Example Email to Faculty Member

For Details about the email process see the document on Tips and Suggestions for Applicants

Dear Dr. Yiatpos,

I have applied to the Cell and Molecular Biology program for the Ph.D. The program director, Dr. Rhoads, has informed me that my application has been received and is complete. My application ID number is 000111222. I am contacting you about opportunities in your laboratory and the chances of you sponsoring my application for Fall 2009.

I have reviewed the materials on your website and am very interested in your work studying regulatory pathways during the interactions between bacterial pathogens and intestinal epithelial cells. This is a project that is very interesting to me. I have had some training in animal cell culture during a 6 month internship I was involved in at Cells-R-Us Corporation. I was fortunate to get this internship because there were more than 30 applicants and I was the only person accepted. My experiences during that internship included: growth of Hela cells, culture maintenance, media preparation, and cell transformations. I also was able to get some experience analyzing samples on a FACS. In addition, during my undergraduate work at the University of Fakedata I did an honors research project where I cloned a phytase gene from Lactobacillus sp. which had been obtained from the rumen of a cow. The gene was amplified by PCR and cloned into an expression plasmid. Under direction of a graduate student we were able to show that the E. coli clone was expressing a 110 kdalton protein as expected. This project gave me experience in DNA isolation, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and bacterial culture work. I believe these experiences have prepared me to be a productive member of your research team.

My long term goals are to obtain a PhD, and then seek a postdoctoral position. I would be most honored if you would consider me for a position in your research group. If there are other new opportunities in your research, I would enjoy hearing about them. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.