The BUMP for UROP Students
Welcome to research in the Biology Department!
As a UROP student, you can:
- Perform cutting-edge biomedical research
- Interact with a graduate student or post-doc mentor
- Find a faculty member who can write you a letter of recommendation
However, you might not be sure how to:
- Look for a UROP
- Know whether a lab is the right one for you
- Get experiments to work
The BUMP can help you get the most out of your UROP!
General information
- Any MIT student who works in a Biology Department lab automatically becomes a member of the Biology UROP and Mentoring Program.
- Biology Department labs are located in the Koch Building (Building 68), The Center for Cancer Research (Buildings E17 and E18), The Whitehead Institute (Nine Cambridge Center), The Picower Center for Learning and Memory, and The McGovern Center for Neuroscience (both in Building 46).
Training and events for BUMP UROP students
- Every UROP student working in the Biology Department is strongly encouraged to attend a 1.5 hour training session to improve the success of your UROP. You will find this training very useful. Training is offered every semester, and consists of a panel discussion (with refreshments!). Topics include choosing a UROP, reasonable expectations for a UROP, dealing with problems and ethical laboratory practices.
- Other BUMP events will include research talks by faculty, graduate student and postdoc mentors.
- BUMP events will allow you to meet other UROP students, faculty and mentors.
Your suggestions for topics and events are welcome! Contact us.
Recognition for UROP students 
The Biology Department Undergraduate Symposium is a yearly symposium that honors UROP and Project Lab students who have made exceptional contributions to research in the Biology Department. In order to participate, a student must be nominated by her/his faculty advisor.- Several prestigious awards are given to the top UROP students in the Department every year.
- BUMP Publications is a compilation of research abstracts and publications that include UROP authors. All BUMP students are invited to contribute. Contact us when you get authorship on a publication or submit an abstract.
Q & A
1. Is UROP right for me?
- A UROP is a great idea if you are thinking about a career in research – academia, medicine, or the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. It is very important to assess whether you like bench research and working in a research lab is a great way to find out.
- A UROP is a good way to become involved in an intellectually challenging project and to get to know MIT scientists who share your interests.
2. When should I look for a UROP?
- We recommend that you wait until your sophomore year, when you have core courses under your belt.
- 7.02 (Experimental Biology Lab) prepares a student for the UROP experience and will help get you accepted in a lab. It is not advisable to take 7.02 concurrently with a UROP. 7.02 is a lot of work, and your performance in this course is likely to suffer if you are also trying to do UROP research. You might want to wait until you have completed 7.02 before looking for a UROP, unless you have previous lab experience.
3. How many UROPs should I do?
- One or possibly two UROPs will give the optimal research experience. Staying in a lab for a long period will allow you to understand the research project, and carry out a significant amount of research. Your independence increases as you get more experience in a laboratory.
- A stay in one lab will allow you to know your faculty advisor well, enabling her/him to write you a meaningful letter of recommendation. You will become comfortable with other members of your lab, who can serve as mentors to you.
- Biology Department guidelines recommend that you stay for at least two semesters or a semester and a summer in a UROP lab. Your faculty advisor is likely to request that you do so, in order that you have time to be productive.
- Although it may seem a good idea to do many short UROPs in order to learn many techniques, this is not the point of a UROP. Researchers generally learn techniques as needed, and not in advance. Many short UROPS will not allow you to get deeply into a research project.
- On the other hand, if you are unhappy in a UROP (see question 22), you may want to try a different lab.
4. How
do I find a UROP?
- Write a resume or CV. This should include the courses you have completed, your GPA and previous research (and other work) experience. You can also include your high school background and other interests.
- Some UROP opportunities are posted on the UROP website. However, you should not restrict yourself to advertised opportunities. Many labs will accept you if you show enthusiasm and interest in the research.
- You may have had a Professor who seemed interesting, or a graduate student TA who had told you about the interesting research he/she was doing.
- In all cases, send your resume to the faculty member via email, together with a note explaining that you are interested in doing a UROP in his/her lab. You can also contact your TA directly, but you should also contact the relevant faculty member.
