Mentoring and training translational scientists focused on diseases that affect children is a top priority of the Mohr Lab. Our goal is to help each and every lab member enjoy daily life in the lab as well as fulfill their maximum potential. All lab members are expected to be a part of our supportive and respectful lab culture. All lab members will have the opportunity to investigate questions that interest them and to give and receive mentorship to others in the lab. Our vision is to train the next generation of diverse scientists in translational research.
Undergraduate students:
Undergraduates interested in gaining research experience should contact me directly. Preference is given to undergraduates who will work in the lab for multiple semesters and during the summer. If you are serious about wanting to work in my lab, I expect that you will at least read my website before contacting me. Be sure to mention the phrase “translational research” in your email so that I know you have spent time reading this website. Applicants with computational backgrounds, particularly with bioinformatics skills, are especially encouraged to apply, but all applications are welcome!
Graduate students:
My mentoring philosophy
- You must embrace diversity. We welcome diversity in the lab – racial, cultural, religious, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation and disability. Diversity in background and thought is the focal point of innovation, a crucial driver of scientific discovery.
- You have the primary responsibility for the development of your own career. There are multiple career opportunities and paths available to pursue. We will help you explore opportunities, but you need to demonstrate passion and dedication to find the path right for you.
- You will be in charge of developing your own research plan that includes well-defined goals and timelines. We will push you in your scientific development so you can get to this point during your training.
- You will receive regular feedback on your performance and scientific development. Think of a PhD advisor as a scientific career coach – you will receive both positive feedback and feedback that pushes you to do better than last time. Science training is a journey and you will grow in the process.
- You need to be great at organization. Science only happens when it is documented. Organization doesn’t just mean keeping your lab bench tidy. It means that your data analysis needs to be organized and thoughtful, so you can reproduce it with repeat experiments. This means that you will learn to use tools, like R, to develop analysis workflows.
- You need to know how to write before coming to my lab. You don’t need to know how to write scientific manuscripts or grants yet, but you must have written stellar papers in your undergraduate years. You will learn how to synthesize others’ research findings, develop your own thoughts, and communicate your research.
- You need to be a team player. Science is about teamwork. You need to treat everyone with respect and kindness and work together to find solutions. You need to support your fellow graduate students and be involved in your department.