B³ (B-cubed) —
Biology & Biotechnology Bridge Program

B³ (B-Cubed): A new two-year Post-Baccalaureate program at MIT and its Biotech Partners. The MIT Department of Biology seeks qualified students for its two-year B³ program, starting in the summer of 2010.

Goal: The goal of this two-year program is to provide additional research and academic preparation to talented and driven individuals from minority groups and economically-disadvantaged backgrounds to prepare them for the most competitive PhD programs in the biological and biomedical sciences in the country. Individuals in a non-biology major or with limited academic or research opportunities at their undergraduate institutions are encouraged to apply. The academic portion of the program will take place at MIT, while the research training portion will take place at local biotech companies.

Eligibility:

• Science, Math or Engineering major
• Strong academic record (minimum GPA of 3.4)
• Strong reference letters from academic and research mentors
• Graduate from college within 12 month from the start of the program
• Some prior experience in basic research

For more information please contact Dr. Mandana Sassanfar, Director of Outreach Programs, at mandana@mit.edu

Structure: Participants will have an academic mentor (an MIT faculty) and a research mentor (a scientist in the Biotech industry). The program is based on a 70% research effort in a local Biotech company and 30% academic enrichment and preparation at MIT. The company will pay a competitive pro-rated salary where students will work in a challenging and supportive research environment. Tuition for classes at MIT will be covered. Applicants will also receive basic health insurance.

Course work: Course work will be tailored to each individual needs. Participants will take two courses per semester that will include:

• A quantitative biology course
• A seminar course
• At least one upper-level course in the Biological Sciences

Each participant will be required to meet with their MIT faculty mentor on a bi-weekly basis, and present their research monthly to the B³ team.

Participants will prepare their graduate school application during the summer after completing their first year, take a GRE prep course, learn about the various aspect of the application process required for submitting a competitive application and having a successful interview, explore funding opportunities for graduate school, and learn about various careers available to PhDs.

Research: Participants will conduct supervised research for two years at a host Biotech company (85% in the summer, 70% during the academic year) in one the following areas: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Infectious Diseases, Cancer,  Musculo-skeletal Diseases, Biomarker Development, Developmental & Molecular Pathways, Chemistry, Imaging, Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, Proteomic Chemistry, or Translational Medicine.

Application: The application form is now available, along with the faculty evaluation form (both are .doc format).

The application deadline is February 1, 2010.
Applicants will need to submit:

• 3 letters of recommendations from research and academic mentors who can elaborate on the applicant’ s intellect, skills, research experience, character and motivation for pursuing a PhD in the biological sciences
• Official transcripts
• A cover letter with a brief summary of past research experiences and career goal
• An up-to-date CV

Competitive applicants will be interviewed by phone.
Successful applicants will be notified by April 1 2010. Participants will start Orientation on July 1 2010.