As an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope is proud to be part of the Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE) Program, which is designed to engage the scientific curiosity of promising young high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented populations who are interested in cancer research as a career.
Underrepresented populations include African-American, Hispanic, American Indian, and Pacific Islander. CURE students work side by side with City of Hope scientists on current, challenging research projects. The CURE Program lasts 12 weeks.
Apply for the CURE Program
To apply for the CURE program, fill out the online Summer Student application and check “CURE Program applicant” to indicate your desire to be considered for the CURE program as well.
Our 2007 CURE Students
Danny Abad is a student at University of California, San Diego.
His mentor was John Rossi, Ph.D., of the Division of Molecular Biology.
Abad’s research was studying a signal transduction pathway in which binding of HIV to the surface of T cells can activate transcription of a therapeutic gene, which in turn will inhibit HIV replication in those cells.
Erick Castillo is a student at University of California, Los Angeles.
His mentor was Lawrence Wagman, M.D., in the Division of Oncologic Surgery.
Castillo’s research was a retrospective review of chemotherapeutic agents and other clinical factors that may contribute to chemotherapy-associated steatohepatitis (CASH), or fatty liver disease, in patients.
Kyle Cordova is a student at University of San Diego.
His mentor was Richard Yip, Ph.D., in the Division of Molecular Medicine.
Cordova’s study focused on the interaction between the enzyme human DNA Topoisomerase I (hTopI), which plays a significant role in maintaining genomic integrity and stability, and camptothecin, a hTopI inhibitor and anticancer agent that poisons hTop1 and kills cancer cells.
Leonard Larino is a student at Duarte High School.
His mentor was Shirley Otis-Green, M.S.W., in the Division of Population Sciences.
Larino’s research examined the pre- and post-course goals of 75 competitively-selected psycho-oncology professionals regarding their inclusion of diversity issues as an institutional change effort, and reported on the importance of addressing health disparities especially at end of life.
Stephanie Lazaro is a junior at La Salle High School.
Her mentor was Richard Ermel, D.V.M., Ph.D., in the Division of Biology.
Lazaro’s project was developing a screening test for detecting Pasteurella pneumotropica infections in laboratory mice using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.
Amanda Murphy is a student at Georgetown University.
Her mentor was Melanie Palomares, M.D., in the Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics.
Murphy conducted a risk assessment survey of 20 women undergoing diagnostic breast biopsy with the goal of determining personality factors and psychologic variables that contribute to inflated cancer risk perception.
Jean-Pierre Rwidema is a student at the University of Southern California.
His mentor was Carlotta Glackin, Ph.D., in the Division of Molecular Biology.
Rwidema’s project was to characterize a human fetal mesenchymal stem cell line made in the lab believed to have high potential in tissue replacement.