NIH/Oxford/Cambridge Scholars Program Handbook

Collaborative Projects

Introduction

One of the unique aspects of the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program is its mentor selection timeline.  In traditional U.S. Ph.D. programs, students do laboratory rotations of 1-3 months duration with potential mentors.  This allows both student and mentor to test out a working relationship before making the commitment to collaborate for the degree and dissertation research.  By contrast, UK Ph.D. programs tend to recruit students directly to work with an individual mentor, often times with a pre-specified research project in mind.  The Oxford and Cambridge Partnership Programs take a middle path.  After being accepted into the program, students spend the following few months researching and corresponding with potential mentors.  They meet with these mentors during the NIH and UK visit weeks at the end of June, at which time they finalize their mentor selection.  The research proposal is developed during the months of August and September, and the student begins the PhD research in October.  This model allows for an accelerated model of training that puts students on track to become autonomous scientists during their most productive younger years.

The principal defining feature of the program, however, is the collaborative research project.  Each student identifies at least two mentors, one at NIH and one at either Oxford or Cambridge.  Students are therefore members of two different laboratory research environments in two different countries, thereby giving them a unique opportunity to bridge cultural and disciplinary boundaries in their research.  Learning how to navigate through the obstacles presented by these differing viewpoints is exciting, but it can also be extremely challenging.  From researching potential mentors and developing a project proposal through until the thesis defense, careful planning and communication are the keys to a successful collaboration.

 

Initiating the Mentor Selection Process

This is one of the most important parts of the educational process, as it will determine not only how you spend the next four years, but also it will heavily impact your future in science and help determine the path that your career will take.  It is critical to establish a project which is appropriate for you and which involves two mentors who appreciate the collaborative nature of the program.  It is also crucial that the research environment created by the mentors in their laboratories is compatible with your personality, interests, and goals. The Collaborations page of the OxCam website is an excellent place to begin research into potential mentors. Included on this page is a link to the Collaborations Database, in which you can search for potential projects proposed by interested NIH and UK faculty.  Listed mentors have agreed to jointly supervise graduate students and have provided a general outline of the collaboration.  Read these very carefully with a mind not only to your current interests, but also with an eye towards to the future development of your career.  You may contact the researchers at any point and discuss with them any aspect you feel may be relevant to making your choice. 

Approximately half of each incoming class selects a pre-arranged collaboration from the database.  The other fifty percent choose to independently initiate a collaboration based on their particular interests.  The OxCam Program supports both of these approaches equally.  There are certain limitations on who may serve as a mentor, however.  Mentors are drawn from eligible faculty at Oxford and Cambridge and from among principal investigators at NIH.  Principal NIH investigators must hold tenure track or tenured positions, control independent resources, and have obtained approval by their respective Institute’s Scientific Director.  NIH staff scientists and postdoctoral staff may not serve as mentors but can assist in the training of students.  FDA investigators in the NIH community are generally not eligible.  Faculty at Oxford and Cambridge must meet the University rules for accepting responsibility for graduate students; postdoctoral fellows are not acceptable mentors.

Your NIH Class Dean and any scientific advisor assigned by the partner university will assist you in the selection of your mentors.  If you are especially in need of guidance, the Class Dean may also assign you a special advisor who is an established scientist in your chosen area of research.  Often, this individual has developed a sound knowledge of, and perspective regarding NIH faculty and, potentially, UK investigators.  These individuals may offer you valuable insights regarding research environments and researcher/mentor styles that you must consider when making decisions about your own research interests/pursuits.  Upon accepting your offer of admission to the program, it is important to get in touch as soon as possible with your Class Dean to begin your lab selection.  A personal meeting should be arranged for the first day of the NIH visit week.  Note that if you establish a good rapport with your Class Dean, it is possible for him/her to serve as an outside examiner for your doctoral thesis.  The deans for each class are:

Class of 2001, 2002 & 2003 Dr. Ronald Schwartz rs34r@nih.gov                             301-496-1257
Class of 2004 Dr. Richard Youle youler@mail.nih.gov                      301-496-6628
Class of 2005    Dr. Chris McBain mcbainc@mail.nih.gov                   301-402-4778
Class of 2006 Dr. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz  jlippin@helix.nih.gov                     301-402-1010
Class of 2007 Dr. John Hanover johnh@mail.nih.gov                         301-496-0943
  Dr. Tracey Rouault   rouault@mail.nih.gov                      301-496-7060
Class of 2008 Dr. Carol Thiele  thielec@mail.nih.gov                     301-496-1543
  Dr. Helene Rosenberg hrosenberg@niaid.nih.gov              301-496-1543
Class of 2009 Dr. Harris Bernstein harris_bernstein@nih.gov                 301-402-4770
  Dr. Rick Koup  rk173f@nih.gov                                301-594-8585

                                                                   

Strategies for Mentor Selection

Before you begin your search for mentors, you need to have a good sense of your core values and goals.  What kinds of scientific questions do you find most interesting?  What kind of techniques do you enjoy and/or dislike?  What future careers appeal to you?  Do you prefer to work in a highly competitive “hot” field, or would your rather be involved in research that while equally important is less high profile?

Once you determine your own values, you need to look carefully at those of prospect mentors and determine whether the two will mesh effectively.  You will also need to assess whether this particular PI and his or lab environment are appropriate for you, both personally and practically.  Whether selecting a pre-arranged project or designing one from scratch, there are specific points you may want to consider:

 

  • Is there room for a student in this lab?  In general, there is no sense in getting too far into the conversation if a PI is overwhelmed with people or short on research funds.  However, if you determine that this is truly the best mentor for you, alert the Program Director for he may be able to acquire additional funds.
  • How interested am I in this topic?  (A bit obvious, but don’t forget to consider this!)
  • How much previous lab experience would be needed to get the project going?
  • Would I rather start an entirely new project or springboard off an existing one?
  • What type of supervision do I want?  How much autonomy? How “hands-on” are the mentors?
  • What size lab am I looking for? Larger and more diverse in its research projects or smaller and more cohesive?
  • What is the lab environment like? (busy, relaxed, friendly, cold, etc.)
  • What are my mentors’ expectations in terms of work schedule?
  • Have the mentors worked with students before? If so, what were their outcomes (time to graduation, post-grad jobs, etc.)? Avoid labs in which students or postdocs stay for excessive periods of time or leave on poor terms with the mentor.
  • Do the mentors have existing collaborations?  What are their attitudes towards collaborative research in general?
  • What kinds of collaborations are available with nearby labs?
  • What does the lab offer in terms of journal clubs, presentations, etc...?
  • Is the individual’s rate of publishing consistent with established standards?  Are the person’s findings being published in highly regarded journals?  (Note--not every publication has to come out in Science, Nature or Cell).
  • Is this individual highly productive and actively engaged in his or her research?

 

Remember, there are no necessarily correct answers to the questions; one student may want a mentor with a very hands-on approach, while someone else may want more independence.  It may be difficult to identify mentors who share both your scientific interests and your attitude towards an ideal work environment, but attempt to strike the best balance possible.  You may be tempted to focus on the science and ignore compatibility and communication issues, but doing so can create huge problems down the road.  You should also remember that a talented mentor’s ability to inspire your research and have an impact on his/her student’s scientific foundation and future may be more important than identifying a specific thesis topic or discipline. 

Additionally, it is vital to consider that most of your time will be spent with other lab personnel and not with the mentor.  Therefore, all students are strongly encouraged to visit labs and speak with lab mentors, especially other students, in order to gain insight into their experiences.  In order to best ensure your success and satisfaction with your education, you should ask the following questions:

  • How independently do most individuals and, in particular, students function?
  • Are lab members generally cooperative or competitive?  Attend a lab meeting if possible to get a sense of the group dynamics.
  • How hard does the PI work his personnel?
  • Are there adequate resources for effective research?
  • How have past graduate students faired in this lab?
  • Is the mentor available and involved when needed?
  • Are the current lab employees enthusiastic about the lab in question?

 

In answering these questions, your potential future lab mates can give you the "inside story" on how the research group functions, helping you determine whether or not the environment is appropriate for you.

If designing your own project, it is helpful to identify one mentor first.  You can then work with him/her to identify and approach a collaborator or colleague at the other institution to be your co-mentor, at which point all three of you can establish your project together.  Keep mind that UK scientists are accustomed to a system in which students apply and interview for available positions that they create.  They are used to exercising a high degree of control over the selection progress, so you should be mindful of this cultural difference and try not to appear too pushy or aggressive.

What is critical to the success of your project, and the program in general, is all parties can successfully communicate and cooperate and that your mentors are fully appreciative of the collaborative nature of the Scholars Program research enterprise.  It is important that both mentors understand that the project is meant to be a collaboration between and for the benefit of both their research programs.  Both mentors should be enthusiastic to see the project succeed and be cognizant of the substantial efforts that success will require.   You should therefore be prepared to explain the general philosophy and setup of the program as they differ from a typical graduate program (i.e. the 50-50 time split between the two labs).  clearly.  The Mentors Responsibilities and Obligations document (see Appendix VI) should also help clarify the most important points.  If you feel that your potential mentors are having trouble understanding the distinctions in our particular model of training, please contact a member of the program administrative staff, who can contact the faculty member to explain the nuances more

Finally, do not be hesitant to seek out advice and input from many sources, both in terms of choosing who to contact as potential mentors and in deciding who would be the best fit.  Your Class Deans should be your first point of contact, but the U.S. and UK program leaders are great resources. Other students in the program, especially those from older classes, can offer you their impressions of individuals you are considering as potential mentors.  Keep in mind, however, that each of them will have different interests than yours, scientific and otherwise.  You may also benefit from discussions with your previous scientific mentors and associates in college or medical school.

When you attend the NIH and University visit weeks held in late June (described below), you will be able to meet with the mentors of the projects you have identified and finalize your decision. 

