Top

CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Program

The CPRIT CURE Undergraduate Research Program – designed for outstanding young scientists interested in a career in cancer research

The CPRIT CURE program at MD Anderson is our flagship research program for summer undergraduate students.

Involves our most accomplished research faculty at MD Anderson
Recruits outstanding students from top-tier institutions
Provides multidisciplinary research and career development training
Trains the largest cohort of undergraduates annually at MD Anderson

Our alumni have been resoundingly successful and comprise a rich network for future students:

A total of 594 undergraduates undergraduates have participated in the CPRIT CURE program in the past 10 years, providing a substantial, multidisciplinary alumni network
Of those who completed their undergraduate degrees, 99% have advanced to post-graduate doctoral programs or other biomedical research positions
Our students have authored 81 publications from work performed at MD Anderson, as well as 470 additional publications from subsequent research experiences
Our students have earned numerous prestigious awards, including 1st place in the 2015 and 2019 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition, three Thomas J. Bardos Awards (AACR), three Fulbright Post-bac Research Awards and eight Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships
Our students have presented their research at national scientific meetings, including the annual meetings of the AACR, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and American Society of Hematology (ASH)

How to Apply

Applications are no longer being accepted for the 2024 program.

The following information is required on the application:

Personal and demographic information
Official transcript(s) from undergraduate university
Statement of research experience & area(s) of interest (max 5000 characters inclusive of spaces and punctuation)
Two letters of recommendation uploaded by your referee
- 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. Once you submit your application, you will be prompted to create a SLATE account where you can add the contact information for your referees. Once referees are added to your SLATE account, an emailed link will be sent through the system so that your referees may upload their letters of recommendation.

Applications should be submitted via the MD Anderson SLATE trainee system. If the information found here did not provide the answers you need, please feel free to email:

Program Director, Dr. Kara Lewis keleonard@mdanderson.org

Program Manager, Valoree Solis
vdsolis@mdanderson.org

Join our program for outstanding undergraduate students interested in cancer research.

The Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)-CURE Summer Undergraduate Program is a 10-week research program designed for outstanding undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing research-based (M.S., Ph.D., or M.D./Ph.D.) careers in cancer research.

Who should apply?
College or university students who have completed their freshman, sophomore or junior year by June 2024 and are in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Fifth year seniors returning to their undergraduate program in the fall of 2024, may also apply. International students may apply if they hold a current visa through the duration of the program. Undergraduates of all majors are invited to apply! A few faculty are specifically recruiting for undergraduates with backgrounds in physics, mathematics, and computer science backgrounds - applicants with these backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply will be matched in related research areas.

When is the program?
The 2024 summer program is Monday, June 3 through Friday, August 9.

What will my days look like?
The CPRIT CURE program offers an immersive laboratory research experience in cancer research with MD Anderson faculty mentors. On-site participants will receive hands-on research training in state-of-the-art labs, where they will interact daily with faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. Students will attend scientific lectures, seminars and career development events, and they will have the opportunity to present their work at a poster session at the conclusion of the program. Students cannot earn credit from their home institutions for participating in the CPRIT CURE program.

Stipend
On site participants receive a stipend of up to $6,800 for the 10-week program. This stipend amount includes allowances for housing, living, and travel expenses - no additional allowances are available. Paychecks and stipend are based on actual days worked and will be issued on the 5th and the 20th of each month, deducting the required federal tax.

CPRIT CURE Faculty Mentors

CPRIT scholar faculty mentors serve as direct supervisors for CPRIT scholars. They participate in all aspects of the CPRIT CURE training program, including formal instruction and supervision of research. Our more than 100 program-affiliated faculty belong to more than two dozen different departments at MD Anderson and are engaged in many different areas of cancer research! If you are interested in a specific area of cancer research, please note this in your statement of research experience and areas of interest.