Training the next generation of cancer researchers is a core mission of the Koch Institute. Our goal is to ensure a robust pipeline of talent for the future of cancer research and medicine. Since the founding of the MIT Center for Cancer Research in 1974 and its evolution into the Koch Institute in 2011, we have prioritized mentorship and professional development for trainees and faculty at all level as well as outreach to middle and high school students, undergraduates, the wider cancer research community, and the general public.
We believe that excellence in cancer research is only possible when individuals with multiple perspectives contribute fully to our community. The Koch Institute community —faculty, staff, and trainees alike — are therefore committed to fostering an environment where all members feel valued, empowered, and supported. Our values strengthen our research, enhance innovation, and expand our collective capacity to have a meaningful impact on the world.
Koch Institute members can learn more about programs, events and opportunities by visiting our Intranet (Touchstone authentication required).
Events
Seminars, meetings and retreats that anchor our annual educational calendar, often offered in hybrid formats to increase accessibility
Annual Retreat
Usually held in the fall, the Koch Institute Retreat brings all of the Member laboratories together for presentations, poster sessions, strategic planning and community-building activities.
KI Focus
Graduate students and postdocs present their research at a lunchtime seminar on most Thursdays, receiving valuable community feedback while raising the visibility of their research.
Oncology Seminar Series
Throughout the academic year, the Koch Institute Oncology Seminar Series invites national leaders in oncology to present their work, as well as to meet with faculty and trainees.
The Doctor Is In
Meeting several times each semester, this seminar series offers attendees perspectives from the frontline of oncology care and opportunities for speakers to forge new collaborations with basic scientists, engineers, and data scientists in the MIT community.
Training, mentoring & professional development
Programs, activities, and events design to support career development for faculty members, postdocs & students
Convergence Scholars Program
The Convergence Scholars Program helps postdocs build experience and capacity beyond the bench by coordinating group activities to develop skills in leadership, communication, management, and translational impact. Learn more about the program.
Koch Institute Graduate Student Association (KIGSA)
Organized and led by graduate students, KIGSA meets regularly to allow graduate peers to share their work and build community
Koch Institute Postdoc Association (KIPA)
KIPA is run by and for postdoctoral researchers at the Koch Institute to resources for career development, opportunities to share research through Work-in-Progress Seminars, and a chance to connect with fellow postdocs at social gatherings.
Koch Institute Senior Faculty Mentoring Program for Junior Faculty
New faculty are assigned mentors from among senior members of the Koch Institute and appropriate academic department.
SBC Core Facilities training programs
Staff at the SBC Core facility provide hands-on access to cutting-edge technologies and a range of community education initiatives through symposia, open houses, workshops, and one-on-one training.
Funding, awards & fellowships
Funding opportunities designed to foster research at every stage of development and provide opportunities for the professional development of trainees and research staff
Bridge Project
Open to all MIT principal investigators, the Bridge Project is a collaboration between the Koch Institute and Harvard Cancer Centers to speed translational progress against the most challenging problems in cancer research and care.
Frontier Program
Open to all Koch Institute principal investigators, the Frontier Research Program provides competitive seed funding for big ideas in cancer research—bold, early-stage innovations and collaborations poised to change the game. Frontier teams are well positioned to secure more substantial funding, launch crucial clinical and industry partnerships, or start their own companies to move advances toward the clinic.
Karches Prize
The Peter Karches Mentorship Prize is awarded annually to up to four trainees—grad students and postdocs—from labs within the Koch Institute who have served as mentors to high school students, undergraduates, or technicians with undergraduate degrees received in the past five years.
Koch Institute Clinical Investigator Program
Koch Institute Clinical Investigators offers physician-scientists a unique opportunity to participate in cutting-edge cancer research while continuing their medical practice, and provides Koch Institute researchers with a frontline view of challenges in cancer treatment. Participants receive dedicated lab space and research support, and work closely with faculty mentors at the Koch Institute.
Koch Institute Fellowships Program
This program provides financial support for graduate students and postdocs in any Koch Institute lab working on cancer-related research.
