Empowering Biomedical Leaders
OUR IMPACT
Since 2005, the International Biomedical Research Alliance (IBRA) has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of global biomedical research leaders. Our impact – empowering biomedical leaders through strategic partnerships with prestigious programs like the NIH Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Scholars Program and the Wellcome Trust-NIH PhD Studentship Programme has supported the training, education, and career development of more than 300 emerging scientists.
These unique global doctoral training models provide unparalleled opportunities for talented students to engage in cutting-edge research that spans disciplines and continents. By leveraging the combined expertise of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States and world-class institutions in the United Kingdom, such as Oxford and Cambridge, we create an environment where collaborative, groundbreaking research can thrive. Empowering biomedical leaders to take on these challenges is at the core of our mission.
What sets these programs apart is their focus on cross-disciplinary and transatlantic collaboration, which empowers biomedical leaders to design and lead innovative research projects with real-world impact. The NIH’s world-class resources, combined with the UK’s globally recognized centers of excellence, offer a unique platform for these doctoral candidates to pursue high-impact research that addresses some of the world’s most pressing health challenges.
Our scholars are not only advancing the boundaries of biomedical science but also contributing to transformative discoveries in areas like genomics, immunology, neuroscience, and cancer research. Our impact in empowering biomedical leaders enables groundbreaking research that would be difficult to achieve within the confines of a single institution or country. This collaborative approach has proven to be a powerful catalyst for innovation, driving forward medical advances that improve healthcare outcomes worldwide.
As a result of these impactful partnerships, many of our alumni have gone on to become leaders in their fields, contributing to high-impact research and holding prestigious positions in academia, government, and industry. Through continued support and collaboration, IBRA remains dedicated to empowering biomedical leaders and driving progress on a global scale.
AUDREY WINKELSAS
NIH OXFORD SCHOLAR – CLASS OF 2015
“As an NIH-Oxford Scholar, I have had the privilege to learn what it takes to translate science from the lab to the clinic by doing research in two fantastic biomedial research institutes. As my time in the program draws to a close, I take with me not only the scientific expertise I gained, but also the value of collaboration and a commitment to leading diverse and dynamic research teams as I progress through my career”
KELLY L. BOLTON
NIH CAMBRIDGE SCHOLAR – CLASS OF 2008
“Thank you so much for your support. The NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program was such a great launching pad for my career as a physician-scientist and I am forever grateful.”
SAM KATZ
NIH CAMBRIDGE SCHOLAR – CLASS OF 2015
“The NIH-OxCam Program is giving me the chance to work with some of the best systems biologists and microbiologists in the field of innate immunity and is already enabling me to utilize both of these resources to take on questions that a single approach itself would not be able to.“
Chibawanye I. Ene
NIH CAMBRIDGE SCHOLAR – CLASS OF 2008
“I am grateful to the NIH Oxford-Cambridge (NIH-OxCam) Graduate Partnership Program Scholar’s program for giving me the opportunity to work with some of the best thinkers in the world at the NIH and Cambridge University! My training instilled the discipline needed to maintain the work-life balance necessary to become a successful physician-scientist; during my training in NIH-OxCam, we had a new baby, maintained an international collaboration and published our research findings after travelling between 2 labs/countries, wrote and successfully defended my thesis and sat for clinical boards prior to residency. Today, I can say that I am well prepared for juggling my responsibilities as a ‘Dad-Neurosurgeon-Scientist’ because of my training in NIH-OxCam! “
JUDAH WEATHERS
NIH OXFORD SCHOLAR – CLASS OF 2012
“In the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program students have a unique advantage completing important scientific work, in a globally informed scientific method. I think this is particularly important in psychiatric research. One of the other aspects of the Oxford NIH program that I find so incredibly unique in PhD training is the opportunity to interact within the historic colleges at Oxford, with people pursuing professional degrees outside of the life sciences.”
JUSTIN LATHIA
NIH CAMBRIDGE SCHOLAR – CLASS OF 2005
“The NIH-Oxford Cambridge Graduate Partnership Program accelerated my career progression and empowered me to transition into an independent faculty research position quickly. This was done in part though the training I received through the program, namely the ability to shape my own PhD thesis project, learn to manage a multi-national collaboration, and hone my leadership and communication skills.”