Research Education Core

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Project Summary – Research Education Core (REC) The training of future leaders in the development of medical countermeasures for chemical threat agents is critical to the success of the CounterACT program and to national emergency response and preparedness efforts. The overall mission of the Research Education Core (REC) is to create a diverse array of human resources capable of conducting team-based interdisciplinary research focused on addressing the complex problems posed by chemical threat agents. Advanced training in pharmacology, toxicology, neuroscience, and drug discovery will be provided to a diverse generation of researchers, more specifically, technicians, medical and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and/or early stage investigators within and outside the UC Davis CounterACT Center. Accordingly, the REC will interact with all Cores and Projects of the Center. A major emphasis will be enhancing the diversity, and recruitment of trainees and mentors from underrepresented and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds into the Center. The educational research environment at UC Davis is well suited for the CounterACT Center. UC Davis is a national leader in pharmacology and toxicology, and CounterACT faculty have expertise in fundamental pharmacology, toxicology, medicinal chemistry, drug screening, mechanistic target identification, animal models of disease, advanced imaging, biostatistics as well as preclinical testing and participation in clinical trials. The REC will facilitate the transfer of this knowledge to trainees and promote the advancement of trainees’ careers by providing opportunities to be mentored by and learn from both internal and external scientists with expertise relevant to the CounterACT mission. The REC has three main objectives: (1) Develop skill sets necessary for the study of toxicology, pharmacology, drug discovery, neuroscience, and neurological disorders related to chemical threat agents. First, hands- on interdisciplinary and collaborative research training primarily in the laboratories of the Project and Core Leaders will be provided. Second, specialized didactic training in areas relevant to the Center’s mission will be accomplished via workshops, seminars, and specialized coursework. (2) Enhance the recruitment of graduate students and faculty from underrepresented backgrounds into the UC Davis CounterACT Center by leveraging well established undergraduate, graduate, and faculty STEM-related recruiting and retention programs on campus. (3) Evaluate the activities of the REC to assess effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. By fulfilling these objectives, the REC will accomplish its goal of developing a diverse group of scientists with broader understanding of the concepts, challenges, and opportunities in drug discovery and development of medical countermeasures of chemical threat agents.