Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Toxicology

The proposed Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Toxicology (SURE Tox) program at the University of Illinois will provide high quality research experiences for under-represented minority undergraduate students during the summer academic break. The SURE Tox program will have its own identity, but it will also complement existing funded programs for undergraduate and medical students at the University of Illinois such as the Environmental Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, the Summer Research Opportunities Program, the Toxicology Scholars Program, and the Summer Research Program for Veterinary Medical Students. The program will involve active participation by faculty members from several departments and colleges at the University of Illinois, all of whom have expertise in environmental health/toxicology and experience training undergraduate students. The proposed training program will enroll 7 junior and senior undergraduate students who will spend 10 weeks over the summer in the program. The specific goals of the program are to: 1) match participants with faculty mentors who will direct the student to complete a hypothesis-driven project in the field of environmental health/toxicology, 2) help each student learn laboratory techniques and research skills, 3) provide didactic training on animal use in research, the responsible conduct of research, and use of the electronic library, 4) train students to prepare scientific talks and posters and to present their work at scientific meetings, 5) provide networking opportunities for students to meet other students and faculty members in research, 6) provide students with information on academic vs. industry careers in toxicology, and 7) provide each participant the opportunity to participate in GRE Institute workshops to prepare for the Graduate Record Exam. At the conclusion of the program, the students will present their work at the Illinois Summer Research Symposium held on campus. This training program will provide a unique opportunity for undergraduate students, specifically minority students, to obtain training and research experience in the field of environmental health/ toxicology at a research intensive university with outstanding toxicology programs.