The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program for undergraduate research in biotechnology and bioengineering at Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) in Claremont, CA provides undergraduate students the opportunity for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research in the areas of applied molecular and cellular biology, bioengineering, computational biology, drug discovery and development, as well as exposure to related ethics and business topics.

In addition to online research projects, the program offers virtual seminars and presentations from faculty professors and industry speakers on a variety of biotechnology and pharmaceutics areas. 

Teamwork

Students also work in teams on bioentrepreneurship projects where they learn about:

  • Needs assessment
  • Market research
  • Competitive analysis
  • Technical development of drugs
  • Risk assessment
  • Cost of clinical trials
  • Drug reimbursement

Speakers and Workshops

The program also includes a virtual City of Hope visitation day, as well as a series of talks by City of Hope clinical and translational medicine faculty. Program participants also take part in a series of workshops on scientific method, scientific writing, and presentations. By the end of the program, participants will receive extensive training in the design of experiments, team work, and will better their scientific writing and presentation skills. 

Research projects in 2020

Online individual projects

  • 2020 Dates: June 15 – July 24 

Note: Students may start their online research projects earlier than June 15 or may continue working on projects after July 24 pending agreements with their research mentors. 

Online public health/virology

  • 2020 Dates:  June 15-July 3 (session 1) or July 3-July 24 (session 2) 

Online drug discovery team projects 

  • 2020 Dates: June 15-July 3 (session 1) or July 3-July 24 (session 2) 

Note: Students specifically interested in drug discovery and development have an opportunity to participate in a drug discovery program where they learn about drug discovery and development, as well as drug repurposing. KGI faculty and staff have designed and developed this program uniquely to expose participants to the excitement of drug paths from discovery to FDA approval to market.  

Students will work in teams to screen a drug library containing more than 1,500 FDA-approved drugs for treatment of various infectious diseases (drug repurposing). The experiments will be designed by the SURE students and performed by the KGI staff during live/recorded sessions. Students will also attend a graduate-level drug discovery course.

Application Procedures and Requirements

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    Application Deadline

    • March 1

    Application Requirements 

    An online application form is required that contains questions about your personal and educational background. Additional requirements (below) can be submitted along with your online application or separately:

    • Personal Statement
      • Please provide a brief statement of why you are interested in conducting summer research at KGI. Please also describe what you would like to do once you complete your undergraduate degree.
    • Supplemental Essay
      • Please briefly describe which scientific areas you are most interested in and why. Please refer to the list of available summer research projects here.
    • Resume
    • Letter of Recommendation
      • Contact information for one recommender is required during the online application process. This person should be able to evaluate your qualification and potential for success in our program. You can choose to use a professional or academic reference. Only one recommendation is required but additional recommendations may be submitted if desired.
      • Recommenders will be contacted via email to submit their recommendation online. If they prefer otherwise they can email or mail a copy to the Admissions Office along with this recommendation form. 
    • Transcripts
      • Unofficial transcripts may be submitted for evaluation purposes. Official transcripts are not required for admission but may be substituted for unofficial transcripts for admission review.

    Application Review

    All completed applications will be reviewed after the March 1 deadline. We take a holistic look at each applicant, and place great importance on letters of recommendation and your personal statement. We will strive to notify you about the status of your application as soon as possible.

  • The SURE program is appropriate for motivated undergraduate students majoring in biology, chemistry, engineering, or related disciplines. One of the program goals is to promote the success of women and underrepresented minorities in science and engineering

 

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