Predoctoral Training in the Molecular Biology of Aging

衰老分子生物学博士前培训

• 批准号: 8459454
• 负责人: John M Sedivy
• 金额: $ 18.06万
• 依托单位: BROWN UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-05-01 至 2017-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8459454
• 关键词: Biology of Aging; Molecular Biology; Training; pre-doctoral

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) Aging is a fundamental biological process, and age-related diseases are the leading causes of death in modern societies. The objective of the proposed Molecular Biology of Aging Predoctoral Graduate Training Program (MBoA) is simple: to train the next generation of scientists to attack the immensely challenging yet important task of understanding and eventually manipulating human aging. The MBoA will bring together molecular biologists, computational and population biologists, and geriatricians to provide instruction and training to graduate students in the molecular mechanisms of aging. The aim will be to provide PhD candidates with a strong academic and experimental foundation in the current landscape of molecular aging research, and to equip them with the skills to pursue a research career in this field. Our understanding of aging has reached a watershed in the past 10 years that was enabled by the increasing use of forward genetics in simple model systems. Thirteen faculty from 6 different departments have come together to launch the MBoA Training Program. Their research interests span from insulin/IGF signaling, chromatin structure, cellular senescence, mitochondrial function and protein quality control to degenerative disorders of the nervous system, heart and cartilage. The experimental systems span from yeast through nematode and Drosophila to mammalian models including the mouse and a variety of cell culture models. Support is requested for 2 trainees in year 1 and for a total of 4 trainees in year 2 through 5. Trainees will be supported for a period of 1 to 2 years. Candidates for support will be drawn from talented students in the program, either in their first year based on academic excellence, or in subsequent years based on the caliber of their research. The MBoA Training Program will operate as a track under the auspices of 2 existing and well-established programs at Brown University, the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry Graduate Program (MCB), and the Graduate Program in Pathobiology. These successful programs have different, but with respect to the biology of aging, very complementary and synergistic areas of activity: MCB is the seat of molecular expertise and model organisms, whereas Pathobiology holds the keys to mammalian and human physiology and pathology. The combination and integration of these approaches is the cornerstone of the philosophy of the MBoA. While research in invertebrate model systems will provide leads to the underlying molecular mechanisms of aging, these principles will have to be interpreted in terms of mammalian physiology and ultimately integrated with human pathology. Only a truly interdisciplinary approach can hope to eventually implement therapies to alleviate the suffering caused by age-associated degenerative processes.

衰老是一个基本的生物学过程，与年龄相关的疾病是现代社会死亡的主要原因。提出的衰老分子生物学博士前研究生培训计划（MBoA）的目标很简单：培养下一代科学家来完成理解并最终操纵人类衰老这一极具挑战性但重要的任务。MBoA将汇集分子生物学家、计算和人口生物学家以及老年病学家，为研究生提供衰老分子机制方面的指导和培训。其目的是为博士候选人在当前分子衰老研究领域提供强大的学术和实验基础，并使他们具备在该领域从事研究工作的技能。在过去的10年里，我们对衰老的理解达到了一个分水岭，这是由于在简单模型系统中越来越多地使用正向遗传学而实现的。来自6个不同院系的13位教师共同启动了MBoA培训计划。他们的研究兴趣从胰岛素/IGF信号，染色质结构，细胞衰老，线粒体功能和蛋白质质量控制到神经系统，心脏和软骨的退行性疾病。实验系统从酵母到线虫和果蝇到哺乳动物模型，包括小鼠和各种细胞培养模型。要求为第一年的2名受训人员和第2至第5年的4名受训人员提供支助。受训人员将获得为期1至2年的支持。支持的候选人将从该项目中有才华的学生中抽取，要么是在他们的第一年基于学术卓越，要么是在随后的几年基于他们的研究水平。布朗大学的分子生物学、细胞生物学和生物化学研究生课程（MCB）以及病理生物学研究生课程将作为布朗大学现有和完善的两个项目的培训项目。这些成功的项目有不同的，但就衰老生物学而言，非常互补和协同的活动领域：MCB是分子专业知识和模式生物的所在，而病理生物学是哺乳动物和人类生理学和病理学的关键。这些方法的结合和整合是MBoA理念的基石。虽然对无脊椎动物模型系统的研究将为衰老的潜在分子机制提供线索，但这些原理必须从哺乳动物生理学的角度进行解释，并最终与人类病理学相结合。只有真正跨学科的方法才有希望最终实施治疗，以减轻与年龄相关的退行性过程造成的痛苦。