The program goal of the Summer Internship Program in Biological Sciences in Public Health (BPH) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is to expose college science students (who will be juniors or seniors in the Fall of 2025) to the rewards of laboratory research directed toward solving important public health problems. The overall mission of the program is to recruit qualified students for graduate-level training leading to research careers in the biological sciences. Interns apply state-of-the art technology in their own research projects under the direction of a Harvard faculty member. Research projects focus on biological science questions that are important to the prevention of disease. Disease areas include infections (tuberculosis, malaria, Chagas disease), cancer, lung diseases, multifactorial, multigenic and common diseases of aging, diabetes, obesity, etc. Scientific approaches include regulation of cell growth and gene regulation, cellular metabolism, DNA modification, cellular signaling, structure-function analyses, etc.
Program Dates:
The 2025 Summer Intern Program runs from Monday, June 2 to Friday, July 25, 2025.
Eligibility:
To qualify for this Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health sponsored program, applicants must meet the criteria below:
- Applicants must be 18 years or older
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents of the U.S. (proof of permanent residency must be provided)
- Applicants must be from an underrepresented group in graduate research, which includes: first generation college students (neither parent nor legal guardian has a bachelor’s degree) or students from an economically disadvantaged background as defined by the U.S. Department of Education (requires additional supportive documentation). Eligibility is not restricted on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin, and race, ethnicity and national origin are not considered in the selection process.
- Applicants must be undergraduate students in their sophomore or junior years when applying
- Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or above
- Applicants must have a basic science background and have taken several classes beyond intro level courses
- Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in public health, specifically laboratory research
Funding:
Financial support over the course of 8 weeks includes a stipend of $3,600, a travel allowance of up to $600 and free dormitory housing at Massachusetts College or Art (located a short walk away from the T.H. Chan School of Public Health).
Application Deadline:
The deadline to apply for the 2025 Summer Internship Program is Friday, February 7, 2025 at 11:59 (EST). All application materials must submitted by this date and time.
For additional information about our Summer Internship Program, please contact us at bph@hsph.harvard.edu.