Multidisciplinary Psychiatry Genetics Training Program

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The central goal of the Departments in this application, Psychiatry, Human Genetics, Neurobiology, Statistics, and Psychology, is generating innovative biomedical research in behavior, the neurosciences, and genetics. This training program has focused on interdisciplinary approaches to genetics of complex inheritance psychiatric disease, including basic research and technology development, since its inception in 2002, with two postdoctoral slots per year. Existing research strengths include molecular genetic research into bipolar illness and schizophrenia, development of transgenic murine models of behavioral disorders and treatment, bioinformatics of DNA sequence and haplotype maps, development of methods for genetic analysis of complex phenotypes, evolutionary and epidemiologic analysis of genetic variation, and microarray methods in clinical investigation. The training program is situated in an environment which encourages interdisciplinary research collaborations. Two types of trainees have been identified and recruited: 1) behavioral health care professionals (MDs or other doctoral degree) with demonstrated potential for a career in pertinent clinical or basic research, such as family studies, genetic epidemiology, and clinical translational research; and 2) PhDs (or MD/PhDs) from appropriate basic and applied science fields, including population genetics molecular and cellular neurobiology, cognitive and systems neuroscience, genetic epidemiology, and physiological psychology. We have been fortunate to fill all available slots with excellent Fellows; three behavioral health care professionals and one basic/translational PhD have completed our program. Additionally, PhD and MD/PhD students who have taken our didactic survey course for credit offer recruitment opportunities for future years. For each trainee, this program includes formal course studies, a series of seminars given by the program faculty, rotation in several laboratories if appropriate at the beginning of the program, and intensive mentored training in their chosen laboratory. Dual clinic/basic mentorship is offered when appropriate. All fellows take the introductory course of the University Clinical Research Training Program, and participate in appropriate graduate courses offered by the Committee on Neurobiology, and the Departments of Psychiatry, Statistics, Health Studies, Psychology and Human Genetics. To foster interactions among the fellows and mentors, trainees give annual seminars and have an opportunity to present their accomplishments at the annual University of Chicago Neuroscience Day. Based on the successes of this program during its initial training period, we request renewal of the T32 grant with increase of the number of Fellowship slots per year from two to three.