Summer research internship in the Norris Lab at MUSC with a $4500 stipend award

The Kendra Springs ’23 Memorial Research Award will provide an Honors College student with a $4500 stipend to support a summer research internship in the Norris lab at MUSC.

The Internship: Join the Norris lab in ongoing research into cardiovascular development, investigating the regulatory pathways and cell-to-cell interactions in the developing heart.

  • The internship is loosely scheduled to take place from June 2 – July 25, with exact dates will be determined upon acceptance into the internship program.

The Benefits:

  • Gain experience in a research lab setting.
  • Support data analysis into RNA sequencing and pathophysiology molecular studies on mice.
  • Valuable mentorship from MDs, post-docs, MD/PhD candidates, and more.
  • Bolster your medical school credentials.

How to Apply: Complete the online application with statement of intent + resume/CV + unofficial transcript by Friday, February 14.

The Norris lab at MUSC is offering a summer internship for an Honors College student to participate in ongoing cardiovascular research.

  • The intern will be supported by the Kendra Springs ’23 Memorial Research Award, a $4500 summer stipend.
  • The internship is loosely scheduled to take place from June 2 – July 25. The exact dates will be determined upon acceptance into the internship program.

The Research

The Norris lab has over 25 years of experience understanding genetics of syndromic and non-syndromic diseases like mitral valve prolapse (MVP), aortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve diseases, and cardiomyopathies.

This particular summer research internship will focus on the lab’s ongoing research into cardiovascular development.

Specifically, the lab is investigating the regulatory pathways and cell-to-cell interactions in the developing heart, focused on protein expression and interactions within and between fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes and their effect on cell proliferation and maturation.

Researchers on the project are currently involved with analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data as well as performing further molecular studies on mice to determine the pathophysiology.

The ultimate goal of the research is to elucidate some of the mechanisms behind heart maturation and development. 

Application Materials

Upload the following application materials through the online application form by Friday, February 14 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

  • Statement of Intent: Briefly discuss your academic and career goals. Your response should outline why this area of research interests you and what you are hoping to achieve from the experience.
  • Updated resume/CV.
  • Unofficial transcript.

Funding

The internship is supported by the Kendra Springs '23 Memorial Endowed Research Award, which will provide the intern with a stipend for summer living expenses up to $4500.

The Kendra Springs Memorial Endowed Research Award has been created through the generosity of Clark and Julia Springs and many family members and friends in memory of Kendra Springs. Kendra’s family aims to support internship opportunities for Honors College students who exhibit Kendra’s drive for finding new treatments and cures for cancer. Kendra was a bright light and a constant inspiration. Her ability to tackle complex research questions to make an impact in people’s lives was impressive and her passion for her studies was palpable and unrelenting. Her contagious smile and her quiet, yet unparalleled passion for finding a solution for those with rare diseases will be forever missed.

Kendra was an Honors College student who studied chemistry at the College of Charleston. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Kendra successfully completed an internship at the Norris Lab at the Medical University of South Carolina. Kendra passed away on July 12, 2023.

  • The award recipient is also automatically accepted into the Honors Summer Enrichment Program.
  • To receive this award, recipients must be a current College of Charleston Honors College student in good standing.

 

MUSC’s Dept. of Surgery offers a funded summer internship through the PASS Program

The PASS (Pipeline for Aspiring Surgical Students) Program provides summer internships with the MUSC Department of Surgery.

The Opportunity: The PASS Program provides up to three Honors interns with an immersive 10-week summer experience focused on laboratory and clinical research and designed to prepare students for a career in academic medicine, all under the mentorship of Department of Surgery faculty.

Great Fit For: Aspiring surgeons / Future medical scientists / those thinking about pursuing an MD/PhD or MD/MS and looking to bolster their application credentials

Get Funded: Students accepted into the PASS Program also participate in the Honors Summer Enrichment Program, which includes funding of up to $4000 to support their PASS internship.

How to ApplyComplete the online application with statement of intent + resume/CV + unofficial transcript by Friday, February 21 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

What is the P.A.S.S. Program?

