Research

SyBBURE funds students, not labs. This means you can choose to work with any Vanderbilt PI with whom your interests overlap (and change labs if you want while still maintaining your spot in the program).

If you haven’t already found a lab and need guidance, check out the finding your interests and getting experience sections of the research guide. You can also set up a mentoring meeting with anyone on Team SyBBURE to help guide you through that process and discuss your options.

If you end up choosing to work for a PI who is primarily appointed at VUMC (instead of Vanderbilt), it requires some additional paperwork. We do not fill this out for you, please talk to your PI about what is required. More information can be found here.

Keep in mind that the different people you work with may have different expectations of you. So…

Tell your PI that you are in SyBBURE if they are not aware.

This applies to grad student mentors as well. SyBBURE students have more obligations than non-SyBBURE students, and these may sometimes interfere with your lab obligations. As a funded program, we expect students to attend all required SyBBURE events unless there are extenuating circumstances. We communicate the expectations with your PI and direct supervisor by email at the beginning of each term, but we can’t control whether they read it. Some PIs are very familiar with the program and others have never heard of us. So, please be sure they know what you are up to.

Balance the need for a guiding hand versus more autonomy.

For newer researchers, learning new techniques/instrumentation/background knowledge can be overwhelming. When you find yourself struggling, reach out to your PI/student mentor first. If they can’t provide the help you need, ask a SyBBURE member who would most likely be able to help. We can either work it out with you or mediate with your PI/mentor to figure out a solution.

For more experienced researchers, there may come a point where you feel restricted unable to grow as a researcher, conducting the same protocols over and over. As above, talk to your PI/student mentor first and see if you can either be assigned more responsibility with your current project or acquire an independent project. We can help mediate if needed. For both scenarios, if a solution can’t be found, then we can help you find a new project.

Find out if you need to use SyBBURE resources.

We have a ton of resources available to you, but a portion of them require access given on an individual basis. If there is a specific instrument you require, look in the instruments tab or try the search bar. The majority of instruments are located in the 5th or 8th floor of Stevenson 6. Gidhub, opened in July 2017, is where a lot of tech and manufacturing gear will be located. VIIBRE lab access will usually require training.