The MARC U*STAR Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA, requests continued support for our current MARC program and also requests funding for an additional four trainees. The MARC program at UCLA was originally funded for 6 trainees in 1997 but was later approved for 10 and then 11 trainees, the current number. Our overall goal has been and continues to be to provide research training to a select group of minority students that will enable them to gain admission to top biomedical graduate programs in the US. Our measurable objectives are to increase our long-term percent rate of MARC trainees gaining admission to top graduate programs to 75% and to increase to 100% the number of trainees attaining competitive scores on GRE exams (or MCAT required for admission to MD/Ph.D. programs). We also intend to increase (greater than 50%) the percent of students who participate in summer, extramural, research internships. To accomplish our objectives we describe a strong program of research opportunities, courses, seminars, presentations and other activities that our evaluation research shows are essential elements in the preparation of students for graduate school. We intend to select the most able students from a large applicant pool in the Departments of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology; Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics; Physiological Science; Chemistry and Biochemistry; Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution; and the Bioengineering programs of the Samueli School of Engineering. Trainees will select from a distinguished cohort (24) of well-funded and experienced faculty mentors. Elements of the program include 6 Quarters enrollment in a required Joumal Club Course, a course in the Responsible Conduct of Research, membership in the Honors Collegium and access to all Honors courses offered through the Collegium and the participating departments. Trainees are expected to make research presentations (at least 1 per year) at national undergraduate research symposia. We are building on a record of success: out of the seven trainees graduating this year, three are going to Ph.D. programs at Harvard, Stanford and the University of Wisconsin; three are going to post-baccalaureate programs before applying to graduate school; and one is going to medical school. In summary, the principal goal of our MARC program is to enhance the competitiveness of our best minority students for positions in the best graduate programs across the nation. ? ?
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