An Interdisciplinary Molecular Metabolism Training Program

描述（由申请人提供）：代谢疾病是一个严重的全球性健康问题，当前流行的肥胖症和 2 型糖尿病就说明了这一点，这在美国尤为突出，而且没有任何减弱的迹象。因此，迫切需要代谢研究来应对这一令人担忧的情况。然而，全国范围内专门针对系统、细胞和分子水平代谢方面的年轻研究人员进行培训的培训项目相对较少。为了满足这一需求，我们在芝加哥大学设立了分子代谢培训计划 (MMTP)，其中包括分子代谢与营养委员会 (CMMN)，该委员会是美国为数不多的、也许是唯一的授予分子代谢博士学位的研究生项目之一。 成功的新陈代谢培训计划需要采用多学科和跨学科的方法，由具有各种技术技能和研究经验的研究人员组成。 MMTP 利用了芝加哥大学奇妙且高度互动的生物医学环境以及代谢和糖尿病研究的强大传统。 MMTP 的培训师（MMTP 受训人员将在其实验室开展研究项目）在生物科学部的许多部门和科室中担任主要职务，涵盖代谢研究的大部分多样性。作为跨院系，MMTP博士前和博士后培训生可以学习生物化学、分子生物学、细胞生物学、遗传学、医学、病理学、免疫学、生理学和神经生物学方面的课程并获得经验，并获得所需的综合专业代谢核心课程。学员还需要参加新陈代谢期刊俱乐部、数据会议、研讨会系列和年度静修会。预计参加国家和国际代谢、糖尿病和/或肥胖科学会议。这个快速发展的 MMTP 拥有强大的机构支持，以及大量的新研究空间和设备。许多优秀的申请者申请MMTP，招聘成功率非常高。最近从 CMMN/MMTP 毕业的博士前学员在优秀的学术代谢研究实验室找到了博士后职位。虽然是新成立的，但 MMTP 的最终目标是让年轻研究人员走上成为独立学术代谢研究科学家和导师的道路 - 致力于卓越的学术研究并在代谢疾病和糖尿病/肥胖研究方面取得突破性发现，这将导致更好地治疗、预防甚至治愈这些疾病的新疗法。 公共健康相关性：新陈代谢是生命所必需的，并且影响几乎所有疾病状态，但尽管如此，以及人们对代谢疾病研究的兴趣重新燃起（部分原因是肥胖和糖尿病的令人担忧的流行病），仍然没有足够的专业基础/转化研究人员来解决这些巨大的代谢健康问题。芝加哥大学新成立的 MMTP 显然有助于培养急需的、高素质且经验丰富的年轻研究人员，专门从事分子代谢研究，以做出新的发现，从而造福于许多患有糖尿病/肥胖等代谢疾病的人。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Metabolic disease is a massive worldwide health problem as illustrated by the current epidemics in obesity and type 2 diabetes, which is especially prominent in the United States and showing no sign of abating. As such, there is an urgent need for metabolism research to face this alarming situation. However, there are relatively few training programs across the country specifically dedicated to the training of bright young researchers in metabolism at the systemic, cellular and molecular level. To address this need we have set up the Molecular Metabolism Training Program (MMTP) at the University of Chicago which incorporates the Committee on Molecular Metabolism & Nutrition (CMMN) that is one of the few, perhaps the only, graduate programs in the United States granting a PhD in molecular metabolism. A successful training program in metabolism requires a multi- and inter-disciplinary approach, made up of researchers with a wide variety of technical skills and research experience. The MMTP takes advantage of the marvelous and highly interactive biomedical environment and strong traditions in metabolic and diabetes research at the University of Chicago. The trainers in the MMTP, in whose laboratories MMTP trainees will conduct their research projects, have primary appointments across many departments and sections of the Biological Sciences Division, to cover most of the diversity in metabolism research. Being interdepartmental, the MMTP pre- and postdoctoral trainees can take courses and gain experience in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Medicine, Pathology, Immunology, Physiology and Neurobiology with a required comprehensive specialized metabolism core-curriculum. Trainees are also required to attend metabolism journal clubs, data sessions, seminar series, and an annual retreat. Participation in National and International metabolism, diabetes and/or obesity scientific meetings is expected. There is strong institutional support, as well as a significant allocation of new research space and equipment for this fast growing MMTP. Many outstanding applicants apply to the MMTP and the recruitment success rate is very high. Pre-doctoral trainees recently graduated from the CMMN/MMTP have found postdoctoral positions in outstanding academic metabolism research laboratories. Although newly established, the ultimate goal of the MMTP is to set up young researchers on the path to become independent academic metabolism research scientists and mentors themselves - dedicated to excellent scholarship and making breakthrough discoveries in metabolic disease and diabetes/obesity research that will lead to new therapies to better treat, prevent and perhaps even cure these disorders. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Metabolism is required for life and impinges on almost every disease state, but despite this fact, as well as a resurgent interest for metabolic disease research (partly driven by worrisome epidemics in obesity and diabetes), there are insufficient specialized basic/translational researchers to tackle these huge metabolic health problems. The newly established MMTP at the University of Chicago has clear relevance to produce much needed, highly qualified and experienced young researchers specialized in molecular metabolism to make new discoveries that in turn benefit the many who suffer from metabolic diseases like diabetes/obesity.