BRET 360º

Table of Contents

Editors

Writers

Varadarajan

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Cover Design

From the Senior Associate Dean

Dear colleagues and friends, 2021-2022 has been an academic year of rebuilding… literally! Not only has the BRET Office shifted in leadership and organizational structure, but our office space in Light Hall 340 embarked on a long overdue refresh. It is amazing what a new coat of paint, new carpeting, new furniture, and redesigned office and cubicle spaces can do. It is with great enthusiasm that in this new space, with new personnel and several promotions, we embark on new projects and the new year together.

Last academic year started with the launch of a new Interdisciplinary Graduate Program curriculum and the Simple Beginnings Lab Coat Ceremony that returned via hybrid format. The new curriculum and the new IGP Curriculum Director, Dr. Madhvi Venkatesh, provided a lot of excitement in August, which was sustained throughout the year.

The start of 2022 welcomed the new Director of Trainee Wellbeing, Dr. RC Stabile, and in the short time he has been here, our trainees have painted, hiked, and attended plays and sporting events. Later in this report, we will describe the exciting new pilot program, funded by the NIH though the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) training program, that Dr. Stabile has developed and will lead in the upcoming year.

Along with the office’s renovation, operations and events received restructuring as well. With 17 years of experience in the BRET Office, Lindsay Meyers was the premiere choice to become the inaugural Director of BRET Operations, Dr. Kim Petrie, PhD, took the reins as director of the ASPIRE Program after 16 years, and Kate Stuart added the role of Director of Strategic Affairs and Events while remaining Associate Director of the BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program after 10 years. Dr. Jan Varadarajan was appointed the first Assistant Director of Postdoc Affairs and is passionate about providing support for international trainees. The Outcomes, Training Grant, and Finance teams also expanded, and our very own Karen Perry and the Poster Printing Service became its own CORE Facility, apart from the BRET Office.

A new highlight for me is having designated time at the monthly School of Medicine Executive Faculty meetings to share the accomplishments of our trainees and describe the efforts of all BRET teams to enhance their training experiences. As one might imagine, I never run out of things to talk about. We are thankful to have this year behind us and we cannot wait to see what comes next. Thank you for your continued partnership with us as we reflect on a productive and exciting year.

The BRET Office Biomedical Research Education and Training

BRET is the office of the Senior Associate Dean and provides support for biomedical graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and the faculty who train them. We serve as a nexus for collaboration across campus and engage with the national discussion around best practices in graduate education.

Trainee recruitment and diversity initiatives

graduate programs

appointments and international trainee support

training grants

database, trainee outcomes, and program

Conduct of Research training

career and professional development and wellness

finance and student travel

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program New Curriculum

One essential component of a graduate student’s training is the first-year coursework that fosters skills needed to be an independent researcher, such as critical analysis of literature, hypothesis generation, and understanding of the current state of the field. In the spring of 2020, a committee comprised of faculty members from each graduate program, students, and education experts led by Dr. Kathy Gould was created to modify the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) curriculum to ensure the best education for graduate trainees.

As a recommendation of the committee, Dr. Madhvi Venkatesh was hired as a

Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School.

Medical School (HMS), where she managed and improved the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry coursework for first-year biomedical graduate students. In this role, she focused not only on developing the curriculum but also on improving students’ sense of belonging in graduate school and in the biomedical field. Her success in the Curriculum Fellows Program led Madhvi to become the Associate Director of Graduate Education in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular

Upon her move to Vanderbilt as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Madhvi entered the role of Curriculum Director for the IGP. She worked collaboratively with a host of faculty and the IGP Director, Dr. Barbara Fingleton, to refine and implement the new IGP curriculum for the 2021-2022 academic year, and she is assessing its impact for further improvement in the next iteration. The new curriculum includes three thematic segments in the first semester coursework that integrate primary literature paper discussions and lectures taught by faculty in their fields of expertise. The third segment, which has garnered the most enthusiasm from students, is called “The Block.” This section of the curriculum was created to introduce first-year students to an important part of their dissertation work, creating a proposal that will answer a scientific question. Using the explosion of coronavirus research that has been generated due to the pandemic, the curriculum committee and teaching team developed a model whereby students could follow their passions while learning research skills. The students were given plenary lectures and review articles about coronaviruses to give them a foundation of knowledge and were then encouraged to use primary literature articles related

“It’s impossible for us to teach you everything; better that we equip you to teach yourself.”

Spring 2022

to their interests to identify an unanswered question in the field. The students wrote a proposal detailing the rationale behind their study, outlining a specific research question, and offering at least two experimental strategies that could be employed to investigate the question. These reports were reviewed by peers, much like what occurs in the grant writing process, and were revised. This experience was a fantastic learning opportunity and a preface to the students designing their own dissertation research projects in the labs that they join.

An important addition to the new curriculum has been the introduction of coursework in Python programming and quantitative biology to prepare IGP students for the increasingly computational nature of the biomedical research enterprise. During the fall semester, students were introduced to programming fundamentals, which they then were able to apply during the spring for analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data and creating and interpreting biological models. The spring semester quantitative biology course also included a project-based section where students could use their programming skills to write a Python script relevant to their research interests. Students found this section particularly helpful in understanding how programming could contribute to their research and many chose to create code to automate some part of the data management or analysis in one of their rotation projects. As the newest part of the curriculum, Madhvi thinks that “the programming and computational components will take some iteration to refine, but they provide a

very important set of skills that will allow our students to excel in today’s multidisciplinary research environment.”

Yet another improvement to the IGP curriculum has been the formalization of programming focused on wellness and professional development, called “Becoming a Scientist.”

Seminars regarding resiliency, how to give a scientific presentation, and diversity and inclusion are followed up on with engaging small-group discussions and activities to put what was learned into practice. A highlight of this programming was the utilization of a video game, called Fair Play, that traces the progress of a student of color through his STEM graduate training. Through the video game, students were taught about unconscious biases and

“The Block has taught me how to be more of an independent scientist. I usually have trouble choosing a topic for a big project like this, so this project was definitely good practice for me. I did a lot of literature search and learned about a few different areas of COVID-19 research including viral entry, intracellular signaling and immunology, before settling on my topic. After choosing to focus on the complement system’s response to SARS-CoV-2, I was able to refine my literature search on Pub Med and find the necessary information I needed to write my draft. I also learned how to navigate bioRxiv and medRxiv to find new and exciting pre-prints. The peer review process was especially helpful and reminded me of how important it is to receive feedback from my friends. The most rewarding part of the block was watching my initial draft evolve and grow into a final draft that I was proud to submit.”

stereotypes that can influence a student’s success in STEM. Madhvi believes that graduate-level coursework “has a unique opportunity to promote equity by helping everyone to develop the skills that they need.”

Overall, Madhvi’s tireless work towards curriculum reform alongside enthusiastic faculty leaders of each curriculum component and with 48 other participating faculty has resulted in a program of study where students can grow as researchers and scientists. While there are still constant improvements that can be made, these changes are a step in the right direction for the training of the newest generation of scientific leaders.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better at digging through the literature to find the logical support to my argument. This, in conjunction with my rotation, definitely helped me to learn to sort through the available information, even if I don’t understand everything.”

The most rewarding part was feeling accomplished for writing a short proposal. This was my first time identifying a question in research that remained unanswered. This whole project was incredibly helpful for my development as a scientist. I was definitely lacking this aspect of research, arguably the most important aspect, and I finally felt like I thought of something completely on my own.”

“I enjoyed the recent coursework because it challenged me to think like a scientist, critically reviewing recent papers, combing through to find gaps and asking daring questions about SARSCoV2 that have not been addressed. I learned to critically evaluate recent work, form hypotheses, gauge when I go ‘down rabbit holes,’ take breaks and pay close attention to details.”

UR= UnderRepresented

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences is a leading integrative biomedical graduate program designed to foster diverse creative and analytical thinkers and geared to tackle the

quickly evolving world of research and technology. As a gateway to 11 participating programs, the IGP provides a strong foundation for biomedical dissertation work.

Quantitative and Chemical Biology Program

The Quantitative and Chemical Biology program is a PhD track, multidisciplinary program introducing elements of biology

to students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree at the interface of the chemical, physical, and biological sciences.

2021 Simple

More than 100 incoming biomedical science Ph.D. students participated in the Simple Beginnings lab coat ceremony held Sept. 3, 2021 in Light Hall. The annual tradition welcomes new doctoral students to the School of Medicine and presents them with personalized white lab coats, a classic symbol of scientific training.

“The students with us today have chosen to pursue the highest possible academic degree: the Ph.D. It is a degree that requires the candidate to display academic excellence, and to make original research contributions that advance our knowledge and understanding in a significant fashion,” said Larry Marnett, dean of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Mary Geddes Stahlman Chair in Cancer Research and University Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry.

“You have chosen an institution at which to pursue your Ph.D. where the opportunities to make significant discoveries are exceptional,” Marnett said. “Vanderbilt has a long history of curiosity-driven research that not only has elucidated how living systems work, but has set the stage for advances in clinical treatment.”

