# U-RISE at St. Mary's University

> **NIH NIH T34** · ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $452,572

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
St. Mary’s University is a Hispanic-serving institution in San Antonio, TX, with a long history of
successfully preparing underrepresented minority students to enter professional schools. For nearly 40
years, St. Mary’s has been committed to training the next generation of biomedical scientists through the
MARC U*STAR Program. To continue and extend our 40-year efforts to train the next generation of
biomedical scientists, the URISE program at St. Mary’s will build the pool of students interested in
research by involving and exposing high school students to STEM research, providing interested St.
Mary’s students opportunities to participate in biomedical research with faculty specifically trained to
mentor undergraduates underrepresented in STEM, and providing individualized development training to
a cohort of students intent on pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. Specifically, our URISE program
will provide 16 (8 junior and 8 senior) students a two-year training program designed to give them the
technical, operational, and professional skills necessary to transition into research-focused higher degree
programs and the biomedical workforce. We propose the following specific aims: 1) To build the interest of
underrepresented students in research careers in the biomedical sciences and pursuing a Ph.D. degree in
biomedical sciences through early outreach and interactions with local high schools; 2)To implement a
research track curriculum designed to mentor, train, and engage underrepresented students in biomedical
research (including community college transfer students) and increase the number of students interested
in research careers. 3) To recruit and prepare a diverse pool of URISE scholars who complete their
baccalaureate degree, and transition into and complete biomedical, research-focused higher degree
programs (e.g., Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) and pursue biomedical research careers. The URISE program is
expected to advance the research culture at St. Mary’s, increase the number of students interested in
pursuing research careers and Ph.D.s in the biomedical sciences, and produce responsible biomedical
scientists. Equally important, is that the broad exposure to biomedical science research will be beneficial
to students who are not seeking higher degrees in STEM but, as a result, stay in STEM and join the
biomedical workforce.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10816503
- **Project number:** 5T34GM149455-02
- **Recipient organization:** ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Veronica E Contreras-Shannon
- **Activity code:** T34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $452,572
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-04-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10816503

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10816503, U-RISE at St. Mary's University (5T34GM149455-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10816503. Licensed CC0.

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