Training in Auditory and Vestibular Neuroscience

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请申请资金用于在匹兹堡大学建立听觉和前庭神经科学培训项目。每年申请两名博士预科生和两名博士后培训生。虽然在确定内耳缺陷的遗传和分子基础方面取得了相当大的进展，但中枢产生的听力和平衡障碍的生物学基础仍然很难理解。该计划旨在通过基础神经科学以及听力和平衡障碍的临床方面的培训，培养能够解决这些问题的听觉和前庭科学家。培训师资队伍由11名致力于听觉和前庭神经科学研究并招募和培养优秀的前、博士后的导师组成。受训者使用的研究方法范围从细胞和分子到发育到系统和认知，因此受训者可以在他们的实验中采用各种不同的技术。除了进行研究外，受训者还将学习以前庭神经科学和听觉神经科学为重点的专门课程，参加每周的期刊俱乐部，并参加一系列专业发展研讨会，这些研讨会提供书面和口头交流等“生存技能”的明确培训，获得工作和资助，教学和管理研究实验室。作为计划的一部分，所有受训者必须提交奖学金申请，申请的撰写将通过与当地委员会的定期会议来促进，该委员会将提供建议和指导。负责任的科学行为培训是专业发展讲习班、核心课程和实验室培训的组成部分。一个坚实的结构是到位的，以指导受训者和监测他们的进展，通过该计划。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests funds to establish a training program in auditory and vestibular neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. Resources to support two predoctoral and two postdoctoral trainees per year are requested. While considerable progress has been made in identifying the genetic and molecular bases of inner ear deficits, the biological bases of centrally-generated hearing and balance disorders are still hardly understood. The proposed program is intended to generate auditory and vestibular scientists who can address these problems, through training in basic neuroscience and the clinical aspects of hearing and balance disorders. A group of eleven preceptors who are committed to auditory and vestibular neuroscience research and to recruit and educate outstanding pre- and postdoctoral fellows will comprise the training faculty. The research methodology employed by the preceptors ranges from cellular and molecular to developmental to systems and cognition, such that trainees can incorporate a variety of different techniques in their experiments. In addition to conducting research, trainees will take a specialized course focused on vestibular and auditory neuroscience, attend weekly journal clubs, and participate in a series of professional development workshops that provide explicit training in such "survival skills" as written and oral communication, obtaining jobs and grants, teaching, and managing a research lab. All trainees must submit a fellowship application as part of the program, the writing of which will be facilitated by periodic meetings with a local committee that provides advice and guidance. Training in the responsible scientific conduct is an integral part of the professional development workshops, the core curriculum, and laboratory training. A solid structure is in place to mentor the trainees and monitor their progress through the program.