P.A.S.S. stands for Pipeline for Aspiring Surgical Scientists. The program offers Honors College students an immersive 10-week laboratory and clinical research experience under the mentorship of faculty in the Department of Surgery at MUSC’s College of Medicine. For Honors students considering careers in surgery or medical science, there's no better way to gain hands-on research and clinical experience over the summer months.

What are the Benefits?

Gain real world experience in laboratory and surgical settings, develop lab and clinical skills, work with faculty mentors, and participate in the type of activities that can bolster an application to MD, MD/PhD, or MD/MS programs.

The Internship Experience

PASS interns will spend 10 weeks immersed in laboratory and clinical research, all under the mentorship of Department of Surgery faculty members. Potential opportunities for research include…

  • Transplant Immunology and Surgical outcomes, specifically focused on developing novel technologies and therapies to promote organ tolerance in transplantation in the Lee Patterson Allen Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory or outcomes research in the Transplant Clinical Research Core
  • Regenerative medicine, specifically relating to biomedical implants, biomaterials, tissue engineering, and 3D printing and visualization
  • Surgical Oncology research, both clinical and basic research investigating mechanisms behind cancer development and prevention and/or outcomes of therapeutics in patients
  • Cardiovascular research, focusing on basic mechanisms preventing cardiovascular disease and correlating clinical outcomes research
  • Clinical outcomes research within the Surgical Outcomes and Innovation Network at MUSC Dept. of Surgery (SORIN) and in GI surgery and general surgery within the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital Patient population

Internship Requirements

Funding

PASS interns are automatically accepted into the Honors Summer Enrichment Program, which will provide them with a stipend for living expenses up to $4000 (participation in the Honors Summer Enrichment Program is required of all PASS interns).

Who Should Apply

This opportunity is ideal for aspiring medical scientists considering a career in academic medicine (not just in surgical fields). For those thinking about pursuing an MD/PhD or MD/MS, this is a great chance to gain practical experience and bolster your application credentials.

To be considered, applicants must be a current Honors College student currently in good standing.

Application Process

1.) Apply to the PASS Program by Friday, February 21 at 5 p.m. EST.

Applications are to be completed using the PASS Program application portal online. To complete your application you will be asked to…

  • Upload an up-to-date professional resume or CV
  • Upload a copy of your unofficial transcript
  • Write a statement of intent (500 words). Statement should discuss academic and career goals and explain, in specific and persuasive terms, the importance of the knowledge and skill gained from participation in the PASS program to academic and career development. Prior research experience should also be discussed. Note: If the student is intending to enroll in summer courses or be employed, he/she must describe how course work, employment and any other commitments will be balanced with the PASS program expectations. Students are not permitted to enroll in more than one course during the project period.

2.) Applicants who are selected as finalists will be contacted in early March to arrange a formal interview with MUSC Dept. of Surgery faculty. At that time finalists will be asked to submit a formal application to the Honors Summer Enrichment Program.

Questions about the application process? Contact Honors@cofc.edu.

 

Submit your research for publication in an Honors-specific national journal!

UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity is seeking submissions

The Journal publishes groundbreaking research and creative projects across disciplines to inspire future generations of students and contribute to the advancement of meaningful undergraduate scholarship.

Great Fit For: Open to all Honors students at a member institution (including CofC!). The journal accepts work in STEM, humanities, social sciences, and arts.

Benefits: Great opportunity to see your work published in a national journal, and also to make connections with other Honors students and faculty nationwide.

How to Submit: Online application process by June 1, 2025.

Summer Research Fellowship with MUSC’s Diversity in Addiction Research Training

Applications are open for MUSC’s Diversity in Addiction Research Training (DART) Summer Research Fellowship.

The Fellowship: A 10-week summer research training opportunity at MUSC open to medical, graduate, and undergraduate students.

  • Options for full-time, in-person fellowships here in Charleston and part-time, remote/virtual fellowships.

How it Works: DART scholars are awarded a stipend and matched with a research faculty mentor who will guide them on a research project and a presentation at the DART Summer Research Day.

The Benefits:

  • Mentorship from experts in addiction research
  • Experience in various types of research, including clinical trials, basic science studies, neuroimaging, brain stimulation, pharmacotherapy, co-occurring psychiatric conditions
  • Training though didactic seminar series, the DART Journal Club, and professional development panels
  • Working with faculty and near peer mentors, with opportunities to later serve as a near peer mentor
  • Professional networking in research and the field of addiction

How to Apply: Online application + CV + Letter of Interest by February 1, 2025.

