Eight students from universities around the U.S. are the latest members of the annual Hugh Edmondson Summer Research Internship Program at UC Davis Medical Center.

The program provides a unique research opportunity for motivated college students who have demonstrated a strong interest in research in the health sciences. The internship program offers research opportunities under the supervision and mentorship of pathology faculty in various pathology laboratories located at the Davis and Sacramento campuses. In addition to research activities, the program offers weekly lectures and problem-based learning exercises that promote investigative and critical thinking.

The internship program was named in honor of Hugh Edmondson, who established a summer research program for qualified undergraduate students to conduct research under the supervision and mentorship of pathology faculty at the University of Southern California in 1969. The internship program was brought to UC Davis in 1980 by Murray Gardner, who was mentored by Edmondson. Robert Cardiff became chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in 1991 and brought the internship program to the UC Davis Medical Center at Sacramento. The internship program is now under the direction of Lydia Pleotis Howell, the current chair of the department.

Since 1991, nearly 150 bright and dedicated students have participated in the program, many of whom have chosen careers in the health sciences. During the eight-week period in the summer, the Edmondson interns will participate in research or work activities eight hours a day, Monday through Friday.

The 2012 class of Edmondson interns consists of the following students:

• Hannah Archibald, Bates College
• Theresa Goodwin, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• Isaac Horowitz, UC Davis
• Sameeha Khalid, UC San Diego
• Yifan Li, Brown University
• Adrienne Ng, UC Davis
• Luke Webster, Gonzaga University
• Andre Mota, UC San Diego