Leveraging Investment in hiGHschool Training: Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative medicine Knowledge (LIGHT a SPARK)

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland is a private non-profit hospital in Oakland, CA, one of the most socially and ethnically diverse areas of the country. Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) is highly ranked as one of the top recipients of NIH funding among all children’s hospitals. This year, the CHORI summer research program celebrated its 35th consecutive year of summer internship training. Given our history with training students for decade, we have been curious to know what our trainees have been up to. Results from a survey conducted by one of our interns of alumni who have participated in the program in the past 2 decades revealed that 84% of CHORI alumni are still pursuing STEM majors or careers. Additionally, CHORI alumni are far more likely to purse a graduate degree compared to the U.S. population. We found that 29 to 81% of CHORI alumni who have graduated from college are enrolled in or have completed graduate level education- this is in contrast to 5-21% of U.S. Census data (range by ethnicity). Given 70% of our historical alumni are under-represented minority students and 40% are first in their families to attend college, we are thrilled by these numbers. The CHORI program was delighted to be awarded the CIRM Light-A-Spark grant for the next 5 years to continue to support training of these bright young students. Training must always start with identification of students. For decades, the CHORI Summer Research Program has had relationships with dozens of local public high schools from which it receives approximately 100 applications a year. This year the program director made marketing presentations in science classrooms at many local high schools to promote the program and encourage applicants, particularly from lower performing schools. After the competitive selection process, top candidates with particular interest in basic or stem cell research, were invited into the CIRM/SPARK program. This year, the six chosen CHORI LIGHT-a-SPARK high school trainees participated alongside 40 other diverse students from groups who were underrepresented in the sciences. Our basic summer curriculum provides hands-on immersion in the scientific process, structured activities designed to stimulate their interest in science, and encouragement to pursue careers in biomedical research. The long term goal of our program is to increase the diversity of bioscience researchers. The 2016 Light-a-SPARK trainees: (a) conducted their own research projects focused on translational or progenitor cell research in a lab under the mentorship of an accomplished investigator; (b) attended weekly seminars, presentations, and discussions intended to impart a strong foundation in the scientific method, biomedical research and lab safety, and provide practical advice on pursuing a research career; and (c) presented their research findings publically at the end of the program. Additionally, Light-a-SPARK trainees participated in structured patient engagement activities through our close relationship with the Bone Marrow Transplant program at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. Physicians and staff at BCHO provided an in depth look at the stem cell transplant process, from the patient experience to the science behind the transplant. They gave lectures and workshops to our students, allowed them to participate in a family education day as well as volunteer during a fundraising event for the bone marrow transplant program. By far, the experience that was most life changing for most our students was the opportunity to be a pen pal with a patient who had received a bone marrow transplant. This simple, anonymous correspondence proved to be a powerful motivating tool for our trainees, and a source of therapy for patients. Trainees learned not only about the isolation patients often feel during their lengthy conditioning regimen, but also about the fear of re-entry back into real world activities. Our SPARK students were overwhelmingly empathetic and generous with their encouragement. One of the proudest moments for me as Director was to see these students take their science, and these relationships, so seriously. Though some of our students are now off to college, all six are still corresponding with their pen pals this fall. As we have shown, our program’s goals are strongly aligned with those of CIRM. We have the experience, infrastructure, long-standing connections with local high schools, proven track record and results, and dedicated leadership and faculty to make this program valuable to the students and a worthwhile investment for the citizens of California. We look forward to continuing to improve upon the program we have developed this year to create a more integrated, rewarding experience for our 2017 summer Light-a-Spark interns.

The Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) Summer Internship Program, 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. The CHORI program celebrated it’s 36th consecutive year of training this summer, this longevity along with it’s 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 CHORI’s proximity to and relationship with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (BCHO), there are rich opportunities for both patient engagement and translational research. Its historical success with discovering and pioneering stem cell therapies for blood diseases is evidence of this synergy. CHORI’s relationship with the nearby UC Berkeley Stem Cell Center continues to provide even greater diversity of stem cell research opportunities for trainees. In this second year of our grant, we again recruited 6 high school trainees from underrepresented groups (4 Female, 1 Asian, 2 Latino, 1 Middle Eastern, 2 mixed race, 2 low income, 3 first in family to attend college, 2 with disabilities). These trainees integrated into our existing 9-week curriculum with additional Basic Science “Boot-Camp” (during Week 1) preparation for their intensive laboratory experience. By the end of the summer, all Light-a-SPARK participants meet the following learning objectives: • Became familiar with the 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 • Discovered multiple paths to pursue a research careers Trainees spent roughly 80% 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 20% 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 Thursday afternoon from 3:00-5:15 pm for the educational curriculum and to discuss their research with their peers. They were also encouraged to participate in their respective lab group meetings and to attend journal club discussions. 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, assisted with BMT donor events, participated in patient engagement activities such as writing letters to pediatric BMT survivors and blogged about their experiences throughout summer. 83% of students rated their mentors as excellent or above average. At the end of the program, SPARK students had gains in 17 out of 21 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 CHORI Student Research Symposium, designed to provide the experience of presenting at a professional scientific conference. Roughly 250 CHORI and BCHO faculty, families, and friends were in attendance for annual event. Students presented their work in either an oral or poster format in front of their mentors, colleagues friends and family. Awards were distributed to the students with the best oral and poster presentations. For a complete description about the program, student biographies, photos and abstracts, the 2017 CHORI Summer Symposium abstract book can be downloaded from: http://www.chori.org/Education/Downloadables/2017_Book_web.pdf

The Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) Summer Internship Program, 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. The CHORI program celebrated it’s 37th consecutive year of training this summer, this longevity along with it’s 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 CHORI’s proximity to and relationship with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (BCHO), there are rich opportunities for both patient engagement and translational research. Its historical success with discovering and pioneering stem cell therapies for blood diseases is evidence of this synergy. CHORI’s relationship with the nearby UC Berkeley Stem Cell Center continues to provide even greater diversity of stem cell research opportunities for trainees. In this second year of our grant, we again recruited 6 high school trainees from underrepresented groups (3 Female, 2 Asian, 2 Latino, 1 African, 1 mixed race; 3 low income, 3 first in family to attend college). These trainees integrated into our existing 9-week curriculum with additional Basic Science “Boot-Camp” (during Week 1) preparation for their intensive laboratory experience. By the end of the summer, all Light-a-SPARK participants meet the following learning objectives: • Became familiar with the 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 • Discovered multiple paths to pursue a research careers Trainees spent roughly 80% 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 20% 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 Thursday afternoon from 3:00-5:15 pm for the educational curriculum and to discuss their research with their peers. They were also encouraged to participate in their respective lab group meetings and to attend journal club discussions. 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, assisted with BMT donor events, participated in patient engagement activities such as writing letters to pediatric BMT survivors and blogged about their experiences throughout summer. 83% of students rated their mentors as excellent or above average. At the end of the program, SPARK students had gains in 17 out of 21 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 CHORI Student Research Symposium, designed to provide the experience of presenting at a professional scientific conference. Roughly 300 CHORI and BCHO faculty, families, and friends were in attendance for annual event. Students presented their work in either an oral or poster format in front of their mentors, colleagues friends and family. Awards were distributed to the students with the best oral and poster presentations. For a complete description about the program, student biographies, photos and abstracts, the 2018 CHORI Summer Symposium abstract book can be downloaded from: http://www.chori.org/Education/Downloadables/Symposium%20Guides/2018_Book_web.pdf

The Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) Summer Internship Program, 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. The CHORI program celebrated it’s 38th consecutive year of training this summer, this longevity along with it’s 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 CHORI’s proximity to and relationship with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (BCHO), there are rich opportunities for both patient engagement and translational research. Its historical success with discovering and pioneering stem cell therapies for blood diseases is evidence of this synergy. CHORI’s relationship with the nearby UC Berkeley Stem Cell Center continues to provide even greater diversity of stem cell research opportunities for trainees. In this third year of our grant, we again recruited 6 high school trainees from underrepresented groups (4 Female, 2 Asian, 2 Latino, 1 African, 1 mixed race; 3 low income, 3 first in family to attend college). These trainees integrated into our existing 9-week curriculum with additional Basic Science “Boot-Camp” (during Week 1) preparation for their intensive laboratory experience. By the end of the summer, all Light-a-SPARK participants meet the following learning objectives: • Became familiar with the 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 • Discovered multiple paths to pursue a research careers Trainees spent roughly 80% 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 20% 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 Thursday afternoon from 3:00-5:15 pm for the educational curriculum and to discuss their research with their peers. They were also encouraged to participate in their respective lab group meetings and to attend journal club discussions. 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, assisted with BMT donor events, participated in patient engagement activities such as writing letters to pediatric BMT survivors and blogged about their experiences throughout summer. 83% of students rated their mentors as excellent or above average. At the end of the program, SPARK students had gains in 17 out of 21 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 CHORI Student Research Symposium, designed to provide the experience of presenting at a professional scientific conference. Roughly 300 CHORI and BCHO faculty, families, and friends were in attendance for annual event. Students presented their work in either an oral or poster format in front of their mentors, colleagues friends and family. Awards were distributed to the students with the best oral and poster presentations. For a complete description about the program, student biographies, photos and abstracts, the 2019 CHORI Summer Symposium abstract book can be downloaded from: http://www.chori.org/Education/Downloadables/Symposium%20Guides/2019_Book_web.pdf

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.