STARS 2025 - Research Projects Descriptions

Dr. Christopher Theissen 

Find the planet! You will analyze data taken with the Direct Imaging Camera on the Nickel 40-inch telescope at Lick Observatory of the transit of the planet TIC46432937b. Data consists of multiple images taken during the transit of TIC46432937b along with calibration frames. You will learn the basics of high precision photometry and transit photometry, data reduction, and statistical techniques to identify the transit signal. If time permits, you will use advanced statistical techniques to attempt to find the signal in very noisy data. This will help us develop a future observational lab for our new Astronomy & Astrophysics department and test the limits of using the 40-inch telescope for a ground-based transit survey.

Special Considerations: None. 

Prerequisites: Knowledge of Python, basic astronomy knowledge would be useful, but not required. 

Website: https://ctheissen.github.io/index.html

Dr. Julian Schroeder

Julian Schroeder’s laboratory is focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms by which plants respond to and mount resistance to climate change-linked stresses. Stress resistance mechanisms that we are characterizing are directly linked to water, including drought stress-induced signal transduction mechanisms, salinity resistance mechanisms and how plants respond to the continuing rise in the atmospheric CO2 concentration. We have discovered drought stress resistance signal transduction pathways and have recently identified a long-sought CO2 sensor that controls the water use efficiency of plants. An important goal of this research is also developing future strategies for engineering climate stress resistance in plants. Summer research students will receive training in molecular biological, advanced imaging, cell signaling, genomics, genetics and other methods while pursuing their hands-on research project. Furthermore, students will be mentored in presenting their research results and in diverse career questions.

Special Considerations: Partnership with ENLACE student.

Prerequisites: None. Students, however, must show motivation, interest, honesty, inquisitive thinking. Students should also be careful with respect to adhering to lab safety protocols. The students will be trained in new techniques. The requirement is motivation to learn and engage in research training. 

Lab: Julian Schroeder’s Laboratory

Dr. Diana Rennison

We are an ecological and evolutionary genomics lab that uses a combination of field and laboratory methods to study the predictability of evolution. This project will involve primarily morphological and computer work to identify the phenotypic and genetic differences between populations of threespine stickleback fish adapting to a diversity of freshwater environments. 

Special Considerations: Must be willing to work with live fish and/or preserved fish specimens.

Prerequisites: Some background or interest in biology.

Lab: Rennison Lab

Dr. Wanlu Li 

We are focusing on development and leverage of quantum mechanical methods, molecular dynamics and machine learning to design efficient catalysts and battery materials for sustainable energy storage and conversion applications.

Special Considerations: None. 

Prerequisites: Knowledge of computational chemistry and any programming languages. 

Lab: Li Research Group

Prof. Alina Schimpf

The project focuses on solution-phase synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals and cluster-based coordination assemblies.

Prerequisites: General chemistry.

Lab: The Schimpf Lab

Prof. Andrew Pun

This project will focus on developing new materials for photon upconversion. Students will gain hand-on skills in synthetic organic chemistry, as well as molecular and optical characterization of materials synthsized.

Prerequisites: Taken laboratory chemistry classes.

Lab: Applied Photochemistry Lab

Prof. Kent Griffith

The Griffith Laboratory develops new materials for rechargeable batteries including fast-charging lithium-ion batteries and sustainable next-generation energy storage technologies like sodium-based materials. We are a materials chemistry laboratory with a focus on materials synthesis, characterization methods such as diffraction and spectroscopy, and device (battery) fabrication and testing. 

Prerequisites: Gen. Chem and Gen. Chem Lab.

Lab: The Griffith Lab

Prof. Seth Cohen

STARS students will work on the synthesis and characterization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs are a type of metal-organic hybrid material that are of interest for environmental and energy applications. Applicants should be interested in synthetic chemistry for this experience.

Prerequisites: General chemistry coursework.

