Multidisciplinary Oral Science Training

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the UIC Multidisciplinary Oral Sciences Training Program (MOST Program) is to provide outstanding research training to predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees in five areas relevant to the oral- craniofacial complex: microbiology/immunology, oral cancer, wound healing, tissue engineering/biomaterials, and clinical/translational research. The MOST Program engages 35 training faculty from 6 UIC colleges to provide interdisciplinary and collaborative training in research related to oral and craniofacial sciences. MOST provides a comprehensive and flexible approach to training individuals at multiple levels, with the goal of establishing a pipeline of young scientists and clinician-scientists who are expertly trained and encouraged to pursue careers that includes oral and craniofacial research. The program consists of two different components. The first component, predoctoral training, trains DSTP students, and includes study within the COD doctoral program in Oral Sciences or an aligned doctoral program. Highly qualified non-dentists with thesis projects relevant to oral health are also eligible to participate in this component. Th second component, post-doctoral training, targets individuals who already hold a PhD, DDS/DMD, or DDS/DMD-PhD, with the goal of preparing them to be fully capable independent scientists in oral health research. Post-graduate dentists, including junior faculty, may obtain additional formal research training by completing either a PhD program or the MS in Clinical and Translational Research. For all trainees, the program is individually tailored according to prior experience, and each trainee is provided with a customized timeline of activities. Within this interdisciplinary yet integrated program, trainees and faculty interact through scheduled journal clubs, seminars, career development sessions, and other trainee events. The program is supported by faculty with substantial expertise in the five focus areas of research, and by an aggressive plan to recruit under-represented minorities. Due to growth in our research capacity and infrastructure, UIC is uniquely poised to provide research training that will support the NIDCR stated goal of developing "a cadre of highly qualified independent scientists who can successfully address basic, behavioral, and clinical research questions to improve oral, dental and craniofacial health."