The Duke University Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBB) has received a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) training grant that will provide enhanced support for graduate students pursuing interdisciplinary research at the intersection of quantitative and biomedical sciences.
The five-year grant, which began July 1, will fund the first two years of training for three doctoral students who need additional preparation in one of the program's core disciplines, such as statistics, computer science, mathematics, engineering, or molecular biology. The support will allow students additional time to strengthen foundational skills that are critical to their dissertation research, enhance multi-disciplinary communication skills and promote long-term career development.
"This support gives students the time and resources to strengthen skills in key disciplinary areas while developing as independent researchers,” said contact principal investigator Elizabeth Hauser, PhD, professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics. “It creates opportunities for talented trainees from a wide range of backgrounds to build the interdisciplinary foundation they need for long-term success in computational biology and bioinformatics."
Other principal investigators of the grant are David Carlson, PhD, and David Page, PhD.
For more than 20 years, Duke's CBB program has trained students to develop and apply quantitative methods to address challenges in areas including genomics, genetics, medical data science, systems biology, cancer biology, immunology, and microbiome research. The program draws on expertise from faculty across the Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Arts & Sciences.
Recent outcomes highlight the program's success. Over the past five years, CBB students have graduated in an average of 5.7 years, produced an average of 2.7 publications per student, and achieved a 100% placement rate in positions across academia, government, and industry.
The new grant will help expand the program's ability to provide individualized training experiences to prepare promising students for a wide range of careers.