REU Site: NSF REU in Molecular Biosciences

University Of California-San Francisco, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), located in San Francisco, CA, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2017- 2019. The focus of the UCSF REU program is the identification, recruitment and preparation of exceptional undergraduates for doctoral training in the Basic Sciences. Students undertake research in the fields of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics and Developmental Biology, along with graduate application preparation, and career and professional development programming. An experienced faculty committee selects students based on exceptional academic performance and keen interest in basic research, with a focus on students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. The vast majority of UCSF?s REU alumni pursue graduate education at institutions that are among the most highly competitive and demanding in the country, and every year several students join UCSF programs. A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available by visiting http://graduate.ucsf.edu/srtp, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Carol Gross at cgrossucsf@gmail.com) or the co-PI (Dr. Hana El-Samad at Helsamad@gmail.com).