Training in Cellular, Biochemical and Molecular Sciences

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We describe a pre-doctoral training program in Cellular, Biochemical and Molecular Biology that is based on our strong core community of interactive investigators in the fields of RNA, DNA, and protein biochemistry. The proposed training program capitalizes on (i) a major initiative that continues to expand research and education at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), and (ii) enhanced educational choices and opportunities resulting from recent reorganization of Graduate Education in Biomedical Sciences (GEBS) at the University of Rochester. Key aspects of the proposal include: 1) improved support for students performing interdisciplinary research; 2) new opportunities for direct interactions between students and visiting seminar speakers and lecturers, including a new seminar-based course; 3) new opportunities for offsite student travel to attend meetings, take courses, and work in labs outside the University of Rochester; 4) enhanced counseling for female and minority students aimed at helping them achieve long-term career goals; 5) increased interactions among investigators and students in the areas of RNA, DNA, and protein biochemistry through a common set of course requirements and a yearly retreat; and 6) more effective student recruiting made possible by these training grant educational benefits. The University is now benefiting from a major commitment initiated by the URMC eight years ago to expand basic and applied medical research. There are (i) two new research facilities totaling 400,000 sq. ft. and (ii) start-up funding for new programs in Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Genetics, Virology, Signal Transduction, Immunology, and Neurobiology that aims to increase the number of PIs from 150 to ~250. In the past three years, graduate programs at the URMC have been completely restructured to accommodate the expansion in research and to increase the breadth of training for students. Students are accepted into multidisciplinary "Clusters" that constitute GEBS. They are exposed to diverse research areas in the first year through courses, faculty research presentations, and lab rotations. Students then choose a research advisor and degree program from a wide range of possibilities at the URMC and the College of Arts and Sciences. This program has greatly promoted scientific interactions among laboratories, increased flexibility in the choice of research mentors, and improved graduate recruiting.