During the summer months MaineHealth Institute for Research (MHIR) provides undergraduates with an opportunity to engage in full-time, biomedical research projects through the MHIR Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Research at MHIR covers the spectrum of biomedical science in our various Research Centers: Center for Molecular Medicine, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Heath Research, and the Center for Applied Science & Technology.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Program is ten weeks in duration, and students work 40 hours per week at one of our MaineHealth research locations in the Portland, ME area. Students are trained to lead research projects and are provided with a rich curriculum that covers a breadth of research topics, professional competencies, and biomedical and science training and careers. Students are responsible for their own transportation and housing, and resources will be provided to help students find housing options.

We welcome you to review the information provided here about the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Program, including eligibility and program dates, as well as previous student projects. Please revisit this page in early December when the application will go live.

Please contact us with any questions.

 

MaineHealth Summer Research Internship Program’s application is closed for 2025. Check back in December 2025, when the 2026 application goes live.

The application has a two part application process. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
  1. Go online and complete the MaineHealth Employment Application
  2. Complete the supplemental MaineHealth Summer Undergraduate Research Internship Program Application

Although you may complete your application in more than one sitting, it may help you to gather the following in preparation for the application:

  • Resume
  • Transcript (unofficial/screenshot is ok)
  • Grades in your most recent five science classes
  • Personal Statement (500 words or less): The personal statement should include an overview of your qualifications for participation in the program. If applicable, please include specific experiences in biomedical science, previous summer internships or academic programs, involvement with hands-on laboratory experience, and general research interests, including any strong preferences for, or against, working in a specific research area.
  • Short Answer questions (all limited to 250 words):
    • Please list any skills or experiences you would particularly like to gain during an internship at MHIR.
    • Please list any skills/relevant experience you currently have that might be useful for your internship (lab techniques, software/programming experience, etc).
    • Please describe how your individual identities, experiences and perspectives have helped you become the student, friend or community member you are today.
    • Describe an obstacle or challenge you have faced, and how you overcame it.
    • Describe a success, either academic, professional, or personal, that you are proud of.

Applications for the 2026 Summer Program will open in early December. Only applicants who complete both parts of the application will be considered. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. You will receive confirmation of application completion by email.

The MaineHealth Employment application asks for information about your past employment and education history- you may upload a resume and it will pre-populate much of that application for you. The MaineHealth Employment application will ask you to provide the names and contact information for two references. Your references may be contacted via email or phone, but formal recommendation letters are not required to be submitted as part of the MaineHealth or MHIR applications.

The application deadline for the Summer Undergraduate Research Program is January 30, 2026. Selection begins in February, and all students will be notified no later than April 1, 2026. Students being considered for positions may be contacted for interviews which may be conducted via telephone or virtually.

1st week of December                                                   Application Available Online

Friday, January 30                                                           Application Deadline

No later than April 1                                                      Notification of Admission

April 1 – May 31                                                                Intern Employment Onboarding

Monday, June 1                                                                Program Orientation & First Day of Summer Program

Thursday, August 6                                                        Research Intern Final Presentations & Poster Session

Friday, August 7                                                               Last Day of Summer Program

We welcome applicants who have backgrounds, identities and/or experiences that will contribute to MHIR’s mission to inspire, support and conduct innovative research.

Stipend $17/hr currently
   
Duration

10 weeks:  June 1, 2026 – August 7, 2026. The start date for this program is firm- late start students will not be considered.
   
Work Hours Although there is some variation depending on research location and where you are in your research project, generally interns work day shift hours Monday through Friday
Enrichment Activities
  • Weekly research lectures delivered by MaineHealth faculty and clinicians
  • Professional development and networking activities led by MaineHealth leaders
  • Social and networking events led by community partners
Eligibility Requirements
  • Graduating high school senior, at least 18 years of age at the start of the program, through graduating college senior, postbac (graduating during the 2025-2026 academic year), or community college student
  • 3.0+ GPA; If your GPA is not 3.0 or higher, and there are extenuating circumstances, please apply and provide a brief explanation of your special circumstance that requires consideration
  • Eligible to be employed in the US
    Note: You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to participate. However, MHIR does not have the ability to sponsor a visa for an individual coming to do research as an undergraduate, so you would need to identify a visa sponsor. You can find out more here: https://j1visa.state.gov/
  • Cannot have participated in the MaineHealth Summer Undergraduate Research Program in prior years

Program Stats & Previous Projects

Data below represent 2025 application numbers, and 2025 participant information.

Applications: 382
Selected Participants: 24

Class of 2025

The MaineHealth Summer Research Internship Program welcomes applications from students who meet eligibility requirements for the program. The class data below represents a snapshot of our program participants but does not represent any particular preferred population. Students are selected based on a range of factors, including research experience, academic background, and genuine engagement and interest in research, as evidenced by their submitted application materials.

Rising junior- 8
Rising senior/senior- 13
Graduating senior/postbac- 3

Colleges represented: College of William & Mary, Fairfield University, Duke University, Williams College, Brown University, Colby College, University of Southern Maine, University of California San Diego, Appalachian State University, University of Southern California, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Bowdoin College, University of Maine, Wellesley College, University of New Hampshire, Tulane University, Clemson University

2025 Research Project Titles:

  • Factors influencing patient engagement in precision medicine treatments for lung cancer: A systematic review
  • Characterizing medical advice received from generative AI platforms
  • The science of biobanking: molecular stability of RNA in FFPE-preserved cancer tissue
  • The head & the heart: invasive neuromonitoring of post-cardiac arrest patients with early cerebral edema
  • β2 Adrenergic receptor knockout does not rescue social isolation-induced bone loss
  • Examining the individual signaling pathways of β1 and β2-Adrenergic receptors in mouse osteoclast cultures
  • Recuperative care: reducing barriers for unhoused patients with spinal infections
  • Strategies to improve well-being and diabetes management: preliminary insights into the enrollment flow
  • Effects of gastric endocrine factors on osteoclasts and osteoblasts
  • Profound autism: The Autism Inpatient Collection
  • Exploring circulating NRG-1 as a cardioprotective marker post-SAH
  • Exploring the implications of CTHRC-1 on colorectal cancer
  • Mighty metabolism: powering bone formation
  • From fat to function: decoding Trpv1+ adipocyte messaging to beta cells
  • Super-FGF1 enhances cell proliferation, decreases expression of inflammatory cytokines, and protects endothelial monolayer
  • The way that psychotic symptoms relate to functioning may depend on neighborhood context
  • An overview of Powassan Virus (Lineage II) transmission in deer ticks: determining the reservoir host in Maine
  • Mest and secreted hormones could help us unravel individual susceptibility to diet induced obesity
  • Patient family and provider perspectives on discharge from pediatric specialty care
  • Shivering, BAT (12,13-diHOME), and heat after cardiac arrest
  • 9-PAHSA Associated differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells is inhibited by AH7614, a synthetic antagonist of free fatty acid receptor 4
  • Bridging the gap: understanding lung cancer survivors’ needs and challenges: a midpoint analysis
  • Impact of D3 on non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS)
  • Deletion of beta-1 adrenergic receptor in osteoclasts shows decreased biomarkers of bone turnover