High school and undergraduate students in cancer-focused summer research programs at the University of Illinois Cancer Center celebrated their work at a closing research symposium. They each showed off their research poster and gave a presentation about their work to a room filled with family, friends, Cancer Center members and staff, mentors and more at the July 31 symposium. Nearly 30 Cancer Center members mentored students in summer programs.
The symposium, organized by the Cancer Center’s Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) team, featured students from the ResearcHStart, Cancer Health Equity Summer Scholars (CHESS), and University of Illinois Diversity in Cancer Research (UI DICR) programs.
ResearcHStart
The ResearcHStart program introduces high school students to cancer research by introducing them to biophysics, biochemistry, immunology and pharmacology. The multi-institution program includes the Cancer Center, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University and Rush University.
Cancer Health Equity Summer Scholars (CHESS)
CHESS is an eight-week summer program that trains and mentors underrepresented minority high school students interested in careers focused on cancer research and other health professions. CHESS is a collaboration between the Cancer Center and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Urban Health Program. Watch this video with the 2023 cohort to learn more.
University of Illinois Diversity in Cancer Research (UI DICR)
Through funding from the American Cancer Society, UI DICR at the Cancer Center is a 10-week summer program that trains and mentors underrepresented minority undergraduate students interested in careers focusing on cancer research and other health professions. Watch this video from the 2023 cohort to learn more.
The Cancer Center hosted students in two other summer research programs that also recently concluded with final events to showcase their work.
Medical students in the 2024 cohort of the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials: Clinical Investigator Pathway Program (Winn CIPP) ended their six-week summer service-learning externship in community-based clinical research by presenting their projects at a July 12 culminating event. The Cancer Center hosted four Winn CIPP students, and the culminating event was held in conjunction with Rush University and their four Winn CIPP students. Students in the program benefit from exposures to clinical research, community engagement experiences and leadership development.
ChicagoCHEC Fellows
The Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (ChicagoCHEC) Research Fellows Program held its graduation symposium August 1. ChicagoCHEC Fellows are undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students who spend the summer in seminars, workshops and research lectures learning from leading researchers. ChicagoCHEC is a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer partnership of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University (NU), the University of Illinois Cancer Center at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU).
