The University of New Mexico’s Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (BSGP) has been awarded a five-year $2.71 million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to develop a diverse pool of PhD researchers.
The Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) program is part of the National Institutes of Health T32 funding mechanism. It joins three other UNM Health Sciences T32 awards, said Nancy Kanagy, PhD, chair of the Department of Cell Biology & Physiology and principal investigator for the new grant.
The IMSD grant provides graduate students with three years of funding – five students in the first year, five in the second and five in the third – for a total of 15, she said.
“The unique thing about this one is it’s not discipline-specific,” Kanagy said. “The other unique aspect is it picks up students when they start the program, instead of in their second or third year. When they enter a lab they come with their own funding, making them a very attractive trainee for their mentor.”
The IMSD program is designed to increase the diversity of trainees in biomedical PhD programs in hopes that it will eventually increase the diversity of the biomedical workforce. UNM’s grant application emphasized the inclusion of candidates from rural communities, first-generation college attendees and under-represented minorities, Kanagy said.
We are excited to participate in this program to expand the diversity of backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences in science. It’s creating more positions to create more opportunities for people growing up in the state
“We’re excited to participate in this program to expand the diversity of backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences in science,” Kanagy said. “It’s creating more positions to create more opportunities for people growing up in the state.” The program is encouraging applicants from colleges and universities in the Four Corners region, she added.
The IMSD program also benefits junior faculty members who don’t yet have large research grants because it covers the tuition and expenses of graduate students working in their labs, Kanagy said. UNM’s BSGP program includes graduate students in the School of Medicine, College of Pharmacy and College of Nursing.
The IMSD scholars will participate in learning communities, modeled on an existing program for medical students, in which they will interact with peers and receive mentoring from faculty members, Kanagy said. They’ll also attend grant writing workshops and receive training in communication to prepare them for future careers in science.
The co-principal investigators on the grant are Associate Professor Judy Cannon, PhD, and Professor Bryce Chackerian, PhD, both of the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology.