The Research Management and Faculty Track program, designed by Prof. Natalie Zeytuni, received an inaugural Education Impact Award in May 2026.
Postdoctoral fellowships in the health sciences are fast-paced and rewarding, filled with long hours at the bench and academic work. However, fellows don’t always get the structured professional development training needed to become a Principal Investigator (PI).
Inspired to fill this gap, Natalie Zeytuni, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, designed the Research Management and Faculty Track (RMFT) program.
Also known as “PI School,” the 18-month pathway complements traditional research training with modules on management, leadership and other practical skills required to lead an independent research team. Since the program’s launch in 2024, several participating trainees have earned faculty positions. It has also received an Education Impact Award from the Office of the Vice-Dean, Education and Community Engagement.
Before developing RMFT, Prof. Zeytuni pinpointed specific gaps in postdoctoral training with a needs-assessment survey, supported by the Fonds de recherche du Quebec (FRQS) Tremplin program. She also drew on her own postdoc experiences.
“When I was transitioning to independence, I also realized how much of the work of being a PI extends beyond the science itself and includes managing people, building a team culture, developing budgets, navigating institutional structures, writing grants strategically, and learning how to make decisions with incomplete information,” she recalls.
“My goal in designing and launching RMFT was to create a program that made this hidden curriculum more explicit, practical and accessible.”
RMFT combines modules on leadership and research management and workshops that build faculty readiness. Topics covered include people leadership, lab operations, research program planning, funding strategy, teaching readiness and institutional navigation.
The program also features mentorship pairings with senior faculty and research administrators. These interactions help trainees gain career guidance, observe different leadership models, and get support for interviews, negotiations and early lab planning. Learning is reinforced with peer-led weekly calls that motivate trainees to immediately apply their new skills in their workplaces.
RMFT is delivered through four FRQS-supported centres: the Centre de recherche en biologie structurale (CRBS), the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, the Douglas Research Centre, and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. It has also welcomed trainees from l’Université de Montréal, the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, and other Montreal institutions.
Already, the RMFT’s current and potential impact is clear. The second cohort started in April 2025 and has reached a completion rate of over 90% for the management and leadership components. Trainees rated its value between 4.0 and 4.7 out of 5.
Speaking about the project, Chantal Autexier, PhD, Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, said: “The benefit of the program extends beyond individual departments and McGill University, and its impact has been direct and measurable.”
“Six postdoctoral fellows from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology have participated in RMFT to date, including three in the inaugural cohort and three in the current cohort. Notably, three of these departmental participants have already secured Assistant Professor positions,” she added. “This is an extraordinary early outcome and speaks to the added value of structured professional development at the postdoctoral stage.”
“This outcome also highlights the leadership and dedication of our faculty members in ensuring the successful training of the next generation of academic researchers.”
Prof. Zeytuni aims to ensure that RMFT grows its reach while supporting the next generation of research leaders.
“Beyond helping participants prepare for faculty positions, I hope the program gives them the confidence, tools and peer network to build healthier and more effective research environments,” she says.
“I also hope that as the program expands, it will continue to strengthen connections across research centres, institutions, and McGill more broadly, and demonstrate the value of investing in leadership and management training as a core part of scientific training.
Prof. Zeytuni is grateful for the support of Annick Guyot, PhD, CRBS and RMFT Program Coordinator, and Amélie Bourdiec, PhD, Tremplin Program Coordinator.
RMFT has also benefited from contributions from Martin Schmeing, PhD, Director of the CRBS; Khanh Huy Bui, PhD, faculty executive committee member.
The program is also supported by trainee executive committee members Joseph Deering, Lia Paim, Nivine Srour, Omid Gholamalamdari, Adriana Angarita Fonseca and Huong Nguyen (all PhD holders).
Congratulations to Prof. Zeytuni and her team!
This article is part of a series profiling the five winning projects awarded Education Impact Awards. Enjoy the first instalment, about a nurse practitioner clinical training project and the second instalment about the McGill Summer Institutes in Global Health.
For more information about the Education Impact Award, please visit the Office of the Vice-Dean, Education and Community Engagement website.
Applications for RMFT’s Cohort 3 are now open! Deadline: September 30. Please spread the word and learn more about how to apply.