Veterinarians in Biomedical Research: Building Capacity

描述(申请人提供)：该申请建议继续举办一系列年度会议，以促进具有包容性的兽医的生物医学研究事业，重点关注比较医学和转化医学，以及人畜共患疾病和全球卫生等主题。拟议的会议将建立在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NIH-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研究生兽医提供国家论坛。受训的兽医科学家将有机会与同行一起展示他们的研究，并参加由著名科学家举办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。这些会议将提供正式和非正式的联网机会。此外，这些会议将使兽医学生、研究员、学术人员、国家公认的研究科学家、政府科学家和制药行业科学家就兽医、比较医学和转化研究的未来方向进行建设性对话。重要的是，这些会议将邀请、赞助和激励在研究中代表性不足的群体的本科生继续进行兽医和研究生培训。来自少数族裔背景的学生在兽医和比较医学领域的代表性不足。这些学生在本科期间参加这些会议将提高人们对兽医研究职业选择的认识，提供最有效的工具之一，增加该专业中代表性不足的学生数量。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。仍然缺乏高素质的兽医毕业生申请兽医科学家博士后研究项目的职位。这次会议将汇聚数百名对研究感兴趣的兽医学生与研究生研究培训项目的负责人一起参加。正式的演讲和一对一的互动将有助于培训计划的招募工作，并将促进我们的长期目标，即促进兽医兼科学家为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.