The Office for Undergraduate Research in the College of Arts and Sciences has been awarded a four-year, $500,000 grant from the Amgen Foundation to develop an Amgen Scholars Program at UNC-Chapel Hill.
UNC-Chapel Hill and Howard University are joining 11 other U.S. universities and 13 international institutions as a host Amgen Scholars site.
In summer 2024, UNC-Chapel Hill will host its first cohort of up to 10 undergraduate Amgen Scholars. Accepted Amgen Scholars at UNC will be matched with a faculty mentor conducting world-class biotechnology/drug discovery research. Amgen Scholars at Carolina will conduct 10 weeks of hands-on research related to the lab’s ongoing projects, mentored by a team of faculty, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students. Faculty from a diverse array of disciplines including medicine, pharmacology, biomedical engineering, chemistry, genetics, biology, computer science and other STEM-related fields will provide mentored research opportunities for participants.
“We are excited to join such an esteemed list of fellow institutions hosting Amgen Scholars, and the program aligns well with our goal of increasing opportunities for undergraduates to engage in in-depth, cutting-edge research,” said Bob Pleasants, director of the Office for Undergraduate Research.
Scholars will participate in complimentary activities that support UNC’s Amgen Scholars biotechnology/drug discovery focus, including meetings with scientists and graduate students currently interning in industry as part of their Ph.D. programs and potential visits to local biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. In addition to seminars, journal clubs, poster presentations and programming that supports graduate school preparedness, UNC’s Amgen Scholars will participate in social and cultural activities as part of an immersive learning environment. Scholars will also travel to participate in the 2024 Amgen Scholars North America Symposium in July.
Courtesy of the Office for Undergraduate Research