KYAD-PREP Training
Program Details
About KYAD-PREP
KYAD-PREP provides baccalaureate students with degrees in biomedical or behavioral sciences with one to two years of mentored research experience. In addition to working within the strong Alzheimer's disease research infrastructure of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, participants receive professional and academic development, including training in scientific communication, research ethics, and graduate school preparation. Positions are regular full-time and salaried at $36,000, with university benefits. Relocation expenses are provided and considered on a case-by-case basis.
Eligibility
To be considered, applicants must have completed a baccalaureate degree in biomedical or behavioral science with a GPA of at least 2.5.
Documents
To apply, upload a resume and cover letter in PDF format, each 10 MB or less. Later in the review process, promising candidates will be asked to provide references and school transcripts.
Deadline
There is no specific deadline to apply. Applications are reviewed regularly, with status updates provided to each applicant. Promising candidates are notified as openings become available.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Strengthen qualifications for future careers or advanced education
Acquire foundational laboratory techniques, computational skills, and critical thinking abilities that will transition to academic and non-academic science careers.
Build a professional network for future collaborations
Connect with faculty, staff, fellow students, and professionals across academic and non-academic careers to gain diverse perspectives and build lasting relationships.
Gain insight into the nuances of working in an academic environment
An immersive experience to understand expectations around the collaborative, iterative, and ethical dimensions that define academic scientific work.
RESEARCH TRAINING
Strong Alzheimer's Disease Research Infrastructure
The comprehensive resources at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging allow students to learn state-of-the-art techniques for studying neurodegeneration.
Access to Interdisciplinary Expertise and Collaboration
A structured program that allows students to interact with experts across multiple fields of study to explore and refine their scientific interests.
Dedicated Guidance from Mentors and Program Advisors
Program participants have the opportunity to work in various lab environments and to select a mentor from a broad pool of faculty committed to their success.
Practice Team Science with Related Programs
We support trainee engagement with related programs to highlight how interdisciplinary teams collaborate to address complex scientific challenges. Through these foundational experiences, students gain firsthand exposure to the benefits of translational research by working alongside peers, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows focused on Alzheimer's disease.
Connecting with these three related programs allows our participants to interact with:
- UKNeu-PREP — neuroscience post-bac trainees as near-peer mentors
- TRIAD — those in advanced training in Alzheimer's Disease
- UK-ADRC — Alzheimer's Disease researchers at all career levels
Leadership
Michael Paul Murphy, PhD
Positions Held:
- Professor, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry
- Co-Director, KYAD-PREP
KYAD-PREP Employment
Trainees are hired as full-time, salaried employees of the University of Kentucky and receive a comprehensive benefits package for the duration of their appointment. Each trainee is supported by our dedicated program administrator, who serves as a consistent point of contact throughout the training term and provides guidance and assistance as questions arise. Upon hire, trainees participate in a structured orientation that introduces them to the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging research labs, key program personnel, and the broader University of Kentucky campus, helping ensure a smooth, successful transition into the program.
Pay and Benefits
KYAD-PREP trainees will be regular full-time employees of the University of Kentucky, salaried at $36,000, with benefits including healthcare, dental, vision, and a 403(b) retirement plan. The university will conduct a background check and pre-employment screening before employment can begin. Relocation support will be provided and determined on a case-by-case basis.
The position is a research education experience in which you will be considered a full-time university employee with benefits and will undergo regular probationary and performance evaluations.
Pay and Benefits
KYAD-PREP trainees will be regular full-time employees of the University of Kentucky, salaried at $36,000, with benefits including healthcare, dental, vision, and a 403(b) retirement plan. The university will conduct a background check and pre-employment screening before employment can begin. Relocation support will be provided and determined on a case-by-case basis.
The position is a research education experience in which you will be considered a full-time university employee with benefits and will undergo regular probationary and performance evaluations.
Job Description
KYAD-PREP
Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease
Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program
To be considered for this position, applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree in biomedical or behavioral science with a GPA of at least 2.5.
University of Kentucky KYAD-PREP offers an exciting, hands-on opportunity for recent college graduates who are interested in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), neuroscience, and biomedical research. Designed for students preparing for graduate or professional programs, KYAD-PREP provides immersive research training within a supportive, collaborative environment.
