Stanford Cancer Institute Undergraduate Summer Program

The Stanford Cancer Institute launched the Summer Undergraduate Program in 2023 to help Stanford undergraduates hone their research skills in preparation for applying to graduate school and learn about the wide range of careers dedicated to improving cancer outcomes. 

The 2025 mentors were Nathanael Gray, PhD, Crystal Mackall, MD, Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, and John Sunwoo, MD. These faculty mentors have extensive mentoring experience and hold appointments across the university, including the Stanford School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, and Department of Chemical and Systems Biology. 

Since the program takes place during the summer, undergraduates can fully immerse themselves in a research area they are excited about without having to balance out a typical academic load during the school year. With guidance and supervision from their mentor, they work on research projects in their mentor’s lab and closely with their near-peer mentors, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, who provide instruction on the lab’s day-to-day operations and assist the undergraduate students with their research projects.

Sei Lee, PhD, program manager for cancer research and training, serves as the Stanford Cancer Institute point of contact for the students. She says, “We are hoping that students explore cancer-relevant career tracks and take actionable steps to get there. We hope the participants can further leverage the research lab experience to other research opportunities, more broadly, STEM-related post-graduation programs, such as medical school.”

A program highlight is the opportunity for students to share their summer research project with their colleagues and Stanford faculty members at the Stanford Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Research Training Program. 

After the summer program concludes, students become Stanford Cancer Institute associate trainee members, which grants them access to exclusive internal training and education opportunities. Lee stays in regular contact with associate trainee members throughout the school year to inform them of relevant opportunities and events.

The program was initiated by Stanford Cancer Institute Director Steven Artandi, MD, PhD. He says, “We recognize that to make groundbreaking discoveries in cancer science, it’s critical to ensure the next generation has the tools and confidence to tackle the field’s most challenging and pressing questions. We give Stanford undergraduate students real-world research experience in a cancer lab to prepare them for their graduate studies. Our team is pleased to host the Stanford Cancer Institute Undergraduate Summer Program and connect undergraduate students with cancer faculty members.”

Program alumni have transitioned into graduate school and research careers. Camryn Franke, who graduated in 2023, had the unique opportunity after completing the summer program to be a staff scientist at Stanford and continue her research alongside Tanja Gruber, MD.

Franke shares, “When I was a freshman, it was very intimidating to get into research. This program is great because it accommodates all levels.”  

Franke currently holds a coterminal master’s degree in biomedical informatics, meaning she earned the degree while completing her undergraduate studies, and was unsure of completing a graduate degree after completing undergrad. Because of her experience in the summer program and the research opportunities it led to, she realized her passion for cancer research and made the decision to pursue graduate school, which she will start in fall 2025. She was delighted to be invited back to the program this year as a panelist on cancer career tracks. She shared her journey of transitioning from being an undergraduate to a graduate student with the 2025 cohort. 

She advised, “Know what you are good at and enjoy doing it. As for me, I find energy, strength, and joy in the laboratory and doing a deep dive into the data. At the end of the day, I feel that I can best contribute to my lab when I am using the application of informatics in cancer research and clinical trials.” 

2025 student experiences 

How has this experience shaped your undergraduate career training and education?

Samuel Wu
Mentor: Michelle Monje, MD, PhD

“The program gave me the opportunity to learn from people further along in their careers, which helped me realize that I want to pursue the MD/PhD track. The career panels, especially the one on PhD, MD/PhD, and medical fellow pathways, were so incredibly valuable, helping me learn and grow in my scientific thinking. I was inspired by the coffee chat with Drs. Funchain and Artandi. Hearing their personal stories and consistent advice helped solidify my decision and interest in making research a critical part of my future career.

I would love to shoutout my near-peer mentor, Richard Drexler, for his constant guidance and support throughout this whole summer, as well as my PI, Dr. Michelle Monje, whose mentorship has deeply shaped my passion for science and medicine. Their continuous encouragement has been truly invaluable to my growth as a researcher."

Mason Chen
Mentor: Crystal Mackall, MD 

"This summer research experience has taught me how to be a more independent researcher. Beyond the lab, I really appreciated the seminars and the cancer career panels, where I learned from peers and upperclassmen about different career trajectories. It was eye-opening to see that many different pathways can lead to the same destination.

I also gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of basic science as the foundation of translational research. Seeing how fundamental concepts directly inform therapies highlighted the critical role of scientific discovery in shaping future clinical applications."