UK students will gain experience and training to enhance their career in science. Applications for the Wellcome BVS Summer Programme 2024 are now open.A Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Scholarship will enable students to be hosted in a research group associated with the Integrated Cell Mechanisms (iCM) Wellcome PhD programme to undertake research projects that develop expertise in both biological and quantitative sciences. No previous research laboratory experience is necessary. Wellcome BVS projects are designed to offer benefits in terms of confidence, skills and experience that will enhance any future postgraduate or job application. Individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.The deadline for applications is Monday 25th March 2024, 12 noon (GMT). Programme DetailsA total of six places are available for the Wellcome BVS projectsThe eight-week projects will run from Monday 1 July 2024. Six undergraduate students preparing for their final year of university will be selected as a cohort to start their summer internships and undertake research projects that develop expertise in both biological and quantitative sciences in an interactive and interdisciplinary environment. Cell Mechanism projects cover topics such as:anti-microbial resistance,stochastic heterogeneity,epigenetic and chromatin-based regulation,control of gene expression,non-coding RNA and RNA processing,chromosome structure and segregation,cell-cycle andcell growth regulation.The definition of ‘quantitative’ is broad and includes Computational Data Sciences, Mathematics, Biophysics, Structural Biology, Chemical Biology and Biomaterials. You will be based in one research group and will be expected to work full time in Edinburgh for the duration of your project. See the projects section for more information about choosing a project. While working on your project, you will receive regular supervision from an academic member of staff, post-doctoral staff and/or current PhD students.The summer programme also incorporates a range of additional activities to enhance your overall experience. You will meet and work with our researchers, academic staff, and graduate students and have the chance to experience some of what Edinburgh offers its students. We hope that everyone who takes part will gain benefits in terms of confidence, skills and experience that will enhance both their CV and any future postgraduate applications.While carrying out your project you will have the option to live in University accommodation and experience life as a graduate student in Edinburgh.Expand allCollapse allEligibilityWe are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive research environment. Applications are encouraged from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who have studied a variety of subjects and have no previous research laboratory experience. Individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.To be eligible for Wellcome BVS you must:be currently undertaking a relevant undergraduate degree at a UK or Irish university; andbe in the penultimate year of your course (ie. entering the final year in autumn 2024) when you have not yet undertaken a substantial period of research; and not have undertaken or be currently undertaking an intercalated year; and not have completed or be currently undertaking a one-year placement in research as part of your degree (eg a sandwich year); and not have previously undertaken a vacation scholarship from Wellcome or another funding body, or have had significant research experience; and not be a graduate-entry medical student who has previously completed an undergraduate degree in a science-related subject; and be studying an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area, for example: biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Computational Data Sciences, Engineering, Genetics, Mathematics, Molecular Biology and Physics.Who should apply?Applicants would usually be on track to achieve an undergraduate degree grade of a strong 2:1 or First. If your transcript shows year on year grade progression towards a 2:1 or above, then we would encourage you to apply for the programme. We encourage applications from talented individuals who would find continuing into postgraduate study a challenge for reasons other than academic ability.Students who meet at least one of the following criteria are particularly encouraged to apply:be in the first generation of your family to go to university (e.g. neither of your parents have an undergraduate degree); orbe care experienced (for a period of more than 3 months); orhave had caring responsibilities for 3 months or more occupying more than 10 hours per week; orbe estranged from your parents/guardians; orhave been considered as statutorily homeless and qualified for assistance under your local authority’s ‘main homelessness duty’; orbelong to an ethnic group under-represented at Edinburgh (Black or Mixed Black, Bangladeshi or Mixed Bangladeshi, and Pakistani or Mixed Pakistani); orbe from a low-income background and in receipt of more than the minimum levels of support detailed from your regional funding body (see below to find out how to check whether you meet this financial criterion).We also encourage students at non-Russell Group institutions to apply. You can check if your institution is a member of the Russell Group at their website.Russel Group - Our UniversitiesPlease ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria, including the requirement to be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.Benefits of a Wellcome Biomedical Vacation ScholarshipA Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Scholarship will provide you with sufficient financial support to ensure that your summer research experience is a viable alternative to other summer employment.You will receive:A basic salary at real Living Wage plus holiday pay and National Insurance contributions (estimated to be in the region of £2,600 before tax and employee National Insurance); andFree-of-charge university accommodation or up to £1,500 to cover or subsidise rented accommodation.up to £250 for your travel expenses to and from Edinburgh at the start and end of your research project.Carrying out a summer research project will:enhance your research skills;enhance your ability to make a competitive application to postgraduate courses;introduce you to leading researchers and staff at the University of Edinburgh. AccommodationYou will be offered a single room in a University of Edinburgh Accommodation flat, shared with other students on the Wellcome BVS programmes, for the duration of the programme at no cost to you.Should you not wish to stay in university accommodation you