There are many opportunities for students to carry out research in the laboratory of a faculty member in MCDB. A broad spectrum of state-of-the-art research activities is performed at Yale in the MCDB department and in related departments including the Yale School Medicine. This research is in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, neurobiology, physiology, computational plant sciences biology, and evolution. All interested students are encouraged to participate in research.
Cancer Research Opportunity - Summer 2026
We invite your best students to apply for our NIH/NCI-funded (5 R25CA023944-41) Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program. The program offers a unique opportunity for pre-doctoral students preparing for careers in the biomedical sciences, medicine, and pharmacy to gain biomedical and oncology research experience. Students participate in basic or clinical oncology research, a core lecture series designed specifically for them, as well as research and clinical conferences. All participants make a PowerPoint presentation on their research project on our core lecture series. They also submit a project report written in the style of a journal in which their faculty mentor publishes.
A primary goal of the POE program is to encourage highly qualified students to pursue a career in cancer research, either as a clinical scientist or laboratory-based research scientist. Our St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers training in leading-edge scientific fields paired with unique mentoring in the St. Jude clinical experience. Highly motivated POE students may also consider applying to the St. Jude Graduate School upon completion of their undergraduate degree to further pursue their research and career interests.
POE medical students spend a minimum of 10 weeks in the program. The minimum tenure requirement for all others is 11 weeks. All POE applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.40 (on a 4.0 scale) in math and science (biology, chemistry, and physics) and at least a 3.40 overall. Program participants will receive a $600/week subsistence allowance. Fully furnished group housing will be provided at no cost for non-local participants.
All POE program applicants must already have research experience and be full time students at a US school at the time they apply. Applicants must be United States citizens, non-citizen nationals, or possess a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States (required by the funding agency). Participants must be at least 18 and have completed at least their sophomore year of college when they begin the program.
The POE home page contains links to the program application. The deadline for receipt of all 2026 application materials is February 1, 2026. Early application and submission of materials is highly recommended.
Links to Summer Internship Opportunities
AAMC: Undergrad Research Programs →
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: Education & Training →
Senior Thesis Power Hours
Writing a senior thesis is hard! But it can be a little less hard when you’re doing it in a community of students who are all working toward the same goals. Our weekly Senior Thesis Power Hours, facilitated by Peer Mentors and a Graduate Writing Partner, gives you the chance to carve out the time and space for anything you need to do in relation to your senior thesis. Snacks provided!
Senior Thesis Power Hours will take place in the Poorvu Center Room 120A each Monday from 7:00-9:00 PM.
Below is a list of the Senior Power Hours dates and registration links. Students can show up without registering, but we encourage them to register each week when they plan to attend. Students can also sign up to receive a weekly newsletter with updates about the Senior Power Hours.
We would greatly appreciate it if you would pass this along to your seniors. We want to help your students achieve their goals! Also, please feel free to reach out if you are looking for any clarification or otherwise have questions or comments.
Fall 2025 Senior Thesis Power Hours Schedule
September 29th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300677
October 6th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300678
October 13th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300679
October 20th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300680
October 27th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300681
November 3rd, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300682
November 10th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300683
November 17th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300684
December 1st, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300685 December 8th, 7pm-9pm, Poorvu Center, Room 120A - Registration Link: https://cglink.me/2dA/r2300686
Harvard Biophysics Graduate Program Applications (Open House & Q&A Session) Oct 28th 5:00 pm EST
The Harvard Biophysics Graduate Program lies at the interface of the physical and biological sciences, training graduate students to apply cutting-edge experimental and theoretical approaches to biological problems. Students work with faculty in many departments across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Medical School, as well as faculty at the Broad Institute and Harvard-affiliated hospitals.
As a highly interdisciplinary program, they welcome applicants from a wide range of scientific backgrounds, including fields such as physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering.
They will be hosting a Harvard Biophysics Virtual Open House from 5-6 pm EST on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, where members of the Harvard Biophysics administration and current students will be available to answer questions about the program and the application process. Please use this form to register: https://forms.gle/Vi6f6TPp3QLY1bHQA and we ask that they please submit any accommodation requests by October 24th. The registration page also includes a link for students to submit anonymous questions in advance of the Open House, and a Zoom link for the meeting will be sent to all registrants prior to the date.
Applications are due December 1, 2025, and more information on applications can be found on our Website. For candidates for whom the application fee would represent an obstacle, Fee Waivers are also available.
Summer Research
Yale students can perform research with a faculty member during the summer months, which allows students to devote full-time effort to a research project. Summer research enables students to continue research that was initiated during the previous academic year or to begin research that will be continued during the following academic year.
Interested students should consult a member of the Yale faculty or the director of undergraduate studies. Academic credit is not granted unless the student is registered in (and paying tuition to) the Yale summer school.
Students must secure funding for their research, either through fellowship grants or through collaboration with a faculty member with additonal funding.
Sometimes the faculty member has grant funds that can support students during the summer. Other possibilities for financial support can be found on the Yale College website.
Non-Yale Summer Research
Summer research at other institutions (including those outside the United States) is possible through several programs. Yale does not award academic credit for research done at other institutions, even if done in the context of a course.
Resources
Director of Undergraduate Studies and Registrar
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Stephen Dellaporta, Ph.D.
Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyDirector of Undergraduate Studies+1 (203) 432-3895
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