Supervisors respond best when you demonstrate genuine interest in their work.

For HMB students, good places to find labs include:

• Arts and Science and Medicine department faculty pages

• Asking upper-year HMB students

• Browsing research posters at undergraduate research fairs

• Reading a professor’s recent papers (even just the abstract to start)

• Talking to TAs (start early, a lot of TAs graduate students)

Your TAs are often the most accessible and helpful resource when starting your research journey. They can offer:

• Insight into different research areas applicable to Human Biology

• Advice on identifying supervisors or labs aligned with your interests

• Feedback on your CV and cold emails

• Introductions to graduate students or faculty within their networks

• Insight into what labs expect from undergraduate students

Building relationships with TAs early can also lead to referrals to their labs or others in their network. Many HMB students secure research positions this way.

Additional tip: Shortlist 8–12 supervisors. Cold emailing is a numbers game

For research positions, the best contacts are:

• Principal Investigators (PIs)

• Their administrator (if listed as a contact)

If the PI is extremely busy, consider reaching out to a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow in the lab to learn more about the research and make a connection. 

Grad students and postdocs can:

• Share insight into lab culture and expectations

• Offer mentorship

• Sometimes refer strong students directly to the PI

While the PI ultimately makes the final decision, building this connection can be an effective and professional way to introduce yourself.

Supervisors can tell instantly if you’ve sent a generic email.

Show specific interest by referencing:

• A recently published paper from the lab

• A method they use (e.g., confocal microscopy, CRISPR, fMRI, behavioral tasks)

• A disease model they study

• A technique you are hoping to learn

An important note is to not copy and paste text directly from their research paper.

Paraphrase in your own words to demonstrate genuine understanding.

Consider including:

• One short sentence explaining what you found interesting about their study

• One thoughtful question about the work (this signals real engagement)

Keep it short.

Aim for 150–200 words. Professors are busy; concise emails get more replies.

In addition to emailing, consider getting on a supervisor's radar in person. 

This is a strategy many students do not take full advantage of, and it can be especially effective if you are not receiving responses to cold emails.

Ways to approach this include:

• Attending office hours

• Introducing yourself briefly after class

• Asking a thoughtful question during or after a seminar

A short, professional interaction can make your name familiar before your email ever reaches their inbox. Supervisors are far more likely to respond to someone they recognize.

Keep it professional and natural, the goal is to express genuine interest, not force a conversation. 

If you don’t hear back:

• Wait 7-10 days 

• Send a polite follow-up (“I’m following up on my previous email…”), make sure you forward from your sent box the original email and attachments

• Do not follow up more than twice 

If still no reply, send the same email to a grad student or postdoc in the lab.

Use Excel, a Notion table, or your phone notes:

• Who you emailed

• When you emailed

• Who referred you

• Lab topic

• Whether you followed up

• Notes from conversations

This helps you track 10–20 labs efficiently.

• If you want HMB394 or HMB396, mention your interest early.

• Coursework matters,  list BIO230, HMB265, CHM labs, stats if applicable.

• Supervisors value independence, mention times you worked independently (in labs, class projects, jobs).

• Many HMB students secure positions through TAs, ask yours for referrals.

• If you don't have experience, be honest and emphasize enthusiasm and coursework. Professors prefer trainable students over exaggerating ones.

A. Introduction

• Dear Dr. [Last Name],

• Your name, programs, and year

• What specifically you want and when (e.g., summer research, thesis, volunteer position)

B. Show genuine interest 

Describe:

• How you found their research (paper, talk, class reference, lab website)

• What specifically interests you (mention 1–2 details only)

C. Highlight your skills 

Examples you can include:

Wet lab:

• PCR, electrophoresis, microscopy, protein assays, tissue handling

Dry lab:

• R, Python, SPSS, data visualization, stats coursework

Transferable skills:

• Organization, reliability, independence, teamwork, communication

If you lack experience, emphasize:

• Your enthusiasm

• Your strong academic foundation

• Your willingness to learn

• Relevant coursework (BIO130/230, HMB265, CHM labs)

D. Ask for a meeting

A short, polite request for a brief conversation or the possibility of joining their team.

E. Attachments

Attach:

• Your CV (HMB-tailored)

• Your unofficial transcript (optional but recommended)