Submit your research for publication in an Honors-specific national journal!

UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity is seeking submissions

The Journal publishes groundbreaking research and creative projects across disciplines to inspire future generations of students and contribute to the advancement of meaningful undergraduate scholarship.

Great Fit For: Open to all Honors students at a member institution (including CofC!). The journal accepts work in STEM, humanities, social sciences, and arts.

Benefits: Great opportunity to see your work published in a national journal, and also to make connections with other Honors students and faculty nationwide.

How to Submit: Online application process by June 1, 2025.

MUSC Children’s Research Summer Fellowship

You’re invited to apply for a summer program scholarship at the Darby Children’s Research Institute at MUSC!

Details: The primary objective of The John Covington and Robert Lukey Scholarship is to provide funding for undergraduate trainees to gain exposure to a clinical and basic science pediatric research environment at MUSC at a nationally ranked academic medical center that will advance their career aspirations.

Great Fit For: Students with science majors considering a future in graduate school (MD, PhD), with the possibility in pediatrics.

Benefits: $5,000 summer stipend (with the option of housing).

To Apply: Check out the application details below. The deadline to apply is December 16th.

For more information, click this link or email Jasmine Ballentine at ballentj@musc.edu.

OVERVIEW

The Darby Children's Research Institute (DCRI) is the research arm of the Department of Pediatrics and the Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital at the Medical University of South Carolina. The DCRI is comprised of basic and physician scientists working together with a common goal to perform impactful science that can be translated for the wellness of children’s health. The DCRI is composed of state-of-the-art laboratories with faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students spanning multiple disciplines in childhood health and disease.

The primary objective of The John Covington and Robert Lukey Scholarship is to provide funding for trainees to gain exposure to a clinical and basic science pediatric research environment in a nationally ranked academic medical center that will advance their career aspirations.

Information on the DCRI and areas of research can be found at the following link: https://dcri.musc.edu.

KEY DATES

  • Applications due: December 16, 2024, at 5:00 pm EST
  • Applicants will be notified of awards: January 7, 2025
  • Award Period: June 1, 2025 – July 31, 2025

APPLICATION FORM AND DOCUMENTS

Document Specifications

  • Font Type and Size: Arial, 11pt.
  • Page Margins: No less than 0.5” on all sides
  • Document Type: Single PDF file

Required Documents/Files

  • Cover letter – Include what peeks your interests in pediatric research either basic or clinical. Do you have a particular area of interest? Are you interested in a particular DCRI researcher from the information provided on the DCRI website or publications? (1 page)
  • Personal and Scientific Background (1-2 pages) – Please describe your educational background in science, why you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, and how this would enhance or further your career goals?
  • Resume or CV
  • Letter of Recommendation (1 letter minimum)

SUBMISSION PROCESS

  • Combine all documents into a single PDF file
  • Email to Jasmine Ballentine (ballentj@musc.edu), Subject Line: "DCRI Summer Fellowship Program"

AWARD AMOUNT

  • $5,000 stipend

QUESTIONS

Biology Research Opportunity

You have the opportunity to conduct research related to amphibian biology, ecosystems, and environmental change with Dr. Allison Welch’s research group!

Benefits: Participating students will gain hands-on research skills and opportunities for summer funding, academic credit, and/or a Bachelor’s Essay project.

Great Fit For: Sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a major or minor in Biology, Marine Biology, or Environmental and Sustainability Studies. They are looking for students with a strong interest in research, eagerness to learn, attention to detail, and a positive attitude. No experience required!

Interested? Please reach out to Dr. Welch at welcha@cofc.edu to discuss your interest.

Attend an URCA Presentation and Learn How to Research at CofC!

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) is hosting a presentation on how to conduct and get funding for research at the College of Charleston!

When & Where: This event will be…

  • On Tuesday, October 29th, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.
  • In the Jewish Studies Center, room 333

Great Opportunity For: Any Honors Comprehensive or ARCH students interested in conducting research!

Bonus: Attending this event counts for extra credit for all students in HONS 100!