Minnesota Neuroimaging Postdoctoral Training Grant

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Summary The last decade ushered in amazing advances in neuroimaging due to transformative developments in magnetic resonance and optical imaging techniques as well as in computational and modeling tools. A common thread in these advances is their multi-disciplinary nature, requiring collaborations among medical researchers, engineers, physicists, mathematicians, and data scientists, among many others. In order to continue the pace of technical advances in neuroimaging and to exploit their unique capabilities for brain research and medical applications, it is critical to train the next generation of neuroimaging specialists in a setting 1) with an abundance of state-of-the-art tools, 2) with a programmatic interest in developing novel neuroimaging technologies and biomedical applications, and 3) where trainees can carry out groundbreaking research under multi-disciplinary mentorship. The University of Minnesota (UMN) has an excellent tradition of training neuroimaging postdocs in its Medical School and its College of Science & Engineering. It is also the home of major, world-renowned efforts in neuroimaging technology development and novel biomedical applications of neuroimaging. The proposed Minnesota Neuroimaging Postdoctoral Training Grant aims to give 14 postdoctoral fellows – at least 4 of whom will be from communities under-represented in STEM fields – multi-disciplinary skills in neuroimaging technology development and advanced biomedical applications, guidance in career development, and social and networking support through intense two-year neuroimaging fellowships at UMN. Each fellow's primary research will be conducted on a multi-disciplinary project that combines their background with another field with the express goal of developing new neuroimaging technologies. Each fellow will be co-mentored by two faculty selected from the 40+ participating faculty in this grant: one that will directly supervise the research project, and one that represents a core area related to the research project. Fellows will take at least two courses to broaden their skillset and prepare for either an academic or industry research career. They will participate in an Annual Retreat and twice-monthly seminars that will cover research and career development topics such as responsible conduct of research, scientific rigor and reproducibility, grant writing, and other key subjects. They will also participate in UMN's numerous neuroscience conferences, symposia, and workshops, along with well-established UMN outreach programs to high schoolers and undergraduates from communities under-represented in STEM fields. The program will be managed by an Executive Board that represents the diversity of the participating faculty across the Medical School and the College of Science & Engineering. Management plans include a rigorous, ongoing evaluation process that incorporates an external Advisory Board and the University of Minnesota's internal research and assessment services.