2019 SURP - Nadia Samaha
- Summer Research Programs
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- Summer Experience Information
- Summer Experience Activities & Events
Summer Undergraduate Research Program
THE SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM (SURP) WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2021 SUMMER EXPERIENCE PROGRAM.
The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is a 10-week program that offers hands-on experience in biomedical, translational or clinical research. Students who have completed at least two years of college-level courses in one or more science programs (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics or computer science) and are in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Students who are considering pursuing an advanced degree (Ph.D., M.D. or both) and are interested in scientific investigation would benefit most from the program.
Students are matched with a mentor from MD Anderson’s research or clinical faculty. Participants work alongside the mentor in a lab or clinic on projects designed by faculty to reflect current research. Workshops and lectures provide opportunities to connect with faculty, residents, postdoctoral and clinical fellows, and other participants. Through the program, students assess goals related to careers in oncology research and patient care. The program culminates with a symposium in which participants present talks and posters on their research projects to peers and faculty.
The program includes the following activities:
- Hands-on investigative scientific research directed by MD Anderson faculty
- Clinical observation in interventional radiology, radiation oncology, breast and melanoma medical oncology, nuclear medicine, and IPCT (Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy)
- Lectures and workshops designed to expand students' knowledge of scientific fields and medical disciplines
- End-of-program presentation of research projects
In addition to working in labs and shadowing faculty members, students in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program take part in a variety of academic and networking activities.
Learn and Network With Colleagues at SURP Events
In addition to working in labs and shadowing faculty members, students in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program take part in a variety of academic and networking activities.
Learning Objectives
- The laboratory and clinical environment at MD Anderson provides a broad range of challenging basic research and clinical projects. Students learn lab safety practices and techniques for gathering, analyzing and presenting scientific data.
- Emphasis is placed on the importance of basic principles that form the foundation for scientific investigation. Students learn about a broad range of subjects in biomedical research.
- MD Anderson faculty mentors design projects that reflect the ongoing research efforts of the institution's laboratories. Students actively participate in the technical aspects of their projects and the interpretation of experimental data.
- Clinical observations expose the students to various areas in oncology for future career decision-making.
- At the conclusion of the program, participants present their summer research project as an academic poster. Students also are eligible to participate in an elevator speech competition.
Eligibility & Requirements
Students who have completed at least two years of college-level courses in one or more science programs (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics or computer science) and are in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Applicants must currently be enrolled in an undergraduate program in the United States and be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or international student on F1 or J1 visa to apply.
Students who are considering pursuing an advanced degree (Ph.D., M.D. or both) and are interested in scientific investigation would benefit most from the program.
Dates & Work Schedule
- Summer Experience 2021 will take place June 7-August 13, 2021.
- MD Anderson's normal hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Exact work schedules are subject to the mentor’s needs and expectations.
Mentor Matching
Students who have interest in a specific scientific research project should include this information in the Personal Statement area of the application. While we attempt to match students with mentors in accordance with declared interests, this is based on faculty availability and may not be feasible in all circumstances.
Stipend
Students receive a stipend of $6,000 for the 10-week training period ($600/week). The stipend may change based on actual days worked in a week. Students are expected to pay for housing from these funds. Paychecks are issued on the 5th and the 20th of each month, deducting the required federal tax.
Application Information
We will not be accepting applications for the 2021 Summer Program.
The following information will be required on the application:
- Personal information, including contact information and mailing address
- Transcripts from high school and undergraduate universities
- Personal Statement
- Two letters of reference with contact information (At least one reference should come from a science or math professor. The other may be from an advisor, counselor or health care advisor/mentor with whom you worked in a prior program during the past four years.)
Applications must be completed and submitted before the above deadline. Incomplete applications will be purged after the deadline has passed.
If the information found here did not provide the answers you need, check with us to find out the answers to your questions.
SURP Activities







Summer Undergraduate Research Program Contact Information
Administrative questions:
Nancy Strange
Program Coordinator
Education & Training
713-792-2552
NDStrange@mdanderson.org
What Our Students Say
Summer Undergraduate Research Program Alumni
Alumni of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program play an essential role in furthering MD Anderson’s mission areas of research and education. The highly competitive 10-week program began in 2013 and has grown to include numerous students each year.
Trainees work under the guidance of a faculty mentor and engage in a project related to cancer research while exploring opportunities to share their findings in publications and presentations. Summer Undergraduate Research Program alumni leave MD Anderson with training in research practices and leadership, preparing them for careers in academia, cancer research, patient care, health care communications and public health.
Students from universities across the United States take part in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program. The following list is a roster of Summer Undergraduate Research Program participants.
