The UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (BCH-Oakland, formerly CHORI) Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), in collaboration with the University of California Berkeley (UCB) provides an immersive experience designed to stimulate young people’s interest in science and encourage them to pursue careers in biomedical research. SSRP celebrated its 40th consecutive year of training this summer, this longevity along with its popularity, and outcomes demonstrate a track record of success. Our rigorous scientific training curriculum and focus on students from underrepresented populations is consistent with the goals of CIRM’s SPARK program.
Given BCH-Oakland is the home to pioneering stem cell therapies for blood diseases there are rich opportunities for both patient engagement and translational research. Our close collaborations with faculty at the nearby UC Berkeley Stem Cell Center and Bioengineering departments continues to provide even greater diversity of stem cell research opportunities for trainees.
In this final year of our grant, we again recruited 6 high school trainees from underrepresented groups (3 Female, 1 SE Asian, 1 Latino, 1 African, 13 mixed race; 4 low income, 3 first in family to attend college, 1 with a chronic disability). These trainees integrated into our existing 9-week curriculum, however our traditional in-person Basic Science “Boot-Camp” was not able to be held due to COVID restrictions. Instead, students were given laboratory safety modules to complete online in addition to a series of laboratory simulations to complete via the software, Labster. By the end of the summer, all Light-a-SPARK participants meet the following learning objectives:
– Practiced critical review of scientific literature in their research area
– Learned about the scientific method and medical ethics (renewed focus this summer)
– Formulated and tested a research question
– Collected, analyzed, and interpreted data; presented results
– Deepened their understanding of stem cell biology and gene therapy
– Discovered multiple paths to pursue research careers
– Fostered a professional relationship with a scientific mentor
Trainees spent roughly 75% of their time conducting research in a lab under the direction of their scientific mentor to develop an understanding of what it’s like to actually “do” research. Before starting their lab-based research project, they passed a lab safety skills test, an online ethics course, and then submitted a 3-page written research plan for review, including a hypothesis, aims, methods, and anticipated outcomes. The educational component of the internship made up the remaining 25% of their time, which they spent in seminars, discussion groups, and didactic presentations intended to impart a strong foundation in biomedical research and provide practical advice for pursuing a research career. Trainees meet as a group every Tues & Thurs 2:00-5:00 pm via Zoom for the educational curriculum and to discuss their research with their peers. We also held mandatory student led journal club sessions via zoom every Wednesday from 4-5 pm. Students were also encouraged to participate in their respective lab group meetings.
Additionally, SPARK students attended presentations and workshops that were specific to stem-cell research, listened to bone marrow transplant (BMT) donors and recipients share their personal experiences, and blogged about their experiences throughout summer. At the end of the program, SPARK students had gains in 20 out of 21 scientific skills or experiences, some of the greatest gains were observed in their understanding of how scientists think and work on real life problems, understanding of research processes, their ability to integrate theory and practice and their understanding of their career path.
On the program’s last day all trainees participated in the SSRP Research Symposium, designed to provide the experience of presenting at a professional scientific conference. Each student gave a 5 min presentation via Zoom followed by 2 minutes of student led Q & A. In the afternoon we held an in-person scientific poster session in the outdoor courtyards of the MLK building. Roughly 150 BCH-Oakland faculty, families, and friends were in attendance for the event, held for the first time with live music, refreshments and face masks. Students presented their work in front of their mentors, colleagues friends and family. For a complete description about the program, student biographies, photos and abstracts, the 2021 CHORI Summer Symposium abstract book can be downloaded from our website. We also posted recordings of some of the virtual presentations on our YouTube Page: CHORI Summer Student Program.