Undergraduate students learn about clinical and translational research

This June, more than 50 summer undergraduate research students visited the Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) for an afternoon of interactive activities and discussions about clinical and translational research, and their next career opportunities.

The “Graduate and Professional Careers in Clinical and Translational Research” event introduced students to the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) and graduate programs in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Students participating in the 7th Annual Collaborative Learning Integrated Mentoring in the Biosciences Undergraduate Program (CLIMB UP) were invited to attend. CLIMB UP is organized by directors Margarita Dubocovich, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor, chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and director of the CTSA Workforce Development core, and Rajnarayanan, RV, PhD, assistant professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Members of the CTSA Workforce Development team also participated.

The session invited students in several other summer programs to attend, including the Institute for Strategic Enhancement of Educational Diversity (iSEED), Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), SUNY Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (SUNY-LSAMP)and McNair Scholars for interactive activities and discussions on clinical and translational research, career paths in clinical and translational research, graduate school, and MD and PhD programs.

Students learned about the PhD and medical degree programs in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (JSMBS). KL2 scholars Ellen Volpe, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, and Nikhil Satchidanand, PhD, research assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine, JSMBS provided an overview of their career accomplishments and the paths that led them to become engaged in clinical and translational research.