A group of people observes and studies various potted plants inside a greenhouse filled with greenery and natural light.

BioGEM Postbaccalaureate Research Program

Funded by the National Science Foundation, BioGEM trains postbaccalaureate scholars in research that integrates biodiversity science with genetic evolutionary mechanisms.

Apply for 2026!

**The Application Portal is open

BioGEM 2026-2027 starts in July, 2025 and ends on June 30, 2027

Interested in pursuing graduate study in biodiversity science?

The BioGEM program provides financial support for recent college graduates who have limited or no prior research experience. Scholars engage in interdisciplinary projects that study how organisms, populations and species respond to their past and present environment and how genetic mechanisms equip organisms to respond to future environmental change.

Three KU researchers standing on a wooden platform peer into a metal tank filled with water at the KU Field Station.

Program Advantages

A key component of the BioGEM experience is a weekly professional & scholarly advancement series — involving mentors and network partners — that includes both professional development workshops and hands-on, mentor-led training modules covering a wide range of research methods. Scholars are based primarily at KU, with opportunities to be co-mentored by faculty at Haskell Indian Nations University, Emporia State University, Rockhurst University and Stowers Institute.

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Stay Connected!

Are you an interested applicant or do you work to support students in finding research opportunities? Sign up with your email address for periodic updates regarding BioGEM deadlines and programming!

Yes, I want to stay connected

Find out more

Ten scholars will be recruited to engage in interdisciplinary research + professional development. Learn about program benefits and eligibility. Email us at biogem@ku.edu.
BioGEM Benefits BioGEM Benefits
Students sit at lab benches using microscopes, focusing on samples. The laboratory is well-lit, with various equipment and boxes on the tables.
Four people are outdoors, smiling and interacting with scientific equipment. One holds a rope and another a tube. The setting is a grassy, wooded area.
A group of students engage in a science activity at a long table with microscopes, colored paper, and craft supplies. The atmosphere is focused and collaborative.