Predoctoral Training: Innovative Technologies for Natural Products and Integrative Medicine Research

项目摘要 天然产品（特别是植物性膳食补充剂）在美国是一个价值数十亿美元的产业， 作为开发新疗法的重要来源。训练有素的生物医学研究人员 需要评估的化学成分，活性，和作用机制的药用天然 产品.国家补充和综合健康中心（NCCIH）认识到这一需求， 他们的2016年战略计划，其既定目标是“支持研究培训和职业发展 有机会增加科学家的数量和质量，以进行严格的，尖端的 研究互补和综合的健康实践。”位于格林斯伯勒的北卡罗来纳州大学 （UNCG）是进行此类培训的独特和理想地点。我们的药物生物化学博士课程 强调天然产品和综合医学研究，我们拥有强大的合作网络， 具有相关研究项目的教师导师。UNCG参加了两个主要的NCCIH资助中心， 专注于对植物天然产物进行严格的科学调查，该中心的高产量 天然产物的功能诠释与天然产物药物相互作用研究中心 Research.为了利用联合国志愿人员小组的特殊培训环境，我们提议延长一个生产性的T32 该项目刚刚完成了第一阶段的融资。利用丰富的多样性机构文化， UNCG，我们的T32计划提供天然产物和综合医学基础科学的培训 同时强调来自不同背景的学员的招聘，保留和成功。程序 是量身定制，以适应个别学生的需要，提供不同的机会，以那些在学术和 工业职业道路。我们的计划的一个独特的元素是在尖端技术的应用培训 分析复杂植物混合物的技术。受训人员接受这方面的实际指导， 利用我们卓越的核磁共振和质谱设备。我们的目标是培养学员， 过渡到独立的、天然产品相关的研究职业。在其首次融资周期中， 该计划非常成功地实现了这一目标，我们的三名毕业生在美国获得了研究职位。 学术或私营部门。我们的学员还传播了重要的研究成果， 在会议上发言和23篇出版物合著。通过此更新应用程序，我们建立在 这些过去的成功和我们的评估结果，以提供一个学生培训计划，最终将 推进天然产物和综合药物安全有效使用的研究。

PROJECT SUMMARY Natural products (particularly botanical dietary supplements) are a billion-dollar industry in the US and continue to serve as an important source for the development of new therapeutics. Trained biomedical researchers are needed to evaluate the chemical composition, activity, and mechanism of action of medicinally used natural products. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) recognizes this need in their 2016 Strategic Plan, with the stated goal to “support research training and career development opportunities to increase the number and quality of scientists trained to conduct rigorous, cutting-edge research on complementary and integrative health practices.” The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) is a unique and ideal location for such training to occur. Our PhD program in Medicinal Biochemistry emphasizes natural products and integrative medicine research, and we have a strong collaborative network of faculty mentors with relevant research programs. UNCG participates in two major NCCIH funded centers that focus on rigorous scientific investigation of botanical natural products, the Center for High Throughput Functional Annotation of Natural Products and the Center of Excellence for Natural Product Drug Interaction Research. To leverage the exceptional training environment at UNCG, we propose to renew a productive T32 program that has just finished its first period of funding. Drawing on a rich institutional culture of diversity at UNCG, our T32 program provides training in the basic science of natural products and integrative medicine while emphasizing the recruitment, retention, and success of trainees from diverse backgrounds. The program is tailored to fit the needs of individual students, with different opportunities provided to those on academic and industrial career paths. A unique element of our program is training in the application of cutting-edge technologies for the analysis of complex botanical mixtures. Trainees receive hands-on instruction in this area, making use of our exceptional NMR and mass spectrometry facilities. Our objective is to prepare trainees to transition into independent, natural products related research careers. During its inaugural funding cycle, the program was highly successful towards this goal, with our three graduates securing research positions in the academic or private sector. Our trainees have also disseminated important research findings, with a total of 67 presentations at conferences and 23 publication coauthorships. With this renewal application, we build on these past successes and on our assessment outcomes to deliver a plan for student training that will ultimately advance research on the safe and effective use of natural products and integrative medicine.