Exploring West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Undergraduate research is a high-impact activity that empowers students and contributes to new knowledge, playing a vital role in the mission of many institutions. This article explores various opportunities for undergraduate students in the biological sciences on the West Coast, including research programs, conferences, and specific research positions.

The Cal State LA Undergraduate Research Hub

The Cal State LA Undergraduate Research Hub serves as a resource and springboard for undergraduate students at all levels of their research journey. It exemplifies the commitment of many universities to fostering undergraduate research.

Cal State LA Summer Internship Program

Cal State LA offers a summer internship program. Here are some details regarding the 2026 program:

Application Deadline: 5pm (Pacific) Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Eligibility: No GPA minimum, no Letter of Recommendation required, no prior research experience needed!
Internship Dates: June 1 - August 14, 2026
Time Commitment: Full-time (40hr/week), 11-week commitment. Interns may take up to five days off for personal reasons, vacation, or illness. The stipend will be prorated if participation is less than 100%.

Important Note: Please read instructions in detail BEFORE you apply to this opportunity to ensure you are applying correctly and following all instructions. Incorrectly submitted applications will not be reviewed.

West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference (WCBSURC)

The West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference (WCBSURC) is a one-day event featuring oral and poster presentations by undergraduates throughout the United States. It provides a platform for students to showcase their research, network with peers and faculty, and gain valuable presentation experience.

WCBSURC History

Founded in 1976 by Dr. William Eisinger, a professor of biology at Santa Clara University, the WCBSUR Conference has a rich history. Santa Clara hosted the conference every year through 1985. The West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research (WCBSURC) Conference is among the oldest, intercollegiate conference of its kind in the nation and has been attended by students and faculty representing 200 institutions in 40 states and Canada over its 45 years.

WCBSURC Keynote Speaker

Dr. Victoria L. Find Dr.

Key Aspects of WCBSURC

Presentation Format: The conference includes both oral and poster presentations.
Oral Presentations: Each talk is allotted a 15-minute time slot with 10-12 minutes for the presentation and 2-3 minutes for questions and transition. Presentations are given in Microsoft PowerPoint from a classroom computer (Windows operating system). Presenters will also be given a link where they can upload their presentations ahead of time. Please upload your presentations prior the conference (but bring a USB drive as backup). Upload/ check your slides at least 15 minutes prior to the session start. Awards will be given for the best oral presentations in each of the concurrent sessions.
Poster Presentations: Presenters will stand by their poster during the designated presentation time and posters can remain up for viewing as designated during the times above. Session A posters must promptly be taken down at 12:30 pm so that Session B posters can be put up.
Abstract Submission: Students can submit their abstract from October 1st to March 15, 2026 for consideration.
Registration: Registration on the day of the conference for attendees will begin at 8 AM at the registration desk just outside the north lobby of the SCDI building and stay open all day. It is $50 for students and $75 for faculty and others.
Digital Program: The Digital Program has presenters' talk and poster times and locations. THERE WILL BE NO PRINTED PROGRAM. Talk presenters, please prepare your 10 min research talks in GoogleSlides. This is the only format we will be supporting at the meeting.
Parking: Visitors must enter from the main gate on Lincoln. Parking is free on weekends. Recommended lots are the Life Sciences Building lot and Hannon (Lot A). Vans will need to park in Lot A.
Baggage Check: A Baggage check is on the first floor of the Life Sciences Building, in LSB 141, in the wing near the LSB Auditorium.

WCBSURC Presentation Guidelines

Talk Preparation: You can prepare your talk on Google Slides or Power Point. Please practice your talk and make sure it is no longer than 10 minutes. You will also have 5 minutes for questions.
Poster Dimensions: The posters should measure 36 inches wide by 48 inches in length (vertical posters, tall and narrow). Your poster cannot be larger.

WCBSURC Practical Information

Meals: Continental breakfast, and lunch will be provided as well as coffee and an afternoon snack.
Parking: Yes, you will be able to park at SSU.
Travel Grants: There are NO travel grants through SSU.

WCBSURC General Information

Who Can Present: Yes, this is a conference for undergraduate students to present their research.
What to Bring: Please bring your talk already saved on a USB-A storage device. Do not bring it with a USB-C storage device as we cannot guarantee we will have adapters.

WCBSURC What to Do If…

Unable to Attend After Acceptance: Contact conference organizers as soon as possible.
Poster/Talk Selection: Talk and poster selection will be done by the conference committee, and it depends on availability. If you selected poster but we notify you that you can only give a talk, you have the option to accept or reject that, and vice versa.

CSUSM Student Research Conference

The CSUSM Student Research Conference offers another opportunity for undergraduates to present their research.

