MCBB Receives NIH Training Grant to Support PhD Students

Boston University’s Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry (MCBB) program has received a five-year National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 training grant that will provide support for PhD students for one to two years of graduate study.

The grant will initially support two students in its first year, and will expand to four students in subsequent years. The T32 will provide PhD students with financial support as well as a structured training program designed to prepare them for careers in biomedical research.

“We are incredibly excited and grateful to receive this grant to support our PhD students in their first one to two years of study. This award recognizes the thoughtful training provided by the MCBB program and our plans to continue assessing and improving MCBB,” said Zeba Wunderlich, program director. “In the next five years, we are focusing on improvements to the quantitative training, oral communication skills, professional development, and program cohesion that will support all our PhD students in their development as skilled, independent scientists.”

The training plan includes coursework, research rotations, and professional development, along with the completion of a research thesis with a faculty advisor. The application also draws on outcomes from previous MCBB students and the program’s extensive records and experience supporting graduate education.

Wunderlich, PI of the grant and director of MCBB, leads the program alongside Tom Gilmore, a PI and associate director of MCBB. The grant application was developed with extensive contributions from Kathleen Shannon, Claire Cordella, and Ally Fulton, who now serves as a specialist for University of T32 applications. Graduate specialists Jen Correia and Eliza Givens also contributed feedback and detailed program records to the application.

The new T32 adds to Boston University’s existing NIH/NIGMS training programs, which support graduate students in areas including bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, and biotechnology through programs across the Charles River Campus.

Together, these programs provide opportunities for BU graduate students to pursue specialized training while developing the research and professional skills needed for careers in biomedical science.