The Lundquist Institute, in partnership with Charles R. Drew University, aims to offer a Ph.D. in Translational Biomedical Sciences (PhD-TBS) to train researchers who can turn scientific discoveries into effective health therapies.
About the PhD-TBS Program
Pending WSCUC approval, the mission of this program is to provide a comprehensive education, including didactic coursework, laboratory rotations, extracurricular community service activities, and an independent original research dissertation, to prepare graduates for successful careers in academia, industry, startup environments, and clinical research settings.
The application period for the 2026 cohort will open on February 1 and close June 30, 2026.
About Charles R. Drew University
Founded in 1966, CDU offers degrees and certificates in health professions. Its mission focuses on serving underserved populations and conducting research in five areas: cancer, cardiometabolic disease, HIV, mental health, and health services/policy, receiving $418 million in NIH funding.
CDU is one of the most diverse universities in the nation. It is one of only four Historically Black Medical Colleges and a Historically Black Graduate Institution (HBGI). It is the only federally designated Historically Black institution west of Texas and a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
Admission Requirements
- Hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or advanced degree in the sciences
- Have an overall 3.0 GPA and a 3.0 GPA average in science courses (BCPM).
Application Materials
- Curriculum Vitae or resume
- Three letters of recommendation from college instructors (preferably science professors and/or previous research mentors).
- An essay that describes your academic background, research experience, career plans, and reasons for pursuing graduate studies.
Application Requirements for All International Applicants
Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores must be submitted before any offer of acceptance. All international applicants whose first language is not English must take the TOEFL. A minimum total score of 80. The scores must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to the CDU Office of Admissions.
Coursework completed outside the U.S. must be evaluated for U.S. course equivalency (course-by-course evaluation required).
Requirements for Graduation
- Maintain satisfactory standing in all core coursework—an overall GPA of 3.0 with a passing grade of B in the didactic courses.
- Complete all required teaching or outreach activities.
- Select a laboratory dissertation mentor and a dissertation committee.
- Attend regular meetings with their dissertation committee.
- Completion of the Qualifying Examination’s written and oral portions by the end of the second year of study.
- Approval of the dissertation research proposal by the dissertation committee is required.
- Completion of the dissertation research, a written dissertation, and an oral public presentation defending the dissertation.
- Attendance and presentation to at least two scientific conferences
- At least one publication submitted to a peer-reviewed journal at graduation.