Trainees
LIKER participants are Stony Brook undergraduates who are enrolled in a variety of programs, including biochemistry, biology, applied mathematics and others. We welcome students who demonstrate curiosity and sincerity, and have an interest in nephrology or biomedical research to join! In addition to laboratory research skills, participants receive training in responsible conduct of research, statistics and data analysis, and presentation and writing skills. Many participants also choose to perform hypothesis-based research and write up their research as an honors thesis. In addition to research mentorship, they benefit from further education and career development skills.
Trainees have the opportunity to work in open labs shared between PIs, which fosters a broader community in which ideas, experiences, successes, (and commiserations!) are shared. They are presented with ample opportunities to attend and present their work at various divisional, departmental, institutional and national forums and conferences, in the form of poster and oral presentations.
See our news page for recent successes!
Post-LIKER
Many of our trainees go on to further education, including in MD, MPH, MD, MD-PhD and PhD programs around the country. Recent LIKER graduates are currently studying at Yale University, Brown University, Stony Brook University and Albert Einstein School of Medicine.
Trainee impressions
Our trainees not only enjoy their time as part of LIKER, they also highly rate the benefits of the LIKER program, in gaining valuable skills in scientific research as well as other skills such as communication (both writing and giving presentations), which together prepare them for their future studies and help them to achieve their future goals.
Feedback from recent trainees:
“It was a great research environment and I learned so much. The skills that I learned are beneficial for my future career and I learned a lot on medicine!” – 2023 Graduate
“My experiences in the lab have been instrumental for my interest in pursuing a career as a physician scientist and the skills I have learned during that time have been essential throughout current MD/PhD training.” – 2020 Graduate
“I learned so much under [my Mentor’s] guidance/mentorship and grew a great deal as a student. I have continued to use many transferable skills ascertained from my time in the lab in my subsequent academic endeavors.” – 2021 Graduate
“Research is an excellent way, especially for science students, to translate the work in lectures into something tangible. It truly assists in the learning process since you can apply the theory from class directly to the work you do on the benchtop.” – 2025 Graduate
Other clubs, societies and opportunities
SBU Kidney Crew
Kidney Crew is an SBU undergraduate club founded in 2022. They hold events throughout the year to raise awareness of kidney disease, and hold fundraising events, with recent beneficiaries including cancer and dialysis charities and the National Kidney Foundation. Connect with Kidney Crew on Instagram.
Societies
American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
Free membership for undergraduates: get membership by creating an account and signing up
American Physiological Society (APS)
Membership only $25 for undergraduates: get membership by creating and account and signing up
Conferences
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meetings and conferences are free for SBU students and staff to attend. See list of upcoming conferences here.
