The Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group is a large umbrella program that spans 35 departments and multiple colleges. Research in the group reflects traditional disciplinary strengths in biochemistry, molecular biology, cell and developmental biology, as well as interdisciplinary approaches that combine biology, genetics, chemistry, physics, engineering, math and/or computational approaches.
What interests you? Fascination with a particular topic may occur in the classroom, a childhood experience, an assigned project, and inspirational seminar or Professor. You may be subject-, technology- or career-driven to attend graduate school. The most important decision you will make is in the selection of your potential mentor.
The BMCDB Graduate Group offers you the opportunity to rotate through 4 different labs in your first year to ‘try out’ potential advisors, mentoring styles, and labs. Finding a good match is made easier because of the large number of faculty within our group. You will have access to over 150 faculty members.
- Explore the BMCDB faculty webpage, to see the scope of research conducted in the group.
- Get to know the research of the faculty. For faculty that interest you, read one or two of their papers on the topic that you find interesting. Which of the faculty best fits with your interests and career goals?
- Think about questions you would ask the faculty that intrigue you. What is their mentoring philosophy? What is the culture of their lab? The possible career options ahead? These are questions you can ask directly once you have interacted with them.
- Contact the professor. Most professors like to hear from enthusiastic students who are interested in their field of study! But also be aware that faculty tend to be very busy, so be direct and concise with your communications. If you choose to email them, it should be professional, simple, and honest, and convey your passion and ideals. It should also be pragmatic – what can you contribute to the research program of the faculty member?
- Introduce yourself. State why you are interested in their lab. Highlight areas of overlap between the science in the faculty member’s lab and research you are conducting or interested in. Mention papers you have read and what you found interesting about them. Conclude by asking if they are currently taking students and by saying that you would like to discuss the possibility of working in their lab by telephone, skype etc. What next? Some Faculty members may take a long time to reply due to multiple commitments. Follow up with another email after a week elapses.