Lab: Cohen Research Group

Dr. Lara Rangel

The Neural Crossroads Laboratory studies how the timing of input to a brain region impacts 1) the recruitment of neuronal activity, 2) the ways in which neurons interact with one another, and 3) the computations they can perform. Our current projects investigate this topic in neural circuits that support prosocial motivation, auditory perception, and learning and memory in rodents. Summer students will receive an introduction to animal behavior and electrophysiology skills, and will have an opportunity to analyze behavioral and neural data. Students will have additional opportunities to engage in collaborative efforts during weekly lab meetings and journal clubs.

Prerequisites: Students should feel comfortable working with rats and have some programming experience.

Lab: The Neural Crossroads Laboratory

Dr. Michael Coblenz

Our research is at the intersection of programming languages, human-computer interaction, and software engineering; we seek to make developers of all kinds more effective at writing software. Students could be matched to a variety of projects, but the most likely match would be with a project that extends Jupyter to help users reuse code in a low-cost way. In this project, we hope to enable scientists to construct more readable and maintainable code while they work to analyze data or construct models.

Prerequisites: Substantial experience writing software, particularly in JavaScript, TypeScript, or Python.

Wesbsite: https://cseweb.ucsd.edu//~mcoblenz/

Dr. Holly Okonkwo

JET labs integrates critical humanistic, social scientific, and computational methodologies to examine, experiment and design learning curriculum and experiences for undergraduate students. I am interested in working with students excited to learn critical ethnic studies and social justice praxis and its intersections with technoscience.

Prerequisites: Taken courses in Ethnic Studies or Black Diaspora Studies.

Lab: JET Lab

Dr. Dana Murillo

I am seeking students interested in working on my second book project, Chichimeca Arc. This book considers what become of the non sedentary peoples of colonial Mexico's silver mining district under Spanish rule in the mid-to-late sixteenth century I am seeking students interested in assisting with the analysis of primary sources and the organization of secondary materials.

Prerequisites: Basic Spanish knowledge. 

Website: https://history.ucsd.edu//

Dr. Adam Engler

The Engler lab's research is focused on how cell behavior is directed by the extracellular matrix (ECM), a 3-dimensional (3D) fibrillar scaffold to which cells adhere. Investigations in the lab revolve around how the mechanical and biochemical properties of this 3D ECM direct the cell behavior, i.e. mechanobiology. Under this broad conceptual framework, the lab is interested in how mechanobiology influences or misregulates cell function and modifies genetic mechanisms of disease. Specifically, the lab has shown that ECM mechanics can regulate the differentiation of stem cells into specific adult cell types, cause heart cells to contract better/worse with age, and cause cells to transform into cancer and metastasize. To accomplish this, his lab makes natural and synthetic matrices with unique spatiotemporal properties to mimic niche conditions, improve stem cell behavior and commitment in vitro, or direct them for therapeutic use in vivo.

Special Considerations: Must be okay with working with embryonic stem cells. Cell culture is a plus.

Dr. Jorge Cortes

Work on distributed robotics at the MURO Lab includes design, analysis, and implementation of motion planning strategies and distributed coordination algorithms on multi-robot networks performing spatially-distributed tasks. Our lab focuses on deployment of heterogeneous robots including ground vehicles and aerial vehicles.  We rely on methods from graph theory, dynamics, and control combined with open source software programming.  Several project opportunities exist to enhance the range of current capabilities in the lab. These include the implementation of distributed methods for self-localization with on-board cameras, 3D formation control strategies with heterogeneous teams, and human-swarm interaction structures that enable rapid deployment of robot teams. Other projects include research in methods of enabling human interaction with a swarm of robots and design/development of ground and aerial robots. 

Special Considerations: None.

Prerequisites: Familiarity with open source software; programming experience (either python or C++, ideally ROS); knowledge of ordinary differential equations and linear algebra.

Lab: MURO Lab

Website: terrano.ucsd.edu/jorge

Prof. Nicholas Boechler

Mechanical metamaterials. The student will be involved in the design and testing of materials with extraordinary mechanical properties (mechanical metamaterials). This will likely involve dynamic vibration or impact experiments with high speed video or laser-based characterization, as well as manufacturing via 3D printing, casting, laser cutting, or CNC machining.

