IALS Translational Graduate Student Assistantship

Applications are closed for the third cohort of one-year Translational Graduate Student Assistants, sponsored by IALS and the research centers.

Program Details

The funding for the IALS Translational Graduate Student Assistantship is earmarked for the most successful, relevant translational research project, and will come from the pool of graduate students, domestic or international. 

1. Funding will be awarded as a one-year working assistantship starting Fall 2025 for up to 20 hours per week.
2. Application should include work the student is currently working on.
3. Application should be received by the deadline of March 31.
4. Applications will be reviewed by the Center Steering Committee and then ranked for final decision by Center & IALS Leadership.

Eligibility

1. The graduate student must have completed their second year or beyond, of their studies (by the start of the assistantship).
2. The student’s PI must be a member of IALS and a UMass Amherst faculty member.
3. The student’s PI must have tagged a grant proposal to IALS in the last 24 months.
4. Graduate students can be either domestic or international and must be attending UMass Amherst.

Program Requirements

Each submission should include the following by the deadline date of March 31, 2025, by 3:00 p.m., submitted as one document in this order:

1. Research Statement (no more than 2 pages explaining the significance and potential translational impact of your current work)
2. NIH Style Biosketch from both applicant and PI (CV for PI is acceptable) (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm) 

We define translational research as work that aims to inform or to develop product candidates, technologies, and services that deliver benefits to human health and well-being.

A letter of support from the students mentor/PI should be emailed directly to ialscenters@umass.edu. This letter should include how future funding will be ensured for the fellow after the award is expired, the mentoring philosophy of the mentor, and commitment of support for the project described by the applicant. 

Timeline

1. March 1, 2025 - Applications open for submission
2. March 31, 2025, by 3:00 p.m. - Applications due date and time
3. April 7-27, 2025 - Applications under review by Center Steering Committee
4. May 5-9, 2025 - Applications under review by Center Leadership
5. May 21, 2025 - Assistantships awarded to graduate students

Graduate students that are awarded the IALS Translational Graduate Student Assistantship will be required to:

1. Submit a mid-year update on your project (one page)
2. Be interviewed by IALS staff with a photograph to be used on social media
3. Attend a reception “Meet & Greet” with IALS staff and Center Leadership
4. Attend the IALS Translational Graduate Student Symposium at the end of the assistantship and present on your research based on the below:
   1. The steps you have taken towards translation emphasize the specific reason why your bigger picture project is translational.
   2. Provide a clear outline of the "Basic Research to Innovative Product" pathway within your project and how your work has moved the needle in this effort. 
   3. Reflect on your experience and what you have learned 
       

FAQ

Fall 2024-Summer 2025

Center for Bioactive Delivery

• Auden Balouch-Biomedical Engineering (Donahue lab)
• Yagiz Anil Cicek-Chemistry (Rotello lab)
• Jingyi Qiu-Chemistry (Thayumanavan lab)

Center for Personalized Health Monitoring

• Kaushal Sumaria-Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (Liu lab)
• Paul McDonnell-Kinesiology (Martini lab)

Models to Medicine Center

• Hannah Cournoyer-Psychological & Brain Sciences (Lacreuse lab)
• Jay English-Biology (Pak lab)
• Daniil Ivanov-Chemistry (Kaltashov lab)

Spring 2024-Fall 2024

Head over to the IALS Instagram channel to read about the experiences from this first cohort of students.

Center for Bioactive Delivery

• Maharshi Debnath -Chemical Engineering (Kulkarni lab)
• Sparsh Makhaik-Chemistry (Hardy lab)

Center for Personalized Health Monitoring

• Vibha Balaji-Biomedical Engineering (Dutta lab)
• Ross Brancati-Kinesiology (Boyer lab)
• Rajagopalan Raghuraman-Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (Srimathveeravalli lab)
• Meysam Safarzadeh-Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (Du lab)

Models to Medicine Center

• Xinjian Doris He-Veterinary & Animal Sciences (Mager lab)
• Griffin Kane-Biomedical Engineering (Atukorale lab)

Funding was provided by IALS, the Center for Bioactive Delivery, the Center for Personalized Health Montoring and the Models to Medicine Center.