FULLERTON : CSUF Gets $301,000 Biomedical Grant

Cal State Fullerton has been awarded a $301,000 grant to start a program to encourage more ethnic minorities to enter biomedical careers such as chemistry and biology.

Beginning in January, eight students will work as research assistants to four of the university’s top research scientists involved in projects funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Each student will be paid to work part time during the academic year and full time for at least eight weeks during the summer. In addition, the program will include tutorial assistance, a peer support group and a seminar program.

The National Institute of General Medical Services provided the grant to launch the Minority Biomedical Research Support Program at Cal State Fullerton. The director of the program will be Bruce Weber, professor of chemistry and a former chairman of the chemistry department.

“Our hope is that one day there will be so many minorities working in medical and research laboratories and teaching in universities that we will no longer need this program,” Weber said in a statement.