Cellular and Molecular Biology at Michigan

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Project Summary This application requests support for the new and redesigned Cellular and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Program (CMB) at the University of Michigan (UM). The mission of the CMB program is to train a diverse group of scientists to conduct responsible and rigorous research in cellular and molecular biology and to prepare them to be successful in diverse careers in biomedical sciences. To pursue this mission, CMB will use evidence-based methods to train students in discipline-related and transferable skills via an individualized and structured competency-based curriculum, train faculty in effective mentoring practices, and use systematic evaluation and intervention to continuously improve its inclusive training practices. Discipline-related training includes foundational coursework and seminars in cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, and quantitative biology, broad exposure to research via weekly Student Seminars, student-organized Short Courses, an Annual Research Symposium, and an Annual Retreat, deep knowledge of an area via rigorous and reproducible research in mentored dissertation projects, and experiential learning in a wide range of areas in basic and translational biomedical sciences. Training in transferable skills range from competency-based courses (such as on scientific communication) to experiential workshops (such as on leadership) offered at the programmatic and institutional levels. Key new elements include 1) competency mapping to courses with a renewed focus on transferable skills and professional development, 2) structured requirements for training in “Rigor and Reproducibility”, “Responsible Conduct of Research”, and scientific communication, 3) a Guided Actionable Plan for career development, 4) the addition of mentor training for faculty and an individualized mentoring plan for each student as requirements, 5) intentional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, and 6) the addition of formative evaluation strategies for programming. CMB has strong institutional support from the UM Medical School and from Rackham Graduate School, as well as from individual departments that participate in the program. Faculty in the program are scientifically diverse and well-funded, and the program actively and successfully recruits an outstanding and diverse group of students from a national pool. Approximately 75% students join via the umbrella Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS, covering 13 biomedical Ph.D. programs) and 25% from the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). In this application, we request annual support for 16 trainees, as 8 2nd year students and 8 3rd year students. Modern biomedical science has become increasingly collaborative and team- based, and there is a clear need for researchers with an operational knowledge of a wide range of disciplines while holding deep expertise of their focused discipline. As a long-standing interdisciplinary collaboration between 20 departments across 4 colleges, CMB is uniquely positioned to fill this need by training new generations of scientists to collaboratively and address fundamental questions in cellular and molecular biology and generate innovative research strategies bridging basic and translational fields to improve human health.