Once you find a project idea that interests you, PASTEUR faculty can conduct an "early review" to be sure it meets program requirements and is acceptable for funding.  At later stages, we can help you optimize the project and produce a thoughful and substantive formal proposal. 

To get started, please contact Clint Sours to arrange a meeting.  Our office is upstairs in the Cannon Society in the Tosteson Medical Education Center (TMEC) on the Harvard Longwood campus.  Contact information and role descriptions appear below.


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  PASTEUR Administrator, Mr. Sours is primary contact for questions about both the Summer Program and One Year Fellowship.

Alternate Contacts
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  Co-Director of overall PASTEUR Program, alternate contact for questions about our One Year Fellowship.
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  Alternate contact for questions about our One Year Fellowship.
• Dr. Gary Curhan
  Co-director of the PASTEUR Summer Program and alternate contact for questions about that opportunity.
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  Co-director of the PASTEUR Summer Program and alternate contact for questions about that opportunity.

Working Definition of Clinical Research
The PASTEUR selection committee must agree prospective project selections are appropriately clinical before it can support them. To remove some of the guesswork about what constitutes "clinical", we have adapted the National Institutes of Health (NIH) definition below. Note, we decide on a case-by-case basis whether to accept each project proposal.

The NIH defines clinical research as consisting of three broad categories:
(1) Patient-oriented research
(2) Epidemiologic and behavioral studies
(3) Outcomes and health services research

The first category, patient-oriented research, requires some elaboration. "Patient-oriented" refers to research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects. This area of research includes the development of new technologies, mechanisms of human disease, therapeutic interventions, disease control, and clinical trials. The important requirement is that investigators must have direct interaction with human subjects and relate the research results to the patient status or outcome. For example, in-vitro research involving archived tissue does not qualify.

One type of investigation that might fit under this category (if carefully designed) is termed "translational research". Translational projects relate bench research to clinical responses. In other words, translational researchers seek to understand the expression of disease at the cellular or molecular level, and then based on this new knowledge attempt to develop improved diagnostic, prognostic, or treatment approaches. Again, simply analyzing samples of human origin is not sufficiently patient-oriented for our program, but if the new knowledge will be related to the course or outcomes for patients who donated the samples the selection committee would consider such a proposal.

We must emphasize the PASTEUR selection committee can only support projects that utilize the human as the subject, or ones we feel demonstrate a clear and logical extension to the human as the experimental model. For example, the selection committee would most likely not consider a proposal that focuses only on the pre-clinical phase of a new vaccine for humans. However it has supported vaccine development projects which incorporate both a pre-clinical and a clinical trial phase. (Note, the example above would require an extended period of time unavailable in our eight-week Summer Program.)

Beginning Your Search
The PASTEUR Program emphasizes student-initiated matches. We find when students are engaged in the search for a compatible mentors and projects, the experience is more likely to be successful. In addition, this exercise is a beneficial way to "take stock" of your interests and priorities. However, keep in mind PASTEUR faculty thoroughly review your concept and may require changes to the subject, scope, or the methods you propose.

The Harvard research community is both large and diverse, comprising investigators based at eighteen Boston-area teaching hospitals and their affiliated institutions. No pre-established list of mentors/projects is provided, although you may wish to view our list of Representative Mentors and Projects. If you are applying for our One-year Fellowship, you may wish to learn more about our Previous Fellows and their projects.

The web resources below may help you begin your search. Feel free to contact potential mentors, as long as you explain your current application status with our program.

Searching Harvard Research Community Resources

• Links to Residency and Fellowship Programs
  A handy page with links to advanced training programs available within the Harvard community, listed by institution. Many of these programs require participants to engage in research and list resources, faculty, and representative ongoing projects.
• Focus Newsletter
  A bi-weekly news magazine reporting the latest in biomedical research, advances and programs from the Harvard Medical, Dental and Public Health Schools as well as from the many Harvard-affiliated institutions. Note, Focus features a handy "keyword" search button.
• Web Weekly
  The weekly Harvard Medical Community Internet magazine provides news on recent research findings, student life, and events of note. Click the "back issues" button to see past issues, archived by year of publication. (Each archive page can be searched for keywords by pressing "ctrl" and the "f" key at the same time)
• Harvard News Releases
  Press releases from the Harvard Medical Community can highlight exciting avenues in patient-oriented research. (Once opened, this page can be searched for keywords by pressing "ctrl" and the "f" key at the same time)

Searching for Mentors
It is easier to choose the right mentor when you know what role he or she should play in your research experience. When you begin discussions with a potential mentor, ask for his or her expectations and compare them to your own goals. Be sure you understand clearly what will be expected of you. Also, do not commit to a mentor at your first meeting.  Remember that PASTEUR faculty must review your proposal to verify the scope and nature of your proposed project meet PASTEUR guidelines.

Below we have listed some general guidelines for the mentors participating in the PASTEUR Summer and Yearlong Clinical Research Programs.

• PASTEUR Mentors offer patient-oriented projects. Projects may involve experimentation with human tissues or genetic samples, or may involve actual patient contact (if IRB approval is necessary it must be obtained before the student's program begins). Projects involving the use of animal models are generally not supported. Only ones which demonstrate a clear and logical extension to experimentation on human subjects will be considered.
• Mentors insure the scope of each project is appropriate for the time available.
• Mentors assist Harvard medical students by reviewing their Society research applications.
• Mentors maintain contact with students and advise them through all stages of the project, from literature search to trouble shooting. Mentors also review the students' final project presentations.
• Mentors review the abstract and poster many HMS students prepare for Soma Weiss Research Day (an event that showcases student research at Harvard Medical School).
• Mentors foster integration by allowing PASTEUR students to participate in regular lab meetings and other lab discussions.
• Mentors permit students to attend PASTEUR didactic seminar sessions, usually held once per week.  

Writing your Formal Proposal
You must produce a formal proposal with the help of your mentor.   This proposal is the heart of your application to both PASTEUR and the Harvard Office of Enrichment Programs (OEP).  For further discussion see Writing Your Proposal.