0 0 28138 28138 0 0 0 0 0 0 108055 96055 12000 0 0 0 0 0 11765 11765 0 0 9626 8708 918 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 37886 37886 0 0 3549 3549 0 0 17960 6757 11203 0 10159 9541 618 0 0 0 0 0 11577 8145 3432 0 29156 29156 0 0 0 0 0 0 38527 38527 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 408 0 408 0 Reagents, Equipment, Wet-lab experiments 18921 18921 0 0 Gifts to scientists, educators & volunteers 6880 6880 0 0 State corporate and tax service fee 61 0 61 0 333409 304769 28640 0 102499 145566 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 102499 145566 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 102499 145566 102499 145566 102499 145566 43067 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 X 53493 46821 70117 83444 94748 348623 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 53493 46821 70117 83444 94748 348623 348623 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 129203 163774 197240 171852 281729 943798 1292421 0.26974 0.27841 X (f)(3)(ii) Attraction of public support: 1) We maintain a continuous and bona fide program for solicitation of funds from the general public, community, and members involved. 1a) Volunteers advocate and fundraise throughout the year for scientific research on each year's disease of focus to the general public through online, busking, soliciting at local groceries and volunteers' high schools. We resumed such solicitation despite mostly virtual volunteer meetings and volunteers resumed such solicitation at schools. 1b) The volunteers have voted on a disease of focus for the each of the past five years: opioid addiction (2019), COVID-19 (2020), mental disorders (2021), autoimmune diseases (2022), and neurodegenerative disorders (2023), demonstrating benefiting diverse communities. 2) We have actively sought grants from other education and community foundations and asked for donations from local companies. 3) We have applied for National Institute of Health (2022, 2023) grants and Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (2021-24), and Kiwanis Ann Arbor Foundation grants. (f)(3)(iii)(B) Source of support: Support includes donations from thousands of the general citizens who donate from a quarter to $100. As apparent from Section A, part II, where 95% of funds are under the 2% limit, a large donor rarely exists. (f)(3)(iii)(C) Representative governing body: 1) Our board of directors represents broad interests of the public, having expertise and long experience in education, science, law, health, and policy. 2) Each year's new disease of focus naturally rotates advisory experts such as judges, inviting diverse groups to influence our activities. 3) Our volunteer group votes for their own boards and leaders each year. 4) Our high school clubs, open to all students, have their own elections in their schools each year, following club bylaws. (f)(3)(iii)(D) Availability of public facilities or services; public participation in programs or policies. (f)(3)(iii)(D)(1) We provide services directly for the benefit of the general public on a continuous basis: a) miRcore science advocacy: educate high school students empathetic communication to understand others better and bring community together, while guiding them to lead a group and share the knowledge to peers at their schools and diverse groups that they are in. Schedule A, Part II, Line 10 Service fees for computational biology research and STEM education; High School Research Conference attendance fee; and material cost and sequencing core service cost for citizen scientist sequencing initiatives. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Form 990, Part III, Line 2 Citizen Scientist Sequencing Initiative (CSSI): After a year of preparation and consulting multiple field experts and leaders, 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. The program began educating individuals regarding the ethics and implications of genome sequencing before collecting their saliva so that individuals were appropriately informed beforehand. Once individual samples were collected, they were sent to the University of Michigan sequencing core for whole exome sequencing, the data then being transferred to the individuals' user accounts in the University of Michigan high performance computing system for self-data analysis. We taught participants how to use the Linux cluster and handle different types of data file structures as well as how to use various analytical software tools so that students had essential technical skills for current and future jobs. Further, being excited when they saw their own DNA sequences, students came to deeply appreciate science. Based on the program's success with a first cohort of 20 students, we offered the first Sequencing Your Own Genome summer camp to ten students, which also ran successfully. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 6 We have student members who pay annual membership fees. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b We will provide the complete pdf form to all directors 1 week after the submission. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 We did not have such a request. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g We paid college students for summer camp help. Most college students work for one week during summer during their other summer internship or classes to support our programs. We have growing number of such college and graduate school students who used to be in our high school program as our programs are maturing. Even though we successfully implemented the Citizen Scientist Sequencing Initiatives during 2023, we were continuously exploring the process easier and cheaper for our students in 2024. With our such exploration and additional research education programs, we were not able to file the 2023 tax on time.