Institute of Engineering in Medicine

The following programs are designed with faculty from UC San Diego Institute of Engineering in Medicine and are designed for high school students who all share the goal of translating groundbreaking science into new technologies and therapies that will transform patient care and improve the health and well-being.

Fundamentals of Neurosciences: Health and Disease - ONLINE

Fundamentals of Neurosciences: Health and Disease

Dates: June 16 - June 20, 2025
Course Delivery: Live Online
Tuition: $2,700
Schedule:

Monday - Friday from 9:00AM to 4:00PM PST
One hour lunch break from 12:00PM to 1:00PM PST

Human superior intelligence is what distinguishes us from other creatures. Have you ever wondered how our brains and our nerve cells (neurons) look and function differently from other cells? In this workshop, we will dive into the very basics of neurosciences, from molecular and cellular to neuronal structures, neuronal circuits that are ultimately responsible for neuronal functions such as pain, emotion, empathy, feelings, and memory. Most importantly, we will discuss neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease etc of the brain as well peripheral neuronal diseases.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students will grasp the complexity of our nervous systems.

Students will learn the basics of neurons.
Students will have a good understanding of neuronal circuits and activities.
Students will also understand the major theories and hypothesis of neurodegeneration.
Students will know the importance and reasons of neuroprotection.

Course Topics:

This course will cover the basic definition of neurobiology.
This course will look at samples of neurons and brain anatomy.
This course will cover many theories and hypotheses of neurodegeneration.
This course will demonstrate rodent brain dissection.
Students will formulate novel ideas regarding the cause(s) of Alzheimer’s disease.

Introduction to Cell Biology and Imaging Processing Techniques - ONLINE

Introduction to Cell Biology and Imaging Processing Techniques

Dates: August 4 - August 8, 2025
Course Delivery: Live Online
Tuition: $2,700
Schedule:

Monday - Friday from 9:00AM to 4:00PM PST
One hour lunch break from 12:00PM to 1:00PM PST

This pre-college credit course introduces the fundamental concepts of cell biology and the basics of microscopy and imaging processing techniques. Students will explore cell structure, function, and imaging technologies used in biological research.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will:

Understand the basic structure and function of cells.
They will learn about various cell organelles and their roles as well as cell cycles and cell division(mitosis).
They will learn how cellular dysfunction contributes to disease and ways the researchers study cells to understand how to treat or diagnose diseases.
Students will explore basic imaging techniques used in cell biology.
Students will develop skills in image processing and analysis.

Course Topics:

Overview of Cell Theory and types of cells.
Cell structure and function and introduction to organelles.
Cell cycle and Mitosis.
Apoptosis and Cell Death
Cellular Dysfunction and relationship to disease
The course will briefly touch on calcium signaling in diseased cells.
Types of microscopes: light, electron, and fluorescence.
Sample preparation for imaging
Introduction to image processing software
Quantitative image analysis

Other Program Information

Institute of Engineering in Medicine Application

Students can access the application from the "Apply Now" tab here.

Institute of Engineering in Medicine FAQ

Who can apply?
Can international students attend?
Where is the course located?
How do I request a transcript?
Is financial aid available?

Who can apply?
8th to 12th grade students and community college students with curiosity and enthusiasm for STEM are welcome to apply.

Can international students attend?
International students are allowed to apply to our program.

Where is the course located?
The course is strictly online and sessions will be held live online via zoom.

How do I request a transcript?
For instructions on how to order a transcript, please click here. If you’ve never ordered transcripts through Parchment before, you will need to register for a Parchment account. Details can be found from the link above. All transcripts will be printed and delivered by one of the methods listed here. Transcript requests are processed by Student Services. Should you have any questions, please contact them at unex-reg@ucsd.edu.

You can also view/download your grade report by logging in your MyExtension here.

Is financial aid available?
UC San Diego Research Scholars is a self-supported program that does not receive any State or Federal funding. As a result, we are unable to offer financial aid or grants to our program participants. Students are encouraged to reach out to their school counselors and community for scholarship opportunities. Please refer to the scholarship tab for available scholarships.

Institute of Engineering in Medicine Acceptance

Fundamentals of Neurosciences Application Deadline: Students will be accepted on a rolling basis until Monday, June 2, 2025.

Introduction to Cell Biology Application Deadline: Students will be accepted on a rolling basis until Monday, July 21, 2025

Institute of Engineering in Medicine Cancellation/Refund Policies

Fundamentals of Neurosciences: Health and Disease

Tuition will be paid at the time of acceptance.

Cancellation or withdrawal for any reason on or prior to June 2, 2025 will result in a 100% refund.

Refunds after June 2, 2025 will only be issued for serious illness (doctors note is required) or extenuating circumstances. No refunds are provided if students are dismissed from the program.