Hosted at the nationally recognized Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, home to an established Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, this interdisciplinary program allows participants to work closely with expert faculty and research teams studying a wide range of AD and AD-related biomedical questions. Trainees will gain meaningful, real-world research experience by collecting and analyzing data, conducting experiments, and contributing to active research projects alongside experienced scientists, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows.
In addition to laboratory research, KYAD-PREP participants engage in a structured educational program that supports both academic and professional growth. This includes graduate-level coursework, training in responsible and ethical research practices, instruction in data science and reproducible research methods, and regular workshops and seminars focused on career development, graduate school preparation, and scientific communication.
Located in Lexington, the University of Kentucky is the Commonwealth’s flagship land-grant research university, offering a vibrant campus community and access to world-class research facilities. KYAD-PREP trainees become part of a dynamic research network while living in a welcoming and affordable city.
KYAD-PREP encourages applications from students of all backgrounds and values diverse educational experiences, life paths, and perspectives. The University of Kentucky is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive training environment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, or age.
Job Description
KYAD-PREP
Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease
Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program
To be considered for this position, applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree in biomedical or behavioral science with a GPA of at least 2.5.
University of Kentucky KYAD-PREP offers an exciting, hands-on opportunity for recent college graduates who are interested in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), neuroscience, and biomedical research. Designed for students preparing for graduate or professional programs, KYAD-PREP provides immersive research training within a supportive, collaborative environment.
Hosted at the nationally recognized Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, home to an established Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, this interdisciplinary program allows participants to work closely with expert faculty and research teams studying a wide range of AD and AD-related biomedical questions. Trainees will gain meaningful, real-world research experience by collecting and analyzing data, conducting experiments, and contributing to active research projects alongside experienced scientists, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows.
In addition to laboratory research, KYAD-PREP participants engage in a structured educational program that supports both academic and professional growth. This includes graduate-level coursework, training in responsible and ethical research practices, instruction in data science and reproducible research methods, and regular workshops and seminars focused on career development, graduate school preparation, and scientific communication.
Located in Lexington, the University of Kentucky is the Commonwealth’s flagship land-grant research university, offering a vibrant campus community and access to world-class research facilities. KYAD-PREP trainees become part of a dynamic research network while living in a welcoming and affordable city.
KYAD-PREP encourages applications from students of all backgrounds and values diverse educational experiences, life paths, and perspectives. The University of Kentucky is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive training environment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, or age.
Learning Objectives
KYAD-PREP provides an intensive research experience designed to prepare recent graduates for research-focused advanced degree programs in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related disorders. Postbaccalaureate trainees conduct focused projects across a broad range of topics, work closely with faculty and trainees at multiple career stages, and participate in tailored professional development. Led by experienced senior faculty with strong mentoring records, the program offers access to a diverse pool of NIH-funded University of Kentucky investigators—primarily within the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging—spanning the full bench-to-bedside continuum. Trainees also complete a structured educational curriculum, including graduate-level coursework, responsible conduct of research, reproducibility, and data science, and attend seminars. KYAD-PREP uniquely positions trainees for advanced training in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) research.
Learning Objectives
KYAD-PREP provides an intensive research experience designed to prepare recent graduates for research-focused advanced degree programs in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related disorders. Postbaccalaureate trainees conduct focused projects across a broad range of topics, work closely with faculty and trainees at multiple career stages, and participate in tailored professional development. Led by experienced senior faculty with strong mentoring records, the program offers access to a diverse pool of NIH-funded University of Kentucky investigators—primarily within the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging—spanning the full bench-to-bedside continuum. Trainees also complete a structured educational curriculum, including graduate-level coursework, responsible conduct of research, reproducibility, and data science, and attend seminars. KYAD-PREP uniquely positions trainees for advanced training in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) research.
This program will help me better understand how research directly informs diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. Ultimately, I hope to complete the program better prepared for advanced training in neuroscience research.
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 Wednesday at 10 AM Eastern.
Social Media
Follow Sanders-Brown on Bluesky for the latest updates on all our training programs.