- If you get no response, follow up with another email or by contacting the administrative assistant of the faculty member and asking for an appointment.
- Once you get an interview, communicate your enthusiasm for the lab. Read about the research that the lab does before you go to the interview (see question 6).
5. Should I look for a UROP only in the Biology Department?
- Look for a UROP that sounds interesting to you. If this falls in another Department, that's fine. However, the Biology Department has a lot of exciting research and you might want to explore some things you know little about before deciding what to work on.
- It is generally not advisable to do a UROP outside MIT during term-time. You will not be able to take 7.18 in such a lab. You may also find you spend a lot of time commuting to an off-campus location.
- On the other hand, summer employment at a Biotech company or at another university close to your home can be a very good way to broaden your experience.
6. How do I choose the right lab?
- Find a lab offering a project that sounds interesting. The project should be clearly defined by the lab head. Be careful about accepting a UROP where you get only a vague description of what you will be doing. Ask enough questions to understand what the project is about – but don’t forget that the most interesting research is about the unknown.
- If contact with a Faculty member is important to you, choose a lab where you will get this (ask, during your interview). New Faculty members, or Faculty who have fewer graduate students and postdocs are likely to be most interactive with you.
- Meet the graduate student or postdoc who will directly supervise you (see question 11). Make sure you feel comfortable talking with this person.
- You may be concerned whether your name will appear on research publications that include your work. While we think this should not be a consideration (see questions 16 and 17), if it concerns you, ask!
- Do not be shy to ask questions. At MIT, straightforward questions are encouraged and you will likely get straightforward answers.
7. What is the difference between UROP for credit and UROP for pay?
- UROP for credit is typically performed during the term or over IAP.
- UROP for credit will give you units that can be applied as General Institute Credit. You can take UROP for credit for grades (7URG) or Pass/Fail credit (7UR).
- Alternately, you can take UROP for project lab (7.18) that will give you 30 units of credit. You will need to have worked at least one semester in the lab in which you want to do 7.18, and your advisor needs to agree to you performing 7.18 in his/her lab.
- UROP for pay is typically – but not exclusively – performed over the summer. However, the UROP office may have limited slots available during term time. Pay is $8.75 per hour. Some advisors prefer you work for credit during term time, as this opportunity is an intellectual exercise, and not just a job.
8. What paperwork do I need to fill out?
- You will need to register for 7URG (letter grade), 7UR (graded P/D/F) or 7.18 as appropriate on your regular registration form.
- For 7UR or 7URG you need to fill out a UROP cover sheet which is available online, and also in 68-120 and the UROP office, 7-104.
- You, your faculty supervisor and the UROP Coordinator (Prof. Gene Brown in 68-223B) all sign this form.
- You also need to submit a 1-3 page research proposal with this form; see this UROP Office Information page.
- For 7.18, you will need a letter of acceptance from your faculty advisor.
- For UROP for pay, you will need to fill in forms from the UROP office to apply for funds. These will include a summary of your research project, the hours you plan to work and signatures of your faculty advisor and Departmental UROP Coordinator (Prof. Gene Brown).
- For UROP for credit, you will need to officially register by submitting an Add/Drop form to the Registrar’s Office by Drop Date (Add Date does not apply to UROP; see information here.)
- Submit the UROP proposal to the Biology Education Office (68-120) before the deadline.
9. What is the difference between traditional project labs and 7.18 (UROP for project lab)?
- Both traditional project lab and 7.18 earn you 30 units of credit required for a course VII major.
- Both fulfill a CI-M requirement (Communications Intensive requirement in the Major), and you will work with writing tutors who will help you with written and oral presentations of your research.
- In both cases, you will perform original bench research.
- In traditional project labs (7.16, 7.17 and 7.13) you will work as part of a group of approximately 15 students on a defined research project suggested by the faculty who teach the course. You will meet as a group to discuss the research.
- 7.18 is a continuation of research you are already performing in a research lab. However, you will meet as a group with other students also taking 7.18 to discuss your research. The Biology Professor who is teaching 7.18 and a writing tutor will work with you on written and oral presentations of your research.
