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Mentorship fuels growth of University of Nevada biotechnology program | Fall 2025 Issue | Nevada Silver and Blue

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Mentorship fuels growth of University of Nevada biotechnology program | Fall 2025 Issue | Nevada Silver and Blue


As a high school student, Eli Mann didn’t expect a science event to shape his future. That changed the moment he stepped into the University’s Biotechnology Symposium. There, while presenting his experiment on fluorescent proteins and seed germination — inspired by his passion for plants — something clicked that launched his path further into science.

Eli Mann holds crystal violet dye. Credit: Brin Reynolds ’12, ’15 MBA

His journey from student to scientist-in-training wasn’t by chance. It was carefully nurtured during his four years of high school by his teacher, University alumnus Andrea Jydstrup-McKinney ’09 (biotechnology), who now leads the biotech specialization at West Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas. A graduate of the biotechnology program’s accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s track, Jydstrup-McKinney was Eli’s biotechnology teacher from 9th through 12th grade.

The role of mentorship in student success and STEM career readiness

“She wasn’t a typical teacher,” Mann said. “She came from industry and connected what she did directly to what we were learning. Most of the experiments I did in high school were at a high college level, giving me a head start on my research at the University.”

Andrea Jydstrup-McKinney ’09
Andrea Jydstrup-McKinney ’09.

Jydstrup-McKinney estimates five to 10 of her students have joined the biotech program in the past 13 years. Mann is one of them, now a sophomore, where he has traded seed trays for Petri dishes and is researching mosquito-borne diseases.

Interest in the program has grown steadily, thanks in part to outreach, mentorship and events such as the annual Biotechnology Symposium. Launched soon after the biotech program’s founding in 2001, the symposium has grown into a major event hosted in part by the Nevada Center for Applied Research. Held in May at the School of Medicine’s Center for Molecular Medicine, this year’s 20th annual gathering featured student research, lab tours and faculty talks. It’s designed to show students what’s possible and connect them with people and tools to get there.

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High school programs and internships help students explore biotechnology careers

Early exposure is key. Last year, the program began hosting a four-week Summer Research Internship that places high school students in research labs, where they shadow faculty, explore biotech careers and contribute to real-world research, all while earning college credit and gaining confidence in the lab.

The program has become a launch – pad for scientists, doctors, patent lawyers, educators and entrepreneurs. For students like Mann, it’s not just a head start – it’s a future taking shape with every experiment.



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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads

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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads


A string of deadly crashes in and around Pahrump has prompted Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill to push for more safety measures along dark, sidewalk-free roads.

“The worst penalty is death, if you consider that,” McGill said.

The recent deaths include a single-vehicle rollover on State Route 160 during the morning hours of the last Wednesday in January that killed one person and injured another.

Then, into February, two pedestrians were killed in less than three days.

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The first was a 7 p.m. crash on Quarter Horse Avenue. Investigators believe a 2006 Jeep Liberty was driving on the street when it hit a pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few days later, this last Saturday, state troopers responded to a crash just after sundown at Charleston Park Avenue. A sedan hit a pedestrian, who was also pronounced dead at the scene.

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Nevada State Police investigators are still investigating both pedestrian cases before more details are released.

McGill said the recent crashes were enough to spur action.

“When the third one came out, I was sitting at home and watching TV. I looked at my wife and I said, ‘We got to do something about this,’” McGill said.

McGill is responding with a reflective vest giveaway, pointing to limited infrastructure as a possible factor. He noted a lack of street lights off State Route 160 and no sidewalks inside the community.

“The only light that you have is the ambient light from houses and cars so it is really dark,” McGill said.

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John Treanor of AAA Nevada said poor visibility can quickly turn dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.

“It is very easy to be confronted with a situation that you cannot see coming because the visibility might be bad,” Treanor said.

Treanor encouraged pedestrians to carry lights and drivers to be prepared if they end up outside their vehicles in dark conditions.

“Having lights on you. Even carrying a flashlight allows something where a driver can see it,” Treanor said. “If you are a driver, make sure you have the right stuff in your car, in case you do get in a situation where you are on the side of the road and now you are in dark. Make sure you have a kit with some reflectors, some lights. Anything the trunk of your car in case you need it.”

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McGill said vigilance is important even in daylight.

“Any time of the day, you have got to be vigilant. You have to keep aware of your surroundings if you are a walker or on a bicycle or if you are the driver,” he said.

Authorities also urged caution as more people may pull off roads in rocky areas along the route toward Death Valley National Park during springtime blooms, increasing the need for drivers and pedestrians to stay alert.

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for $46 Million

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for  Million


A waterfront mansion on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe just sold for $46 million, less than three weeks after hitting the market. 

The speedy deal marks a departure from the typical U.S. market.

Nationwide, homes took a median 78 days to land a buyer in January, five more than the same time last year and the 22nd straight month of homes taking longer to sell on a year-over-year basis, according to data from Realtor.com. 

Mansion Global Boutique: Book Lovers Rejoice: 8 Must-Haves To Build Your Perfect Reading Nook

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The lavish log cabin-like residence, in Incline Village, listed on Jan. 24 for $47.5 million. It sold 20 days later, on Feb. 13, listing records show. 

The more than 7,000-square-foot residence was built in 2014, and has double-height living spaces, walls of windows, beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and plenty of rustic exposed stone and wood, listing images show. 

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There’s also a gym, a wet bar, a spa, a wine room, an office, two separate game rooms, seven bedrooms and dramatic Lake Tahoe views. Outside, there’s a private sandy beach, multiple decks, a heated driveway and two exterior fireplaces, according to listing information. 

MORE: Visited by Kings and Larger Than Manhattan, Giant Scottish Estate Asks £67 Million

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The seller and the buyer are both limited liability companies, according to property records. Both parties were represented by Jeff Brown of Tahoe Mountain Realty, who declined to comment on the deal. 

The median home price in Incline Village was $1.595 million as of December, a fall of 3.3% from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings, meanwhile, spent an average of 130 days on the market. 



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Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS

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Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS