Skip to main content

Joining the GMB Faculty

Thank you for your interest in becoming a faculty mentor in the Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology. GMB is administered through the Department of Genetics, but we are an interdepartmental PhD program that has been in existence since 1961. We have had T32 training grant support from NIGMS since 1974 (original award was continuous from 1974 to 2020; in 2020, a new T32 to fit the new NIGMS T32 FOA was funded until 2025).

The most important role of Curriculum faculty is to mentor students, both as advisor and by serving on dissertation committees.  In addition, Curriculum preceptors are expected to actively participate in programmatic activities, such as attending and hosting speakers in our seminar series, attending occasional student seminars, attending annual meetings of GMB faculty, and, if possible, attending the annual Department of Genetics / GMB / BCB scientific retreat.  Moreover, as a member of the Curriculum you will be call on you from time to time to help with other types of service, as described below.

To be considered, please send the following to the Director of Graduate Studies (a single combined PDF is preferred):

1) Your NIH biosketch 

2) A letter that describes

  • your scientific background and training
  • your current / planned research program
  • why you would like to join GMB and why you think you’re a good fit to our mission (see homepage)
  • how you would prefer to contribute to the Curriculum through occasional service, such as
    • serving on the Doctoral Written Exam committee
    • teaching and course that serves GMB students (e.g., developing and teaching a 5-week course module or a seminar on area of your expertise or other teaching)
    • serving on a BBSP admissions committee
    • being involved with BBSP First Year Groups
  • a discussion of any special circumstances that we should consider. These might include non-tenure track appointments, primary appointment in a clinical department, or not having a PhD. One common way to address these problems is to have a co-advisor with more experience, funding, or familiarity with training doctoral students.

3)   A 1-2 page statement that outlines your philosophy on training doctoral students and describes one or two examples of projects that might be undertaken by a student in your lab. For more senior faculty, evidence of successful mentoring in the past can suffice.

These items will be distributed to the members of the GMB Steering Committee.  If they approve, you will be appointed for a three-year term, after which you will be evaluated for reappointment.