# Students Training in Advanced Research (STAR) Program

> **NIH OD T35** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2026 · $138,162

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
This is a competing renewal application of the highly successful UC Davis T35 STAR (Students Training in
Advanced Research). The program has trained 300 DVM students over the last 25 years. Students are
encouraged and mentored to submit hypothesis-driven research proposals during the first and second years of
their veterinary training program. The objective of the STAR program is to provide DVM students stipend support
to join experienced training faculty members and their productive research teams in 10 weeks of structured
research mentoring and hands-on modern biomedical research. The program emphasizes 5 fundamental
research objectives: 1) how to gain knowledge and understanding of one’s field of science; 2) how to formulate
a scientifically sound and testable hypothesis; 3) identify specific objectives, conduct control methodical
experiments, and develop technical expertise; 4) analyze results, derive conclusions, propose additional
experiments, and anticipate new directions; and 5) convey research findings succinctly and convincingly to
others. Responsible conduct of research and scientific rigor are key components of the training plan. The STAR
program has consistently received 48 applicants annually, with 15 positions supported by the NIH T35
mechanism for students interested in participating in NIH-relevant research. Students with broad interests
ranging from molecular and cellular medicine to biomedical engineering, vector-borne diseases, and
epidemiology will be trained. The program maintains 44 faculty trainers with proven successes in undergraduate,
predoctoral, and postdoctoral training. Thus, students have access to research projects conducted not only on
a variety of lab animal species (C. elegans, zebrafish, rodents, non-human primates) but also clinical research
on companion and food animals and transdisciplinary “One Health” research experiences about disease
emergence and transmission at the interface of animals, humans, and their

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11332877
- **Project number:** 5T35OD010956-27
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** DANIKA L BANNASCH
- **Activity code:** T35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** OD
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $138,162
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2000-02-01T00:00:00 → 2029-04-30T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11332877

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11332877, Students Training in Advanced Research (STAR) Program (5T35OD010956-27). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-20 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11332877. Licensed CC0.

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