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Innovation in Cancer Prevention Research

The Innovation in Cancer Prevention Research Experience for Undergraduates is a summer program offered by UTHealth Houston and the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). This program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to work with accomplished researchers at various institutions, including the McGovern Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.

Program Details

• Duration: 10 weeks (June 2nd through August 8th, 2025)
• Stipend: $6,000, fully funded by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas grant
• Location: Placements available in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Brownsville, and El Paso

Eligibility Requirements

• Open to all undergraduates except seniors graduating before Fall 2025
• Minimum 3.0 GPA required
• Students must reside in Texas during the summer program to receive the stipend
• Applicants who are the first in their family to attend college, have faced financial hardship, or were underserved, and students with disabilities, are highly encouraged to apply

Application Process

• Deadline: January 30, 2025
• Materials: Application form, one letter of recommendation, CV/Resume, required essay, unofficial transcripts
• Selection: Semi-finalists notified by early February 2025, with interviews conducted in late February through March 2025

Program Structure

• Work with UTHealth Houston faculty mentors and their research teams for 10 weeks to complete a research project in cancer prevention
• Engage in research, cancer seminars, and professional development workshops Monday through Friday from 8 am - 5 pm
• Take the Massive Open Online Course on innovative thinking by Roberta B. Ness, MD, MPH
• Participate in puzzles, problem-solving, and exercises in review sessions anchored by senior doctoral and postdoctoral fellows
• Attend seminars led by faculty on ongoing cancer research
• Perfect skills in scientific presentations
• Present posters on research projects at the Closing Ceremony, with finalists competing in the elevator speech finals

Project Profiles

• Various projects available across different locations, including:
  • Austin: Outdoor Play, Sun Exposure, and Heat Safety in Early Childhood: Balancing Benefits and Risks for Cancer Prevention
  • Houston: Assessment of firefighters' exposure to carcinogens, Lung Cancer Mortality and Associated Comorbidities, Developing informatics tools for social behavioral sciences for cancer prevention research, among others
  • UTHealth Houston McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics: Leveraging AI to understand AI impact on patient safety, Real World Data Based Evidence confirming improved prognosis for Pancreatic Cancer Patients detected in Early stages, Novel transcriptomic fingerprints enable cancer-specific gene identification
  • UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry: HPV Vaccination Immunization Counseling as a Prevention for Oropharyngeal Cancer
  • UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School: Exploring RNA Splicing Profiles to Develop Therapeutic and Preventive Strategies for Patients with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, The Use of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Values in Differentiating Post-Treatment changes from Tumor Recurrence in Glioblastoma
  • UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing: Development of a Web-Based Interface to Support Self/Parent Symptom Assessments for Children with Cancer, Implementing the Electronic Patient Visit Assessment (ePVA) for Head and Neck Cancer at UTHealth Houston, Assessing the Needs of Caregivers of Older Adults Diagnosed with Cancer

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is eligible to apply? All undergraduate students in colleges and universities across the United States who will be sophomores, juniors, or seniors in the fall semester of 2024
• What is the schedule for the summer program? Each week, engage in research, cancer seminars, and professional development workshops Monday through Friday (40 hours/full-time)
• Can I apply if I have a GPA of less than 3.0? Applicants with less than a 3.0 GPA will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
• Is this internship only for students interested in pre-medicine? No, students from all majors and programs are encouraged to apply
• Can I submit unofficial transcripts? Unofficial transcripts will suffice during the review of your application; official transcripts will be required if accepted to the fellowship

Mentor Applications

• Deadline: January 30, 2025
• Guide: Available for writing a short description of the trainee's project
• Comments from previous Mentors: Testimonials from mentors who have participated in the program, highlighting the benefits and rewards of mentoring undergraduate students in cancer prevention research.