Undergraduate Research Training Programs at VCU
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Note: each of the programs below has its own application requirements. Please follow the links to determine your possible eligibility and specific contact and application procedures. The HHMI Science Education and Research Program Allison Johnson, Coordinator of HHMI Program, Center for the Study of Biological Complexity VCU is expanding its undergraduate learning and research opportunities by offering transformational undergraduate teaching, training, and research in systems biology. This program builds on our previous successes of VCU Life Sciences in graduate training in systems biology, K12, and community outreach in the broader life sciences. VCU's HHMI Science and Education Program offers three opportunites:
The goal is to better prepare our undergraduate biology majors in the area of systems biology to include math, computer science, the physical sciences and engineering so they can better compete in 21st century biological and biomedical research. Click here for information and for the application to the Summer Scholars Program for 2009.
Post-baccalaureate Research Year Maura Murphy, Program Coordinator - Division of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Student
Post-baccalaureate Research Year is a one-year biomedical research training program for recent college graduates from underrepresented groups who are considering graduate-level training in the biomedical sciences. The program provides PRY scholars with a year-long, paid, mentored research experience; the opportunity to develop technical skills; and the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills. PRY scholars receive competitive stipends in the amount of $20,772 for the year. At the end of the program, PRY scholars should have the skills needed to successfully compete for admission into a biomedical Ph.D. program at VCU or another outstanding institution. The PRY program requires the completion of the online application, two reference letters from faculty members and an official academic transcript from your university/college. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but applications received by May 15, 2009 receive preference. Applications can be found on the VCU Division of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students
Post-baccalaureate Research Year is a one-year biomedical research training program for recent college graduates from underrepresented groups who are considering graduate-level training in the biomedical sciences. The program provides PRY scholars with a year-long, paid, mentored research experience; the opportunity to develop technical skills; and the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills. PRY scholars receive competitive stipends in the amount of $20,772 for the year. At the end of the program, PRY scholars should have the skills needed to successfully compete for admission into a biomedical Ph.D. program at VCU or another outstanding institution. The PRY program requires the completion of the online application, two reference letters from faculty members and an official academic transcript from your university/college. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but applications received by May 15, 2009 receive preference.
Applications can be found on the VCU Division of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students
Health Education Research Opportunities (HERO) Maura Murphy, Program Coordinator - Division of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students
This National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood (NHLBI) sponsored program provides 10-week summer research experiences for undergraduate students and first year medical or dental students. Student have the opportunity to work with VCU faculty on research projects in the areas in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, and blood; blood resources; and sleep disorders This program provides “hands on” research experiences and career development opportunities for undergraduate students from racial and ethnic minority or disadvantaged backgrounds. Applications can be found on the VCU Division of Health Careers/ Education website Funding: National Institutes of Health, 4/1/08 – 3/31/2013 PI: Rakesh Kukreja
This National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood (NHLBI) sponsored program provides 10-week summer research experiences for undergraduate students and first year medical or dental students. Student have the opportunity to work with VCU faculty on research projects in the areas in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, and blood; blood resources; and sleep disorders This program provides “hands on” research experiences and career development opportunities for undergraduate students from racial and ethnic minority or disadvantaged backgrounds.
Applications can be found on the VCU Division of Health Careers/ Education website Funding: National Institutes of Health, 4/1/08 – 3/31/2013 PI: Rakesh Kukreja
Short-term Educator Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) Maura Murphy, Program Coordinator - Division of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Short-term Educator Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) is a 10-week, non-residential program designed to increase the number of underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students “in the pipeline” who are committed to a career in biomedical, behavioral, clinical or social sciences research. These programs provide “hands on” research experience for undergraduate students from racial and ethnic minority or disadvantaged backgrounds. Funding: National Institutes of Health, 6/1/07 – 3/31/12 PI: Suzanne Barbour
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Short-term Educator Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) is a 10-week, non-residential program designed to increase the number of underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students “in the pipeline” who are committed to a career in biomedical, behavioral, clinical or social sciences research. These programs provide “hands on” research experience for undergraduate students from racial and ethnic minority or disadvantaged backgrounds.
Funding: National Institutes of Health, 6/1/07 – 3/31/12 PI: Suzanne Barbour
NHLBI’s Summer for Sickle Cell Science Program Maura Murphy, Program Coordinator - Division of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students
This eight-week program is designed to support up to 3 High School students per Center, for the Summer to learn, discover and have hands-on experience in a research laboratory environment. The program is be sponsored by the NHLBI, NIH. Participating applicants will be awarded a Summer stipend around $3000.00. The goal of this program will be to expose young students to a laboratory research environment in a medical center, to cultivate continued interest in scientific research related to sickle cell disease.
