Research Training News & Events

Research Training News offers readers an insight into the intramural research training experience and the possibilities this experience can open. Learn about NIAID trainees’ research, their goals, achievements, inspirational moments, and more.

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In Case You Missed It—Virtual Career Chat With Dr. Christine Hopp

March 5, 2024

The NIAID Office of Research Training and Development recently held a virtual career chat with Dr. Christine Hopp, a NIAID postdoctoral alum. Learn about her transition from NIH to the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Germany and her advice for fellows looking to acquire a position and funding outside of the United States.

Photo of Christine Hopp

Postbac Spotlight — Transforming Passion Into Practice

March 1, 2024

Timothy Mehrmann is a postbac in the Medical Virology Section of the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at the Vaccine Research Center, where he works under the supervision of Jeffrey Cohen, M.D. Read this interview about Timothy’s experience at NIAID and how it has prepared him to pursue a career in both infectious disease medicine and virology research.

Photo of Timothy Mehrmann

Postdoc Spotlight — Fostering Collaboration for Scientific Advancement

February 6, 2024

Stephen Lu, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher who recently completed a three-year research project in the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research and the Laboratory of Bacteriology through his participation in the Rocky-Beth Fellowship Program. Learn how this unique collaborative experience prepared him for the next stage of his career.

Headshot of Stephen Lu

Postbac Spotlight — Cutting-Edge Research and Career Exploration in the Rocky Mountains

January 31, 2024

Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana is home to a thriving community of researchers who investigate some of the world's most challenging infectious disease threats. Read about how postbacs at RML contribute to this work and the different ways they get involved in their local communities.

Group Picture of Postbaccalaureate fellows at Rocky Mountain Laboratories

In Case You Missed It—Winners Announced for Fellows’ Presentations at NIAID 17th Annual Fellows Workshop

December 6, 2023

The NIAID 17th Annual Fellows Workshop occurred on Friday, December 1, 2023, honoring the exceptional contributions of NIAID predoctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical fellows. The event showcased fifty-five engaging presentations by fellows, along with insightful remarks from the NIAID Mentor of the Year, Cathryn Haigh, Ph.D., and NIAID's esteemed Clinical Director, H. Clifford Lane, M.D.

Alumni Connections — Impact of NIH Postbac Program on My HIV Global Health Research Journey

December 4, 2023

The “Alumni Connections” series highlights NIAID fellows who have taken the next step on their academic path. This interview features a former NIAID postbac who transitioned to an M.D. program in 2020. Read this interview with Samuel Owusu to learn about his experience as a postbac in the Viral Pathogenesis Section of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation and how his time at NIH prepared him to pursue an M.D. at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Headshot of Samuel Owusu

Alumni Connections — Blending Public Health With Pathogen Genetics

November 7, 2023

The “Alumni Connections” series highlights NIAID fellows who have taken the next step on their academic path. This interview features a former NIAID postbac who transitioned to a Ph.D. program in 2021. Read this interview with Emma Rowley to learn about her experience as a postbac in the Malaria Cell Biology Section of the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research and how she made her decision to pursue a Ph.D. in the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Epidemiology and Human Genetics program.

Headshot of Emma Rowley

Speakers Announced for the NIAID 17th Annual Fellows Workshop

November 1, 2023

The NIAID 17th Annual Fellows Workshop will return to an in-person format on December 1 for the first time since 2019. This year, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and clinical fellows will present a range of talk types, spanning quick speed pitches all the way to longer-form oral talks. The agenda will also feature work from the NIAID Outstanding Mentor awardee and a trailblazer in HIV/AIDS research.

Cells behind the NIAID logo and text "NIAID 17th Annual Fellow Workshop, Natcher Conference Center, December 1, 2023"

In Case You Missed It — NIAID Alums Return for Science and Health Policy Alumni Panel

September 29, 2023

Over the summer, two postdoc alumni of NIAID’s Laboratory of Immune System Biology returned to NIH (virtually) to share how NIH career development resources shaped their careers. Federica La Russa, Ph.D., and Trisha Tucholski, Ph.D., served as speakers on the Science and Health Policy Alumni Panel organized by the NIH Science Policy Discussion Group (SPDG). Both former co-chairs of the SPDG, Drs. La Russa and Tucholski reflect on how their current careers were positively impacted by their leadership experiences with the policy group.

Photos of Federica La Russa and Trisha Tucholski shown on a laptop screen

Postbac Spotlight – Meet the INRO 2023 Cohort

September 29, 2023

Introducing the 2023 Intramural NIAID Research Opportunities (INRO) fellows who began their postbac training in June 2023. INRO is an initiative to promote biomedical research training in populations underrepresented in the biomedical sciences and those dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion. Read about the unique experiences that led the 2023 cohort to pursue postbac research training at NIAID.

Portraits of INRO 2023 cohort

In Case You Missed It—NIAID Core Facilities Career Panel

September 5, 2023

Curious about the job opportunities available at the NIH? The NIAID Office of Research Training and Development recently hosted a career panel for summer interns and postbacs featuring NIAID staff from Rocky Mountain Laboratories, the NIH Library, the Research Technologies Branch, and the Visual and Medical Arts Unit. Postbac Taylor McGee recaps the insights and career advice shared by the panelists.

an open laptop with 4 headshots of the speakers on the screen

Postdoc Fellow Ashira Lubkin, M.D., Ph.D., Wins PRAT Award

September 5, 2023

NIAID postdoc Ashira Lubkin, M.D., Ph.D., recently won a NIGMS Postdoctoral Research Associate Training (PRAT) award. The PRAT program is a three-year competitive fellowship that prepares NIH intramural fellows for leadership positions in biomedical careers by providing them with mentorship and professional development opportunities. In this interview, Dr. Lubkin discusses her research and shares tips for successfully navigating the PRAT application process.