The ceremony’s name comes from the last paragraph of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, published in 1859: “From so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”

Beginnings

“Biomedical graduate school is about gaining many different competencies as well as doing research and making discoveries,” said Kathy Gould, senior associate dean for BRET and Louise B. McGavock

Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, in her opening session for students’ families and friends. These students, over the course of their graduate training, will become no less than world experts in their respective fields, she said.

The 2021 entering class of biomedical Ph.D. students hail from 14 countries including the United States and 32 U.S. states and territories. Sixty-one students entered the Graduate School through the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program.

Other biomedical science programs and departments welcoming new doctoral students in 2021 include: Biological Sciences (7), Biomedical Informatics (2), Biostatistics (5), Cell and Developmental Biology (1), Chemical and Physical Biology (2), Epidemiology (7), Health Policy (4), Hearing and Speech Sciences (6), Human Genetics (1), Neuroscience (10), Pharmacology (3) and Quantitative and Chemical Biology (19).

The 2021 event was held in person for students, with family and friends watching via livestream.

Abbie Wolf contributed to this story.

Top, all students pose after the ceremony. Right, a new PhD student dons his coat for the first time. Below, students watch as others receive their coats. Bottom, Dr. Kathy Gould begins the ceremony with welcome remarks and the history of the Simple Beginnings Ceremony. (Marcie Kindred)

Program

Graduate Program Managers coordinate student affairs for each of the departments and programs under the BRET umbrella. Students rely on these managers to help with everything from rotations to dissertation defense. Their roles are essential to ensuring the success of each student as well as the faculty who work with the students. Each have navigated this year with the changing hybrid schedules of COVID as well as the dynamics of in-person and virtual events.

Managers

2022

Above, the invitation shares information about the celebration for newly passed qualifying exam recipients. Right, Jen Pilat sits for a professional headshot to celebrate her success! (Photo courtesy of Marcie Kindred.)

Graduate students who passed their qualifying exam were celebrated virtually by faculty, staff, and friends, as well as with a gift. Since this particular event was conducted in the midst of the COVID pandemic, the virtual event allowed us to recognize their accomplishments while being safe! Later, students sat for a special headshot portrait provided by a professional photographer.

Training Grants

The BRET Office supports the development of both individual (F31/F32) and institutional training grant (T32) National Research Service Awards (NRSAs).

The BRET Training Grant team currently manages 19 T32s, one T15, two R25s, and one DOE, totaling 23 training programs presently.

Finance Management Operations

VSSA students participate in a Field Trip to the African American Music Museum in downtown Nashville.

Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy

The Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy (VSSA) gives college students earning a four-year degree the opportunity to participate in research at an academic medical center. There are two major tracks within the VSSA; the Basic Science Programs for undergraduates interested in careers in research, and the Undergraduate Clinical Research Internship Program for undergraduates who wish to pursue a career in medicine. Participants in Basic Research Programs will complete a research project under the leadership of a research mentor. Participants in Clinical Research Programs directly observe clinical patient care while spending time with resident and attending physicians. Participation in any one of the Summer Science Academy programs is a valuable learning experience that enhances a student’s skills and makes them more competitive for acceptance to frontline graduate or medical school programs.

Over 40 Institutions represented, including: Hunter College Spelman College Tuskegee University University of Hawaii (Hilo) University of the South

Students

Trainee Travel

With much travel suspended during COVID, many trainees were unable to attend conferences and programs in person. But in April, when the Graduate School provided funds for BRET graduate student travel, program coordinator Aaron Howard was ready! The stipulations of the award included a

“This award will be used to attend my first international conference, which will focus on Neuro-Immune interactions. This funding allows me the incredible opportunity to attend and present a poster of my own data at this conference, and to build a strong network with researchers in my niche field.”

maxiumum of $1,000/student, and trainees had to provide an itinerary and detail how the money would be used. BRET reviewed and accepted applications on a first come, first serve basis, to much success! 61 students received travel awards and 2 received a new laptop.

“This BRET travel award allows me to attend prestigious Cold Spring Harbor conferences and meetings that are very useful but rather costly for graduate students to attend. It is also more supportive compared to the graduate school travel award as it covers the majority of the incurring cost.”

“Support from the BRET Travel Award will allow me to present my research as well as network with a diverse, international scientific community which will help me progress my career in academic science.”

“The BRET Travel award greatly improves the financial feasibility of presenting at my first in-person conference since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic by covering major costs associated with flights, lodging, and conference fees. With these costs covered, I can maximize this valuable opportunity to engage interpersonally with international researchers.”

“This will provide much needed funds to present my research at an international conference. This $1000 will not only help fund attendance and presentation at this conference, but may make me financially able to present at another conference as well, expanding my presentation skills and allowing for greater networking opportunities.”

Postdoctoral Fellows hail from all over the world to receive training at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

The BRET Office assists the School of Medicine postdoctoral fellows during their biomedical training at Vanderbilt University (VU) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).

Support

Along with assisting with officially establishing the Vanderbilt International Researchers Alliance (VIRAL) as a student organization, the BRET Office of Postdoctoral Affairs plans events, including the Heritage Social and Cultural games that occurred in November.

In May, the BRET Office of Postdoctoral Affairs created detailed documents (Pre-Arrival Checklist and Onboarding) for incoming international trainees.

Director of

International Alliance goes VIRAL

VIRAL is a new student and scholar organization sponsored by the BRET Office to connect international graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for social and academic events. The support network as well as the events have brought many international scholars together with the shared commonality of their biomedical science training.

December 2021

Panel discussion on “Navigating an Unfamiliar Work Environment and Culture While Maintaining your Identity”

February 2022

Biomedical International Trainee Social (Virtual)

February 2022

Informal Support Session for first-year international students.

October 2021

Sponsored by CDB-DEI and BRET, VIRAL organized and held the first meet and greet. Purpose: to inform international scholars about the recently created VIRAL organization, to connect with international trainees from CDB and other departments, and to gather information about specific needs from the international community.

March 2022 International Biomedical Trainee Social

June 2022

Partnered with CDB-DEI, held informational sessions to connect with international trainees, staff and faculty to inform about VIRAL objectives, functions and to recruit new

April 2022

Partnered with BRET office and the International Student & Scholars Services, virtual session “Why Does My Professor Go By ‘Jim’?

Understanding U.S. Social and Cultural Norms”

VITA advertising Santavaya Jordan, MBA, HR

Vanderbilt Integrated Training Alliance

The annual VITA Scholars Symposium brings biomedical PhD students to Vanderbilt to present their research, learn about the Vanderbilt community and resources, obtain training in scientific communication from the Alan Alda Center, and establish a durable, personal mentoring relationship with a Vanderbilt faculty member. This year on April 2829, the two-day virtual workshop provided a preview of the unique opportunities afforded by Vanderbilt biomedical sciences postdoctoral training and the high value it brings for students as they progress to the next stages in their scientific careers.

VERTICES-PREP Program

The Vanderbilt Experimental Research Training Inclusion Community Engagement Skills (VERTICES) program is unique from other PREP programs around the country because of its focus on blending basic biomedical research with volunteerism and health disparities. VERTICES provides intensive mentoring program combined with broader professional engagement through academic research at Vanderbilt University provides an intellectually, socially and culturally rewarding experience to engage scholars at multiple levels throughout a 12-month training program. We leverage Vanderbilt University’s training expertise to cultivate academic knowledge and research skills and provide an integrated training program that supports resilience by fostering connections among program participants and their research mentors, peers, and respective communities.

Mental Health & Wellness Advisory Council Launches

In May of 2020, Dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences Larry Marnett formed the Dean’s Advisory Council for Mental Health and Wellness, also known as the Wellness Advisory Council. The council seeks to address the growing mental health crisis within academia by recommending policies and providing information about resources to aid members of the Vanderbilt community struggling with their mental health and wellness. Academia and the broader scientific community have been facing a longstanding mental health and wellness crisis that was only intensified by the onset of the pandemic. Following this inflection point and the impact on the Vanderbilt community of the death of two Ph.D. students, Basic Sciences established the council as a permanent body tasked with recommending proactive health and wellness policies to its leadership.

The council is currently made up of a group of 21 students, faculty, clinicians, and staff and is co-chaired by Ege Kavalali, the William Stokes Chair in Experimental Therapeutics and chair of the Department of Pharmacology, and Alyssa Hasty, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and associate dean for faculty of Basic Sciences. The council comprises “a diverse group of members who care and are engaged in the wellbeing of the Vanderbilt community,” said Kavalali. For Hasty, the diversity is paramount to the purpose of the council. “We want to improve our culture and promote wellness for every person in the Basic Sciences,” she said. “This means that we need to have the voices of all of our constituents represented in our discussions.”

In May 2021, the group made available the Dean’s Advisory Council on Mental Health and Wellness Report to members of the Vanderbilt community, which detailed recommendations for improving wellness in our different constituent groups—faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. This initial wellness report consolidated feedback from individuals across Basic Sciences and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and made numerous

suggestions for strategies to enhance constituent well-being and promote a university culture that prioritizes wellness.

