Welcome our New Assistant Director of Career Strategy and Professional Development: Caleb McKinney!

We are eager to welcome Dr. Caleb McKinney as the new Assistant Director of Career Strategy and Professional Development for Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE). Dr. McKinney will develop professional leadership and management training programs as well as provide individualized career-related assistance to students seeking a wide range of biomedical careers.  He hopes to help students develop positive outlooks and professional strategies that align with their individual experiences, passions and goals.

            Caleb’s biomedical research experience has spanned over a decade. He began by getting his undergraduate degree in Biology from Cornell University with a Distinction in Research. His undergraduate thesis was composed of virology research on chicken Herpes viruses that he completed in the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. He went on to complete a Ph.D. in Microbiology at the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at New York University. There, he focused on how Human Cytomegalovirus modulates the regulation of cellular protein synthesis. Afterwards, he transitioned into studying early stage Human Papillomavirus infections during his postdoctoral research fellowship in the Laboratory of Viral Diseases at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Also at the NIH, he worked in the NIAID Office of Training and Diversity, where he managed professional development programs for postdoctoral research fellows.

When asked about why he decided to pursue career development, he said: 

“Teaching, training, and professional development are integral to my core. I love to see people do well. I grew up in an inner city culture, but I had all of the right nudges that I needed to harness my capabilities and be successful. This encouragement, beginning with my family at a young age, and continuing with guidance and mentorship from every teacher, administrator, and supervisor that I’ve encountered at various key professional transitions has been paramount to my success. My experiences have taught me the value of nourishing motivation, and I look forward to encouraging that energy for the students that I work with.”

            Outside of work, Caleb is a huge advocate of wellness and physical fitness. He loves to exercise and develop new healthy recipes. Though he may have left the lab bench, his scientific creativity continues to pour out in the kitchen!

To reach out to Dr. McKinney for a Career-Coaching Appointment, or to welcome him personally, please e-mail him here.