10. How do I decide whether to do traditional project lab or 7.18?
- Both experiences can be very positive.
- Are you presently doing a UROP that is going well, where you fit comfortably into the lab and where you are pleased with the supervision and training you are receiving? Then 7.18 may be right for you. It will allow you to continue along a productive trajectory in a good environment and finish a significant piece of research.
- On the other hand, project lab is a different type of experience. Instead of being the junior member of the lab group, you are with your peers and everyone is learning about becoming a research scientist together. Many students do both UROP and project lab (but not at the same time).
- If you are thinking about a career in research, and are having a positive UROP experience, 7.18 will allow you to increase your research experience and help you decide whether research is a good career path.
- If you are ambivalent about bench research and may not be interested in a research career, traditional project lab may be best for you. The organized environment and camaraderie of the class may help you get the best project lab experience.
- Project lab is an excellent training tool that will help you find a good UROP or summer internship.
11. How much time should I spend on my UROP?
- The more time you spend on your UROP, the more you will get done. However, you need to balance the amount of time in lab with the amount of time you need to spend on your other courses.
- It is important to realize that UROP should be treated like any other course, and factored into the number of units you are taking. UROP is as time consuming as any course and should not be treated as an “extra”.
- Typically, students spend 12 hours per week in the lab, for 12 units of credit. Less than that will not allow you to get much research done, and may be frustrating to you.
- You will need to arrange your schedule so that you have chunks of time that will fit the project that you do. Some projects require some time every day. Others require several hours at a time, but not necessarily every day. Discuss this with your mentor before deciding on the project. Also arrange your schedule so that you can attend the group meetings of your lab (your faculty advisor may require this).
- Taking a lab course together with a UROP is not recommended. This can be a big time drain, that may not leave you enough time to do well at your other courses, or to do anything else but work.
12. Who will supervise my research?
- Your Faculty advisor is your official supervisor, and you will have contact with her/him.
- However, in most labs, your day to day supervisor or mentor will be a postdoctoral fellow (that is, someone with a PhD or MD) or a graduate student (who is working towards a PhD).
- Your immediate supervisor is likely to be working on a project very closely related to your own.
13. What should I expect of my Faculty advisor?
- Your Faculty advisor should meet with at least once per semester, preferably more.
- He/she should have discussed your project with you and introduced you to your immediate supervisor.
- He/she should be available to discuss issues that arise in the lab.
- He/she should get to know you well enough to write a meaningful letter of recommendation if you need one. It is important to understand how important a letter of recommendation from an MIT faculty member is in helping you get accepted at graduate or medical school or another next step in your career.
- Be proactive! In order to make a meaningful connection with your faculty advisor, you may need to take some initiative. Set up appointments, ask to present your research in lab meetings, be prepared to discuss your work. Show up at meetings with your lab notebook.
14. What expectations will my Faculty advisor have of me?
- You will be expected to work the full number of hours to which you have committed.
- Your training and supervision in the lab take time, and will use external grant funds. You are therefore expected to work seriously and responsibly to justify this investment in you.
- You will be expected to work hard to understand the specific research question you are asking, the techniques you are using and the methods of doing research.
- You will need to present your research data at a lab (group) meeting (see question 19).
- You will be expected to be a good lab citizen and do your share of lab chores.
15. What expectations should I have of a graduate student or postdoc mentor?
- Your mentor should give you a clear description of the project on which you will work, including background reading.
- Your mentor should train you to perform the appropriate, well-controlled experiments. You mentor should make you aware of the safety rules for working in a MIT laboratory.
- Your mentor should encourage you to ask questions as needed.
- However, you should also understand that your mentor has his/her own research program, and cannot constantly be available to you.
- With time and good performance, your mentor should give you an increasingly independent role on the project.
16. How do I successfully perform research?
- Make sure you understand the goal of your project and how it relates to what is known already.
- Make sure you understand what specific experiments you will perform.
- Ask questions and do appropriate reading.
- Work the hours to which you have agreed.
- Plan your research ahead- you should arrive in lab knowing what you will do that day and you should be sure that you have time to finish the work.
- Keep good records (see question 18), so that you can troubleshoot and move ahead to the next experiment.
