BRUSH Undergraduate Summer Research Program

BRUSH is a vibrant summer research program that focuses on experiential learning as well as community building and professional development by:

• providing students an immersive mentored research experience,
• explicitly facilitating the establishment of networks of mentors and peers to create a supportive community, and
• intentionally fostering participants success to give them confidence to pursue biomedical and science-based educational and career goals.

The Program is funded through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). As such, BRUSH students work on research projects under the mentorship of leading biomedical researchers in environmental science and cardiovascular, airway, or blood diseases. 

The goal of this program is to provide hands-on research exposure and graduate or professional school preparation opportunities for undergraduate students who are from populations that are underrepresented in biomedical research. Underrepresented populations include American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as students with disabilities or financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

The BRUSH Summer Research Program enrolls 20 students each summer and we are currently recruiting our next cohort of students. We seek students who would benefit from our mentored summer research experience that is intentional in promoting science identity among student participants. Prior research experience is not necessary, and we encourage students without prior research experience to apply.

Alumni of this program routinely pursue advanced degrees (more than 65% of alumni have enrolled in MS, PhD, PharmD MD, DO, or DVM programs to date) and report tangible, positive impacts on their educational/career aspirations and trajectories.

Further program details are in this link, the attached flyer, and described below. 

Students in this 11-week program (mid-May to early-August) conduct hands-on, hypothesis-driven research under the guidance of a faculty mentor, develop presentation skills, gain experience with scientific writing, and present their research in oral and poster formats at both a regional and a national scientific symposium.

Students earn stipend of approximately $5,700. In addition, housing (room and board) in the MSU residential facilities is provided, and the program covers expenses to attend one national conference, such as the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) or the Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting.

The application is online and applications will be accepted through February 12, 2024