Running a successful STEMM summer program: A week-by-week guide.

While some established undergraduate summer programs are effective across many institutions, these programs may only be available to some principal investigators or may not fully address the diverse needs of incoming undergraduates. This article outlines a 10-week science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) education program designed to prepare undergraduate students for graduate school through a unique model incorporating mentoring dyads and triads, cultural exchanges, and diverse activities while emphasizing critical thinking, research skills, and cultural sensitivity. Specifically, we offer a straightforward and adaptable guide that we have used for mentoring undergraduate students in a laboratory focused on mitochondria and microscopy, but which may be customized for other disciplines. Key components include self-guided projects, journal clubs, various weekly activities such as mindfulness training and laboratory techniques, and a focus on individual and cultural expression. Beyond this unique format, this 10-week program also seeks to offer an intensive research program that emulates graduate-level experiences, offering an immersive environment for personal and professional development, which has led to numerous achievements for past students, including publications and award-winning posters.

Current perspective on circadian function of the kidney.

Behavior and function of living systems are synchronized by the 24-h rotation of the Earth that guides physiology according to time of day. However, when behavior becomes misaligned from the light-dark cycle, such as in rotating shift work, jet lag, and even unusual eating patterns, adverse health consequences such as cardiovascular or cardiometabolic disease can arise. The discovery of cell-autonomous molecular clocks expanded interest in regulatory systems that control circadian physiology including within the kidney, where function varies along a 24-h cycle. Our understanding of the mechanisms for circadian control of physiology is in the early stages, and so the present review provides an overview of what is known and the many gaps in our current understanding. We include a particular focus on the impact of eating behaviors, especially meal timing. A better understanding of the mechanisms guiding circadian function of the kidney is expected to reveal new insights into causes and consequences of a wide range of disorders involving the kidney, including hypertension, obesity, and chronic kidney disease.