BSCD Developmental Neurobiology Undergraduate Fellowship - 2024

BSCD Developmental Neurobiology Undergraduate Fellowship

The “Developmental Neurobiology Undergraduate Fellowship Opportunity” (DNUFO) program takes advantage of the breadth and depth of developmental neurobiology research across various departments (Organismal Biology and Anatomy, Human Genetics, Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and others) in order to facilitate rigorous undergraduate involvement in research, foster interactions between students, expose students to research outside their immediate interests, develop professional skills, and build personal networks with colleagues within and outside the University. Undergraduate students selected for the program will be DNUFO Fellows. The research activities will take place in host laboratories across campus*.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Fellows will be required to perform 10 weeks of full-time research in their host labs over the summer 2024 quarter. The specific lab duties will depend on the project assigned to the Fellow. In addition, every Fellow must attend weekly meetings that include professional development sessions, journal club presentations, and student research presentations. Each Fellow will prepare one journal club session and present at a student research symposium. Also, fellows are strongly encouraged to attend and present a poster at one regional conference/meeting (virtual or in-person).

Requirements

·    No previous research experience is required but it is preferred.

·    Preference will be given to students who are, or plan to be, Neuroscience majors; however, any student who has begun their general education requirement in the biological sciences is eligible to apply.

Class Level Eligibility

The DNUFO program is only open to undergraduates currently enrolled at the University of Chicago.  Preference will be given to 1st and 2nd year undergraduate students. Exceptions will be made for 3rd year students if space is available.

The DNUFO program is currently scheduled to begin on Monday, June 10th.  The program is currently scheduled to conclude on Friday, August 16th.  

Required Materials

In order to apply for DNUFO, applicants must first identify a mentor who works within the general area of developmental neurobiology (see partial list below*) or closely related fields. Once a mentor is identified, the applicant will work with him/her to prepare the application. A full application will consist of the following:

·    Resume or CV

·    Cover Letter (stating why the applicant applied for the fellowship, why the specific mentor was selected, and how participation in the DNUFO fits into his/her career path).

·    Unofficial Transcript

·    Research statement (less than one-page summary of the proposed project); the candidate should work closely with their proposed mentor to develop this statement.

·   Letter from the mentor (additional letters of recommendation may be included) stating that he/she will commit to the full mentor responsibilities including supervising the Fellow during the 10-week period, attending weekly DNUFO meetings as frequently as summer travel plans allow, working closely with the Fellow to prepare presentations, presenting a research seminar to the DNUFO cohort, and providing a written evaluation of the Fellow at the end of the summer. The letter must be submitted via email to Neuromajor@uchicago.edu by April 1, 2024. In the subject of the email, please include “DNUFO” and the applicant’s name (e.g. DNUFO Jane Smith).

Please Note: If you are applying to multiple BSCD Fellowship Grants, please fill out the following BSCD Preference Form - https://careeradvancement.wufoo.com/forms/bscd-research-2024/

Please submit all materials as PDF files.

Compensation

Fellows will receive a $5,500 stipend. In addition, the host laboratory will receive funds for on campus research to cover the Fellow’s lab supplies. If the student attends a conference/meeting, these funds can be used for registration, travel, room, and board.

Deadline

Application and recommendation letter must be submitted by April 1, 2024.

Potential Mentors in Developmental Neurobiology (not all-inclusive)*

Robert Carrillo (Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology)

Elizabeth Heckscher (Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology)

Paschalis Kratsios (Neurobiology)

Heather Marlow (Organismal Biology and Anatomy) 

Victoria Prince (Organismal Biology and Anatomy)

Clifton Ragsdale (Neurobiology and Organismal Biology and Anatomy)

Xiaochang Zhang (Human Genetics)

* Candidates may email Ellie Heckscher (heckscher@uchicago.edu) to seek advice on whether a specific alternative faculty mentor may be appropriate for this program.