Special Considerations: N/A

Prerequisites: Generally students who are rising juniors or seniors in mechanical, aerospace, civil, or structural engineering are most successful.

Lab: Boechler Research Group

Prof. Oliver Schmidt

We develop advanced numerical methods and data mining approaches to understand and predict complex, high-Reynolds-number aerospace flows. Specializing in modal decomposition for feature extraction and physical discovery, we distill flow structures into predictive reduced-order models for forecasting and optimizing turbulent flows.

Prerequisites: Good programming skills (Matlab suffices); taken courses on fluid dynamics and numerical methods.

Lab: Computational Modeling and Flow Physics

Prof. Shengqiang Cai

Our research is focused on the mechanics and chemistry of soft materials including both synthesized polymers and biological tissues. We aim to understand and model large deformation, instabilities, fracture, fatigue, chemo-mechanical coupling, electro-mechanical coupling in diverse soft materials. We also explore engineering applications of soft materials, such as artificial muscle, soft robots, soft machines and biomedical devices.

Special Considerations: Having interest in materials research. 

Lab: CAI Research Group

Prof. Farhat Beg

The HEDP Group's most recent research projects include the systematic study of fast electron energy deposition, the dynamics of high-energy proton beam focusing and transition, and participation in the Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter.

Prerequisites: Knowledge of physics and engineering.

Lab: HEDP Research Group

Dr. Najla Kfoury-Beaumont

The Brain Tumor Epigenomics Laboratory (Beaumont/Kfoury-Beaumont Lab) investigates brain tumor genomics and epigenetics with a specific focus on chromatin remodeling complexes (BAF and PBAF complexes, members of the SWI/SNF family of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers), sex-specific epigenetics (sex-biased Brd4-bound enhancers and super-enhancers) with a specific focus on identifying tumor dependencies that can be exploited with precision oncology. We use next generation sequencing (NGS), RNA-seq, ChIP-Seq and ATAC-seq to understand the chromatin landscape in parent human tumor tissues and tumor-derived stem cells. Leveraging data from chromatin landscape studies, the lab performs in vitro tumorigenesis and clonogenic studies using human tumor stem cell lines, and directly assess the role of critical candidate regulators by genome editing using CRISPR. We also perform in vivo tumorigenesis and survival analysis using intracerebral microinjection of human-derived tumor stem cells in nude mice to validate potential therapeutic targets.

Special Considerations: Students with interest in neuroscience and cancer. 

Prerequisites: Moderate to minimal wet bench experience preferred.

Lab: Brain Tumor and Epigenetics Laboratory Research Spotlight

Website: https://profiles.ucsd.edu/najla.kfoury-beaumont

Dr. Liang Yang

Dr. Liang Yang is a Professor of Physics at UC San Diego. His research focuses on studying the fundamental properties of neutrinos and the search for dark matter using noble liquid detectors. Students will have the opportunity to participate in detector R&D and data analysis for particle physics experiments. Program: Department of Physics. 

Prerequisites: Knowledge of python, mechanical or electrical experience preferred.

Lab: Rare Labs

Dr. Valerie Soon

Faculty mentors in Political Science study a wide range of topics in American Politics, Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (REP), Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Methodology, and Political Theory. Our department studies these questions using quantitative methods, formal methods, and normative theory.

Website: Research in the Department of Political Science

Dr. Caren Walker

Dr. Walker's research is in the area of cognitive development: we examine the various learning mechanisms that underlie knowledge acquisition and change in early life. Current projects focus on the emergence of scientific thinking—we study school-aged children’s reasoning about cause and effect relationships in the world.

Special Considerations: Experience working with children. 

