Forsyth Postdoctoral Training in Oral Health Research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is a competing continuation of Forsyth's currently funded Kirschstein-NRSA T32 training award entitled "Postdoctoral Training Program in Oral Health Research". This program is targeted to dentists and PhDs who desire a postdoctoral experience in basic, clinical or patient-oriented oral health research. Specific training opportunities are available in Craniofacial Development/Biomineralization, Immunobiology, Oral Microbial-Host Interactions, and Clinical Investigation. Linkage of projects between focus areas, especially between Clinical Investigation and other focus areas will be encouraged. Mentors have outstanding records of published research consistent with the NIDR mission, are well-supported by NIH (PI or Co-l on average of 3.4 funded research grants) and have appreciable experience in postdoctoral education. Extensive collaborative and multidisciplinary interactions are characteristic of mentors' research. These multidisciplinary/collaborative research efforts of mentors will provide trainees with examples of such interactions, and should also serve as a springboard for the trainee to initiate similar collaborative research interactions. Enhancements to the postdoctoral research experience will include semester-long courses in clinical research design, oral health targeted courses in Immunology, Infectious Disease, and Developmental Biology, and a newly developed course in Scientific Integrity developed for the current T32 program (required). Training in research use of the Web and bioinformatic tools is also offered, together with formal workshops and informal guidance in grantsmanship and Career Development. Trainees will take active roles in the Forsyth Seminar Series, Oral Biology colloquia, departmental journal clubs, and a postdoctoral research group. Leadership awareness and training will be facilitated by postdoctoral trainee mentoring of Boston high school and Harvard dental students in summer research projects. Several strategies will be used to recruit trainees including candidates from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups who will be specifically encouraged. Our goal is to provide training experiences that will position trainees to be principal investigators who can successfully compete for research funds, who effectively communicate their ideas both orally and in written form, who recognize the value of collaborative and multidisciplinary research, and who uphold the highest standards in scientific integrity.