Supported by
a training grant
from the NIH.

General Information

Welcome to the MARC U* STAR (Minority Access to Research Careers -  Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research) Program at UC Riverside.  MARC U* Star is supported by a research grant from the National Institutes of Health. The MARC U*STAR Program is open to qualified undergraduate students majoring in the sciences with both an expressed interest in a career in biomedical research and an intention to pursue graduate education leading to a Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D. or other combined professional degree/Ph.D. The purpose of the Program is to encourage under-represented minority students in the sciences to pursue graduate research and careers in the sciences. 

The MARC program builds upon the University Honors Program and CAMP to provide a four-year program for underrepresented students in the Biological Sciences and related disciplines, including Biochemistry, Biology, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Chemistry and Statistics, as well as Biomedical Sciences. 

Hear about MARC U* Star from students like you!

	The Summer MARC Pretrainee Program for students entering their sophomore year
	The 2-year MARC U* Training Program for Junior and Senior students

The Summer MARC Pretrainee Program and the 2-year MARC U* Training Program provide students with an opportunity to become acquainted with and conduct research, to interact with other trainees and to participate in activities that will enrich their research experience. The students will receive stipends, and special courses are offered to help prepare them for oral presentations and to analyze journal and scientific articles. 

Our goal in the MARC Program is to broaden opportunities for the underrepresented minority students in the sciences through research opportunities in faculty laboratories. Under the guidance of outstanding Faculty Mentors with diverse research interests and backgrounds, the Program provides an opportunity to work in a research setting with graduate students and other scientists. It is also our focus to provide guidance and support both academically and personally to the students in the program.