Center for Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS)
32 Campus Drive 280 Skaggs Building Missoula, MT 59812 www.umt.edu/cehs
Summer Undergraduate Research Program
-SURP- at The University of Montana
The Center for Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS) sponsors a summer educational research experience for outstanding college undergraduates. The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is part of a national program to attract and train undergraduates to research careers in the environmental health sciences. This program is funded through a grant obtained from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS, R25ES016247). The Center’s SURP ten-‐week summer program presents extraordinary opportunities to learn from experts about the philosophy and practice of conducting current biomedical research. In addition, all students gain extensive hands-‐on research experience working in the Center’s state-‐of-‐the-‐art laboratories. Guest seminar lectures and presentations by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and staff provide SURP students with personal experiences in biomedical research to round out the program. To round out the SURP students’ experience, at the end of the 10-‐week experience, they present their research in a half-‐day symposium at the end of the program. Our students have been highly successful with a number of manuscripts, winning top honors at end-‐of-‐summer conferences and presenting at national meetings. We encourage you to view past project descriptions and poster presentations on our website at https://education.cehs.health.umt.edu/content/summer-‐undergraduate-‐research-‐program.
Scan the QR code with your smartphone to visit our site.
-‐2015 SURP Students-‐
Jessica Ray (l) and Laura Fisch (r) were each co-‐
sponsored by the Society of Toxicology (SOT) in 2015 and won travel awards to attend the 2016 SOT Annual Meeting in New
Orleans!
NIEHS Director Dr. Linda S. Birnbaum, D.A.B.T., A.T.S. -‐ CEHS Visit, 2012
Over the past eight summers of the SURP program, undergraduates have come from universities around the country including Stanford University, Purdue University, University of Massachusetts -‐ Lowell, Notre Dame University, University of Texas at Dallas, Washington State University, Michigan State University and University of Maine. The University of Montana is located in beautiful Missoula, Montana and integrates an enriching educational experience with easy access to outstanding recreational activities including hiking, fly fishing, and camping. Our students participate in recreational activities and field trips. For more information about Missoula and the surrounding region, please visit www.destinationmissoula.org. If you have questions about the program, e-‐mail CEHS at [email protected]. SURP 2016 begins May 24, 2016 and runs through August 2, 2016. Enrollment is limited. Applications must be received by February 15, 2016. Applications received after February 15th will be considered only if slots are still available. Apply on-‐line at: https://education.cehs.health.umt.edu/content/surp-‐application
-About the Center-
CEHS, a unique biomedical research center in Montana, was formed in 2000 and is a leading edge biomedical research center focused on diseases associated with exposures to harmful environmental and occupational agents.
The major research focus for CEHS investigators is to determine the mechanisms by which environmental and occupational exposures contribute to the development of human diseases and translate that knowledge into development of biomarkers, therapeutic interventions and improved public health information. Key areas of research include immune mediated diseases (e.g., asthma, fibrosis, autoimmune diseases, increased host susceptibility and inflammatory bowel disease) and central nervous system diseases (aging related neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation). New emerging areas of research include environmental induced epigenetic changes and nanomedicine/nanotoxicology. Center investigators interact with a network of investigators nationally and internationally to enhance basic and translational research. The CEHS supports three cores: Molecular Histology and Fluorescent Imaging Core, Flow Cytometry Core, and Inhalation and Pulmonary Physiology Core. Each core is led by experienced faculty and full time staff scientists who help investigators plan, execute and interpret experimental studies. The cores are highly integrated providing for a smooth workflow when more than one core is necessary to accomplish complicated research protocols.