Deadline: November 6th, 2026 11:59 PM EST
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Purpose
The PR-INBRE Junior Research Associate (JRA) program, part of the Science, Technology, and Competency Enhancement efforts of NIH/NIGMS award P20GM103475, gives students hands-on biomedical research experience with a faculty mentor, builds research skills, and prepares students for graduate and health research careers.
Eligibility
- Full-time undergraduate or graduate student at a PR-INBRE network institution.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
- A faculty mentor with an active research program at a PR-INBRE institution who agrees to supervise the project.
- Students may not hold another research stipend during the appointment.
Award Information
| Item | Undergraduate JRA | Graduate JRA |
|---|---|---|
| Stipend | $6,000 for 9 months | $9,000 for 9 months |
| Research supplies (to mentor's lab) | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Effort | 10-15 hours per week | 15-20 hours per week |
| Appointment period | October 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (9 months) | |
JRAs present their results at the PR-INBRE Annual Research Symposium and submit a final report.
Timeline
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Announcement released | August 24, 2026 |
| Applications due (5:00 p.m. AST) | September 25, 2026 |
| Selection notices | October 9, 2026 |
| Appointment begins | October 15, 2026 |
| Progress report | February 26, 2027 |
| PR-INBRE Annual Research Symposium poster | April 2027 |
| Appointment ends; final report due | June 30, 2027 |
Required Documents
- Research proposal in NIH format (Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Approach, Timeline, References): 2 pages for undergraduates, 5 pages for graduate students, excluding references
- Letter(s) of recommendation from the research mentor (one required; a second from another faculty member is encouraged)
- Statement of purpose (1 page): research interests and career goals
- Official or unofficial transcript showing cumulative GPA
- Letter from the registrar or dean of students certifying full-time enrollment
- Mentor NIH Biosketch
Formatting
Arial 11 point, 0.5-inch margins, single-spaced. Submit as PDFs.
Review Process and Criteria
A committee of PR-INBRE faculty reviews each application and scores it 1-9 (lower is better) on:
- Scientific merit of the proposal and its biomedical relevance.
- Student potential: academic record, statement of purpose, and recommendation letters.
- Mentoring environment: mentor's research program and training plan.
Contacts
| Role | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRPP Director | Suranganie (Su) Dharmawardhane, Ph.D. | su.d@upr.edu | (787) 758-2525 x1623 |
| DRPP Coordinator | Jessyka Rosado | jessyka.rosado@upr.edu | (787) 758-2525 |
| Proposal submission | PR-INBRE DRPP Office | inbre_proposals@hpcf.upr.edu |
Program information and updates: http://inbre.hpcf.upr.edu/. For projects involving omics data or statistics, consult the PR-INBRE Bioinformatics Resource Core (Dr. Humberto Ortiz) before submission. To use core services, contact the Centralized Research Instrumentation (CRI) Core Director, Dr. Carmen Cadilla (carmen.cadilla@upr.edu), and include a letter of collaboration from the cognizant core director.
