Spelman College has been awarded a federal grant of $483,620 to innovate the education of future biomedical scientists. This funding, which comes from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will support the development of an integrated genomic data science curriculum over the next three years.
The initiative is a response to a critical national issue: a significant shortage of trained professionals in the biomedical research sector who can handle the vast datasets pivotal to advancements in fields like cancer research, human genetics, neuroscience, and disease prevention. The grant aims to increase student involvement in addressing urgent scientific problems, such as deciphering cancer-related genetic variants and evaluating the impact of metal pollution on microbiome health.
“The processes for generating sequences and other high-throughput data have revolutionized biomedical science,” noted Dr. Mentewab Ayalew, a biology professor at Spelman. “Today, research in cancer, major diseases, human genetics, neuroscience, and behavior is driven by data in ways that were unimaginable just a decade ago.”
According to the NIH, the demand for professionals with expertise in these areas is expected to grow, with tens of thousands of trained individuals needed in the coming years as precision medicine and personalized cancer therapies gain traction. However, the field remains disproportionately underrepresented by people of color, which restricts the variety of viewpoints in addressing health disparities and disease research.
Dr. Ayalew”s proposal includes an ambitious and practical approach consisting of four interconnected modules integrated into the biology curriculum at Spelman. The first module will focus on MSH2 variants linked to colon cancer, taught in the course Bio 125, Molecular Biology and Genomics. This course will introduce 50 to 80 first-year students each semester to essential topics such as cloud-based computing, association studies, and the ethical implications of data privacy.
Dr. Ayalew describes this curriculum as “a more concerted and coordinated effort to update our educational approach to reflect modern biology,” aligning with the first goal of the College”s Strategic Plan, which emphasizes the evolution of curriculum, research, pedagogy, and teaching methods.
About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a prominent liberal arts institution recognized globally for its commitment to the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the college serves approximately 2,300 students and is the leading producer of Black women who earn Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The U.S. News & World Report ranks Spelman as No. 39 among all liberal arts colleges and No. 1 among historically Black colleges and universities for the 17th consecutive year.
Recent initiatives at Spelman include its designation by the Department of Defense as a Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, as well as new programs in documentary filmmaking, photography, and gaming. The college has also forged partnerships with prominent institutions such as MIT”s Media Lab and the Broad Institute to enhance its capabilities in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Distinguished alumnae include notable figures such as Marian Wright Edelman, Rosalind Brewer, Stacey Abrams, and Janina Jeff, demonstrating the college”s impact across various fields.
For further information about Spelman College, please visit spelman.edu or follow @spelmancollege on social media.
CONTACT: Brijea Daniel, Spelman College, [email protected]