“Many schools seek to improve campus wellness by treating the symptoms,” said Kavalali, “but we need to look at and find solutions to the underlying causes that lead to poor wellness.” Assessment about how to continue emphasizing wellness is ongoing, using data from community surveys, small group listening sessions, and other tools.

The council is now focusing on enhancing communication between the administration and various campus resources. “The council members touch many areas of campus life,” said Kavalali. “Some work at the University Counseling Center, others at the Biomedical Research Education and Training Office, and others still with the Employee Assistance Program.” The council hopes that by being part of the community and having connections with these campus resources they will be able to monitor the campus environment and determine areas of greatest need.

The graduate students on the Wellness Advisory Council emphasize that the administration is truly invested in the mental wellness of trainees and is receptive to feedback. “While I’ve only been to one meeting, it really seems like [the council’s] focus is on listening and letting the feedback direct the next steps,” said Robert Mann, a graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry and a new addition to the Wellness Advisory Council. Rebecca Weiner, a graduate student in the Department of Pharmacology who has been on the council since its inception, agreed, adding that everyone on the council has an equal opportunity to be heard and that she walks away from meetings feeling like her opinions are valued. “The faculty on the council not only actively seek the unique perspectives of students and postdocs on the council but also outside of the council by organizing workshops and implementing surveys,” Weiner said.

One current area of emphasis for the council is graduate student wellness. There are over 600 graduate students under the Biomedical Research Education and Training

umbrella, all of them with varied needs and circumstances. The strategic plan produced by the council suggested many ways to improve graduate student life, many of which have been enacted by the BRET Office, led by Senior Associate Dean For Biomedical Research Education and Training and Louise B. McGavock Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology Kathy Gould. For instance, the strategic plan suggested that students needed easier access to therapy, so the BRET Office partnered with the University Counseling Center to create a satellite clinic that specializes in working with trainees. Both the UCC and the satellite clinic continue to offer virtual and telehealth services, increasing access for students across campus.

The council’s 2021 report also suggested that while services offered to graduate students were generally acceptable, there was a lot of confusion around when and how to access these resources. In response to this, the BRET Office created a BRET Care Map that students can refer to. In addition, Gould hired RC Stabile as the associate director of wellbeing for the BRET Office, where he serves to increase community engagement and student well-being. Stabile, an additional another resource for students, said, “If you are struggling with red tape or you don’t know how to get to care, please reach out to me.”

Stabile is also a member of the Wellness Advisory Council, serving as a liason for graduate students. Currently, he is implementing programs to aid with another suggestion from the council’s report: improving peer support. To this point, the BRET Office has planned several field trips to help students destress and connect with others outside of lab. Outings have included a Nashville Predators game, sessions at Painting with a Twist, and shows at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

The council’s overall goals are to improving overall wellness which includes creating a safe and comfortable environment for students in which their creativity can thrive. Kavalali emphasized this creativity is necessary for the innovative research that Vanderbilt wants to foster. While the council hopes these outings can begin to improve student well-being, they acknowledge that systemic changes are necessary for sustainable improvements. The council will seek to recommend both resources to help students cope with stresses and changes to impact the university culture.

The council is also working to improve health and wellness for staff and postdoctoral fellows. Adriana Kipper-Smith, a member of the Employee Assistance Program—a resource where staff members, faculty, and their spouses can go to receive psychological counseling among other things— was recently added to the council. With the addition of Kipper-Smith, Kavalali and Hasty hope the council can

have a direct channel to hear the needs of the broader staff community.

For postdoctoral fellows, one recommendation made by the council in their 2021 report was to clearly communicate with postdoctoral fellows the resources available to them. To improve this communication, the BRET Office recently updated their website to include postdoc-specific resources. Additionally, Jan Varadarajan was recently appointed assistant director of postdoc support, and now serves as a contact point for postdocs. Her role is to ensure that postdocs have knowledge about and access to the campus resources designed for them while also building stronger bonds as a community.

The overall goal of the Wellness Advisory Council, which meets monthly, is to present actionable items to improve health and wellness to the dean, who will then work with the council to determine the best way to move forward. As council membership changes over the years, their specific goals will also adapt and change to the needs of the Vanderbilt community. However, their overall intention to reduce cultural and systemic sources of stress through listening to the community and facilitating an ongoing discussion on wellness will remain the same. The council hopes their work will help foster a sense of belonging on campus for students, postdocs, staff, and faculty and that implemented changes will treat underlying causes of community stress.

If you would like to keep up with the Wellness Advisory Council, please visit their website.

This article was originally published in Basically Speaking.

BRET Office staff RC Stabile, EdD, (above) and Kate Stuart (right) both serve on the Mental Health & Wellness Advisory Council.

Trainee

RC Stabile, EdD, the Associate Director of Trainee Well-being, is responsible for the care management of graduate students and postdocs within BRET. Responsibilities include:

• assisting the community to connect to care paths based on the individual’s situation.

• coordinating community development events for BRET trainees and the VSSA summer participants.

• serving as a member of the International Support team and intentionally works to support international scholars within the BRET community.

Well-being

Embarking on the Adventure of “Wellness Explored”

Dr. RC Stabile, Associate Director for Trainee Well-being in the BRET office, was recently awarded a grant by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for a proposal to enhance wellness and resiliency training for our graduate students and postdocs.

The award, a one-year supplement to the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) T32, will support the development and implementation of a pilot training program that will provide individuals with the knowledge and skills

Left, trainees enjoy a hike at Percy Warner Park.

to improve wellbeing and resiliency in the research training environment.

The project Dr. Stabile will lead is called “Wellness Explored.” It will be a multi-week module that invites participants to explore different wellness dimensions, such as physical, financial, environmental, or spiritual wellness. By diving deep into these different dimensions, participants will have the opportunity to focus on their own wellbeing while also exploring and practicing new facets about wellness. The idea is to expose students to new wellbeing experiences so they can find what fuels them, what works for them, in support of their wellness.

Proposed events include seminars from invited speakers and different sponsored trips to acquaint participants with each wellness dimension. Participants will be paired up as accountability partners to make achieving their wellness goals even easier. The goal is that by the end of the module, participants will author a wellness plan for themselves.

Dr. Stabile hopes that trainees will experience a “light switch moment,” one where they discover what wellness practices really work for them. “It has a lot of possibility to give space for folks to find something that recharges them or that they are passionate about,” says Stabile of the module, “If they make one commitment to any of the dimensions with one new habit, that is really impactful.” Giving trainees a chance to learn what fuels them is key to their success not only in graduate school, but in future jobs and relationships, according to Stabile.

Dr. Kathy Gould, Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Research Education and Training (BRET), is thrilled for the support of this pilot module, one “which aims to equip early-stage Ph.D. students with knowledge and skills for growing and sustaining healthy physical and mental practices during graduate school.” Dr. Gould highlights the camaraderie the module will build among participants and the opportunity for trainees to get out and “have some fun in multiple types of activities that can offer a healthy balance to their intensive academic pursuits.”

These supplemental funds will support the program for one year. Preference to participate will be given to second-year students supported by the IMSD T32, which is led by Drs. Digna Velez Edwards, Julie Rhoades, and Henrique Serezani. The supplement application was also supported by the other five directors of General Medicine T32 programs at Vanderbilt: Brian Bachmann and Gary Sulikowski, Joey Barnett, Walter Chazin, Jim Patton, and David Samuels, who hope their trainees will also benefit. If the module is successful, the BRET office plans to offer “Wellness Explored” to all interested early-stage students in future years.

Outcomes

The mission of the BRET Office of Outcomes Research is to provide program evaluation and program outcomes analyses to biomedical PhD training program directors at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Functions of the BRET Outcomes Research Team

The Outcomes Research Team assembles data from multiple sources to provide analyses and support to both internal and external audiences. The above diagram displays both the functions of the Outcomes Team (central ovals) and the flow of data and analyses to and from internal and external audiences (arrows).

Student Outcomes Database

Career Development Event Attendance

Academic Record

Publications from PubMed

Patents

Fellowships and Training Grant Appointments

Outcomes Database

Exit Surveys

Mentor’s Final Evaluation of Student

Career Outcomes

The BRET Outcomes Research Team uses data from multiple sources to regularly update an internal data base of trainee outcomes. This database was created through collaboration with J.P. Cartailler, Ph.D. from Vanderbilt Creative Data Solutions. Combining information from the above sources allows the Outcomes Teams to generate scholarly research on trainee career trends and to produce data-driven insights needed by grant writers and educational leadership.

The BRET Office Outcomes Research Team drives program evaluation and outcomes analyses for the biomedical PhD programs at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Within Vanderbilt, the team collects, analyzes, and disseminates data to academic and training program leadership. These analyses provide an important feedback loop, encouraging a responsive approach to planning and developing high quality training programs in the biomedical sciences.

