About Boot Camp

The next Boot Camp will take place in summer 2024.

CEMB graduate fellows participate in CEMB’s intensive “Boot Camp” experience, held every other summer. Fellows usually participate within the first two years of joining the CEMB.

Boot Camp, hosted at one member institution for all participants, includes lectures in cell biology, bioengineering, matrix biology, and plant biology and mechanics; wet and dry lab experiences in rheometry, basic cell and molecular biology techniques, basics plant biology techniques, and computational modeling; small group tutorials; journal clubs; and ethics and knowledge transfer training.

Boot Camp includes a mini-research experience and presentation at the conclusion of the course.

Boot Camp 2022

July 17th – July 30th
Hosted by Washington University in St. Louis

CEMB welcomed students back in-person to Washington University in St. Louis for the 2022 Boot Camp. Our team gathered expertise from the Center’s partner institutions to create an intensive series that provided fundamental knowledge in the cross-disciplinary field of mechanobiology and honed participants’ key scientific and analytical skills important to all related fields.

The course comprised two parts. During the first week, morning lectures built knowledge of cross-disciplinary topics in the mechanobiology of animal and plant cells. Afternoon sessions consisted of labs designed to build modeling, analysis, imaging, and bioinformatics skills. During the second week, interdisciplinary teams conducted a research project that culminated in a group presentation. Additional professional development sessions were given in week two to enrich participants’ graduate school experience and help prepare them for future career pathways.

Images of students in a scientific lab conducting hands-on learning
Group picture of boot camp attendees

Boot Camp 2020

July 6th – July 17th
Hosted by Washington University in St. Louis

CEMB offered a unique virtual program for Boot Camp 2020 in response to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Our team gathered expertise from the Center’s partner institutions to create an intensive series that provided fundamental knowledge in the cross-disciplinary field of mechanobiology and honed participants’ key scientific and analytical skills important to all related fields.

The course comprised two parts. During the first week, morning lectures built knowledge of cross-disciplinary topics in the mechanobiology of animal and plant cells. Afternoon sessions consisted of labs designed to build modeling, analysis, imaging, and bioinformatics skills. During the second week, interdisciplinary teams conducted a research project that culminated in a group presentation. Additional professional development sessions were given in week two to enrich participants’ graduate school experience and help prepare them for future career pathways.

DOWNLOAD schedule here.

Attend the Annual Symposium to learn about more mechanobiology research.