Overview
The Nephrology and Urology Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (nuSURF) research training program exposes future biomedical and clinical scientists to investigative careers in academic nephrology, basic nephrology, and urologic sciences.
These scientists are vital for biomedical research because they form a bridge between clinicians and medical scientists and are often the most qualified to ask the proper scientific health-related questions.
week program
of prior nuSURF participants are currently continuing their education at Mayo Clinic
students accepted each year
Program highlights
A common challenge for young nephrology and urology researchers is that prior to their professional education (Ph.D., M.D., M.D.-Ph.D., DVM, etc.) is that many haven't had sufficient exposure to basic research, and sometimes no exposure at all, particularly related to areas such as nephrology and urology. Even with these professional degrees, many postdoctoral and clinical fellows have had minimal exposure to nephrology and urology during their training. In addition, the rigors of postdoctoral research or clinical training programs may limit their ability to develop and nurture their interests in renal and urologic research.
Research in these areas has never been more critical, as an increasing percentage of the United States population experiences diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, all of which directly affect the health of the kidney and urogenital track.
The goal of the nuSURF program is to overcome these challenges by introducing students to basic kidney and urology research early in their careers, allowing them to explore the breadth and depth of the field before making a commitment to exclusively clinical careers. The program allows talented students who are predisposed to basic research to explore nephrology and urology research.
The nuSURF program aims to:
- Give summer undergraduates experience in kidney (nephrology) or urologic research
- Provide a collaborative basic and translational environment to help students understand that all of medicine, including nephrology and urology, is grounded in basic science
- Provide instruction on written, oral, and poster presentations of research data
Program director's welcome
Welcome to the Mayo Clinic nuSURF (Nephrology & Urology SURF) program. Our objective is to expose and educate future biomedical and clinician scientists to the importance and beauty of the kidney (nephrology) and the urogenital tract (urology). Education and knowledge are power, and thus we aim to empower students to know about and appreciate the central importance of these organs. We hope to inspire these future scientists and clinicians to pursue careers in nephrology and urological sciences.
Michael Romero, Ph.D.
Program Director
A community of learners
You'll immediately join a community during your summer of research at Mayo Clinic. You'll be surrounded by mentors, researchers, and fellow students to welcome you as you work through your research project.
I cannot emphasize enough how integral my two summers as a nuSURF participant were for pursuing a Ph.D. In addition to improving my technical lab skills and critical thinking abilities, I also attended multiple conferences, presented my work in front of world-class scientists, and networked both in and outside the field. All of this contributed not only to my application to graduate schools, but also my ability to thrive in the challenging academic environment.
Alexis Adrian
2018 and 2019 nuSURF participant who is now pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in the Ricke lab
Mayo Clinic and the nuSURF Program highlighted my passion for translational research and how its outcome can literally save lives. After the program, my research questions shifted their focus to understanding science for the improvement of patients’ outcome.
Nadege Gitego
2015 nuSURF participant who is now a Ph.D. candidate at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City