The Business of Running a Lab: Biosciences

Our annual mini-course designed for future faculty!

This mini-course will address some of your most pressing concerns as you consider the practical aspects of starting your own lab. Each of the four 75-minute sessions will be a moderated panel discussion, structured around questions that each panelist will answer.

Course Dates: Tuesday November 29th, Thursday December 1st, Thursday December 8th, Tuesday December 13th | Noon – 1:15 pm
Course Capacity: 40
Location: UChicagoGRAD Headquarters, 970 East 58th Street (3rd Floor, Barnes & Noble Bookstore)
Lunch will be provided.

Moderators

ABBY STAYART, PhD
Director, UChicago myCHOICE

 

MICHAEL TESSEL, PhD
Senior Director of Professional Development, UChicagoGRAD

 

AMY RAPP, PhD
Assistant Director, Career Development (STEM)

Participating Faculty

ERIN ADAMS, PhD
Joseph Regenstein Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Committees: Cancer Biology; Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology

KENNETH BADER, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology
Committee: Medical Physics

LUIS BARREIRO, PhD
Professor, Medicine
Committee: Chair, Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology; Immunology

MARGARET GARDEL, PhD
Horace B. Horton Professor, Physics and Molecular Engineering
Director, James Franck Institute; Institute for Biophysical Dynamics

SALLY HORNE-BADOVINAC, PhD
Professor, Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology
Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology

JEFF HUBBELL, PhD
Eugene Bell Professor in Tissue Engineering
Vice Dean and Executive Officer, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

HEATHER MARLOW, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy
Committees: Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology; Integrative Biology

ALLISON SQUIRES, PhD
Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering

Session Content

Session 1: Negotiating and budgeting your start-up package
Sample questions from previous years:

  • How can an applicant determine was is a “reasonable” budget and what needs to be included?
  • Did you overlook or underestimate anything as you forecasted the budget for your early years?
  • Did you do any negotiating and, if so, for what?
  • What was your strategy for spending start-up funds?
  • What were your initial sources of funding?


Session 2: Time management, planning, and staffing your research group
Sample questions from previous years:

  • What were your major priorities during the 1st year of your faculty appointment?
  • What was the greatest difference in your time management strategy as a postdoc and as a new PI?
  • Do you have any implicit or conscious time-management strategy that you feel has been important to your success?
  • How much say do you have about which course/s you teach? What percentage of time do you spend teaching vs researching?
  • What did you consider in staffing your early research group?


Session 3: Grant writing, submission, and management
Sample questions from previous years:

  • What University resources exist to help obtain and maintain funding?
  • Do you have a process that you’ve developed that helps you get from writing the first words through to the end?
  • Is there anything proactive you can do when your grant gets rejected?
  • How do you manage the money if you have multiple grants?
  • What is the most challenging logistical aspect of working in your field and what must every early-career academic consider?
  • University Research Administration staff will be present to share information about their role in assisting faculty with grant management.

Session 4: Lab management, culture, and mentorship
Sample questions from previous years:

  • How is your lab culture and function structured with regards to lines of reporting and group dynamics?
  • To what degree are you involved in the daily functions of your research group?
  • Have you sought formal mentor or group management training?
  • What are some of the warning signs that it’s time to part with a student or employee?
  • What interpersonal skills have been more important than you anticipated?
  • What is your least favorite part of running a research group?

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