Epilepsy Research Training Program

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案旨在更新对癫痫研究培训计划的支持。该项目的总体目标是招募和培训一批优秀的神经科学家，他们将获得(1)与人类癫痫的神经生物学、合并症和治疗相关的复杂而深入的研究知识；(2)成功的竞争性当代研究所需的前沿方法和创新实验方法；(3)了解和准备癫痫研究的各种职业选择。癫痫研究培训计划通过在14名资金充足且热情的导师的实验室中进行个性化、委员会监督的研究培训来实现这些目标。培训经验丰富的项目具体课程，研讨会和专题讨论会，吸引了UCI神经科学界和潜在的学员。迄今为止，我们成功地实现了我们雄心勃勃的培训目标，这得益于优秀的候选人库，以及与UCI癫痫研究中心和UCI临床癫痫项目的协同作用，它们相互作用，提供了多方面的培训经验。这些资产由开放和互动的研究氛围以及项目教师之间的丰富合作补充。我们将癫痫作为大脑可塑性窗口的方法促进了癫痫及其认知和情感合并症的基础和转化研究方法。鉴于学术生涯的发展轨迹，随着癫痫研究培训计划进入第9个年头，我们的培训方法取得成功的切实措施变得越来越明显。11名项目校友中有9名（82%）在学术界，全部是助理教授或同等学历，5名获得终身教职，其中包括一名来自少数族裔的女性。2/11不在学术界从事神经科学作为主编，自然出版物和大学水平的教育家。绝大多数过去的学员都参与了癫痫研究，一些过去和现在的学员已经获得了自己的NRSA或同等学历。该项目是美国仅有的两个以癫痫为重点的t32项目之一，我们未来几年的目标是利用我们的成功，从实习生和教师的投入中学习，进一步提高培训经验：(1)从我们的2名博士预科生（一个少数）那里，我们了解到博士后预科生的互动对两者的有益影响，并要求我们每年4名的实习生中有一名是高级博士预科生；(2)我们的目标是增加医学博士的招聘（目前为10%），以及来自不同背景的个人的招聘（12.5%，高于UCI研究生池）。(3)我们的目标是通过与新的UCI CTSA的整合努力，加强职业准备和授予写作技能。因此，癫痫培训计划将以其培养有才华的神经科学家（包括少数民族和女性）进入可持续学术事业的记录为基础，从而增强神经科学研究的未来劳动力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal aims to renew support for a Training Program in Epilepsy Research. The overall goal of the program is recruitment and training of a diverse group of outstanding neuroscientists who will gain (1) sophisticated and in depth knowledge of research germane to the neurobiology, co-morbidities and cure of human epilepsy; (2) cutting edge methods and innovative experimental approaches required for successful competitive contemporary research; (3) understanding and preparation for a diverse repertoire of career choices in epilepsy research. The Training Program in Epilepsy Research accomplishes these goals via individualized, committee-supervised research training in the labs of 14 well-funded and enthusiastic preceptors. The training experience is enriched by program-specific courses, seminars and symposia that draw in the UCI Neuroscience community and potential trainees. Our success to date in achieving our ambitious training goals derives from an outstanding pool of candidates, and from synergy with the UCI Epilepsy Research Center and the UCI Clinical Epilepsy Program, which interact to provide a multifaceted training experience. These assets are complemented by an open and interactive research atmosphere and abundant collaborations among program faculty. Our approach to Epilepsy as Window to Brain Plasticity promotes both basic and translational approaches to research on epilepsy and its cognitive and emotional co-morbidities. Given the trajectories of academic careers, tangible measures of success of our training approach are becoming evident as the Training Program in Epilepsy Research is in its 9th year. Nine of eleven (82%) program alumni are in academia, all assistant professors or equivalent and 5 in tenure track, including a woman from an underrepresented minority group. The 2/11 not in Academia is involved in neuroscience as managing editor, Nature publications and college level educator. The large majority of past trainees are involved in epilepsy research, and several past and present-cycle trainees have received their own NRSA or equivalent. Our goal for the coming years of the Program-one of only two Epilepsy-focused T32s in the U.S.- are to capitalize on our success and learn from trainee and faculty input to further enhance the training experience: (1) From our 2 pre-doctoral trainees (one a minority), we learnt the beneficial effects of pre-postdoc trainee interactions to both, and request that one of our 4 yearly trainees be a senior predoctoral student; (2) We aim to increase MD recruitment (currently 10%), and that of individuals from diverse backgrounds (12.5.%; higher than in the UCI graduate pool). (3) We aim to intensify career preparation and grant writing skills via integrative efforts with the new UCI CTSA. Thus, the Training Program in Epilepsy will build on its record of launching talented neuroscientists, including minority and women into sustainable academic careers, thus enhancing the future workforce in neuroscience research.