Lab: Early Learning & Cognition Lab

Dr. Lindsey Powell

Research in Dr. Powell's Social Cognition and Learning Lab investigates how infants and children think about others' minds, social interactions, and relationships. Studies use both behavioral methods (tracking infant attention, asking children what they think) and neuroimaging methods (measuring brain activation with near infrared light). Students will work on the collection, coding, and statistical analysis of data that test hypotheses regarding the development of social cognition and motivation. The lab also offers professional development sessions, presentation practice, and training in R.

Special Considerations: Preference for students comfortable working with children and their families.

Lab: Dr. Powell's Social Cognition and Learning Lab

Dr. Timothy Brady

At the UCSD Vision and Memory lab,  we aim to understand how the world is represented by the visual system, and how information is encoded and integrated into memory. The lab is interested in the precision with which people can remember information long-term memory and how much we can actively hold the information in our mind (e.g., you may have heard about a working memory capacity of 7+/- 2).  This project will focus on examining visual memory precision -- how well we can remember what we saw and what we can do to improve our memories. You'll get to help design experiments, run people in experiments, and learn about the data. The experiments will vary from simple examinations of memory precision to questions about what memory looks like when people have false memories. 

Special Considerations: Students with a background in psychology or cognitive science and programming experience preferred (Javascript, MATLAB, R, or Python are particularly useful).

Lab: UCSD Vision and Memory Lab

Dr. Adrian Jinich

Our passion lies at the intersection of AI and biochemistry, with a particular focus on protein language models and the enzyme-to-substrate mapping problem. We're on a mission to explore how artificial intelligence can help us better understand enzymes, their substrates, and biochemical systems more generally.

Special Considerations: Preference for Spanish speakers.

Prerequisites: Either python or protein biochemistry experience a plus.

Lab: The Jinich Lab

Dr. Anjan Debnath 

The Debnath lab focuses on the development of new antimicrobials for parasitic diseases. We apply high-throughput drug screen technologies in our drug discovery research and employ small molecule inhibitors to probe the function of important proteins in parasite biology. Students will learn parasite biology and different drug discovery strategies for the development of antiparasitic drugs.

Prerequisites: General biology or chemistry classes.

Lab: The Debnath Lab

Dr. Anthony O'Donoghue

My laboratory interests lie in the detection and characterization of proteolytic enzymes that are involved in disease. In particular, we are interested in understanding the role of proteases in pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. Knowledge of which protease are functionally active in the microbe allows us to develop protease inhibitors to shut down the function.  STARS students will learn how to detect activity of proteases with fluorescent substrates in a microplate reader. In addition, they will learn to run protein gels and image the active proteases. Students will gain some expertise in drug discovery that will help them for future careers in research science, pharmacy and medicine.

Special Considerations: None.

Prerequisites: A general understanding of biology and chemistry is helpful but everything will be taught to the students in the first two to three weeks in the lab. 

Website: https://profiles.ucsd.edu/anthony.odonoghue

Dr. Conor Caffrey

The Center for Discovery an Innovation in Parasitic Diseases at UC San Diego is at the forefront of the drug discovery process for the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) which afflict millions of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged people. For many of these diseases, the few drugs we have are toxic, ineffective, or for which drug resistance is a major problem. We engage in molecular, cellular and chemical biological research regarding the pathogens that cause these diseases, all with the goal of identifying new drugs.  We seek enthusiastic, motivated and team-oriented candidates who are prepared to work hard and have fun doing so in a rigorous, yet friendly environment. Under the supervision of a graduate student or post-doctoral scholar, the new team member will work, for example, on projects relating to pathogen biology, drug screening, chemistry and enzymology. He/she/they may also be involved in small animal husbandry, assay design and setup, chemical inventory, and preparation of standard lab solutions/reagents.

Special Considerations: Familiarity with biology / biochemistry and / or chemistry a plus; an interest in global infectious diseases is good.

Prerequisites: Being comfortable in a lab environment, being willing to learn and engage with peers.

Lab: Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases

Website: https://pharmacy.ucsd.edu/faculty/caffrey

Dr. Xi Fang

The major research interest in the Fang Lab is to understand molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac development and disease. We utilize a multidisciplinary approach, combining molecular, cellular, developmental, and physiological techniques to uncover novel therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of cardiac diseases. 

