The National Institutes of Health awarded the Laney Graduate School at Emory University a $2.5 million grant to increase the number of underrepresented students who complete doctorate degrees and enter science research careers.

The grant will cover three years, and will support eight undergraduate and eight graduate students the first years. The numbers increase to 12 and 16 students respectively in the second and third years.

Emory’s long-term goals include doubling underrepresented undergraduates entering Ph.D. programs.