Summer Student Research Programs

Students should take some time to investigate the areas of expertise and research activities of potential supervisors before contacting researchers, or program coordinators. This will help to focus your search for a supervisor and make it easier for program coordinators to assist you. Please prepare and proof read your CV detailing your education and work experience, and be prepared to provide a letter of reference. Additional materials may be requested. 

***Some departments and hospitals request that students DO NOT contact researchers directly. Please be sure to check if this is the case. ***

2020 Summer Student Program Coordinators at Faculty of Medicine Departments

2020 Summer Student Program Coordinators at UofT - Affiliated Teaching Hospitals

To request changes to this page please contact Cindy Faber in the Faculty of Medicine Research Office at cindy.faber@utoronto.ca. 

Revised February 10, 2020.

Updated November 21, 2022 

The following information was compiled by the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine Research Office.  
For program-specific questions, please use the contact listed in the posted opportunity. 
 

SUMMER STUDENTSHIPS

• AMERICAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY (APS)
  Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowships
  The program funds up to 24 full-time undergraduate students with little or no laboratory research experience to work for 10 weeks during the summer in the laboratory of an established APS investigator. Each student has his/her own research question to work on during the summer. The intent of this program is to excite and encourage students to pursue a career as a basic research scientist.
  In addition, Fellows receive a travel grant to allow them to attend and present their research data at the following year's APS annual meeting (Experimental Biology), which is a broad-based scientific meeting of five to seven diverse biological scientific societies that are members of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). There are many opportunities for the students to mingle with other undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers at the meeting, in addition to all the scientific presentations and posters they can attend.
  The laboratory host must be an APS member in good standing.

• CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE 
  Hannah Studentship - Additional information 
  The studentship funds up to four students per year and offers undergraduate students an opportunity to study and learn the techniques of historical research and to encourage future serious study of medical history. Students must be registered in a recognized undergraduate program at a Canadian university. Any full time undergraduate student is eligible to apply provided the proposed project and supervisor meet the criteria. Funding is in the form of a stipend only, to a maximum of $5,500. The award may be held for a period of three consecutive months during the academic summer recess (May-August). Payment is made to the institution where the student is registered.
  Deadline for applications is February 10, 2023   

• BANTING AND BEST DIABETES CENTRE 
  Charles Hollenberg Summer Studentship Program 
  There are fourteen summer studentships available to qualified undergraduate and/or medical students to carry out full-time summer research in the laboratory of a member of the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre (BBDC).  Students will be required to work full-time for a minimum of 12 weeks between May 1 and August 31, 2020.
  For inquiries contact Sanam Tajadod, E-mail: admin.bbdc@utoronto.ca Tel: 416-978-3498; Deadline for applications is January 19, 2023, 4pm.

• CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES 
  Canadian Blood Services Summer Research Scholarship Program 
  Deadline for applications: No competition planned for 2023.

• CANADIAN CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION 
  Summer Studentships 
  Deferred until further notice.

• CANADIAN FOUNDATION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES (CFID) 
  CFID Undergraduate Summer Research Awards 2022 
  This award is funded for $5,000 for an 12-13 week research term. Adjudication is by a selection committee and will be competitive based on academic achievement, research potential or experience, and mentor acceptance. 
  Deadline for applications is January 22, 2022.

• CANADIAN LIVER FOUNDATION 
  Summer Studentships 
  The Canadian Liver Foundation Summer Studentship Program provides an opportunity for a limited number of well-motivated students with records of strong academic performance to participate in liver-related research.  In 2016, up to six summer studentships may be awarded in Ontario. Applicants must be registered at a Canadian institution in an undergraduate degree program. Canadian citizens, landed immigrants and permanent residents will receive first consideration.  The award will be $3500 for the student’s stipend plus $500 for supplies. The specific uses of the funds shall be dictated by the policies of the research administration office of the sponsoring institution. Payment of the award will be made on or about June 1, to the sponsoring institution.

• CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN AMBULATORY CARE RESEARCH TEAM (CANHEART)  
  CANHEART SPOR Summer Studentship Award  
  CANHEART strives to a) improve the community-based care provided to patients with cardiovascular risk factors and/or chronic conditions, and b) stimulate health system changes and quality improvement activities, resulting in better patient outcomes. This studentship is open to health sciences, epidemiology, biostatistics, and public health students, medical students and students enrolled in course-based (i.e. non-research-based) graduate programs.  All successful students will be expected to present their research protocol and end of project results in a summer student seminar.
  The competition will re-open in January 2023

• THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN - CLINICAL AND METABOLIC GENETICS 
  Starbucks Clinical Genetics/Genomics Research Studentship Award 
  The Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics at The Hospital for Sick Children is offering an annual summer student award. This award has been made possible by the Starbucks Coffee Company Endowment Fund and will enable a student to participate in a clinical genetics research project for a 12-week term.  At the time of application, students must be in 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of an undergraduate degree program.  Students in medical school may also apply. 
  Deadline for applications is February 10, 2023.

• LUNENFELD-TANENBAUM RESEARCH INSITITUTE 
  RTC Summer Research for Undergraduates @ The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum 
  The summer student program is extremely competitive. Individual scientists select their own summer students; there is no centralized selection process. Please be aware that acceptances are made on a rolling basis. Students must have completed, at the minimum, their second undergraduate year of a recognized university science program by May 2019. Students will be expected to complete a three (3) month period at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum and work full-time hours (37.5 hours per week). Students will work on a project assigned to them by their laboratory supervisor. In addition, students will be required to summarize their work in the form of a poster presentation at an event near the end of the summer. 
  Deadline for applications: TBA. 

• DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL BIOPHYSICS 
  MBP Summer Student Program 
  Program description: 12 week summer program for 1st, 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students interested in interdisciplinary biological and medical research. 
  Biological Science Research in: Cellular & Molecular Biology; Molecular & Structural Biology; Experimental Therapeutics; Epidemiology & Statistics; Cancer Biology; Cancer & Bioinformatics.
  Medical Imaging & Physics Research in: Clinical Physics; Thermal and Photodynamic Therapy; Laser Biophysics; Ultrasound; X-Ray Detector Physics; Digital Radiography; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Electron Microscopy; Image Guided Therapy. Inquiries: Daphne Sears Tel: 416-634-8755 Daphne.Sears@utoronto.ca
  Deadline: January 23, 2023

• DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL BIOPHYSICS 
  MBP Summer Student Program 
  Program description: 12 week summer program for 1st, 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students interested in interdisciplinary biological and medical research. 
  Biological Science Research in: Cellular & Molecular Biology; Molecular & Structural Biology; Experimental Therapeutics; Epidemiology & Statistics; Cancer Biology; Cancer & Bioinformatics.
  Medical Imaging & Physics Research in: Clinical Physics; Thermal and Photodynamic Therapy; Laser Biophysics; Ultrasound; X-Ray Detector Physics; Digital Radiography; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Electron Microscopy; Image Guided Therapy. Inquiries: Daphne Sears Tel: 416-634-8755 Daphne.Sears@utoronto.ca
  Deadline: January 23, 2023

• NATURAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA   
  Undergraduate Student Research Awards (URSA) in Universities 
  The undergraduate student research awards are available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents registered as full-time students in eligible undergraduate programs in the natural sciences or engineering at the time of application.  When the award is held, the student must have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study (or two academic terms) of your bachelor's degree, and must not have started a program of graduate studies.  Students must have obtained a cumulative average of at least second class (B) over the previous years of study.  Students are eligible if they are registered in a bachelor’s degree program leading to an honours degree or a degree with a major. Candidates for undergraduate professional degrees in the health sciences (eg MD, DDS, BScN) are not eligible to hold these awards. The work must be performed under the supervision of a faculty member who holds an active NSERC research grant.  The normal duration of the award is 16 consecutive weeks.  Universities are required to supplement each award by at least 25%.  Universities may also provide fringe benefits.  Please Note: Students should apply through the supervisor’s department.  Individual departments may have their own internal deadline for receipt of applications.

• PARKINSON’S DISEASE FOUNDATION 
  Summer Student Fellowships 
  PDF’s Summer Fellowship Program is used to support students – from advanced undergraduates to graduate and medical students – in their pursuit of Parkinson's-related summer research projects. Fellows work under the close supervision of a sponsor who is an expert in the Parkinson's community and oversees the project.  Typically, summer fellowships are offered for 10 weeks of laboratory work with an award of $4,000. Undergraduate students and medical students are eligible for summer fellowships.  Graduate students may apply if they can demonstrate a financial need, such as lack of summer funding. Each applicant must identify a mentor, with whom he or she will conduct the proposed project. Please note that this year, all applications must be submitted online through the PDF website at grants.pdf.org; no paper copies will be accepted.
  Deadline for applications February 3, 2023.