2019 Alumni
Name |
Institution |
Department |
Mentor |
Michael Adjei-Mosi |
Brown University |
Genetics |
Bin Wang, Ph.D. |
Emily Aller |
Austin College |
Radiation Physics |
Gabriel Sawakuchi, Ph.D. |
Clemens An |
Cornell University |
Clinical Cancer Prevention |
Guang Peng, Ph.D. |
Kendall Gibson |
Texas A & M University - College Station |
Pediatrics - Research |
Shulin Li, Ph.D. |
Keith Kyewalabye |
Caldwell College |
Investigational Cancer Therapeutics |
Timothy Yap, MBBS, Ph.D. |
Olivia Liu |
Duke University |
Interventional Radiology |
Marites Melancon, Ph.D. |
Alexander Perry |
Texas A & M University - College Station |
Imaging Physics |
Kyle Jones, Ph.D. |
Alex Tan |
College of William & Mary |
Breast Medical Oncology |
Chandra Bartholomeusz, M.D., Ph.D. |
Theresa Vanderventer |
Rice University |
Thoracic Head & Neck Medical Oncology |
Alexandre Reuben, Ph.D. |
Jaewon You |
Columbia University |
Experimental Therapeutics |
Shuxing Zhang, PHARMD, Ph.D. |
Ana Zaldivar |
Florida International University |
Cancer Systems Imaging |
Steven Millward, Ph.D. |
2018 Alumni
Lauren Bagneris |
Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge |
Gynecologic Oncology & Reproductive Medicine |
Samuel Mok, Ph.D. |
Paul Behlau |
Mississippi State Univ. |
Interventional Radiology |
Marites Melancon, Ph.D. |
Dwayne Bragg |
University of Texas - El Paso |
Translational Molecular Pathology |
Krishna Bhat, Ph.D. |
Shamrez Haider |
University of Texas - Austin |
Cancer Systems Imaging |
Steven Millward, Ph.D. |
Kamran Kelly |
Carleton College |
Genetics |
Bin Wang, Ph.D. |
Debora Kim |
Rice University |
Diagnostic Radiology – Breast Imaging |
Rosalind Candelaria, M.D. |
Carla Merveille |
University of Houston - Main Campus |
Gynecologic Oncology & Reproductive Medicine |
Kathleen Schmeler, M.D. |
Jessica Rao |
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Pulmonary Medicine |
Scott Evans, M.D. |
Nadia Samaha |
Cornell University - Ithaca |
Radiation Oncology |
Erik Sulman, M.D., Ph.D. |
Lily Sandbloom |
Baylor University |
Breast Surgical Oncology |
Jessica Suarez Colen, M.D. |
Sruthi Sivabhaskar |
Texas A & M University - College Station |
Radiation Physics |
Gabriel Sawakuchi, Ph.D. |
Carla Villardo |
University of Pennsylvania |
Imaging Physics |
Richard Bouchard, Ph.D. |
Isaiah Yim |
Boston College |
Breast Surgical Oncology |
Isabelle Bedrosian, M.D. |
2017 Alumni
Last Name | First Name | Institution | Department | Mentor | Project Title |
Bhansali | Divya | University of Miami | Imaging Physics | Richard Bouchard, Ph.D. | Quantitative Assessment of Ultrasound Backscatter in 3D Printed Phantoms |
Boom | Kathryn | Washington University | Gynecologic Oncology & Reproductive Medicine | Kathleen Schmeler, M.D. | Perspectives on Cervical Cancer Screening and Prevention: Challenges Faced by Providers and Patients Along the Texas-Mexico Border |
Butterfield | Hannah | Austin College | Cancer Systems Imaging | Florian Muller, Ph.D. | Galactose Oxidase Is a Conditional Source of Reactive Oxygen Species for Antibody-Conjugated Killing of Cancer Cells |
Chang | Shandel | University of Oklahoma | Pulmonary Medicine | Scott Evans, M.D., F.C.C.P. | Class C Oligodeoxynucleotide in Combination With Pam2 Induces Effective Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent Antiviral Resistance in Human Lung Epithelial Cells |
Deaderick | William | Rice University | Bioinformatics & Computational Biology | Arvind Rao, Ph.D. | Bridging the Gap: A Visually Interpretable Approach to Radiogenomic Classification |
Feng | James | Duke University | Interventional Radiology | Marites Melancon, Ph.D. | Characterization of Electrospun Radiopaque Gold Nanoparticle/Polydioxanone Nanofiber Composites for In-Vivo Application |
Kamran | Arsalan | Loyola University of Chicago | Stem Cell Transplantation—Research | Qing Ma, Ph.D. | Elevated Levels of Soluble and Neutrophil Melanoma Cell Adhesion Molecule (CD146) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia |
Lima | Ana | University of Dallas | Genetics | Andrew Gladden, Ph.D. | Apicobasal Polarity Regulates Notch Mediated Proliferation and Migration in Endometrial Cancer Cells |
Menta | Arjun | University of Texas at Austin | Genetics | Bin Wang, Ph.D. | Identification of Selective MLK4 Inhibitors Through In-Silico and Predictive Analytics Methodology |
Reyes | Joel | University of Texas at El Paso | Pathology—Research | Krishna Bhat, Ph.D. | Neuronal Differentiation in GMB by Suppression of TAZ |
Sidebottom | Christian | Union University | Radiation Oncology | Erik Sulman, M.D., Ph.D. | Analyzing Glioblastoma for MGMT Promoter Methylation |
Yan | Victoria | Mount Holyoke College | Cancer Systems Imaging | Steven Millward, Ph.D. | Synthesis of Caspase-3-Specific Peptide Libraries to Image Cell Death |