Research Training in Chemistry and Chemical Biology

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Project Summary The goal of the UCSF Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB) predoctoral training program is to foster research in the use of chemical strategies to probe fundamental biological questions. The overall program curriculum focuses on: 1) rigorous didactic and hands-on training courses at the chemistry-biology interface in the first year; 2) research rotations in three different labs during that same year; 3) selection of a thesis advisor and development of an independent research proposal at the end of the first year; 4) an intensive oral qualifying exam in the second year; 5) individual thesis research with a focus on impact, collaboration and publication and finally; 6) a dissertation seminar. Integrated throughout this training program, from the first day to the last, are activities that train and encourage trainees to: i) develop skills in responsible conduct of research (RCR), rigor & reproducibility and chemical and biological safety; ii) openly receive and give feedback through evaluation and assessment tools; iii) foster career interests, including use of Individual Development Plans (IDPs); iv) enhance written and oral communication skills; (v) celebrate diversity and a sense of community and vi) gain training in critical analysis via journal clubs, seminars and minicourses. The research in the CCB program is highly inter- disciplinary and broadly categorized as: biological chemistry and synthetic biology, computational chemistry and biology, chemical synthesis and natural products, drug discovery and design, macromolecular structure and function and protein and cellular engineering. To enact this training program, the CCB program is not associated with a specific department; rather, we bring together 48 faculty from nine different academic departments and two research institutes across UCSF’s world-class research enterprise. These faculty are rigorously and holistically evaluated by the CCB Executive Committee, for excellence in research, mentoring and commitment to diversity, and these faculty are required to complete annual mentor training. They are among the best scientists in the world (3 HHMI Investigators, 10 NAS members; Lasker, Kavli Prize winners; avg $808,000/yr in funding). Oversight of the CCB program is maintained by the Executive Committee, along with an engaged Dean of the UCSF Graduate School and an expert External Advisory Committee. This CBI proposal builds on 20+ years of educational excellence at the chemistry-biology interface and it has no equivalent elsewhere on the UCSF campus. Approximately 12 students are enrolled annually from a pool of ~220 applicants after a rigorous application process that culminates in personal interviews. Enrolled students from under-represented minority (URM) groups now represent ~16% of the total, with an overall M/F ratio of ~50%. The URM candidates, those from disadvantaged backgrounds and students with disabilities are actively sought in an extensive series of outreach programs, including Science Education Partnership (SEP), an undergraduate Summer Research Training Program (SRTP) and the PROPEL post-bac program. Our graduates are highly sought-after in academia, industry and beyond, because of their training, creativity and passion for inter-disciplinary science.