The Training Program in Quantitative Integrative Biology (TPQIB) will provide predoctoral students with comprehensive training led by an outstanding faculty specializing in developing and applying advanced quantitative methods—both experimental and theoretical—to address fundamental and emerging research challenges. These challenges span biological scales, including cell-cell interactions, collective behaviors, organismal development and regeneration, and tissue and organ physiology. Through this rigorous interdisciplinary training, students gain the skills needed to investigate mechanistic questions in human systems and model organisms, equipping them to address critical biomedical challenges with innovative solutions.
About the Program
The TPQIB is an interdisciplinary program at UC San Diego designed to equip students with diverse expertise bridging multiple disciplines to tackle systems biology challenges through innovative and collaborative approaches. Potential candidates are first-year PhD students at UC San Diego enrolled in one of the participating departments .
- Focus & Aim
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The program provides predoctoral students with comprehensive training led by 28 faculty mentors specializing in advanced quantitative methods—experimental and theoretical—to address research challenges across biological scales. Key research areas include tissue physiology and development, microbiome-host interactions, cell motility, and quantitative tool development.
- Eligibility Criteria
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Applicants must have an academic foundation in quantitative disciplines (such as physics or bioengineering), have chosen a research mentor among the TPQIB faculty, and be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen U.S. national, or lawfully admitted permanent resident holding a valid green card (Form I-551) at the time of appointment. Candidates must not have previously been appointed to another training grant at UCSD. Candidates must conduct research at a scale that is larger than cellular. Candidates must commit to fulfilling QIB program requirements.
- Trainee Selection
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- CV of nominee (NIH biosketch acceptable)
- A Research Proposal (modeled after the Specific Aims page of NIH research grant) of no more than TWO pages, with References on additional pages. Be sure to provide a Descriptive Title of the Research Project at the top of the first page.
- The Mentor’s Biosketch, in NIH format.
- The Mentor’s Support Page, in NIH format.
- A letter of recommendation from the nominator.
A committee of program faculty will be convened to rigorously evaluate applicants. Each trainee selected will receive two years of support.
- Participating Departments
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Trainees are recruited from six participating graduate programs spanning the Divisions of Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Engineering: Physics, Biological Sciences, Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics.
- Program Faculty
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The TPQIB faculty consists of 28 members from five different departments:
- Brian A. Aguado, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Bioengineering)
- Alexandra Jazz Dickinson, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology)
- Stephanie I. Fraley, Ph.D. (Professor, Bioengineering; Co-Director)
- Nigel Goldenfeld, Ph.D. (Professor, Physics)
- Alex Groisman, Ph.D. (Professor, Physics)
- Jeff Hasty, Ph.D. (Professor, Bioengineering and Molecular Biology)
- Christina L. Hueschen, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology)
- Terence Hwa, Ph.D. (Distinguished Professor, Physics and Molecular Biology)
- David Kleinfeld, Ph.D. (Distinguished Professor, Physics and Neurobiology)
- Rob Knight, Ph.D. (Professor, Pediatrics, Computer Science & Engineering, and Bioengineering)
- Natalia L. Komarova, Ph.D. (Professor, Mathematics)
- Vira Kravets, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Bioengineering)
- Stephanie Lindsey, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
- Uri Manor, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology)
- Andrew D. McCulloch, Ph.D. (Distinguished Professor, Bioengineering and Medicine)
- Andrew D. Muroyama, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology)
- Seungeun Oh, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Physics and Cellular Molecular Medicine)
- Padmini Rangamani, Ph.D. (Professor, Pharmacology and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
- Wouter-Jan Rappel, Ph.D. (Distinguished Research Scientist, Physics; Co-Director)
- Nabora Reyes de Barboza, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Biology)
- Scott Rifkin, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Ecology, Behavior and Evolution)
- Mattia Serra, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Physics)
- Lingyan Shi, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Bioengineering)
- Gürol M. Süel, Ph.D. (Professor, Molecular Biology)
- Tzer Han Tan, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Physics)
- Deborah Yelon, Ph.D. (Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology)
- Qi (Rose) Yu, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Computer Science and Engineering)
- Karsten B. Zengler, Ph.D. (Professor, Pediatrics)
- Jin Zhang, Ph.D. (Professor, Pharmacology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and Bioengineering)
- Program Administration
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Program Directors:
Dr. Stephanie Fraley, Professor in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering.
Dr. Wouter-Jan Rappel, Distinguished Research Scientist in the Department of Physics.
- Program Contact
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Dr. Wouter-Jan Rappel serves as the primary contact for application-related inquiries: rappel@physics.ucsd.edu.
The training program is administered through the Department of Physics at UC San Diego, supported by a dedicated Training Grant Coordinator.