UCSD and the Burnham Institute of Medical Research have begun a program to create a new class of cancer researchers.
The program is funded by the National Cancer Institute and, so far, 10 students from the UCSD Preuss School have signed up. If they continue to devote themselves to medical and biological research, they can get their tuition paid through their PhDs.
Guy Salvesen is director of scientific training at the Burnham Institute. He says this scholarship program is devoted to finding new young scientific minds. And it's aimed at helping kids who don't normally chose a career in science.
"These kids are coming from poor, underprivileged backgrounds," Salvesen says, "where it's a little more difficult for them to contemplate going to University and contemplate going to graduate school."
The Preuss School is aimed at educating low-income kids. Salvesen says by the end of the summer he expects ten more Preuss students to enroll in the program.
