The West Virginia University Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is currently accepting applications for an undergraduate summer research internship opportunity for the summer of 2025, which is a program supported by the WVU Visual Sciences Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE). This 10-week, full-time vision research-focused internship program will be held from May 23, 2025 - August 1, 2025, and will take place in person at West Virginia University's Health Sciences Center in Morgantown.
This highly selective program will provide undergraduate interns with basic biochemistry and visual neuroscience research experience in areas that explore blinding diseases and new diagnostic and treatment methods of therapeutic intervention, including adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated gene therapy.
Current undergraduate students with career interests in vision, neuroscience, biochemistry, and molecular medicine basic research topics are encouraged to apply. Selected student interns will receive $5,000 participant compensation for cost-of-living expenses in Morgantown, WV over the 10-week program duration. Each student will be assigned a mentor currently conducting research in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences laboratory space, will complete a small-scale research project, and will give a formal presentation at the conclusion of the internship.
2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Students (From Left to Right): Sydney Larew, Waynesburg University; Kate Belford, West Virginia University; Hamza Abdul-Karim, West Virginia University; Molly Bowen, West Virginia University; Génesis Otero-Rivera, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus; Ari Tendo, Juniata College; Jeremy Jones, Duquesne University; Bernardo Pacheco Pereira, West Virginia University)
To apply, please fill out and submit the “Applicant” form below. The application package must include the following for applicant consideration: A cover letter and an up-to-date official academic transcript, uploaded as a single PDF file. The cover letter should contain: 1) a description of your interest in the program, 2) a description of your plans after graduating, including any plans to apply to a graduate program (e.g., Ph.D. program) or a professional school (e.g., medical school), 3) your top 3 choices for summer research mentors, selected from the roster of available mentors below:
Applicants should arrange to have two letters of recommendation from advisors, professors, or other academic mentors to be submitted using the “Confidential Letter Submission” form below. The application deadline is March 14, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST. A full application package and both letters of recommendation are due by the deadline for an applicant to be reviewed and considered. Promising candidates will be contacted for virtual interviews within 1 week of the application deadline.