The OSU HHMI Med into Grad
Scholars Program
Joanna Groden Ph.D.
COM, Associate Dean for Basic Science
Ginny Bumgardner M.D., Ph.D.
COM, Associate Dean for Research
Education & Graduate Studies
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is a
medical research organization dedicated to
biomedical research and science education.
Its principal objectives are the advancement of
fundamental knowledge in the biomedical sciences
and the application of that knowledge to alleviate
disease and promote health.
Through its grants and special programs, HHMI seeks
to strengthen science education and biomedical
research by supporting current and future leaders
to advance scientific knowledge, develop
educational products, and implement outstanding
educational practices.
Program Purpose
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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
Med into Grad Initiative is designed to prepare
Ph.D. researchers to conduct research at the
interface of biomedical science and clinical
medicine.
Graduates of these programs are expected to
expedite the clinical application of discoveries in
biomedical science to improve human health and
to create future successful research
partnerships with physicians.
The goal is to augment the biomedical
applications of our traditional basic science
research programs at OSU through the COM and
through our newly funded CTSA.
2009 HHMI Med into Grad
23 Awardees
11 prior awardees*; 12 new
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Baylor*
CCF/Case*
Columbia
Cornell
Emory
Harvard*
Memorial Sloan
Kettering
Ohio State Univ
Rice*
UAB*
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UC San Diego
UC Davis*
UCSF*
Univ Chicago
UNC Chapel Hill*
Univ Penn*
Univ Rochester
Univ Texas SW MC Dallas
Univ Utah
Univ Washington*
Vanderbilt
Yale*
The OSU HHMI Program focuses on six
emphasis areas in the basic sciences.
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Biomedical Engineering
Computational Biology
Genetics
Infectious Disease
Neuroscience
RNA Biology
Core Leadership Team
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Co-Directors: Joanna Groden PhD &
Ginny Bumgardner MD PhD
Core Leadership Team:
Carlo Croce MD, Larry Schlesinger MD, Richard Hart
PhD, Daniel R. Schoenberg PhD, John Oberdick PhD,
Jeff Parvin PhD, Virginia Sanders PhD, and
Rebecca Jackson MD.
The centerpiece for the curricular aspects of the
proposal is the COM Integrated Biomedical Sciences
Graduate Program (IBGP) which offers a
translational area of research emphasis.
Eligibility Requirements
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This program is offered on a competitive basis
annually to 6 exceptional pre-candidacy graduate
students at OSU:
(1) who will have completed at least one year of
training in their graduate program and
(2) whose dissertation research is relevant to at
least one of 6 highlighted scientific disciplines
including genetics, microbial biology, biomedical
engineering, RNA biology, neuroscience or
computational biology.
MD PhD dual degree students are not eligible.
Design of the Training Program
 Focused preclinical training in the pathobiology of
human disease relevant to the HHMI scholar’s
research focus
 Translational Science Coursework through course
offerings in the COM Integrated Biomedical
Science Graduate Program
 Exposure/access to translational research
coursework and core resources in the Center for
Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS)
 Mentored experiences within clinical services
related to dissertation/disciplinary research by
faculty in the OSU medical center (OSUMC)
Appointment of a COM faculty member to the
scholar’s dissertation committee
 Graduate Certificate Program (in progress)
The OSU HHMI Scholar Benefits
 Individualized Pre-clinical & Translational Science
Curriculum
 Interactions with CCTS
 COM faculty on Dissertation Committee
 Mentored Clinical experiences
 ~12 experiences over 12 months
 In-patient, out-patient, clinical trial, electronic
records, laboratory, pathology, operating room,
journal review, selected seminars and
conferences, individual and group meetings)
 Scientific networking with faculty, other
research trainees and administrators in COM
 Regional and/or National Networking
The OSU HHMI Scholar Benefits
 Access to OSU HHMI Virtual Library through
Educational Technology
 Opportunity to present research and win travel awards
at annual OSUMC Research Day
 Selected scholars will receive one-year of stipend
support: $30,000
 1 year of Tuition expenses (exclusive of “special” fees
such as the COTA, recreation, student activity fee,
learning technology fee etc.)
The OSU HHMI Scholar has a
structured 12 month curriculum.
 Sample Qtr:
• HHMI Scholars Orientation meeting
• Selected independent study on-line
module related to the scholar’s
disciplinary research (3 cr)
• Translational Science Course (3 cr)
• Translational Seminar (1-3 cr)
• Mentored Clinical Experience (1-3 cr)
• Indep Research (3-7 cr)
• Qtrly HHMI Scholars meeting/Retreat
OSU Partners Supporting the
HHMI Med Into Grad Scholars Program
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HHMI
OSU, Office of Research
OSU, Graduate School
OSU Clinical Center for Translational Science
OSU Medical Center
College of Medicine
College of Engineering
College of Arts & Sciences