Summer Programs

The  Department of Pharmacology  has a ten-week summer research program that offers participants a variety of experiences that will help prepare them for success in research-intensive doctoral programs.

Participants will have research responsibilities, attend seminars, actively participate in a student journal club, and take part in formal coursework. Applicants to the summer program must be classified as undergraduate students, have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and have completed at least one semester each of college-level biology and chemistry by the end of the spring semester of the year of application.

Program Focus: Pharmacology, The study of drugs on biological systems
Program Dates: June 1 to August 4, 2023
Stipend: Yes
Requirements:

• Completed online application
• Unofficial transcript
  • Transcripts should reflect your most recent courses including all courses being pursued in the Fall 2023 and Spring 2023․
• One letter of recommendation
• Personal Statement (<1000 words)
  • a description of your career goals․
  • how this program will help you reach those goals
• a description of any previous research experience

Application Deadline: March 3, 2023

This summer program is made possible by a grant from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET), funds provided by the Department of Pharmacology, as well as from federal grants awarded to members of the faculty․

Apply to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

SPURRS is a program designed to encourage talented college students to pursue careers in medicine and medical research related to the kidneys and urinary tract. Kidney disease is a very common problem, affecting about 15% of people in the US and is a common complication of such illnesses as diabetes and heart disease. Treatments for kidney disease are currently limited, and many patients may progress to need either kidney dialysis or kidney transplantation. Further research into the causes and cures of kidney disease is urgently needed.

Funded by a grant from the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the University of Texas Long School of Medicine in San Antonio is offering undergraduate students opportunities to work with a faculty mentor on a summer research project. In addition to working on a research project, and learning hands-on laboratory techniques, students will participate in seminars and conferences with other students, physicians and scientists to learn about how kidneys work and what causes them to fail.

At the end of the summer, students will join students from other research sites around the country at a research symposium to present their summer research findings and participate in career development activities. The program is excellent preparation for students with a goal of attending medical or graduate school and an interest in helping in the battle against kidney disease.

The research will be performed at the University of Texas Long School of Medicine at San Antonio between Tuesday, May 30 – Friday, August 4, 2023.

Students will receive a $5,500 stipend and travel expenses to the symposium.

Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and enrolled as a full-time student in an undergraduate institution at the time of the program. Prior research experience is desirable but not required.

Application deadline:  Friday, February 3, 2023

Selected participants will be notified by email no later than Friday, February 24, 2023. 

Apply to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

If you have any questions, please contact:

Dr. Brian Reeves, Program Director
210-567-4810
reevesw@uthscsa.edu

Chris Reyes, Program Coordinator
210-365-3163
reyesc6@uthscsa.edu

Summer Physiology Undergraduate Researcher Program (SPUR) - Supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke R25 Training Program

Program Details:

• Program Dates: May 30th, 2023 - August 4th, 2023
• A 10-week research-intensive training opportunity to gain hands-on experience and contribute to advancing biomedical research, under the direction of a faculty member and lab team. 
• Partner Universities:   The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, St․ Mary’s University, University of the Incarnate Word, Our Lady of the Lake University, Texas A&M San Antonio, and Trinity University
• Application Deadline: March 10, 2023
• Stipend: $4,000 to assist in the cost of lodging, meals, and other expenses

The goal of this program is to provide research experiences for individuals from minority populations that are underrepresented in the sciences and are highly interested in pursuing either PhD, MD/PhD or DDS/PhD.  Definition of underrepresented populations.

Application Requirements:

Online application: link for application Unofficial transcript Two letters of recommendation (1 must be from a university Science Professor) Current resume and/or CV Brief essay (<500 words total) explaining why you are applying for this program. Please include:

• A personal statement describing your career goals
• How the program will help you move toward those goals
• Any experience you have had in a lab setting

Selection of up to 3 science lab preferences: See link for Program Faculty

This ten-week research program is designed for highly motivated college undergraduate students with a keen interest in research careers in biomedical science. The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology offers an exciting and diverse array of research areas, geared toward understanding the cellular and molecular underpinnings of human physiology. We seek to understand how these factors influence whole organism physiology using a number of novel model systems and innovative technologies.

