Training in Molecular Virology, Viral Pathogenesis and Viral Vectors

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Project Summary The central objective of this Molecular Virology, Viral Pathogenesis and Viral Vectors Training Grant is to train students in virology so that they can become productive members of the research community. The importance of virology has been highlighted by reports of the morbidity and mortality caused by viruses long known to infect humans as well as the emergence of zoonotic virus infections. Thus, there is an urgent need to continue producing young scientists who are expert in virology. This training grant, which has trained students for 20 years, consists of trainers with interests in a variety of viruses and who are both junior and senior. Our focus is on understanding fundamental aspects of human virology, with an emphasis on emerging virus infections and viral pathogenesis and the development and use of viral vectors for gene delivery. Students who were appointed to the training grant in the past have uniformly completed their Ph.D.s and stayed in the life sciences. There are 18 trainers from several departments and interdisciplinary programs who serve as faculty on this training grant. Their research interests range from the study of very basic processes in the molecular and cellular biology of virus replication, to study of host immune responses to virus infection, to study of the most efficient mechanisms for gene delivery by viruses. The training grant program is rigorous and consists of a mixture of didactic courses, seminars, seminar courses which emphasize critical reading of the literature and data presentation, and teaching opportunities. Trainees are provided feedback in several venues, to hone their presentation and laboratory skills. Its interdisciplinary nature promotes interaction among students and faculty interested in virology across the University of Iowa. By providing stipend support and travel funds for graduate students, the training grant also facilitates exposure of our students to the national and international virology community. Students selected for support by the training grant will have extra opportunities to teach classes and to receive funding to attend an off-campus course in a cutting-edge technology, such as bio- informatics. They will attend seminars at the University in which career options are discussed and will have the opportunity to interact with visiting virologists. Issues of scientific integrity and data reproducibility are also emphasized as part of the virology training grant. We also use the training grant as a mechanism for enhancing racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity as part of our selection process for trainees. In short, this training grant has had many years of success and we will build upon this success. We continue to request funds for three predoctoral graduate students per year, with support generally provided for two years between their second and fourth years of study.