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Coming June 2021: New NIH-Backed Research Program for RBHS Students

Looking for new research opportunities to augment your medical education journey at NJMS?

Following the receipt of a prestigious grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH), three NJMS faculty members are in the process of recruiting health professional students for a new multidisciplinary summer research education program that will begin in June 2021.

The five-year award funding the program is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the NIH.

Students across RBHS, from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), the School of Dental Medicine (SDM), and the School of Health Professions (SHP) are eligible to apply for this opportunity.

The new program will provide hands-on experimentation and mentoring in laboratories of faculty members with active, nationally recognized and funded research programs at these RBHS schools.

The principal investigators for this award are NJMS faculty members: Dr. Nicholas M. Ponzio, a professor of pathology, immunology & laboratory medicine; Dr. Pranela Rameshwar, a professor of medicine; and Dr. Diego Fraidenraich, an associate professor of cell biology & molecular medicine.

"The research experiences of students will be complemented by career development activities that encourage a life-long commitment to scientific research in the next generation of health professional investigators," Dr. Nicholas Ponzio explained.

Thirty faculty mentors will participate in this program. Each of these faculty members are currently conducting high-level research by using cutting-edge, experimental strategies and contemporary methodology in mission areas of the NHLBI related to cardiovascular, pulmonary and hematological diseases.

The infrastructure and organization of this new summer program takes advantage of the leadership, teaching, research knowledge, and skills of faculty members who have extensive experience in training health professional students.

Dr. Ponzio noted that this program is ideal for RBHS students who wish to acquire a better appreciation of the importance of research to clinical practice and are motivated to integrate research in their post-graduate clinical training and career development.

The opportunity to apply to the summer program will be advertised in the aforementioned RBHS schools to attract qualified students to apply. Special consideration will be given to students from economically and/or socially disadvantaged backgrounds, including underrepresented minority applicants. Interested students should contact their associate deans, who will be distributing information to students to inform them of this opportunity.

To learn more, contact Dr. Nicholas Ponzio at ponzio@njms.rutgers.edu.