Ready to Explore the Breadth of Cardiovascular Research?
UH-CURE
The UH-CURE (Cardiovascular Undergraduate Research Experience) Program, supported by the National Institutes of Health, is seeking students interested in exploring the diverse opportunities in cardiovascular research at the University of Houston. In this 10-week summer research program, participants will immerse themselves in comprehensive research that spans a wide range of fields from fundamental science to population health. Each participant will receive a $6,000 stipend in addition to on-campus room and board at UH and travel costs covered by NIH.
We plan to open applications at the beginning of January, or sooner if possible.
Applications Are Closed
Applications for the 2026 UH-CURE program will open in January.
Application Process
A complete application includes:
- One-page Personal Statement on student’s interest in cardiovascular research, future career aspirations, and goals to accomplish in the program.
- Two Recommendation Letters are to be submitted from the reference person through the online submission tab. Applicants must provide a recommendation submission link to references. Please title document as “[Applicant name] NIH 2026”
- Updated CV or Resume(PDF)
- Official Transcript(s)(PDF) preferred; unofficial transcripts (PDF) must contain proper identifying information, such as name, university, and semester.
- All required fields completed
- U.S. citizens and permanent residents
- Must have completed at least one undergraduate year at an accredited school or university
- Must be actively enrolled in an accredited school or university to be eligible for participation
- 3.0 GPA or higher (on a 4.0 GPA scale); Extenuating circumstances will be considered
Per participant:
- $6,000 stipend for participating in the 10 week summer program
- Additional funds to aid with travel to and from the University of Houston for summer research experience
- On-campus housing for the duration of the program
- Travel costs covered for travel to the internationally recognized American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) Scientific Sessions
If awarded, participants will receive on-campus housing at no extra cost. Students are expected to live on campus for the duration of the program.
- Full-time participation in research and enrichment activities
- Completion of necessary safety training and responsible conduct of research training
- Completion of progression surveys throughout the program and beyond
- Annual update on academic and career activities
- Priority Deadline: Monday, February 23, 2026
- Deadline for Applications and Letters of Recommendation: Monday, March 9, 2026
- Applicants Notified: As soon as possible, depending on number of applicants.
- Applicant Reply Deadline: Within 5 days of award notification.
- Virtual Orientation Week: Tuesday, May 15, 2026
- Program Start: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
- AHA Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Conference: July 13-16, 2026
- Program End: Friday, July 31, 2026
Mentors
Rajender Aparasu
College of Pharmacy
Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy
Bettina Beech
Fertitta College of Medicine
Population Health
Krishna Boini
College of Pharmacy
Renal Pharmacology
Hua Chen
College of Pharmacy
Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy
John Craft
Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Molecular Modeling
Gregory Cuny
Pharmacy
Medicinal Chemistry
Elena Grigorenko
College of Liberal Arts and Social Science
Developmental, Cognitive, and Behavioral Neuroscience
Preethi Gunaratne
Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Genomics and Transcriptomics
Renita Horton
Cullen College of Engineering
Cardiac Biomedical Engineering
Ioannis Kakadiaris
Cullen College of Engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Ashok Kumar
Pharmacy
Muscle Pharmacology
Kirill Larin
Cullen College of Engineering
Optical Techniques and Biomedical Engineering
Xinlin Liu
Pharmacy
Drug Delivery, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics
Yu Liu
Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Developmental Muscle Biology
David Mayerich
Cullen College of Engineering
Image Computer Engineering and Visualization Algorithms
Bradley McConnell
Pharmacy
Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Chandra Mohan
Cullen College of Engineering
Proteomics and Biomedical Engineering
Muna Naash
Cullen College of Engineering
Ocular Gene Delivery and Biomedical Engineering
Robert Schwartz
Cardiac Developmental Biology
Cardiac Dvelopmental Biology
Mingfu Wu
Cardiac Pharmacology
Cardiac Pharmacology
Yang Zhang
Pharmacy
Vascular Pharmacology
BCVS Conference
During this summer, the 2026 UH-CURE cohort will attend the American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) Scientific Sessions, a prestigious global conference renowned for groundbreaking cardiovascular research. At this conference, UH-CURE fellows will interact with fellow passionate scientists, immersing themselves in discussions and presentations concerning the latest advancements in cardiovascular disease therapeutics. They will have the opportunity to network with leading experts in areas such as microRNAs, cardiac gene therapy, tissue engineering, and beyond. Importantly, fellows will establish valuable connections with like-minded peers who share their enthusiasm for a career in research.
The BCVS event is scheduled to take place in Boston, Massachusetts, from July 13 to July 16. All fellows will have their lodging, travel, and registration expenses covered through their research stipend.