VCU’s RAMp’s – Reaching Academic Milestones through Participation and Service Latanya Alexander, Program Coordinator – VCU’s School of Dentistry (804) 828-9953
Students are engaged in academic enrichment activities such as biochemistry, microbiology, dental instruction, health disparities, ethics and professionalism. Participants will receive grades in the academic courses and a certificate upon completion to the program. An orientation to the dental school is provided and 25 students will be selected. All applicants must have completed three years of college course work, including Organic Chemistry I and II, and have a strong interest in dentistry. Preference is given to those of a disadvantaged (educational, social or economic) background. Applications must be submitted along with an essay, transcripts from all institutions attended and two letters of recommendation.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Pre-College Outreach Initiative Jan Chlebowski, Institution Director
This program is designed to foster children's interest in and knowledge of science and inspire them to consider careers in basic and health sciences through classroom, laboratory and field activities. VCU will develop programs to increase math and science literacy for students in Central Virginia, enhance research and life sciences training for K-12 science teachers and expand Internet-based life sciences videos and lessons to teachers and students nationwide. The initiative includes four major components, including a summer enrichment day camp for elementary school students and a school-year program for middle and high school students to learn about biology, human physiology and careers in medicine and life science research. This program is housed in Life Sciences. Funding: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 9/1/07 – 8/31/12 PI: Richard J. Rezba
This program is designed to foster children's interest in and knowledge of science and inspire them to consider careers in basic and health sciences through classroom, laboratory and field activities. VCU will develop programs to increase math and science literacy for students in Central Virginia, enhance research and life sciences training for K-12 science teachers and expand Internet-based life sciences videos and lessons to teachers and students nationwide. The initiative includes four major components, including a summer enrichment day camp for elementary school students and a school-year program for middle and high school students to learn about biology, human physiology and careers in medicine and life science research. This program is housed in Life Sciences.
Funding: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 9/1/07 – 8/31/12 PI: Richard J. Rezba
Summer Residential Governor’s School for Life Sciences and Medicine Richard J. Rezba, Director, Center for Life Sciences Education
High school juniors and seniors spend a total of four weeks at Virginia Commonwealth University discovering the newly emerging fields and advancements that will revolutionize health care and life sciences in the 21st century. Governor’s School students will experience three modules: clinical, molecular and environmental science. For the final week, students will work in groups on a project in one of the three areas. During the four-week program, students and staff live on-site at VCU as they explore and develop ideas and data together. Funding: VA Department of Education, 5/1/07 – 3/1/08 PI: Thomas Huff
High school juniors and seniors spend a total of four weeks at Virginia Commonwealth University discovering the newly emerging fields and advancements that will revolutionize health care and life sciences in the 21st century. Governor’s School students will experience three modules: clinical, molecular and environmental science. For the final week, students will work in groups on a project in one of the three areas. During the four-week program, students and staff live on-site at VCU as they explore and develop ideas and data together.
Funding: VA Department of Education, 5/1/07 – 3/1/08 PI: Thomas Huff
Bioinformatics and Bioengineering Summer Institute Jeff Elhai, Director
Virginia Commonwealth University's Bioinformatics and Bioengineering Summer Institute accepts students every year into a two-year program, designed to make tangible, through an intense research experience, the possibilities of a career in bioinformatics or bioengineering. Funding: National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health 8/15/06 – 7/31/09 PI: Greg Buck
Virginia Commonwealth University's Bioinformatics and Bioengineering Summer Institute accepts students every year into a two-year program, designed to make tangible, through an intense research experience, the possibilities of a career in bioinformatics or bioengineering.
Funding: National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health 8/15/06 – 7/31/09 PI: Greg Buck
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) (NSF) Suzanne Ruder, Department of Chemistry
Ten students will participate in the REU program that begins with a three-day training period teaching basic skills common to all scientific research, and developing the perspectives and career planning components. Full-time research begins after this three-day period. Development of the perspectives component continues with regular meetings and presentations from faculty and from local industrial collaborators. The students oral and written communication skills are developed throughout the program by completing a written proposal, revising their personal statements submitted as part of their application and preparing and presenting a poster of their work at the halfway point and an oral presentation for the final symposium. Written reports of the students research results are also submitted at the conclusion of the program. Four teachers from area Public Schools will also participate in a seven-week RET program, doing research in faculty labs. The RET program includes two teachers who participated in the previous summers program and two teachers recommended by the returning teachers. Teachers join in all REU activities, write a research proposal and give halfway-point and final presentations on their research. Funding: National Science Foundation, 4/1/06 – 3/31/07 PI: Suzanne Ruder
Ten students will participate in the REU program that begins with a three-day training period teaching basic skills common to all scientific research, and developing the perspectives and career planning components. Full-time research begins after this three-day period. Development of the perspectives component continues with regular meetings and presentations from faculty and from local industrial collaborators. The students oral and written communication skills are developed throughout the program by completing a written proposal, revising their personal statements submitted as part of their application and preparing and presenting a poster of their work at the halfway point and an oral presentation for the final symposium. Written reports of the students research results are also submitted at the conclusion of the program. Four teachers from area Public Schools will also participate in a seven-week RET program, doing research in faculty labs. The RET program includes two teachers who participated in the previous summers program and two teachers recommended by the returning teachers. Teachers join in all REU activities, write a research proposal and give halfway-point and final presentations on their research.
