Training future scientists for the demands of a career in research is an important aspect of the PhD process.

Xin Jie Chen, PhD, a Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Upstate, is making sure students in his lab not only learn how to conduct research but also understand the grant and funding process needed to run labs successfully in the future. Chen’s students have an impressive track record of securing funding during their graduate work; a skill that he says benefits their current research and will set them up for success in the future. Chen is

Joseph Mauro, a third-year MD/PhD student, is the most recent member of the Chen lab to receive student funding. A nearly $270,000 F31 grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) will fund his efforts to better understand how mitochondrial stress can cause the secretion of myokines—proteins secreted during exercise that can reduce fat and increase heart function. Knowing more about this process could potentially lead to interventions to improve overall health, especially for aging populations and people unable to exercise.

“Coming into my PhD program, I didn't know what a grant was, how to write one, or how to submit one,” Mauro said. “But this process is so beneficial to research. There are so many questions you have, this helps you focus on what you're going to do, to find your path.”

Chen has prioritized the grant writing process for the students he mentors in his lab, understanding that bringing in funds isn’t the most important part.

“It’s important they learn how to write a grant, how to take a critique; the whole process,” he explains, laying out the benefits. “First it gets you into the funding systems. Also, during every step and submission, you incorporate new ideas from other people.” 

Building this skill set can also give his students an advantage after graduation. 

“When we look at new faculty, we often ask ‘Can this person write a good grant?’ It takes years to learn grant writing skills. The earlier one starts the better.”

Gargi Mishra is a fourth-year MD/PhD student who previously received a fellowship from the American Heart Association (AHA) for her work studying the dysfunction of mitochondria in cells, and how this can contribute to heart disease. She explains how the application process helped her think more critically about her science. 

“It teaches you how to communicate your work,” says Mishra. “That’s an important skill; to be able to explain your research, especially to people outside your field.”

Nicholas Brennan is an MD/PhD student in Chen’s lab who was previously awarded an F30 fellowship from the NIA for his work investigating unique forms of mitochondrial stress and their correlation with muscle wasting.

“The grant application process teaches you how to be resilient,” Brennan said. “When you receive critiques from the reviewers, instead of being discouraged, it allows you to improve your application, and ultimately your science.”

Sanaea Bhagwagar is an MD/PhD student in the lab in her second year of the PhD. “The MD/PhD program has its own grant writing course, which was a great learning exercise to hear from different faculty about the process and everyone's different tips and tricks,” Bhagwagar said. “Dr. Chen has also been an incredible mentor, guiding me through formulating a question, interpreting data, and developing a research proposal.”

Arnav Rana is another member of the Chen lab who recently completed an AHA predoctoral fellowship focusing on the role of mitochondrial stress signaling in regulating heart function. Liam Coyne and Yaxin Liu, two former students of the Chen lab, have received NIA F30 and AHA predoctoral fellowship awards respectively in recent years.   

What advice do they have for students just beginning the daunting process of applying for funding?

“Start early; you’re going to be revising a lot,” Mauro said. “And that’s ok. You might find some new information and data that could change your project. That won’t happen unless you start early.”

Mishra’s advice encourages those applying for funding to get a variety of people to discuss your work. “It can be helpful to talk with someone who's not directly involved in the type of research you're doing, they can tell you whether your grant reads like notes from a lab meeting or if it can be understood by people outside of the field.”

“I tell students to start, all you need is a pen and paper,” Chen said. “Write down an idea every day. You might eventually be able to group some of those ideas into something more, something new, and then translate that into a grant.”

You can read more about the Chen Lab’s work studying mitochondrial dysfunction here:

https://www.xinjiechenlab.com/

Caption: Members of Dr. Xin Jie Chen’s lab include, from left, Joseph Mauro, Xiaowen Wang, Nicholas Brennan, Sanaea Bhagwagar, Arnav Rana, Gargi Mishra. Chen is at right.