A dedication to education and training has always been central to The Wistar Institute’s mission.
The Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Education and Training Center brings all Wistar education and training programs under a single umbrella to make lasting global impact in biomedical research. Its mission is to advance a well-trained, sustainable life science workforce—comprised of a diverse and inclusive talent pipeline—for the benefit of our region and beyond. The Center will continue to broaden and expand long-standing programs that teach sought-after scientific skills needed for careers in the life science sector.
The Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Education and Training Center aims to provide opportunities throughout a student’s STEM career. Under the guidance of top Wistar faculty-mentors in collaboration with industry experts, trainees flourish in distinct programs designed for high school, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as pre-apprentices, apprentices, and postdoctoral fellows.
In an average year, more than 100 students and fellows are training at The Wistar Institute. Undergraduate students come from regional community colleges, including Community College of Philadelphia and Montgomery County Community College, as well as Cheyney University, La Salle University, and other colleges and universities across the country. Graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Saint Joseph’s University, and the University of Bologna can choose to complete their thesis research with Wistar faculty. Postdoctoral trainees come from every part of the world for advanced training inside and outside of Wistar labs. Wistar-trained scientists are among leaders throughout the biomedical, biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Trainees are supported by Wistar laboratories, individual fellowships, and/or training grants on which their mentors serve as participating faculty.
Kristy Shuda McGuire, M.S., Ph.D., is dean of Biomedical Studies where she leads the Hubert J.P.Schoemaker Education and Training Center, and associate professor, Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center at the Wistar Institute, overseeing education and workforce training programs for high-school, undergraduate, and graduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows. The Center’s signature program is the Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) Program, which started as a partnership in 2000 between The Wistar Institute and the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). Dr. Shuda McGuire spent 11 years at CCP as a faculty member in the Biology Department and served as theacademic coordinator for the BTT Program. Dr. Shuda McGuire joined The Wistar Institute as Associate Dean in September 2019. She received her B.S. in Biology from Loyola University Maryland, her M.S. in the Science of Instruction from Drexel University, and her Ph.D. in Genetics from Thomas Jefferson University, where she continues to serve as a member of the adjunct faculty in the Jefferson College of Life Sciences.
