Positions are available for undergraduate and graduate students. Please email xp.pan@utoronto.ca for more information. As a lab, we strive to build an inclusive and diverse community where we feel supported intellectually and academically, valued and respected for who we are, and able to express ourselves freely.
Undergraduate Students
- Undergraduate students from the University of Toronto can join our lab in many ways, such as paid positions or options for course credit.
- Undergraduate students from other institutes may join the lab by applying for NSERC-USRA or ASPB-SURF summer undergraduate research awards/fellowships.
- International students may join the lab by applying for ASPB-SURF and Mitacs Globalink.
Please read the application criteria carefully to determine your eligibility, then contact Xue with the following information:
- your CV
- your unofficial transcript
- a short motivation letter describing your research interests, relevant past research experiences, and career goals
- contact information of at least two references
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
- Volunteering – We welcome inquiries from students interested in joining our group as volunteers. The lab usually reviews applications in February for summer position and June for fall-winter positions.
- BIOB98 & BIOD98/99 – These are the undergraduate research courses in Biology designed for credits. Please check course details online (BIOB98 & BIOD98/99) and contact Xue well in advance if you are eligible.
- NSERC-USRA and UTEA – These are highly competitive awards providing financial support (16 weeks of full-time employment) for undergraduate research projects in the summer term. For more information, please visit the NSERC-USRA website. Application deadlines are usually in late January each year. Students currently enrolled in 3rd year are strongly encouraged to apply. Please confirm your eligibility, then contact Xue in mid-January for support in preparing application materials.
- ASPB-SURF – These are highly competitive awards from the American Society of Plant Biologists. It provides financial support to undergraduate student for conducting research in plant biology during the summer term, including travel funds to scientific conferences. The application deadline is in mid-March of each year. Please confirm your eligibility, then contact Xue in mid-January for support in preparing application materials.
- Mitacs Globalink – These are highly competitive awards supporting international undergraduates enrolled at partner universities from Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States to participate a 12-week research internship in Canadian universities. Please confirm your eligibility and check whether the Pan lab is hosting any Mitacs students this year during the application process.
- Work-study – The work/study program provides paid (usually 9-12 hours/week) opportunities for eligible undergraduate students to participate in research projects. For detailed information, please visit the Career Learning Network website.
Graduate Students
Our lab is part of the Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto. Graduate students should apply through the Department of Cells and Systems Biology which offers both MSc and PhD programs. General admission requirements and application procedures can be found here. Applications are typically accepted between mid-November and early-February each year to initiate graduate studies the following fall (September) or winter (January) semesters. Prospective graduate students should contact Xue directly in advance of their application with:
- your CV
- your unofficial transcripts
- a short motivation letter describing your research interests, relevant past research experiences, and career goals
- contact information of at least two references
Graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply for all scholarships and awards for which they meet the eligibility requirements. Please read the criteria carefully to confirm your eligibility, then contact Xue for support in preparing application materials.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Currently, we do not have any fully funded postdoctoral positions open in our lab. However, we are always looking for highly motivated and creative candidates who will be competitive for external fellowships. We are aways happy to develop proposals for fellowship applications. Please check your eligibility for the fellowships listed below and other fellowship opportunities, then contact Xue well in advance of the deadlines with the following information:
- your CV with a list of publications
- a short motivation letter describing your research interests, relevant past research experiences, and career goals
- contact information of at least two references
- a list of fellowships for which you are eligible to apply
Postdoctoral Fellowships:
