IMMUNITY AND INFECTION

描述(申请人提供)：传染病仍然是全球主要的死亡原因，在美国排名第三，仅次于心脏病和恶性肿瘤。此外，最近国内外发生的生物恐怖主义事件突显了我们对受过微生物学和免疫学培训的研究人员的需求。应对传染病和生物恐怖主义威胁的持续努力需要两个主要组成部分：1)结合流行病学、发病的分子和细胞基础的基础研究、对宿主免疫反应的透彻了解以及药物和疫苗开发的实用研究的多学科方法；以及2)稳定供应训练有素的新研究人员。该培训计划满足了这些需求，非常适合提供这些资源。我们的目标是培养免疫和感染领域的博士前学生。在在传染病和免疫学研究方面有着丰富历史的巴尔的摩马里兰大学，我们从七个参与单位聚集了一支杰出的培训和资源教员队伍。所有教员都在微生物学和免疫学系担任初级或二级职务。我们将继续使用强大和成熟的研究生博士课程的框架，包括细菌学、病毒学、寄生虫学和免疫学的强大核心课程、选修课、期刊俱乐部、研讨会、年度研讨会和研究陈述日。在培训计划教师的指导下，通过实验室轮换和论文研究，学术工作将与严格的实验室培训相结合。学生是从高素质和稳定的申请者库中挑选出来的，并接受了负责任的研究行为方面的培训。已经作出具体努力，从代表性不足的少数群体中招募受训人员。该计划由一位合格的培训计划主任和由国际公认的科学家组成的指导委员会指导。 参训教员：培训教员44人，其中教授24人，副教授10人，助理教授10人。培训教员中有8名是女性。所有的教职员工都在马里兰大学。大多数教员目前都有活跃的资金，他们是首席调查员。主要研究领域包括：细菌学、免疫学、寄生虫学、病毒学和细胞生物学。有很好的证据表明，教职员工之间存在合作，包括联合出版。该项目的教职员工都有不同程度的博士前导师经验。 研究员：该培训计划要求为一年级六名博士前学生、二年级七名和三至五年级八名博士后提供支持。学员由指导委员会从微生物学和免疫学研究生项目中挑选出来，必须通过资格考试。这笔培训补助金为以前的受训人员提供了为期两年的资助。 资源和环境：可供培训人员使用的资源非常丰富。外部支持主要是NIH的资金。马里兰大学的研究环境是协作的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide and rank third in the United States behind only heart disease and malignant neoplasms. In addition, recent bioterrorism events both here and abroad, have highlighted our need for researchers trained in microbiology and immunology. A sustained effort against the threats of infectious illness and bioterrorism require two major components: 1) a multidisciplinary approach combining epidemiology, basic studies of the molecular and cellular basis of pathogenesis, a thorough understanding of host immune response, and practical research on drug and vaccine development; and 2) a steady supply of well-trained new investigators. This training program addresses these needs and is well suited to provide these resources. Our objective is to train pre-doctoral students in the field of immunity and infection. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which has a rich history of infectious diseases and immunology research, we have assembled an outstanding training and resource faculty from seven participating units. All faculty hold primary or secondary appointments in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. We will continue to use the framework of a strong and established graduate doctoral program that includes a strong core curriculum in bacteriology, virology, parasitology, and immunology, elective courses, journal clubs, seminars, annual symposia, and research presentation day. Academic work will be combined with rigorous laboratory training through laboratory rotations and dissertation research under the direction of the Training Program faculty. Students are selected from a highly qualified and stable applicant pool and are trained in the responsible conduct of research. Specific efforts are in place to recruit trainees from underrepresented minorities. The program is guided by a well-qualified training program director and Steering Committee of internationally recognized scientists. PARTICIPATING FACULTY: The 44 training faculty include 24 professors, 10 associate professors, and 10 assistant professors. 8 of the training faculty are women. All of the faculty are at the University of Maryland. The majority of the faculty have currently active funding on which they are the Principal Investigator. The primary areas of research include: bacteriology, immunology, parasitology, virology, and cell biology. There is good evidence of collaboration among the faculty, including joint publications. The program faculty have varying degrees of experience as mentors to predoctoral students. FELLOWS: This training program is requesting support for six predoctoral students in year one, seven in year two, and eight in years three through five. Trainees are selected by the Steering Committee from the Graduate Program in Microbiology and Immunology and must have passed their qualifying exams. Prior trainees have been supported for a period of two years by this training grant. RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT: The resources available to the training faculty are outstanding. Extramural support is primarily NIH funding. The research environment at The University of Maryland is collaborative.