Apply

If you are interested in the DRB Program at Harvard University, you must apply to and be accepted into the BBS program. DRB is a program within the BBS umbrella, and its students will be drawn from that population.

To apply to the BBS program, go to the BBS website to get all the details.

Joining the DRB program

You can enroll in the DRB program as early as G1 spring, and anytime after that. In order to become eligible to join the DRB program students must have completed the DRB Bootcamp course (DRB330qc or DRB 331hc). To enroll in the program 

  • Fill the commitment form as best possible.
  • Contact Davie Van Vactor (Davie@hms.harvard.edu)to schedule a meeting. At this meeting you will review your course selections and eligibility for DRB, discuss potential DRB faculty advisors, and complete the commitment form.

What does it mean to be an official DRB student?

The DRB program is a degree-granting program. Therefore, official DRB students who have completed all the educational requirements will receive a degree in Developmental and Regenerative Biology.

Requirements for this degree include the following:

  • Two upper-level courses in DRB topics
  • Selection of a DRB Faculty Mentor who will follow you throughout your time at Harvard
  • Participation in DRB programs and events

Official DRB students will also be given priority to opportunities that are administered and supported by the DRB faculty and staff.

Technically, students can be in more than one program. For example, students following the Leder Human Biology track will not be excluded from becoming official DRB students. However, any student who is a member of multiple programs will need to complete requirements of all programs. Because completion of requirements in multiple programs can be daunting, please carefully consider this decision.

Other perks to being a DRB Student

Professional Development Awards.  The DRB program provides funding for students to attend conferences, take courses, or otherwise further their professional development.  Each award is worth up to $1000 and each student is eligible to receive two awards throughout their graduate career.  More information here.

Once you have decided to officially join the DRB, you will be assigned a DRB faculty advisor. The DRB faculty advisor will serve as a secondary mentor who can help guide you through the program at all levels and can address questions about research interests, curriculum, and extracurricular development opportunities. This mentor will be with you throughout your graduate career and and we hope perhaps beyond. Assignment of a DRB advisor will be mutually agreed upon by both the student and the DRB Director.

One final excellent resource is your very own dedicated DRB Curriculum Fellow. S/He is a Ph.D.-level scientist who is engaged in supporting and improving current graduate courses, assisting with preparation of extramural student training grants, and developing novel curriculum that covers biomedical and professional development topics. Along with the DRB Executive Committee, the DRB CF can provide advice and insight into academic and non-academic concerns at any or all steps along the graduate experience. As a key liaison between students and faculty, the DRB CF is committed to understanding and assessing student needs and bringing about programmatic innovations within the DRB to address these concerns.