Bridges to the Doctorate program

Kennesaw State University (KSU) is home to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 training grant, which supports the Peach State Bridges to the Doctorate Program. This is part of a federal program that aims to develop an enriched pool of well-trained biomedical scientists who will transition from master’s degree programs and complete rigorous biomedical, research-focused doctoral degree programs (e.g., Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) in biomedical fields. The program offsets the cost of stipends, tuition and fees, and training related expenses, including health insurance, for the appointed trainees in accordance with the approved NIH support levels.

For more information on eligibility, please contact the program director using the online form on this webpage. 

Photo of graduate students and faculty mentor working on research in a laboratory

Questions?

Do you have questions? Use the form below to directly contact the program director.

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Eligibility

Bridges to the Doctorate trainees will join one of the CSM’s innovative research-based graduate programs in Integrative Biology or Chemical Sciences. We offer cutting-edge training in a small, nurturing, but vigorously active environment. Participants receive training that is simply unavailable anywhere else at the master’s level. Many of our faculty are funded by the NIH and the National Science Foundation (NSF) in various disciplines. Participants are matched with a mentor/coach, create and implement an individual development plan (IDP), pursue research and research training in a variety of biomedically relevant fields and participate in organized doctoral transition activities. Our primary doctoral granting partner is the University of Georgia. However, participants may bridge to any biomedical doctoral program of their choice - our alumni are currently pursuing Ph.Ds. at UGA, Vanderbilt, Emory, Duke, Brandeis and other top-tier research universities.

Bridges scholars should meet all requirements of the master’s program of interest and be dedicated to pursuing a Ph.D. in a biomedical field upon completion of their studies at KSU. NIH grant number is T32 GM150548-01 was awarded from the NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

We are very proud of our students and faculty, the research they do, and the discoveries they make. But mostly, we are proud of where our alumni go and what they do - we are successful in catalyzing the development of young scientists into thriving Ph.D. students.

Mentors

  • Name
    Position
    • Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

      mhalim1@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6759
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 422

      Website
    • Professor of Biochemistry

      tleeper@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-2258
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 3006

      Website
    • Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry

      csaintlo@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6048
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 428

      Website
    • Professor of Chemistry

      dtapu@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-2259
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 4014

      Website
    • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

      tadam145@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4476
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 4013

      Website
    • Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

      pchakma@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4478
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 439

      Website
  • Name
    Position
    • Assistant Professor of Ecology and Organismal Biology

      wpreisse@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-3466
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 326

      Website
    • Associate Professor of Biology

      jtaglial@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-3678
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 332

      Website
    • Assistant Professor of Ecology

      tpereir6@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7703

      Website
    • Assistant Professor of Biology

      jvarhol2@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7646

      Website
  • Name
    Position
    • Professor of Developmental Biology

      abryants@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4919
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 4004

      Website
    • Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology

      bcarpe18@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4998
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 4003

      Website
    • Assistant Vice President of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships and Associate Professor of Microbiology

      ccornel5@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-5115
      Marietta Campus, 970 Shore Innovation Center, Room 2524

      Website
    • Associate Professor of Biology

      mgriff40@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6654
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 5006

      Website
    • Assistant Professor of Microbiology

      ahaddow@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-2653
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 4008

      Website
    • Professor of Biology

      mhudso28@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7558
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 4002

      Website
    • Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      djia@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 522

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      slee295@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-2794
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 3004

      Website
    • Professor of Chemistry

      jmcmurr1@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-3238
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 3014

      Website
    • Professor of Biology

      kmensawi@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 568-3071

      Website
    • Professor of Biology

      snowak@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7777
      Kennesaw Campus, 105 Science Laboratory Building, Room 4006

      Website
    • Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      jwardwel@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 525

      Website
    • Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      myoshina@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6604
      Kennesaw Campus, 370 Science, Room 530

    • Assistant Professor of Cell Biology

      egigante@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158

      Website
  • Name
    Position
    • Associate Professor of Psychology

      ehollid1@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7820
      Kennesaw Campus, 402 Social Sciences Bldg, Room 4010

      Website

Bridges Scholars