Individuals who participate must commit to attending to all ten weeks (vacations should not be planned during this period and summer classes should not interfere with daily lab hours, 8am – 5 pm). On-campus housing is not available at UT Health San Antonio; however, there are several extended stay hotels and other options nearby.

Apply to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Program Dates: June 5, 2023-August 11, 2023 (10 weeks)

Stipend: $5,000

Program Focus: Cancer Research

Eligible Universities: Local Universities to include Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) 

Application Deadline: March 1, 2023

The Mays Cancer Center (MCC) at UT Health San Antonio has a ten-week summer research program for undergraduate students at local universities, to include Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)․ The goal of this program is to provide cancer research experiences for individuals, to include minority populations that are underrepresented in the sciences․ The research experiences will range from basic, translational and population-based biomedical cancer research․ This program matches students with a MCC faculty who conducts cancer research․ Participants will engage in research as part of an ongoing cancer research project, attend weekly seminars and present their work at an end of program poster session․ 

Individuals who participate must commit to attending to all ten weeks (vacations should not be planned during this period and sick leave is not paid). If needed, assistance with lodging will be made based upon availability of funds.

Applicants in the summer program must be in good standing at their institutions. Students must have completed at least one year of college and have taken some basic science courses․ Ideal candidates should have an interest in developing a career in biomedical science or medicine․

Requirements:                    

• Online application
• Unofficial transcript
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• 2 letters of recommendation (1 must be from a university Science Professor)
• Personal statement (1-page limit)
• Resume

This summer Program is supported by the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio.

For more information, contact Eva Garcia-Rodriguez at garciaee@uthscsa․edu․

Apply to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

UT Health San Antonio (UTHSA) is a leading academic health center in the United States with a mission to make lives better through excellence in academics, biomedical research, and clinical care. Ideal candidates for this program are anticipated to be current first-year college undergraduates seeking research experience and mentorship, and who exhibit a wide variety of attributes including, but not limited to, a natural curiosity of health and disease, strong communication skills, hard-work ethics, and a sincere dedication to achieving goals.

Unique aspects of this program include its longitudinal nature, requiring students participate for three, consecutive years. This enables a comprehensive research training experience and development of an extensive and meaningful network of peers and mentors. The first phase of the STUROP program involves a week-long orientation, followed by an intensive, summer research immersion at UTHSA. Each STUROP scholar will have an assigned mentor-pair, one from UTHSA and one from their home institution to support immediate research goals and longer-term career development. Mentors include a faculty member with an active research lab including a designated postdoctoral fellow or advanced graduate student to assist with hands-on training. In the second phase of the program, scholars will participate in year-round activities designed to develop their scientific interests, orient them to expectations in research settings, introduce the principles of responsible research, and socialize them to the research enterprise, to prepare them for successful entry to graduate or professional school.

The summer research immersion typically runs from June to mid-August annually and is held at the UTHSA Long School of Medicine campus in San Antonio. This year, the summer immersion will start on June 5th and ends August 4th, 2023. Each scholar will receive a stipend contingent upon fulfillment of program completion as follows: Summer 2023 - $4,000; Summer 2024 - $4,500 & Summer 2025 - $5,000. Lodging is available each summer at no direct cost to the student. Additional part-time compensation may be provided during the academic year at the discretion of each mentee’s home institution mentor and department.

Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and enrolled as a full-time student who has completed one year of college; preference will be given to students finishing freshman or entering sophomore years at a South Texas undergraduate institution. Prior research experience is desirable but not required. Individuals who participate must commit to attending the full program (vacations and summer classes should not interfere with weekday lab hours, 8am to 5pm).

Application deadline:  March 31st, 2023

Selected participants will be notified by email no later than April 14th, 2023.

For additional information, please contact the Program Director, Dr. Irene Chapa, at 210-567-2941 or via email (chapai@uthscsa.edu)  

Apply to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship