Summer Research Scholar at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
During the 9-week program, students accepted into the program conduct an individually tailored research project under the supervision of WFIRM faculty and staff. Projects are focused in several areas including biomaterials, cell and molecular biology, physiology, biomedical engineering, controlled release systems, biochemistry, cell and gene therapy and tissue engineering. Undergraduate students accepted into the program will carry out research under the supervision of prominent biomedical scientists, write a research summary, conduct an oral presentation, and have the opportunity to see their work published.
For the bulk of the 9 -week program, students become immersed on a research project in a faculty lab receiving appropriate guidance from their faculty mentor and graduate or post-doctoral students in the lab. Students perform their own research and data analysis and present their findings at a formal scientific poster session at the conclusion of the program. Strategies to prepare for and apply to graduate schools is also emphasized. Opportunities for social interaction with each other as well as with the faculty, graduate and postdoctoral trainees and staff of WFIRM is highlighted over the course of the summer. These events are intended to help our students form relationships with fellow scientists and colleagues to assist them in charting and pursuing their educational and career pathways and persist well beyond their tenure at the institute.
The program is competitive. Applicants should be undergraduates pursuing degrees in engineering, bioengineering, biotechnology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, biology, premedicine, and related fields to be eligible and must have a cumulative GPA of 2.85 or higher (on the 4.0 scale). They must have completed at least two semesters of undergraduate education and be at least 18 years of age by the first day of the program. International students who currently have a J-1 or F-1 visa and who are already attending school in the United States are eligible to apply. The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is offering limited fellowships for its 2021 Undergraduate Summer Scholar Research Program.
The ability to engineer functional tissues and organs in the laboratory requires the coordinated expertise of many disciplines of science, engineering and clinical practice, including cell and molecular biology, chemistry, engineering, and physiology.
Through its annual Summer Scholars Program, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) offers undergraduate students opportunities to experience this exciting, multidisciplinary research firsthand. The WFIRM Summer Scholars 2022 program is a 9 week program focused on multidisciplinary regenerative medicine research. All students participating in the program will carry out research under the supervision of prominent regenerative medicine scientists, write a research summary, present their work in both oral and poster presentation formats, and have additional opportunities to see their work published.
Scholars will receive a $5,000 stipend for their participation and a housing allowance may also be available dependent on the source of fellowship funding provided.
The main criteria for the selection of summer scholars will be personal scholarship and academic excellence and the match of applicant interests with those of participating researchers. In addition to the completed online application and personal statements, please submit the following documentation:
- An official transcript of your undergraduate study to date
- Two letters of recommendation; these may be requested from professors related to your major, an advisor, and/or department chair
Applicants can apply online at: http://wfirm.org. Applications open November 15, 2021. Questions? Email us at summerscholar@wakehealth.edu or contact us by phone: Joan F. Schanck, MPA, Program Director, at 336-713-1201.