Program Information

The Stanford Cancer Institute offers a holistic curriculum designed to provide Stanford undergraduates with the tools and experiences necessary to pursue careers in cancer research. 

The program combines mentored research experiences in Stanford Cancer Institute labs with scientific seminars and skill-building workshops. Its overarching goal is to provide hands-on lab experience to Stanford undergraduates interested in further exploring cancer-related career tracks. This is a six-week, in-person program funded by the Stanford Cancer Institute.

Eligibility:

  • Stanford rising sophomore, junior, or senior
  • Major is in any STEM discipline (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) 
  • In good academic standing with at least a 3.0 GPA
  • Full-time students who are not enrolled in summer courses concurrent with the SCI summer program

 

Key dates:  

  • Program dates: June 23 - July 28, 2025 (6 weeks)
  • Informational session: January 10, 2025 (10 - 11 am PT) 
  • Application deadline: January 20, 2025
  • Virtual Interviews: January 27 -  31, 2025
  • Decision letters: February 7, 2025
  • Waitlist notifications: February 17, 2025

 

Commitment and expectations: 
All students are required to participate in the following: 

  • Orientation
  • Regular check-ins with mentor and lab meetings
  • Weekly skill building/professional development workshops, trainings, and Stanford Cancer Institute seminars
  • Social events 
  • Work in the labs with faculty mentor and other scholars (up to 8 hrs/per day)
  • Present a poster session at the annual Comprehensive Cancer Research Training Program, tentatively September 15 - 17, 2025

Funding:
Students receive a minimum $6,000 stipend for the summer internship and $3,000 to offset the cost of housing. Housing is not provided through the program. Students are responsible for arranging their own accommodations.

Application is closed

  • CV (or resume)
  • Transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable)
  • Academic reference 

FAQs

How are mentors and mentees paired?
A selection committee will pair mentors based on their research interests. 

Is housing provided?
No, housing will be the responsibility of the students. 

Can I apply again if I have already been accepted previously?
We hope to invite Stanford undergraduates who have not participated in the program in past years. 

Can I participate in this summer research program while in another summer program?
No, students are expected to actively engage in laboratory work, research, skill-building activities, and seminars, with a commitment of approximately 40 hours per week.

Can I receive academic credit for this summer internship?
No, summer students will instead receive a stipend of a total of $9,000.

Is this program offered virtually?
No, this program is an in-person internship where students will gain research experience by working in Stanford Cancer Institute labs.

 

Contact Us
Debbie Bong

Debbie Bong

Mentor: Melanie Hayden Gephart, MD

Debbie Bond is a rising junior at Stanford studying Human Biology and History. She is passionate about the intersection of pediatric epidemiology and global health policy, and plans to attend medical school in the future. This summer, she is continuing her research in the Gephart Lab, where she is studying infiltration of the Choroid Plexus in CNS leukemia. Outside of work, she enjoys running, going to the farmer’s market, and getting sweet treats with her friends.

Project: Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Dysregulated Metabolism in CNS B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL)
Authors: Debbie Bong, Samuel Z.H. Wong, PhD, Crystal H. Wang MD, Kara L. Davis DO, Melanie H. Gephart, MD, MAS

 

Daniella

Daniela Castro-Martinez

Mentor: Crystal Mackall, MD

Daniela Castro-Martinez is a rising junior from Arizona, majoring in Biology with a Cellular and Molecular concentration. Aspiring to pursue the MD/PhD track, Daniela is thrilled to work in Dr. Crystal Mackall’s lab this summer. Her project focuses on engineering lentiviral particles that deliver CRISPR-Cas9 payloads specifically to tumor cells, aiming to enhance and create synergy with CAR T-cell therapy by reshaping the tumor microenvironment. In her free time, Daniela enjoys playing tennis, cooking, spending time outdoors, and listening to podcasts.
 

Project: Engineering Targeted Lentiviral Particles to Deliver Anti-Tumor Payloads
Authors: Daniela Castro-Martinez, Kylie Burdsall, Diren Usta, Elena Sotillo, Crystal Mackall

Jason

Jason Cui

Mentor: Steven Artandi, MD, PhD

Jason Cui is a rising junior from Boulder, Colorado intending to study biology with an interest in the mechanisms of cancer. He hopes to pursue a career as a physician-scientist and contribute to translational cancer research. Outside of classes and research, he enjoys playing classical piano, playing tennis, and hiking.

Project: A Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen for Identifying Novel Regulators of Tert Expression in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Stewart Kim, Steven Artandi, Patrick Neuhoefer

Audrey

Audrey DaDamio

Mentor: Sharon Pitteri, PhD

Audrey DaDamio is a student-athlete on the cross-country and track teams at Stanford and has interests in science, writing, and education. As a Biology major, her primary focus has been in preventative medicine, genetics, and biochemistry. She has been a part of the Pitteri Lab for about a year now and is grateful to SCI for providing her with the opportunity to continue her research in cancer early detection. In addition to working in the lab, Audrey looks forward to meeting new friends and mentors through SCI events, training with her teammates on campus, and exploring the Bay Area.

Upamanyu

Upamanyu Dass-Vattam

Mentor: Steven Corsello, MD

Upamanyu Dass-Vattam is a rising senior majoring in bioengineering and a computer science co-term. He is interested in genetics, cancer biology, and machine learning. In his free time, he enjoys powerlifting and designing clothing.

Project: Cluster Level Pretraining with Neural Networks for Enhanced Biomarker Discovery
Author: Upamanyu Dass-Vattam