Additional Requirements

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Scientific Rigor and Reproducibility (SRR)

All students are required to be trained in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Scientific Rigor and Reproducibility (SRR). The Biomedical Graduate Studies Office coordinates these trainings and notifies students of dates and times they are offered. The IGG faculty are required to participate in ethics training once every three years to remain in the group. More information is available on the BGS website. 

Other Activities

We realize that the majority of scientific information and experience is gained not only from one’s work on a project but also through interactions with other scientists. Often critical insights come from the most unexpected directions. Recognizing this fact, the IGG encourages and requires participation in both formal and informal forums that promote interactions with other scientists and the free exchange of ideas.

Immunology Colloquium and Journal Club

First- and second-year students are required to attend the weekly IGG journal club and the Immunology Colloquium. The student-organized Journal Club meets weekly at a time agreeable to all the current students. At each meeting, a student presents one or two current publications of the seminar speaker scheduled for the next week’s Immunology Colloquium series. This exercise is to help students prepare for the material that will be presented at the seminar.

More senior students are strongly encouraged to attend both the journal club and colloquium, but the program realizes that in some cases other seminar programs and journal clubs may be more appropriate to their institutional obligations and interests.

Each year, the third-year class invites several distinguished scientists to visit the University as part of the Immunology Colloquium. The distinguished guest meets with faculty during the day, presents a seminar at the Immunology Colloquium series in the afternoon, and meets with students afterwards for an informal dinner. The dinner provides an opportunity to discuss science in a relaxed environment.

Immunobiology Research in Progress

All students are required to attend Immunobiology Research in Progress. Attended by many members of the Penn Immunology community, this seminar series provides students as well as junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and other trainees the opportunity to share their work. This is also an important way for pre-thesis students to learn about potential thesis labs.

Annual Retreat

All students are required to attend the annual retreat. The retreat features an invited outside speaker and short talks and poster presentations by the Graduate Group trainees. All Immunology Graduate Group students beyond the first year will present each year at the retreat. Postdoctoral fellows in the laboratories of Graduate Group faculty are also invited to attend and present posters.

In addition, all students must give at least one presentation per year, preferably on the progress of his/her dissertation research. This can take the form of a presentation at the annual retreat or a presentation at a local or national meeting, or at the student chalkboard seminars held throughout the year.