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Applications are invited for:

Graduate Student Fellowships
for Interdisciplinary Research in Quantitative Biology

Sponsored by the
Quantitative Biology Initiative at MSU

The goal of the Quantitative Biology Initiative (QBI) is to initiate and support research and training activities that involve the application of quantitative methods from physical, chemical, mathematical, statistical, and computational sciences to problems in biology.

QBI aims to foster interdisciplinary interactions and encourage the participation of students in joint-PhD programs between biological and quantitative non-biological disciplines. Dual major PhD programs available for students are: Biochemistry/Computer Science, Biochemistry/Chemistry, Biochemistry/Physics & Astronomy, Biochemistry/Chemical Engineering, and Biochemistry/Mathematics (see http://www.qbmi.msu.edu/phd_guide_qbmi.php).  Students in one of many primary departments (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Mathematics, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Physics and Astronomy, Physiology, Plant Biology, Statistics and Probability, and soon Cell and Molecular Biology, Epidemiology, and Genetics) can also join the Quantitative Biology dual major program.

The QBI fellowships are meant to facilitate the pursuit of interdisciplinary research directed at addressing important biological questions, by graduate students from either biological or non-biological sciences. Such work would typically involve two faculty mentors in different disciplines. Several one-semester fellowships are available for the academic year 2008-2009, intended to cover graduate stipend, tuition, student fees, and funds for other research associated expenses such as books or conference travel.

Applicants should be graduate students at MSU throughout the 2008-2009 academic year, and propose collaborative interdisciplinary quantitative biology research involving at least two faculty members, one expert in biological sciences, and the other in quantitative non-biological science, math, statistics, or engineering. The fellowships are aimed primarily at students who are in the first or second year of their graduate research career with an emphasis on the initiation of new collaborations. Special consideration is given to students who have already begun or are planning to enroll in one of the joint-PhD programs, and who plan to pursue a career in interdisciplinary science.  All students who meet the criteria above are encouraged to apply.  Applications from students early in their PhD program and those who have not previously received support from QBI are especially encouraged to apply.


To apply, please send the following materials by May 18, 2009 to:
   Helen Geiger, Administrative Assistant
   Quantitative Biology Initiative
   502B Biochemistry Building, MSU
   <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902%26L%3DSCI-AT-THE-EDGE%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D32267%26B%3D--_000_CD2FFB00F636AD469558A87B7436CD7C7957306046mailcnsmsuedu_%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a> (electronic submission in PDF or Word format is preferred)

1)      Description of proposed interdisciplinary research (2 pages maximum for text, tables, figures, references), including a title for the project.  The proposal should be written by the student with only minor input by the advisor.  It should include a clear statement of the biological problem that is being addressed along with a brief outline of the quantitative methods that will be applied.
2)      A curriculum vitae of the applicant, including information on the primary department, or enrollment in one of the joint-Ph.D. programs, and all coursework (undergraduate and graduate at MSU and elsewhere) including grades.
3)       At least two letters of reference along with a short curriculum vitae (2 pages max.) from MSU faculty, including the student's major advisor and someone from the second discipline involved in guiding the research project.

Helen Geiger
Administrative Assistant
Quantitative Biology and Modeling
Michigan State University
502B Biochemistry Building
East Lansing, MI   48824
Phone:  (517) 432-9895
Fax:  (517) 353-9334
E-mail: <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902%26L%3DSCI-AT-THE-EDGE%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D32267%26B%3D--_000_CD2FFB00F636AD469558A87B7436CD7C7957306046mailcnsmsuedu_%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a><mailto:<a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902%26L%3DSCI-AT-THE-EDGE%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D32267%26B%3D--_000_CD2FFB00F636AD469558A87B7436CD7C7957306046mailcnsmsuedu_%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>>
Web: http://qbmi.msu.edu