# Chemistry Biology Interface Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $425,686

## Abstract

Project Summary
The overall objective of the UCLA CBI Training Program is to educate a diverse group of scientists who will
ethically lead rigorous research and training at the interface between chemistry and biology in the decades to
come. Specifically, it is proposed that brilliant chemists who are amateurs in biology will be trained to identify
and rigorously solve the most important problems in biology and be highly collaborative with biologists.
Likewise, it is proposed that the biologist using a chemical technique as a black box will be converted into an
expert who can identify new chemical approaches to solve their biological problems, and who are comfortable
collaborating with chemists. The UCLA CBI Program provides this by breaking down the isolation between
departments, and immersing trainees in state-of-the-art interdisciplinary research that spans the interface of
chemistry and biology. The following specific aims are proposed: First, CBI will train graduate students in the
language and techniques of research at the interface of chemistry and biology. Specifically, chemists will learn
to be able to critically evaluate papers, be familiar with techniques and be able to rigorously discuss research
topics in biology, and vice versa. Second, CBI will teach students the background to understand both the
fundamentals and cutting edge research at the chemistry biology interface to enable them to distill this
information in order to independently apply it to their own research and to develop new ideas. Third, CBI will
enable students to hone their speaking skills and to work effectively in teams, especially with people in biology
for chemists and vice versa. Fourth, the students will be instructed about ethical and responsible conduct of
research so that they follow the ethical principals in their own research and hold these standards to others.
Fifth, CBI trainees will be educated on the fundamentals of rigor and reproducibility in order to apply this to
their own research and enable identification and interpretation of these factors in the work of others. Sixth and
seventh, CBI will empower students to develop to their full potential professionally, providing them with all the
tools necessary to make informed and successful career trajectory decisions and deliver additional mentoring
and oversight on each trainee to enable them to graduate within the average time period for graduate students
at UCLA. Eighth, CBI will provide an inclusive, supportive and diverse environment with approximately equal
numbers of chemically and biologically oriented students, equal numbers of males and females, and 30%
persons from underrepresented groups, as well as individuals with disabilities that have a strong identity as the
UCLA CBI both as trainees and as alumni. To reach these aims a rigorous program of classes, training, and
mentoring, coupled with recruitment and retention of persons from all groups and physical and learning abilities
and a building o...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9937145
- **Project number:** 1T32GM136614-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Heather D Maynard
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $425,686
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9937145

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9937145, Chemistry Biology Interface Training Program (1T32GM136614-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9937145. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*