Texas A&M University

 Graduate and Professional School

NIH IMSD

The Initiative For Maximizing Student Development in Biomedical Sciences aims to enhance the recruitment and retention of students from populations underrepresented in the field with the skills to transition successfully into biomedical research careers. 

Maximizing Student Development in Biomedical Sciences

IMSD at TAMU is a T32 training program funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health that supports 12 new trainees per year. This program will serve as a hub for unifying training-oriented initiatives in biomedical fields and establish a community of scholars from populations underrepresented in biomedical sciences fields at Texas A&M. This research training program aims to strengthen research training environments and promote broader participation in the biomedical research workforce by expanding the pool of well-trained scientists earning a Ph.D.


IMSD funding supports selected student trainees in one of the six major biomedical graduate training programs at Texas A&M University:

  • Medical Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Genetics and Genomics
  • Toxicology
  • Biochemistry & Biophysics
  • Biomedical Engineering


Objectives

  1. Institutionalize successful recruitment and retention efforts for doctoral students in biomedical disciplines.
  2. Augment-specific program-related doctoral training in critical thinking, scientific reasoning, rigorous research design, experimental methods, quantitative and computational approaches, and data analysis and interpretation with additional skills to independently acquire the knowledge needed to advance in their chosen biomedical fields.
  3. Create a vibrant and supportive community of scholars to stimulate interest and enrollment in biomedical graduate programs at Texas A&M University, and create a model program that increases the number of competitive biomedical graduates.
  4. Provide biomedical trainees with the knowledge, professional skills and practical experiences required to identify and transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce.
  5. Link and leverage other Texas A&M graduate programs to enhance student development in graduate education, especially those involving former students, for synergy and to disseminate findings.
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The IMSD T32 program helps us prepare the next generation of biomedical researchers. By providing the resources to help us create a supportive training environment for graduate students, the IMSD T32 supports students' academic success and puts them on a path for successful careers after graduation.
Dr. Shannon Walton
Assistant Dean of the Graduate and Professional School and Principal Investigator for IMSD at TAMU

Program Activities

Once enrolled, students will enter a personalized program that combines instruction, research, mentoring and aspects of career development. 


Year One of the Doctoral Program

Support from this program is offered in the first year of the doctoral program, at the time when trainees undertake two laboratory rotations, follow structured core academic curricula of their respective graduate programs, and participate in regular joint activities as a group.

A distinctive feature of the IMSD program is a strongly encouraged hands-on summer externship through a broad and diverse network of academic laboratories, state and federal governmental agencies, as well as industry and non-governmental organizations, where they can gain professional training and establish career-building relationships.


Year Two and Beyond

Following the first year, support will shift to trainee’s graduate program, mentor, or other related programming. However, trainees will continue participation in program-related functions that enable them to maintain a strong bond to a community of scholars in addition to their home programs. Trainees affiliated with this program will be highly successful in academia, industry, government and other professional settings in health-related disciplines.

Activities and products students will have completed by the end of the program include:

  • Annually-reviewed, comprehensive individual development plan (IDP) that verifies activity completion.
  • Identified advisor, mentor, committee, and learning communities that meet regularly.
  • Annually-reviewed CV that enumerates skills, products, and participation in non-academic (e.g., externship) and academic (e.g., conferences) events.
  • Completed dissertation.
  • Academic identity products and practical skills used for job search and early career positioning (such as social media presence).
  • Multiple job applications and job interviews.
  • Secured position after dissertation completion.
  • Established a plan for early career success.


Timeline

The training timeline and 11 implementation activities for the TAMU IMSD model are detailed below.

The training timeline and 11 implementation activities for the TAMU IMSD model

BIOMEDICAL DATA SCIENCE ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM

The Texas A&M Institute of Data Science (TAMIDS) provides a series of online training programs on computation systems and statistical learning in Data Science in the biomedical domain. Sessions couple exposition of underlying principles with the engagement of participants through quizzes and exercises focused on developing computation competencies. 

Target participants are Ph.D. trainees in biomedical training programs at Texas A&M and beyond in the second or later years of their programs. 

For more information and program schedules, visit the program website.

TAMIDS-Training

Leadership

Shannon Walton

Dr. Shannon Walton

Assistant Dean

Graduate & Professional School

Principal Investigator

Candice Brinkmeyer-Langford

Candice Brinkmeyer-Langford

Research Associate Professor

Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Weihsueh A. Chiu

Weihsueh A. Chiu

Professor

Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Roland Kaunas

Roland Kaunas

Associate Professor

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Ivan Rusyn

Ivan Rusyn

Professor

Toxicology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

David Threadgill

David Threadgill

University Distinguished Professor

Genetics Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and Departments of Molecular & Cellular Medicine and Biochemistry & Biophysics

Executive Committee

Dr. Praveena Kanchupati

Dr. Praveena Kanchupati

Instructional Assistant Professor

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Dr. Michael Criscitiello

Dr. Michael Criscitiello

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Vet Med Pathobiology

Dr. Ashley Seabury

Dr. Ashley Seabury

Program Director & Dean

Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Isabel Caballero

Dr. Isabel Caballero

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Dr. Zachary Adelman

Professor & Endowed Chair

Agricultural Biotechnology, Entomology

Van Wilson

Van G. Wilson

Interim Assistant Dean

Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology

Dr. Rajesh Miranda

Dr. Rajesh Miranda

Professor

Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Sciences

Dr. Taylor Ware

Dr. Taylor Ware

Associate Professor

Biomedical Engineering

Jackie Perez

Jackie Perez

Business Coordinator

Graduate & Professional School

Isah Juranek

Isah Juranek

Student Success Coordinator

Graduate & Professional School

Victor Gongora

Victor Gongora

Program Coordinator II

Graduate & Professional School

Dr. Michael Polymenis

 Professor

Biochemistry and Biophysics

Evaluator

Dr. Theresa Murphrey

Dr. Theresa Murphrey

Professor

Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications

Megan Greenwood

Megan Greenwood

Student Assistant

Advisory Boards

Internal and external advisory boards provide oversight and support IMSD programming.


