Project Summary: In this project we seek to stimulate talented undergraduate students from Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black College/Universities, Minority Serving Institutions, and other colleges with high populations of disadvantaged students, women and veterans. We propose to provide a ten-week research experience in the neurosciences with a focus on Pain, Addiction, mild Traumatic Brain Injury, and other Neurodegenerative Diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Students will work in affinity research groups in a supportive and challenging environment on real world problems designed to inspire, and provide enhanced neuroscience training with the goal of retaining these students in a STEM pipeline to diversify the NIH workforce. This grant will support a student population of approximately 50 percent female and at least 50 percent underrepresented minority students. With the integration of Tinto’s model, our work on core competences, and our track record of excellence in mentoring we propose a near 100 percent retention rate of these students in their fields of study.

Project Narrative: This proposal will support a total of 70 students, most of which will be underrepresented minority and women undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds, to conduct a ten-week research experience in Pain, Addiction, mild Traumatic Brain Injury, and other Neurodegenerative Diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. These students will be significant recruits by top-tier biomedical research programs competitive with anyone in the country.