Welcome
The Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine is pioneering the development of new approaches to study cells and organisms in the new discipline of systems biology. The ultimate goal of our research is to create new knowledge about the function and interactions of living cells, the cellular and molecular basis for dysfunction, and ultimately provide the basis for the development of new clinical treatment strategies to combat disease.
James R. DePauw Professor and Chair, Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology

Summer Undergraduate Research in Cardiovascular Physiology (Cardio-SURPh)
This program will provide students with hands-on research experience in active NIH and AHA funded cardiovascular research labs. Students will also attend career development workshops, research seminars, networking opportunities, and have the option to present their work at a national scientific meeting.
The Loyola Cardio-SURPh program is supported by the American Heart Association, the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, and the Loyola Cardiovascular Research Institute
Individuals from groups underrepresented in science are encouraged to apply.
Program Details
- Program Dates: May 29th – August 4th (some flexibility may be possible as long as the 10-week commitment is fulfilled)
- Application: Submit to surph@luc.edu prior to March 15th deadline (see application details below)
- Stipend: $6,000
- Housing: Limited housing options are available, please indicate if this is needed in the cover letter
- Other Support: Up to $3,000 is available to attend a national scientific meeting
Eligibility
- Applicants must be in their junior or senior academic undergraduate year in good academic standing
- The program is open to United States Citizens and Foreign Nationals holding student, exchange, or permanent resident visas, including F1, H1, H1B, PR, TC, or TN visas. Awardees must meet American Heart Association citizenship/visa criteria throughout the entire duration of the program.
- This is a full-time program and fellows may not take other classes while participating
Applications Materials (Deadline: 3/15/23)
- Statement of research experience and goals (one page or less, also indicate any preference for research mentor here, although we cannot guarantee lab placement)
- Resume/CV
- Unofficial Transcripts
- Statement indicating citizenship/visa requirement (as indicated under eligibility)
- Send materials as a single pdf to surph@luc.edu
Participating Research Mentors
- Jonathan Kirk (website)
- Seth Robia (website)
- Ivana Kuo (website)
- Peter Kekenes-Huskey (website)
- Grace Muller (website)
Please email surph@luc.edu or program director Dr. Jonathan Kirk (jkirk2@luc.edu) with any questions
Announcing CHARM:
Recent News and Awards:
- Jonathan Kirk, PhD, Associate Professor and Vice Chair, interviews with News Medical to discuss his first hand experience in the field of clinical and applied mass spectrometry. Read the full interview here.
- Sean Cleary, PhD candidate in Dr. Seth Robia's lab, received an NIH predoctoral award for his project titled "Investigating Novel Regulatory Mechanisms of the Cardiac Calcium Pump by Inhibitory and Stimulatory Micropeptides."
- Dave Barefield, PhD, Assistant Professor, has been awarded an NIH grant titled "Regulation of atrial contractility in cardiomyopathy."
- Toni Pak, PhD, James R. DePauw Professor & Chair, has been awarded an NIH grant titled "Neuromolecular consequences of adolescent binge drinking."
CAREERS
If you are interested in a career with Loyola University Chicago's Physiology Department, please visit our careers page.