Veterinarians in Biomedical Research: Building Capacity

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请提议继续举办一系列年度会议，以促进包括兽医在内的生物医学研究事业，重点关注比较和转化医学，人畜共患疾病和全球健康等主题。提议的会议将建立在自2000年以来成功举办的会议的基础上，最初是默克-梅里亚兽医学者研讨会，最近是美国国立卫生研究院-梅里亚兽医学者研讨会。这些会议将为从事生物医学研究的兽医学生和兽医研究生提供全国性的论坛。在培训中的兽医科学家将有机会与同行一起展示他们的研究，并参加由知名科学家主持的最先进的生物医学研究研讨会。此外，这些会议将培养兽医学生、研究员、教师、政府和从事比较生物医学研究的工业科学家之间的联系。这些会议将为建立网络提供正式和非正式的机会。此外，这些会议将吸引兽医学生、研究员、学术教师、国家公认的研究科学家、政府科学家和制药行业的科学家就兽医、比较医学和转化研究的未来方向进行建设性的对话。重要的是，这些会议将邀请、赞助和激励那些在研究中未被充分代表的群体的本科生进行兽医和研究生培训。来自少数民族背景的学生缺乏，而这些学生在兽医和比较医学方面的代表性不足。这些学生在本科期间参加这些会议将提高对兽医研究职业选择的认识，为增加该专业中代表性不足的学生的数量提供最有效的工具之一。这些会议将为从事研究的兽医学生和高级培训项目主任之间的联系提供机会。申请兽医科学家博士后研究项目的高素质兽医毕业生仍然短缺。这次会议将汇集数百名对研究感兴趣的兽医学生，以及为研究生研究培训而设计的培训项目的负责人。正式的演讲和一对一的互动将有助于培训项目的招聘工作，并将促进我们的长期目标，即促进兽医科学家对人类疾病治疗和公共卫生的进步做出贡献。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application proposes to continue a series of annual conferences to promote biomedical research careers by an inclusive set of veterinarians, focusing on the themes of comparative and translational medicine, and zoonotic diseases and global health. The proposed conferences will build on the success of conferences carried out since 2000, initially as Merck-Merial Veterinary Scholar Symposia, and more recently as NIH-Merial Veterinary Scholar Symposia. These conferences will provide national forums for veterinary students and post- graduate veterinarians engaged in biomedical research. Veterinary scientists-in-training will have an opportunity present their research alongside peers, and attend state-of-the- art biomedical research seminars presented by renowned scientists. In addition, these conferences will cultivate connections among veterinary students, fellows, faculty, government, and industrial scientists performing comparative biomedical research. The meetings will provide formal and informal opportunities for networking. Furthermore, these conferences will engage veterinary students, fellows, academic faculty, nationally recognized research scientists, government scientists and pharmaceutical industry scientists in a constructive dialogue about future directions for veterinary, comparative medicine and translational research. Importantly, these conferences will invite, sponsor and inspire undergraduate students from groups underrepresented in research to pursue veterinary and graduate training. There is a dearth of students from minority backgrounds that are underrepresented in veterinary and comparative medicine. Participation of such students in these conferences while they are undergraduates will increase awareness of career options in veterinary research, providing one of the most effective tools to increase numbers of underrepresented students in the profession. These conferences will provide opportunities for connections between veterinary students performing research, and directors of advanced training programs. There continues to be a shortage of highly qualified veterinary graduates applying for positions in postdoctoral research programs for veterinarian-scientists. This conference will bring together several hundred veterinary students who have an interest in research with directors of training programs designed for post-graduate research training. Formal presentation as well as one-on-one interactions will assist recruitment efforts of training programs, and will promote our long-term objective of facilitating contributions from veterinarian-scientist for advances in treatment of human diseases and public health.