PACR Education

Cancer Research Internship for Undergraduate Students (CRI-U)

This intensive, nine-week program is designed to provide research experience and mentorship for undergrad students interested in biomedical research. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, interns will complete an independent research project and present their findings at a competitive poster session.

The program runs from Monday, June 22 through Friday, August 21, 2026.  Students must be able to commit to this entire period in order to participate.

The application for the 2026 CRI-U is closed. All applicants will be notified regarding the status of their application by mid-March 2026. 

Please feel free to reach out to program staff at surp@fredhutch.org with any questions.

If you are looking for an alternate summer programs, please check out our Catalog of Biomedical Research Internships. 

 

Areas of Research
Interns are paired with a faculty mentor after selecting one of the following areas of interest:

• Basic Science
  Structural, genetic, molecular, cellular, developmental and evolutionary biology.

• Human Biology
  Interdisciplinary research; lab-based and computational research in basic, clinical and population sciences.

• Public Health Sciences
  Large populations serve as a "laboratory" to look for links between cancer and its possible triggers, from diet and lifestyle, to environmental and genetic factors. Conducts statistical, epidemiological and prevention studies around the world.

• Clinical Research
  Development and analysis of new treatments for cancers and other diseases.

• Vaccine and Infectious Disease
  Computational, laboratory and clinical research methods advance the understanding of microbial pathogenesis and infectious disease processes.

Learn more about the specific research interests of Fred Hutch faculty.

 

Program Components
In addition to completing a mentored research project, interns participate in professional development workshops designed to facilitate preparation of competitive applications to graduate/medical school.

Workshops include:

• Preparing a personal statement, resume and abstract
• How to successfully apply to graduate or medical school
• Preparing and presenting a scientific poster

Interns will also attend weekly research seminars regarding a broad array of scientific topics. The program culminates with a competitive poster session.

The program also sponsors a number of activities designed to foster interaction among interns and their mentors. Past activities include:

• Attending a Mariners game or Sounders match
• Riding the Seattle Great Wheel
• Taking a ferry to scenic Bainbridge Island
• Hiking the trails on Mount Rainier

 

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Enrolled at NMSU at the time of application submission
• Entering the summer BEFORE the final year (or semester) of undergraduate studies
• Strong background in the sciences or a related area of interest

 

Compensation, Travel, Housing and Local Transportation
Interns will receive $7,304 (minus taxes) for participating in the program.

The PACR provides roundtrip travel (up to $450) to and from Seattle. Travel arrangements will be coordinated by program staff unless otherwise requested. If the cost of airfare is less than $450, interns may also request reimbursement for the cost of luggage fees and/or ground transportation to and from the airport. Interns who drive to Seattle are eligible for mileage reimbursement, up to $450.

Interns are responsible for their housing, meals, and local transportation costs. Housing is available at either the University of Washington or Seattle University for approximately $3,300* for the duration of the program. Housing applications will be available to students who are selected to participate in the program in early March. Interns are also welcome to make their own housing arrangements.

* Estimate based on 2025 housing price

 

How to Apply
The Cancer Research Internship for NMSU Undergraduate Students is fully integrated with Fred Hutch’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP).  

The application for the 2026 CRI-U/SURP is now closed. 

We encourage students to submit their application before the deadline. An abundance of last-minute submissions can overwhelm the application portal, which may result in upload failure. The same suggestion applies to uploading letters of recommendation. We are unable to accept any late submissions. Notification of acceptance will occur in mid- to late-February.   

The application consists of:

• A one-page Statement of Research Interests and Career Goals outlining the applicant’s scientific background, current research interests and how participation in the SURP will advance academic and career aspirations
• Transcripts
• Up to two letters of recommendation
• Identifying up to three faculty members the applicant would like to work with, and a short description of why their research is of interest

We recommend applicants start by reviewing the Recent Interns page to help identify faculty whose research is of interest. However, all Fred Hutch faculty are potential mentors. If applicants have a general sense for the type of research that interests them, the Faculty/Labs page can help determine the faculty within that scientific area of interest.

We encourage applicants to review our Tips for Submitting a Quality Application.

 

Contact Us
NMSU students can email Dr. Graciela Unguez.
Non-NMSU students can email Dr. Julian Simon.

The Cancer Research Internship for Undergraduate Students is supported in part by NCI grants: 5 U54 CA132381 (Fred Hutch) and 5 U54 CA132383 (NMSU).

Cancer Research Internship for NMSU Graduate Students (CRI-G)

This program provides experience and mentorship for NMSU graduate students who are interested in varied aspects of cancer research in human populations. Accepted students, in coordination with their mentors, will design a project tailored to the student’s interests.

In addition to completing a mentored research project, students will also participate in weekly research seminars, professional development workshops and a competitive poster session.

The program will run from Monday, June 22 through Friday, August 21, 2026. In addition, accepted students must participate in a one-week NMSU Mixed Methods Workshop to be held late May 2026. Students must be able to commit to the entire internship period, as well as the workshop, in order to participate.

The application for the 2026 CRI-G is available here. Applications and letters of recommendation are due by midnight (PST) Friday, January 16, 2026. 

 

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Currently enrolled in an NMSU graduate program, such as, but not limited to: Public Health, Social Work, Physical Anthropology, Psychology, Physiology, Statistics or Computer Science
• Have a strong academic background

 

Internship Logistics
Interns will receive $7,304 (minus taxes) for participating in the program.

The PACR provides roundtrip travel (up to $450) to and from Seattle. Travel arrangements will be coordinated by program staff unless otherwise requested.

Interns are responsible for their housing, meals and local transportation costs. Housing is available at either the University of Washington or Seattle University for approximately $3,300* for the duration of the program. Housing applications be available to students who are selected to participate in the program in early March. Interns are also welcome to make their own housing arrangements. 

* Estimate based on 2025 housing price

Participants are eligible to purchase a subsidized transportation pass for $45. There is a free shuttle between Fred Hutch and the University of Washington campus, departing every 15 minutes.

 

How to Apply
The application for the 2026 CRI-G is available here!

 

Contact Us
Graduate student can email Drs. Julian Simon at Fred Hutch or Graciela Unguez at NMSU.

The Cancer Research Internship for Graduate Students is supported in part by NCI grants: U54 CA132381 (Fred Hutch) and U54 CA132383 (NMSU).