About the Program
About Us
The Quantitative Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology (QCMDB) Training Program will bring together a community of trainees and mentors with shared interests in quantitative cell, molecular, and developmental biology in the biomedical sciences. The mission of the QCMDB Training Program is to develop PhD students with a broad understanding across biomedical disciplines while instructing them with the skills to think critically, conduct rigorous scientific reasoning and practice, and communicate their work to a broad range of audiences. The outcome of this mission will be the development of a modern biomedical workforce that will populate every niche of society, ranging from academia, education, industry, and law, to the government.
The objectives of the QCMDB Training Program are organized into three interrelated areas: Foundational Biomedical Training and Education, Communication and Collaboration in Research, and Career Exploration and Development. Program goals are achieved through structured didactic coursework and enrichment activities, which will be constantly evolving to meet the challenges contemporary PhD students face. The desired outcome is to create a supportive and safe training environment that will set all trainees on a trajectory toward independence in thought and action.
QCMDB is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health. The program serves as a hub for all research and training activities in biophysics at Northwestern. Please contact us if you have any questions about the program.
NIH Training Grant
NIGMS supports biomedical and behavioral research training programs that help provide the most critical element of good research: well-prepared scientists. Institutional and individual training, fellowship, and career development grants fund graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, clinician scientists, and scientists transitioning to independence. Programs cover basic biomedical research areas, some clinically related areas, and training at the interfaces of different fields. Learn more at the NIGMS site.