Headshot photo of Ashira Lubkin

In Case You Missed It—Postdoc Career Panel

July 31, 2023

By Steve Grugan, Postbac in the Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research (LMVR) As part of the NIAID Summer Career Panels series, the NIAID Office of Research Training and Development recently hosted a Postdoc Career Panel where three NIAID postdoctoral fellows shared their experiences and what they have learned while navigating a career in science. Panelists

a laptop sitting on a desk with three headshots on the screen

In Case You Missed It—Applying for Graduate Research Fellowships

July 3, 2023

The NIAID Office of Research Training and Development recently hosted a Grant Writing Skill Blitz led by Jennifer West, Ph.D., NIAID Postbac/Summer Intern Program Coordinator, to introduce postbacs to the grant application process and the benefits of honing this skill early. NIAID summer intern Nicole Haderlein reflects on the practical resources and helpful advice shared by Dr. West.

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NIAID Fellows Have New Representatives to FelCom

July 3, 2023

NIAID fellows now have two new representatives to the NIH Fellows Committee, better known as FelCom. Read on to learn more about NIAID’s new FelCom reps, Vaccine Research Center postdoc Sila Ataca and Rocky Mountain Laboratories postdoc Arthur Wickenhagen, Ph.D., and the experiences that led them to their new roles.

Headshots of Sila Ataca and Arthur Wickenhagen

NIAID Postbac Hailey Johnson to Represent NIAID at 2023 NIH Three-minute Talk Competition

June 5, 2023

NIAID postbac Hailey Johnson will represent NIAID at the 2023 NIH Three-minute Talk (TmT) Competition on June 22, 2023. She received the highest marks during NIAID's TmT competition last month for her talk titled, “Identification of Brugia malayi microRNAs Involved in Wolbachia-Host Symbiosis.” The NIH Three-minute Talk Competition occurs annually as part of an effort to improve efficient scientific communication while also showcasing the amazing research carried out by fellows across the NIH.

Headshot of Hailey Johnson

In Case You Missed It – Amplifying Science in an Era of Misinformation

May 1, 2023

On April 6, 2023, NIH postbac fellows participated in a seminar and discussion session led by Monica L. Wang, ScD, MS, a nationally recognized award-winning researcher and educator on health equity and science communication. Postbac Joanne Hunt recaps the insights shared about the rise and spread of scientific misinformation and actionable steps scientists can take to address this.

photo of Dr. Monica Wang on a laptop screen

Achieving Success Through Mentorship

April 28, 2023

The postbac training experience is an important time for young scientists to develop the skills necessary for success in their future careers while contributing to NIAID mission research. A supportive mentor can help a postbac make the most of their fellowship as they navigate significant career decisions. Read reflections from postbac fellows on how being mentored by NIAID postdocs enhanced their training experience.

Four Tips to Design a Better Presentation

April 3, 2023

With the 2023 NIAID Three-minute Talk (TmT) Competition and NIH Postbac Poster Day just around the corner, now is a great time to examine your skills as a presenter and strengthen any areas that need improvement. Check out these strategies for designing great presentations that are memorable and engaging.

a person presenting in front of a screen with a chart on it

Postbac Spotlight - The Path to Pandemic Prevention Runs through the Gut

March 3, 2023

Jade Riopelle is a postbac researching infectious diseases with pandemic potential in the Virus Ecology Section of the Laboratory of Virology at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML). She shares how her experience living and working in Hamilton, Montana has prepared her for the next phase of her career journey.

Headshot of Jade Riopelle

Four Alternative Approaches to Expand Your Network

February 28, 2023

Networking is a topic that often causes anxiety for many. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Postdocs Sharmina Deloer and Idalia Yabe share helpful strategies for growing your professional network and opening yourself up to unexpected career opportunities.

Idalia Yabe and Sharmina Deloer standing next to each other

Postbac Spotlight - The Wild Ride of Becoming a Virologist

February 6, 2023

Guillermo L. Raimundi Rodríguez is a postbac in the Viral Epidemiology and Immunology Unit (VEIU) of the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases (LID), where he works under the supervision of Leah Katzelnick, Ph.D., MPH. Read about Guillermo’s transformative journey to becoming a virologist.

Headshot of Guillermo L. Raimundi Rodríguez

In Case You Missed It – The Case for Clear Writing

January 31, 2023

Effective writing is an important skill that will benefit a scientist throughout every stage of their career. Postdoctoral fellow Sivarchana Boada, Ph.D., highlights the key components of successful academic and professional writing from January’s three-part skill blitz series.

Headshot of Sivarchana Boada

In Case You Missed It—The NIAID 16th Annual Workshop Shines a Light on Fellows’ Work

December 7, 2022

The NIAID 16th Annual Fellows Workshop is officially in the record books, honoring the NIAID 2022 Outstanding Mentor, hosting talks from leaders in the fields of cancer immunology and scientific journalism, and providing a platform for 81 NIAID fellows to present their research in oral presentations and short talks. In this article, we provide a brief recap of the event organization, the speakers, and the winners for best talks.

headshots of the winners of best fellows talks

Alumni Connections—Unplanned Moments In Research

December 5, 2022

The "Alumni Connections" series highlights NIAID fellows who have taken the next step on their academic path. Read this interview with Samuel Chauvin to learn about his experience as a postbac in the Molecular Development of the Immune System Section of the Laboratory of Immune System Biology and how he made his decision to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in the University of Pennsylvania's Immunology Program.

Headshot of Samuel Chauvin