PROVIDES
The Provost’s Initiative for Diverse Emerging Scholars (PROVIDES) pursues a twofold mission to:
- Increase diversity within the postdoctoral community at UT Southwestern.
- Help postdoctoral fellows successfully transition into independent faculty positions.
Developing Scholars into Faculty
PROVIDES selects graduating Ph.D. students who plan to pursue an academic faculty position. This initiative encourages mentorship, scholarship, and recruitment of career scientists from minority groups underrepresented in biomedical science. PROVIDES Scholars start the program when their postdoctoral fellowship begins, and the initiative continues for the duration of their fellowship.
The program launched with its first two scholars in October 2020.
“I chose UT Southwestern for my postdoctoral training because it is a top-tier research institution. My previous experience as a SURF student reinforced my idea of UTSW as a competitive research institution with a friendly and collaborative environment. ”
“This institution provides you with all the resources needed to perform excellent, novel, and relevant biomedical research. ”
“Having the commodity of designing, synthesizing, elucidating the structure and testing your compounds all in one institution is a luxury that not all institutions and programs have. ”
“Everything I need is here in abundance to make great research happen. Additionally, UTSW exposes me to courses that will make me a stronger researcher. I am not only learning science but I am learning everything it takes to be successful in the long run. ”
“I chose UTSW for my studies because it is the mecca for metabolic research. Moreover, I immediately noticed the friendly and collaborative environment at UTSW that allows one to interact and learn from outstanding scientists.”
Program Benefits
- Mentoring
Biannual meetings with a Faculty Mentoring Committee offer students professional guidance and help them transition into independence.
- Grants
Scholars receive assistance preparing competitive extramural fellowship grant applications and training in grant writing.
- Seminar Series
PROVIDES Seminar Series features distinguished scientists from diverse backgrounds and workshops on topics such as “Communication Skills” and “How Search Committees Work"
Upcoming Speaker:
Breann L. Brown, Ph.D
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry
Vanderbilt University School of MedicineTitle:
"Structure-Based Insights into the Regulation of Heme Biosynthesis"Schedule:
Oct. 10, 2024
T. Boone Pickens Auditorium (North Campus, NG3.112)
12:00 PM - 1:00 PMPrevious speakers include:
- Jennifer M. Heemstra, Ph.D.
Charles Allen Thomas Professor and Chair
Washington University, St. Louis - Department of Chemistry
"A chemical biology toolbox for probing A-to-I RNA editing" - Manu O. Platt, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA)
Senior Investigator, NIBIB
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
National Institute of Health - Kathryn E. Wellen, Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Cancer Biology
Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute
Penn Epigenetics Institute
University of Pennsylvania
"Acetyl-CoA metabolism in gene regulation and tissue homeostasis" - Claudio J. Villanueva, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology
Co-director of IRACDA@UCLA Program
Director Research Support Core for LIFT-UP
College of Life Sciences
University of California, Los Angeles
"Adipose tissue plasticity and translational regulation" - Josephine Thinwa, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Microbiology
Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
"Turning on Autophagy to Fight Viruses" - Harmit S. Malik, Ph.D.
Professor and HHMI Investigator
Division of Basic Sciences at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
"Evolution-guided Dissection and Enhancement of Antiviral Proteins" - Cassandra Extavour, Ph.D.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
Timken Professor of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology and of Molecular & Cellular Biology
Harvard University
"Ovarian Construction in Drosophila and Beyond" - Gustavo M. Silva, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Duke University
"Redox Control of Translation by Ribosome Ubiquitintion" - JoAnn Trejo, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Faculty Affairs
Director, San Diego IRACDA Scholars Program
"Protease Receptor Signaling and Endothelial Function" - Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf, Ph.D.
Professor
Van Andel Institute
"Insights into 3D genome reprogramming in iAs-mediated carcinogenesis" - Derek Applewhite, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology at Reed College
"Insights on the Regulation of Non-muscle Myosin II" - Judith Simcox, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at University of Wisconsin-Madison
"Regulation of energy expenditure by plasma lipid signaling" - Fikadu G. Tafesse, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Oregon Health & Science University
"Insights on the Regulation of Non-muscle Myosin II" - Samuel Achilefu, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair
Department of Biomedical Engineering
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Breaking Silos to See the Invisible and Treat the Incurable" - Benjamin A. Garcia, Ph.D., FRSC.
Raymond H. Wittcoff Distinguished Professor and Head
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
"Quantitative Proteomics for Understanding Epigenetic Cancer Mechanisms" - Natasha Corbitt, M.D., Ph.D.
Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care
Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center - Chrystal Starbird, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University Department of Pharmacology
"Structural Basis of TAM Receptor Oligomerization" - Antentor Othrell Hinton, Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences
"Activating Transcription Factor 4 Controls Mitochondrial Morphology and Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle"
- Jennifer M. Heemstra, Ph.D.
- Leadership Training
Scholars participate in practice sessions, journal clubs, and monthly works-in-progress.
- Additional Support
Resources are provided through the Postdoctoral Affairs Office, Postdoctoral Association, and the Office of Career and Professional Development.
- Access to Core Facilities
As PROVIDES fellows pursue research in their own area of interest, they gain access to top research tools at UT Southwestern, including:
- Cryo-electron microscopy
- DNA genotyping
- DNA microarray
- Electron microscopy
- Flow cytometry
- Genomics and microarray
- High-throughput screening
- Live-cell imaging
- Medicinal chemistry
- Metabolic phenotyping
- Next-generation sequencing
- Proteomics
- Transgenics
- Structural biology
Application Requirements
Submit Materials
Postdoctoral scholars must submit the following materials to be considered for the program:
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Proof of U.S. citizenship or Permanent Resident status
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One-page abstract of Ph.D. thesis
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Research proposal (limited to 1,000 words, not including references)
- If a UT Southwestern mentor has been selected, proposal should focus on proposed postdoctoral research project.
- If a UT Southwestern mentor has not been selected, proposal should focus on applicant’s area of scientific interest.
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Names and addresses of three references, one of whom is the principal predoctoral adviser
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Letter of support from a UT Southwestern faculty mentor:
- If you have selected a UT Southwestern postdoctoral mentor, letter should come from this person.
- If UT Southwestern postdoctoral mentor has not been selected, please list up to three UT Southwestern faculty and describe your interest in that lab.
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Curriculum vitae
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Published or accepted manuscripts (in PDF format) plus a five-sentence summary of applicant’s role in each publication
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Statement of career goals (limited to 250 words)
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Statement of commitment to diversity and inclusion in basic science (limited to 250 words)
Scheduling
Applicants should be close to completing their Ph.D. degree or have completed their degree within 15 months of becoming a PROVIDES scholar, though later graduation dates may be considered.
Our admission period is ongoing, so you can submit your application at any time. To apply, please PROVIDES@utsouthwestern.edu PROVIDES and include the required materials.
Contact Us
Arnaldo Diaz Vazquez, Ph.D.
PROVIDES Co-Director
