Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Summer Research Opportunities Program (MET-SROP)

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Abstract (Summary) The Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Summer Research Opportunities Program (MET-SROP) will provide an intense learning and research training experience in cellular and molecular mechanisms of toxicity for undergraduates who are underrepresented ethnic/racial minorities, economically disadvantaged, or disabled. This proposal seeks support for eight undergraduate trainees each summer for five years. The proposed program will provide access to over 30 faculty trainers, most of whom also are trainers on our NIEHS Pre- and Postdoctoral T32 Training Grant. The trainers have recognized expertise in molecular and cellular approaches to chemical toxicity, molecular epidemiology, teratology and immunotoxicology. Trainers are particularly interested in the mechanistic effects of toxicants and opportunities for translation of this information into human risk assessment. At the beginning of the program, the trainees will meet with the Directors, Christopher Bradfield and Kristen Malecki for a general orientation to the program and the week's objectives. Each week, Directors or Trainers will conduct a tutorial session featuring an interactive overview of environmental health sciences and a discussion of weekly reading assignments. In addition, we will provide advisory sessions on graduate study, professional development, Lab Safety, animal care, ethics and human subjects training, as well as on careers in environmental health sciences. Each trainee will have both a faculty and a graduate student mentor, and trainees will meet with other graduate students at various scheduled events. At the beginning of the program, each trainee will present a poster on his/her scientific proposal and at the end of the program, trainees will give a 20-minute oral scientific research presentation at a symposium open to participants in the various campus summer programs in the biomedical sciences. The MET-SROP will partner with the Integrated Biological Sciences Summer Research Program (IBS-SRP), which oversees eight additional summer research programs in various biological science disciplines at UW- Madison. The IBS-SRP will provide safety and responsible conduct of research training. In addition, through a partnership with the IBS-SRP, our trainees will participate in a variety of joint events as part of the IBS-SRP community, including seminars, career and GRE counseling, and social events. These activities will provide a chance for the trainees to interact with many other trainees from diverse backgrounds with an interest in a scientific career.