Training in the Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology

分子生物物理学和结构生物学培训

• 批准号: 8695410
• 负责人: RONALD B WETZEL
• 金额: $ 18.05万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-07-01 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8695410
• 关键词: Biophysics; Molecular; Training; structural biology

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal seeks funding to support and extend an interdisciplinary predoctoral program that prepares students with strong backgrounds in quantitative physical sciences to conceptualize, conduct, and direct independent research in molecular biophysics and structural biology. This Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology (MBSB) program places a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary, collaborative research in an environment where the practical human health consequences of research are appreciated and contribute to guiding and driving basic research. The training faculty consists of 40 independent investigators spread over 14 departments within the School of Medicine and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and within Carnegie Mellon University. The training faculty comprises a large group of senior members who have strong records in graduate training, funding, and publication, and a smaller contingent of junior faculty who bring new ideas and technical expertise to the group. The research programs of training faculty emphasize not only characterization of biomolecular phenomena but also development of new methodologies. At every stage of the curriculum, emphasis is placed on the relationship between physical methods and biological understanding. The research is concentrated in core areas at the challenging forefront of biomolecular science, including membrane proteins, protein-protein interactions and oligomeric complexes, nucleic acid structure and protein-nucleic acid interactions, poorly structured protein elements, protein misfolding and aggregation, and small molecule ligand - protein interactions. The training program includes a first year core curriculum featuring an introduction to biophysical instrumentation and methods, how these are used to address specific molecular questions, an introduction to theory and simulation of biomolecular behavior, and courses on statistical analysis and computer programming. Student's abilities to synthesize and creatively utilize what they have learned in the classroom are tested in a qualifying exam that requires them to construct and defend a research proposal not related to their own laboratory work. After passing this exam students move on to develop and pursue their thesis project. Students are required to participate in a weekly journal/data club and to attend a Molecular Biophysics seminar series featuring invited local and national speakers. Students are also encouraged to participate in several local, annual science meetings. This application proposes special features new to the MBSB program including incentives to develop co-mentored, collaborative thesis projects and an annual mini-symposium, with significant student participation, set within the MBSB graduate program. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the rich environment of the School of Medicine to attend seminars in molecular aspects of human disease. We are requesting funds to support six traineeships with the goal to train a new generation of molecular biophysicists who will be leaders in future efforts to understand normal and abnormal human biology at the physical and molecular level.

描述(由申请者提供)：本提案寻求资金支持和扩展一个跨学科的博士前项目，该项目培养在定量物理领域具有较强背景的学生，以概念化、进行和指导分子生物物理学和结构生物学的独立研究。这个分子生物物理学和结构生物学(MBSB)项目非常重视跨学科的合作研究，在这样一个环境中，研究的实际人类健康后果得到认可，并有助于指导和推动基础研究。培训人员由40名独立调查人员组成，分布在匹兹堡大学医学院和艺术与科学学院以及卡内基梅隆大学的14个系中。培训人员包括一大批在研究生培训、资助和出版方面有良好记录的资深成员，以及一小部分为集团带来新想法和技术专业知识的初级教师。培训教师的研究计划不仅强调生物分子现象的表征，而且强调新方法的开发。在课程的每个阶段，都强调物理方法和生物理解之间的关系。这些研究集中在生物分子科学最前沿的核心领域，包括膜蛋白、蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用和寡聚复合体、核酸结构和蛋白质-核酸相互作用、结构不良的蛋白质元件、蛋白质错误折叠和聚集以及小分子配体-蛋白质相互作用。培训计划包括一年级的核心课程，介绍生物物理仪器和方法，如何使用这些工具来解决特定的分子问题，介绍生物分子行为的理论和模拟，以及统计分析和计算机编程课程。学生综合和创造性利用他们在课堂上学到的知识的能力在资格考试中得到测试，这要求他们构建和辩护一个与他们自己的实验室工作无关的研究方案。通过考试后，学生们继续发展和追求他们的论文项目。学生被要求参加每周一次的期刊/数据俱乐部，并参加一系列分子生物物理学研讨会，邀请当地和国家的演讲者参加。学生们还被鼓励参加几个地方性的年度科学会议。这份申请提出了MBSB项目的新特点，包括鼓励开发共同指导的、合作的论文项目，以及在MBSB研究生项目中设置的有大量学生参与的年度小型研讨会。此外，亦鼓励学生利用医学院的丰富环境，参加有关人类疾病分子方面的研讨会。我们正在申请资金支持六个培训项目，目的是培养新一代分子生物物理学家，他们将成为未来在物理和分子水平上理解正常和异常人类生物学的领导者。