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.