Summer Research Program
We host a paid 8-week research program designed to provide students a structured and mentored research experience. Students work in teams to solve a biological question using a microfluidic device. Our program pairs you with expert mentors from biosciences and microfluidics, guiding you through interdisciplinary teamwork. You will learn how to build your own microfludic device and use it to gather experience with experimental design and troubleshooting, data acquisition and analysis. In addition, you will participate in career development programing including workshops on how to communicate your science effectively, ensuring you're equipped with skills for success in any scientific endeavor. Social events with other interns and Stanford researchers will expose you to other research and help build your scientific network! At the end of the program, you will be able to celebrate and present your progress at a research symposium. Would you like to be an intern during Summer 2026?
Program Dates: June 22 - August 14th 2026
Deadline March 31st 2026 at 11:59 pm
2025 Summer Research Program Interns
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Jasmine Cardenas
College of San Mateo
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Ana Fonseca
Florida International University
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Elvin Garcia
University of California, Los Angeles
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Anna Gerasimenko
University of Illinois Chicago
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Lauren Hong
College of San Mateo
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Alan Vongsavanh
College of San Mateo —> UC Davis
Engineering Synthetic Endosymbiosis: Microfluidic Fusion of Protoplasts with Cyanobacteria
Team Endosymbiosis: Alan, Ana and Elvin
Mentor: Dr. Solène Moulin , Yeh Lab
This was a continuation of a BIOE301D project in which students worked to develop a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, which disrupt the natural nitrogen cycle and cause environmental damage. To do this, they developed a microfluidic platform that would allow for the fusion of encapsulated nitrogen-fixing bacteria inside giant vesicles with plant protoplasts, aiming to create a synthetic endosymbiosis. To achieve this, they fine-tuned parameters such as trap size, flow rate, array spacing, and electrical fusion conditions to maximize pairing efficiency while keeping these fragile membrane compartments intact.
Measuring Protein Stability with an Automated Microfluidics Platform
Team Protein Stability: Anna, Lauren and Jasmine
Mentor: Shawn Costello, Fordyce Lab
In this project, the students developed an integrated system composed of a microfluidics herringbone mixer and a microwell platform to enable the measurement of the thermodynamic folding stability of hundreds of different proteins simultaneously.
2024 Summer Research Program Interns
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Ananya Pant
Major: Chemical Engineering
College of San Mateo
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Nick Tugangui
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Mission College
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Eduardo Posadas Barrera
Major: Computer Engineering
College of San Mateo
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Denisse Ramos
Major: Chemistry
Mission College
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Bianca Figueroa
Major: Chemical Engineering
College of San Mateo
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JuanPablo Curiel
Major: Biology
Mission-West Valley College
Observing Cell Migration in L2 C. elegans Using Microfluidic Immobilization
Team Worms: Denisse, JuanPablo and Nick
Mentor: Ayaka Kasamatsu, Feldman Lab
This project was an extension of a BIOE301D project in which students designed and optimized worm traps to successfully immobilize L2 mutant C. elegans. The interns re-designed, fabricated and tested these devices ensuring sufficient immobilization while allowing feeding to obtain 10 hours of continuous imaging. These devices continued to be used by the collaborators in their experiments.
In this project our interns developed multiple iterations of valved devices that enabled simultaneous application and measurement of force on different molecules. The devices continued to be used by their mentor to expand their current research.
2023 Summer Research Program Interns
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Hector Baltazar
Major: Computer Science
Mission College
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Daisy Espinoza
Major: Biology
Mission College
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Drake Gonzales
Major: Civil Engineering
College of San Mateo
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Evan Jimenez
Major: Civil Engineering
College of San Mateo → UC Irvine
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Manny Sanchez
Major: Physics
Foothill College
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Raymond Yum
Major: Physics
Foothill College → UC Berkeley
Determining the Effect of Compression on Mutant C. elegans Through Long Term Imaging
Team Worms: Daisy, Evan and Raymond
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Cote, Feldman Lab
This project was a continuation of a BIOE301D project in which students designed and optimized worm traps to successfully immobilize L1 mutant C. elegans to aid in the visualization of their gut repair over multiple days. The interns designed, fabricated and tested these devices to confirm worms remained alive and to investigate whether or not the width of the traps (which led to various levels of compression) had an effect on the repair process. These devices are currently being used by the collaborators to continue with long-term imaging experiments.
In this project, our interns were interested in using a microfluidic droplet generator to generate beads to selectively remove pollutants from wastewater. Since the composition of these beads required novel polymers that hadn’t been used to make beads before, they developed a systematic pipeline to narrow down the formulations that could be successful at creating beads on-chip. In addition, they redesigned the microfluidic devices to increase their device production by 400%. During the summer, they screened 38 novel formulations and found 3 that generated stable beads. The beads are currently being tested by their collaborators to assess their functionality.
Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve Fieldtrip with SMF-SRP, NeuroCC and CCOP interns
Social mixer SMF-SRP & NeuroCC
Social mixer SMF-SRP & NeuroCC
Team Beads Poster Session - Aug 4
Team Worms Poster Session - Aug 4
Team Beads Poster Session - Aug 17
Team Worms Poster Session - Aug 17
Team Beads Final Talk
Team Worms Final Talk
2023 Interns
Raymond and Evan inspecting their devices in the cleanroom
2025 Poster Session with SURF Program
2025 Poster Session with SURF Program
2025 Final Oral Presentation
Working in the cleanroom!
