We propose to sponsor annually 10 underrepresented minority undergraduate students in the Minority Summer Internship Program. This program provides highly qualified college juniors and seniors with a hands-on laboratory learning experience to encourage them to pursue research and teaching careers in science. Through exposure to state-of-the-art lab equipment, faculty mentors, seminars, workshops, and presentation requirements, interns experience a realistic view of a research career in the biological science. In addition, we are expanding our efforts to develop outstanding underrepresented minority research scientists by adding a graduate student option to the summer internship program. We seek support for three graduate students focused on pulmonary and cardiovascular biology to conduct research associated with their thesis using the laboratories, technology and support of Harvard faculty. Ideally, this time will be used for faculty to screen these graduate students as potential post-doctoral candidates, and for students to evaluate Harvard as a potential site for their continued post- doctoral research training.
