The Genetics and Molecular Biology (GMB) Training Program at Princeton University has as its primary goal the education of carefully selected individuals for the research, teaching, and industrial needs of this country. The GMB program is the major source of training funds for the Molecular Biology Graduate Program, which has a 53-member training faculty who are currently mentoring 147 graduate students, 98 postdoctoral fellows, and 142 undergraduate majors. We receive approximately 350 applications to our program per year and are successful in attracting some of the best students in the country. Our program is multi-disciplinary and highly collaborative. In addition to 36 training faculty from the Department of Molecular Biology, the Graduate Program includes 5 faculty from Chemistry, 5 from Chemical & Biological Engineering, 3 from Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 2 from Computer Science, and 2 from Physics. Some of the faculty are also members of the Princeton Neuroscience Institute or the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics. The faculty provides expertise in a wide range of biological systems and offers training in biochemistry, biophysics, cancer, cell biology, computation & modeling, development, evolution, genetics, genomics, microbiology & virology, neuroscience, and structural biology. Research is performed in well-equipped laboratories with support from state-of-the-art core facilities in the department. The training program consists of formal course work, laboratory rotations, a general exam for PhD candidacy, thesis research, and a diverse array of special activities. In addition, trainees gain teaching experience and receive broad training in responsible conduct of research at different stages of the program. In year one, individual planning is emphasized to help each student select courses and lab rotations that fit his or her intellectual interests and to assist students in identifying an appropriate thesis advisor. We have developed a Diversity Program that has been highly successful in identifying and recruiting under-represented students. As part of our diversity initiative, we have developed mentoring and enrichment activities that benefit all students, and we monitor and assess the progress of students' thesis research throughout their tenure in the program. Evaluation of the program involves faculty and students and helps us to identify the need for new courses, policies, and activities that keep the program fresh. The success of our program is best judged by the success of our graduates, more than 95% of whom are actively engaged in science-related careers.
The Genetics and Molecular Biology Training Program at Princeton University trains graduate students for careers in biomedical research, teaching, and related fields. Research projects directed by program faculty train PhD students in many areas related to human health including reproduction and development, infectious disease, cancer, and aging.
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