# Continuing Education for Structural Biology Mentors

> **NIH NIH R25** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2024 · $450,920

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The structural biology and molecular modeling market is expected to reach USD 18.1 Billion with a Compound
Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.1% during the forecast period of 2022-2028 which has the potential to drive
substantial demand for a workforce of the future. While the significance of advancement in cutting-edge Cryo-
EM data processing to improve and accelerate drug discovery to treat diseases is driving innovation and
economic growth and happening in the pharma industry, many structural biology investigators and would-be
investigators are caught without the enhanced research training to use rapidly evolving and sophisticated
computational tools, including AI and deep learning tools, proficiently to help the pharma industry accelerate
drug discovery for society. Underrepresented minority (URM) representation in cutting-edge biomedical research
fields is not expected to be higher than what was reported in a 2019 NSF survey, which showed URM as a
percentage of the academic doctoral workforce at 8.9%, or a 2021 AAMC report which found diversity for URM
at academic leadership ranks in American academic medical colleges at about 5.8%. In particular, the high costs
associated with Cryo-EM research present a significant barrier for smaller institutions like Minority Serving
Institutions (MSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to train their students for the
structural biology-based biomedical career of the future.
To address these challenges, the Structural Biology Grid (SBGrid) Consortium at Harvard Medical School and
Meharry Medical College, an HBCU, will extend their existing partnership to improve diversity and deliver an
enhanced research training program across the entire community for structural biology investigators on the
current Cryo-EM data processing workflow that includes AI components, necessary skills, knowledge, and best
practices to help them stay on top and be productive in their careers in the biomedical research workforce.
Additionally, the program is designed not just to impart training for the principal investigator participants but also
to increase sustainability and scalability by enabling them with an evidence-based, integrated gear of data
science training model and system for structural biology comprising a complete set of training program material
with training datasets, a collection of structural biology data analysis and visualization software, and a
sustainable training and computing environment with supporting resources that they could use in their home
institutions to provide continuing education and longitudinal mentoring to their laboratory members and students
who are pursuing next-generation biomedical careers in structural biology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10898820
- **Project number:** 5R25GM151273-02
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** Jamaine S Davis
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $450,920
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-03 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10898820

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10898820, Continuing Education for Structural Biology Mentors (5R25GM151273-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10898820. Licensed CC0.

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