Thirty college students participated in the 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Program at UMass Chan Medical School, refining their career goals through networking with peers and mentors, collaborative research and developing critical thinking skills.
Jake Bedard, Morelia Morel Diaz and Wesley Yuen are high-achieving college undergraduates pursuing careers in medicine and science. Along with 27 other highly qualified college juniors and seniors from across the United States and Puerto Rico, they spent 10 weeks in the cutting-edge laboratories of UMass Chan investigators.
Bedard, from Danvers, is a rising senior at UMass Amherst studying biochemistry and neuroscience. During the program, Bedard is working in the lab of J. Kevin Donahue, MD, professor of medicine, where much of his time is spent quantifying data for an in-vivo electrophysiology study to evaluate a treatment for atrial fibrillation.
“I haven’t had experience with this type of work, so it has been a little bit of a learning curve,” said Bedard. “But, figuring out how to analyze the data and applying that knowledge to the work that I’m doing has been very rewarding.”
Bedard, who is considering pursuing an MD/PhD after completing his undergraduate education, said the connections he made with mentors have been substantial.
“I’ve met a lot of very knowledgeable people who have the mindset that I want to embody, and, in that way, I think the program has opened a lot of doors for my career,” said Bedard.
Morel Diaz attends Salem State University where she is studying biomedical sciences with a minor in philosophy and chemistry. She is interested in cancer research, specifically hematology and certain blood disorders. She is working in the lab of Marcus Ruscetti, PhD, assistant professor of molecular, cell & cancer biology, where the focus is on prostate cancer.
Between the collaborative community within the lab and the inclusivity she has felt, Morel Diaz said she is better prepared her for a career in science and health care.
“It’s been interesting to learn about all the different ways that cancer can be researched, how it can be addressed, and a lot of very important molecular lab techniques too,” said Morel Diaz. “The program has taught me to think like a scientist.”
Students arrived for the program in May, coming to campus from 14 states and 23 colleges and universities.
Yuen, from Brooklyn, is a rising senior at CUNY Hunter College and is studying biology with a concentration in behavioral neurobiology.
He describes the relationship between the summer research program students as one between “close friends,” and the group has bonded quickly during their daily learning sessions. “This program has really helped me build a network and has exposed me to different areas of research. I love meeting like-minded people and getting the chance to talk to my friends about research,” Yuen said.
He is working in the lab of Jin Zhang, PhD, assistant professor of molecular medicine.
The UMass Chan Medical School Summer Undergraduate Research Program, which is celebrating its 35th year, is designed to diversify the pool of biomedical researchers by providing structured, hands-on laboratory research experiences to undergraduate students, especially those from backgrounds underrepresented in the field, or who are economically or educationally disadvantaged.
The program is sponsored by the UMass Chan Office of Outreach Programs and is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the UMass Chan Provost’s Office Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.
Summer undergraduate researchers receive a $4,000 stipend and travel and housing are provided. Students live in dormitories at Worcester State University.
Summer Undergraduate Research Program Class of 2024
Chloe Abbott, Clemson University ‘25
Luke Abraham, University of Massachusetts Amherst ‘25
Jake Bedard, University of Massachusetts Amherst ‘25
Evan Burke, Miami University ‘25
Gabriela Cañizares Díaz, Universidad del Sagrado Corazon ‘25
Elaine Caternor, New York University ‘26
Debarghya Chaki, University of Texas Austin ‘26
James Drurey, University of Pittsburgh ‘25
Jalal Elsallal, University of Massachusetts Amherst ‘26
Angela Gervassi Saga, Arizona State University ‘25
Paula Gibbons, Worcester Polytechnic Institute ‘26
Hailie Goldthorpe, University of New Orleans ‘26
Eleazar Gonzalez-Adame, University of Texas Austin ‘26
Samuel Lee, New York University ‘26
Jiho Lim, Texas Tech University ‘26
Junyue Ma, Brown University ‘27
Anchal Mahajan, Colby College ‘26
Ana Marroquin Tercero, California State Polytechnic University ‘25
Thalia Mason, Johns Hopkins University ‘25
Katherine Mitchell, University of Rochester ‘26
Morelia Morel Diaz, Salem State University ‘25
Matthew Olivera, University of Texas Austin ‘26
Bolanle Orioke, CUNY Hunter College ‘26
Chloe Renzi, University of New Orleans ‘25
Juliet Utaegbulam, Tufts University ‘26
Grace VanEtten, Utica University ‘27
Helen Varughese, Stevens Institute of Technology ‘25
Judith Walker, Saint Joseph’s University ‘25
Daniel Wunschel, Vassar College ‘26
Wesley Yuen, CUNY Hunter College ‘25
