Are you a graduate student interested in joining the lab?
We welcome graduate students who want to contribute to our work at the intersection of cancer, the microbiome, and human health. The path into the lab is different from undergraduate joining in several important ways: you will typically evaluate the lab through a rotation, I prefer to co-mentor with another PI, and the remaining requirements are set by your program.
Interested in rotating or joining? Email Dan to get started.
Rotations
If you are already in a graduate program, you will typically do a 4–8 week rotation, depending on your program. That rotation is the built-in way to evaluate the lab environment. You will see how we work, meet the people you would be training with, and decide whether this is a good place for you. I will use that time the same way.
You do not need a separate multi-step interview process before rotating. Email me, we will talk, and if there is a viable project and a co-mentor, we can set up a rotation.
Co-mentoring and project focus
I prefer to co-mentor with another PI, typically a clinical collaborator. Because of that structure, openings are more limited than in a lab that takes students independently.
When there is an opportunity, it is usually tied to a particular project or a collection of ongoing manuscripts that need to be the focus of your work. There is often room to follow your interests within the scope of that science, but there are real constraints. Please come in expecting to contribute to existing work, not to start from a blank page.
During our first conversation, I will be direct about whether there is an opening, who the co-mentor would be, and what project or manuscripts would be the focus.
Programs and other requirements
Coursework, exams, committees, rotation length, and how you officially join a lab are department- or program-specific. I will help you think through lab fit; your program sets the rest.
I have formal affiliations with:
- Biomedical Informatics
- the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (BSGP)
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB)
I have also co-mentored students in Microbiology and in Biostatistics, including both the Public Health–focused and standard programs.
If you are in one of these programs—or considering applying to Ohio State—email me and we can talk through what is possible.
Getting started
1. Send me an email
Please introduce yourself briefly and include:
- Your program (or the programs you are considering)
- Your year, if you are already enrolled
- A short summary of your research background and interests
- Whether you are looking for a rotation, a thesis lab, or information before applying
If you already have a potential co-mentor in mind, mention that too.
2. Talk through fit and an available project
I will respond to schedule a brief meeting. We will talk about the lab, your goals, whether a co-mentored opening exists, and whether the available project is something you want to take on.
3. Rotate
If we move forward, the rotation is the main evaluation period—for you and for us.
4. Join and complete onboarding
If we agree after the rotation that the lab is a good fit, we will follow your program’s requirements for joining a lab and work through our onboarding page for accounts, training, and lab conventions.
A note about the process
Joining a lab for your thesis or dissertation is a long commitment. The rotation exists so that you can decide whether we are a good fit for you, not only the reverse.
We encourage you to ask questions throughout. Curiosity, reliability, willingness to learn, and a commitment to working well with others matter more than already knowing microbiome or cancer biology in detail. What I need in return is a clear-eyed look at the project that is actually available and the co-mentoring structure we use.