General Information

What Some Past Participants Have To Say About SURP: "I learned a lot about research, lab work, etc., that I would not have learned in school. " "The program gives [you] the opportunity to see what it is actually like in a biomedical research lab." "It was a great way to experience research on a first-hand basis!" "Good opportunity to investigate biomedical research as a career."

The primary goal of SURP is to provide college students who have demonstrated outstanding scientific aptitude and an interest in biomedical sciences with the opportunity to experience research. SURP is designed to increase student motivation to pursue graduate education leading to careers in biomedical research and helps fill the national need for investigators capable of addressing new health problems as they arise.

Undergraduate students interested in biomedical sciences have many career options. SURP provides research experience to help students decide if they wish to pursue careers in biomedical research.

Under the guidance of a selected faculty member, the student has the opportunity to learn the basic skills necessary to contribute to a research effort during a 10-week period from June 4 - August 10 2012. UTMB has 21 departments offering research opportunities for students interested in almost any area of biomedical research. These include, but are not restricted to: Molecular biology, toxicology, biochemistry, immunology, physiology, virology, genetics, microbiology and pharmacology.

A sample of the techniques a student might learn includes: maintaining cell cultures, electrophoresis, chromatography, immunoassays, animal surgery, electrophysiology and neurochemical assays, and protein and nucleic acid molecular biology. The students attend various scientific seminars and journal clubs during the summer. Finally, all participants will display the results of their research efforts at a poster session at the end of the program. A "Certificate of Merit" will be awarded to all participants upon completion of the program.

The program is offered to college students (US citizens only) of all cultural backgrounds who are contemplating graduate studies in the biomedical sciences. Selection of the students is based on the completed application, an unofficial transcript from the student's undergraduate institution(s), and two letters of recommendation (one from faculty and one from an advisor). Deadline for receipt of all materials in our office is February 15, 2012.

Funding includes a total stipend of $3,500 (before taxes) for the ten weeks of the program. Although students must pay for their own housing and travel expenses to and from Galveston, Texas and we arrange housing.