www.huck.psu.edu/institutes-and-centers/microbiome-center">One Health Microbiome Center (OHMC) in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State is the recipient of a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to train doctoral students in biotechnological innovation, industry advancements and interdisciplinary microbiome research. The $2.6 million T32 training grant will fund five to 10 students per year over the next five years as they pursue their doctorates through the Biotechnological & Integrative Opportunities in Microbiome Sciences (BIOMS) program. The inaugural cohort will begin their training this fall semester.
"We are thrilled to launch the BIOMS T32 program at Penn State, which is pioneering a new standard in microbiome research training," said Jasna Kovac, program co-director, associate professor of food science and Lester Earl and Veronica Casida Career Development Professor of Food Safety. "By integrating advanced coursework, hands-on lab experience and biotech internships, it will prepare doctoral students to lead in a field that is transforming medicine, agriculture and environmental science."
A T32 training grant is awarded by the NIH to an institute to support the development of a predoctoral and/or postdoctoral research training program, aimed at providing career development opportunities and strengthening the training of future researchers. The funding provided is used for stipends, tuition and research-related expenses.
The BIOMS grant was made possible with the support of the T32 training grants team at the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, who facilitated the application process and will continue to assist with the administration of the program. The team includes Donna Korzick, professor of physiology and kinesiology and the director of graduate training initiatives in the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences; Jean Pierce, assistant training grant administrator and academic program coordinator in the Huck Institutes; and Connie Smith, training grants specialist and project manager in Penn State's Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Office.
"We are thrilled that BIOMS will usher in exciting new training opportunities for graduate students in the Huck Institutes," Korzick said.
BIOMS will be the first NIH T32 predoctoral training program dedicated to microbiome sciences and its biotechnological applications, according to Kovac. The program, which will be anchored by the OHMC, will support an interdisciplinary cohort of graduate students from doctoral programs across Penn State spanning biomedical sciences, environmental sciences and agricultural sciences. One Health encompasses all these fields in an effort to better understand and solve the health challenges that emerge from interconnectedness of humans, the environment and animals. Fellows will earn a doctorate in microbiome sciences through Penn State's Microbiome Sciences Dual-Title Degree program, along with another degree title from their home department.
"Penn State's time has come to unify and un-silo the life sciences with formal training and workforce experiences in one of the hottest areas of biology today," said Seth Bordenstein, director of the OHMC, professor of biology and entomology and Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Microbiome Sciences. "With this award, the One Health Microbiome Center has set the highest standards for graduate training in the microbiome sciences, and we will lead the way in formalizing this vital field."
Fellows will engage in rigorous coursework to enhance their expertise in microbiome sciences, as well as take part in a dedicated summer onboarding program, weekly research seminars, professional development workshops and internship opportunities with biotechnology partners.
The BIOMS training grant comes on the heels of international recognition. In 2024, the OHMC was awarded the WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology prize from Applied Microbiology International, marking the first time a center received the award in the organization's 30-year history. This award recognized the OHMC's contributions to advancing microbiology innovation on a global scale.
Fellows will have access to the state-of-the-art research facilities and infrastructure that Penn State offers, as well as a diverse faculty body with expertise across the One Health pillars of human health, agricultural health and environmental health, according to Kovac.
"With the unparalleled resources of the One Health Microbiome Center and the strength of our interdisciplinary faculty, we are excited to elevate microbiome sciences to new heights," Kovac said.
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