Training requirements
Interns will join the program in May 2026 and will spend 12 weeks in the program, working with a University of Florida faculty and graduate student on a cancer research project. Interns will spend 80% of their time working on their research project. In addition, they will be provided with mentoring and career development activities to help them prepare a competitive application for graduate school.
Areas of research: Faculty with an established history of research and mentoring provide expertise across the broad spectrum of interdisciplinary cancer research. Interdisciplinary training in cancer research is accomplished by providing interns with research experiences ranging from basic science, clinical/translational research and population science across this biomedical spectrum and providing a common foundation in cancer research.
Cancer research opportunities include:
- Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cancer Epidemiology
- Cancer Genetics
- Cancer Prevention
- Cancer Survivorship
- Cancer Therapeutics
- Drug Discovery & Development
- Health Communications
- Health Disparities
- Health Outcomes & Behavior
- Immunology & Immunotherapy
- Mathematical Oncology & Machine Learning
- Metabolism & Physiology
- Microbiome
- Molecular Oncology & Cellular Biology
- Tumor Microenvironment & Metastasis
Research projects
We will solicit research proposals from UF graduate students and postdoctoral trainees for cancer research projects that are designed to be completed during the program. When the interns join the program, they will learn about the summer research projects available and participate in a speed-networking event. This event offers the opportunity for the interns to ask questions about each research project and provides time for them to meet individually with the graduate students directing the projects. The interns and their mentors will then be matched based on their mutual research interests. For each research project, an intern will form a team with a graduate student or postdoc, who will directly mentor the intern, under the overall supervision of a faculty mentor. This format provides interns not only with an immersive research laboratory experience, but also exposes them to team-based cancer research. At the end of the summer program, the interns will make poster presentations on their team projects at the STRONGER Program Research Showcase.
Didactic requirements
The curriculum is designed to provide interns with a foundational understanding of basic cancer biology, therapeutics and cutting-edge cancer research. Students will be trained with literature searching, paper reading and proposal writing skills, and will receive guidance and coaching to prepare their Ph.D. applications.
Introduction to Research 101 Program: Interns must participate in the Introduction to Research 101 Program (virtual), which will review basic research skills in preparation for the students to join the research labs.
Orientation Program: Interns must participate in the Orientation Program (in-person), which will outline the program expectations and provide an open forum for questions, as well as introducing the summer research projects.
Responsible Conduct of Research and Rigor & Reproducibility: STRONGER students will receive instruction, training and supervision in research ethics and scientific rigor.
Cancer conferences: Conferences are designed to promote “cross fertilization” of ideas and to facilitate networking between trainees, mentors and national experts. The program will emphasize the need for all trainees to effectively communicate their research and trainees will actively participate in UF Health Cancer Institute seminars or conferences taking place during their tenure in the program.
Presentation requirement: Each participant is required to present a poster at the STRONGER Research Showcase. Additional instructions will be provided. Your abstract and poster must be approved by your mentor before submission.
