UF undergraduate student Ismael Wane was recently awarded a research fellowship through UF’s competitive Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) GatorSTAR program. The program aims to enhance the academic preparation and research skills training of underrepresented minority undergraduate students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. degree in biomedical or behavioral science-related disciplines.
The MARC GatorSTAR program is a grant-funded training program sponsored by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the National Institutes of Health (NIGMS/NIH). Students who are accepted into the program become GatorSTAR trainees for their junior and senior years, during which they receive a scholarship, a stipend, and travel support. Trainees also participate in intensive research experiences with UF faculty mentors.
Wane will be mentored by HOBI assistant professor Dominick Lemas, Ph.D., whose research is devoted to understanding the fetal origins of pediatric obesity. With the benefits mentioned, Wane will have the opportunity to attend a research conference each year and will receive funds to participate in an extramural summer experience next summer.
Wane’s accomplishment ties in with HOBI’s commitment to creating equitable and inclusive research opportunities for the next generation of investigators.