Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences in Genomic Medicine (SURE-GM)

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Summary New strategies to increase the diversity of biomedical scientists engaged in genetic and genomic research is a critical goal for continued improvements in human health and genomic medicine. This goal is especially important in the Deep South, a region in which a large proportion of the population experiences health care disparities, where there is a large African- American population, and where many students—from both advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds—pursue undergraduate education in the Alabama state university system, or in historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs) within Alabama. This R25 application proposes to leverage and build on the collaborative environment at the University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) and the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology to develop SURE-GM, a two consecutive summer program tailored for HBCU undergraduate students that will equip and provide them with the necessary skills, exposures, and experiences to participate and contribute meaningfully to graduate and/or professional training in genomic sciences. Twelve scholars per year will be identified and recruited from Alabama HBCUs as rising juniors. The scholars will spend their first summer at HudsonAlpha engaged in training for foundational research skills, their second summer at UAB engaged in mentored research, and will participate in a "One to Two" continuity program during the intervening academic year. A robust assessment and review process will be developed that allows for real-time feedback and evaluation. These efforts will lead to greater participation of underrepresented students in the biomedical workforce, greater diversity of scientists and physician scientists engaged in biomedical research, and greater appreciation of the roles and potential of genomic medicine in science and society.