Minority Access to Research Careers-Undergraduate Student Training for Academic Research (MARC-U*STAR) Program
MARC U*STAR Application
The Minority Access to Research Careers-Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (MARC-U*STAR) Program at Cal State LA is the premier undergraduate honors research training program on campus. Participation in MARC-U*STAR is an exceptional opportunity to enhance your academic and professional career through involvement in contemporary biomedical research under the guidance of faculty research directors.
The objective of this honors undergraduate research training program is to increase the pool of well-prepared undergraduate students from minoritized populations who can successfully compete for positions in top graduate programs leading to the Ph.D, in scientific fields useful to biomedical research: chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, biophysics, mathematics, computer science, and psychology. To this end, faculty mentors at Cal State LA train a small group of highly qualified junior and senior students from underrepresented groups in an honors program strong in research opportunities and science curriculum.
The program has been funded since 1978 by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. Graduates of the Cal State LA MARC Program have gone to Ph.D. degree programs at top research institutions. The Program has graduated over 90 MARC Fellows since its' inception in 1978. Their post-baccalaureate achievements are noteworthy: 63 pursued graduate education in a biomedically-related field (48 to Ph.D. programs in the basic sciences, 2 to MD-Ph.D. programs; one to a Pharm.D.-Ph.D. program; 12 to MS programs). Twenty have completed the Ph.D., and of these, eight have taken academic positions and are progressing through the ranks, four as assistant professors (at Dartmouth, UCLA, Cal State LA, Cal State U Monterey Bay); three associate professors (one at Cal State U. Long Beach, and two at Cal State LA); and one full professor (UC Santa Cruz). The research performed by MARC-USTAR undergraduates at Cal State LA has led to their co-authorship of nearly 100 publications in refereed journals and some 250 presentations at professional meetings throughout the U.S. from Puerto Rico to Hawaii, and at international conferences from France to Japan.
MARC-USTAR Program Administration
Dr. Linda Gutierrez-Tunstad
Co-Director, Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) Programs
Director, MARC USTAR and Bridges to the Future Programs
Annenberg Science Complex Wing B 222D
(323) 343-2307
e-mail: ltunsta@calstatela.edu
Dr. Carlos G. Gutierrez
Founding Director, Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) Programs
Annenberg Science Complex Wing B 221C
(323) 343-2356
e-mail: cgutier@exchange.calstatela.edu
Vicki Kubo-Anderson
MARC-USTAR Program Coordinator
Annenberg Science Complex Wing B 221B
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8202
(323) 343-2324 Fax (323) 343-6411
e-mail: vkuboan@calstatela.edu
Karla Gatiglio
MORE Program Assistant
MORE Program Office
Biological Sciences 160
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8202
(323) 343-2395 Fax (323) 343-6411
e-mail: kcarias@cslanet.calstatela.edu
Lisa Bautista
MORE Programs Administrative Assistant
Biological Sciences 160
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8202
(323) 343-2395 Fax (323) 343-6411
e-mail: lbautis3@calstatela.edu
Alicia Tunstad
MORE Programs Assistant
Biological Sciences 160
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8202
(323) 343-2395 Fax (323) 343-6411
e-mail: atunsta5@calstatela.edu
MARC-USTAR Research Training Faculty
Twenty-five laboratories under the direction of the training faculty are available for the conduct of research. A list of these research principal investigators and a brief description of their research interests is given at MARC-USTAR Research Training Faculty. These faculty members are among the best teacher-scholars at the University.
Biomedical Sciences Seminars
The MARC-USTAR Program hosts, along with MBRS-RISE, and both Bridges to the Future Programs, a weekly seminar series each Friday of the academic year. The schedule of seminars during the current term is presented online at the Biomedical Sciences Seminars.
MARC-USTAR Student Publications and Presentations
The high quality and quantity of research performed by MARC-USTAR Fellows have resulted in the publication of nearly 100 professional journal articles and some 250 presentations at professional meetings. The list of these with full bibliographic citation is presented online at MARC-USTAR Student Publications and Presentations.
Financial Support for MARC-USTAR Student Fellows
As Fellows of the National Institutes of Health, MARC Scholars receive a stipend of $9,492 per year, plus payment of University registration fees for three academic quarters per year. Additional funds are available for research supplies and for travel to present research results at professional meetings.
The MARC-USTAR Undergraduate Research Experience
The Cal State LA MARC-USTAR Program is strongly research oriented. Participation in a strong program of laboratory research is the major benefit to the MARC-USTAR Fellow, and is an opportunity uncommon at most universities. The Fellows interact with the best science faculty and students at the University. Since the natural sciences are fundamentally experimental disciplines, the MARC-USTAR Fellows are introduced to research upon admission to the Program, and research participation continues throughout the two academic years and summers the Fellow is in the Program. Upon admission to the program, the MARC-USTAR Fellows are incorporated into active research groups under the direction of the training faculty. The research group is the basic unit we use to motivate and strengthen a talented student's desire for a career in biomedical research. Participation in a research group (coupled with a strong academic program) is excellent preparation for the student's graduate education to the Ph.D. A positive, rigorous, and productive experience performing publication-quality research as undergraduates is excellent preparation for graduate school, and can be a very positive factor in developing a student's scientific maturity and supporting an interest in a research career. Cal State LA has more than 40 years experience in successful involvement of undergraduates in strong research programs.
Laboratory research is a very social activity, and the new students interact and learn from more senior members of the group. The research group is also, importantly, a support group of individuals with similar career aspirations. More senior members serve as positive role models to the newer students. Students experience substantial career development as a consequence of their participation in research. Membership in an active research group and performance of quality research strengthens the student's preparation for graduate education to the Ph.D. in a biomedically-related science.
The research participation by our MARC-USTAR students is year-round. During the academic year, the trainee's participation is limited by academic course commitments, but during the summer they devote full time to their research efforts, either on the Cal State LA campus or at another university or research institute. Cal State LA MARC-USTAR students have been productive in the lab, and the quantity and quality of their research work are impressive. Tangible results of their participation in quality research programs are the nearly 100 refereed journal publications and some 250 meeting presentation abstracts, wherein they are co-authors. We intend that our MARC-USTAR students will couple high performance in undergraduate course work with considerable research laboratory experience to make them very competitive for admission to strong graduate