Get Full Graduate Tuition Support and Research Experience with LLU

Loma Linda University's Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) is an NIH funded year-round educational graduate training program that provides full support (tuition and salary) for PhD students enrolled in the LLU Integrated Biomedical Graduate Studies Program in the School of Medicine.

The goal of the program is to strengthen graduate education by increasing diversity among students graduating with a PhD degree in a biomedical/behavioral discipline at LLU.  The IMSD graduate training program is supported by an R25 educational training award to Loma Linda University from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). This NIH award has been instrumental in establishing a comprehensive research-training program within the basic science departments of LLU School of Medicine.

The IMSD program has supported 57 PhD graduate students at LLU since its foundation in 2001. Today, a number of program graduates are leading the way as faculty or scientists in academia, industry and government working to eliminate health disparities.

IMSD Program Overview

IMSD fellows participate in specialized enrichment activities to complement and enhance their graduate experience at Loma Linda University.

  • Guidance and support in publishing peer-reviewed research articles
  • Seminars on health disparities and biomedical research topics
  • One-on-One mentoring from outstanding scientists (view IMSD Mentor List)
  • Networking with other program participants, physicians and health professionals
  • Support to attend national meetings.

Areas of Research

  • Autoimmune and infectious diseases
  • Bone development
  • Cancer biology
  • Cerebrovascular disease in newborns
  • Diabetes
  • Health Disparities
  • Musculoskeletal diseases
  • Neuro trauma and regeneration
  • Osteoporosis
  • Radiation biology
  • Signal transduction
  • Space biology and physiology
  • Stroke biology

Learn more about our PhD research program and how it can help you further your graduate studies and advance your academic research goals.

Apply Now

Note: If you have participated in one of our programs before, please contact chdmm@llu.edu for login information.