Pathways in Biological Sciences Training Program

University Of California, San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Enter the text here that is the new abstract information for your application. This section must be no longer than 30 lines of text. The Pathways in Biological Sciences (PiBS) Training Program at UCSD is a T32 Training Program funded since 2020 that evolved from the successful 40+ year Cell and Molecular Genetics (CMG) Training Program. PiBS provides an enhanced practices pathway to produce leaders in biology careers, including: academic and industrial research, education, writing, consulting, and policy. Trainees comprise a select subset of 30 UCSD Biological Sciences PhD students, conducting research in a variety of pressing problems in foundational and translational biology by the use of mechanistic molecular approaches. Students are invited to become PiBS Trainees at the end of their first year, soon after choosing a thesis advisor, for a two-year PiBS-supported period, followed by maintained Trainee status for the remainder of their PhD. PiBS aims to instill and amplify six core competencies, including critical thinking, knowledge acquisition, experimental ability with emphasis on rigor, reproducibility and quantitation, effective communication, leadership through team building and collaboration, and career development. To this end, the PiBS program will conduct a variety of Trainee-specific activities: yearly one-on-one meetings with the PiBS Director, BGGN290 - a class for in-depth analysis and critique of invited seminar speakers, a twice-yearly public colloquium of Trainee research presentations, a yearly Trainee-organized Symposium of invited leaders from a chosen field, scientific writing workshops, a path-to-career workshop, career information and networking guidance, a white-board “jam” to enhance clear exposition of science, and a yearly “One Book-One Program” group discussion of a mutually chosen book. The PiBS mission includes oversight mechanisms to evaluate the success and effectiveness of the PiBS program to measure effective impartation of the core competencies required for Trainee success, and to select and evaluate our PiBS Training faculty to ensure their involvement, rigorous scientific approaches, and competency to serve as PhD mentors. PiBS Trainee outcomes will be clearly documented, continuously curated, securely stored, and available through web-based resources to best self-assess our progress, facilitate dissemination, and inform future Trainees about the most impactful choices for their individual career goals. The PiBS mission is deeply dedicated to maximizing the impact of our Trainees both immediately and as the future leaders of biological science and biology-oriented careers.