will be offered up to £1,500 to cover or subsidise rented accommodation.Projects for entry in 2024Projects are offered by a pool of iCM PhD programme Supervisors with a range of expertise and research interests. The projects on offer changes every year, a list of projects for summer 2024 will be made available in spring 2024 and students on the programme will be asked to rank projects of interest in order of preference. You will then be matched with a supervisor and project. It cannot be guaranteed that you will be allocated your top project choice, but every effort is made to ensure everyone gets one of their top three choices. You will then have the opportunity to meet and talk to the supervisor (virtually) before starting the project.Potential supervisorsNameTopicCei Abreu-GoodgerRNA Computational GenomicsIan AdamsMammalian MeiosisNeha AgrwallSystems physiology, obesity and associated disorders, neuro-metabolism,adipose biology, Drosophila disease modelsBungo AkiyoshiEvolutionary cell biology of chromosome segregationRobin AllshireChromatin-based epigenetic inheritance: Specialised chromatin statesJeyprakash ArulanandamStructural Biology & Cell DivisionPaul BarlowThe complement system and disease Elizabeth BayneGenome Regulation & EpigeneticsAdrian BirdEpigenetics and diseaseClare BlackburnSynthetic thymus biology (or, Tissue stem cells & reprogramming)Chris BrackleyPhysics of the genome: How the spatial organisation of the genome plays a role in its functionSara BuonomoDNA replication/nuclear organisationKarl BurgessMass spectrometry, Metabolomics and proteomicsDhanya CheerambathurNeuronal Cytoskeletal Mechanisms Atlanta CookStructural RNA BiologyOwen DaviesMammalian MeiosisKatherine DunnBioengineeringWilliam EarnshawChromosome structure & segregationAlistair ElfickMammalian synthetic biology; optical spectroscopy; biometrology; bioengineeringJose-Luis Garcia PerezMammalian RetrotransposonsAndrew GoryachevCentromere organizationSander GrannemanRNA Systems BiologyRamon GrimaStochastic modeling of biosystemsKevin HardwickMitosis in fungal pathogensMathew HorrocksSingle molecule BiophysicsAlison HulmeSynthetic methodology development and chemical biology in biology and medicineAndrew JacksonMicrocephaly, genome stability, inflammation and growthGrzegorz KudlaRNA synthetic biologyGeorg KustatscherProteome systems biologyNadanai LaohakunakornSynthetic biologySchumacher LinusWe use mathematical models and computational simulationsto predict tissue behaviour from the interactions of cellsSally LowellPluripotent stem cell differentiationCait MacPheeBiomolecular self-assemblySveta MakovetsTelomeres and genome stabilityDavide MarenduzzoDNA and chromosome modellingJoseph MarshStructural bioinformaticsAdele MarstonMitosis and MeiosisGavin MeLaughMicrobial systems/biophysics of environmentally relevant microbesFilippo MenolascinaModeling endogenous and synthetic biomolecular networksin-silico and in-vivo/in-vitro experiments in microfluidicsDavide MichielettoDNA topologyDonal O'CarrollRNA and the germlineHiro OhkuraMeiotic spindle and chromosomes in oocytesDiego OyarzunSystems & Synthetic BiologyTeuta PilitozaBiological physics: bacterial electrophysiologyChris PontingComputational and experimental genomics, biophysics, noncoding RNAs,evolution, gene regulation, and biology of single cellsWilson PoonPhysics of Active particlesLynne ReganIlluminating and modifying the proteomeSusan RosserSynthetic BiologyKen SawinCell polarity, stress and the cytoskeletonEric SchirmerNuclear membrane functionsChris SibleyRNA biology and molecular neuroscienceAbdenour SoufiChromatin structure and cellular identityDuncan SproulInterdisciplinary approaches to understand the role of epigenetic dysfunction in human diseaseGiovanni StracquadanioCancer genetics, genomics and transcriptomics; protein engineering;synthetic genomics; lysosomal storage diseasesPeter SwainCellular decision-makingDavid TollerveyRNA-protein interactionsEdward WallaceRNA systems biology in fungiAndrea WeissComputational systems biology, antimicrobial resistance, disease transmissionJulie WelburnMechanistic cell Biology of cell division and cytoskeletonVal WilsonEarly embryo developmentMarcus WilsonChemical and structural biology: Mechanisms of Epigenetic MarksChris WoodProtein designApplication procedure for summer 2024Applications for the Wellcome BVS Summer Programme 2024 are now open.To apply you need to:1. Complete the online application form (1). For reference, a PDF of the application form is available below. Document Summer programmes example application form (174.81 KB / PDF) Please note we will only accept applications submitted via the online form below.2. Complete the anonymous demographic form (2). Please take the time to complete this form, it is required by the funding bodies and will enable us to continue to offer these summer programmes.3. Contact referees and send them the ‘Referee form’. Ensure they send in references by the closing date.Details for each section are given below.Closing date for all applications is Monday 25th March 2024, 12 noon (GMT). Applications submitted late or in the wrong format will not be accepted.1. Application form2. Applicant Demography form3. ReferencesA. All applicants should give the names of two academic referees on their application form. Two academic references are required. For example, these could be from someone whose class you've taken at university, your academic tutor, or your line manager from a work experience placement.AndB. Contact the referee: It is the applicant's responsibility to contact each of their referees and ask the referee to complete and submit the referee form below before the deadline.Referee formThe Referees should submit the completed referee forms by Monday 25th March 2024, 12 noon (GMT).Only complete applications that include the Application form, Demography form and References will be considered by the recruitment panel.Candidate selectionSix students will be selected. The criteria we take into consideration when selecting applicants include academic merit and potential, socio-economic information and contextual information as indicated in the submitted applications, candidates will not be interviewed. Successful applicants will be informed by 12 April 2024.We regret that we cannot respond individually to unsuccessful applicants and no feedback will be given.Key DatesApplication deadlineMonday 25th March 2024, 12 noon (GMT)Internship start dateMonday 1st July 2024Internship end dateFriday 23rd August 2024 PhD Programme Administration Four Year PhD Programme in Integrative Cell Mechanisms Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology Contact details Email: phd.wcb@ed.ac.uk This article was published on 2024-06-17