In support of these efforts, the Outcomes Team developed and maintains a trainee outcomes database, which serves as a repository for alumni data. This database allows the team to quickly source data needed to inform educational leadership, enhance grant

applications, and research trends in student career development and alumni career outcomes. Using this database, the Outcomes Team also produces academic research that is shared at national conferences and published in scholarly journals. These external activities bolster Vanderbilt’s reputation as a data-driven thought leader within the graduate education community.

The Outcomes Team welcomes its newest member, Nick Ward, PhD, an alumnus of Vanderbilt’s neuroscience doctoral program. In his role, Dr. Ward will be supporting evaluation of T32 training grants and working within the Outcomes Team to produce scholarly research articles.

Career Exploration and Decision-Making

Table of Contents

Trainee Professional Development

Alumni Relations, Outcomes, and Development

Campus Partnerships and Faculty Outreach

National Career Development Research and Best Practices Employer Relations and Workforce Development

A4-A9

About Us

The Biomedical Research Education and Training (BRET) Office of Career Development provides career and professional development enrichment activities for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Vanderbilt University Medical Center graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The office was recognized in 2013 for its commitment to career development for biomedical sciences PhD students and postdocs through a BEST award, a $1.2 million, 5-year grant from the NIH Common Fund. The ASPIRE Program subsequently was awarded two Burroughs Wellcome grants for a business module and a data science module.

Dr. Kathy Gould oversees Biomedical Research Education and Training, Dr. Kim Petrie is Assistant Dean of Biomedical Career Development, Dr. Ashley Brady is Assistant Dean of Biomedical Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, Kate Stuart is Associate Director, and Angela Zito is Assistant Director.

ASPIRE Program • Office of Career Development Biomedical Research Education and Training 340 Light Hall • 2215 Garland Avenue • Nashville, Tennessee 37232-0301 bret.career.development@vanderbilt.edu • 615-875-8981

Our Scope

Trainee Professional Development

Career Exploration and Decision-Making

Alumni Relations, Outcomes, and Development

Employer Relations and Workforce Development

National Career Development Research and Best Practices

Campus Partnerships and Faculty Outreach

Graduate Students

Trainees We Serve

The ASPIRE Program serves PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in the biomedical sciences. Our events are open to the Vanderbilt community, and ASPIRE activities and individual advising are tailored for BRET PhD graduate students and postdocs.

Postdoctoral Departments served

Allergy, Pulmonary, & Critical Care

US Citizens/ Permanent Residents 398

Postdoctoral Fellows 51%

US Citizens/ Permanent Residents

PhD Programs served

Biochemistry

Biological Sciences

Biomedical Informatics

Biostatistics

Cancer Biology Cell & Developmental Biology Chemical & Physical Biology Epidemiology

Health Policy & Health Services Research

Hearing & Speech Sciences

Human Genetics

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Microbe-Host Interactions

Molecular Pathology & Immunology

Molecular Physiology & Biophysics Neuroscience Pharmacology

Quantitative & Chemical Biology Program

Anesthesiology Biochemistry

Biomedical Informatics Biostatistics

Cardiovascular Medicine

Cell and Developmental Biology Clinical Pharmacology Dermatology

Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolism Epidemiology Gastroenterology

Genetic Medicine

Health Policy & Health Services Research Hearing & Speech Sciences

Hematology/Oncology Infectious Disease Kennedy Center Molecular Physiology & Biophysics Nephrology Neurological Surgery Neurology Obstetrics & Gynecology

Opthalmology & Visual Sciences Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation Otolaryngology

Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology

Pediatric Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease, & Nephrology

Pharmacology Psychiatry

Radiology & Radiological Sciences Rheumatology & Immunology Surgery

Surgical Sciences

Career Exploration and Decision-Making

Above, Molly Altman, PhD, shares about her role while serving as a panelist for Sarah Cannon Research. Right, Dan O’Brien, PhD, shares about his role as a Scientific Director with AbbVie. Below, Sarah Petersen, PhD, discusses her work teaching on the college level at Kenyon College.

PhD Career Stories Continues Virtually

PhD Career Stories continued the monthly career exploration offering through virtual events, allowing a diverse group of speakers from different states... and different countries!

On the Road Again

In the spring of 2018, the ASPIRE Program launched an initiative called ASPIRE on the Road to give graduate students and postdoctoral trainees an up-close look at careers in the biopharma industry. Ten trainees traveled to Boston for the inaugural program to site-visit companies and network with alumni. Building on the success of that program, twelve trainees flew to San Diego for a similar experience in 2019. In the spring of 2020, a return trip to Boston was planned for the 3rd annual ASPIRE on the Road when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the ASPIRE team to cancel the trip.

With a nearly two-year lapse of “in-person” networking opportunities due to the COVID pandemic, trainees were eager for a chance to make up for lost time preparing for their next career steps. As a result, nearly 40 applicants applied for the opportunity to travel to Boston for the May 2-4, 2022 trip. I was fortunate enough to be selected, along with eleven other graduate students and postdocs, to participate in this year’s program. Ashley Brady, PhD, Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, our fearless leader and organizer of the trip, created an itinerary filled with visits to biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the heart of Kendall Square ranging from fewer than one hundred employees, like Ikena Oncology, to some with thousands, such as Novartis.

After arriving in Boston early in the morning, our first visit was a quick ten-minute walk to Alnylam, a mid-sized biotech company focused on RNAi therapeutics. Arun Skaria, MBA, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, organized our visit and welcomed us to the company. We heard from several of the leaders in the company who shared details of the company’s origins in treating rare diseases stemming from genetic disorders and its future in targeting more complex diseases such as those of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Afterwards, we broke out into discussion groups with Alnylam employees including Vanderbilt alumnus Jon Farley, PhD. We concluded our visit with a tour of the lab space and demonstrations of the extensive automated equipment that makes their work possible.

The afternoon included a walking tour of the area with the Kendall Square Association. The association advocates for more community spaces within Kendall Square to make the area more accessible and welcoming to those outside the biotech community. They have encouraged the building of public green spaces and installation of art throughout the neighborhood. We then took the train to an Italian restaurant and ended the day with cannoli. I highly recommend getting two!

For our first full day in Boston, the morning was spent

learning about some of the infrastructure that exists to support the biotech and pharma ecosystem in the area. We met with the site director for a tour of the Ipsen Innovation Center Biolabs, which acts as an incubator space for biotech startups. A company will pay rent for bench and office space, which includes other privileges like shared equipment and resources and networking opportunities with investors. It was fascinating to see the logos of all the companies currently housed in the center and the “graduated” companies who have moved on to larger spaces that are all displayed on the walls outside the lab. After learning about opportunities for new biotech companies to secure lab space and support, we visited the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council or “Mass Bio”, whose mission is to advocate for and grow the life sciences industry in the state. Mass Bio provides opportunities to become involved in the biotech community no matter your formal training. They host education and outreach programs, plan conferences and networking events, and work with policy makers to ensure the health of the biotech community.

That afternoon, we visited the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR) and heard from several alumni about their research, career paths, and life in Boston. Some alumni presented their current research highlighting how different departments collaborate to make large scale projects move forward. As compared to some of the smaller companies we visited, the scientists at Novartis seemed to have a more specialized role within each department. To wrap up our visit, we toured the modern research building, which has an impressive footprint given the scarcity of land and cost of space in Kendall Square.

Thursday evening was the Vanderbilt Alumni happy hour at Za Cambridge. Over 60 Vanderbilt alumni attended. I met two alumni who were roommates during grad school and members of the first class of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP). I was also able to catch up with many recent graduates just starting their new jobs in Boston. Everyone I met offered to look over my CV or put me in contact with hiring managers at different companies. I am grateful to have such a supportive network as I look forward to graduating and job hunting in the next year. I ended the day exhausted but excited about the expansive number of opportunities available for biotech research.

The next morning, our first visit was with Karuna Therapeutics. We were welcomed by Tim Xu, MD, Senior Director, Business Development, Search & Evaluation, into a modern glass conference room filled with goody bags of Karuna swag including a mug and a baseball cap. While eating breakfast, we heard from Chris Aluise, PhD, Senior Scientist, Discovery Program, on the role of toxicology in the drug development process as they are shepherding several compounds through preclinical and clinical trials for the treatment

Opposite page, the graduate students and postdoctoral fellows stand with Ashley Brady, PhD, as they prepare for a day of adventure in Boston. Below, four ASPIRE on the Road participants display theis Karuna Therapeutics swag caps.

Above, authentic Boston cannoli was obtained after a long day of site visits. Below, trainees embark on their tour of Kendall Square, with one stop at the Broad Institute.

of psychiatric and neurological conditions. We then spoke with president and CEO Steve Paul, MD, about the history of Karuna Therapeutics and the many companies he has founded and grown as a serial entrepreneur. To wrap up our time at Karuna, we gleaned insights into interviewing well from HR representatives. They mentioned asking questions about the onboarding process, how disputes are handled, how company values were developed, and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration during the interview process.

We headed on to our last tour of the trip at Ikena Oncology, a small startup company whose strategy to create new cancer therapeutics is to study and target signaling pathways often mis-regulated in cancer, rather than targeting a specific type of cancer. We learned about tools like QSAR and Derek Nexus, which leverage computational predictions to predict biological activity of small molecules and mutagenicity, respectively.