Internal Advisory Board

The Internal Advisory Board’s role is to ensure tight integration of this training program with the rest of Texas A&M University and with individual Colleges. To this effect, the Board includes representatives of the administration for participating Colleges.

Robert Burghardt, Ph.D.

Robert Burghardt, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVM)

Roderic Pettigrew, Ph.D., M.D.

Roderic Pettigrew, Ph.D., M.D.

Executive Dean for Engineering Medicine

Chief Executive Officer of Engineering Health

Kenneth Ramos

Kenneth Ramos

Executive Director, Texas A&M Institute of Biosciences and Technology

Professor of Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine

Vice President for Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Services, the Texas A&M University System

External Advisory Board

The External Advisory Board’s roles are to (i) ensure the academic and research excellence of the training program, (ii) review the outcomes and learning objectives of the trainee externships, (iii) confirm the program’s adherence to the IMSD Programmatic goals, and (iv) inform the program’s leadership, mentors, and trainees of opportunities for research, training and career options in biomedical fields. To this effect, the Board includes representatives from academia and non-academic fields such as drug industry and Federal government, and non-governmental organizations.

David Eaton, Ph.D.

David Eaton, Ph.D.

Dean of the Graduate School

Vice Provost Emeritus & Professor Emeritus

Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington

Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Garcia (AstraZeneca)

Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Garcia

(AstraZeneca)

Cato Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.

Cato Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor

University of Connecticut

Dr. Myrtle Davis (Bristol-Myers Squibb)

Dr. Myrtle Davis

(Bristol-Myers Squibb)  

Trainees

COHORT 1 (Fall 2020)

Sophia (Frankie) Antillon

Sophia (Frankie) Antillon

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Undergraduate Institution: University of La Verne

Pedro Monagas-Valentin

Pedro Monagas-Valentin

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico

Molly McClung

Molly McClurg

Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Osiris Lopez-Garcia

Osiris Lopez-Garcia

Genetics and Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico

Eduardo Martinez

Eduardo Martinez

Genetics and Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: UT - Rio Grande Valley

Daniela Ayala

Daniela Ayala

Medical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: San Diego State University

Aja Coleman

Aja Coleman

Medical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Trinity University

Kelly Rivenbark

Kelly Rivenbark

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: King University

Haley Moyer

Haley Moyer

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: Lock Haven University

COHORT 2 (Fall 2021)

Hayley Boswell

Hayley Boswell

Biochemistry

Undergraduate Institution: UT Austin

Nathan Williams

Nathan Williams

Biochemistry

Undergraduate Institution: Youngtown State University

Ilana Mosley

Ilana Mosley

Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Pennsylvania State University

Olivia Dingus

Olivia Dingus

Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduate Institution: California State Polytechnic University

Hannah Carter

Hannah Carter

Genetics and Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University

Riley Figueroa

Riley Figueroa

Genetics and Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: Colorado College

Thien Phan

Thien Phan

Medical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: University of Mary Washington

Mariana Saitas

Mariana Saitas

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University

Samera Mulatu

Samera Mulatu

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: Georgia Southern University

COHORT 3 (Fall 2022)

Addison Frese

Addison Frese

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University

Cody Gode

Cody Gode

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Undergraduate Institution: Purdue University

Ryan Davis

Ryan Davis

Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University

Jocelyn Martinez

Jocelyn Martinez

Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University

Kaylee Delgado

Kaylee Delgado

Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: St. Edwards University

Christina James Thomas

Christina James Thomas

Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: University of North Texas - Dallas

Ari Aviles

Ari Aviles

Genetics and Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: Florida Atlantic University

Daniela Ruiz

Daniela Ruiz

Genetics and Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: Prairie View A&M University

Kaitlyn Armijo

Kaitlyn Armijo

Medical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Baylor University

Shedreanna Johnson

Shedreanna Johnson

Medical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Nicholls State University

Jennifer Poole

Jennifer Poole

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: York College of Pennsylvania

Devin Teri

Devin Teri

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: Randolph-Macon College

COHORT 4

Zaina Majdi Aljayyousi

Zaina Majdi Aljayyousi

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Undergraduate Institution: California State University - San Marcos  

Jadon Sitton

Jadon Sitton

Biochemistry & Biophysics

Undergraduate Institution: University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

Sarah Fross

Sarah Fross

Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University - College Station

Sarah Wolff

Sarah Wolff

Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Pennsylvania State University

Kiara Perez-Ponce

Kiara Perez-Ponce

Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University - College Station

Elizabeth Tenorio

Elizabeth Tenorio

Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University - College Station

Marianny Alvarado-Gonzalez

Marianny Alvarado-Gonzalez

Genetics & Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Paola Najera

Paola Najera

Genetics & Genomics

Undergraduate Institution: University of Houston University Park

Savana Green

Savana Green

Medical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University - College Station

Nesha Rubin

Nesha Rubin

Medical Sciences

Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas - Austin

Nikita Dougan

Nikita Dougan

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: University of New Mexico - Albuquerque

Zachary Kobs

Zachary Kobs

Toxicology

Undergraduate Institution: St. Mary's University

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Contact

If you have further questions about the IMSD T32, email grad-t32@tamu.edu.

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