KYAD-PREP
One to two-year paid training for postbaccalaureate students to explore research careers in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
About PREP Programs
Postbaccalaureate Research Education Programs (PREP), supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are paid, full-time research training experiences for students who have completed a bachelor's degree in biomedical or behavioral science. Programs provide participants with 1-2 years of mentored research experience in an academic or medical research setting. They are specifically designed to help students understand not just scientific research, but also the culture, expectations, and nuances of working in an academic research environment.
Gain Research Experience
Students gain experience through immersive, mentored training that places them directly in active research environments, helping them develop laboratory, critical-thinking, and scientific communication skills.
Determine Your Research Interest
Through laboratory training, close interaction with faculty and graduate students, and exposure to diverse research areas, students can identify the questions and approaches that most excite them.
Prepare for an Advanced Degree
Programs offer guidance on navigating the graduate school application process and help build professional networks that position students to transition to advanced degrees and training.
About KYAD-PREP
Our program offers one to two years of paid training for students to build the skills, confidence, and research experience needed to clarify their career goals and strengthen their applications to graduate school. Located within the nationally recognized Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky, our program is uniquely positioned to offer students multiple large-scale, high-impact studies to understand and treat Alzheimer's disease.
Positions are regular full-time and salaried at $36,000, with university benefits and relocation assistance. Visit our Program Details page for more employment information.
Eligibility
We welcome applicants with a baccalaureate degree in biomedical or behavioral sciences and a GPA of 2.5 or higher. You don't need prior research experience. Our program is intended to provide interested students with the opportunity to work in a research environment, particularly those who may not have had a chance to work in a lab at their graduating institution.
Application
To apply for this position, you will need to upload your resume and cover letter in PDF format. Those who reach the next step in the review process will be asked to provide references and a transcript from their graduating institution at a later date.
We encourage you to submit your application at any time. If you're interested but not ready to apply, we recommend you Join Our List, where you’ll receive email notifications when spots become available.
Deadline
The program has a flexible start date and no specific application deadline. We review applications as they're submitted and respond to each applicant within two weeks with any further instructions. Leadership will reach out to qualified candidates as spots become available.
Work in Multiple Lab Environments
KYAD-PREP is a flexible program that supports a diverse range of research areas, allowing participants to explore multiple disciplines under guided mentorships as they refine their interests. Students will learn to communicate across scientific domains for insight into the collaborative nature of modern research.
Engage in Advanced Neuroscience Research
Through the nationally recognized UK Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, KYAD-PREP involves students in cutting-edge neuroscience research. Our approach offers a hands-on, interdisciplinary experience to understand brain aging and neurodegenerative disease.
Learn About Career Paths Beyond Academia
Students are introduced to a spectrum of research interests and career pathways, spanning both academic and non-academic settings. Interactions with near-peer mentors — including graduate students, postdocs, research staff, and early-career professionals — help students make informed decisions about their own career goals.
Learn More
Connect With Us
Email Us
Email any questions you may have to our program administrator, Katharina Kohler.
Schedule a Meeting
Schedule a Zoom meeting with our program administrator. One-hour time slots are available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. EST.
Social Media
Follow Sanders-Brown on Bluesky for the latest updates on all our training programs.