<p>Hello, Im a senior in High school and im weighing my choices for college. I want to become a stem cell researcher, and work/get an internship at a cord banking or stem cell bank. I want to know which is the best school for undergraduate studying of stem cells. I know that in the Biological sciences, Harvard and Stanford rank high. They both have new stem cell institutes at their schools. I have also thought about working under leading stem cell researchers, mainly Woo Suk Hwang from University of Seoul in South Korea(yes I was thinking of applying) but not anymore due to recent scandals involved. I would like to try and get an internship at Advanced Cell Technology, which have recently opened a california based center because of Proposition 71. If anyone could please supply me a list of the best schools for stem cell research, embryonic of mouse, and adult stem cell research, that would be great. I was thinking of MIT for undergraduate, because they have embryonic mouse stem cell research, maybe for transfer it might be good. Also for graduate level I was thinking of University of California-San Francisco, since they have a good stem cell program. University of California is another good choice for undergraduate?
I was thinking of majoring in Cell/Molecular Biology, Stem Cell Biology and possibly organic chemistry/biochemistry and genetics. I want to be a young stem cell researcher in the field, and I would really like a list of the Best Schools in the U.S. for undergraduate as well as graduate research in stem cells. I also would like a list of International Schools/Universities which are recognized highly with the U.S. schools. Although next year I will go to a University, I was thinking heavily on going to University of Wisconsin-Madison, and then later transferring to a school like Stanford, Harvard, MIT, or UC-Berkeley for better undergraduate stem cell research. For Graduate School, I possibly plan to pursue a Master's degree in one of the four schools listed above, although I would like feedback. I want to try to get an internship doing something in the field, and I would like to try cloning research first-hand in these top tier schools.</p>
<p>Can anyone offer their feedback on this subject?</p>
<p>Why would any of those schools have more ug research in stem cells than UW? UW is the leader and is determined to keep that lead. They had another major breakthrough just announced today. UW has also been doing cloning longer than other US schools.</p>
<p>Yes I know about the recent breakthroughs, but although I think Wisconsin is good, how can I be sure that it is better than MIT, Harvard, and Stanford which have larger research endowments, etc?
I really appreciate your response though, since it reaffirms my commitment to the school. So you mean then, I should go to Wisconsin-Madison for undergraduate <em>AND</em> graduate school for stem cell research? Will I have the best oppurtunity to do research in this school instead of others?</p>
<p>Anyone else able to offer some advice, please respond. :)</p>
<p>Most are recommended to go elsewhere for grad school si I would assume that's the best path. UW has a larger research budget than Harvard and Stanford and MIT according to published reports but MIT does lots of classified stuff that is not counted so I think their total is higher. UW will be #2 or #3 in total non-classified research after UCLA and maybe ahead of Michgan this year.</p>
<p>Barrons, Your talking about stem cell research, not overall research the school conducts right?</p>
<p>Also, how do you reason that UW is the best for stem cell research at this moment in time? For other factors, like the majors I outlined which I plan to pursue, are they the best in those specific areas of study??</p>
<p>My whole reasoning is that I want to go to the Best (and that can include the hardest school) for someone who wants to pursue one of the majors I outlined and who would like to do stem cell research as an undergraduate. :)</p>
<p>That's overall research spending. And yes, UW is in the top three and has been pretty much for the last decade or more. The total for this year will be well over $800 Million.</p>
<p>It's hard to say who is the absolute top school in stem cells right now but UW has been making key advances since they were the first to isolate stem cells several years ago and the state is committed to staying at the top of the stem cell research competition.</p>
<p>Here's the last federal report ranking research spending. It's data is a little old now (2002) and UW has passed UM. Hopkins does not really lead because they include a federal owned research center that they manage under contract in their numbers--that's why they get a footnote. Their real number is about $500 Million.</p>
<p>I can understand that its hard to say which one is on top of it, but I can say that Massachusetts, Wisconsin and California are on top of it. And since California has Caltech, and Stanford and Massachusetts has MIT, and Harvard I assumed that those were better, or at least one of those was the leader in stem cells at the moment. Can you help me with knowing which one offers the most future promise in stem cells?</p>
<p>dave, who the heck cares where you go for undergrad?
Don't be so snobbish and be like "Oh! I need to go to the best college possible because otherwise I will be a hobo on the streets and everyone will mock me! Oh no!"
Your education is only as successful as you make it. Don't go to a school just because their number one and their courses are impossible and thus in return you won't do so well in the future.
Additionally the professors won't care a single bit about you at those institutions you mentioned. They don't want some undergrad screwing around with their work.
Honestly I bet I will have a much easier time finding a professor to do work with at where I am going than where you want to go. And I don't really care that where I go is not number one in any field that I am interested in. Sure they are one of the leading universities, but they are not number one.</p>
<p>Overview of Stem Cell research at UW.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.stemcells.wisc.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://www.stemcells.wisc.edu/</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.news.wisc.edu/10446.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.news.wisc.edu/10446.html</a></p>
<p>I doubt you'd be involved in this kind of research as an undergrad. Although you could be offered to help professors with research, this field is particularly hot and probably reserved for grad students. You don't have to get ahead of yourself. This is what grad school is for. :)</p>
<p>Well, I should rephrase the question: Which are the leading schools/universities in stem cell research? or in majors like Cell/Molecular Biology, Stem Cell Biology and possibly organic chemistry/biochemistry and genetics?</p>
<p>I asked for anyone to provide me a list of the leading schools, because I even I doubt I will get into UW, because not everything is assured. :)
Although I wanted to know which one was the "best" although, as is said they really isnt a "best" school in stem cell research, although UW seems to be the most promising and involved. I also asked to see which schools are the best outside of the U.S. but that is much harder to find.
Looking for anymore feedback/info, greatly appreciated. :)</p>
<p>Any other feedback/info is appreciated. :)
Still going on with the process.</p>
<p>Really, if you intend to go to graduate school in the sciences, the best school is one where you can get a lot of undergraduate research experience. </p>
<p>I've found MIT to be an excellent place for a budding scientist (80% of undergrads participate in research), but any school where you can be assured a position in a laboratory starting early is a good bet.</p>
<p>MIT sounds good for Graduate School, although really Im more focused on my undergraduate, since that is where Im heading to now. :)</p>
<p>Is it safe to say that University of Wisconsin is the leading university for stem cell research?</p>
<p>Yeah, I live in Wisconsin and took a tour at UW, they were all pumped and they made sure to let me know they were the top.</p>
<p>Wow, I really appreciate the tip. :)
Thanks all, wish we luck in getting into UW-Madison!!!!!!</p>
<p>I got in guys!</p>
<p>Oh, Im wondering now what type of courses I need to take my freshman year.</p>