BIOMS: Curriculum

Integrated scientific training

Fellows build core competencies in:

• Microbiome ecology, evolution, and function
• Biotechnological workflows (culturing, molecular methods, sequencing, engineering)
• Bioinformatics and high throughput data analysis
• Responsible conduct, rigor, and reproducibility
• Translational thinking and application design

Students gain multidisciplinary fluency across wet lab, dry lab, and conceptual domains through required coursework and specialized genomics/bioinformatics electives.

Dual-Title PhD in Microbiome Sciences

BIOMS Fellows earn a Dual Title PhD pairing their home discipline (e.g., Biology, Food Science, Biomedical Sciences, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Anthropology, Ecology, or Plant Biology) with Microbiome Sciences. Fellows are required to apply to enroll in the Microbiome Sciences Dual Title Degree Program within one semester of entering the BIOMS program.

The BIOMS Summer Jumpstart Program

All Fellows begin their training with an intensive three-week Summer Jumpstart Program that:

• Builds shared foundational microbiome and biotechnology skills
• Provides hands-on experience with high throughput workflows
• Establishes cohort community and belonging
• Demystifies scientific culture, mentorship, identity, and career pathways
• Introduces Fellows to faculty labs across Hershey and University Park

This program equalizes entry-level experience and launches Fellows into their BIOMS training with confidence, community, and clarity.

Experiential Biotechnology Training

Industry Internships

During year 2 or 3, each BIOMS Fellow completes a 6-8 week immersive biotechnology internship.

Internships embed trainees in active biotechnology R&D groups, where they contribute to real-world microbial, genomic, or product development pipelines. Fellows present their work to company leadership and return with strengthened research, communication, and industry ready skills.

Biotech mentorship program

Each BIOMS Fellow is matched annually with a different external biotech mentor to expand their career network and expose them to:

• Biotech R&D culture
• Career trajectories
• Project management in industrial settings
• Entrepreneurship and commercialization pathways

Professional Development and Cohort Experiences

BIOMS Fellows participate in a suite of activities designed to enhance career pathway discovery, scientific communication, leadership, and well‑being:

• Weekly OHMC seminar series with world leading microbiome researchers
• Microbiome journal club with participating faculty
• “Beyond the Lab” workshops with scientists from biotech industry (e.g., Phase Genomics, Cultivarium, PepsiCo, Sanofi, NVIDIA, Phageguard)
• Annual fellows and mentors retreat
• Mindfulness and stress reduction training
• Annual T32 Summit

Faculty Mentors

The BIOMS program includes over 30 participating faculty across two campuses (University Park and College of Medicine), representing expertise in:

• Microbiome ecology and evolution
• Engineering and manipulating microbial communities
• Bioinformatics, genomics, statistics, and computational biology
• Microbial biotechnology and product development
• Host-microbe interactions
• Environmental, agricultural, and clinical microbiomes

All faculty participate in mentoring workshops through the BIOMS program and T32 Summit.

Outcomes and Career Pathways

BIOMS prepares graduates for diverse roles across:

• Biotechnology and biomanufacturing
• Genomics and sequencing companies
• Pharma and therapeutic development
• Agricultural and environmental biotechnology
• Government agencies and national labs
• Startups and entrepreneurial ventures
• Academic research and teaching

BIOMS anticipates the majority of Fellows to enter industry or translational research pathways, reflecting the rapid expansion of the microbiome biotech sector.

Graduates will be tracked for 10 years to assess sector placement, impact, and satisfaction.

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