- Understand what a hypothesis is, and how your experiments should ideally be framed around a hypothesis. Remember that the idea is to TEST a hypothesis, not to PROVE one.
- Know what a control is. Think about appropriate positive and negative controls.
- Understand issues of ethics as they relate to accurate research.
17. Will I get my name on a publication?
- Different labs have different policies, and you should ask about these when you join a lab.
- Being an author indicates that one has made a substantial contribution to a paper. For example, if your data makes one or more figures in a paper, you will likely be an author on the paper.
- For smaller research contributions, you will be acknowledged at the end of the paper, but not included as an author.
- But remember, a successful UROP is not marked by whether a publication bears your name. A good letter of recommendation is worth much more than your name on a publication.
18. How do I keep research records?
- For any research project, you will need to keep an up-to-date account of your research progress.
- This is typically kept in a notebook or binder with Mylar reinforced pages. You should ask which your UROP faculty advisor prefers.
- Keep a record of every day you spend in the lab.
- Every experiment should have a title, date, aim or goal, methods section, results section and conclusions.
- Ideally, many experiments should be framed in terms of a hypothesis.
- Write the aim and methods before you begin an experiment. Do this for each experiment even if you have done it before. Eventually you may be able to refer back to previous experiments, but you should ask your advisor about this.
- Have your notebook nearby during the experiment. If you make a mistake, cross out the method you meant to follow and write what you actually did. Do not erase the original method- you need to keep a record of it. It is important to record even small changes. When you look back at them, they might point the way to an exciting discovery – or at least keep you from making the same mistake a second time.
- After you get your results, document them in your notebook. Write down numbers, paste in photos. Label your data- gel lanes, photos of embryos or plates. Put the date on pieces of data associated with the experiment. Formulate a table of your results.
- Think about your data, write a conclusions section. What can you conclude from the experiment? What went wrong, what should you do next?
- Keep a Table of Contents – that has the title and date of each experiment. You are writing your notes for posterity (or at least for the student who will take over your project).
19. How do I present a research talk or lab meeting?
- You will likely have to present your work at one or more lab meetings of your UROP lab.
- Preparing a lab meeting presentation is a very useful exercise that will help organize your thoughts about your project. The questions and comments you get from the audience may give you good ideas for your project.
- Preparing a lab meeting presentation takes time, and we recommend you begin a week before your presentation.
- See this Tips for Talks handout (pdf), as well as information on the UROP site.
20. I don’t understand the research project. What should I do?
- Read about your project. What is already known? What are the unanswered questions? Ask your supervisor to give you relevant material. Write down questions as you are reading.
- Ask! Explain to your lab supervisor or Faculty advisor that you are having some difficulty understanding the point of the experiments you are performing.
- Be prepared to explain what you do understand and what you do not understand. Make written (typed) notes. Bring them to a meeting with your advisor(s).
- Try to assess whether it is you who does not understand, or your advisor who has not explained it clearly.
- It is possible that this is not a well thought out project, and your questions will focus and improve the project.
21. My experiments are not working. I can’t seem to perform the necessary techniques. What should I do?
- Do not feel embarrassed about this – it is a very common occurrence in bench research.
- First, read about the technique. Make sure you understand the principle. Look in a relevant textbook to begin with.
- Ask your lab supervisor. Explain that you think you understand the principle of the technique, but cannot get experiments to work. Request that he/she demonstrates the technique again.
- Break the technique into steps. Try to assess where you are failing.
- Practice the technique, using a positive control (something that should work).
22. I am not enjoying my UROP. What should I do?
- Try to assess why you are not happy.
- Is the project not interesting to you? If so, discuss an alternate project with your advisor(s).
- Do you feel you are not getting enough training? Do you dislike the atmosphere in the lab? If so, perhaps you should find a UROP in a different lab.
- Do you dislike bench research? This could be a valuable realization, and suggests that a career in research is not for you.
23. Final thoughts
- Finally – there will be much you do not understand as you move through your UROP. Do not be shy to ask questions. No one expects you to know all the answers – there would be no point in doing a UROP if you understood it all!