Join us.

We are glad you are interested in joining the Chory Lab. Professor Chory is committed to providing meaningful research opportunities for undergraduates, particularly those eager to gain hands-on experience and grow as future scientists and engineers.

Our lab occasionally takes on motivated Duke undergraduates, but space is limited and mentorship capacity varies throughout the year. We consider opportunities on a case-by-case basis, depending on the availability of mentorship and alignment with current projects.

How to get started

1. Check Muser. We post opportunities on Muser at the beginning of each semester. If you see a listing there, apply directly.
2. Fill out our interest form. We ask all interested undergraduates to complete the research interest form, even if we are at capacity. This helps us get to know you and your interests. Please respond as thoroughly as possible.

   Research interest form

Important notes

• Mentorship bandwidth. Taking on new undergraduates, especially in the wet lab, is a significant commitment. If our mentorship bandwidth is low we may not be able to accept new students immediately, but we still encourage you to submit the interest form to be considered for future opportunities.
• Pratt Research Fellowships. If you are a sophomore or junior in your first semester, we highly recommend considering a Pratt Research Fellowship. These are long-term research experiences spanning your junior and senior years. If you are eligible, we encourage you to apply.
• Computational and ML projects. Students interested in computational biology, machine learning, or data science may be able to take on more independent projects under the guidance of a postdoc or graduate student. These are generally better suited to students with prior coding experience and require less intensive wet lab involvement.

Undergraduates in our lab typically work closely with a PhD student or postdoc mentor. We encourage you to explore this site and the Chory Lab Handbook to learn more about our team, projects, and expectations.

Interested in independent study?

Duke undergraduates can earn course credit for research in the lab through an independent study. The agreement, expectations, and enrolment steps are all set out on one page.

Independent study in the Chory Lab

We occasionally host Master's students from the Duke BME program for research in the lab. At this time we are only able to consider students who have already been admitted to the Duke BME MS program.

To apply, see the Duke BME Master's program.

If you have been admitted and are interested in joining the lab, please complete our research interest form.

Research interest form

More information

• Research opportunities are considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on project alignment and mentorship availability.
• Most students work closely with a PhD student or postdoc mentor.
• If you have experience in computational biology or machine learning, there may be opportunities for more independent projects.
• We encourage you to explore this site and the Chory Lab Handbook to learn more about our research areas and expectations.

Interested in independent study?

Masters students can take research in the lab as an independent study for course credit. The agreement, expectations, and enrolment steps are all set out on one page.

Independent study in the Chory Lab

If you are an enthusiastic, self-motivated, and aspiring life-long learner interested in protein engineering, directed evolution, cancer biology, or solving biological problems through data-driven science, we would love to hear from you.

Please note that our ability to take on new PhD students varies year to year and depends on lab capacity, funding, and fit. We encourage you to carefully review our research focus and consider whether our lab aligns well with your interests before applying.

Joining the lab through Duke BME

PhD students in our lab are admitted through the Duke Biomedical Engineering (BME) program. Duke BME uses a lab-matching admissions process, meaning students are admitted directly into a lab based on alignment with their interests, experience, and fit.

To be considered for our lab, you must:

• Select Professor Emma Chory as a preferred advisor in your application
• Mention specific research areas or projects in the Chory Lab that interest you

How to apply

1. Familiarize yourself with our work. Explore our publications and current research themes to ensure strong alignment with your goals.
2. Attend the Duke BME info session. The department hosts virtual open houses each fall. These are a good way to learn about the program and connect with faculty and students.
3. Submit your application. All prospective students apply through the Duke BME PhD application portal. Duke runs two admission cycles:
   • Fall admission closes in the first week of December.
   • Spring admission closes in the first week of October. Both rounds are worth considering.
   Check the graduate school instructions for exact dates. You can start your application at pratt.duke.edu/apply.
4. Reach out (optional). While not required, we welcome brief, thoughtful inquiries. To introduce yourself, send a CV and short cover letter to chorylab [plus] apply [at] gmail [dot] com, outlining your background and why you are interested in our lab. We may only be able to respond to applicants shortlisted for interviews.
5. Interview process. Selected applicants are invited for virtual interviews, and possibly an on-campus visit, as part of the admissions process. In fairness to everyone applying, it is our policy not to schedule individual meetings or Zoom calls with prospective PhD applicants until all applications for the cycle have been received. To hear about the program from current students, the Duke Engineering Graduate Ambassadors are a good place to start.

How to apply

We consider postdoctoral candidates on a case-by-case basis, and openings often depend on available funding. You do not need funding in hand to reach out, but we strongly encourage postdocs to apply for fellowships, which give you independence and make an appointment far easier to arrange.

For a list of postdoctoral fellowships we recommend, see Johns Hopkins' postdoctoral funding opportunities. Our lab handbook has more suggestions.

If you are interested in joining as a postdoctoral fellow, send your cover letter and CV directly to Professor Chory at chorylab [plus] apply [at] gmail [dot] com.

In the cover letter, please describe your research interests and career path, with emphasis on why the Chory Lab is uniquely equipped to help you achieve your research goals and prepare you for the next stage of your career.

For postdoc-specific resources at Duke, visit research.duke.edu/prospective-postdocs.

We love getting young scientists excited about research, but our bandwidth for high school students is very limited outside of formalized programs. Rather than reaching out to the lab directly, we strongly encourage interested students to apply through an established program, which provides the mentorship, structure, and support we are not able to offer on an individual basis.

The best route into our lab is DukeREP, the Duke Research in Engineering Program: a paid, seven-week summer research experience in the Pratt School of Engineering for rising high school juniors and seniors, with priority for North Carolina and Durham students.

Other Duke research programs for high school students

• Duke pre-college STEM programs
• Duke Summer Experiences (high school)
• Duke Summer STEM Academy