GSBSE NIH T32 Institutional Research Training Grant 2021-2022 Awardees

The Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE) T32 Steering Committee has chosen eight current GSBSE Ph.D. students as the third cohort of the UMaine GSBSE NIH T32 Institutional Research Training Grant.

The awardees are:

  • Zaid Al-Abbasi, mentor Dr. Derek Molliver of the University of New England
  • Audrie Langlais, mentor Dr. Katherine Motyl of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute
  • Michayla Moore, mentors Drs. Doug Sawyer and Calvin Vary of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute
  • Kodey Silknitter, mentors Drs. Clarissa Henry and Benjamin King of the University of Maine
  • Madeleine Nowak, mentor Dr. Robert Koza of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute
  • Sophie Craig, first year rotating student
  • Marissa Ruzga, first year rotating student
  • Jordan Miner, first year rotating student

Eligible students submitted proposals, which were reviewed for overall impact, significance, innovation, approach, and transdisciplinary nature. The awardees will receive fellowships, which include a stipend, tuition and university fees, and health insurance coverage as well as an allowance for travel and other training related expenses.

The five-year, $1.07 million GSBSE NIH T32 grant was the first of its kind to be awarded in the state of Maine from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

According to the NIH, the T32 program supports broad and fundamental, early-stage research training for predoctoral participants in centers that have significant impact on the health-related research needs of the US.

The UMaine GSBSE uniquely positioned to train doctoral students interested in life science and medical-related careers. The doctoral program utilizes its partnerships with renowned research institutions that span the state of Maine in transdisciplinary methods of collaboration and team science.

The awarded T32 grant is on “Transdisciplinary predoctoral training in biomedical science and engineering.” In addition to the $1.07 million received from NIH, UMaine is providing $0.5 million in direct contribution to the award, thus resulting in the total amount of $1.57 million in support of this initiative.

Contact: Zhen Zhang, zhen.zhang@maine.edu, 207.581.4654