Funding: National Science Foundation, 4/1/06 – 3/31/07 PI: Suzanne Ruder
Virginia Nebraska Alliance Terone Green
The Virginia-Nebraska Alliance (The Alliance) is a unique partnership between unlikely partners to address the national need to diversify the healthcare and research workforce. The Alliance was formed in September 2004 between the five Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) within Virginia: J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, the University of Nebraska Medical Center(UNMC) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In 2006 The Alliance welcomed the University of Richmond (UofR), the University of Virginia (UVA), and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) as academic partners. This model partnership between academic health science centers and HBCUs can be replicated across the nation to find “missing persons” in healthcare and research professions. The Summer Medical and Dental Education Program is an Intensive academic science review, opportunities to interact with current graduate students, weekly clinical learning opportunities. Summer Research - VCU, UNMC, UVA, EVMS offers Full-time summer research experience, enrichment seminars, and poster presentation at end of summer. Through the Summer Research Experience (High School), Students would participate in an innovative program that introduces them to the health sciences, through an early educational initiative that fosters academic achievement, career development and enrichment experiences in the health sciences. Students would participate in a researched based curriculum that conforms to the standards of learning and incorporates the core academic subjects of science, math and reading. Students would have an opportunity to see first hand the relationship between academic preparation and skills needed to be successful in the health care arena. Alliance medical and research professionals would provide hands on activities that stimulate and encourage student learning. D–Star: Dental – Student Training in Academic Research The D-Star program focuses on methodology and hands-on research experience within the field of dentistry. Students spend 10 weeks from June to August in labs on VCU’s Medical Center and will prepare an individual research abstract, conduct an oral presentation on their research topic and create a scientific poster to summarize their experiences. D-Star is available to two students who have completed their sophomore year of college and are currently enrolled in a school within the Alliance partnership. Qualifications include a strong desire to pursue a career in dentistry and documentation of past history related to limited opportunities — educational, social and/or economic — that place an individual from a disadvantaged background seeking admission to a dental education program. There is no application fee for this program and the deadline to apply is Feb. 15, 2009.
The Virginia-Nebraska Alliance (The Alliance) is a unique partnership between unlikely partners to address the national need to diversify the healthcare and research workforce. The Alliance was formed in September 2004 between the five Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) within Virginia: J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, the University of Nebraska Medical Center(UNMC) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In 2006 The Alliance welcomed the University of Richmond (UofR), the University of Virginia (UVA), and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) as academic partners. This model partnership between academic health science centers and HBCUs can be replicated across the nation to find “missing persons” in healthcare and research professions. The Summer Medical and Dental Education Program is an Intensive academic science review, opportunities to interact with current graduate students, weekly clinical learning opportunities. Summer Research - VCU, UNMC, UVA, EVMS offers Full-time summer research experience, enrichment seminars, and poster presentation at end of summer. Through the Summer Research Experience (High School), Students would participate in an innovative program that introduces them to the health sciences, through an early educational initiative that fosters academic achievement, career development and enrichment experiences in the health sciences. Students would participate in a researched based curriculum that conforms to the standards of learning and incorporates the core academic subjects of science, math and reading. Students would have an opportunity to see first hand the relationship between academic preparation and skills needed to be successful in the health care arena. Alliance medical and research professionals would provide hands on activities that stimulate and encourage student learning.
D–Star: Dental – Student Training in Academic Research The D-Star program focuses on methodology and hands-on research experience within the field of dentistry. Students spend 10 weeks from June to August in labs on VCU’s Medical Center and will prepare an individual research abstract, conduct an oral presentation on their research topic and create a scientific poster to summarize their experiences. D-Star is available to two students who have completed their sophomore year of college and are currently enrolled in a school within the Alliance partnership. Qualifications include a strong desire to pursue a career in dentistry and documentation of past history related to limited opportunities — educational, social and/or economic — that place an individual from a disadvantaged background seeking admission to a dental education program. There is no application fee for this program and the deadline to apply is Feb. 15, 2009.
VUU MARC U*STAR Program
MARC U*STAR is a program funded by the NIGMS branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of the program is to increase the pool of well-prepared minority students who can compete successfully for admission into, and completion of Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences. This goal is achieved through a strengthened undergraduate curriculum in the sciences including new, innovative, and lab-intensive courses, research training, and internships. The academic units participating in this program are biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and psychology. The research training component takes place at various departments at the Medical Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, and The University of Richmond. Funding: National Institutes of Health, 9/1/93 – 5/31/08 PI: Anthony Madu, Virginia Union University
MARC U*STAR is a program funded by the NIGMS branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of the program is to increase the pool of well-prepared minority students who can compete successfully for admission into, and completion of Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences. This goal is achieved through a strengthened undergraduate curriculum in the sciences including new, innovative, and lab-intensive courses, research training, and internships. The academic units participating in this program are biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and psychology. The research training component takes place at various departments at the Medical Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, and The University of Richmond.
Funding: National Institutes of Health, 9/1/93 – 5/31/08 PI: Anthony Madu, Virginia Union University