Students interested in Clinical/Rare Disease research typically work with a mentor in the Fritz Wenzel Center for Clinical Research (FWCRC) on projects that explore relationships or association between the cause of disease and current medical practice with the goal to enhance a better understanding of a disease or disorder. In addition to the independent project, students may have the opportunity to be involved with other projects that have an emphasis rare disease or rare disease registries, cardiology, infectious disease, neurology, or pediatrics.
FWCRC SRIP Projects
The FWCRC researchers will offer one project for the 2026 summer session.
1) Identifying factors impacting the health and well-being of adolescents and adults with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome
Project Overview:
Bardet Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare ciliopathy with broad ranging impacts. Neurodevelopmental delays and other neurocognitive features are part of diagnostic criteria for BBS. These include features like Autism Spectrum Disorder. These features have significant impact of social interactions as well as academic or work performance.
Primary research question: Identifying neurocognitive issues early is important for access to treatment for people with BBS. Additionally, other features of BBS including retinal dystrophy and hyperphagia can complicate the effectiveness of therapies to address neurocognitive issues. The primary research questions for this project are to identify factors related to neurocognitive function in people with BBS and how neurocognitive function interacts with other features of BBS.
The intern working on this project will identify the key research questions to be addressed in this project and be responsible for working with the mentor and internship program to develop a plan to address the question and to prepare a presentation to share the findings at the Summer Research Internship symposium. The intern will develop an understanding of BBS and what is known about the impact of the syndromes and the mechanisms causing the features of BBS. In addition to developing the research question the intern will be involved in developing an analysis plan, carrying out the analysis plan, and interpreting the results.
The BBS Center of Excellence includes medical providers with expertise in evaluating and treating individuals with BBS. This includes a neuropsychologist and pediatric and adolescent psychologist, as well as specialists in endocrinology, nephrology, and cardiology. The intern may have the opportunity to work individually with some of these providers to learn more about their experiences evaluating and treating people with BBS. Additionally, the BBS Center holds BBS clinic weeks throughout the summer where people with BBS and their families travel to Marshfield to receive expert care. The intern will have the opportunity to meet with people with BBS and their families to gain an increased understanding of the lived experience of BBS.
Requirements:
Students need to have taken introductory statistics (as a minimum) and have knowledge in the Microsoft suite including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. Knowledge of SAS or R is preferred but not required. This project is open to undergraduate seniors, and graduate students who are engaged in the following areas: psychology, neuropsychology, epidemiology, and/or neuroscience. Students will be performing literature reviews, analyzing data, and attending seminars. This project is an in-person internship.
Friendly reminder, the internship is a competitive process with an application, copy of transcripts, resume or CV, personal statement, and two academic or research references. See Frequently Asked Questions for additional details.
Application window for the summer of 2026 is now open and will close Feb. 6, 2026 at 11:59pm CST. Apply here.