Washington State University (WSU) has achieved a significant milestone by securing a five-year, $2.74 million T32 training grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This funding will continue and expand WSU’s esteemed NIH Protein Biotechnology Training Program, which is dedicated to doctoral students in science and engineering.
T32 grants, awarded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, are highly competitive and provide vital resources for institutions to train predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers in specialized areas of biomedical science. Since its inception in 1989, WSU’s interdisciplinary program has trained over 120 doctoral students across various scientific and engineering disciplines.
“This renewal and expansion of the program are a testament to its past success and future potential,” said Douglas Call, program director. “We’re now entering a new phase, but the core mission remains: to provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary training in protein biotechnology.”
The newly acquired funding will support 50 graduate students, equipping them with essential skills in protein research and biotechnology development. Participants will receive stipends, tuition coverage, and opportunities for 2–3-month internships within biotechnological firms during their first two years of study. Afterward, students will transition to research-based funding while remaining in the program.
The Protein Biotechnology Training Program boasts a successful track record, with alumni now thriving in academia, industry, and various sectors. The program fosters collaboration among five graduate programs—chemistry, biomedical sciences, molecular biosciences, molecular plant sciences, and chemical engineering and bioengineering—across four colleges, with approximately half of the participants and faculty affiliated with the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Call highlighted the program’s impact on economic development, noting that most graduates secure industry positions where they contribute to immediate innovations that benefit the public. “Our graduates are well-rounded and adaptable due to their broad, transdisciplinary experience,” he stated.
Trainees receive close mentorship from faculty and access to networking and career development opportunities, including internships in the biotechnology sector. The program also features a monthly forum for professional skill development, an annual research symposium, and a multidisciplinary research showcase.
Notably, the Protein Biotechnology Training Program is the only biotechnology training program continuously funded since 1989 and is one of just three in the Western United States. To maintain funding, a rigorous review by the NIGMS is conducted every five years, a process that recently inspired innovations and upgrades within WSU’s program.
“Completing that rigorous process is a tremendous vote of confidence from the review panel and the NIH,” Call remarked.
Students can enter the program by self-nomination or through selection by their graduate program advisors based on their promise and compatibility with the program’s goals. Non-program students are also welcome to participate in courses and activities.
In addition to the Protein Biotechnology Training Program, WSU hosts three other NIH-funded training programs, including a T32 postdoctoral training program in infectious disease and two undergraduate initiatives aimed at broadening participation in biomedical research, MARC and ESTEEMED MIRA.