PROGRAM IN MOLECULAR AND COMPUTATIONAL BIOPHYSICS

描述(由申请者提供)：分子和计算生物物理学项目正在寻求更新其培训拨款。Jenkins生物物理系(文理学院，霍姆伍德校区)和生物物理和生物物理化学系(巴尔的摩东部校区医学院)是该计划的管理和课程设置的核心；44名教职员工来自15个系，大约平均分布在两个校区，参加培训活动。学生自由地在校园和实验室之间来回走动，进行课程作业、轮换和论文研究。培训教员名单已经包括了更多在核磁共振、X射线结晶学、膜蛋白、计算生物物理学和生化转化领域工作的教员。参与的44个实验室具有强烈的社区意识，这些活动包括年度静修、每月晚上的生物物理讨论，以及两年一度的约翰·霍普金斯折叠会议。教员还可以使用X射线结晶学、超速离心法和高场核磁共振的共用仪器设备。 在第一年，学生们选修了四门专门为该项目设计的核心课程：生物大分子物理化学；蛋白质和核酸；分子生物物理学方法；以及生物大分子的计算机建模；这些课程最近进行了修改，增加了文献阅读、课堂讨论时间和课程中的计算机编程练习。与大多数以生物学为导向的培训计划相比，课程工作更加强调定量分析和基本物理原理。一年级学生还要完成三次10周的实验轮换，并参加关于负责任的研究行为的系列讲座；实验室安全报告是必修课。在年底，他们必须在口试中证明他们精通生物化学和分子和细胞生物学。二年级学生选修生物有机机械和三门选修课；计算学科的学生用统计力学代替选修课。二年级的学生还会就生物物理学的当前主题进行正式的研讨会，并参加口语资格考试。目前，在43名计划学生中，有16名一年级和二年级学生得到了该计划的支持。四个项目的学生得到了Burroughs Wellcome基金会的一次性资助，旨在鼓励具有数学和计算机密集型背景的学生进入生物研究领域；该项目实质上是继续实施，并在2003年授予了一项补贴，用于招收学生进入计算轨道。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Program in Molecular and Computational Biophysics is seeking to renew its training grant. The Jenkins Department of Biophysics (Arts & Sciences, Homewood campus) and the Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry (School of Medicine, East Baltimore campus) form the core of the program with respect to administration and curriculum; 44 faculty, drawn from 15 departments and about evenly divided between the two campuses, participate in training activities. Students freely move between campuses and laboratories for course work, rotations, and thesis research. The training faculty roster has grown to include more faculty working in areas of NMR, X-ray crystallography, membrane proteins, computational biophysics, and biochemical transformations. The 44 participating laboratories have a strong sense of community engendered by activities such as an annual retreat, a monthly evening Biophysical Discussion, and the biennial Johns Hopkins Folding Meeting. Faculty also have access to shared instrumentation facilities for X-ray crystallography, ultracentrifugation, and high field NMR. In the first year, students take four core courses specifically designed for the program: Physical Chemistry of Biological Macromolecules; Proteins and Nucleic Acids; Methods in Molecular Biophysics; and Computer Modeling of Biological Macromolecules; the courses have recently been revamped to increase literature readings, classroom time devoted to discussion, and computer programming exercises in the curriculum. The course work has a heavier emphasis on quantitative analysis and fundamental physical principles than most biologically-oriented training programs. First year students also complete three 10 week lab rotations and attend a lecture series on Responsible Conduct of Research; a lab safety presentation is compulsory. At the end of the year, they must demonstrate proficiency in biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology in an oral exam. Second year students take Organic Mechanisms in Biology and three electives; students in a computational track substitute Statistical Mechanics for an elective. Second year students also present a formal seminar on a current topic in biophysics and take an oral qualifying exam. Currently 16 first and second year students are supported by the program, out of a total of 43 program students. Four program students are supported by a one-time grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation designed to encourage students with math- and computer-intensive backgrounds to move into biological research; this program has in essence been continued with a supplement awarded in 2003 for recruitment of students into a computational track.