Overview
GSBSE @ MHIR is for graduate students who commit to their research training at MaineHealth institute for Research (MHIR). We are a partner in the UMaine GSBSE program; students at MaineHealth have the benefits of the UMaine GSBSE program and additional benefits of our training programs at MaineHealth.
MHIR is a part of MaineHealth, which focuses on patient care, research, and education. Our research portfolio spans basic, translational, clinical, and health services research, and our focus on education applies to scientists-in-training (postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate students), professionals (physicians), and medical trainees (medical students, residents, fellows). Unique benefits to training at MaineHealth include:
- Immersion in a biomedical research and healthcare environment, with basic science, clinical, and population health research faculty
- High quality scientific core facilities that include training opportunities for graduate students
- A comprehensive professional development curriculum that includes responsible conduct of research, research presentations and seminars, teaching/mentorship opportunities, and training in clinical research and trials
- Robust support for graduate student fellowship preparation and submission, with a track record of success
- An active Student and Postdoctoral Association led by trainees
- A track record of successful PhD student graduates who comprise an active alumni community, representing a broad workforce in Maine and New England
- Access to medical Grand Rounds seminars and other clinically relevant educational opportunities.
MHIR supports and encourages a broad spectrum of research at MaineHealth ranging from basic laboratory-based research through translational research, which works to apply basic discoveries to medical problems, to clinical research, which studies the direct application of new drugs, devices and treatment protocols to patients, to health services research which seeks to use research methods to help improve and evaluate health care delivery programs and new technologies.
Students who apply to GSBSE @ MHIR will be evaluated for admission directly to MHIR. In their first year, students will perform rotations within laboratories and research programs at MaineHealth prior to making a primary match with an MHIR faculty member.
For more information about GSBSE @ MHIR, please contact Dr. Arturo Hernandez at Arturo.Hernandez@mainehealth.org.
MaineHealth PhD student highlight:
Madeleine Nowak received her undergraduate degree in Biology and Creating Writing from Miami University in 2020. Since her undergraduate years, she has been interested in epigenetics and how regulation of our genome impacts human health and disease. She is currently a PhD candidate performing her dissertation research in the laboratory of Robert Koza PhD. The Koza laboratory is interested in epigenetic regulation of obesity and metabolic disease. In addition to her research, Madeleine enjoys teaching a graduate course and tutoring for UMaine TRIO Student Services. Madeleine shares the following insight:
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring PhD students who are selecting between graduate programs? Try to have a list of a few key opportunities you want to have as a graduate student to help narrow your search, like the research strengths of the program, teaching opportunities, lab environment, but also keep an open mind and be flexible on the rest! I was attracted to GSBSE by the opportunity to work with so many incredible molecular biologists and the potential to do translational research, but I never would have found my lab (which is a perfect fit for me) if I had been too adamant about pursuing a specific field of research. Explore, know your strengths and what you can bring to the table, but also what you need to learn and grow as a trainee and find a program that complements that.
Q: What do you appreciate the most about being a PhD student at MaineHealth? I really appreciate the community I’ve found at MaineHealth. There are so many older trainees—both post-docs and graduate students—who have helped mentor me through my time here, and who have kept in touch with me and continued that mentoring relationship even after they’ve graduated. The faculty here are always so willing to help out on my project, whether in a direct collaboration, or just to be a sounding board as I work through a problem, but they also care about me as a person, and my interests outside of the lab. This is also true for the amazing team in the research training and education office makes being a trainee here SO easy and wonderful, and for all the staff scientists too. I feel like if I ever need something from anyone in the building, I could walk to that person’s office, and they’ll help me out. I’ve been able to thrive as a student because of the support and community here, and I’m so thankful for that.
