Undertaking independent research is a goal for many students, and here at INBT, undergraduate students can do this with the help of the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA). Provost Joseph Cooper (1991-1995) established the PURA program in 1993 with a generous endowment by the Hodson Trust.  The award allows students to work on an independent project over the academic year, with the assistance of a Johns Hopkins mentor, to conceive, design, and execute the project. This encourages students to be creative and put their knowledge and skills into practice. 

The INBT undergraduate summer 2026 recipients and their faculty mentor includes: 

Aarushi Pant
Characterizing Impacts of Genetic Risk Factors for Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease on the Blood-Brain Barrier in Vitro.
Mentors: Peter Searson, Lily Liang 

Florin Selaru
3D Mapping and Analysis of Devleoping Nervous Systems Across Vertebrate Species
Mentors: Denis Wirtz