# Fisk University MARC U*STAR Program

> **NIH NIH T34** · FISK UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $174,462

## Abstract

The Fisk University MARC U*STAR Program for undergraduates who aspire to be biomedical investigators,
established in 2013, provides an outstanding training environment for MARC Scholars that also has catalyzed
transformative changes in the STEM research culture at Fisk University. The Specific Goals of our proposal
affirm and extend the goals of our initial proposal: 1. Increase student awareness of research careers, in
general, and biomedical discovery careers in particular, and 2) Increase students’ perceptions of
themselves as scientists, thus increasing application, acceptance and completion of biomedically
relevant PhD- programs, in parallel with increased PhD transition from 65% to 75% within 3 years of
graduation from Fisk for MARC Scholars. The program uses multiple complementary strategies: interaction
with career scientists at COOL SCIENCE Cafes; MayMester courses that teach ‘Multi-Disciplinary Strategies to
Address Biomedical Questions” and “ Responsible Conduct of Research and Professional Skills for Gradaute
Study Success” ; 3) a two-semester course in “ Scientific Inquiry: Ethics and Culture “, 4) academic year and
summer faculty-mentored research, 4) MARC-hosted workshops on graduate school planning and application,
5) increased efforts for awareness about biomedical research as a career, and 6) increased reliance on near-
peer roles by more senior MARC Scholars and MARC Alumni. Each year, two sophomores are selected for
participation in the MARC Scholars Program; there are 4 MARC Scholars total and each receives 24 months of
stipend support. MARC Scholars conduct academic year research at either Fisk or Vanderbilt University, with
whom we have a formal Consortium Agreement and benefit from a longstanding tradition of research
collaboration. MARC Scholars are free to pursue their passion for biomedical research in a broad range of areas;
our mentors represent a diverse set of investigators in terms of career stage and scientific expertise, but most
utilize an interdiscplinary approach for addressing exciting biomedical questions. The Biology, Biochemistry,
Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics disciplines are all represented among Fisk mentors;
Vanderbilt investigators have their primary appointments in the departments of Biochemistry, Medicine,
Microbiology, and Pharmacology. To date, our outcomes exceed NIH expectations, with 100%! of our MARC
Scholars have graduated from Fisk in four years, and 65% have transitioned to PhD programs within
TWO years of graduating from Fisk University. An additional trainee has graduated from a Master’s
Program. These post-graduate outcomes are likely an underestimate of future data, as several trainees are
still within the 3-year post- undergraduate timeline for graduate transition. We also have experienced an increase
in the number (and %) of undergraduate majors in biomedically relevant disciplines. The Fisk University MARC
U*STAR program is poised to increase the number of disco...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9952372
- **Project number:** 5T34GM105551-08
- **Recipient organization:** FISK UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Steven Damo
- **Activity code:** T34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $174,462
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9952372

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9952372, Fisk University MARC U*STAR Program (5T34GM105551-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9952372. Licensed CC0.

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