Interdisciplinary Cellular and Biomolecular Dynamics Training and Education Program (InCuBaTE)

About This Grant

We propose a graduate research training program in Interdisciplinary Cellular and Biomolecular Dynamics Training and Education Program (InCuBaTE) at the University of California Merced, the 10th campus of the UC system that opened in 2005. The major objective of this program is the establishment of a doctoral level graduate training program at UC Merced in the biomedical sciences to train cohorts of sixteen predoctoral students (8/yr, appointed to 2 year terms) to identify and solve pressing biological problems involving cellular and biomolecular dynamics using quantitative interdisciplinary approaches that prepare them for competitive careers in the biomedical field. Transformative advances in the biomedical research arena increasingly require contributions from many different fields and InCuBaTE leverages the uniquely interdisciplinary structure at UCM, to join faculty from six different departments forming a vibrant, interdisciplinary research community with a common vision for research and education. Because UCM is still in its developmental stages, an initiative like InCuBaTE can have a truly transformative impact by establishing a nucleus of high-quality training and research on campus. As part of the program, we will establish an IBST designated emphasis (a graduate minor) open to all graduate students in science and engineering who participate in the new coursework we are developing, thus enhancing the overall graduate training offerings on campus. Opening a training program for the highly skilled biomedical research workforce of tomorrow at UC Merced will also have an enormous impact on the region, producing a cohort of trained professionals that will raise the economic and educational standards of the surrounding educationally and economically disadvantaged communities. The specific objectives of our program are (i) to increase opportunities for all Americans to pursue biomedical training (ii) to ensure retention and speed up the time to degree (iii) to produce graduates with a broad training in an interdisciplinary curriculum for biomedical sciences (iv) to inculcate a sense of belonging and teamwork skills and (v) to ensure successful transition into the biomedical research workforce. There are many unique aspects of our proposed program that specifically address these objectives including the quality, size and breadth of the applicant pool that we target, a core interdisciplinary curriculum of courses, a summer bridge program that addresses retention by bringing students out two months before classes and immersing them in hands-on training, mentoring and professional development such as fellowship proposal writing, an interdisciplinary multiple mentor structure and a unique career development program that focuses on specific skills that are important in the biomedical research workforce but are commonly not addressed in such training programs - business/entrepreneurial skills and science communication skills.