The January deadlines to apply for high school and undergraduate summer research programs at the University of Illinois Cancer Center are here. Below are details about the programs, deadlines and links to apply. There is also a link where Cancer Center members can sign up to be summer mentors.
Research Programs for High School Students
January 22 Deadline: The researcHStart program introduces high school students to cancer research, introducing students to biophysics, biochemistry, immunology and pharmacology. The program is a multi-institution program with the Cancer Center, the University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University and Rush University. The program runs from June 10 to August 2. Learn more here.
January 31 Deadline: The Cancer Health Equity Summer Scholars (CHESS) is an eight-week program that trains and mentors underrepresented minority high school students interested in careers focusing on cancer research and other health professions. The CHESS Program is a collaboration between the Cancer Center and the Urban Health Program. The program runs June 10 to August 2. Apply here. Watch a video about the program.
Research Programs for Undergraduate Students
January 31 Deadline: The University of Illinois Diversity in Cancer Research (UI DICR) Internship, through funding from the American Cancer Society, 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. Participating students commit to working up to 40 hours per week and receive a stipend of $5,000 for completing the 10-week program. The program runs from June 3 to August 9. Apply here. In this video, you’ll learn more about the program from students who participated in the 2023 summer program.
February 5 Final Deadline: The ChicagoCHEC Fellows program is a comprehensive learning experience for undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students at Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern University, the City Colleges of Chicago, and other Community/Junior Colleges in the Chicago metropolitan area who are planning to apply to graduate or medical school. ChicagoCHEC, or the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative, is a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer partnership led by the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Northeastern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois Chicago. This summer program is focused on the development of academic, technical and professional skills in preparation for careers in social, behavioral and biomedical research and in health care. ChicagoCHEC Fellows will spend the summer in seminars, workshops and research lectures learning from leading researchers.. Apply here.
Winn Career Development Award
May 13: The application for Cohort 3 of the Robert A. Winn Career Development Award (Winn CDA) for early-stage investigator physicians is open until May 13. Apply here.
Information for Mentors
Cancer Center members interested in being summer mentors should complete this sign-up form. The mentor sign-up form is for all programs except ChicagoCHEC.
Research Program for Medical Students
Deadline Past: The Cancer Center is again among the sites for the Robert A. Winn Clinical Investigator Pathway Program (Winn CIPP), a six-week summer service-learning externship in community-based clinical research where medical students benefit from exposures to clinical research, community engagement experiences, and leadership development. Winn is a former director of the Cancer Center who now leads the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center in Richmond, Virginia.