# Maximizing Access to Research Careers Undergraduate - Student Training in Academic Research (MARC U-STAR)

> **NIH NIH T34** · SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $767,920

## Abstract

The MARC U-STAR program at San Francisco State University is in year four of our fourth 5-year cycle.
During the first 19 years, the SFSU MARC program has successfully trained 142 BS graduates with 132
entering Graduate Programs (88 PhD, 9 MD, and 35 MS programs), 48 past MARC students completing PhD
degrees, and another 40 currently enrolled in PhD programs. The SFSU MARC program has grown to
improve training outcomes, as evidenced by ten MARC scholars entering top PhD programs this year. The
SFSU MARC program aims to increase the number of academically competitive underrepresented minority
undergraduates entering and completing PhD programs in the biomedical sciences. The SFSU MARC
program proposes to support 24 highly qualified underrepresented minority junior/senior students each year.
The training program will provide the trainees with a rigorous science curriculum while providing them with high
quality and stimulating research experiences. The SFSU MARC-U*STAR Honors program consists of five
major components: 1) Improve science literacy of our students by providing supplemental writing instruction
within the discipline; 2) A summer entry intramural research experience that includes scholarly activities; 3) A
two-year academic-year curriculum with a Honors course in Genetics, Chemistry or Computing, four semesters
of Honors Colloquia, four semesters of biomedical science & Minority Speakers seminars, professional skills
development, and four semesters of independent research; 4) Extramural summer research at a major
research institution; 5) Extensive professional, academic, near-peer and peer mentoring, including forming
mentoring networks with SFSU MARC alumni. All MARC trainees will present their research results at
scientific meetings and be supported in preparing work for journal publications. The MARC trainees will also
receive preparation for the GRE exam and extensive training in responsible conduct in research. Our objective
is to provide the trainees an integrated research experience that mirrors what they will experience in graduate
school, by making them part of the preceptor’s research team. For their extramural research experience,
MARC students will be placed in top research institutions located across the United States. The program
director and co-program director will be responsible for the administration of the program; SFSU MARC
program policy will be developed by a ten-member Advisory Committee. Recruitment, advisement, placement
in extramural internships and tracking of MARC-U*STAR trainees will be the joint responsibility of the MARC
faculty, MARC Advisory committee, and administrative team. Records will be maintained that will allow us to
carefully monitor each trainee's progress at SFSU, and document their success in their respective PhD
programs, and in their biomedical research careers. The MARC-U*STAR program will be evaluated by
SageFox Associates in conjunction with the other student support programs administered ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9932452
- **Project number:** 5T34GM008574-24
- **Recipient organization:** SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Frank T Bayliss
- **Activity code:** T34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $767,920
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1996-06-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9932452

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9932452, Maximizing Access to Research Careers Undergraduate - Student Training in Academic Research (MARC U-STAR) (5T34GM008574-24). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9932452. Licensed CC0.

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