Comparative Molecular Medicine Training Program

Program Summary

The central goal of the Comparative Molecular Medicine Training Program (CMMTP) is to produce the next generation of scientists with the skills needed to successfully lead interdisciplinary biomedical research teams. Teams of scientists have been shown to make the greatest impact in biomedical research because existing challenges are complex, and thus demand complex solutions. Interdisciplinary teams are ideally suited to discover these solutions, are more successful at obtaining funding, and their scientific outcomes have greater impact.

Despite these clear benefits, the establishment of specially designed interdisciplinary team science training programs for graduate students has lagged behind. Utilizing our experience in fostering team science through CMI-developed programs (YSP and SIRI), we have identified keys areas that are critical for integrating into, and leading, successful interdisciplinary teams (including your own academic or industry future team) and created a unique training program that will effectively mentor PhD trainees in interdisciplinary team science.

The objectives for the training program are:

• Foster trainee development in responsible, rigorous interdisciplinary research to generate innovative solutions through the synthesis of theoretical and methodological aspects of different disciplines within comparative molecular medicine.
• Train doctoral students to be responsible team scientists and leaders, as demonstrated by their development of team-science competencies. This includes interdisciplinary ethics and scientific rigor, effective leadership, team-building, team collaboration, team communication, team coordination, conflict resolution, negotiation, and project management.
• Advance trainee mentoring skills necessary for increasing interdisciplinary research capacity in the field of comparative molecular medicine.

Program Features:

• $34,000/year stipend + full tuition and benefits
• Access to more than 40 CMI faculty trainers across three graduate programs (Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) as well as collaborators at University of North Carolina and Duke University Medical Schools.

Specific Program Requirements include:

• Capstone course in Fundamentals of Comparative Molecular Medicine
• Course in Principles of Collaboration and Team Science
• Course in Leadership in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences
• Thesis project with one interdisciplinary/collaborative co-aim
• Training in Rigor & Reproducibility, Professional Conduct in Research, Data analysis and Professional Development
• Participation in the Young Scholars Program (YSP): a hands-on team mentoring program for one Spring or Fall semester and one Summer session. Includes teaching one lecture in a special team science course.

Completion of program requirements will lead to a PhD in the respective discipline (CBS, BME, CBE) with a minor in Teamwork in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research. This program is open to nominated second-year PhD students in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering.

Interested students should should indicate their interest to their faculty PI. PIs should contact Program Director Dr. Matthew Fisher at mbfisher@ncsu.edu regarding nominations. Reach out to CMI Executive Assistant Sarah Baker at compmedinst@ncsu.edu with any questions.