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Fleming Scholars Program

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF)

The Fleming Scholars Program was founded in 1956 as a way to give Oklahoma’s high school and college students “hands-on” biomedical research experience. The program is named for Sir Alexander Fleming, the famed British scientist, who discovered penicillin and in 1949 came to Oklahoma City to formally dedicate the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s first building. In the first news release about the program in 1956, the late Dean A. McGee, then Chairman of the Board of Directors’ Executive Committee, expressed the philosophy behind the program:

“We feel that students will greatly benefit from the opportunity of working shoulder-to-shoulder in the laboratories with our scientific personnel. Our scientists feel also that in this way they can make a direct contribution to the solution of the critical manpower shortage in the field of biology and medical research. We are shorthanded in terms of having adequate staff to do the job of expanding our knowledge in the field of human health, and perhaps by this program, we will be helping identify and stimulate the scientists of tomorrow.”

In 1982, the Fleming Scholars Program became a model for a national program funded by the federal government to bring the best and brightest high school and college students into contact with the best and brightest scientific and mathematical minds in government and non-government laboratories.

Today the Fleming Scholars Program remains popular, attracting as many as 100 applicants each year.

Application Deadline

All completed application packets must be submitted electronically and/or postmarked by 11:59 p.m., Feb. 1, 2026. Incomplete application packets or materials received later than the due date will be disqualified.

Interviews

The Selection Committee will select up to 25 applicants for virtual interviews on March 21, 2026. All applicants will be notified of their interview status by early March.

Compensation

Scholars who complete the full summer program will be paid at least $5,000.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

Below are the most common factors that make projects and investigators competitive — whether seeking NIH grants through OMRF, philanthropic pilot support, or collaborative awards that involve OMRF scientists.

✅ 1. High-Impact, Mechanistic Scientific Questions

Funded research at OMRF is focused on deep mechanistic understanding of disease processes (e.g., immune dysfunction, aging biology, DNA replication/repair, metabolic regulation). Projects that frame clear, mechanistically grounded hypotheses with implications for human health are most competitive. omrf.org

Predictor: Aim for hypotheses that address key disease mechanisms — this resonates with major NIH study sections and private biomedical funders alike.

✅ 2. Strong Preliminary Data and Feasibility

External reviewers (e.g., NIH panels) give weight to proposals with solid preliminary evidence and a clear plan demonstrating feasibility. OMRF’s core facilities and collaborative environment enable rigorous preliminary experiments and powerful datasets.

Predictor: Include well-designed pilot data showing feasibility in your application narrative.

✅ 3. Alignment With Funders’ Priorities

Projects that match current priorities of major biomedical funders (e.g., NIH’s focus on precision health, aging, immunology, genetics) are more competitive. OMRF’s track record shows strength in such domains. taggs.hhs.gov

Predictor: Explicitly map your aims to agency strategic plans (e.g., NIH mission statements or foundation research agendas).

✅ 4. Collaborative, Multidisciplinary Teams

Projects involving collaboration across disciplines (e.g., genomics, immunology, clinical science) often score better. OMRF’s structure and core resource infrastructure facilitate such collaboration.

Predictor: Demonstrate a multidisciplinary team with complementary expertise and shared leadership.

✅ 5. Utilization of Core Facilities

OMRF’s core labs (sequencing, imaging, cytometry) are important resources that support technically complex projects.

Predictor: Show how core facilities integrate into your methods and strengthen your ability to deliver results.

✅ 6. Career Stage and Independence

For career awards or competitive individual grants (e.g., NIH K99/R00 or R01), reviewers assess investigator independence, track record, and leadership potential. OMRF supports trainees and early investigators through mentoring and professional development programs. omrf.org

Predictor: Document your research independence, leadership in project design, and trajectory toward an independent laboratory.

✅ 7. Institutional Environment and Support

Competitive projects highlight the institutional strengths — mentorship, facilities, collaborative opportunities, and logistics support — that underpin the work.

Predictor: Include letters/sections describing OMRF’s supportive environment and institutional commitment.

✅ 8. Early Seed Support Leading to Larger Grants

Philanthropic seed grants (e.g., from the Presbyterian Health Foundation) often enable acquisition of preliminary data that leverages larger future awards (e.g., NIH R01). omrf.org

Predictor: Use small pilot funding strategically to enable larger competitive proposals with stronger evidence.

📌 Best Practices for Applicants in the OMRF Ecosystem

Whether you’re an OMRF investigator, collaborator, or trainee aiming to compete for external funding, the following practices boost competitiveness:

🧪 Focus on disease relevance and mechanistic insight

Tie your research clearly to disease processes with broad health implications.

📈 Build a coherent research narrative

Craft aims that tell a logical story from biology to impact.

🤝 Engage collaborators early

Leverage OMRF’s multidisciplinary expertise.

📊 Use core facilities effectively

Highlight cutting-edge methods supported by OMRF infrastructure.

📌 Benchmark against funded work

Review recent OMRF-associated NIH grants (e.g., aging, immunology, genomic regulation) to understand successful project types. taggs.hhs.gov

🧠 Typical Review Criteria for Grants Linked to OMRF

Funders like NIH and private foundations typically assess:

Significance: Importance of the problem and potential to advance understanding.

Innovation: Novelty of hypothesis, methods, or approach.

Approach: Quality and feasibility of the research plan.

Investigators: Expertise and track record of the team.

Environment: Institutional support and resources.

These criteria align with OMRF’s strengths and what its scientists routinely deliver in funded projects.

📌 Summary: OMRF Success Predictors

Predictor	Rationale
Mechanistic scientific questions	Aligns with major funder priorities and OMRF strengths. omrf.org
Strong preliminary data	Enhances feasibility and credibility.
Alignment with funder priorities	Boosts competitiveness in NIH/foundation review.
Multidisciplinary collaboration	Demonstrates breadth and integration.
Core facility use	Enables high-impact methods. omrf.org
Investigator independence & track record	Critical for individual awards and career grants.
Institutional support	Shows a supportive environment for research.
Strategic use of seed funding	Builds foundation for larger grants.

Specialties

General Medicine

Others

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Fleming Scholars Program, applicants MUST be:

An Oklahoma resident at the time of high school graduation.
At least 16 years of age.
Classified as a high school senior (graduating May 2026) or college freshman, sophomore or junior at the time of application submission.
A United States citizen or permanent resident or have unrestricted employment authorization in accordance with applicable Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations (example: J-2 – with Employment Authorization Document). Applicants with an H-4 visa are not eligible.
Willing and able to commit to the program’s entire eight-week time frame.
Apply by Feb. 1, 2026.

Scholars are selected based on aptitude and interest in science and math, academic standing, essays and recommendation letters written as part of the application process.

Eligible Countries:

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF)

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 825 NE 13th St. Oklahoma City, OK

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