Training in the Neurobiology of Aging

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is the first competitive renewal of a training program in the Neurobiology of Aging at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. This training program builds on a successful predoctoral training program that in the first funding cycle trained 31 trainees and now proposes both a predoctoral and a post- doctoral training component for the next phase of training. Eighteen potential preceptors will provide their expertise, laboratory facilities and extensive pre- and post-doctoral training experience to this program. The existing programs for enhancement of the quality of training that will be continued are (1) our Neurobiology of Aging Course; (2) our Neurobiology of Aging Seminar Series; (3) our Neurobiology of Aging Journal Club; and (4) our Neurobiology of Aging Trainee Symposium. Several new features of the training program have been added. These new features of the proposed training program are (1) an associate fellows program that substantially increased the number of trainees in the first funding cycle from 2-6 per year to 15-19 per year, allowing the critical mass of trainees needed for an outstanding training program; (2) an institutional commitment of more than $200,000 to enhance this training effort; (3) a Preceptor-in-Training Program and a Mentoring-the-Mentor Program for our new faculty preceptors; (4) a Techniques in Neuroscience Program that use 6 excellent core laboratory facilities; and (5) a Training-in-Grant-Reviews Program that provides needed skills in grant reviewing to our post-doctoral trainees. As in the first funding cycle, a 10-metric evaluation program will be used to assess the quality of the training program and of the trainees. The success of the training program during the first funding cycle is indicated by the high productivity of our trainees, their placement in academic fellowships or faculty lines, their recognition for research achievements, their leadership roles among peers, the high minority involvement in the training program and the broad distribution of trainees among preceptors. In summary, a program of training of pre- and post-doctoral fellows is proposed that now has demonstrated success and includes a variety of new programs for training enhancement. This program will help fill the need for the next generation of scientists to deal with the prevention, treatment and cure of age-related diseases of the nervous system.