Fellowships and Training Programs

Graduate students are encouraged to pursue external fellowships and specialized training opportunities throughout their doctoral training. Preparing fellowship applications provides valuable experience in scientific writing, project development, and grant preparation while helping students develop skills that are important for future careers in academia, industry, government, and other research-related fields. Current students can visit UNC’s Training Initiatives in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (TIBBS) page for additional resources.  

In addition to departmental support, students may be eligible for funding through a variety of external fellowship programs and institutional training grants. These opportunities can provide financial support as well as specialized training, career development activities, networking opportunities, and access to interdisciplinary research communities. See UNC’s Graduate School Funding and Fellowships page.  

Biochemistry and Biophysics students have successfully competed for fellowships from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), American Heart Association (AHA), and other professional societies and foundations. Students are encouraged to discuss fellowship opportunities with their research advisor and begin exploring funding options early in their graduate training.   

Students may also participate in NIH-funded training programs and other specialized training opportunities that complement their dissertation research, and often funded by a NIH T32 training grant. Programs commonly associated with Biochemistry and Biophysics research include the Molecular and Cellular Biophysics (MCBP) Training Program and the Cancer Cell Biology Training Program, among others available across UNC. See BBSP’s Specialized Training Tracks and T32 Training Grants.