# Preparing Diverse Transfer Students for Research Careers in Neuroscience

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2024 · $258,628

## Abstract

Project Summary
An increasing number of undergraduates (~30% in the UC System) enter research universities
after 2+ years in community colleges. Transfer students are more likely to be underrepresented
minorities (URMs) or first-generation college students, and they seldom continue on to the PhD.
Although many of them express interest in research, they have little to no access to such
experiences at community colleges. Soon after matriculating at universities, they tend to opt out
of scientific research careers, particularly the idea of continuing to graduate school. In response
to this need and in the interest of increasing diversity in our population of neuroscience trainees,
here we propose a program to provide transfer students with the skills, mentorship, and
research experience to improve their chances of success in a research career. Our proposal
builds on the START program, which for three years brought cohorts of URMs and first-
generation transfer students to campus in the summer before they matriculated at UCSD. The
START program, and others like it, have resulted in improved outcomes for these students. Via
a partnership with local community colleges in collaboration with Academic Enrichment
Programs (AEP), the STARTneuro program will begin by identifying interested students before
they apply to UCSD. Accepted participants will then engage in a 10-week summer bridge
program, with intensive and immersive full-day lab training in neuroscience techniques, from
physiology to gene expression and function. Each student will also design and implement an
independent research project based on the summer modules. During the academic year,
students will meet regularly with faculty, be shepherded into lab internships, and be mentored in
applying for a summer research scholarship the following summer. A core group of faculty who
have demonstrated success mentoring undergraduates will provide the research experience
and stewardship necessary to ensure that participants can succeed in scientific research
beyond college.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10747351
- **Project number:** 5R25NS119707-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Brenda L Bloodgood
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $258,628
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-12-15 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10747351

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10747351, Preparing Diverse Transfer Students for Research Careers in Neuroscience (5R25NS119707-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10747351. Licensed CC0.

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