Predoctoral Training: Innovative Technologies for Natural Products and CAM Research

博士前培训：天然产物创新技术和 CAM 研究

• 批准号: 8998341
• 负责人: Nadja B Cech
• 金额: $ 7.94万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-03-01 至 2021-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8998341
• 关键词: Natural Products; Research; Training; innovative technologies; pre-doctoral

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Natural products play an essential role in both alternative and conventional western medicine. Over 30% of the US population reports using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities, which include botanical natural products. Furthermore, approximately 50% of all new small molecule drug approvals in the United States over the past decade were based on natural product compounds. Trained biomedical researchers are needed to evaluate the chemical composition, activity, and mechanism of action of natural products that are employed therapeutically. Such scientific investigations are critical for the development of safe and effective strategies to use natural products for the improvement of health, and to prevent their misuse. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM, recently renamed NCCIH) recognizes this need in their 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, which highlights the importance of training in "key biomedical and behavioral research disciplines necessary for rigorous, state-of-the-art scientific investigation of CAM interventions, practices, and disciplines." The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) is a unique and ideal location for such training to occur. Our PhD program in Medicinal Biochemistry emphasizes natural products and CAM research, and we have a strong collaborative network of faculty mentors with relevant, funded research programs. UNCG also boasts two established centers that support research related to CAM, the Center for Translational Biomedical Research and the Natural Products and Drug Discovery Center. To take advantage of the exceptional training environment at UNCG, we propose to establish a new T32 program that will support five predoctoral students who will conduct basic science research on natural products and CAM. Drawing upon a rich institutional culture of diversity at UNCG, this training program will emphasize the recruitment, retention, and success of students from diverse backgrounds. Training within our T32 program will be tailored to fit the needs of individual students, with different opportunities provided to those on academic and industrial career paths. A unique element of our program will be training in the application of cutting-edge technologies for the analysis of complex botanical mixtures. Trainees will receive hands-on instruction in this area, making use of our exceptional NMR and mass spectrometry facilities. Ultimately, our objective with the proposed T32 program is to produce scientists ready to transition into independent CAM- related careers in industry or academia. We will leverage our preexisting expertise in natural products research and our strong web of connections within the CAM community to develop a program that can efficiently achieve this outcome.

 描述（由适用提供）：天然产品在替代和常规西药中都起着至关重要的作用。超过30％的美国人口报告使用了包括植物天然产品在内的完整和替代医学（CAM）方式。此外，在过去十年中，美国所有新的小分子药物批准中约有50％基于天然产物化合物。需要训练有素的生物医学研究人员来评估所采用的天然产品的化学组成，活性和作用机理。这种科学研究对于制定安全有效的策略至关重要，以改善健康并防止其滥用。国家补充医学中心（NCCAM，最近更名为NCCIH）在其2011 - 2015年战略计划中认识到这一需求，该计划强调了培训在“关键的生物医学和行为研究学科中培训的重要性，这是对凸轮干预，实践和练习和学科的严格，最先进的科学研究所必需的必要的。”北卡罗来纳大学格林斯伯勒分校（UNCG）是进行此类培训的独特而理想的地理位置。我们在药物生物化学领域的博士学位计划强调了天然产品和CAM研究，并且我们与相关的，资助的研究计划建立了强大的教师导师协作网络。 UNCG还拥有两个成立的中心，这些中心支持与CAM有关的研究，即转化生物医学研究中心以及天然产品和药物发现中心。为了利用UNCG的杰出培训环境，我们建议建立一个新的T32计划，该计划将支持五个将在天然产品和CAM上进行基础科学研究的前学生。该培训计划借鉴了UNC的丰富的多样性制度文化，将强调来自不同背景的学生的招聘，保留和成功。我们的T32计划中的培训将量身定制，以适应个别学生的需求，并为学术和工业职业道路提供不同的机会。我们计划的一个独特元素将是在应用尖端技术的应用中培训，以分析复杂的植物混合物。学员将利用我们出色的NMR和质谱设施在这方面接受动手指示。最终，我们提出的T32计划的目标是生产准备过渡到工业或学术界独立相关职业的科学家。我们将利用我们在天然产品研究和CAM社区中强烈的联系网络方面的专业知识来开发一个可以有效实现这一结果的程序。