There’s a call for applications for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Traineeships and NIH T32 Predoctoral Training in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regeneration Traineeships. Traineeships provide a stipend, tuition and fees.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES:

CIRM Training Program in Stem Cell Biology
The Keck School of Medicine of USC (KSOM), with support from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), has established a comprehensive graduate training program in stem cell biology. The training objectives are to engage trainees in mentored laboratory research and to offer learning experiences in both independent research and collaborative, multidisciplinary research teams that explore basic principles of organ assembly and organ renewal, translating knowledge into new therapies.

T32 in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regeneration
The objective of the NIH-funded USC T32 Training Program in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regeneration (DSCR) is to provide graduate students with unified training in mechanistic studies of fundamental developmental processes combined with training in the biology and application of stem cell technology.

This training is coupled with an appropriately structured exposure to clinical science to help students conceptualize and orient their research in directions that might have clinical application. The purpose is to better train the next generation of scientists to realize the therapeutic potential of developmental biology and to have exposure to moving basic developmental studies from bench to bedside. Each Trainee will select a KSOM faculty clinician to serve as his or her “Clinical Co-mentor.”

ELIGIBILITY FOR EACH TRAINEESHIP:

• Predoctoral applicants should be current USC PhD students.
• Only those who will become 2nd year or above in the summer of 2013 are eligible to apply.
• International students and U.S. citizens/permanent residents are eligible to apply for the CIRM Training Program in Stem Cell Biology.
• For the T32 Training Program in Developmental Biology, Stem Cells, and Regeneration: applicants must be U.S. citizens/permanent Residents.

EXPECTATIONS OF APPLICANTS:

Trainees will receive one year of support, with a second year of support contingent upon research and academic progress and participation in the training program.

T32 trainees are expected to participate in mentored laboratory research, the annual Stem Cell/Development Biology Retreat, Stem Cell/Development weekly talks, career development seminars, and two required courses.

CIRM trainees are expected to attend the annual Stem Cell/Development Biology Retreat, Stem Cell/Development weekly talks, the CIRM annual meeting in San Francisco, and two required courses.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested candidates should submit A–E or F (below), in order, as a single PDF file.

A. a cover page, indicating if applying for the T32 Grant, CIRM or both, including the name of the applicant and title of the proposal;
B. a research proposal (5 pages total) based as closely as possible to the student’s actual or intended thesis project, consisting of Specific Aims (limited to 1 page), Importance of the Problem (limited to 1 page), Research Design (limited to 3 pages) and cited reference (as a supplement not included in the page limit);
C. a Biosketch of the applicant, including prior degree(s) and institutions, GRE, undergraduate GPA, USC GPA, a list of all graduate-level USC courses taken and grades received (or courses currently underway), research experience and publications;
D. 3-Page NIH Biosketch of proposed mentor;
E. a brief statement of career plans; and
F. for T32 applicants, a clinical co-mentor or the plan for a clinical co-mentor.

Applications should be received by 5 p.m. on June 13, 2014. Applications (as an attached PDF file) should be emailed to John Johnson (jejohnso@usc.edu). In the subject line, put: “Traineeship Application — your name.”

In addition, candidates should have two letters of recommendation emailed directly to the Committee (jejohnso@usc.edu). One of the two should be from your mentor.