Cellular and Molecular Biology Training Program

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Project summary We seek renewal of a long running, successful pre-doctoral training program in Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) at Stanford University that produces trainees with outstanding publication records, the vast majority of whom pursue research-related careers in academia, government or the private sector. Objectives of the program are to attract an excellent and diverse cohort of trainees and to develop their skills in scientific thinking, rigorous and reproducible data management, effective science communication and the ethical and responsible conduct of research. Training involves coursework (including a core course that focuses on skill development), seminars, research with outstanding faculty, and interaction with a vibrant scientific community that unites many cell and molecular biologists at Stanford across departmental and school boundaries. Students are admitted to the Stanford Biosciences global admissions program to give them maximum flexibility in choice of a research mentor, but also affiliate with a home program, to provide individualized mentoring and a more intimate sense of community. Applicants to the CMB program are solicited from all home programs, and are appointed by the CMB program directors and Executive committee for years 2-3 of PhD training based on intellectual merit, relevance of their proposed research to cellular and molecular biology, and mentor qualifications. The training faculty is composed of 56 scientists from 13 different departments that are diverse in gender and rank and have strong records of support and mentoring. Mentor training will be introduced for junior faculty in 2018 along with dinners to support CMB women faculty. Trainees and faculty are primarily drawn from 5 different home programs, with the largest group coming from Biology/Cell and Molecular track, or Biochemistry. CMB program directors and the Executive committee monitor student progress and compliance with programmatic requirements, including annual meetings to address an individual development plan (IDP). All trainees fulfill common curricular requirements and participate annually in specialized program activities that include the CMB Welcome Symposium, CMB Research Symposium, and CMB Ethics Workshop. Program evaluation in 2017 indicates that CMB provides value to trainees and faculty by promoting intellectual exchange among a campus-wide cohort of CMB trainees and faculty. Recent changes to the program include a new program co-director, Dr. Raj Rohatgi, and introduction of career development events that will highlight CMB alumni. The CMB program is leading curricular change by partnering with Software Carpentry to develop workshops that promote computational competence and rigorous and reproducible data management practices. CMB is also developing new annual evaluation forms that will track trainee progress toward key training goals. Thus, the CMB program continues to thrive at Stanford by bringing together a diverse group of trainees and faculty that share a passion for research and training in the disciplines of cellular and molecular biology.