# UC Riverside MARC U Star Undergraduate Research Program

> **NIH NIH T34** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE · 2020 · $504,540

## Abstract

Project Summary
The University of California Riverside (UCR) is one of the most diverse campuses in the nation
and is located in one of the most rapidly growing and diverse regions of the U.S. Most
undergraduate students at UCR come from this region. Thus, there is a broad base of students
from which to select and promote interest in a research career biomedically-related sciences.
The main goal of the MARC U-STAR Program at UCR is to increase the number of
underrepresented (UR) students pursuing PhD degrees and research careers in the
biomedically-related sciences. This training grant provides a summer Pre-MARC Development
Program (9-10 students/year) to increase the eligible pool of students for the 2-year Trainee
Research Program (15 positions/year). The Objectives of the Program are: (1) Increase the
number of UCR minority students majoring in the sciences who are qualified to become MARC
U-STAR Trainees through outreach to local high schools and community colleges. (2) Increase
the number of qualified Honors students who apply to the MARC Program by using freshman
courses and discovery seminars, by synergizing with Honors and existing Minority programs on
campus, and by engaging students in Pre-MARC undergraduate research before their
sophomore year and stimulating their interest in a biomedical research career. (3) The core of
the program is preparing the MARC Trainees for graduate studies in highly competitive research
institutions. We will achieve this by immersing MARC Trainees in intensive cutting-edge
research in laboratories of Faculty Mentors on campus during the academic year and in one
other off-campus laboratory at a high-caliber research institution during one summer; we will
also provide specific classes that will prepare the Trainees to think critically, to make scientific
oral presentations, and to write scientific papers and research proposals. Guidance in applying
to graduate programs will be provided. This will provide a solid basis for the trainees to enter
and succeed in the most competitive graduate programs in the U.S. For the next 5-year period
(2018-2023) we propose to train about 45 MARC students and to reach near 80% of graduated
UCR Trainees entering high quality PhD or MD/PhD programs in the biomedical sciences.
 Relevance: This MARC U-STAR training grant will not only contribute to increase the
number of Honors UR undergraduates who enter PhD Programs and continue on to scientific
research careers and leadership positions, but should also have ripple effects that extend
beyond this primary goal. The MARC Scholars will serve as role models in society and in the
scientific community to inspire new generations and help break down discriminatory barriers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9932367
- **Project number:** 5T34GM062756-19
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
- **Principal Investigator:** ERNEST MARTINEZ
- **Activity code:** T34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $504,540
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2001-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9932367

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9932367, UC Riverside MARC U Star Undergraduate Research Program (5T34GM062756-19). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9932367. Licensed CC0.

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