Koch Institute Travel Grant Program
Open to all graduate students, postdocs, and research staff working in Koch Institute labs, this program provides financial support to attend conferences related to cancer research across all disciplines.
Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellows
The Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellows Program is a high-impact, bilateral collaboration with India focusing on cancer research training as its cornerstone. The program brings postdoctoral-level researchers to the Koch Institute to train for a period of two years, who return to India to help jump-start cancer research programs there. Learn more about eligibility and application requirements or apply now.
The Koch Institute hosts a suite of annual events and prizes designed to foster connections between cancer researchers at MIT and their colleagues in the greater Boston area, nationally and abroad.
Angelika Amon Young Scientist Award
The Angelika Amon Young Scientist Award is awarded annually to up to two graduate students in the life sciences or biomedical research from institutions outside the United States who embody excellence in foundational science. Winners visit the Koch Institute to give a scientific presentation and network with MIT faculty, postdocs and graduate students.
Judith Ann Lippard Memorial Lecture
Held annually, the Lippard Memorial Lecture is co-hosted with Massachusetts General Hospital and features invited keynote lecture by a prominent researcher working at the interface of laboratory research and clinical care. The honoree delivers Grand Rounds at MGH, and spends time with trainees, researchers, and physician-scientists at both institutions
Koch Institute Annual Symposium
The annual Koch Institute Cancer Research Symposium is held each summer and brings together leading researchers, biotech professionals, and physician-scientists from across the country to explore the latest perspectives, breakthroughs, and challenges in cancer research.
Stem Cell Initiative Symposium
In 2026, the Koch Institute and the MIT Stem Cell Initiative hosted its inaugural symposium on stem cell research in cancer. This milestone event brought together leading researchers, clinicians, and trainees to advance the frontiers of stem cell science.
The Koch Institute is committed to engaging younger people in learning more about cancer research and medicine, offering formal and informal opportunities to learn more about cancer science and technology.
Tours and field trips
The Koch Institute offers Tours & fieldtrips to middle and high school student groups that offer tours of lab floors and the Koch Institute Public Galleries, as well as interactive workshops exploring topics in cancer biology and research.
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)
In partnership with UROP, a rigorous research-training program for undergraduate students, the Koch Institute labs host undergraduates and visiting students for a summer up to one or more academic years. Faculty members commit to giving UROP students a rewarding educational experience and ensure they are given a solid introduction to cancer research. Many Koch Institute UROPS pursue graduate training in cancer research and medicine.
Summer Lunch & Learn
In coordination with the MIT Summer Research Program, the Koch Institute invites undergraduates and visiting high school students to attend a seminar series featuring faculty members who share their career path and interests.
We invite audiences of all ages and backgrounds to engage with the research happening in our laboratories through our public programs, whether in person or via our webcasts and online exhibits.
with/in/sight
Featuring Koch Institute researchers and alumni, as well as their collaborators at other research institutions and biotechnology companies, the with/in/sight talk series highlights advances in cancer science and engineering that address urgent patient needs.
Koch Institute Images Awards
The Koch Institute Image Awards were established to recognize and publicly celebrate the often breathtaking visuals that are created through microscopy and other biomedical imaging techniques across the MIT campus. MIT life scientists and engineers submit entries for the annual competition, from which 10 images are selected by a panel of judges. An exhibit of winning images is unveiled at a public event, featuring talks by the image creators.
Everyone is welcome to visit the latest set of winning images in the Koch Institute Public Galleries — exhibited as 8-foot tall backlit displays — or explore all submitted images online at our Image Awards Archive.
Koch Institute Public Galleries
Open to the public Monday through Friday, Koch Institute Public Galleries were established to connect the community in Kendall Square and beyond with fascinating work being done at the cutting edge of cancer research, featuring the Koch Institute Image Awards and other research-inspired exhibits.
Cambridge Community Science Programming
The Koch Institute is a regular participant in STEM-focused events serving our neighbors in of all ages in Kendall Square and the City of Cambridge, including the Cambridge Science Festival, Kendall Community Window Painting, and STEAM It Up Family Science Night.