The Rutgers NIH Training Program in Biotechnology provides a select group of outstanding PhD students with an integrated, multidisciplinary, educational and research training experience in biotechnology. The Training Program in Biotechnology enhances the training of students in the technical, operational and professional realms through specific courses, research experience, and other enrichment and experiential activities that go beyond those provided by the participating discipline-specific graduate programs in which students are matriculated. Four major graduate program groups participate in the Training Program in Biotechnology: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Chemistry & Chemical Biology, and Molecular Biosciences.
The Training Program in Biotechnology offers five program-specific courses, which are open to all Rutgers graduate students: Bioengineering in the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries (a comprehensive survey course taught by industrial faculty); Topics in Advanced Biotechnology I and II (required every semester throughout graduate studies) and Biostatistics Training for Molecular & Cellular Sciences: Enhancing Rigor & Reproducibility. In addition to other course requirements that promote cross-disciplinary knowledge for engineers and scientists, trainees participate in an industrial internship, the Training Program in Biotechnology Annual Symposia, peer mentoring, and social activities. A complete list of program requirements can be found in the Application tab.
The courses and enrichment activities of the Training Program in Biotechnology provide students with a perspective on biotechnology research and development from multiple vantage points, specifically, advanced academic research, biotechnology industry, and start-up and new venture viewpoints, among others. Specific skills training in methods, technologies, computational approaches, independent knowledge acquisition, experimental design, data interpretation, management, leadership, communication, and teamwork are developed within numerous venues and activities. This program has a strong history of producing professional leaders who are well educated within a single discipline and have the cross-disciplinary skills needed to conduct and manage independent R&D at the forefront of the constantly evolving discipline of biotechnology.