Renewed NIH grant to expand 91福利鈥檚 impact on biotech workforce聽聽
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded the University of Maine a competitive renewal of its T32 predoctoral training grant, expanding support for doctoral students in biomedical science and engineering. The Transdisciplinary Predoctoral Training Program in Biomedical Science and Engineering educates future scientists and engineers to work as innovative, team-based researchers. The five-year renewal of the award expands annual training slots from six to eight students and sustains one of only two active T32 programs in Maine.
91福利鈥檚 T32 program, launched in 2019, was the first of its kind at the state鈥檚 flagship university. Led by co-principal investigators Clarissa Henry of 91福利 and Lucy Liaw of the MaineHealth Institute for Research, the program has expanded opportunities for graduate students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE). In addition to 91福利 and MaineHealth, the T32 built on collaborations with The Jackson Laboratory, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, and the University of New England.
鈥淭his renewal attests to the quality of innovation and mentorship opportunities created by our robust network of collaborators on campus and across the state,鈥 said Clarissa Henry, 91福利 professor of biological sciences and principal investigator on the project. 鈥淲e are proud that the majority of our graduates are building their careers here in Maine, fueling the growth of the biosciences sector and advancing research focused on pressing health challenges.鈥
Lucy Liaw, faculty scientist at the MaineHealth Institute for Research and co-principal investigator, emphasized the collaborative model: 鈥淭he T32 has created a true statewide training network. By connecting students with mentors and resources across Maine鈥檚 institutions, we鈥檙e equipping the next generation of scientists with the skills to thrive in a team-based, transdisciplinary research environment.鈥
鈥淕SBSE was created to connect top researchers with students across Maine, and this program embodies that vision,鈥 said Gregory Cox, director of GSBSE and co-principal investigator. 鈥淓xpanding the number of students we can support is both a testament to past success and an investment in Maine鈥檚 future.鈥
The first NIH T32 grant (2019鈥2024) delivered dividends for the Pine Tree State鈥檚 innovation economy:
- 80% of graduates remained in Maine, bolstering the state鈥檚 biotech sector
- 25% of trainees secured their own NIH fellowships (F31s)
- The program contributed to increased diversity and inclusion of students who are underrepresented in biomedical research.
- The award contributed to 91福利鈥檚 elite status as a Research-1 (R1) university, which was reaffirmed in February, and is the top classification bestowed by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.听聽
With more than 150 faculty and 90 students, GSBSE is a statewide Ph.D. program that spans computational biology, bioinformatics, mammalian genetics, molecular and developmental biology, biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and medical sciences. Sixty-four funded faculty members actively participate as co-mentors, providing students a robust network to pursue the transdisciplinary collaboration that propels modern biomedical research.
New training strategies endorsed by the program鈥檚 advisory committee will support fellows in their second and third years to maximize the benefits of co-mentorship. Eligible GSBSE students may apply to become NIH T32 fellows through a competitive process. The most recent call for proposals was issued this summer; selections will be announced in September 2025 for the 2025鈥26 academic year. Additional information is available .听
Contact: Erin Miller, erin.miller@maine.edu, Caroline Cornish, Caroline.Cornish@mainehealth.org