TRAINING IN MOLECULAR PATHOGENESIS OF MICROBIAL DISEASES

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DESCRIPTION (adapted from the application): The major goal of this proposed training program is to provide graduate students and postdoctoral fellow with a first-rate training experience as preparation for careers as competitive, independent investigators in scientific research, particularly at biomedical institutions. As part of this goal, we will recruit talented and motivated students and fellows that are dedicated to biomedical research. The program will focus on training in molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, in understanding host-microbe interactions, and in how to use the new scientific culture of genomics and bioinformatics. New scientists are needed in the area of molecular pathogenesis because infectious diseases are still the most frequent cause of death in the developing world and still cause significant morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Future success in the identification prevention, and treatment of new or resurgent infectious agents, that are often antibiotic resistant, will require sophisticated understanding of the molecular basis of pathogenesis and the molecular biology of pathogenic microbes. This training program is directed individually by research advisors and overall by a program governance committee that will measure the success of the program. Training in molecular pathogenesis includes laboratory research, weekly seminar series, retreats and advanced well-developed courses. This program provides a multidisciplinary research environment in addition to formal instruction in molecular pathogenesis, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology and other fields. The training program proposed is for five predoctoral and five postdoctoral trainees at the Ph.D., M.D., and D.O. levels. Trainees are regularly exposed to diverse areas of research on bacterial (gonococci, obligate anaerobes, pseudomonads, spirochaetes, staphylococci and streptococci), viral (cytomegalovirus, hepatitis, and herpesvirus), fungal (Cryptococcus and Pneumocystis), and protozoan (amebae and trypanosomes) pathogens using the full range of modern molecular techniques. The proposal benefits from the presence of an interdisciplinary graduate program at VCU-MCV.