ACS Cancer Research Internship
Undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Austin are invited to join Dell Medical School for a yearlong experience in cancer research. The American Cancer Society Cancer Research Internship, held by the Livestrong Cancer Institutes and funded by the American Cancer Society, enables students to engage in biomedical sciences firsthand over the summer and throughout the academic school year.
About the Internship
The ACS Cancer Research Internship aims to increase diversity the cancer research workforce by supporting students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the biomedical field. The yearlong program offers students the following opportunities:
- Supportive relationships with experienced research mentors.
- Exposure to a range of cancer research and related professional opportunities.
- Career and academic preparation centered around cancer research.
Summer Programming
Over a full-time, 10-week period between June and August, interns gain intensive exposure to cancer research. They carry out projects across scientific disciplines under the mentorship of experienced UT faculty, participate in didactic teaching sessions two times a week, and prepare and present a research poster at the end of the summer. The internship offers a $5,000 stipend across its summer programming.
Academic Year Programming
Between September and May, interns further develop research and analytical skills, gain perspective on careers in cancer research research and prepare for postgraduate studies. Interns attend additional activities to extend their experience and interactions with the cancer research community at UT.
Interns meet once a month, with each meeting consisting of a journal club, where participants present a paper chosen with their mentor. Meetings also include activities such as disease lectures, discussions on research, and guidance on career development and graduate admissions.
Program Dates & Eligibility
- Application opens Nov. 1, 2023.
- In-person information session: Nov. 7, 2023. Register to attend.
- Online information session: Jan. 24, 2024. Register to attend.
- Application closes Feb. 20, 2024.
- Notice of selection via email: Week of March 18, 2024.
- Full-time summer programming with weekly discussions: June 4-Aug. 8, 2024.
- Summer research presentations: Aug. 9, 2024.
- Monthly academic year programming: September-May.
- Applicant is at least 18 years of age.
- Applicant is a rising sophomore, junior or senior with an interest in any STEM discipline.
- Applicant is in good academic standing with at least a 3.0 GPA.
- Applicant is a full-time undergraduate student at UT Austin and is not enrolled in summer courses concurrent with the internship.
- Applicant is a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or international student on a visa. (Note: The internship is unable to sponsor visas.)
- Applicant will not be awarded a bachelor’s degree before the program ends.
- Applicant has not previously participated in the Livestrong Cancer Institutes’ Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.
Per the American Cancer Society’s stipulations, applicants from a background shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research according to the National Institutes of Health, which includes first generation college students, low socioeconomic status and medically underserved populations, are highly encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
The ACS Cancer Research Internship seeks eight UT Austin undergraduate students to take part in its 2024-2025 programming. Applications completed in their entirety will be accepted for review until Feb. 20, 2024. For any questions, email the team.
Complete applications include all sections of the online form, one essay, transcripts and two letters of recommendation. Prospective applicants are encouraged to read the form and requirements thoroughly before submitting their application.
Do not submit the application before all attachments and sections are completed, with the exception of letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are to be sent directly from their respective writers via a UT Box folder created by the program manager.
Internship Requirements
Accepted interns are required to sign a student agreement, which commits them to the following program requirements.
Orientation is held in Dell Med’s Health Discovery Building auditorium. This is a mandatory meeting for all interns and covers program requirements, training requirements, stipends and more.
Interns are required to complete online training relevant to their individual research project prior to their arrival. Interns will be notified of these training requirements after they’ve been notified of their assigned laboratory and project.
With the help of a mentor, interns write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) report describing the goals of their research project. The report is due within 10 days of their start date, and their mentor will also sign the report. When the program receives the report, interns receive 50% of their stipend.
June-August: Interns attend two discussions per week with cancer experts. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., discussions focus on cancer types, research and professional development.
September-May: Journal clubs and discussions take place in person during one two-hour meeting each month, continuing the conversations from the summer regarding research, cancer types and professional development. Participants are expected to meet with their mentor monthly for 30–60 minutes. The discussion series also serves as an opportunity to build networks and interact with peers and leaders throughout the university.
All interns participate in a poster session at the end of the summer. Interns who are unable to attend the poster session should contact program coordinators as soon as a scheduling conflict arises. Interns receive the balance of their stipend after they participate in the poster session and exit survey.
Interns who are unable to attend the poster session are required to write a double-spaced report of at least five pages that describes their project’s results, due at the end of the fellowship. Their mentor will sign the report. Once the report is received, along with the exit survey, interns receive the balance of their stipend.
Within the online application form, applicants select the type(s) of research experiences that they are most interested in participating in:
- Basic and translational research (laboratory experience)
- Clinical and community research (data-focused experience analyzing patient and/or community participant data)
Applicants select three faculty members with whom they’d like to work and create their cancer research project with during the internship. Program leaders make every effort to assign applicants to their first choice but may need to make alternative assignments based on availability.
2024 Mentors
Clinical & Community Research
- Adewole Adamson, M.D., MPP, assistant professor, Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dell Medical School, UT Austin.
- Tara Kaufmann, M.D., assistant professor, departments of Oncology and Internal Medicine, Dell Medical School, UT Austin.
- Lailea Noel, Ph.D., assistant professor, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and departments of Health Social Work and Oncology, Dell Medical School, UT Austin.
Basic & Translational Research
- Anna Capasso, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, UT Austin.
- John DiGiovanni, Ph.D., professor and Coulter R. Sublett Endowed Chair in Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, UT Austin.
- Lauren Ehrlich, Ph.D., associate professor and Lorene Morrow Kelley Endowed Faculty Fellowship Fund, Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, UT Austin.
- Carla Van Den Berg, Pharm.D, co-director of the Developmental Therapeutics Lab, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, courtesy associate professor, Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, UT Austin.
- Karen Vasquez, Ph.D., James T. Doluisio Regents Professor, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, UT Austin.
Frequently Asked Questions
- The internship starts June 4, 2023, and it ends May 2025.
- From June 4 to Aug. 11, 2023, it is a full-time experience (40 hours a week for 10 weeks).
- From September 2024 to May 2025, it is a part-time experience (up to three hours a month).
Yes. Interns are expected to work full-time in labs and in discussions. Other work commitments or classes during the summer are not advised.
Yes. Interns receive a stipend of $5,000, paid in two installments of 50% through direct deposit as they complete the program.
The internship expects to hold the program on campus at UT Austin, as other Livestrong Cancer Institutes programming has done in years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. If circumstances change that do not allow the program to continue in person or at all, interns will be contacted by the program coordinators.
For any questions, email the team.