Our eight-week Undergraduate Summer Research Programme aims to inspire bright and ambitious undergraduates to start their careers in cancer research.
The programme provides immersive hands-on research experience, with students able to work on their own research project in one of our world-leading Research Groups.
Partnerships
In partnership with Cambridge Africa, we’ve teamed up with the Uganda Cancer Institute to support them in their mission to provide state-of-the-art cancer care and prevention. Each year, two places on our Undergraduate Summer Research Programme are reserved for students from the UCI and the eastern Africa region. Along with free accommodation and stipend, all Ugandan students will be provided with transport to and from Cambridge. This collaboration should lead to shared learnings for both parties and high-quality training for the African cancer research community.
Programme
Each student will be embedded in one of our multidisciplinary Research Groups to work on their own project, with access to our state-of-the-art Core Facilities. We offer a range of projects each year, from basic experimental and computational cancer biology through translational cancer research to clinical application.
Students work under the supervision of a postdoctoral or PhD researcher, participate in lab meetings, attend seminars and provide their host lab with a brief scientific report once the project is complete. At the end of the summer, students have the opportunity to come together and present their work at the Summer Student Symposium.
Projects Available
Applications will open early 2023.
Accommodation and funding
All Summer Students will be provided with accommodation together in St Edmund’s College, with access to kitchen and dining facilities. Along with free accommodation, Summer Students are provided with a stipend, half paid at the beginning of the programme and the other half paid midway through.
How to apply
Eligibility:
Only applications from students who are in their penultimate year of study will be considered (you should expect to graduate in summer 2024). You should be strongly considering PhD study prior to pursuing a research career and you should be able to provide evidence of commitment to your studies, such as being on-track to graduate with a minimum 2i grade.
Application details:
Please submit your application by tbc 2023.
Your CV should be no longer than 3 sides of A4 and should include:
Your name, the College or University at which you are currently registered, the degree for which you are registered (e.g. B.Sc), the course you are registered on (e.g Biochemistry), the duration of the course (e.g. 3 years) and the date you commenced study (e.g. September 2021).
Please also include a list of the courses you have completed or are currently studying at undergraduate level, and if possible, the marks/grades you obtained.
Your cover letter should be no longer than a single side of A4 and should explain why you have applied to participate in the summer programme, what you hope to gain from the programme, why you should be selected to attend and also outline your career aims. Please also indicate your first and second choice research team preference and also confirm that you are available to attend the Summer School in its entirety.
Email your CV and cover letter to summerprogramme@cruk.cam.ac.uk
In the ‘subject’ line, insert your surname and the initials of your first and second choice supervisors (e.g. Blogs FM MdlR)
If you are short-listed, you will be interviewed before final acceptance.We look forward to receiving your application.