CPRIT CURE Summer Undergraduate Program
The CPRIT CURE program at MD Anderson is our flagship research program for summer undergraduate students.
- Involves our most accomplished research faculty at MD Anderson
- Recruits outstanding students from top-tier institutions
- Provides multidisciplinary research and career development training
- Trains the largest cohort of undergraduates annually at MD Anderson
Accepted students will take part in a paid/ full-time (40 hours a week) on-campus summer research experience at MD Anderson. Through this experience, you will be paired with a faculty member working in his/her lab gaining hands-on research experience, participate in didactic coursework and training, and receive mentoring to guide you in your future academic and professional pursuits. Students will attend scientific lectures, seminars and career development events, and will have the opportunity to present their work at a poster session at the conclusion of the program.
Students cannot earn credit from their home institutions for participating in the CPRIT CURE program.
Why CURE?
78%
have or are pursuing a STEM graduate degree
97%
of our alumni have been retained in STEM
165+
publications with MD Anderson faculty mentors
Application Deadlines
Applications Open: November 18
Applications Close: January 15th; 11:59pm CST
The following information is required on the application:
- Personal and demographic information
- Official transcript(s) from undergraduate university
- Statement of research experience & area(s) of interest. In addition to detailing any research experience that you may have, please use this section to highlight any specific areas of research you would like to explore this summer of faculty mentor that you would like to train with. If you do not have any research experience to date, please indicate describe your interest in pursuing an academic and/or professional career in cancer research.
- Two letters of recommendation uploaded by your referee. At least one reference should come from a science or math professor. The other may be from an advisor, counselor or health care advisor/mentor with whom you worked in a prior program. Both letters must be submitted by your referees directly to SLATE.
Once you submit your application, you will be prompted to create a SLATE account where you can add the contact information for your referees. Once referees are added to your SLATE account, an emailed link will be sent through the system so that your referees may upload their letters of recommendation.
Incomplete applications will be purged after the deadline has passed. If the information found here did not provide the answers you need, please feel free to email the Program Director, Kara Lewis, Dr.P.H. (keleonard@mdanderson.org) or Program Manager, Valoree Solis, M.B.A. (vdsolis@mdanderson.org).
Eligibility
- College or university students who have completed their freshman, sophomore or junior year by June 2025 and are in good academic standing are eligible to apply.
- Fifth year seniors returning to their undergraduate program in the fall of 2025, may also apply.
- International students may apply if they hold a current visa through the duration of the program.
- Undergraduates of all majors are invited to apply!
- A few faculty are specifically recruiting for undergraduates with backgrounds in physics, mathematics, and computer science backgrounds - applicants with these backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply and will be matched in related research areas.
Stipend, Housing, Expenses
- On site participants receive a stipend of up to $6,800 for the 10-week program.
- This stipend amount includes allowances for housing, living, and travel expenses - no additional allowances are available.
- Paychecks and stipend are based on actual days worked and will be issued on the 5th and the 20th of each month, deducting the required federal tax.
Mentor Match Process
- CPRIT scholar faculty mentors serve as direct supervisors for CPRIT scholars. They participate in all aspects of the CPRIT CURE training program, including formal instruction and supervision of research.
- Our more than 100 program-affiliated faculty belong to more than two dozen different departments at MD Anderson and are engaged in many different areas of cancer research!
- If you are interested in a specific area of cancer research, please note this in your statement of research experience and areas of interest.
- If accepted, the mentor match process can take up to four weeks. You will be notified via email of your assigned mentor.
Program Contacts
Khandan Keyomarsi, Ph.D. (left in photo)
CPRIT Program Director
Stephanie S. Watowich, Ph.D. (right in photo)
CPRIT Program Director
Questions? Contact us!
Kara Lewis, Dr.P.H. (keleonard@mdanderson.org), Administrative Program Director
Valoree Solis, M.B.A. (vdsolis@mdanderson.org), Administrative Program Manager
You may also reach out to Dr. Stephanie Watowich or Dr. Khandan Keyomarsi for any scientific-related questions.