# UCSF/UCB Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2023 · $954,963

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall mission of the UCSF/UC Berkeley Bioengineering Training Program is to train future leaders and
innovators in bioengineering. We hope to instill a culture of collaboration, creativity, and productivity to support
innovative and independent thinkers, capable of addressing critical questions at the interface of science and
engineering. The program links two of the most productive and highly regarded research and educational
institutions in the nation with the goal of creating opportunities for graduate students to experience how
engineering principles can be brought to bear upon important problems in biomedical sciences and clinical care.
Our 95 faculty are based in 25 departments over two campuses and their laboratories include an array of state-
of-the art facilities. We pursue these goals through a combination of coursework, mentored research, and other
structured training activities. The bioengineering training program provides a fundamental foundation in both
engineering and biology, and integrates computational science and clinical exposure. Required courses teach
students rigor and reproducibility, biostatistics, and computational approaches in research. Skills development
in evaluating, proposing and communicating research is also threaded through the first year curriculum and
reinforced by laboratory training and mentorship. Career exploration and professional development is
emphasized from the beginning of the student experience and supported by robust program and institutional
resources, and professional mentorship from program faculty, all of whom are required to participate in mentor
development training. We anticipate supporting 20 trainees annually from the large pool of eligible students in
the UCSF/UC Berkeley Graduate Program in Bioengineering, which aims to enroll 35 new entrants each year.
Intended program outcomes include degree completion in 5-6 years, generation and communication of a body
of rigorous and impactful bioengineering research, and successful transition to a diversity of bioengineering-
related careers. We strive to provide an inclusive learning and mentoring atmosphere so that we can uphold the
same high standards for program outcomes for all students, including those from underrepresented
backgrounds, students with disability, and students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. The
unique ability for bioengineers to integrate principles from diverse fields and thereby span the gap between
advances in basic science and clinical utilization places individuals trained in this field at a critical point in
advancing the research and education mission of NIH NIGMS.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10620339
- **Project number:** 5T32GM139794-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Christopher John Hernandez
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $954,963
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10620339

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10620339, UCSF/UCB Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering (5T32GM139794-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10620339. Licensed CC0.

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