Mentoring environment

The Neuert lab has established a mentoring environment that prioritizes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, drawing from Gregor’s international and interdisciplinary training in engineering, physics, biology, pharmacology, and molecular physiology. This training was acquired in labs that pioneered the fields of single-molecule and single-cell biology, under the guidance of Professor Hermann Gaub and Professor Alexander van Oudenaarden. The experience gained during the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate training serves as the foundation for educating future leaders in academia, industry, non-profits, and public service. As a Ph.D. candidate, you are expected to take on leadership positions, which requires the development of independent and critical thinking skills, the ability to evaluate new information, and the capacity to formulate executable plans to solve problems in any given environment.

The Neuert lab, in conjunction with Vanderbilt’s graduate programs, provides an opportunity to acquire these skills through a Ph.D. research project. These projects focus on fundamental questions in biology that have implications for various genes, organisms, and diseases, thereby significantly impacting biomedical research. The interplay between experimental and computational concepts developed in this process is highly significant and goes beyond biology and medicine. The unique approach of the Neuert lab, which combines fundamental questions with creative experimental and computational training, provides a strong foundation for any future career.

Upon completion of the training, you will have mastered experimental and computational techniques, developed new methods, and answered a novel research question. The collaborative process of answering the research question involves working with Gregor, members of the Neuert lab, and their collaborators to tackle unique problems. You will learn to formulate scientific questions, which lead to peer-reviewed journal publications. Additionally, you will develop skills to present your research question, methodology, results, and implications to an audience outside your field, which are highly sought after by any employer.