On undergrad research
We welcome undergraduate students into the lab. Most of us got our start in biomedical research by working in labs as undergrads ourselves. Working in the lab environment is the best way to learn the process of research, while also developing relevant skills and knowledge that can prepare you for careers in science, including further postgraduate training.
Entering a research lab can be daunting. There is so much to know and understand. Most students begin without much clear idea of what researchers actually do in the lab all day. They also lack the field-specific knowledge and vocabulary we use to design experiments and interpret their results. It’s okay not to know this stuff though! We are committed to mentoring undergraduate researchers and giving them meaningful experiences in the lab.
That said, of course each individual student needs to commit time and effort to be successful in the lab. Like most things in life, the more you put into your undergrad research experience, the more you will get out of it. In order to get the full potential benefit from an undergraduate research position, you should be prepared to spend at least 10 hours per week in lab. It is better to have 1-2 days with longer blocks of time than to be available for only an hour or two per day.
Getting started
If you want some advice on how to join a research lab as an undergrad, we strongly encourage you to take a look at some of the resources developed at Northwestern University for undergrads entering research. While some resources there are obviously tailored to Northwestern’s specific programs, the “Getting Started” section contains a ton of useful materials that give great advice about how to find a lab, how academic research is organized, how to prepare for an interview with the lab, and more.
What we do
Undergrads have had the most success in our lab when they have joined with the intention of staying on for multiple semesters. Upon joining the lab, undergrads will be paired with a direct mentor, typically a graduate student (someone working on their PhD) or postdoc (someone doing a training fellowship after completing their doctoral work). That mentor will develop long-term goals for the student and also help them plan and organize their time in lab.
It generally takes one semester just to learn the ropes — build up some basic lab skills and gain some familiarity with the concepts and background knowledge specific to our research topics. After that, students often are able to perform their own independent projects and/or become more deeply and intellectually involved in the research project their mentor is working on.
We are always excited to see undergrad students develop interests in research, and gain confidence in their lab skills and intellectual abilities. As undergrads progress in the lab, we make it a priority to help them develop their long-term goals for after graduation. For example, some students may want to go to medical school, while others will be interested in going further into research, perhaps as PhD students or lab technicians. Whatever your goals, we will do our best to provide you with experiences that will help you attain them.
About Bio 152
Many undergraduates at UW-Madison seek to do a semester of independent laboratory work as part of the Bio 152 course. In the “mentored research” option, undergrads conduct a semester-long independent research project under the guidance of a mentor, usually a PhD student or postdoc. While this is an excellent experience in theory, we have found that it is very difficult for students with no prior research experience to complete meaningful projects in only one semester. For this reason we generally do not take Bio 152 students. We sometimes make exceptions for students who have joined the lab at least one semester prior to enrolling in Bio 152.