ASBMB program for MOSAIC scholars
The ASBMB is excited to leverage its considerable organizational and scholarly resources to implement a National Institutes of Health-funded UE5 program to support K99/R00 MOSAIC (Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers) scholars. The program will:
- Build a cohesive community of practice in which MOSAIC scholars will be paired with mentors with established records of scientific, funding and mentoring success and experience in culturally competent coaching practices.
- Provide a suite of career-development opportunities and sponsorship to support the personal and professional development of MOSAIC scholars. These activities will foster networking within a cross-institutional community of scholars, and polish skills in the art of science communication, proposal writing and laboratory management.
- Enhance professional networks of MOSAIC scholars via the Early Career Reviewer program with the Journal of Biological Chemistry editorial board, linkages through the Maximizing Access Committee and, more broadly, the ASBMB community.
- Enhance institutional accountability for supporting career advancement of MOSAIC scholars by convening forums to share evidence-based best practices for improving mentoring, persistence, recruitment and retention of URM scientists.
Anchored by the Maximizing Access Committee, the ASBMB MOSAIC program also taps into programming developed by the Education and Professional Development Committee as well as the Science Outreach and Communication Committee to provide customized career-development support to the MOSAIC scholars.
What is MOSAIC?
The MOSAIC program is part of the NIH’s efforts to enhance diversity within the academic biomedical research workforce, and is designed to facilitate the transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds into independent faculty careers in research-intensive institutions. Learn more about the program
Want to learn more?
Key activities
Years 1 & 2
- Postdoc career minisymposium, including networking with speakers and ASBMB postdoc members
- Publication/presentation best practices training
- Art of Science Communication training
- Skill building: interviewing and presenting chalk talks
- Oral spotlight presentation at ASBMB annual meeting
- Maximizing Access Committee networking
Years 3 & 4
- IMAGE grant writing workshop
- Lab management workshop
- "Mentoring and Diversity Building Best Practices" forum at ASBMB annual meeting for scholars and mentors
- Optional advocacy and education fellows training
- Maximizing Access Committee networking
Year 5+
- Training in culturally competent mentoring
- Scientific presentation at ASBMB annual meeting
- "Ethics of Peer Review" training
- Join JBC editorial board as Early Career Reviewer
- Symposium on diversity at ASBMB annual meeting
- Maximizing Access Committee and JBC Editorial Board networking
The second cohort of ASBMB MOSAIC scholars

Mary C. Andorfer
Michigan State University
Project: Investigation and application of hydrocarbon-degrading enzymes using cryo-electron microscopy and directed evolution

Crystal Archer
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Project: Structural consequences of PKC-dependent phosphorylation of Kv7.2

Sara J. Codding
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Project: Visualizing the divergent conformational dynamics of KCNH channels

Asiya Gusa
Duke University
Project: Stress-induced transposon mobilization in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus

Alex Guseman
University of Pittsburgh
Project: Developing lectins as inhibitors of coronavirus spike proteins

Josiah Hardesty
University of Louisville
Project: Restoration and preservation of hepatic cardiolipin levels promotes liver regeneration in AH

Pearl Magala
University of Washington
Project: Investigating novel methods to combat urinary tract infections

Vivien Ileana Maltez
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Project: Multiplex imaging in therapy refractory tumors: understanding the facets of an immunosuppressive environment

DurreShahwar Muhammad
Rice University
Project: Peroxisomal impacts on cellular quality control

Christopher Radka
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Project: Bacterial anti-inflammatory lipid mediators

Andrew Santiago–Frangos
Montana State University

Chrystal Starbird
Yale University
Project: The structural basis of TAM receptor oligomerization and co-receptor interactions

Ian Williamson
Duke University School of Medicine
Project: Quantifying enteric metabolism of branched-chain amino acids in relation to other dietary and microbiota nutrients

Kiesha Wilson
University of South Carolina
Project: Role of macrophages in CBD mediated attenuation of SEB-induced ARDS

Rahel Woldeyes
Stanford University
Project: Cryo-electron tomography to determine crosstalk mechanisms of calcium channels in cardiomyocytes
Program directors

Ruma Banerjee
- ASBMB Maximizing Access Committee
- Vincent Massey Professor of Biological Chemistry
- University of Michigan
- rbanerjee@asbmb.org
- 732-660-988

Kirsten F. Block
- Director of Education, Professional Development and Outreach
- ASBMB
- kblock@asbmb.org
Advisory board

Natalie Ahn
- Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry
- University of Colorado at Boulder

Vahe Bandarian
- ASBMB Maximizing Access Committee
- Professor of Chemistry
- The University of Utah

Squire Booker
- HHMI Investigator
- Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Pennsylvania State University

Enrique M. De La Cruz
- Professor and Chair of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry
- Yale University

Sonia C. Flores
- ASBMB Maximizing Access Committee
- Professor of Medicine
- University of Colorado–Denver

Richard McGee
- Associate Dean for Professional Development and Professor of Medical Education
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Related resources
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