Upon wrapping up the visit, Corey Bown, PhD, a neuroscience graduate student who recently accepted a position as Data Scientist at Abbvie in Chicago, noted that “all of the representatives from the companies we met with

were so welcoming and passionate about introducing the next generation of scientists to the biotech industry.”

While traveling to the airport to head back home to Nashville, we discussed our favorite parts of the trip and when we expect to graduate. Kateki Katdare, a current graduate student also in neuroscience, shared “it was great to see old mentors and make new connections all of whom were so kind and willing to share their journey through the biotech world. The many industry visits only highlighted how passionate and involved each team is in tackling their scientific question and making newer therapeutics a reality. This trip has truly reaffirmed my decision to pursue an industry career.”

I echo these sentiments. The trip gave me more confidence in my ability to assess workplace culture and identify companies with an environment that best suits my strengths. I also have a greater awareness of the research and scientific advances being discovered in the biotech industry. I look forward to joining our alumni network soon and continuing my scientific growth as a member of the biotech community.

Above, the neon light display of the scribblings from Charles Darwin’s notebook filled the walls of the NIBR building. Right, participants begin their tour at Ipsen Biolabs.

For the 25th time in BRET history, the Annual Career Symposium was held to celebrate and explore the many career options a biomedical science trainee can pursue. This year on June 2, 2022, the event was filled with speakers and sessions throughout the day, but on Zoom once again! It was a day full of insightful career perspectives and valuable advice.

A Kaleidoscope of Careers *on Zoom*

Trainee Professional Development

Skill-building, networking, negotiating, and managing a professional image are important aspects of a trainee’s professional development. Our workshops, seminars, modules, and informal cafés help equip trainees for the next step in their career path.

Different Opportunities for Professional Development

Trainees in the Biomedical Research and the Media module wrote articles for the VUMC Reporter to gain writing experience and build their portfolio.

Modules Offerings

2022 ASPIRE Mock Interview Day

The BRET Office of Career Development’s ASPIRE Program hosted its second annual Mock Interview Day on March 28, 2022. Although this year’s platform looked different than that of the first Mock Interview Day held prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, the event was nevertheless an undeniable success that embodied the ASPIRE model of professional development.

Several years ago, Angela Zito, Assistant Director of the BRET Office of Career Development, first conceived the idea for Mock Interview Day based on mock interview relays hosted by Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development. During this training event students are connected with area employers and alumni for advice on interviewing and networking skills. Collaborating with Dr. Kim Petrie, Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Development, Zito adjusted the Peabody model to make it more suitable and effective for biomedical PhD students and postdocs.

Unlike the first Mock Interview Day, which recruited local Nashville employers and alumni in diverse careers as interviewers, this year’s event was intentionally focused on interviewers working in industry R&D. The day commenced with a keynote lecture from alumnus Larry Thompson, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist at Pfizer. During his presentation, “From Academia to Industry, How to Break on Through to the Other Side,” Dr. Thompson shared his unique experience as both an interviewee and interviewer.

Dr. Thompson emphasized practicality and strived to “acknowledge the difficulties that people go through when transitioning from academia to industry.” He discussed the differences between academic and corporate research environments, and the ways in which to break down barriers through networking, interview skills, and job searches. His best recommendations for preparing for interviews included (1) employing the STAR method for answering questions, which involves considering the situation, task, action, and result of a situation or challenge, (2) ensuring that one knows everything mentioned in his or her resume, and (3) preparing good questions to ask the interviewer.

Following this talk, a Q&A session with a panel of recently hired Pfizer employees provided attendees with a rare opportunity to receive insights about the interview process. Timothy Thoner, a PhD student, noted that this

session with the Pfizer hires gave him access to beneficial information that he would not typically come by in a different setting.

Trainees were then matched with interviewers for up to three mock interviews. Interviewers aimed to conduct sessions in a manner similar to genuine interviews, asking both technical and behavioral questions, and allotting additional time for questions, feedback, and guidance. Alexandra Blee, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow, participated in the event to familiarize herself with the nature of questions she could face. She found that the seminars prior to the event and the event itself provided her with valuable feedback and advice on interview and job search preparations.

In addition to engaging current Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center students and postdocs, the event, especially with its virtual platform this year, was a compelling way to include alumni in ASPIRE programming. While the event boasts numerous benefits, students found that one of its key strengths was the opportunity to build connections with alumni in industry. The cornerstone of Mock Interview Day is its ability to bring real-world experience to trainees, typifying the career and professional development goals of the ASPIRE program.

National Career Development Research and Best Practices

External Partners

The ASPIRE Program maintains many relationships with external graduate level career development organizations at the local and national level:

The Graduate Career Consortium

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Life Science Tennessee Nashville Software School

Career and professional development trends and best practices are constantly evolving. To continue to provide outstanding services and remain at the forefront of graduate and postdoctoral career development, we cultivate partnerships and participate in professional organizations to share our work.

National Leadership

• Governance Committee Member, Graduate Career Consortium

• Invited Reviewer, pd|hubProfessional Development Hub

• Conference Planner, Leadership Alliance Annual Career Development Conference

Development Activities for

Staff

Above, the annual Graduate Career Consortium conference brought together universities from all over the world to discuss career and professional development, this year from San Francisco. Left, Ashley Brady, PhD, and Jan Varadarajan, PhD, snag a selfie between sessions at GCC.

Hello, Badgr!

The ASPIRE Program is now awarding badges through Badgr to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who fully complete any of our ASPIRE modules or other experiential learning opportunities. The micro-credentialing program launched in the spring of 2021 through a partnership with the VU Process and Systems Implementation team, helping the ASPIRE Program to achieve a long-time goal of tracking trainee progress and supporting them in capturing and highlighting their professional development efforts outside of the lab. These badges can aggregate and shed light on the interests, capabilities, and accomplishments of learners; moreover, they can serve as the stepping stones, guiding trainees along a learning pathway.

Badges are a visual symbol of achievement with embedded metadata about the learning experience. The metadata includes badge issuer, recipient, date of award, and information about the award. The badges are verifiable and provide a permanent website that contains a description of the badge and clear earning criteria. The Badgr Backpack can store and fully interact with any of the Open Badges earned. Badgr-awarded badges will be automatically added to a user’s backpack.

Badges can also “stack” in pathways to convey focused experience in specific areas, e.g. Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Science, Program for Molecular Medicine. Pathways also provide a clear outline of achievement goals. For example, the Interview Readiness Pathway requires three available actions to increase confidence in job interviews: attending an interview prep seminar, completing an individual CV/resume review, and participating in the ASPIRE Mock Interview Day.

The benefits to trainees is clear. After earning a badge, participants can display the achievement on LinkedIn profiles and share to social media. They also are able to download a printable certificate. Furthermore, the platform allows trainees to create a Badge to embed in online portfolios or share a link to badges in their CV.

The ASPIRE Team back-issued badges to trainees who participated in an ASPIRE Module in the 2020-2021 academic year, and the badging program will continue to grow in the coming years.

In Praise of Badgr

The Badgr Platform

From anecdote to evidence:

ASPIRE publishes collaborative study showing participation in career development activities does not impact time-to-degree or productivity in grad school

The landscape of graduate education and postdoctoral training in the biomedical sciences has changed dramatically in the last decade as PhD programs have had to grapple with the demands of a diversifying economy. PhD scientists now have more career options than ever before, and many training programs have had to adapt to provide more opportunities for graduate students to explore their interests and passions in a wider range of careers in both academia and the biotech and healthcare industries.

The push to expand the focus of biomedical research training programs beyond preparing for academic research careers is not universally agreed upon, however. The changing nature of post-graduate employment has sparked some anxieties within graduate education, specifically regarding the potential effects of broadening training on graduate students’ productivity and efficiency. As biomedical research training programs looked to include more hands-on, experiential learning outside of the lab, the question remained whether these extracurricular activities would hinder students’ scientific work and increase the time spent in PhD training programs.

A 2021 article published in the journal PLOS Biology helps answer that question and assuage these fears. The article is the culmination of a five-year study that includes data from 1,700 graduate students across ten different institutions, including Vanderbilt, who received funding from the NIH to study how expanding career development opportunities impacts the career development and trajectories of PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in the biomedical sciences. Vanderbilt co-authors of the cross-institutional project include Dr. Kathleen Gould, Dr. Kim Petrie, recently retired Dr. Roger Chalkley, and Dr. Abby Brown from Vanderbilt’s ASPIRE program.

The ten universities who participated in the study were among 17 institutions across the country who were awarded an NIH Director’s Award in 2013 or 2014 as part of the “Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training” (BEST) grant program. By examining metrics such as time-todegree and number of peer-reviewed articles published during PhD training, the PLOS Biology study is the first to demonstrate that there is no difference in research

productivity or efficiency between PhD students who participate in career development activities and those who do not. Even students who participated in career and professional development activities at the highest level, such as completing an internship, did not take longer to finish or publish fewer manuscripts.

