NHLBI Short-Term Training Program Increase Diversity in Health-Related Research

申请者描述(由申请人提供)：本申请是为了请求继续支持14名在生物科学领域属于少数群体的本科生，他们正在参加医学科学系为期10周的暑期荣誉本科生研究计划(SHURP)。到目前为止，该计划有319名校友，其中包括在1996年至2005年期间由这笔赠款资助的122名实习生。他们中97%的人正在或计划继续进行生物科学培训。目标是：(1)增加学生对生物医学研究和职业选择的知识，(2)提高他们与研究相关的技能和对这些技能的信心，(3)激发他们在生物医学研究领域追求职业的兴趣，特别是在NHLBI感兴趣的领域，(4)提高学生选择合适项目和准备成功申请的能力，(5)提供项目内和项目后指导，以及(6)帮助项目校友建立专业网络。该计划的主要重点是哈佛医学院教职员工的实验室研究，他们是该计划中成功的研究导师，他们在心脏/心肺功能、血液学以及与心脏和血管功能相关的细胞和分子生物学领域进行研究。作为实验室研究的补充，每周举行师生研究讨论研讨会、负责任的研究行为培训、职业探索和发展研讨会、参加领导力联盟研讨会、研究生指导，以及与教师、研究生和医学生见面的其他机会。申请者在全国范围内通过与本科生项目主任和SHURP校友的个人联系、在少数族裔理科学生研究或职业会议上宣传该项目、给科学项目主任邮寄以及印刷和在线广告的方式在全国范围内招募。学生是从每年400多名申请者中挑选出来的，依据的是他们对研究的兴趣、智力能力以及教师对认知和个人技能的评估。该计划由实习生、教师研究导师、实习生的大学科学顾问和外部咨询委员会进行评估。后续活动包括定期联系以提供建议和建立联系机会，一年两次的校友通讯，定期更新的校友名录，校园访问，以及与项目校友的非正式电话、信件和电子邮件联系。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is submitted to request continued support for 14 undergraduate students/yr who are members of minority groups under-represented in the biological sciences and are participating in the 10-week Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program (SHURP) of the Division of Medical Sciences. To date, this Program has 319 alumni, including 122 trainees funded by this grant between 1996 and 2005. 97% of them are continuing or planning to continue training in the biological sciences. The goals are: (1) to increase students' knowledge of biomedical research and career choices, (2) to improve their research-related skills and confidence in those skills, (3) to stimulate their interest in pursuing careers in biomedical research, especially in areas of interest to NHLBI, (4) to improve the students' ability to select an appropriate program and to prepare a successful application, (5) to provide intra-program and post-program mentoring, and (6) to assist the program alumni in building a professional network. The major focus of the Program is research in laboratories of Harvard Medical School faculty members who are successful research mentors in the Program and who conduct studies in the areas of cardiac/cardiopulmonary function, hematology, and cell and molecular biology related to cardiac and vascular functions. Laboratory research is supplemented by weekly student-faculty research discussion seminars, training in the Responsible Conduct of Research, career exploration and development workshops, participation in the Leadership Alliance Symposium, mentoring by graduate students, and other opportunities to meet faculty and graduate and medical students. Applicants are recruited nationwide through personal contacts with undergraduate program directors and SHURP alumni, promotion of the program at minority science student research or career conferences, mailings to science program directors, and print and on-line advertisements. Students are selected from over 400 applicants/yr on the basis of their interest in research, intellectual competence, and teacher assessment of cognitive and personal skills. The program is evaluated by the trainees, faculty research mentors, trainees' college science advisors and by an External Advisory Committee. Follow-up activities include regular contact to provide advice and networking opportunities, a twice-yearly alumni newsletter, a periodically-updated alumni directory, campus visits, and informal telephone, letter, and email contacts with program alumni.