Pittsburgh Undergraduate Research Diversity Program (PURDIP)

SUMMARY The goal of the VMI Undergraduate Experience Program (VUE) is to catalyze the training and career development of undergraduate students in research, to enhance their prospects and competitiveness for a career in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research in the mission areas of importance to the NHLBI. This goal will be achieved through the provision of an intensive summer research educational experience in innovative technologies and conceptual paradigms related to heart, lung, blood and sleep-related science at the University of Pittsburgh. The focus of VUE is knowledge in Fundamentals of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, Mentored Research Projects and Learning Skills. Its objective is to help the students discover their passion for research in the heart, lungs, sleep and blood science, provide hands-on research experience to trainees to help them to better understand the biomedical, behavioral and clinical research profession, and finally to motivate the trainees to continue to graduate and other health professions careers. Over 70 University of Pittsburgh academic faculty from the broad disciplines of cardiology, hematology/oncology, vascular biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, coagulation and thrombosis, transfusion medicine, regenerative medicine and sleep at the University of Pittsburgh are available to provide a broad array of basic, behavioral, translational and clinical research topics and study patient populations to carry out this project. The program focuses on multiple areas of heart, lung, blood and sleep research including hemolysis-related vascular disorders, sickle cell disease, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac imaging, and cardiovascular health outcomes. Training will incorporate the learning of cutting-edge methodologies that is applied to a clinical problem, leading to potentially novel therapeutic approaches or clinical studies in patients. Trainees will be paired up with one clinical investigator and one basic or behavioral investigator to give them a broad perspective on health-related research NARRATIVE In the interest of supporting the career development of undergraduate students in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research, we will establish an intensive summer research education program to prepare and motivate students to enroll in MD/PhD and PhD programs. Our goal is to cultivate professional skills, enhance resumes, and provide real-world experience to increase participants competitiveness. By working closely with mentors on research projects, students develop transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, and perseverance, and gain confidence in their chosen field. Exposure to authentic research enables students to clarify their career goals, make valuable connections, and stand out in competitive job markets or graduate program applications, often inspiring greater ambition and helping them navigate future professional paths.