At any one time, more than 500 active research programs are underway in the School of Medicine, either on the Davis campus, or at the Medical Center in Sacramento. The projects range from fundamental laboratory research, to patient-focused clinical trials of investigational new drugs and devices, to studies of health care policy, finance and delivery systems. The research is dispersed among all the disciplines and specialities represented by the School's departments, their respective divisions and a growing number of cross-departmental programs and centers.

The Davis campus has a wide range of basic research in medically-relevant disciplines because of the co-location of the medical school with the School of Veterinary Medicine, the Division of Biological Sciences, the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and the College of Engineering's Department of Biomedical Engineering. A number of major research programs at UC Davis involve collaborating scientists from multiple parts of the campus. These include the Cancer Center, the Center for Neuroscience, the M.I.N.D. Institute, the Center for Comparative Medicine, the Center for Tissue Regeneration and Repair, the Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, the Telehealth Center, and the California Regional Primate Center. Other major programs exist in human genetics, genomics, pharmacogenomics and membrane biology.

The UC Davis Health System is committed to enhancing the health of northern California residents and people elsewhere through scientific research that leads to a better understanding of health and disease. It provides funding for innovative health-related basic, clinical or outcomes research projects through research award programs.

• UC Davis Health System Research Award Program, 2007: Since its inaugural 1997-1998 cycle, this program has awarded over $16 million to more than 140 School of Medicine faculty members to pursue innovative research projects. In the 2007 cycle, we anticipate being able to fund up to $1 million in new awards. Each proposal may request up to $100,000 over a two-year project period. To ensure that the maximum number of meritorious grants are awarded, the review committee may reduce either the total amount of funding or limit funding to only one year. For more information eligibility and application, download the UC Davis Health System Research Award Program 2007 call.
• Grant Matches and Bridge Fundings: Find guidelines for allocating faculty research Bridge Funding, Multi-Investigator Program & Center Grant matches, Shared (Multi-Investigator) Equipment Grant matches and Training Grant matches.

If you are interested in gaining first-hand experience in research as a medical student, your first step should be to find a faculty mentor. One of the best ways to select a potential mentor is to identify several faculty whose research activities match your own areas of interest. Contact the faculty to discuss your interests and to learn if they can sponsor your proposed project or supervise your participation in one of their ongoing projects.

• School of Medicine Office of Sponsored Programs provides a downloadable PDF document listing research opportunities at UC Davis by department, PI and research title. Download the School of Medicine grants list.
• The Community of Science (COS) is a proprietary database of worldwide scientific expertise. You can use it to search for any UC Davis faculty (including those outside the SOM) who have posted profiles. You can find links to the COS from http://www.cos.com. Because COS is only available to member organizations, you will need to access it from an internet account with a "ucdavis.edu" domain. To access information on major multi-disciplinary research centers at UC Davis and departments of the School of Medicine, go to http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medresearch/links2.html.

Besides guiding and encouraging you in research, a knowledgeable mentor can also help you explore options for funding your project. Mentors who have active grant or contract funding may be able to support your supplies and equipment if your research goals closely fit the goals of their own programs. This may be particularly feasible for shorter term projects, such as those under eight weeks in duration. A number of additional funding vehicles are available that are particularly encouraged for students interested in more rigorous research training involving significantly greater commitments of time. Some options are:

• Medical Student Research Fellowship: This program is primarily intended to support rigorous research training involving commitments of a minimum of 75-percent effort over the course of a year, although funds for shorter projects are also available. Competitive awards are granted annually and are based on the merit of the proposed studies, the potential of the student, and the research record of the mentor. Applications are available from the Office of the Associate Dean for Research (room 1424, CRISP Building). A call for applications will be sent to all medical students at the end of the fall quarter with applications due in the spring. The maximum support that may be requested is $12,000. For more information, contact Dr. Saul Schaefer, who chairs the faculty Predoctoral Fellowship Committee, at (530) 752-0718 or sschaefer@ucdavis.edu, or staff assistant Cheryl Duncan at (916) 703-9146 or crduncan@ucdavis.edu.
• The Morton Levitt Research Fellowship Awards: First, second and third year medical students may apply for $1,000 research awards under this program administered by the School of Medicine Faculty Senate. Calls for applications are sent out in November and are due in February for funding beginning in July. For more information, contact staff assistant Cheryl Duncan at (916) 703-9146 or crduncan@ucdavis.edu.
• The Loren D. Carlson Student Research Award: This award is to be given to a graduating medical Student for outstanding research performed in the School of Medicine. For more information, contact staff assistant Cheryl Duncan at (916) 703-9146 or crduncan@ucdavis.edu.
• Departmental or Specialty-Focused Support Funds: A few School of Medicine departments make internal funds available for medical student research in their laboratories. In addition, a number of external medical societies and specialty-specific professional organizations have student grants programs for projects relevant to each society's fields of interest. Inquire about current availabilities through your mentor.
• Outside Fellowships: Major national research organizations, such as the NIH and the Howard Hughes Foundation offer a variety of competitive fellowship programs throughout the year. Announcements are posted near the student mailboxes in Tupper Hall. The Office of Sponsored Programs also offers a funding search service to School of Medicine students.