UC Irvine’s LifeChips IGERT program is a new graduate research program where students combine the practices of engineering, physical sciences, biological sciences and medicine to produce small-scale technologies that benefit human health.

Graduates of the LifeChips program will have the skills necessary to develop technology used to identify new drugs, facilitate stem cell research and improve scientists’ understanding of tissue, organs, cells, DNA and other basic components of life. LifeChips IGERT students earn their degrees in their home departments, but perform research on LifeChips projects.

Funded by the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program (NSF-IGERT), LifeChips will focus on the study of “chip” technology (including micro and nanotechnology) as it applies to life sciences. The program takes its name from a new term scientists use to describe research on the overlap between life sciences and technology that naturally occurs at microscopic scales.

LifeChips IGERT Fellowships

Six fellowship grants per year will be awarded to incoming first year graduate students. Trainingships are for two years, in the amount of $30 K/year plus tuition and fees. We are not accepting any applications at this time.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be US citizen or permanent resident
• Only incoming first year graduate students may apply
• Students must be accepted into a UCI graduate program in a science, medicine or engineering department
• LifeChips IGERT Fellows may also be recipients of other fellowships. LifeChips funding starts after other fellowships expire (e.g., 2nd or 3rd year).

Benefits

• Student stipend $30k/year for two years with tuition and fees paid.
• Interdisciplinary research under two LifeChips faculty
• Special courses, workshops, training events, and internships available

UC Irvine’s LifeChips IGERT program is committed to promoting diversity within the fields of science and engineering. Women, underrepresented minorities, and individuals from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

Benefits and Requirements
For more information about the LifeChips NSF IGERT program.

NSF IGERT program
Information about the NSF IGERT program.

Questions about IGERT?
Please send inquries to: Email: igert@uci.edu