Overview of the Fellowship Program
In addition to our own CBB fellowships, NIH fellowships are also administered by the CBB. Both NIH and CBB fellowships are designed to promote training focusing on the applications of biological & physical sciences to conduct interdisciplinary research in the biocatalytic sciences.
These fellowship awards are made on an annual basis only to graduate students at The University of Iowa. Both types of fellowships will be awarded for a duration of 2 years. The fellowship awardees will need to apply for a renewal prior to the start of the second year. Renewal of the fellowship award is contingent upon satisfactory evaluation by the CBB Executive Committee. Predoctoral graduate students are encouraged to discuss with their major advisors as soon as possible regarding the application process. Predoctoral graduate students in their 1st or 2nd year will be given priority. The breakdown of the fellowship award is provided above.
Questions regarding coursework requirements should be directed to Training Program Director Dr. Maria Spies via email or phone at 319-335-3221. Alternatively, representatives at the CBB Main Office (319-335-4900) can also answer questions regarding these requirements.
Fellowship Eligibility & Requirements
To be eligible for CBB fellowship, graduate students must be:
- Admitted to a Ph.D. program in one of our participating departments.
- Nominated by a faculty member.
To be eligible for NIH fellowship, graduate students must be:
- Admitted to a Ph.D. program in one of our participating departments.
- Nominated by a faculty member.
- US citizens or permanent residents (green card holders)
Once awarded a fellowship, students must meet all of the requirements listed below.
Coursework
- In addition to required coursework by their home departments, fellows are required to take at least 3 credits of coursework in 4 of the 5 core areas of biotechnology: Biocatalytic Sciences, Bioprocessing, Molecular and Synthetic Biology, Data Handling and Computational Analysis, and Professional Development.
- Completion of one university-wide Responsible Conduct of Research course offered each fall semester and a Mastering Reproducible Science course
- Participation in the Perspectives in Biotechnology course every semester. This course is cross-listed as CHEM:5875, PHAR:5875, BIOC:5875, CEE:5875, MICR:5875, and CBE:5875. Fellows are expected to participate in this course every semester until graduation.
- Participation in TP’s seminars
Conference & Symposium
- Presentation of research progress at the CBB's Annual Conference, either in the form of a keynote presentation or a poster presentation. Students must submit an abstract outlining their presentation during conference registration.
- Presentation of research progress at the annual Iowa Biotech-TP Spring Symposium
Internship
- Complete a 3-month internship with one of CBB’s industry partners
Other requirements
- Participate in various trainee cohort career building and networking activities, which can vary every year.
Hear from some of our fellows about their experience
Souradip Sinha
Tyler Woodward
Hossein Zare
"The CBB program has been instrumental in my development as an effective biomedical researcher. Over the years, the courses offered as part of the training have been immensely helpful, and I am looking forward to taking the Foundations in Entrepreneurship course which seems exciting! The opportunity to attend an industrial internship in Biotechnology is excellent in providing industrial exposure to trainees, and I am particularly enthusiastic for my internship experience. Furthermore, I am immensely grateful to the program for allowing me to talk about my project at the Annual CBB Conference (2023), which was an amazing learning experience."
"Being a first year fellow in the CBB, I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities to present my work, engage with other disciplines, and network with professionals in the field. Overall, these experiences have helped shape the way I look at science and how I see my own research."
"I enjoy CBB biotechnology seminar sessions. It provided me with new perspectives on biotechnology, ranging from biological sciences to engineering. CBB is successful at building a network with other faculty members and industry professionals in order to identify possibilities for research, internships, and collaboration."