Invite Health Newsletter: Summer Research Programs 🔬 (2022)

Host: McGill University

Who can apply: Students in their penultimate (second to last) year of studies who hold an interest in the field of biomedical research.

Research Focus: Biomedical research projects (ex: Chemical and Structural Biology, Quantitative Life Sciences, Neurodegenerative diseases, etc.)

Payment: Students are awarded $7,500

Duration: 15-week paid internship from May - August

Learn More: Read our interview with Nada I, who completed the MBRA program in summer 2022.

Host: University of Toronto

Who can apply: Undergraduate BSc and medical students (who do not hold a graduate degree)

Research Focus: Biomedical research projects (ex: molecular biology, cognitive science, clinical investigation and bioethics).

Payment: Minimum $5,000 in total

Duration: Program runs from June - August

Learn More: Twitter

Host: St. Michael’s Hospital

Who can apply:

Research Focus: Laboratory or clinical research, depending on the principal investigator (PI)

Payment: Students can be paid hourly wages or work as research volunteers

Duration: May - August

Extra Info: BIPOC stream available for students who self-identify

Learn More: Read our interview with Demi Callisto, who completed the KRSS Program in Summer 2022

Host: University of Toronto

Who can apply: 

Research Focus: Diabetes research

Payment: Student’s stipend is $6,150

Duration: May - August

Learn More: Twitter

Host: University of Toronto

Who can apply: Students enrolled in the medical degree (MD) program at University of Toronto, between their first and second year, or second and third year of medical school.

Research Focus: Depends on supervisor

Payment: Student’s stipend is $5,500

Duration: Late May/early June to mid/late August

Host: University of British Columbia (UBC)

Who can apply: Students (undergraduate and medical degree) who are currently registered at a recognized Canadian university, and international students at UBC

Research Focus: Research topics done by Canadian Blood Research’s (CBR) Principal Investigators, Research Associates, or Postdoctoral Fellows (PDF)

Payment: Students awarded up to $7,500

Duration: 8-16 weeks in length

Learn More: Twitter

Host: University of Toronto

Who can apply:

Research Focus: AI in medicine

Payment: Minimum of $6,400

Duration: May - August, 10 weeks

Learn More: Twitter

Host: SickKids

Who can apply: Any student who will be enrolled in a university/college undergraduate program in the fall following the Summer Program or enrolled in medical school is eligible to be hired as a Research Summer Student. That includes high school students in their last year. If you are in your final year of undergraduate studies, you are eligible to be hired as a Research Summer Student so long as you will be, or have applied to be, enrolled in a university/college program in the fall. 

Research Focus: Depends on research topic of the SickKids researcher / supervisor

Payment: Payment is negotiated between the student and supervisor; students must be paid the minimum hourly rate of $15.00 + 6% vacation

Duration: May to mid-August

Extra Info: Offers specific funding opportunities for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students (valued at approximately $8,500) & for students who are Indigenous, Black, Filipino, economically disadvantaged, or who self-identify as disabled (valued at $2,000 each), plus other funding opportunities

Learn More: Read our interview with Lloyd, who completed the program in 2021!

Host: Sinai Health, University Health Network (UHN)

Who can apply: Full-time students in an undergraduate, post-graduate or health professional degree program. In a clinical or non-clinical field anywhere in the world.

Research Focus: Projects related to fields of aging and geriatrics

Payment: Not disclosed on program’s website

Duration: 12 weeks, and students must commit full-time hours

Extra Info: Offers opportunities for shadowing clinicians and geriatricians in clinical settings

Host: McMaster University. Participating labs / institutions include the Biochemistry and Biomedical Science Department (BBS), Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR), and Canada’s Global Nexus Faculty

Who can apply: The program is open to students who live in Ontario (residents) and who are enrolled in a STEM postsecondary degree/diploma program and who self-identify as any of the following:

*Applicants must have completed at least one semester of their degree program by May of 2023. Students who will have completed their degree requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree by May of 2023 are not eligible to apply.

Research Focus: Microbiology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Immunology, Drug Discovery, Metabolism, Cell Biology, Genomics, Stem Cells and Cancer Biology.

Payment: Students will be paid a stipend of $7,000 for the 12-week period and provided a meal card for dining on and off campus (valued at $900)

Duration: 12 weeks: two weeks of intensive skills training “boot camp” and a 10-week immersive research placement in the lab of a participating BBS, IIDR and/or Canada’s Global Nexus Facility

Extra Info: Other supports may be available to students including housing in residence, transportation, parking, and/or childcare

Learn More: Read our interview with Andrea M, who completed the program in Summer 2022!

Host: Sinai Health

Who can apply: Students who have completed, at the minimum, their second undergraduate year of a recognized university science program

Research Focus: Not described on website

Payment: Students will be paid at an hourly rate of $15.00 + 4% vacation pay

Duration: Program is three (3) months at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum, and students work full-time hours (37.5 hours per week)

Host: University of Toronto

Who can apply:

Research Focus: Diet and cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and aging. Nutrition, cognitive function, and brain development. Food intake regulation and feeding behaviour. Pediatric nutrition from neonate to teenager. Biochemical and physiological function of food components - fiber, fatty acids, and anti-oxidants. Nutrition and poverty. Clinical nutrition.

Payment: From $5,000 to $6,000 for 12 to 16 weeks of research.

Duration: 12-16 weeks

Learn More: Read our interview with Samy C, who completed the program in Summer 2022!

Host: University of Toronto

Who can apply: Students registered in a full-time undergraduate program in the academic term immediately prior to the SURE program and expect to return to full-time studies at the end of the research program.

Research Focus: Dependent on your supervisor.

Payment: All students receive a minimum $5,500 stipend provided either by the supervisor or a combination of external awards and the supervisor.  

Duration: 12 weeks during the summer (May - August)

Learn More: An interview with Yasmin S, who completed the program in 2022, will be available soon!

Extra Info: A number of awards are available to support summer research endeavours for LMP Pathobiology Specialist students and other students participating in the SURE program.

Host: University of Toronto

Who can apply: Open to all university undergraduate students in their first, second or third year of study. Co-op students in their 4th (out of 5) years are also encouraged to apply. 

Research Focus: Biomedical Imaging, Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy, Cancer Mechanisms & Models, Cardiovascular Sciences, Data Science & Computational Biology, Image-Guided Therapy & Device Development, Neuroscience, Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine, Structural Biology

Payment: Salary provided. Salary amount not disclosed on website.

Duration: Second week of May to the end of August

Host: Women’s College Hospital

Who can apply: Summer Student Research Program: Undergraduate, graduate or health professional program students in the formative stages of their education who may be considering the option of a research career. Emily Stowe Scholar Program: open for grade 11 and grade 12 high school students who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, racialized, trans, two-spirit, non-binary or a person living with a disability.

Research Focus: Depends on faculty

Payment: Student positions are, paid full-time roles (37.5 hours a week) for a minimum of 12 weeks to a maximum of 16 weeks.

Duration: Summer Student Research Program: 37.5 hours a week for a minimum of 12 weeks to a maximum of 16 weeks. Emily Stowe Scholar Program: temporary full-time (35 hours per week) opportunity will take place from July 4th to August 11th, 2023.