Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in the Molecular Biology and Genomics of Human Cancer - PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT The long-term goal of the proposed program is to establish a summer undergraduate research fellowship in the molecular biology and genomics of human cancer at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine (JAX-GM) in Farmington, CT that will support the need for enhanced education in cancer research and genomics for the future biomedical workforce. This proposed program will function as a defined cohort within the existing JAX Summer Student Program (SSP). The Jackson Laboratory is a NCI-designated Cancer Center, and JAX-GM provides a collaborative, highly innovative research environment of scientists with diverse cancer expertise that will support the following aims of this program: (1) Provide an authentic and mentored research experience. JAX-GM will recruit ten students to join a cutting-edge, collaborative research team using molecular and computational methods to investigate the etiology and evolution of human breast, ovarian, bone, and brain cancers, leukemia, cancer immunotherapy, and genome structural variation and instability. (2) Promote diversity in science. The participants will be chosen through a competitive, nationwide application process, and members of underrepresented groups will be actively recruited through targeted national outreach. Each intern will receive a full fellowship including subsistence, round-trip transportation, research supplies, and funds to offset the cost of housing. These funds will enable economically disadvantaged students to forgo summer jobs and participate in this life-changing educational experience. (3) Encourage careers in science and lifelong scientific literacy. Each participant will join a sponsoring scientist's team and will design and conduct an independent, hypothesis-driven project using advanced analytic methods and tools and the outstanding scientific resources available at JAX-GM. The cancer research fellowship program will require students to attend workshops on the ethical, legal, and social issues facing scientists today and complete pre-fellowship online prequels on cancer genomics. (4) Incorporate evaluation to strengthen the program. JAX Genomic Education staff will collect formative and summative evaluation data that will directly inform program leadership to guide future administration of the program. The JAX institutional commitment ensures student access to intellectual and research resources including on-campus courses and conferences, state-of-the-art instrumentation and computational resources, dedicated program direction by JAX Genomic Education staff, housing in a college setting, and a professionally staffed residential program. The SSP––supported by institutional funds, private foundations, and federal grants––has well-established administrative procedures for recruitment and selection, mentor training, guidance, program design, management, and evaluation. JAX-GM offers a stimulating environment in which motivated, talented students from diverse backgrounds can learn the fundamentals of scientific inquiry, contribute to real research progress, and make great strides in intellectual and personal growth that will guide them in career choices and lifelong learning.
