BIOMEDICAL CAMPS

We offer a variety of workshops on molecular medicine for high-achieving high school and middle school students interested in pursuing careers in medicine or related fields, such as biomedical research, drug development, pharmacy or nursing.  Camps are offered in summer and winter and there are online and in-person options available, including residential camps held at some of the world’s best universities.

Workshops are taught by PhD-level instructors with years of research and teaching experience.  Through engaging lectures and hands-on laboratory classes, students learn normal molecular and cellular biology, and then learn how these normal processes are disrupted or distorted during the development of disease.  In addition, there is a heavy emphasis on experimental design, modern drug development, and the emergence of the era of personalized medicine.  To conclude the workshop, students use what they have learned to create an original research project on a gene or molecular process of their choice.  More broadly, workshop attendees strengthen their academic skills, build their college portfolio, and explore potential career options while making friends from around the world and experiencing college dorm life in a safe environment.

Our university-based workshops are held at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, and both residential and commuter options are available.  Residential students are housed in on-campus undergraduate dorms and eat in campus dining facilities.  Teaching assistants/residential advisors live with the students and are available to mentor and assist the students.  In addition, the camp directors are on-site 24 hours/day.  Overall, we maintain a student-to-staff ratio that is better than the universities require.

University-based workshops include Molecular Neuroscience, Molecular Biology of Cancer, Molecular Biology of Aging, Molecular Immunology and Bioinformatics of Cancer.

Our online workshops include Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Medicinal Chemistry and Medical Bioinformatics.  Intro to Cellular and Molecular Medicine is our entry-level workshop that is only two hours/day.  Students in the Medicinal Chemistry and Medical Bioinformatics workshops learn how to use online tools to analyze biochemical data.  For students interested in doing research or working on a project for a science fair, this is a great way to get started.

2024 University-based Summer Workshops (Residential and Commuter) will be scheduled soon

There will be three Molecular Biology of Cancer workshops, three Molecular Neuroscience workshops, one Molecular Immunology workshop, one Molecular Biology of Aging workshop, and one Bioinformatics of Cancer workshop held at University of California, Berkeley and University of California, San Diego during summer 2023. Specifically, Molecular Biology of Cancer and Molecular Neuroscience workshops will be held 6/4-6/17 and 6/18-7/1 at UCB and 7/9-7/22 at UCSD. The Molecular Biology of Aging workshop is 6/18-7/1 at UCB, the Molecular Immunology workshop is 7/9-7/22 at UCSD, and the Bioinformatics of Cancer workshops are 7/9-7/22 and 8/6-8/19 at UCSD.

Students are housed in on-campus undergraduate dorms in doubles or triples, and eat in campus dining facilities. Teaching assistants/residential advisors live with the students and are available to mentor and assist the students. In addition, the camp directors are on-site 24 hours/day. Overall, we maintain a student to staff ratio that is better than the university requires.

Ages 14-18. Roughly 9am-5pm M-F with weekend activities. Application and letter of recommendation required. See Curriculum and Apply/Finances tabs for additional information.

University of California, Berkeley

UC Berkeley is one of the world’s premier research universities, with 13 Nobel laureates on the current faculty and academic programs consistently ranked in the top-10 nationally. Located outside of San Francisco, UC Berkeley was recently named the 3rd best university in the world.

University of California, San Diego

Located on the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, UCSD ranks 5th in the US in research funding and it was named the world’s 14th best university. Sixteen Nobel Laureates have been affiliated with the school, and its undergraduate programs, medical school and graduate school are ranked among the best in the country.

2024 Summer Online Workshops will be scheduled soon

Summer Online Workshops:

1. Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Medicine – 6/5-6/16 (morning, afternoon, evening, night), 2 hr/day M-F. Ages 12-18.
2. Medicinal Chemistry – 6/19-6/30 (AM or PM), 3 hours/day M-F. Ages 14-18.
3. Medical Bioinformatics – 7/10-7/21 and 7/24-8/4, 5.5 hours/day M-F. Ages 13-18.

All online workshops require an application but no letter of recommendation.

Winter Break Online and Commuter Workshops:

1. There is an abbreviated version of the Biomedical Research workshop during winter break (12/26-12/31). This workshop (commuter-only) is held at our facility in Alameda, CA.

2. Cancer Research (commuter-only) is held at our facility in Berkeley, CA 12/26-12/31. This workshop is similar to the Biomedical Research workshop, but there is a greater emphasis on cancer biology to give the labs additional context.

3. The Medical Bioinformatics workshop and the Medicinal Chemistry workshops will be held online during winter break (12-26-12/30, approximately 6 hrs/day PST).

All Winter workshops require an application but no letter of recommendation.