The Chemistry-Biology Interface Program at Johns Hopkins University

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Project Summary Training at the chemistry biology interface at Johns Hopkins University will be made possible by an independent Ph.D.-granting program that will nucleate a vibrant community of 31 faculty spanning 4 schools and 9 departments. Together, these faculty share a common approach of applying chemical principles and methods to problems of profound importance to biology and medicine. The program offers opportunities to develop research skills applicable over a wide range of dimensions, from single molecules to complex macromolecular assemblies to whole cells. Laboratories are well funded and focus on mentoring graduate students in rigorous, ethical and independent design and interpretation of experiments in preparation for leadership roles in biomedical research. The highly collaborative nature of Johns Hopkins provides students with access to many faculty and a robust infrastructure of instrumentation and expertise. Prospective students will be actively recruited from across the country to generate a highly qualified pool of applicants that draw from small colleges, large universities, minority serving institutions and historically black colleges and universities. Admission relies on a holistic review of applicants' dedication to science, research experience, perseverance and academic success within the context of available opportunities. Both diversity and inclusion are core values of this program. A target of seven students will matriculate annually with support from the training grant. A matching number of positions will be provided by the university to support students in their second year before obtaining fellowships and assistantships for the remainder of the program. Annual cohorts will share a common core curriculum created to reinforce a strong foundation in chemistry while building an aptitude for the biological sciences through a rich selection of electives. A series of three laboratory rotations across different departments will ensure a breadth of experience in research prior to selection of a thesis advisor. Students will join together monthly for meetings on research and professional topics and yearly for student-hosted seminars and a retreat. Training progress of each student will be monitored carefully by a thesis committee to assure a growing proficiency in independent and reproducible experimental design, keen observation, precise data analysis and critical interpretation. Professional development will be enriched by a new course in literature evaluation, proposal writing and public presentation and another course on career planning. The goals of this train program foster original research contributions of high impact while preparing young scientists for sustained success in their chosen career related to research.