Lab: Xi Fang Lab

• Amy Sitapati
• Sally Baxter
• Hannah Carter
• Pengtao Xie
• Cinnamon Bloss

Amy Sitapati, M.D. - Dr. Sitapati's Lab

Project Title: Improving Health Outcomes via Population Health in Biomedical Informatics

Project Description: Together define the domain in health prevention and then use UCSD tools to devise an evaluation of population health impact using quality metrics.

Special Considerations: Preferred either lived or learned experience in health basic knowledge.

Prerequisites: Prefer use of excel and data, basic science background, additional programming is optional.

Sally Baxter, M.D. - Dr. Baxter Lab

Project Title: Ophthalmology Informatics

Project Description: The UCSD Division of Ophthalmology Informatics and Data Science is engaged in several research areas, including advancing data standards in ophthalmology and conducting secondary analyses of large databases (e.g. the NIH All of Us Research Program, the NIH Bridge2AI AI-READI dataset, the UC Health Data Warehouse, and local UCSD institutional research datasets) to evaluate risk factors, treatment outcomes, and predictive models for a variety of vision-threatening eye diseases. We also have some prospective patient-facing research studies that are actively enrolling participants, such as a study of flexible electronic medication adherence sensors to help measure and improve eye medication adherence. We welcome summer interns to engage/participate in these projects based on their interests/goals.

Special Considerations: Spanish speaking skills are beneficial for our prospective students. Programming skills (R, Python) are helpful for our data analytic studies.

Prerequisites: Prior statistical programming experience.

Hannah Carter, PhD. - Dr. Carter Lab

Project Title: Cancer data analysis for precision medicine

Project Description: The project will focus on analyzing tumor genomic data to either identify biomarkers of outcome or drug response, or investigate mechnisms of response or resistance.

Special Considerations: Prefer experience with computational data analysis and writing code.

Prerequisites: Familiarity with python, R, ideally some experience with genomics / transcriptomics.

Pengtao Xie, PhD. - Dr. Xie Lab

Project Title: Multi-modal foundation model for proteins

Project Description: In this project, we will develop a large pretrained model on multi-modal protein data.

Special Considerations: N/A.

Prerequisites: Knowledge of Python and PyTorch.

Cinnamon Bloss, PhD. - Dr. Bloss Profile

Project Title: Stakeholder Perspectives on Social Media Surveillance in Schools

Project Description: A growing number of U.S. middle and high schools are implementing commercially available social media surveillance (SMS) of students in an effort to address youth mental health and school safety. Although SMS technology is increasingly being purchased by schools, there has been no systematic assessment of the ethical, legal, and social implications, including how it affects the students whom it purportedly aims to help. This project will document the ways in which SMS is currently being used by school administrators across the U.S., assess the perspectives of students and parents, and develop and disseminate student-centered policy recommendations.

Special Considerations: N/A.

Prerequisites: N/A.

Dr. Sarah Gille

The California Current is the region of ocean just upstream of the continental US. Conditions in the California Current drive weather and climate as well as shaping maritime activities (e.g. fisheries). The region is well monitored, and because of that, it is a convenient test bed for exploring research approaches that will later be applied across the planet. The research opportunity will focus on analyzing data and models in the region in the context of multiple projects: understanding how DDT and other contaminants that were dumped on the sea floor could be redistributed in the San Pedro Basin off of Los Angeles, evaluating atmosphere–ocean coupling in high-frequency radar data along the coast, assessing model results that are constrained by the new Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite, investigating coastal and open ocean exchanges with the help of machine learning tools, or examining biogeochemical processes using profiling floats. There are also possibilities to extend work to examine the Southern Ocean or the tropical Pacific, taking advantage of the global array of profiling floats.

Prerequisites: Experience in Matlab or Python, math including linear algebra (e.g. Math 18) and calculus (e.g. Math 20 A-C).

Website: https://sgille.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu/