VICTR Summer Student Research Program Description
This opportunity is for students, 18 y/o and up, seeking a future in science to gain experience in
research. Ideal candidates would be a current freshman or sophomore level student; however, students
up to the graduate level may be considered on an individual basis.
The VICTR Summer Research Program will make it possible for these students to conduct
research under the direction of a Vanderbilt scientist. Students participating in the program will
have the opportunity to explore one of the following areas:
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Translational Research
Bench Research
Program Management
Pulmonary Medicine
The Institute for Medicine and Public Health (IMPH)
http://medicineandpublichealth.vanderbilt.edu/imph.php?userid=599505477&id
Clinical Pharmacology
https://medicine.mc.vanderbilt.edu/Templates/TemplateDivision.aspx?qs=cElEPTcwOA
Diabetes and Obesity
Informatics http://informatics.mc.vanderbilt.edu/
Regulatory http://vanderbilt.edu/oor/
Research Support Services http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=rss
Biostatistics https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/biostatistics/
Students will be expected to complete an exit interview upon completion of the program and
will need to provide accurate contact information for the four years to follow.
Applicants will be selected based on their alignment with program objectives and previous
support. Students applying for the program who have previously received two years of support
are not eligible.
Follow this link to access the application https://redcap.vanderbilt.edu/surveys/?s=RbpBTUIm3S . If
it does not open, please cut and paste it in your web browser. For questions contact the
program coordinator, Shikora Black at (615)343-7274 or via email at
Shikora.black@vanderbilt.edu.
Areas of Interest
Bench Research – This consists of any research done in a controlled laboratory setting using
nonhuman subjects. The focus is on understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that
underlie a disease or disease process.
Biostatistics - Biostatistics is a basic science of biomedical research. The Department of Biostatistics
enables the University and the School of Medicine to advance its position as a national leader in both
clinical and basic research, provide educational programs to train the next generation of researchers and
biostatisticians, and strengthen an essential component of our efforts to support bench-to-bedside or
translational research.
Clinical Pharmacology – Clinical Pharmacology is the branch of medicine that looks toward
understanding the mechanisms of drug action in humans in order to improve therapeutics.
Research in this Division bridges basic pharmacology and the clinical sciences.
Diabetes and Obesity – This laboratory is interested in the glucose-6-phosphatase gene family.
There are 3 members of this family designated G6PC, G6PC2 and G6PC3. These genes play a key
role determining fasting blood glucose levels, a parameter that is correlated with the risk of
cardiovascular-associated mortality. These genes also play important roles in the
pathophysiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Informatics – Biomedical Informatics is the interdisciplinary science of acquiring, structuring,
analyzing, and providing access to biomedical data, information, and knowledge. As an
academic discipline, biomedical informatics is grounded in the principles of computer science,
information science, cognitive science, social science, and engineering, as well as the clinical
and basic biological sciences.
The Institute for Medicine and Public Health (IMPH) – This is an umbrella organization for
bringing together a variety of resources from Vanderbilt, our local community, across the
nation and around the world to work together through discovery, training and service
programs. Their common goals are protecting against threats to health, promoting healthier
living, improving the quality of health services and preparing leaders who will advance health
and health care.
Program Management – The area of program management focuses on delivering a project or
projects from concept through completion using a team of experts whose sole focus is
obtaining the owner’s goals. Program management combines the ability and resources to
define, plan, implement, and integrate every aspect of the comprehensive program.
Pulmonary Medicine – The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, diagnosis,
prevention, and treatment of diseases affecting the lungs
Regulatory – The Office of Research provides professional guidance and administrative
expertise to all VUMC investigators. The Office of Research provides information and
comprehensive services that assist faculty in their efforts to secure funding and conduct
research of the highest quality and worldwide impact. In short, they foster scientific discovery
and accelerate the translation of research breakthroughs into better health.
Research Support Services – Research Support Services office is to assist investigators in
navigating the complex human research process at Vanderbilt University. Research Services
Consultants, experienced professionals in conducting research or Institutional Review Board
activities, provide guidance in study organization, IRB navigation, training, protocol
development, preparation of study related documents, funding and contractual agreements,
overall program advisory (IMPACTT)
Translational Research – Translational research transforms scientific discoveries arising from
laboratory, clinical or population studies into clinical or population-based applications to
improve health by reducing disease incidence, morbidity, and mortality.