 

Developing a Research Proposal

During the months of August and September, students are expected to be on campus at NIH in order to develop their research proposals.  Projects should be discussed in detail with both mentors, paying particular attention to the breakdown of specific work to be accomplished overseas and at NIH and to how the different project components can be successfully integrated.    Under guidance of their Class Deans and their chosen mentors, the student should develop a specific proposal, 5 pages long, that describes the project, provides a brief timeline, and delineates which parts of the work will be carried out in which locations.  Students and/or mentors may feel that additional formal course work is required to complement the student’s knowledge in the area of the chosen subject.  If so, the program will help in making appropriate arrangements.  Once the student and the mentors have come to a mutual agreement on the project and its particulars, both mentors and the student will sign off on the project description which will be submitted to the student’s Class Dean for approval. Students will be required to archive all documents and artifacts related their research in an electronic portfolio system administered by the managing director of the Scholars Program.   (See Appendix I for more guidance on developing and submitting your research proposal.)

 

Collaborating Successfully

As you begin the transition from undergraduate to graduate program, you are going to encounter a huge shift in how and from whom you will learn the necessary skills to become a successful scientist.   Your education will be a much less formal process than in the traditional classroom-based instructional model found in many higher education environments, and consequently it requires high levels of self-direction to achieve the maximum benefit.  

The student plays the crucial role of ensuring the collaborative plan is effectively implemented.  It might be valuable to map out in advance the “rules of engagement” and to ensure that these rules are accurately communicated to all key stakeholders.  How frequently do the mentors think the three of you should communicate via audio or video conferencing?  Although you may not need a weekly meeting of this type, it will be critical that all three of you are attentive to the progression of the project and are highly engaged from the start. It may be valuable for you to consult upper year Scholars in the program for suggestions on how to manage bi-laboratory transatlantic collaborations. DO NOT enter into a project thinking you will be working solo with one mentor for two years after which you will then show up in the other lab to start working for another two years; your efforts must be structured so that they represent an ongoing collaboration.

Just like any other relationship, it will take some time and energy to make it function optimally.  Projects go through successful times and periods of strain, and so do people.  The single most important principle is to maintain open and frequent communication between all members of your collaborative project.  Keep both mentors constantly informed of research progress through emails and conference calls.  Be frank and honest about any issues that arise, whether they are directly or tangentially related to your research.  Be sensitive to the many time demands on your mentors, but don’t be afraid to make it known when you need help.  Most students also don’t consider in advance the ways in which your mentor relationship will be changing as your project progresses.  In a mentorship situation, the student begins relatively unskilled and inexperienced, but by the end of the relationship one should feel that a transition has occurred and that the mentor has become a peer and vice versa.  These changes can cause some strain if one or both of the individuals do not allow the relationship to grow in this way. Nevertheless, this process of growth is essential to your development as an independent scientist.

No matter how committed the mentor, be prepared for her/him not being informed of or overly interested in the administrative aspects of your progression toward your degree.  It is vital for you to take responsibility for completing all necessary paperwork and other tasks required by your university and the NIH.  In the end, you will make the most efficient use of your time and energy if you keep track of deadlines rather than trying to repair the damage after you have submitted vital documents late or incorrectly. This is a skill that will aid you throughout your scientific career.  Life as a scientist always requires care and attention to detail in proposing, documenting, and reporting your work to those who are funding it and are charged with its oversight. The Managing Director, Class Dean, Academic Dean, and Program Directors are always available to help if uncertainties arise.

By contrast, your mentors will be very concerned about important new discoveries and how credit for them is allocated.  Explicit guidelines have been formulated and promulgated by the NIH through the office of the Deputy Director for Intramural Research.  Your best means of navigation is to make sure your mentors on both sides of the Atlantic are well-informed of your research progress.  Remember that your mentors have invested their entire careers in their laboratory groups and therefore have earned certain prerogatives regarding the research that they undertake.  The best strategy is to seek advice in advance from both mentors on any issues of public presentation (including talks, presentations, and papers) or apportioning of credit.  Try not to assume you can predict how your mentors or peers involved in the project will feel and remain sensitive to the feelings that are expressed.  In cases of dispute, you may also consult with the Program Directors or your Class Dean, either privately or openly.  Usually, reasonable accommodations can ensure fair credit is given to all who deserve it.  Related to scientific credit is the issue of intellectual property, which is taken very seriously by the universities and the NIH.  In general, ownership revolves around where the discovery or invention was made.  However, it is best to consult your mentors and the technology transfer offices connected to their labs for guidance regarding what disclosures can be made and what forms should be completed to protect your and your mentors’ collaborative work.  At the time you begin your participation in the partnership program, you will be required to sign a form that indicates you are familiar with and agree to the intellectual property stipulations of the program.

Most successful research environments will offer you access to many individuals who may share with you their expertise regarding techniques and knowledge in your chosen field of study.  Strive to find at least one individual in the lab with whom you enjoy interacting on a day-to-day basis to exchange new ideas and experimental plans.  These individuals will play a vital role in your development as an independent experimentalist and scientific thinker, and may give you insight into your mentor’s state of mind in case of any misunderstandings.