Tissue Microenvironment (TiME) Training Program
About the Program
The Tissue Microenvironment (TiME) Training Program is a university-wide training program for graduate students, supported by a T32 grant from the National Institutes of Health. Tissue microenvironments are critical to advancing biomedical science and healthcare, from regenerative medicine to cancer burden management. To this end, the integration of three technological approaches is essential:
- imaging and sensing to measure the TiME’s molecular, cellular, biochemical, and physiologic properties,
- bioengineering to recapitulate the heterotypic cellular and physicochemical milieu, and
- computational modeling and analytics to integrate understanding and provide insight.
Through intensive mentoring and structured professional development activities, trainees will become the next generation of interdisciplinary leaders capable of conducting fundamental research and enabling translational advances.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has exceptionally strong disciplinary programs, a diverse faculty spanning the intellectual arc of these areas, and appropriate facilities and unique resources in each of these technological areas. This training program is distinctly advantaged by our strong history of successful graduate training, including a commitment to diversity and individuals with disabilities, a culture of productive collaboration, a new Department of Bioengineering, and strong institutional support.
Who We Are
TiME Leadership
Rohit Bhargava
Phillip and Ann Sharp Director, Cancer Center at Illinois
Marcia Pool
Assistant Director for Education, Cancer Center at Illinois
Yang Liu
Professor, Department of Bioengineering
Current TiME Cohort
Alexander Ho
Bioengineering
Payton Haak
Animal Sciences
Revathi Manoharaan
Bioengineering
Xiaoxue Han
Bioengineering
Yizun Wang
Bioengineering
Frequently Asked Questions
How can students apply for the program?
When applications are open, eligible graduate students can submit applications materials including a CV, one-page description of current research, two letters of recommendation from faculty, and brief summary of why they would be a good candidate for the training position.
How many students will be supported? What support is offered?
The program is designed to support at least eight trainees for up to two years each, and the current NIH stipend is provided each year. The students will be selected from a strong applicant pool across campus, without departmental restrictions.
What will the training include?
Training will include the four core components below. The activities within these four components will be structured to streamline education, allowing students to focus efficiently on research, and the awarded doctoral degree will include a special designation (concentration in TiMe). Traditional education will also be enhanced by co-mentored research, with translational opportunities through the new engineering-based Carle Illinois College of Medicine (slated to take its first cohort of students in the fall of 2018).
- Curricular Activities: Curricular activities will ensure depth in the three technological areas and apposite breadth across disciplines. This includes courses such as: BIOE 598: The Tissue Microenvironment and BIOE 599: The Tissue Microenvironment Laboratory
- Extracurricular Activities: Extracurricular activities will develop pragmatic skills
- Professional Development: Professional development will empower trainees to become research leaders
- Career Development: Career development will ensure trainees make lifelong contributions to society.
Who should I contact if I have additional questions?
Contact the CCIL’s Assistant Director for Education, Marcia Pool, at mpool@illinois.edu.
Acknowledgement
NIH Verbiage
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of Biomedical Imaging And Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number T32EB019944. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Contact Us
Interested in the TiME Program? Contact the CCIL’s Assistant Director for Education, Marcia Pool, at mpool@illinois.edu.