Skeletal, Craniofacial and Oral Biology Training Grant

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a proposal for the continuation of the Institutional Training Program in Skeletal, Craniofacial and Oral Biology (SCOB) at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. It is intended to help meet the substantial need for dental research scholars in the United States. The program has produced and will continue to produce dental scholars to meet the growing needs of academic dentistry, who are competent as clinicians and independent as scientists, who are able to initiate and maintain funded research programs, and who are prepared for the evolution of their research into new directions. The four major tracks of the training program are DMD/PhD (7-8 yrs; 10 present trainees; 10 additional trainees requested), PhD (4-5 yrs; 0 present trainees; 0 additional trainees requested at this time), postdoctoral research (2-3 yrs; 3 present trainees; 6 additional trainees requested) and short-term dental student research (3 mos; 12 trainees/year; 60 trainees requested). We will be training individuals from a broad spectrum of experiences from completion of BS/BA degrees to those who have completed PhD and/or dental residency training. Degree program tracks will focus on basic biological problems related to dental, skeletal, craniofacial and oral biology in health and disease. The postdoctoral training track will include translational and behavioral research in addition to the above areas. A core curriculum which integrates different disciplines and levels of training and expertise exposes trainees to the diversity and complexity of the biology and sociology of oral diseases. The Health Center has a dynamic group of faculty in SCOB, with highly successful collaborations among faculty throughout the Schools of Dental Medicine and Medicine. The Biomedical Science PhD program graduate faculty and active institutional research centers and clinical signature programs provide laboratory, translational and patient oriented research opportunities that enable a diversified training environment for the program tracks, allow flexibility for the individual needs of trainees, and ensure successful progress through the tracks. The institution has vigorous trainee recruitment programs; several are directed towards under- represented minority candidates. We will continue to provide training that is tailored to each candidate, while maintaining a focus on skeletal, craniofacial and oral biology through symposia, seminars, courses, clinical research centers and collaborative research activities which are integrated both within individual tracks and amongst all the tracks of the program. Oral health is critical to a good quality of life. The quality of dental care delivered nationwide is dependent on continuing advancement in our understanding of oral and craniofacial diseases and the application of this understanding to patient care. Thus, training of outstanding dental and craniofacial scientists is critical to the health and quality of life of the American public.