The article’s findings validate the approach taken by graduate programs such as Vanderbilt’s that have sought to re-align their biomedical research training environment with the realities of the job market. Dr. Kim Petrie, Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Development and co-PI on Vanderbilt’s BEST grant, shared, “This paper is a critical finding from the BEST consortium research. A common idea among faculty and trainees alike is that PhD students who participate in career development outside the lab are going to take longer to graduate and publish fewer papers. Our PLOS Biology analysis demonstrated that this wasn’t the case at all, including at Vanderbilt, where our biomedical PhD students publish papers, whether they participate in ASPIRE activities or not.” Dr. Kathleen Gould, Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Research Education and Training and BEST co-PI, added, “Our philosophy has always been that career development starts on Day 1 of graduate school or postdoc training, and it is gratifying to have robust data in support of students taking time to be proactive in their career development.”

In 2005, the Vanderbilt Biomedical Research Education and Training Office (BRET) was among the first in the country to start a career development initiative dedicated to the needs of biomedical PhD students and postdocs. Upon receiving a BEST award in 2013, BRET established the ASPIRE program to complement the robust research training students and postdocs receive in the lab. The outcomes of the BEST consortium study confirm what ASPIRE team and biomedical trainees have known for years: supplementing traditional PhD and postdoctoral research training with intentional professional development, career exploration, and skill-building activities helps trainees develop exceptional professional knowledge and a clear sense of their career plans, ultimately strengthening the biomedical research workforce.

Employer Relations and Workforce Development

Partnerships with companies and organizations lead to exciting exploratory visits, internships, and externships for our trainees. Employer Relations and Workforce Development also includes:

• Meetings with potential and current employer contacts

• Hosting employer information sessions

41 Employer Partner Meetings

• Speaking at conferences and giving invited talks

•

23 Trainees Participating in Internships

Serving on committees to represent Vanderbilt biomedical trainees

Facilitated by ASPIRE, 5 Graduate Students were selected to participate in Janssen/J&J Scholars of Oncology Diversity Engagement Program (Janssen SODEP)

ASPIRE

Internship Program

Since the program began in Fall 2015, we have had a total of 350 applicants -246 GS (70%), 103 PD (29%) -- and had 169 trainees participate as interns -- 120 graduate students (71%), 49 postdocs (29%). Over this time, we have partnered with 38 different companies and nonprofits that have hosted our trainees as interns.

2021-2022 Internship Hosts

Belmont University BioCentury, Inc.

Commission on Novel Technologies for Neurodevelopment Decode Health Health Research Alliance

Nashville Biosciences Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance

Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Basic Sciences VI4, Pathology Microbiology Immunology, VUMC

Access to the ASPIRE Internship Program has significantly expanded our department’s science communication capabilities. Bridging the gap between scientists and the community has been increasingly important and increasingly difficult. Each semester, the interns are dedicated to learning new tools and skills to contribute to how we communicate with our community so that we can continue to be a relevant and accurate source in a sea of ever-changing trends.

First ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Scholar Earns NSF I-Corps Award with Hydrogel Technology to Promote Blood Vessel Growth

From innovating to funding a novel biotechnology, Karrie Dudek, PhD, has had a terrific year as the inaugural Postdoctoral Fellow of the ASPIRE to Innovate program with the recent announcement of an award from the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps).

The ASPIRE to Innovate program is an initiative sponsored by Vanderbilt’s BRET Office in the School of Medicine and the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (CTTC) that provides biomedical scientists with entrepreneurial skills needed to launch new technologies from the bench to the commercial market during a two-year postdoctoral fellowship. As the very first fellow of the program, Dudek has been able to mesh her scientific training with her enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. This unique program provides an opportunity for her to become a co-founder while drawing on mentoring support from the Vanderbilt entrepreneurial community.

Over the past year, Dudek has collaborated with Ethan Lippman, PhD, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the CTTC on an innovative new technology using hydrogels to promote the growth of large blood vessels. Previous biomaterials have the capabilities to grow capillaries, but this new method can also grow arterioles, which are larger and can withstand higher-pressure outflows. In the body, growing

large vessels can assist in the healing of tissues which can become ischemic, or deprived of blood flow, during aging, disease, and surgeries. Their team has been able to gain valuable data from in vivo mouse models, demonstrating restoration of blood flow in critical limb ischemia models. Reflecting on the work thus far, Dudek shared, “the data we’ve gathered so far has been remarkable. There is tremendous potential in the healthcare field, and I think we have an opportunity to truly impact patient lives. Nothing quite like this exists on the market today.”

Dudek’s success in the first year of the ASPIRE to Innovate program is evident from a string of recognitions and achievements, including participating in the Zeroto-510 pre-accelerator program, completing the Wond’ry’s Ideator and Builder entrepreneurship programs, and placing first in the inaugural Renaissance Women’s Summit pitch competition. Nevertheless, her greatest accomplishment thus far came this past spring when she was awarded the NSF I-Corps grant award. The I-Corps program supports the commercialization of “deep technologies” that revolve around fundamental discoveries in science and engineering by engaging program fellows in developing new scientific technologies through interviewing potential customers and partners to determine the commercial potential for their early-stage translational innovations. Thus, the NSF I-Corps program pairs nicely with the goal of the newly established ASPIRE to Innovate program to train and mentor bench scientists with the skills to launch a company.

ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Scholar

Karrie Dudek, top, at the AOSSN Conference. Above, Karrie meetins with E2I speaker. Right, Karrie Dudek joins other trainees at the Life Science Tennesee conference in Nashville in March.

With $50,000 from the NSF I-Corps award, Dudek participated in an intense 6-month sprint as part of the program. She conducted 102 customer discovery interviews in 7 weeks over the course of July and August 2022 with surgeons, hospital administrators and contractors, insurance companies, and other stakeholders interested in the potential of this hydrogel technology. “It’s all about seeing if customers see the solution and the technology going into the right market,” Dudek said with an excited grin. Ideally, Dudek will find investors who see value in the hydrogel technology as a therapeutic biomaterial and want to support its commercialization. Since the hydrogel technology promotes the growth of large blood vessels, it would not only assist in healing of blood-deprived tissues, which the team has shown in mouse models, but it could also be used to assist in the treatment and healing of orthopedic injuries, organ transplants, diabetic foot ulcers, burns, and more.

After finishing the ASPIRE to Innovate postdoctoral position next summer, Dudek envisions using her new entrepreneurial skillset to continue developing the business and making progress towards getting the vessel-promoting hydrogel technology to market. As a co-founder along with Lippman, she would become the CEO of this company. With the support of both the ASPIRE to Innovate program, as well as the NSF I-Corps award, Dudek is well on her way. She is excited about what the future holds and said, “this program, along with the support of the Vanderbilt and greater Nashville community, has helped us establish a strong foundation that will serve us well as we take our next steps to raise capital, grow the company, and seek FDA approval.”

Partnership with Decode Health Expands Opportunities for Interns to Impact the Healthcare AI Industry

Internships Provide Mutual Benefits to Companies and Students

Graduate school internships are a relatively new idea. However, the ASPIRE Program within Vanderbilt University School of Medicine’s BRET Office of Career Development is leading the way in fostering these invaluable opportunities for its biomedical PhD graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The ASPIRE Internship program, now in its eighth year, has facilitated nearly 170 internships for the biomedical scientist trainees it serves. Throughout this time, the program has proven to be a mutually beneficial arrangement between the interns and the 38 participating host organizations.

During an internship, graduate students and postdocs develop new skills and domain knowledge by training in areas typically not emphasized in the lab and gaining exposure to work environments outside of academia. The organizations who employ interns find that they can increase their capacity and gain access to new ideas, while also identify and potentially recruit from a pipeline of highly-trained talent.

Top, Decode Health currently has three ASPIRE interns working at the company. Above, the Decode team meets virtually via Zoom. Below, Aaron May-Zhang, PhD, spent time as an intern with Decode Health, and now is in a full-time role at Fluent Biosciences thanks to his internship experience.

ASPIRE interns devote 8-10 hours per week for three months or longer to support the goals of a partner organization. Internship hosts represent a wide range of industries where scientists can make meaningful contributions, including consulting, scientific non-profits, medical and scientific communications, science policy, biotech business development and data science. Data science, in particular, is an increasingly popular career path for PhD-trained biomedical professionals because of its utility in almost all areas of biomedical research and the growing demand for individuals who can mine and interpret the vast amount of data being generated by biomedicine.

The ASPIRE data science internship with Decode Health is a perfect example of how an internship can serve a growing field. Decode Health is a healthcare AI company that powers an evolving ecosystem of diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies and linked technology partners. Leveraging a decade of integrating machine learning methods with large datasets, including clinical, genomic, and social determinants of health data, Decode leads the ecosystem to deliver proactive healthcare innovation that advances precision medicine. The Decode Health internships equip developing scientists with practical knowledge and industry experience. Upon completion, the interns are well prepared to make meaningful contributions within their fields.

