An Interdisciplinary Molecular Metabolism Training Program

描述(申请人提供)：代谢性疾病是一个巨大的世界性健康问题，正如目前肥胖症和2型糖尿病的流行所表明的那样，这在美国尤为突出，而且没有减弱的迹象。因此，迫切需要新陈代谢研究来面对这种令人震惊的情况。然而，全国各地专门致力于培养系统、细胞和分子水平的新陈代谢方面的聪明年轻研究人员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项目(MMTP)，其中包括分子代谢与营养委员会(CMMN)，这是美国为数不多的、可能是唯一授予分子代谢博士学位的研究生项目之一。 一个成功的新陈代谢培训计划需要多学科交叉的方法，由具有广泛技术技能和研究经验的研究人员组成。MMTP利用了芝加哥大学在新陈代谢和糖尿病研究方面的非凡和高度互动的生物医学环境和强大的传统。MMTP的培训员将在其实验室进行研究项目，MMTP的培训员在生物科学司的许多部门和科室都有初步任命，以涵盖新陈代谢研究的大部分多样性。作为跨部门的MMTP博士后和博士后实习生可以参加生物化学、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的课程，并获得经验，并提供必要的综合专业代谢核心课程。受训者还需要参加新陈代谢杂志俱乐部、数据会议、系列研讨会和年度静修。预计将参加国内和国际新陈代谢、糖尿病和/或肥胖症科学会议。有强大的机构支持，以及为这一快速增长的MMTP分配了大量新的研究空间和设备。许多优秀的申请者申请参加MMTP，招聘成功率非常高。最近从CMMN/MMTP毕业的博士后实习生已经在杰出的学术代谢研究实验室找到了博士后职位。虽然MMTP刚刚成立，但其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-致力于出色的学术研究，并在代谢性疾病和糖尿病/肥胖症研究方面取得突破性发现，这些发现将导致新的疗法，以更好地治疗、预防甚至治愈这些疾病。 公共卫生相关性：新陈代谢是生命所必需的，几乎影响到每一种疾病状态，但尽管如此，以及人们对代谢性疾病研究的兴趣死灰复燃(部分原因是肥胖和糖尿病令人担忧的流行病)，但没有足够的专业基础/翻译研究人员来解决这些巨大的新陈代谢健康问题。芝加哥大学新成立的MMTP具有明显的相关性，可以培养出急需的、高度合格和经验丰富的年轻研究人员，他们专门从事分子代谢方面的研究，以做出新的发现，从而使许多患有糖尿病/肥胖症等代谢性疾病的人受益。

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.