Resource in Education in Microbiology and Immunology

描述(由申请人提供)：这项建议的长期目标是培养来自代表性不足的少数群体的受训人员，使他们成为杰出的研究科学家和生物医学界的领导者。该培训计划将提供微生物学和免疫学方面的研究和教育机会，这些研究和教育机会与许多健康问题直接相关，这些问题对少数群体和医疗服务不足的群体(如关节炎、癌症、心血管疾病、糖尿病、艾滋病毒和其他性传播疾病以及呼吸道疾病)有不成比例的影响。该计划将培养一支具有共同科学兴趣和经验的高度凝聚力的受训干部队伍，并将利用罗切斯特大学(UR)S临床和翻译科学研究所创造的出色培训环境和微生物学和免疫学方面的多个博士前T32奖项。学员还将受益于免疫学和传染病领域有计划的研究机会的扩大，以及对这一既定和成功的预科计划的强有力的机构支持。这项计划有三个具体目标。首先，将创造一个支持性的、有成效的和令人兴奋的环境，学员将在项目教员的监督下作为全职实验室技术人员在微生物学、免疫学和病毒学方面进行杰出的研究。这将通过聚集一群高度互动和经验丰富、资金充足的教员来实现，这些教员致力于促进代表不足的少数族裔受训人员的发展，他们的研究兴趣横跨各种主题，其实验室使用广泛的实验方法。该计划的第二个目标是提供高质量的教育机会，为学员未来的博士学习做好准备。为此，每个受训者将在一名教师导师的监督下执行一个独立的研究项目。此外，将为每个受训人员制定个人学习计划，专门满足该个人的独特需求。这将包括少量精心挑选的课程，旨在(A)提供所需技能/领域的指导，(B)展示博士学习的学术准备，以及(C)获得罗切斯特大学博士学位的学术学分。该计划的第三个目标是提供一个高度丰富的学习环境，并得到同行的大力支持。丰富的活动将包括教授科学生存和交流技能，出席国家科学会议，参加年度研讨会和GRE准备课程，以及选择、邀请和会见校外研讨会演讲者的机会。最后，将创建学员社交网络，学员将与同行导师进行合作、协作和支持。 来自少数族裔的人将获得教育和培训，这将使他们能够获得必要的学术资历和研究技能，以便进入选定的机构并完成博士课程。有了这些学位，他们将能够在解决缩小健康差距的领域成为富有成效的研究科学家。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this proposal is to prepare trainees from underrepresented minority groups for careers as outstanding research scientists and leaders in the biomedical community. This training program will provide research and education opportunities in microbiology and immunology that are of direct relevance to many of the health problems that disproportionately affect minorities and medically underserved groups (e.g., arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV and other STDs, and respiratory diseases). The program will create a highly cohesive cadre of trainees with shared scientific interests and experiences, and will leverage the outstanding training environment created by the University of Rochester (UR)'s Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute and multiple predoctoral T32 awards in microbiology and immunology. Trainees will also benefit from a planned expansion of research opportunities in the area of immunology and infectious diseases, and from strong institutional support for this established and successful PREP program. This program has three specific objectives. First, a supportive, productive, and exciting environment will be created, in which trainees will conduct outstanding research in microbiology, immunology, and virology while working as full-time laboratory technicians under the supervision of a program faculty member. This will be achieved by bringing together a highly interactive and experienced group of well-funded faculty concerned with the advancement of underrepresented minority trainees, whose research interests span a diverse range of topics, and whose laboratories use a wide array of experimental approaches. The second aim of the program is to provide high quality educational opportunities that will prepare trainees for future doctoral studies. To this end, each trainee will perform an independent research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. In addition, an individual plan of study will be developed for each trainee, tailored specifically to meet the unique needs of that individual. This will include a small number of carefully selected courses, designed to (a) provide instruction in needed skills/area, (b) demonstrate academic preparedness for doctoral studies, and (c) gain academic credit towards the Ph.D. at the University of Rochester. The third aim of the program is to provide a highly enriched learning environment, with strong peer support. Enrichment activities will include instruction in scientific survival and communication skills, attendance at national scientific meetings, participation in an annual symposium and a GRE preparation course, and the opportunity to select, invite and meet with extramural seminar speakers. Finally a trainee social network will be created, and trainees will be matched with peer mentors for collegiality, collaborations and support. Individuals from underpresented minorities will gain the education and training that will allow them to acquire the essential academic credentials and research skills needed to allow them to enter and complete Ph.D. programs at select institutions. With these degrees they will be able to become productive research scientists in areas that address reducing health disparities.