Expanding Skills

The opportunity to gain skills and exposure becomes even more relevant as careers for biomedical scientists expand. Experiential learning is a valuable asset on the job market, and those who have it are highly sought after. This was the case for Aaron May-Zhang, PhD, Senior Bioinformatics Scientist at Fluent BioSciences, Inc. He broke into the field after interning with Decode Health. Like many of his biomedical scientist colleagues, May-Zhang had no data science or bioinformatics experience before starting his postdoc, but he had become interested in the field as he saw the exciting challenges and growth opportunities available. “I was trying to find every opportunity to diversify and understand how machine learning worked.

Decode Health had some of the best experts in the city for doing machine learning and RNA-sequencing,” says May-Zhang. “My internship experience allowed me to be an attractive candidate to Fluent Biosciences because their day-to-day roles were similar to what I was experiencing in my internship. I was able to point to specific outcomes and efforts that were highly relevant skills to the company.”

May-Zhang is not the only intern to find the internship opportunity valuable. Since 2018, the Decode Health team has regularly offered internships via the ASPIRE Program. The company has now hosted 9 successful interns, several of whom have gone on to pursue data science roles in various industries. “Industry is a completely different work environment than academia because people think about and prioritize different things here. Seeing that during an internship really softens the transition,” says Darwin Fu, PhD, Data Scientist at Kitcheck. Fu felt his experience interning with Decode Health during his postdoc in biomedical informatics was imperative to securing his current role. It gave him domain knowledge and professional skills in the start-up space which proved invaluable when he set out to pursue his career.

Decode Health co-founder and CEO, Chase Spurlock, PhD, who is a Vanderbilt University doctoral alumnus, says his team takes a hands-on approach to training interns by integrating them throughout the company’s operations. As such, he makes sure the team involves interns in areas that align with their individual talents and interests. “Interns have the opportunity to touch every aspect of the company. We’re very intentional about having people join us who are interested not only in being on the data team, but also seeing how Decode’s products and services come together,” says Spurlock.

During the internship, students described having a selfpaced, flexible environment. This structure allows them to develop their skills and work on independent, self-driven projects befitting their interests, all while adding value to the team. In fact, interns are given the opportunity to move up in the company as their projects develop into pipelines that can help advance customer goals. Cody Heiser, a current graduate student in the Chemical and Physical Biology program, has found this opportunity at Decode Health rewarding. “It’s certainly been a valuable experience. I’ve gotten to wear a lot of different hats along the R&D spectrum in a dynamic environment where everybody has to contribute on so many different levels,” says Heiser. As an intern for the last year and a half, Heiser has worked his way up from a data analyst to a data engineering role. His work has allowed him versatility by applying skills learned in the lab to different contexts. In fact, Cody helped shape the data visualization story for a marquee Decode Health collaboration where Decode is looking to identify biomarkers for specific inflammatory diseases. Heiser notes, “The internship has given me experiences to point to and say here are the challenges that I’ve seen in an industry space, and this is how I contributed to overcome that

challenge. This role will allow me to differentiate myself in the growing data science job market.”

Mabel Seto, PhD, a former Pharmacology graduate student who is now a postdoc at Harvard, saw an internship as a valuable way to test out the different facets of a field. Like May-Zhang and Fu, she participated in the Data Science Essentials module offered by the ASPIRE Program to introduce students to careers in data science. This noncredit bearing short course is run in partnership with the Nashville Software School. It teaches fundamental concepts in data science to biomedical graduate students and postdocs seeking to learn more about the programming and data analytics tools employed by data scientists. In addition, participants receive training in communication skills and are exposed to professionals in the data science industry through a series of case sessions highlighting real-world projects from their companies. As Seto’s interest in data science grew, she wanted to immerse herself further in the field. Taking on the Decode Health internship was a natural next step as she continued to explore data science as a career. In her view, “Internships, such as the one at Decode Health, are an integral part of graduate school. It helps to expand your interests by digging into a field, similar to the way one learns a language.”

Giving Back

In addition to his involvement with the ASPIRE Internship program, Spurlock continues to engage with the Vanderbilt community in numerous ways. He maintains an adjunct faculty appointment at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center as Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology. He is also an affiliate faculty member at the Vanderbilt Data Science Institute. As the co-founder and CEO of a data-science-focused healthcare start-up, Spurlock had the opportunity to share his experience with the Vanderbilt community as the speaker at the inaugural Enabling Innovation Initiative (Ei2) seminar series in 2018. More recently, he and his team worked directly with a cohort of graduate students and postdocs by leading one of the four data science case sessions offered in the spring of 2022 as the capstone activity for the Data Science Essentials ASPIRE module.

For Spurlock and the Decode Health team, the ASPIRE partnership has been incredibly rewarding. He described the relationship as one which provides bright, talented self-starters to the company. Spurlock also views the ASPIRE internships as providing experiences he thinks are necessary to bolster competitiveness of Vanderbilt graduates and foster industry-academia connections. The ASPIRE program gives participating companies the leeway to conduct interviews and engage with students in a way best fits to their needs. The ASPIRE program is driven to provide opportunities for Vanderbilt students to engage with the larger community where they can bring value and gain experience across a wide variety of industries.

Campus Partnerships and Faculty Outreach

The BRET Office of Career Development strives to maintain partnerships with departments and programs across campus. We partner by providing presentations on a variety of professional and academic development topics and serving on university committees.

Above, breakout groups of first year students work together during a StrengthsFinder presentation led by Kate Stuart and Angela Zito. Right, Ashley Brady, PhD, and the Vanderbilt Career Center’s Kayla Smith led sessions on interviewing prep for current trainees.

Campus Partners and Advisory Roles

Campus Advisory Roles

The ASPIRE Team serve in a number of roles to a variety of campus organizations, committees, and initiatives:

• Dean’s Advisory Council for Mental Health and Wellness

• Basic Sciences Board of Visitors Reputation Consulting Group 20202021, Co-Lead on Workforce Development Working Group Fall 2021

• Professional Development Course, “Becoming a Scientist,” IGP Curriculum Review Committee

• Vanderbilt University Advanced Degree Consulting Club

• Vestigo Editorial Board

• Life Science Tennessee Academic Alliance

Campus Partners

Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences Dean’s Office

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt Graduate School

Vanderbilt Career Center

Vanderbilt Center for Teaching Vanderbilt Center for Tech Transfer & Commercialization Training Grants in the Biomedical & Biological Sciences Vanderbilt Development & Alumni Relations Vanderbilt Graduate Development Network Vanderbilt Graduate Leadership Institute Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, & Inflammation (VI4) Vanderbilt International Student & Scholar Services Vanderbilt Managerial Studies Program Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program

Vanderbilt Office of Federal Relations

Vanderbilt Office of Public Affairs Vanderbilt Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association

Vanderbilt Process & Solution Implementations

Vanderbilt Research Cores & Shared Resources

Vanderbilt School of Engineering

Vanderbilt University Advanced Degree Consulting Club

Vanderbilt Science Policy Group

Vanderbilt University Counseling Center The Vanderbilt Collaborative for STEM Education & Outreach (CSEO)

Vanderbilt Writing Studio The Wond’ry

Alumni Relations, Outcomes, and Development

in

LinkedIn Group Members

Student Exit Surveys

The Office of Career Development engages biomedical PhD and postdoctoral trainees once they complete their training. Alumni volunteer their time at career exploration and professional development events. The office also facilitates connections between alumni and current trainees. Our alumni network helps us better understand career outcomes, informs our career programming, and shapes our advice to current trainees.

Outcomes Outlook

Employment Location of Biomedical PhD Graduates

July 2021-June 2022 Defense Dates

Location of first position of biomedical PhD alumni who defended between July 2021 and June 2022. Alumni of our programs accepted postdoctoral fellowships and employment opportunities throughout the country and around the world.

Size of the circle represents the number of graduates employed in that location (n=61)

Outcomes Outlook

Employment Types, Sectors, and Roles of Biomedical PhD Graduates July 2021-June 2022 Defense Dates

Employment Type

AMO: Administrative or Managerial or Operational Biomedical PhD Graduates (July 2021 – June 2022 defense dates)

Employment Sector

Data about first position after graduation is collected from our predoctoral exit survey.

Employment Role 66 students

The bar graph shows the different employment roles for our alumni. The job sectors in which our alumni hold each role are also shown.

Other roles (denoted with **) include medical affairs, science or medical writing and communication, teaching faculty or staff, and continuing further education.

**Other roles include:

• Administration (1)

• Business development, consulting & strategic alliances (1)

• Clinical research management or Clinical development (2)

• Sales & marketing (1)

• Science or medical writing & communication (2)

• Teaching faculty or staff (2)

Left, alumni and current trainees mix and mingle at the Boston Happy Hour on the last night of the ASPIRE on the Road trip. Below, Dean Larry Marnett shares a laugh with alumni gathered in Boston.

Left and below, alumni and current trainees enjoy time together while at the Boston Alumni Happy Hour.

