CAMM Junior Fellows
Mission
The Center for Applied Molecular Medicine (CAMM) and the Westside Cancer Center (WCC) have developed a unique program to foster scientific achievement for rising high school seniors interested in clinical or research oncology. We believe that passion, coupled to outstanding aptitude, are the hallmarks for success. This program attempts to foster scientific education by incorporating hands-on experimentation in a collaborative environment.
The application consists of an essay, a letter of recommendation, and a copy of the student’s transcripts. The essay should be used as a forum to convey the student’s passion for science/medicine. We will be accepting applications from January 18th through April 5th 2019. Decision letters are sent by April 19th. The program will begin on June 11th and requires the students to commit 6 hours each weekday until June 28th at the Health Science Campus of USC. A strong preference will be given to students in the 11th grade. Please contact Dr. Kian Kani (kani@usc.edu) for more information. Download Application PDF or complete the application online here.
Program Details
The CAMM Jr. Fellows are presented with one challenge – how to determine which drug is bested suited (most effective) for their mock patient. During this process, the Fellows will become familiar with one of the most important aspects of medicine which currently confronts clinical and research oncologists. Resolution of this challenge will require integration of science, mathematics, and technology. The endpoint is discussion of their findings with Dr. David Agus at the WCC. The unique aspects of this program are listed below:
- Hands-on learning with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment on a University Campus
- Integrates students from various socio-economic groups within S. California
- Mentored by USC faculty and staff
- Team based problem solving
- Access to medical clinic
- Required writing component
- Guidance with college applications
- Guidance during college/transition to graduate school
Download Application
Location:
USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine
2250 Alcazar Street, CSC 240
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Clinic Day
Norris Westside Cancer Center
9033 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 300
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Course Dates:
June 11–28, 2019
Application Dates:
Jan. 18–April 5, 2019
Cost:
Free to all students
Location:
USC Health Sciences Campus
USC Center for Applied
Molecular Medicine
2250 Alcazar St., CSC 240
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Contacts:
Kian Kani, PhD
Professor of Research Medicine
kani@usc.edu
Laura Ng, Administrative Assistant
Laura.Ng@med.usc.edu
Phone: (323) 442-3849
Course Outline (June 11th – June 28th):
Week 1:
Homework (prior to start of week): Read Weinberg’s Hallmarks of Cancer: The next generation. Cell, March 2011.
- Discuss Hallmarks of Cancer paper
- Einstein’s challenge
- Lab safety (what to touch and what not to)
- Lab equipment (learn the tools of research)
- USC biological safety class
- Seminar with Dr. Agus
- Pipetting challenge (accuracy vs. precision)
Homework: Describe personalized therapy options in colon, breast, lung, or leukemia patients. Why is this important? How is it different from systemic chemotherapy?
Week 2:
Work individually and in groups to solve the following case study. The CAMM has obtained samples from six colon cancer patients. The goal is to determine which patient would be treated with targeted therapeutics.
- Scientific method
- How to identify which assay to use
- Pick a technique to determine the concentration of the six unknowns
- Bradford assay
- Lowery’s assay
- Implement that assay
- Determine controls
- Data analysis (error, confidence, plot results in Excel)
- Troubleshoot
- Kian’s challenge
Homework: Writing a scientific manuscript. Begin working on Introduction, Methods, and Data.
Week 3:
The students will integrate their results from week 2 and learn two new analytical methods in order to determine which patient should be given targeted vs. systemic therapies. Once they identified the correct sample (protein) they will have to recommend a therapeutic and convey their results in a scientific report.
- Gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)
- Immunoblot/Western blot
- Proteomics (theory)
- Clinic day – Dr. Agus, Dr. Gross, Nurses.
- Submit results in a formal scientific report
- Feedback and career discussion.
Junior Fellows
CAMM Jr. Fellows is a program open to all high school students interested in pursuing clinical or research oncology. Made possible by the generous donors of the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute of USC, this program is entirely free of charge. We embrace applications from students of all backgrounds and all high schools. Under the direction of Dr. Kian Kani and Dr. David Agus, the Jr. Fellows launched in 2010, fostering scientific achievement in more than 40 high school students to date. Since that time, 95 percent of our students have gone on to attend college, including:
Carnegie Mellon University
Claremont McKenna College
Dartmouth College
Loyola Marymount University
Miami University (Ohio)
Rochester Institute of Technology
Santa Monica College
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Merced
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Scotland
University of Southern California
Washington University in St. Louis
Wesleyan University
Yale University
Interested students with further questions are encouraged to contact Kian Kani, PhD, professor of research medicine, at Kani@usc.edu or Laura Ng, administrative assistant, at Laura.Ng@med.usc.edu or (323) 442-3849.