UNC Chemical Biology Interface Training Program

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ABSTRACT We propose to establish a Chemistry–Biology Interface (CBI) Training Program that will enable trainees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to obtain the breadth of scientific training essential for modern, mechanistically informed chemical biology. This program draws from two historically successful programs at UNC: the Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry (CBMC) in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and the Biological and Organic Chemistry Divisions in the UNC Department of Chemistry (College of Arts and Sciences). These two units have a strong and continuing tradition of collaboration, common coursework, and a shared seminar series. Although UNC has a highly regarded scientific tradition, there is no chemistry-oriented NIH training program on the UNC campus. The proposed program will bring together 25 established researchers who encompass the breadth of chemical biology, ranging from analytical bioanalysis to protein structure/function to medicinal chemistry/drug design. In addition, three promising junior faculty members will join the program as “mentored mentors”, working closely with senior colleagues as they continue to establish their programs. The program leaders, one from CBMC and one from the Department of Chemistry, are accomplished senior faculty with mentoring and administrative experience; they will provide program guidance with input from an internal steering committee and a distinguished group of external advisors. Students will be recruited from the two primary units and from a UNC umbrella biological/biomedical sciences program that has shown remarkable success in recruiting outstanding and diverse graduate students to the campus. The training program includes (1) common coursework that establishes the basis for research at the chemistry–biology interface, including responsible conduct of research and rigor/reproducibility training, (2) biweekly meetings that alternate between a journal club and a smaller discussion group focused on individual learning and professional development, (3) an program retreat that will be held before the fall semester, providing orientation and early formal training in rigor and reproducibility, and (4) a trainee-organized symposium that will become a major annual event at UNC. Work at the chemistry–biology interface has become increasingly relevant as our understanding of biology has required more molecular insights. Accordingly, the activities of the proposed program will capitalize on the diverse expertise in CBMC and Chemistry, and the extensive educational and research resources that are available at this internationally recognized institution. This program will provide trainees with a superior education from the perspective of depth and breadth, and develop well-trained PhD scholars at the interface of chemistry and biology who will play a critical role in the biomedical sciences across academia and industry.