Alumni Networking in Boston

Now a tradition for ASPIRE on the Road trips, alumni gather to meet and greet the trainees visiting their city! This year’s Boston Alumni Networking Happy Hour was a wonderful reunion of former Vanderbilt biomedical trainees. Many alumni in attendance had even been a part of the very first ASPIRE on the Road Boston trip! Current trainees enoyed the laid back opportunity to mingle in person with alumni, while alumni, administrators, and staff in attendance spent time recalling memories and exchanging stories.

the ASPIRE Team

Kathy Gould, PhD

Senior Associate Dean, Biomedical Research Education and Training Louise B. McGavock Chair Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology kathy.gould@vanderbilt.edu

Kim Petrie, PhD

Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Development

Associate Professor of Medical Education and Administration kim.petrie@vanderbilt.edu

Ashley Brady, PhD

Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

Associate Professor of Medical Education and Administration ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu

Angela Zito, M.Ed.

Assistant Director

BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program angela.zito@vanderbilt.edu

Kate Stuart

Associate Director

BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program

Director, Strategic Affairs and Events kate.stuart@vanderbilt.edu

2022 Annual Career Symposium

A Kaleidoscope of Biomedical Science Careers

9:00am Networking from Here to There: Maximizing the Symposium Experience with Ashley Brady, PhD 96

10:00am

Translational Medicine Sophie Thiolloy, PhD

11:00am

Patent Law Amanda Schnepp, PhD

College Teaching Laurie Lemons, PhD Karen Meisch, PhD

Medical Science Liaison Sydney Stoops, PhD

Noon Industry with Pedro Manuel Garcia-Barrantes, PhD

1:00pm

2:00pm

Understanding ORISE: Fellowship and Internship Opportunities for PhDs at National Labs and Government Agencies with Leslie Fox, PhD

Government Administration Mohammed Aiyegbo, PhD

3:00pm

Business Development Lauren Matise Bulsak, PhD

Beyond the Lab Podcast

Consulting Siwei He, MD, PhD

Academic Administration and Research Mariena Silvestry-Ramos, PhD Celestial Jones-Paris, PhD

Alumnus Guest

Amanda Hansen, PhD

Matthew Varga,

Allie Greenplate,

Shruti Sharma, PhD

Lehanna Sanders,

Marquicia Pierce,

Sue Lee, PhD

Katie Vowell, PhD

Tiffany Farmer,

Li Yang, PhD

Sudipta Chakraborty, PhD

PhD Career Stories

Date Topic

Attendance Speaker Details

September 10, 2021 College Teaching 17

Octobe 29, 2021

Science Writing/Project Management 26

Sarah Peterson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Kenyon College

Dan O’Brien, PhD, Assistant Scientific Director, AbbVie

Julia Jester, associate vice president for federal relations, Association of American Universities

November 1, 2021

Science Policy (Part I) Federal STEM Policy & Advocacy Virtual Seminars: Science Policy Career Paths 102

Damon Dozier, director of government affairs, Materials Research Society

Ashlee Wilkins, PhD, professional staff member, House Science, Space and Technology Committee

Libby O’Hare, PhD, senior principal, Lewis Burke Associates

Amrita Banerjee, PhD, AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow

Novemnber 8, 2021

Science Policy (Part II) Federal STEM Policy & Advocacy Virtual Seminars: AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellows Panel

30

Edward van Opstal, PhD, Lead Scientist, Booz Allen Hamilton

Shilpy Dixit, PhD, Program Director, NIH

Alex Maki, PhD, Social Scientist, FDA

Molly Altman, MD, PhD, Program Manager, Sarah Cannon Solid Tumor GI/GU Program

December 10, 2021 Clinical Research at Sarah Cannon 29

Shanna A. Arnold Egloff, PhD, MSCI, Outcomes Investigator, INSITE (Innovations, Science and Technology)

Carissa Jones, PhD, Senior Program Specialist

January 14, 2022

February 5, 2022

Medical Science Liaison in an International Location 41

Genomics Laboratory Management

March 9, 2022 Business Development

April 15, 2022 Finance and Equity Research 22

Caroline Benoist, PhD, Medical Science Liasion, Arvelle Therapeutics

Ryan Bender, PhD, FACMGG, Director, Molecular Operations, NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc.

Marquicia Pierce, PhD, MBA, Business Consultant, Michigan Small Business Development Center

Alex Nackenoff, PhD, Equity Research Associate at Raymond

JamesMike Nedelcovych, PhD, Vice President of Equity Research at Cowen, Inc.

Modules

Enhanced Career Exploration

Course Title Director

Mary van Valkenburg, Analytics and Data Science Program Manager, Instructor, Nashville Software School

Participants Frequency and Dates

Data Science Essentials

Ashley Brady, PhD, Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships (Kate Stuart also assisted with sessions)

21 August 2021-March 2022

SciComm for All

Biomedical Research and the Media

Clinical Microbiology: Applying Your PhD to Patient Care

Abby Olena, PhD, Alumna 2015, correspondent for The Scientist 9 (capped) Fall 2021

Wayne Wood, writer, editor, assistant director, News and Communications, Vanderbilt University Medical Center 3 (capped) Spring 2022

Jonathan Schmitz, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, VUMC

Ferrin Wheeler, PhD, Medical Director, Cytogenetics, VUMC

5 (capped) Spring 2022

Management and Business Principles for Scientists

Joe Rando, MBA, Associate Professor of the Practice, Managerial Studies, Vanderbilt University 18 (capped) Spring 2022

Essential Skill Building

Maximizing Your Potential: Leading and Managing People, Projects, and Your Career

EQ + IQ = Career Success

Beth Bowman, PhD, Assistant Professor, Medical Education and Administration, Associate Director of Trainee Support 12 Fall 2021

Kate Stuart, Associate Director, BRET Office of Career Development

Networking Pacing

Ashley Brady, PhD, Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

Fall 2021

3 Spring 2022

Topic

Development Additional Events

Speaker

Becoming a Scientist: 1st Year Presentations

Date Topic Presenter Group

Topic

Planning in Graduate School

Search Series

Presenter

Internship Host

Belmont University

BioCentury, Inc.

Commision on Novel Technologies for Neurodevelopment

Decode Health

Number of Trainees and Internship Role

Teaching Intern (Principles of Biology I)

Data Analyst Interns

Grant Match Maker Intern

Data Science Interns

Grants Administration Working Group Intern Nashville Biosciences

Health Research Alliance (HRA)

Sclerosis Alliance

School of Medicine, Basic Sciences

PMI, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Business Development Interns

Business Development Intern

Science Communication Interns

Science Communication Interns

Employer Information Sessions

Date

October

Data

Date

March

March

March

Attendees Guest

David Cappel, PhD; Jessica Shaklee and L Jarzylo, PRIME

Krystian Kozek, MD, PhD, Flagship Pioneering

Kaitlin Kestenberg, Laura Keigher, Courntey Cocilova, PhD, ADMA Therapeutics

Case Sessions

Speaker/Host

Health led by Erin Shockley, Benjamin Conrad, PhD; Matthew Lewis, and Ashley Lucht

Bluebook with Lindsey Clark,

Foundation with Jerome Jorquin, PhD

Labs with Hari Tanjore and Bettina Kozissnik

August 18, 2021

“StrengthsFinder 101”

IGP Orientation

Kate Stuart, Angela Zito

August 26, 2021

“Overview of NRSAs and the Peer Review Process” Pharmacology Department

Kim Petrie

September 3, 2021

“BRET Office of Career Development & ASPIRE” Simple Beginnings PhD Ceremony Kim Petrie

September 16, 2021

“BRET Career Development ASPIRE Program Resources for International Postdocs”

BRET International Scholar Orientation Ashley Brady

September 21, 2021

“BRET Career Development ASPIRE Program Resources for Postdocs and Fellows” Clinical Pharmacology Fellowship Program Ashley Brady

October 7, 2021

“Digital Presence: Academic Podcasting”

Vanderbilt Digital Commons Kate Stuart

Brandt PD, Varvayanis SS, Baas T, Bolgioni-Smith AF, Alder J, Petrie KA, Dominguez I, Brown AM, et al. A cross-institutional analysis of the effects of broadening trainee professional development on research productivity. PLoS Biology, July 2021.

November 1, 2021

“Career Development for Postdoctoral Fellows and the ASPIRE Program at Vanderbilt”

Vanderbilt University Postdoctoral Association Symposium

Ashley Brady

January 13, 2022

“NRSAs and Fellowships to Fund Your Research Training”

Neuroscience Department Kim Petrie

March 11, 2022

“BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program Resources”

GatherTown Event for accepted IGP applicants Ashley Brady, Kim Petrie

April 14, 2022

“ASPIRE for Career Planning”

Biomedical Informatics Research Colloquium Kim Petrie

May 18, 2022

“Alumni Panel and Career Resources Session” Chemical Biology Program Annual Retreat Ashley Brady

May 25, 2022

“ASPIRE Program Updates”

BRET Office Staff Meeting

Ashley Brady, Kim Petrie

Varadarajan J, Brown AM, Chalkley R. Biomedical graduate student experiences during the COVID-19 university closure. PLoS One, September 2021.