CSUSM Conference Details

If driving, navigate to the CSUSM Parking Garage (PS1) located at 103 Campus View Dr, San Marcos, CA 92078. Parking is paid for on the 5th and 6th floors only. There will be signs with this information. Go to the 6th floor and cross the pedestrian bridge.

CSUSM Conference Registration

Student and Faculty Registration: Registration cost is $55 for students and $80 for faculty and others.
Exhibitor/Sponsor Registration: Exhibitor registration cost is $175.
Guests/Faculty/Students that did not pay registration are allowed to attend the conference but WILL NOT be provided with food and beverages.

CSUSM Conference Presentation Guidelines

Eligibility: The primary author must be an undergraduate student.
Abstract Length: Limit the abstract to 250-300 words.
Presentation Type: Indicate your preferred presentation type (oral, poster, or either).
Poster Format: The posters should measure 36 inches wide by 48 inches in length (vertical posters, tall and narrow).

CSUSM Conference Practical Information

Meals: Lunch will be provided as well as coffee and an afternoon snack.
Parking: Yes, you will be able to park at CSUSM.

CSUSM Conference General Information

Who Can Present: Yes, this is a conference for undergraduate students to present their research. You can submit your abstract from January 6th to March 10th for consideration.
What to Do If Unable to Attend After Acceptance: Contact conference organizers as soon as possible.
Poster/Talk Selection: If you selected poster but we notify you that you can only give a talk, you have the option to accept or reject that, and vice versa.
What to Wear: Dress how you will feel the most confident to present.

CSUSM Conference FAQ

Discounts/Scholarships: No.
Travel Grants: There are NO travel grants through CSUSM.

Research Positions

Post-Baccalaureate Research Associate at the Kadoch Laboratory (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School/Broad Institute/HHMI)

The Kadoch Laboratory at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, the Broad Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is seeking a highly qualified post-baccalaureate student to join their vibrant research team as a Research Associate focused on cancer biology, epigenetics, and chromatin regulation.

Read also: Explore CFK

Research Focus: The lab uses multidisciplinary approaches including biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, chemical biology, epigenomics and others to explore the mechanisms of chromatin remodeling complexes, which are frequently mutated in human cancers and other diseases.
Eligibility: The successful applicant will have advanced experience in one or more of the following areas: molecular biology, cell culture and model systems, protein biochemistry, structural biology, cell biology, genetics and/or genomics-centered methodologies, through focused prior lab research experience (i.e. 1-2 years in research laboratories with strong letters of recommendation) as well as undergraduate coursework.
Commitment: Candidates who can commit to two (2) years of availability, graduating from colleges/universities this Spring 2026 and considering applying to top-tier graduate and/or medical school (PhD/MD/MD-PhD) programs following their tenure in the lab.
Mentorship: Dr. Kadoch is firmly committed to mentorship, career guidance and support, and other senior lab personnel will also provide consistent research and career mentorship.

Computational Biologist at the Kadoch Laboratory (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School/Broad Institute/HHMI)

The Kadoch Laboratory at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Broad Institute, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute is seeking a highly qualified individual who has recently obtained or is about to obtain a BA/BS degree to join their vibrant research team as a Computational Biologist focused on cancer biology, epigenetics, and chromatin regulation.

Research Focus: The lab uses multidisciplinary approaches including biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, chemical biology, and functional genomics, epigenomics, and AI-based approaches to explore the mechanisms of chromatin remodeling complexes, which are among the most frequently mutated cellular entities in human cancers and other diseases.
Required Skills: The successful applicant will have coding experience (i.e. in R, Python, or other languages) relevant to computational biology/bioinformatics, familiarity with working in a Unix environment and use of SLURM or similar job scheduler (high performance computing and computing clusters), working knowledge of genomic technologies and bioinformatic processes and/or structural biology, ability to both implement and develop new bioinformatic pipelines in shell scripts, interest and proven abilities in data visualization (such as in ggplot2, matplotlib, D3.js etc.), and proficiency in documenting research processes to ensure reproducibility (e.g., markdown syntax and Git/GitHub) as well as experience in one or more of the following areas: computational biology/computer science, molecular biology, genetics and/or genomics, cell biology, and protein biochemistry and/or structural biology, through focused prior dry or wet lab research experience
Commitment: Candidates who will be available for two years in the lab; in particular, we are looking for candidates who are graduating from colleges/universities this Spring 2026 and considering applying to top-tier graduate and/or medical school (PhD/MD/MD-PhD) programs following their tenure in the lab, OR, aiming to function as a senior staff computational biologist in the academic setting for years to come.
Mentorship: Dr. Kadoch is firmly committed to mentorship, career guidance and support, and other senior lab personnel will also provide consistent research and career mentorship.

Additional Opportunities

LMU Center for Urban Resilience (CURes): Staff from the LMU Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) will be available to discuss and answer questions about the Discovery Park and Ballona Wetlands.

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