Graduate Programs

St. Jude provides opportunities for selected graduate students in both foreign and domestic educational programs to study with faculty mentors at both the master and doctoral levels. Academic credit is optional.

Experiential Learning Internships

Scientific inquiry and translational research along with related support areas lend themselves extremely well to this pedagogical model of instruction. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital along with the Academic Programs Office is committed to developing and supporting Experiential Learning Internships that are clearly defined as learning strategies, have an emphasis on defined experience, reflection, and application stages and contain some form of review or assessment by an appropriately credentialed advisor.

For more information regarding a specific program, an experiential learning internship, or for setting up an affiliation agreement with a college or university, contact: APO.Predoctoral.Programs@stjude.org

International Research Scholars

International Research Scholars are graduate students from institutions outside of the United States who perform their thesis research at St. Jude under the guidance of a St. Jude faculty mentor. They typically receive a stipend from St. Jude that is approved annually by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital administration.

The PhD is awarded by the home institution. Scholars have already been formally accepted into an accredited graduate program and must adhere to the regulations and requirements of that program. The Graduate Education Oversight Committee (GEOC) provides supervision for acceptance, policies, and procedures for the International Research Scholars.

University of Paris – Diderot

Since 2002, students have traveled to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital from the University of Paris – Diderot as a part of their master’s level curriculum. Students are paired with faculty and receive training in a lab over the course of five months, while working on their individual projects. They receive academic credit, a research stipend, and internship experience.

The Paris program at St. Jude is directed by Dr. Martine Roussel, Endowed Chair of Molecular Oncology, Co-Leader, Cancer Genetics, Biochemistry and Cell Biology Program in the St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Member, Department of Tumor Cell Biology.

View Paris students with their sponsors

University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences

Graduate students may pursue a PhD at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences based at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center. (Apply to UTHSC Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program.) Students perform their course work at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and may undertake laboratory rotations and doctoral research at St. Jude, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, or the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The degree is awarded by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. (Download our brochure.)

STUDENT PROFILES

Stefan Gajewski International Research Scholar, Dr. Stephen White's lab “St. Jude is a truly fascinating place for graduate students. Scientists from every field in biological research work here next to each other. Whether you have a new idea or a simple question, a first-hand expert is often only one corridor away.”

Joseph Mertz Emory PhD Student, Dr. Junmin Peng’s lab “St. Jude provides a great environment for learning how to perform cutting edge research, and why that research matters. The institution is pervaded by a sense of purpose, and you see that in every person you come across - whether it be the high quality shared resources within the institution, or the truly congenial atmosphere among colleagues. I will always be grateful for my opportunity to work here, and am constantly motivated to make the most of it.”

Tha’er Almomani UTHSC Nursing Research PhD Student, Dr. Belinda Mandrell “Working on my PhD research at St. Jude is a dream that came true. I’m very lucky to work with a motivated and experienced team at one of the few hospitals that supports extensive and collaborative nursing research. I hope this opportunity will open new windows for my future research career.”

Thomas Fabrizio UTHSC IPBS Student, Dr. Richard Webby's lab “The St. Jude/UTHSC partnership has allowed me to conduct graduate studies in one of the most prestigious influenza laboratories in the world.”

Tarsha Harris UTHSC IPBS Student, Dr. Maureen McGargill’s lab "It is an honor and blessing to have the opportunity to conduct graduate research at one of the most renowned institutions in the world. The guidance and support from my mentor and other knowledgeable faculty, coupled with access to the most current and cutting edge technologies via St. Jude’s many core facilities, has granted me exciting research and learning experiences."

Hannah Henson UTHSC IPBS Student, Dr. Michael Taylor's lab "Working towards my Ph.D. as a UTHSC student at St. Jude has allowed me to accomplish goals I never would have thought possible as a graduate student. It is very rewarding to know that the research performed at St. Jude benefits not only patients here, but also worldwide.”

Hong Wang UTHSC IPBS Student, Dr. Junmin Peng’s lab “Being here at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital working in biomedical sciences with the most talented scientists and the most cutting edge techniques is really fascinating. I am so proud to say that I am a UTHSC PhD student based out of a lab at St. Jude.”

Yinan Wu UTHSC IPBS Student, Dr. Stephen White's lab “The graduate student training at St. Jude allows me to participate in the cutting edge research in biomedical sciences. It also gives me the opportunity to work with the real scientists who are solving the puzzles of life and making it better. It inspires me to be one of them in the future.”

Tharshana Stephen Paris VII Program, 2012, Dr. Martine Roussel's lab “The St. Jude exchange program gave me the opportunity to discover the world of research and to work and learn among great scientists. The laboratory practice allowed me to confirm my desire to work in this field in the future.”

Yohann Garnier Paris VII Program, 2012, Dr. David Solecki's lab “My placement at St. Jude is unforgettable. It allowed me to work among talented researchers who are leaders in Developmental Neurobiology. The environment of the hospital is also very stimulating since we see every day who we work for--the children."

Camille Garnier Paris VII Program, 2012, Dr. Young-Goo Han's lab “To me, St. Jude represents an amazing hope for many patients in the entire world. It is also a great place to work where all the right conditions are met to perform powerful and successful research. Moreover, I experienced a fantastic kindness from many people there, which touched me a lot!”

Floriane Lacour Paris VII Program, 2012, Dr. Stacey Schultz-Cherry's lab “Thanks to the St. Jude exchange program, I had a fascinating internship. I worked with great scientists in my lab and I also met a lot of scientists from different biological fields. St. Jude provided me with a great experience that I will never forget.”