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CDU Welcomes High School Students to Cutting-Edge Summer Programs
CDU opened its doors to local high school students on June 17 for the first day of two innovative summer programs aimed at addressing health disparities and fostering a new generation of scientists and researchers .
The Exposing Students to Regenerative Medicine ( ExStRM ) Program engages qualified high school students in South Los Angeles in world-class regenerative medicine research . Over the next eight weeks , 10 selected students will receive hands-on mentored training in health areas such as sickle cell disease , cancer , and diabetes . The program aims to enhance students ’ understanding of regenerative medicine treatments and prepare them for future careers in science and research .
Meanwhile , Project STRIDE ( Students Training in Research Involving Disparity Elimination ) is a tenweek summer clinical research program for 11thgrade students , also involving 10 local high school students . Project STRIDE focuses on biomedical research and health sciences , providing participants with a comprehensive immersion experience . Students will work full-time with mentors on research projects , culminating in a Research Day presentation .
Both programs include auxiliary activities such as SAT preparation , writing skills , and college application guidance . They aim to increase the number of underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students in the research and health sciences pipeline .
Mrs . Dolores E . Caffey-Fleming , MS , MPH , Assistant Professor in the CDU College of Science and Health as well as Program Director of both ExStRM and
CDU Newsletter
June 2024
City of Hope continued from page 8 ...
health disparities and promote diversity in specialized medical fields , ultimately improving health care outcomes for the communities we serve . This partnership will pave the way for groundbreaking research and provide our students with unparalleled training and mentorship opportunities .”
Other potential partnership collaborations include academic exchange programs ; training programs in areas such as genetic counseling and radiology ; translational research workshops ; research projects in cancer , diabetes , metabolic disorders , HIV , autoimmune-related diseases , nursing and precision medicine ; and the opportunity to perform clinical trials of novel therapeutics from collaborative projects .
City of Hope plans to use the CDU partnership as a model for other exchange and training programs with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions in communities across their national network of cancer centers .
Project STRIDE , expressed her enthusiasm for the programs .
“ We are thrilled to welcome these talented students to CDU . Our goal is to inspire and equip them with the skills and experiences necessary to pursue careers in regenerative medicine and health sciences . These programs are not just about education ; they ’ re about changing the face of healthcare and research to better serve our communities .”
The ExStRM Program is funded by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine , while Project STRIDE is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation . Both programs reflect CDU ’ s commitment to eliminating health disparities and promoting diversity in the health sciences .