Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Cancer Center at Illinois

Mentoring

2026-2027 Call for Research Mentors

Thank you for your interest in being a part of the 2026-2027 CCIL Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) programs! We appreciate your dedication to train the next generation of cancer researchers. We are seeking research groups who would like to be a part of introducing high school students to research, inspiring undergraduates to scientific careers, and emphasizing transdisciplinary and translational research training for graduate and professional students and postdoctoral fellows.

Sign up to Be a Mentor

What does the mentoring experience look like during a CCIL program? Watch the video to learn more from a mentor-mentee paired during the 2025 researcHStart experience.

High School Programs

Indigenous Pathways

  • Period: Approximately June 24–27; one-hour lab tours or demonstration

researcHStart

  • Format: Eight-week, full-time summer research experience (35–40 hours per week)
  • Placement model: Students are placed individually, with one trainee assigned to each participating lab.

Pre-College Cancer Engineering (PRE-CE)

  • Format: Eight-week, full-time summer research experience (35–40 hours per week)
  • Placement model: Students are placed in pairs, with two trainees assigned to each participating lab.

Undergraduate Programs

Cancer Scholars

  • Opportunities: Lab shadowing and research placements
  • Period: Fall and spring semesters
  • Trainees: 20 new students per year, with approximately 45–60 students participating overall

Alliance for Research Enterprise Excellence in STEM (AREES)

  • Format: Nine-week, full-time summer research experience (35–40 hours per week)
  • Placement model: Students are placed individually, with one trainee assigned to each participating lab.

Cardiff University: School of Biosciences Professional Training Year

  • Period: October–June; full-time outside any classes
  • Trainees: 2–4

Senior Design Project

  • Period: Fall and spring semesters; hours are TBD
  • Trainees: 4

Medical Student and Postbaccalaureate

CI Med (Medical Student)

  • Period: May-June; six weeks (hours TBD)
  • Trainees: 4-6

 

NIH-PREP R25 (Postbaccalaureate)

  • Period: Two years
  • Trainees: 4-6

Mentoring Details

The primary mentor is the faculty/PI of the lab. However, there should also be a day-to-day mentor (graduate student, post doc, or research faculty). This is a wonderful opportunity to build mentorship skills for those interested in pursuing future faculty positions. This is also a great fit for those who are passionate about broadening participation in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) research and careers. Mentor orientation & training will be offered. For graduate students or postdoctoral trainees, this experience can support the mentor in earning the Graduate College’s Mentoring Certificate.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Marcia Pool (mpool@illinois.edu) and Zeynep Madak-Erdogan (zmadake2@illinois.edu).