Student Awards and Funding

The Audree Fowler Fellowship in Protein Science

Dr. Audree V. Fowler has been a dedicated Bruin for more than 60 years. A strong supporter of the basic sciences, the performing arts, and medicine at UCLA, she recently demonstrated her devotion to the College of Letters and Science again by establishing the Audree V. Fowler Graduate Fellowship in Protein Science, to be administered by the Molecular Biology Institute.

Since 2008, a total of fifty graduate students have received Fowler Fellowships.

Read Dr. Fowler’s biography here.

Awards of up to $10,000 are available. $5,000 is available for research related expenses, (e.g. conference travel, computing supplies, research supplies or professional development activities). Up to $5,000 is available to support 2024-2025 tuition costs.

Application Period: late summer/early fall

Application checklist:

• Research Statement (max 3 pages, excluding figures and references), describing how the work advances protein science
• Curriculum Vitae (not a biosketch), including any publications.
• Letter of recommendation from the mentor.
• Letter of recommendation from a second MBI faculty member.

---

The Jules Brenner Scholar’s Achievement Fellowship in Molecular Biology

This fellowship was made possible by a gift from MBI supporter Jules Brenner (1924 – 2021). Mr Brenner worked in the cinematography division of the motion picture industry from the end of his military service in 1959 to the day of his retirement in 1996, starting as a camera assistant/loader at Warner Bros up to Director of Photography (1968-1991) with such film credits as Dalton Trumbo’s “Johnny Got His Gun,” John Milius’ “Dillinger,” the MacGyver TV series and the cult fave, “The Return of the Living Dead”. He was a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) and served as a judge in their Nicholl Fellowship Screenwriting Competition. After retirement he was active as a motion picture and book reviewer, accredited by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) as a print and online freelance journalist.

Mr. Brenner believed that Molecular Biology is where the future lies and provided a gift to recognize outstanding students whose work is advancing the discipline.

Application Period: Summer

According to Mr Brenner’s wishes, candidates’ research will be evaluated based on:

1. [Creativity] Unique creative contribution: Did the student propose a unique project or approach that had not been attempted before?
2. [Accomplishments] At least 1 high quality publication, ideally something that inspires broad appeal.
3. [Transformative quality] Will this work open new areas that would not have been seen without this student’s work?

Application checklist:

• Research Statement (max 3 pages, excluding figures and references).
• Curriculum Vitae, including a list of any publications.
• Letter of nomination from the research mentor outlining the student’s research achievements and future scientific potential.

---

Whitcome Pre-Doctoral Training Fellowship in Molecular Biology

In 2005, UCLA received an $8,000,000 bequest from the estate of Philip Whitcome. Dr. Whitcome received his Ph.D. in 1974 from the Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Ph.D. Program and went on to a stellar career in the biotechnology industry. His gift allowed the establishment of the Whitcome Fellowship Program, which is designed to attract highly talented students to a unique graduate training environment that emphasizes rapid progress toward groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

We invite applications from students with academic accomplishments and significant research experience in areas including biochemistry, systems biology, molecular biology and chemistry. Successful applicants receive support in the form of tuition/fees, a monthly stipend and travel funds.

Click here to view previous Whitcome Fellowship recipients.

Application Period: Spring

Eligibility:

• PhD. students entering their 3rd, 4th, or 5th year (MSTP students entering their 2nd, 3rd or 4th year) in the MBIDP or BMSB program (Fall 2024).
• Student’s dissertation project must be focused on molecular biology (using molecular approaches).
• Students with no other external funding will be eligible for “Full fellowships” providing 2 quarters of tuition/fees and an annual stipend equivalent to the latest NSRA fellowship stipend (currently $27,144).
• Students with current or pending federal training grant funding (T32, F31 etc) are eligible for “Whitcome Supplements” which will make up any difference in tuition/fees for the 2024-2025 academic year, and supplement the training grant annual stipend, up to the student’s current full funding level.
• Application materials and review are identical for full fellowships and supplements. Successful applicants who are subsequently awarded training grant funding before July can adjust their Whitcome funding accordingly.
• The student and their mentor must agree to complete all fellowship requirements.
• More than one student from the same lab can apply.
• No residency restrictions. International students are eligible to apply.

Responsibilities of Whitcome Fellows:

• Attend the MBI Retreat and present data (either a poster or a talk).
• Have advanced research integrity and ethics training by completing MIMG C234, CHEM C250, or an equivalent course.
• Fully participate in graduate student seminars.

Responsibilities of Whitcome Mentors:

• Attend the MBI Retreat.
• Participate in the MIMG C234 ethics course (Spring Quarter)
• Participate in graduate recruitment events
• Participate in MBI activities (Faculty research lunch, Thursday research seminars, committees, etc.)

Application Materials Checklist (with links):

• Students: Submit online application form, incl. CV
• Mentors: Submit online MBI participation survey. *For faculty with multiple applicants, only one survey is needed.
• Mentors: Upload letter of recommendation
• Upload letter of recommendation from one additional UCLA Faculty member

Selection criteria:

• Molecular focus of the project
• Research progress
• Strong letters of recommendation
• Publications
• Broader impact of student’s activities (optional).
• Mentor’s participation in MBI activities

2023-2024 Review Committee

James Wohlschlegel, Ph.D., Professor of Biological Chemistry
Claudio Scafoglio, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine – Pulmonary & Critical Care
Jing Huang, Ph.D., Professor of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology
Tamer Sallam, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine – Cardiology
Marlin Touma, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor in Residence of Pediatrics
Louis Bouchard, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry