Summer Student Research Program in Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry invites undergraduate students to participate in the Summer Student Research Program which provides students with hands-on work experience in the faculty’s research laboratories. Students have the unique opportunity to engage in research projects such as: molecular and cellular biology, protein structure and dynamics, membrane biology, computational biology, drug discovery and infectious diseases under the guidance of a Biochemistry faculty member. 

Find participating labs here. 

Eligibility:

1. Students must have successfully completed at least one year in a full-time undergraduate program at the time of application, and by start of the work term in May. First-year students are not eligible. 
2. Students must have obtained, over the previous years of study, a cumulative average of at least a B+ (cGPA of 3.3/77%) or higher.
3. Students must have completed or be currently completing an introductory Biochemistry lecture (BCH210H or BCH242Y)/equivalent biochemistry lecture course and/or a biochemistry laboratory course.

4. There may be additional requirements depending on the category of the source of funding for the research (see below).

Eligible students may investigate funded summer research opportunities by securing a Biochemistry supervisor from this list: Biochemistry, University of Toronto – Faculty List (utoronto.ca)

Award Category for Biochemistry:

• Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program(UROP) Award — Preference will be given to 2nd and 3rd year students who have an interest in future graduate training, and a research career in Biochemistry. Duration = 12 weeks.
• USRS Award – Preference will be given to 3rd or 4th year student who have an interest in future graduate training, and a research career in Biochemistry. Duration = 12 weeks
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) – Student must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or a foreign student with a student visa valid for the entire summer during which the award will be held. Duration = 16 weeks
• UofT Excellence Award (UTEA) – UofT student must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or a foreign student with a student visa valid for the entire summer during which the award will be held. Preference will be given to 2nd and 3rd year students who have an interest in future graduate training, a research career in Biochemistry. Duration = 14 weeks
• James and Hilda Warwick Award (Biochemistry Studentship) – UofT Biochemistry students in yrs 2, 3 or 4. Duration = 14 weeks (tbd)

The Undergraduate Summer Awards (UROP, USRS, UTEA, and USRA) application is now live. Click Summer Research Awards Management System (SumRAMS) form on the Temerty site.

Student Application deadline: Wednesday February 25, 2026

Summer students for funded research are selected on the basis of academic achievement, and their motivation for undertaking research in Biochemistry.

Due to the large numbers of applications, only students selected for the summer funded opportunities in Biochemistry will be notified. The department thanks all applicants for their interest.