UCSF has been awarded a two-year grant from the Amgen Foundation to continue providing hands-on laboratory experience to undergraduate students from across the U.S. through the Amgen Scholars Program.
In this latest phase of the Amgen Scholars Program, UCSF will be among 25 host institutions across the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada to receive support for summers 2025 and 2025. New host institutions joining the program in the U.S. are Howard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Amgen’s commitment will provide opportunities for 500 undergraduate students to conduct research in leading education institutions around the world, bringing the total number of participants to nearly 6,000 Scholars globally by 2025.
UCSF has been a host institution since 2007 and has welcomed 338 Amgen Scholars to date as part of the Graduate Division’s Summer Research Training Program (SRTP). Beyond intensive research experiences under top faculty members, Amgen Scholars engage in seminars, networking events, and regional symposia. Financial support provided to participating scholars is a key feature of the program, with the intent that eligible students representing an expansive range of home institutions can take part regardless of financial status.
As part of UCSF’s SRTP program, Amgen Scholars will also participate in a wide variety of career development workshops and social activities to help form a cohesive and supportive community. The 10-week experience culminates in a research symposium at which students receive valuable feedback from graduate students, postdocs, and faculty.
Program Alumni Cite Impact on Education and Career Journeys in Science
With a notable alumni network actively contributing to industry, academia, and government, the Amgen Scholars Program continues to contribute to advanced scientific learning and career development. Alumni testimonials consistently highlight the program’s substantial impact on academic and professional growth, with many citing it as a pivotal experience in their scientific journey.
According to a 2023 UCSF Amgen Scholar, “The connections I made with the members of my lab were invaluable ‒ they made such a difference in encouraging me to pursue research, and I now have a support system to lean on as I progress in my career journey.”
Close collaboration with LabXchange has enabled the development of a new collection of free, virtual resources designed to complement and build upon the Amgen Scholar program’s in-person experience. Housing these resources on LabXchange.org extends the Amgen Foundation’s ability to support any learner interested in scientific research from anywhere around the world.
At the time of the announcement, Scott Heimlich, president of the Amgen Foundation said, “We’ve been so proud to see the many education and career journeys that our Amgen Scholars alumni have pursued across the sciences. With this new funding, the Amgen Foundation aims to continue to empower the next generation of innovators, dedicated to making significant contributions to the world of science.”
About the Amgen Scholars Program
First established in 2006, the Amgen Scholars Program has provided summer research opportunities to over 5,300 undergraduate students from more than 900 colleges and universities.
Thousands of program alumni have completed their undergraduate studies and are currently pursuing or completed an advanced graduate degree in a scientific field. Program alumni are also employed in scientific fields across nearly 40 countries. Learn more at amgenfoundation.org.
UCSF’s Summer Research Training Program is now accepting applications for the 2024 program through February 1, 2024. For more information and to apply, visit graduate.ucsf.edu/srtp.
